Potato and Vegetable Bake for One Potato, Two Potato August Linky

It's my turn to host One Potato, Two Potato this month and I've decided to share one of my favourite quick dinners that is perfect for clearing out the vegetable drawer before shopping day.  Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Potato and Vegetable Bake is a delicious side dish, or main dish with a side salad.  

Potato and Vegetable Bake

750g (or more) salad potatoes, roughly chopped

2 heads broccoli, chopped into florets

2 onions, roughly diced

1 or 2 peppers, finely diced

100g (or more) grated mature cheddar

Boil the potatoes until just tender, adding the broccoli for the final few minutes of cooking time, then drain well.  Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan.  Lightly grease an oven dish, or spray with a little oil, and put all the vegetables into the prepared dish.  Top with grated cheese then bake in the preheated oven for around 20 - 30 minutes until the broccoli has cooked through and the cheese is bubbling.  Serve with a salad.

To join in with the One Potato Two Potato linky, simply…

Blog any vegetarian recipe that features potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Include links in your post to this post and Family-Friends-Food, and include the badge (below).

Respect copyright and include the source of any recipe (if applicable).

Add your link to the linky below.

You can link up old posts but please update them with the links and the badge so they fit the rules of the challenge.

You can link up to other blogging events as well, as long as it is within their rules.

Please visit and comment on some of the other entries. Sharing is nice too!

Tweet @fuelledbytea or @utterlyscrummy using the hashtag #onepotato and we will try to retweet.

All entries will be pinned onto the One Potato Two Potato Pinterest board.

The closing date is the 26th of the month and a roundup and the next month’s linky should be posted at the start of the following month.

1 comment Basics, Dinners, Meatfree Monday, Vegetarian

Sweet Potato Traybake and One Potato Two Potato Linky for June

It's my turn to host One Potato, Two Potato linky for June and I cannot wait to see all of your vegetarian makes and bakes using potato or sweet potato.  I decided to bake a Sweet Potato Traybake for packed lunches, and made another one to take to work as it went down so well with my lot.  

Sweet Potato Traybake

150g softened butter
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
4 free range eggs, I used large eggs
300g peeled and grated sweet potato
1 Tblsp orange zest
120g sultanas or raisins
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 or 2 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice)

Icing:
200g cream cheese
75g icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/400F/Gas Mark 6.  Line a 30cm x 20cm (12 inch x 8 inch) traybake tin with non-stick baking paper.  

Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, this usually takes 3 - 5 minutes.  Beat in the vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating well after adding each egg to ensure it is properly incorporated before adding the next one.

Add the grated sweet potato, orange zest, and sultanas.  Mix until combined.  Sift in the flour, baking power, baking soda, and mixed spice.  Gently stir until completely combined, don't beat the mixture at this stage or the traybake will be tough.  Pour into the prepared tin and level the top.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until it springs back to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out free of crumbs.  Leave to cool in the tin before turning it out.  

Beat the icing sugar, cream cheese and orange zest together and spread over the cooled cake.  Slice and serve.  

To join in with the One Potato Two Potato linky, simply…

Blog any vegetarian recipe that features potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Include links in your post to this post and Family-Friends-Food, and include the badge (below). 

Respect copyright and include the source of any recipe (if applicable).

Add your link to the linky below.

You can link up old posts but please update them with the links and the badge so they fit the rules of the challenge.

You can link up to other blogging events as well, as long as it is within their rules.

Please visit and comment on some of the other entries. Sharing is nice too!

Tweet @fuelledbytea or @utterlyscrummy using the hashtag #onepotato and we will try to retweet.

All entries will be pinned onto the One Potato Two Potato Pinterest board.

The closing date is the 26th of the month and a roundup and the next month’s linky should be posted at the start of the following month.

4 comments Basics, Cakes, Snack, Snacks, Vegetarian

One Potato, Two Potato Round-up for April

I hosted the One Potato, Two Potato linky in April, do check out Helen's post for May, and link up your delicious vegetarian potato and/or sweet potato recipes.  

Helen devised the brilliant One Potato, Two Potato linky idea and I came on board as co-host.  The humble potato and sweet potato are great ingredients, so versatile, and there are so many delicious ways to use them in recipes - both as star of the dish and as a side dish.  Do check out Family, Friends, Food as Helen's blog is filled with fabulous recipes, and she is a top UK Kosher food blogger too.

In April there were 5 delicious dishes linked up, we would love to see many more ideas next month so do join in if you have blogged, or are planning to blog, a vegetarian recipe using potatoes and/or sweet potatoes.

Foodie Quine created delicious Potato Rosti and Quails Egg Easter Nests, which would be a delicious party nibble or dinner party starter - not just for Easter.

Searching for Spice recreated Sweet Potato Brownies by Deliciously Ella.  The brownies were deliciously squidgy like traditional ones but contain no refined sugar.  They look utterly scrumptious!

Everyday Healthy Recipes cooked a hearty Mushroom Asparagus Potato Casserole with Herbs, very timely as British asparagus is now in season and the weather is rather chilly at the moment.

Kitchen Byte made delicious Potato and Cheese Pierogi, oh my goodness these tasty morsels are definitely on my recipes to try list.  Potato and cheese in delicious little parcels, my dream snacks right there! 

Allotment 2 Kitchen created these delicious Thyme Oregano Miso Spice Potatoes which turned potatoes into flavourful morsels that were a fab accompaniment to vegetarian meatballs.

Thank you so much to those who joined the linky, we can't wait to see all the delicious recipes linked up to the May post over on Helen's blog!

3 comments Cakes, Dinners, Snacks, Vegetarian

Our Family Meal Plan week beginning 17/04/2017 - £67

It's been a busy couple of week with School Holidays, and our older 3 children don't go back to school until Wednesday.  They've almost eaten us out of house and home the last couple of weeks, I think they are all having a growth spurt, even toddler boy has been eating more than usual.

We've had trips to the park, done some crafting and gardening at home, and completed the dreaded school shoes shopping trip.  It's back to school midweek this week, so there will of course be packed lunches, and after school snacks to sort out.  As well as making sure that we have a few quick dinners as after school activities are starting up this week too.

Meal Plan 

Breakfasts will be overnight oats or cooked porridge with fruit, or wholemeal toast and spread. We'll have poached eggs on wholemeal toast and pancakes on the weekend.  

Packed lunches will be Spicy Root Vegetable Patties with crudites and yoghurt dip, or Root Vegetable and Red Lentil Dhal in flasks accompanied by homemade Vegetable Naan Bread.  There will of course be a piece of fruit and a small baked treat in lunchboxes as well.

Weekend Lunches will be Wholemeal Savoury Swirls and  Root Vegetable Soup with Hidden Goodness Rolls.

Dinners

Meatfree Monday Really Easy Vegan Chilli

1 tsp olive oil
2 onions, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 peppers, diced
2 carrots, grated
2 courgettes, grated
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g tins chilli beans
200g frozen peas
300g frozen corn

Heat oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, peppers, carrot, courgette and spices. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant. Add the tinned tomatoes and chilli beans, turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the peas and corn then cook for a further 5 minutes until heated through. We'll be eating ours with Roast Vegetable Cornbread.

Roast Chicken with roast vegetables and Yorkshire puddings served with steamed greens

Gnocchi with Bacon in Tomato Sauce served with steamed peas and corn

Chicken and Bacon Stew with Dumplings served with steamed greens

Homemade Wholemeal and Lentil Pizzas

Versatile Vegetable Pasties with steamed greens and lightly spiced potato wedges

One Pot Orzo Bolognese

500g minced beef, or vegetarian mince

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 peppers, diced

330g dried orzo pasta

500ml pasta sauce, homemade or store bought

600ml vegetable stock

300g frozen peas

300g frozen corn

100g cheddar cheese, grated

Put a large frying pan on to a medium-high heat and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking up clumps as you do so. 

Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and diced peppers to the pan then cook for a few minutes until the onion and peppers soften.

Add the orzo, pasta sauce and stock to the pan then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked and all of the stock has been absorbed. Stir through the frozen peas and corn, cook until these have heated through. Stir through the grated cheese then serve.

Shopping List

42 items: £67.01

Packets and Cereals

1x   Mornflake Superfast Oats (2Kg)                                            £1.75

1x   Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar (1Kg)                                   64p

2x   ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                                  £1.58

1x   ASDA Smartprice Self Raising Flour (1.5Kg)                         45p

1x   Jus Rol Shortcrust Pastry Block (500g)                                 £1.00

1x   ASDA Home Baking Easy Bake Yeast (6 per pack - 42g)     65p

1x   Il Pastaio Potato Gnocchi (500g)                                           50p

1x   ASDA Orzo (500g)                                                                 50p

1x   ASDA Good and Balanced Red Lentils (500g)                      75p

Tins, Jars and Cooking

1x   ASDA Smartprice Bolognese Sauce (440g)                          39p

4x   ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes (400g)                       £1.16

2x   ASDA Chilli Beans in Chilli Sauce (290g)                              80p

2x   ASDA Chick Peas in Water (400g)                                        70p

1x   ASDA Green Lentils in Water (400g)                                     55p

Dairy and Eggs

3x   ASDA British Semi Skimmed Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)                 £2.97

2x   ASDA British Whole Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)                               £1.98

3x   ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g)                 £1.35

1x   ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight Eggs (15)                          £2.00

1x   ASDA Butter - Unsalted (250g)                                              £1.18

1x   ASDA Mature Cheddar Cheese (750g)                                 £3.50

Fruit and Vegetables

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection British Spring Greens (500g)        60p

30   ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas by Weight (200g)           £2.52

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg)                                60p

4     ASDA Grower's Selection Courgettes by Weight (300g)       £2.28

6x   ASDA Grower's Selection Whole Cucumber                         £3.00

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Celery                                           £1.10

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Garlic Loose                                 27p

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Sweet Potatoes (1Kg)                  95p

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Pears (1.2Kg)                               £4.00

6x   ASDA Farm Stores Apples (500g)                                         £4.80

4x   ASDA Grower's Selection British Parsnips (500g)                 80p

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Mixed Peppers (700g)                  £2.18

4x   ASDA Grower's Selection Plums (750g)                                £4.00

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Extra Trimmed Leeks (550g)        20p

1x   ASDA Farm Stores Brown Onions (1Kg)                               59p

1x   ASDA Farm Stores White Potatoes (2.5Kg)                          £1.29

Meat, Fish and Poultry

2x   ASDA Smartprice Cooking Bacon (500g)                              £1.14

1x   ASDA Butcher's Selection Beef Mince (500g)                       £2.59

1     ASDA Free Range Corn Fed Whole Chicken (1.9Kg)           £6.17

Frozen

1x   ASDA Smartprice Sweetcorn (1Kg)                                       £1.08

1x   ASDA Smartprice Peas (1Kg)                                                76p

Drinks

1x   ASDA Italian Roast and Ground Coffee (227g)                     £1.69

Prices and special offers reflect those of the online grocery website My Supermarket, and are correct as of 15th April 2017.  Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

We purchased our shopping from Asda which cost £67.01, had we shopped elsewhere our items would've cost:

Tesco £80.41

Sainsbury's £82.12

Morrisons £85.65

Leave a Comment Bread, Chicken, Dinners, Lunches, Meatfree Monday, Pasta, Soup

Sweet Potato Picnic Slice

I needed a filling but light snack to take to London with us the other day. I like to take some snacks with us to keep costs down, and it also means we don't have to hunt around for somewhere to eat when the children (and grown ups) are 'hangry'.

I'd purchased some sweet potatoes on offer at the supermarket and they needed using up, and there was half a packet of couscous in our storecupboard. Instead of making a roast vegetable and couscous salad, which of course is delicious, I decided to see if I could make a slice instead. The slice is easier to eat, no utensils required, and is held up better to transporting around than the salad.

I've teamed up with Helen from Family, Friends, Food and we've launched a new linky that will celebrate all things potato. Every month we’ll be inviting you to link up your delicious vegetarian potato and sweet potato recipes to One Potato, Two Potato so we can share the potato deliciousness.

Side dishes, snacks, main meals, we'd love to see them all!  Link up your vegetarian recipe ideas for using potatoes and sweet potatoes. Cheap, filling, and endlessly versatile, we can't wait to see you delicious potato creations! 

Sweet Potato Picnic Slice

500g sweet potato (peeled weight)
light spray of oil
1 cup wholewheat couscous (uncooked)
4 spring onions, very thinly sliced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/2 cup mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6 and chop the sweet potatoes into 2-3cm/1 inch cubes. Put onto a lined baking tray and spray with a little oil.  Cook in the preheated oven for around half an hour until very tender. Don't turn the oven off, leave it on as you will be cooking the slice in it shortly.

Tip the hot roasted sweet potato into a large bowl and mash until smooth.  Stir through 3/4 cup/180ml of hot vegetable stock.  Add the couscous, cover, and leave for 5 minutes.  

Stir 3/4 of the cheeses and all of the spring onion through the sweet potato and couscous mixture.   Press into a lined 20cm/8 inch square baking tin and level the top.  Sprinkle any remaining cheese over the top and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the slice golden brown around the edges and cooked through.

Join in with our fabulous One Potato, Two Potato linky! 

The rules…

Blog any vegetarian recipe that features potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Include links in your post to this post and Family-Friends-Food, and include the badge (above).

Respect copyright and include the source of any recipe (if applicable).

Add your link to the linky below.

You can link up old posts but please update them with the links and the badge so they fit the rules of the challenge.

You can link up to other blogging events as well, as long as it is within their rules.

Please visit and comment on some of the other entries. Sharing is nice too!

Tweet @fuelledbytea or @utterlyscrummy using the hashtag #onepotato and we will try to retweet.

All entries will be pinned onto the One Potato Two Potato Pinterest board.

The closing date is the 26th of the month and a roundup together with the next month’s linky should be posted on the 1st of the following month.

10 comments Gluten-free, Lunches, Snack, Snacks, Vegetarian

Our Family Meal Plan For Week Beginning 20/03/2017 - £67

I have tendonitis in my wrist and forearm which is making life very painful at the moment. Typing, cooking, baking, and washing dishes are all agonising.  To top off the week, due to a meagre increase in household income, our tax credits were slashed to almost nothing. A loss of £170 a month, just like that. We're working on a solution, but of course that will take a little while so we are trying to cut costs wherever we can. Not great when we have 3 birthdays in our household within the next 6 weeks.  We've planned and budgeted for the expense of the birthday presents but other luxuries will be put on hold until our income has stabilised and been sorted out.

Our Meal Plan this week is a very easy one, because I am in a lot of pain and need to rest my right arm and hand. Not a simple task when I am right handed and bake rather a lot.

Breakfasts will be overnight oats or toast with spread, and a piece of fruit for afters.  We'll have pancakes one morning on the weekend as a treat.

Lunches

Cooked pasta and mixed vegetables combined with homemade pasta sauce and topped with grated cheese, with a piece of fruit and a baked treat.

Marmite/Vegemite and Cheese Swirls with vegetable sticks and herbed yoghurt dip, with a piece of fruit and baked treat.

Weekend lunches will be Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup with homemade bread rolls.

Snacks will be rice pudding and pikelets or scones using store cupboard ingredients.

Dinners

Really Easy Vegan Chilli

1 tsp olive oil

2 onions, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 peppers, diced

2 carrots, grated

2 courgettes, grated

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons paprika

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

2 x 400g tins chilli beans

200g frozen peas

300g frozen corn

Heat oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, peppers, carrot, courgette and spices. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant. Add the tinned tomatoes and chilli beans, turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the peas and corn then cook for a further 5 minutes until heated through.  Serve with flatbreads and/or rice.

Homemade Fish and Chips - my 2nd daughter turns 14yo today so has requested this for her birthday dinner.

Shepherdess Pie

2 x 400g tins lentils, drained

1 onion, finely diced

2 peppers, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tblsp oil

3 Tblsp plain flour

300ml vegetable stock

1 Tblsp Marmite/Vegemite

4 Tblsp tomato paste/puree

1 heaped teaspoon dried mixed herbs

400g frozen mixed vegetables

salt and pepper to taste

For the topping

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 Tblsp spread or a knob of butter

80ml milk

Put the prepared sweet potatoes in a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer until tender, then drain and mash with milk and butter.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

While sweet potatoes are cooking, sauté the onion, peppers, and garlic in the oil.  Once they have softened, stir in flour and cook for a minute or two.  Add the Marmite/Vegemite to the vegetable stock and stir until dissolved.  Gradually add this mixture to the pan, whisking all the time, until a smooth sauce forms.  

Stir the tomato paste, dried mixed herbs, drained lentils, and frozen mixed vegetables. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the frozen vegetables have cooked through.

Pour the lentil and vegetable mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with the prepared mashed sweet potato.  Bake in an oven preheated to 200C/180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy.

Oven Baked Risotto

Super Speedy Lentil Curry

1 Tblsp oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch/2.5cm dice

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

2 x 400g tins brown lentils, drained

300g frozen peas

Cooked rice, to serve

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add cumin, turmeric and garlic and cook for a minute or so until the spices are fragrant. Stir in butternut squash and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the drained lentils and frozen peas then cook for a further 5 minutes or until the butternut squash pieces are tender and cooked through.  Serve over cooked rice.

Rice and Vegetable Bake

Bacon and Egg Pie

500g puff pastry

300g - 500g cooking bacon

8 large free range eggs

200g frozen peas

Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease a 24 x 20cm (10 inches x 8 inches) oven-proof dish. Cut the pastry block in half and roll out each half to the thickness of a £1 coin.  Use one half of the pastry to line the bottom of the dish.  

Layer the dish with half the bacon and break the eggs on top. Season well with freshly ground pepper then sprinkling over the peas and the remaining bacon.

Brush the edges where the pastry will join with milk. Lay the remaining pastry over the top and press well to seal the edges. Brush the pie top with extra milk and cut a few small slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape.  Bake tin the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.until golden and cooked through. 

Shopping List

45 items: £67.00

Packets and Cereals

1x   Mornflake Superfast Oats (2Kg)                                           £2.18

1x   Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar (1Kg)                                   64p

1x   ASDA Strong White Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                               95p

1x   ASDA Smartprice Self Raising Flour (1.5Kg)                        45p

1x   Jus Rol Puff Pastry Block (500g)                                         £1.25

1x   ASDA Chosen by You Arborio Risotto Rice (500g)                £1.05

2x   ASDA Smartprice Long Grain Rice (1Kg)                              80p

1x   ASDA Home Baking Easy Bake Yeast (6 per pack - 42g)      65p

2x   ASDA Good and Balanced Wholewheat Penne (500g)           £1.00

1x   ASDA Good and Balanced Pearl Barley (500g)                     50p

Frozen

2x   ASDA Smartprice Mixed Vegetables (1Kg)                           £1.54

1x   ASDA Smartprice Sweetcorn (1Kg)                                      99p

1x   ASDA Smartprice Peas (1Kg)                                              76p

1x   ASDA Cook from Frozen Pollock Fillets (1Kg)                       £4.00

Tins, Jars and Cooking

7x   ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes                                  £2.03

2x   ASDA Chilli Beans in Chilli Sauce (290g)                              80p

1x   ASDA Smartprice Dried Mixed Herbs (18g)                          25p

1x   Kraft Vegemite (220g)                                                          £1.97

4x   ASDA Green Lentils in Water (400g)                                    £2.20

1x   ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (142g)                35p

1x   ASDA Stock Cubes - Vegetable (12x10g)                             50p

Dairy and Eggs

4x   ASDA British Semi Skimmed Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)                 £3.96

1x   ASDA British Whole Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)                               99p

1x   Stork Original Spread (500g)                                                £1.20

2x   ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g)                  90p

1x   ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight Eggs (15)                          £2.00

2x   ASDA Smartprice Mature White Cheddar (385g)                   £3.78

Meat, Fish and Poultry

2x   ASDA Smartprice Cooking Bacon (500g)                              £1.14

Fruit and Vegetables

15   ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas by Weight (200g)            £2.10

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg)                               £1.50

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection White Potatoes (2.5Kg)                 £1.25

2     ASDA Grower's Selection Butternut Squash                          £2.16

4x   ASDA Grower's Selection Whole Cucumber                          £2.20

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Celery                                          55p

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Garlic Loose                                 54p

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Courgettes (3)                              £2.56

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Spring Onions                              49p

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Sweet Potatoes (1Kg)                   95p

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Brown Onions (1Kg)                     74p

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Apples (1.2Kg)                             £4.00

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Sweetclem (600g)                        £2.00

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Mixed Peppers (700g)                  £2.18

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Plums (750g)                               £2.00

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Extra Trimmed Leeks (550g)        95p

Drinks

1x   ASDA Italian Roast and Ground Coffee (227g)                      £2.00

Prices and special offers reflect those of the online grocery website My Supermarket, and are correct as of 18th March 2017. Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

We purchased our shopping online on 18/03/2017 via Asda, had we shopped elsewhere our groceries would've cost:

£73.81 Lidl
£74.08 Tesco
£76.65 Sainsbury's

£77.59 Morrisons

Leave a Comment Basics, Dairy free, Dinners, Fish, Lunches, Meal Plan, Meatfree Monday, Pasta, Rice, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Our Family Meal Plan for this week 13/03/2017 - £65

Apologies for the lack of meal plan last week, toddler boy was poorly most of the weekend and for the first half of the week, then 10yo was poorly for the second half of the week.  I am rather knackered but we did have a meal plan and stick to it, I just didn't have the time or energy to blog it. 

This week I am tired, uninspired and needing an easy time.  I've deliberately chosen meals that are simple and quick, and that my family all like.  Lunches are a fairly easy option too, and I have once again chosen family favourites.  I'm sure everyone has weeks like this when you're pretty much over it all and just need an easy time for a week or so. 

Breakfasts will be wheat biscuits with fruit or homemade wholemeal toast with spread.  We'll have pancakes on the weekend, and homemade crumpets.

Lunches

Pasta Salad, cooked wholewheat pasta and mixed vegetables with a fresh herb, mayo and yoghurt dressing. Lunches will also include cucumber sticks, a piece of fruit and a baked treat.

Savoury Bread Swirls served with herbed yoghurt dip, cucumber and carrot sticks, a piece of fruit and a baked treat.

Weekend Lunches

Root Vegetable Soup

1 onion, diced

1 Tblsp oil, butter or margarine

1 potato, peeled and diced

4 cups chopped vegetables (or a mixture of vegetables)

stock or water to cover

alt and pepper

Saute chopped onion in oil in a large saucepan until soft but not browned. Add around 4 cups of peeled chopped vegetables and the chopped potato. The starchiness of the potato improves the overall texture of the soup.

Gently cook the vegetables in the saucepan with the lid on for about 5 minutes over a moderate heat, then add water, stock or a combination of both to just cover the vegetables.

Simmer with the lid on until the veges are very soft, then process using a stick blender until smooth. Add extra liquid to adjust the consistency of the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup

2 cups of red lentils

2 litres vegetable stock

1 onion large, diced

3 sticks celery, finely sliced

3 carrots, peeled and finely sliced

1 tsp oil or margarine

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin seeds

1 tsp ground coriander

2 cups root vegetables (pumpkin, potato, swede), peeled and diced

fresh chives, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil or margarine in a large saucepan over a medium heat and saute the onion, celery and carrots for 10 minutes, you want them softened but not coloured. 

Add the spices, lentils and stock with the diced root vegetables. Bring everything to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and very soft. Serve the soup chunky or blend until smooth with a stick blender but be sure to taste the soup and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Dinners

Vegetable Pie

Spaghetti Cabonara with mixed vegetables

Roast Chicken with roast vegetables and Yorkshire puddings served with steamed mixed vegetables

Beef Slow Cooker Casserole

1kg casserole beef

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 peppers, diced

2 Tbsp plain flour

2 Tbsp tomato paste

250ml beef stock

400g tin diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp dried oregano

400g can cannellini beans, well drained

Cut beef into 2.5cm-3cm pieces and season the beef with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in a frying pan over a high heat and transfer to a slow cooker.

Put the onion, garlic and pepper in the slow cooker as well. Stir the flour, tomato paste and beef stock together to make a smooth paste and pour over the beef. Add the tin of tomatoes and oregano then cover. 

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours. Add the cannellini beans, stir to mix through and then heat for another 20 minutes or so before serving.

Chicken and Bacon Stew with Dumplings served with steamed greens

Beef Casserole Pasties - leftover casserole from Thursday made into pasties and served with steamed mixed vegetables and mash.

Chicken Stir Fry

Shopping List

46 items: £64.62

Packets and Cereals

3x   ASDA Smartprice Wheat Bisks (24x18g)                         £2.07

1x   ASDA Wholewheat Spaghetti (500g)                               50p

1x   ASDA Strong White Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                         95p

1x   ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                            £1.20

1x   ASDA Smartprice Plain White Flour (1.5Kg)                    45p

1x   ASDA Smartprice Self Raising Flour (1.5Kg)                   45p

1x   Jus Rol Shortcrust Pastry Block (500g)                           £1.25

1x   ASDA Good and Balanced Wholewheat Penne (500g)   50p

1x   ASDA Good and Balanced Red Lentils (500g)                75p

Frozen

3x   ASDA Smartprice Mixed Vegetables (1Kg)                     £2.31

Tins, Jars and Cooking

2x   ASDA Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g)         58p

1x   ASDA Cannellini Beans in Water (300g)                         40p

1x   ASDA Smartprice Mayonnaise (500ml)                           40p

1x   Rajah Paprika (100g)                                                       60p

1x   Rajah Jeera Whole Cumin Seeds (100g)                        60p

1x   ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (142g)         35p

1x   East End Ground Coriander (100g)                                 £1.10

1x   ASDA Stock Cubes - Beef (12x10g)                                50p

1x   ASDA Stock Cubes - Chicken (12x10g)                          50p

1x   ASDA Stock Cubes - Vegetable (12x10g)                       50p

Dairy and Eggs

4x   ASDA British Semi Skimmed Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)           £3.96

1x   ASDA British Whole Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)                         99p

1x   ASDA Free Range Large Eggs (6)                                  £1.00

1x   ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g)           45p

1x   ASDA Butter - Unsalted (250g)                                        £1.09

1x   ASDA Smartprice Mature White Cheddar (830g)            £3.98

Meat, Fish and Poultry

1x   ASDA Smartprice Cooking Bacon (500g)                        57p

1x   ASDA Butcher's Selection Whole Chicken (1.25Kg)        £3.33

2x   ASDA Butcher's Selection Diced Beef (475g)                  £6.67

Fruit and Vegetables

30   ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas                                 £2.38

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg)                          £1.50

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection White Potatoes (2.5Kg)          £2.50

1     ASDA Butternut Squash by Weight (1.2Kg)                     £1.08

2     ASDA Sweet Potatoes by Weight (500g)                         £1.00

4x   ASDA Grower's Selection Whole Cucumber                   £2.20

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Celery                                     55p

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Sweetclems (1.4Kg)               £2.25

1x   ASDA Rainbow Vegetable Stir Fry (450g)                       £1.00

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Brown Onions (1Kg)               £1.48

6x   ASDA Smartprice Apples (500g)                                     £3.00

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection British Parsnips (500g)           59p

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Mixed Peppers (700g)            £1.09

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Plums (750g)                          £2.00

Ready Meals

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Egg Noodles (410g)               £1.00

1x   ASDA Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Sauce (230g)                 £1.00

Drinks

1x   ASDA Italian Roast and Ground Coffee (227g)               £2.00 

Prices and special offers reflect those of the online grocery website My Supermarket, and are correct as of 11 March 2017.  Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

We purchased our shopping online on 11/03/2017 via Asda, had we shopped elsewhere our groceries would've cost:

£68.98 Lidl

£74.27 Tesco

£78.05 Morrisons

£79.43 Sainsbury's

How do you Meal Plan when you are exhausted and uninspired? What are your family favourite low fuss dinners?

1 comment Beef, Bread, Breakfast, Budgeting Tips, Chicken, Dinners, Lunches, Meal Plan, Meatfree Monday, Pasta, Slow Cooker, Soup