Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: brazen20au on August 08, 2009, 07:38:11 am
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by request, a thread to post your meal planning in - share your plans, ideas, ask questions etc etc :)
mine are here http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/search/label/menu%20planning :)
i will do mine back to front this week as I've already shopped but havne't planned anything yet!
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Does anybody out there parla italiano? They have a weekly menu - but not much use if you can't speak the lingua.
http://bimby.mastertopforum.com/menu-dal-03-al-09-agosto-vp49203.html#49203 (http://bimby.mastertopforum.com/menu-dal-03-al-09-agosto-vp49203.html#49203)
.... and before anybody jumps to conclusions, no I don't just go to look a the mermaid. :o :o
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Thanks Brazen.
My meal plan extends for 3 nights so far, as I haven't thought about next week. DH works odd hours and I haven't looked at his diary for next week yet.
Tonight we are having potato rosti, with chicken and veg.
Sunday - lasagne and coleslaw
Monday - carbonara ( for DH and the DD's, I am going to cooking class ;D)
Need inspiration for the rest of the week though???
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tonight i'm going out for dinner (vietnamese) so i don't care what dh cooks heheheh
tomorrow night M&D are coming for dinner and we'll have bbq meat and i'll make some tmx salads - beetroot, coleslaw and asian noodle salad
i need to try making some soups in the thermomix for my market night, was going to try potato & leek, sweet potato and a pumpkin one to see which cooks fastest
butter chicken & a potato and kale curry
this is what i bought that i need to use:
sugar snap peas (maybe a stir fry witht he tofu i bought today)
brussels sprouts (probably with steamed veg and grilled meat of some kind or maybe a roast)
english spinach
salad (tacos?)
I'm nearly out of meat in my freezer now but can't afford to do my big meat shop i usually do every few months, so i'm trying to use what i have (just chicken, some round steak and one pack of sausages) and do some more vegetarian meals.
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.... and before anybody jumps to conclusions, no I don't just go to look a the mermaid. :o :o
;D ;D ;D Lol, wouldn't it be great though if eating from the TMX gave you a body like the mermaid...maybe not so good for your looks Thermomixer ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D I wouldn't complain though ;) ;)
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I plan Wednesday to Wednesday as that's when I do my shopping.
Saturday -hamburgers. (rolls made in TMX). Strawberry icecream in TMX
Sunday-pizza (dough made in TMX)
Monday-a slow cooker casserole, vegies in TMX with steamed puddings and custard in the TMX. Having sweets as my cousin is arriving from Brisbane and I want to impress!
Tuesday-smoked salmon quiche-pastry made in TMX. Vegies in varoma and maybe sweets.
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LOL I am terrible, I plan breakfast to lunch and then lunch to dinner!! :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ - I really must get myself organised. Hopefully you will all inspire me :D
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I pretty much always menu plan for the week and usually do saturday to friday. I am working my way through the freezer at the moment and need to do some cook ups for freezer meals. I am constantly thinking 'if I had the TMX I could do XY or Z LOL. Patience is in order I think!! I am looking forward to watching all of your meal planning and ideas ;D
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OK going to post mine here so I don't lose it lol. I only plan night meals, other than that its get your own or sangas!
Sunday - eggs on toast, home late after church
Monday - lasanga and salad - both made in TMX other than pasta cause I'm being lazy on that one.
Tuesday - carbonara - TMX, I am working late so need a quick easy no fuss that kids will eat.
Wednesday - will be lamb shanks, probably in the slow cooker. Mash in TMX
Thursday -
Friday -
Thats as far as it goes lol. Dessert - usually a quick sorbet, icecream or custard. DH will probably be away rest of the week. Need to make a soup for myself at some point after Wednesday so that will be one vegie meal the kids will eat!
ETA - Wednesdays meal
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I've only had time to plan 2 meals - likely to change my mind if I plan too far ahead.
Monday - doing a weber turkey breast roll with vegies. Might have a go at the yorkshire pudding recipe to go with it. I love them with any roast, not just beef!
Tuesday - babysitting day so a quickie. Have a pack of lamb shank sauce and red wine sauce as leftovers from other meals in the freezer so will combine the two and serve over spaghetti - DH will be looking for his meat but hopefully the taste will be so nice, he won't notice ??? ???
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I plan for the whole week in advance, but often change things along the way. Basically on Tuesday night I sit down and write a menu plan and then make up my shopping lists. It get's a bit complicated however because Tuesday is grocery day, Sunday is fruit and veg day (from the markets) and Monday is bulk food day. My kids aren't great in shops so I try to spread it out over the week, but that makes it tricky to have all of the ingredients ready for meals. I tend to keep my bulk foods and fruit and veg very well stocked and that helps to keep me organised. I am always throwing extra fruit and veg into juices and meals (or to the chooks) so I never really have to worry about excess.
With my grocery shopping I have made a list that I print off with all of the things that i buy regularly (grouped according to aisle). I then just use a highlighter to quickly mark the things I need and write anything extra on. I find it saves lots of time in the supermarket - I hate having to backtrack for items I've forgotten. :)
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3 days to do your shopping Chelsea :o :o :o :o You must feel as though you spend 1/3 of your life in shops. Can understand it not being easy shopping with children - I know DD leaves hers home with her DH and goes shopping at night.
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ha! should try having to buy gluten free too JD! i HAVE to visit coles, woollies, the health food store, the organic store just o get what we need as each stocks differently, and then there's aldi for the cheap basics, the wholesale butcher and the F&V shop.... F&V is the only one i do weekly and the others i try to do bulk shops at every 2 weeks - 4 months.
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I take my hat off to all you young Mums with so much on your plate - no wonder you are exhausted sometimes Karen ;D ;D
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Wow! Then add Consutant cooking to that Karen :o I have Fridays for tmx demos or preping with Miss 3 in care, so try to do what I need to then.
You are all very inspirational with your Menu planning! I need to get organised and start.
Karen, do you have any suggested menu planning program - I did down load quirkycooking program but tbh it seems too detailed for what I want. Thanks
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no i don;t, i don;t have the brain power to actaully work out how to use any of them lol
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I have a list started somewhere around shopping basics in each aisle like Chelsea but that's as far as I got! I need to get more organised.
Actually what I need to do is clean out my pantry and use what's in there. Maybe that's a starting point for my meal plan, aim to have at least 2 meals out of already stocked pantry items.
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3 days to do your shopping Chelsea :o :o :o :o You must feel as though you spend 1/3 of your life in shops. Can understand it not being easy shopping with children - I know DD leaves hers home with her DH and goes shopping at night.
I used to do our shopping at night when my youngest was a newborn (leaving him with DH). I loved the freedom of heading out childless and would spend ages wandering around. The shops that I go to now are in three different towns/cities so we combine the shopping with playgroup, visiting friends etc so it is not a special trip. I hate giving my money to the big supermarket chains and try to support the smaller businesses and markets - but it is often a lot more trekking around. :)
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I have a list started somewhere around shopping basics in each aisle like Chelsea but that's as far as I got! I need to get more organised.
Actually what I need to do is clean out my pantry and use what's in there. Maybe that's a starting point for my meal plan, aim to have at least 2 meals out of already stocked pantry items.
That's what I need to do too! :o :o I have had a couple of "shops" at the local Asian and Indian shops and found things that I thought- "I'd like to try making something with that....." and never did. So, I need to have a day when nobody else is around to clean out the pantry and re-organise it.
The freezer is needing the same treatment. Lots of bits left over from "experiments", but never get them out in the morning to defrost for dinner. :-)) :-))
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I always plan my weekly menu, so veges don't rot in the fridge because I forget they're there! :P I get an organic vege box on Fridays from a local community garden, buy meat bulk (local, chemical free), buy nuts, grains, seeds, dried fruit bulk a few times a year... so my freezer always needs checking before planning to make sure things are being used, and not forgotten.
I'm trying to work on having more protein at breakfast and lunch, and more carbohydrates at dinner, (as protein gives you energy and wakes you up, while carbohydrates make you sleepy - see Cyndi's book). I really notice this when homeschooling my kids - the last thing I want is sleepy, floppy kids :-[ who can't concentrate on their work in the mornings, then wake up and go balistic at night :o when you're trying to get them to bed! So for breakfast we've been having things like fruit or fruit & nut smoothies, and...
- mince (beef/turkey) in white sauce gravy (dairy free) on spelt toast;
- poached eggs and mince patties with toast;
- porridge with fruit and finely chopped nuts;
- boiled eggs chopped up in a white sauce (dairy free) on spelt scones;
- bean & vege patties;
- scrambled eggs on toast;
- wholegrain pancakes with pecans and apple sauce/pure maple syrup (I only have one or two with syrup - too sweet!) ...
This kind of breakfast keeps you going for a while, and gives you heaps more energy. :D (Note: I don't completely cut out protein at night or my husband would miss out on meat meals - I'm just cutting down on the meat and adding more carbs at night.)
Monday: (lunch) Meatball & bean & vegetable soup (TMX); (dinner) Vegetable curry (TMX) on brown rice.
Tuesday: (lunch) Stir Fry veges & beans (TMX) with quinoa (TMX); (dinner) Marinated chicken wings (crockpot) with basmati rice and leftover stir fry veges (for the family - I'll be at a TMX demo).
Wednesday: (lunch) Scalloped eggs with broccoli (TMX); (dinner) Salmon patties (TMX), mashed potatoes (sweet & regular) (TMX), lots of steamed veges (TMX).
Thursday: (lunch) Savoury lentils (TMX) on rice (TMX) with raw vege sticks; (dinner) Crumbed steak, baked potatoes, steamed veges (TMX).
Friday: (lunch) Chilli Taco Salad (dairy free version); (dinner) Creamy vegetable soup (TMX) (dairy free).
Saturday: out for lunch (demo, kids at G'mas); (dinner) Potato wedges, dairy-free 'sour cream', mackeral patties & veges.
Sunday: (lunch) Roast chicken & baked veges; (dinner) Soup (TMX) & spelt bread rolls (TMX).
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First 2 planned meals went to plan so here are my next 2.
Wed - Apricot chicken, mashed potato, steamed vegies
Thurs - Thai pork and corn cakes/dipping sauce & salad
Both recipes I found in DD's recipe books whilst down there today and figured would be easy enough to convert. Will post if they turn out OK.
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Karen, do you have any suggested menu planning program - I did down load quirkycooking program but tbh it seems too detailed for what I want. Thanks
My sincere apologies Jo! I was a little confused and this should have been Aunt Annies (I think) AFA program that she posted the link too.
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;D I was thinking - Jo has a menu program now too?!
I menu plan every single week. I post the menus on this blog: http://belcooks.blogspot.com/
Monday - zucchini slice (TM - but baked in the oven), mashed potato (TM), green salad
Tuesday - home late - mexe-bake in slow cooker (sauce in TM), green salad, avocado
Wednesday - home late - creamy mushroom fettucine (TM), steamed vegies
Thursday - Cyndi's vegetable stew (TM), garlic rice (TM), corn on the cob, custard (TM) & strawberries
Friday - TM fried rice (steamed not fried, with egg), tuna
Saturday - pumpkin soup (TM), Cyndi's herb bread (TM and then baked)
Sunday - out - work dinner
Other cooking and baking - all in the Thermomix, spread through the week - Cyndi's Date Loaf, rice flour, rice & almond milk, cashew 'sour cream', salted butter, unsalted butter, 2 different dips and pesto, custard, yoghurt, mascarpone cheese, mayo, pasta sauce. And mountain bread chips under the grill (for the dips)! The girls might also do more sweet baking if they wish - Thermomix muffins are the latest...
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i don't think i've stuck to mine for a single meal so far this week 8)
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No planned meals here until next Monday. DH is away so we eat soup or easy stuff. Might even take the girlies out one night for tea.
I start a new permanent part time job next week so TMX is perfect timing in our house. I'll need to get serious with meal plans now once my roster is sorted.
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i don't think i've stuck to mine for a single meal so far this week 8)
Don't worry, I usually have a few changes during the week, like today I was late home for lunch, so instead of taco salad, I just made hamburger patties out of the mince, and chucked salad and bread on the table and we made our own hamburger sandwiches. Menu planning is like everything else - you've got to reach for the stars... you might not get them, but you won't end up with a handful of mud either! ;) (How's that for poetic!)
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hehe beautiful!
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Saturday - Chermoula chicken, rice and steamed vegies
Sunday = soup and pizza
Monday - pumpkin, feta & zucchini quiche with salad
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Pffft my plan to try and start a menu plan fell in a whole pile of mud (not a handful Jo lol) ...
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menu plans please all, i need inspiriration
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My Menu Plan is........ ummmm plan to find something to cook when I need it! ;D ;D ;D ;D Sorry Karen, no inspiration here, I haven't been shopping in the last week as the kids are sick...eldest to youngest so no babysitters and DH is away until tomorrow :-))
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Hi Guys,
I menu plan with a program called living cookbook and then copy the recipes across to my iphone. I'm happy to share my plans if it gives anyone inspiration.....also means that I have a commitment to follow through on doing it weekly. Ive been a bit slack lately...the kids have been way too involved with extra curricula activites...cheerleading comp and band comps this weekend!!!!!....a little over it. I can post a plan that I used a couple of weeks ago if anyone wants it.
Have a great night
Stacey
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Thanks Stacelee - do you have any other information on the program living cookbook?
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I have done a plan but will see how we go
Monday - lasagne and coleslaw. Lasagne is in the freezer and coleslaw will do in am before I go to work
Tuesday - Moroccan Lamb and rice
Wednesday - Chicken, Corn and Lee Pie
Thursday - Tuna Mornay - DH away so there'll be enough to freeze for another meal
Friday - Chicken and Veg soup from here - kids love it, so that can then be a Sunday night meal too.
Saturday night - something easy, DH still away i think. If he's home we might go out
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Havent had much luck meal planning in the past. Just cant stick with it.
I usually base my weekly cooking around whats cheap that week and looks fresh. One big fortnightly shop is usually followed by several smaller shops each week.
Would love to have a look at the program mentioned. Are there any free ones online anyone can recommend?
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Tuesday - Beef & Guiness Stew
Wednesday - Pork & vegie stirfry with noodles
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I devised my own menu plan. It has what we're eating, where I can find the recipe and what I need to buy to make that recipe. Having said that I didn't do it this week.
Monday-black snapper and green vegies in a cheese sauce with smashed spud.
Tuesday-baked beans on toast with bacon and an egg. (we have to go to MIL nursing home for a 'talk')
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Here's our menu plan for the week - for more details, check my blog!
Monday: (lunch) leftovers; (dinner) Green Cashew Chicken Curry (TMX) on rice (making lots so I have leftovers).
Tuesday: (lunch) Vege & chickpea pasta sauce (TMX) on spelt fettucine; (dinner) leftovers/salad & spelt bread (home late).
Wednesday: (lunch) Crockpot Ragout; (dinner) Vege soup (TMX) and spelt rolls (TMX).
Thursday: (lunch) Free Form Vegetable Pie (made with my own spelt & lard rough puff pastry, TMX); (dinner) Fish strips with baked potatoes and salad.
Friday: (lunch) Tuna mornay (dairy free) (TMX) on rice & corn pasta (made ahead - I'll be out); (dinner) leftovers & salad.
Saturday: (lunch) Spaghetti bolognaise & salad & spelt rolls; (dinner) Lima bean stew & salad.
Sunday: (lunch) Beef pot roast (crockpot with veges); (dinner) Spelt rolls (TMX) and beef and vege soup (TMX) (made from leftovers).
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This week there's co-op boxes of fruit and veg arriving, and the abundance of fresh produce from the local markets and a LETS Trade Day already here - so I'll be cooking up a storm in the Thermomix every chance I get!
(TM) means I'll use the Thermomix for that part of the meal.
Monday - pan-fried fish, mashed potato (TM), green salad
Tuesday - home late - rice, stirfry vegetables (TM), omelette (TM)
Wednesday - home late - pasta, cheese sauce (TM), steamed greens
Thursday - home late - mushroom risotto (TM), steamed vegetables
Friday - vegetable soup (TM), bread (TM), dessert (TM)
Saturday - eating out
Sunday - mashed potato (TM), boiled eggs (TM), salads (TM)
Other cooking and baking - lots in the Thermomix, spread through the week - Cyndi's Date Loaf, rice flour, rice & almond milk, salted butter, unsalted butter, pasta sauce (lots - so many tomatoes to use up), cumquat marmalade and cumquat brandy. Picnic lunch and snacks for Thursday.
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This is our dinner tonight....assuming I can ever get away from my desk at work and home to make it....thank god for a latch key son who can start the foccacia for me. Recipe is courtesy of Taste.com.au and thermomix instructions still to be tested!!!! :)
Turkish pizza
1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbs ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
350 g lamb mince
2 Tbs pine nuts
1 loaf Turkish bread
2 Tbs tomato paste
150 grams feta cheese, crumbled
1 large tomato, quartered, seeds removed, diced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add coriander, cumin and mince. Increase heat to high. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until browned. Add nuts, and salt and pepper. Cook a further 2 minutes, stirring. Cool.
3. Place bread onto baking tray. Spread with tomato paste. Sprinkle with half the feta. Spoon over mince. Sprinkle with remaining feta. Bake for 15 minutes or until warmed through. Top with tomato and parsley.
Thermomix instructions.
2. Process onion and garlic 5 seconds speed 7. Add oil and cook for 3 minutes 100C speed 1. Add coriander, cumin and mince. Cook 5 minutes, 100c, speed 1. Add nuts and salt and pepper and cook another 2 minutes, 100c, speed 1. Continue recipe as above.
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Ok, so I neglected all housework today and investigated menu planning software. Have downloaded 6 different programs to try and have narrowed it down to 2. Living cookbook and one other i cant remember the name of. Love the idea and the functions however the big problem is that they are all in imperial measurements!! I like the fact that it generates a shopping list for you for the week but its not much good if everything is in pounds and ounces and i have to spend time converting.
Does anyone know of an Australian program or one that has metric measurements?
Hmmm maybe its time to put my computer science degree to work and make one that is TM friendly!
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Hi quirkycooking, are you able to provide the Green chicken cashew curry recipe? I've had a look on your blog and wasn't able to see it there either and it sounds like it would be lovely.
Thanks
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sheree, have you looked at aunt annie's? it's in metric and thermomix friends - and free :)
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I use big oven and living cookbook depending on which way the wind is blowing at the time. I have been a mastercook recipe software user for years and was looking for something that could import and export the recipes. I have ended up using living cookbook most of the time as it can export in mmf format which the app I use on my iphone can import. My major problem with living cookbook is that it has no link into a website that I can store my recipes online to access remotely. I have ended up putting them on evernote which is a file store facility (ie. online notebook). Sounds a bit complicated but if anyone is interested I have loaded the turkish pizza recipe onto a shared note. http://www.evernote.com/pub/staceleebrown/thermomix .
Reading this....my post is a clear as mud....basically I put my recipes into living cookbook, do my menu up, export the recipes into mmf (mealmaster format) and then import them onto my iphone, and also put a copy on evernote so I can access them anywhere.
One feature I do like of living cookbook is the ability to import from web pages via the clipboard.
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Yep - Clear as mud ;) ??? Perhaps I need an iPhone to understand ??? ??? ;D
Ok - here's a silly question: Do I need an Apple/Mac computer to be compatible with an iPhone or can it "talk" to Windows??
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Wow, that is so technical!
I have a piece of paper I print out - it's a Word document with spaces for all the family's outings and commitments for the week written in to each space. It looks a bit like this:
Monday
Food Prep (defrost something, buy something...?)
What's On
Dinner (main meal)
Cook (who's turn)
Night (what's on)
... and so on for all the days of the week, with Baking and Other Notes at the end. It's 2 columns.
So I print off my piece of paper, write in our commitments, think about the food we've got at hand and start planning. I write in easy meals for when we're home late, and more time-consuming ones for at-home days. Once I've written in a few basics, I look up recipes which use up the ingredients we have. I have a shopping list beside me to write down anything extra I need to buy. Next to the meal, I write a code for where to find the recipe - F for folder, E for Everyday Cookbook, etc. I also write the page number.
We swap meals, or if we miss one it's moved to early the next week (to use up the ingredients).
This method has worked for our family of 8 (plus visitors) for years. I couldn't NOT menu plan, it's so vital to the way I shop and spend my day. Having to choose a meal at the end of the day would just be too stressful around here!
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umm can someone point me in the right direction please. have done a search for aunt annies and not getting anything that resembles a meal planner!
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http://sites.google.com/site/auntanniesattic/attic/augie-s-first-aid
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This is our Menu Plan this week (Tuesday-Monday):
Main meals:
Tues - Pork Mignon with mustard sauce, mash and steamed beans (TMX).
Wed - Chicken & pear risotto (TMX)
Thurs - Soup entree & Leftovers main
Fri - Pizza (TMX dough and sauce) - margarita and supreme
Sat - Veggie lasagne (TMX)
Sun - Leftover lasagne with garlic loaf (TMX)
Mon - Chilli con carne (TMX)
Desserts:
Amanda's fudge brownies (TMX) - in oven now ;D
Bron's yummy apple crumble (TMX)
Icecream of some description (TMX)
Lunches:
Fruit loaf x 2 days (breadmaker)
Bible bread toast and eggs (TMX)
Fruit and custard (TMX)
Filled spelt wraps (TMX)
Turkish bread & herb and garlic dip (x 2 days) (TMX)
Extras:
Oatmeal sultana cookies (TMX)
Fudgy wudgy cookies (with Bel's modifications) (TMX)
Rice crackers (TMX)
(and whatever other sweet treats appear on the forum this week ;D)
I normally stick to about half of my planned meals each week.
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WOW Chelsea - you are organised!
My meal plan has gone out the window this week due to DH being away.
Moroccan Lamb was last nights - I did make it for myself and there'll be enough left over for tonight rounded out with some vegies.
DH will be away for the rest of the week.
One night will be pizza pockets, one will be soup and then Saturday night is TMX demo so that's covered lol.
Mum's birthday on Sunday so lunch will be
Lemon and Garlic Salt crusted Chicken Drumsticks with mash (TMX) and roasted veg.
Yummy Apple Crumble and Custard (TMX)
and birthday cake - probably sponge of some description with whipped cream in TMX
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i didn't do one this week. am over being sick but makes me just not care about food (not eating it, still doing too much of that, just planning it lol)
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Hi quirkycooking, are you able to provide the Green chicken cashew curry recipe? I've had a look on your blog and wasn't able to see it there either and it sounds like it would be lovely.
Thanks
Here it is! http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/02/baked-chicken-with-cashew-satay-sauce.html I changed the title, because this time it didn't turn out green - I didn't have enough herbs!!! :P But you can make it as green as you like. It is SOOO yummy! (In the photo I mixed the stir-fried veges in with the sauce and chicken pieces - there's a few different variations.)Wow, that is so technical!
I have a piece of paper I print out - it's a Word document with spaces for all the family's outings and commitments for the week written in to each space. It looks a bit like this:
Monday
Food Prep (defrost something, buy something...?)
What's On
Dinner (main meal)
Cook (who's turn)
Night (what's on)
... and so on for all the days of the week, with Baking and Other Notes at the end. It's 2 columns.
So I print off my piece of paper, write in our commitments, think about the food we've got at hand and start planning. I write in easy meals for when we're home late, and more time-consuming ones for at-home days. Once I've written in a few basics, I look up recipes which use up the ingredients we have. I have a shopping list beside me to write down anything extra I need to buy. Next to the meal, I write a code for where to find the recipe - F for folder, E for Everyday Cookbook, etc. I also write the page number.
We swap meals, or if we miss one it's moved to early the next week (to use up the ingredients).
This method has worked for our family of 8 (plus visitors) for years. I couldn't NOT menu plan, it's so vital to the way I shop and spend my day. Having to choose a meal at the end of the day would just be too stressful around here!
I like your method, Bel! Think I'll try it! (This woman is an amazing organizer!)
I sometimes swap meals around, especially if the timings don't work out or I forget to thaw the meat out. Or, as today, I have too many leftovers and don't need to cook! Yay! Actually, I'm going to cook anyway, as I have a demo tomorrow and need to prepare tomorrow's lunch tonight. (My DH is working night shift, so has a main meal at lunch.) But at least I'm ahead because dinner's in the fridge for tonight!
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jo, twas only last night i was wondering about using cashews for satay and voila, there it was!~!! thank you so much! (you have no idea how many of your posts i have bookmarked in my blog reader LOL)
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jo, twas only last night i was wondering about using cashews for satay and voila, there it was!~!! thank you so much! (you have no idea how many of your posts i have bookmarked in my blog reader LOL)
Thanks Brazen!
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Just checked out your blog Jo - loved the look of the 'fried' rice meal and the amount it makes. Hope Kathryn has seen that for her brood of big eaters. On my growing list of things to do.
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Just checked out your blog Jo - loved the look of the 'fried' rice meal and the amount it makes. Hope Kathryn has seen that for her brood of big eaters. On my growing list of things to do.
Yes, that's a good one for big families! My group leader Nancy taught me that one. I just pack the Varoma full of veges so it makes heaps! You can also leave the meat out, and stir tinned tuna in at the end instead - forgot to mention that.
I just made the Russian Salad from the Varoma cookbook - that makes heaps too, especially as you can almost double the recipe and it will all still fit in the Varoma! (I used more veges and 5 eggs - got enough left over for tomorrow! Yay!) Used nearly a whole batch of mayonnaise in it, as I like it nice and moist. So that's another good one for big families.
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Thanks for sharing - great work
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Jo, I've emailed you the Word doc to alter and use for your family. :)
Chelsea - wow! What a list! I often have a meal left over most weeks, and move it to next week (usually early in the week to use up the ingredients). A lot of my 'extras' are left over too. I would love a whole day in the kitchen with the thermomix, to trial things and get stuff made up, but that won't happen around here for awhile...
I wish I could use the tmx at night, but everyone's trying to sleep and the bedrooms are all quite close to the kitchen. They complain, sigh. Do you think I could clean off the table in the shed and... nah! :p
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That is the only disadvantage of the TMX Mama Bel - I don't have children to consider but DH is in bed by 8pm watching TV and I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate that sort of noise at night time. If I want a cocktail made in the TMX at night, I have to make sure I make it before I get him into bed. I can't even use the microwave at night as it interferes with his TV which makes a dreadful noise.
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i'm the same in the mornings - would love to put on a loaf of bread when i first get up, but don't want to wake anyone!
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I've been known to make sorbet late at night :P they haven't woken yet though!
Mama bel - any chance of getting your meal plan doc emailed to me too? I did think about trying to do one myself but my brain is wrapped up in study, assignments etc atm. narelle @ the sound company dot com dot au without the spaces obviously!
cheers
Narelle
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i'm the same in the mornings - would love to put on a loaf of bread when i first get up, but don't want to wake anyone!
I just shut the doors to the kitchen and start it up anywhere from 6.30am onwards - you'd be amazed what the kids sleep through! It's a good alarm clock though - if I want them up I open the doors and let 'er rip! They soon get up and come in to see what's for breaky!
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Hi,
I've finally had a chance to finish my menu for next week. If anyone is interested it is posted at http://www.evernote.com/pub/staceleebrown/thermomix (http://www.evernote.com/pub/staceleebrown/thermomix) together with the recipes for next week. I haven't converted any of them (except the ones I've snitched from here :P ) that is a project for this weekend whilst I'm stuck down the coast with my in-laws. My baby netbook "Munchkin" will be getting a workout this weekend while I refrain from killing anyone who is related to me but not a blood relative if you know what I mean.
Have a great weekend
Stacey
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Good luck with that Stacey!! ;) :o
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Do you mean the week-end with the in-laws or the converting of recipes ILB ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Converting will be a breeze ;) ;D ;D ;D
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I was trying to think of a politically correct reply but have given it up......it will be a "trying" weekend particularly as my 14 year old son is less than enthusiastic about going. I have given up discussing it with him and we are now reduced to "you are coming because I am the adult and you are the child and if I have to go, you have to!!!!". He looked at me in disgust and told me not to be childish...at that point I put a pillow over my face and screamed! Gotta love kids.
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I have managed to stick to my 2 day menu plans so far but with leftovers, haven't had to cook for 2 days. Must put my head in the books/printouts again and see what I can come up with for the weekend meals. I only do mains, desserts etc are whatever takes my fancy at the time if I feel like something extra.
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My meal plans have gone out the window which they do tend to do at the end of the week when DH is away so much. Never mind, no biggie.
Tonight - steak and baked spud for me, JD"s chicken and veg soup for th girls
Sat - TMX demo
Sun - lunch Mums' birthday, tea veg soup
Mon - pasta (TMX) with olive, semi-dried toms and mushrooms - possibly made in TMX
By Monday, I'll do the next few days.
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My menu plan from last Wednesdday to next Tuesday is:
Wednesday: Roast beef with roast vegies and spring vegetables in cheese sauce.
Thursday: Chicken curry with rice and naan bread. Fruit mince tarts and custard.
Friday: Chicken Parmesan with smashed spud and salad. Soft serve strawberry icecream .
Saturday: Maybe pizza or a new recipe I saw that is pasta with pesto and beetroot cubes and feta on top.
Sunday: Bacon, leek and tomato risotto.
Monday: Vegetable and bacon crustless quiche.
Tuesday: Salmon and broccoli pasta bake.
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My menu plan's gone out the window today too - had a demo, and now I'm too tired to bother. So we had sandwiches for dinner (at 4.30pm! didn't eat at the demo and was starving!), with cake and custard to fill us up a bit later. Never mind, try again tomorrow.
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Cookie - would you like a couple of visitors until Wednesday morning ;) :D :D
My menu plan:
Saturday - Lunch - out with Family, Dinner - left overs
Sunday - Lunch - Antipasto platter inbetween massages at the Spa (I put that in only because I am so poor at menu planning and finally I have the next few days planned only because I've been cooking up and freezing ;) ;D or going out ;D ;D ), Dinner, left over Apricot Chicken.
Monday - back to work >:(
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Saturday - Cheese & cashew crusted lamb cutlets, Swiss rosti potato cake and salad
Sunday - Chinese Chicken stuffed cabbage rolls in the varoma & steamed vegies
Both converted and untried - will post if they turn out OK
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They sound great Judy! ;D
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i'm the same in the mornings - would love to put on a loaf of bread when i first get up, but don't want to wake anyone!
I just shut the doors to the kitchen and start it up anywhere from 6.30am onwards - you'd be amazed what the kids sleep through! It's a good alarm clock though - if I want them up I open the doors and let 'er rip! They soon get up and come in to see what's for breaky!
Lol Jo, I am the same, on goes what ever I need to do, the washing machine, the TMX, the vacuum cleaner. If it needs doing and I am awake it gets done....sleep if you can OR get up and help me ha ha ;D ;D ;D
I really must try and do some menu planning this week, after last week there isn't much in the cupboards and only a few things to use up so probably a good time to start. Also have 3 demos Fri, Sat and Sun so would be great to be organised for the family ;)
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i don't want them getting up though! it's MY time til 7/730ish. so i want them all to stay in bed ;)
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ROFL fair enough! ;)
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Well done in having 3 demos Kathryn. I hope they have/are going well.
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Kathryn, well done on 3 demos over the weekend! That's a huge effort!!
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wow, i didn't see that - well done!!!
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Sat up in bed until midnight, surrounded by all my books and folders - couldn't come up with anything to cook for the next 2 days so gave it away until this morning. Within 5 minutes I had my recipes ??? Maybe recipe planning is a job for the morning not late at night.
Today - Tuna corn casserole (Trudy gave me her favourite non-TMX recipe but I'm going to give preparations a go in the TMX)
Tuesday - Moussaka & salad
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Well done Judy! Sometimes our brains get too tired late at night to think straight ??? ??? :-))
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I see mama_bel has posted for this week - great stuff, especially the link to OrgJunkie
http://belcooks.blogspot.com/2009/08/menu-week-starting-24th-august.html (http://belcooks.blogspot.com/2009/08/menu-week-starting-24th-august.html)
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Monday - bulk cooked curry, rice, steamed veg, yoghurt (TM for curry prep)
Tuesday - home late - slow cooker mexe bake, salad, mountain bread chips (TM for mexe beans)
Wednesday - home late - mashed potato (TM), boiled eggs (TM), salad
Thursday - home late - pasta & basic tomato sauce (TM)
Friday - stirfry (TM), rice, omelette (TM)
Saturday - homemade pizzas (TM bases and sauce)
Sunday - roast vegies, salad or steamed greens, white sauce or gravy (TM)
Other cooking and baking - in the Thermomix - rice & almond milk, mayonnaise. Picnic lunch and snacks for Wednesday and Saturday. In the very least! ;)
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Monday -
lunch: Corned beef, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli and peas with dairy-free white sauce (TMX)
dinner: Hush puppies made with leftovers, with leftover white sauce
Tuesday -
lunch: Fried rice (using leftover rice from breakfast)
dinner: Tuna noodle casserole (TMX) x 2, and salad + steamed dim sims (TMX Varoma)
Wednesday -
(Out all day - dinner prepared ahead for family)
lunch: leftover fried rice, dim sims, salad
dinner: Tuna noodle casserole
Thursday -
lunch: Chicken & spelt salad (TMX), vege sticks.
dinner: (home late) Crockpot creole bean soup.
Friday -
lunch: Leftover soup and spelt rolls
dinner: Homemade canneloni (TMX)
Saturday -
lunch: (out all morning) Crockpot baked potatoes & salad
dinner: friend's place for dinner
Sunday -
lunch: (church) Crockpot roast beef & veges
dinner: leftovers
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You seem to go out a lot Jo - luckily you are organized ;D ;D
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Now I know another reason why I can only do a 2 day meal planner - if I cook the full recipe quota, it lasts us 2 or 3 meals. Don't I have it easy compared to some of you. ;) ;) ;)
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I'm intrigued Quirky, what are Hush Puppies made with left overs???? Where I come from they are suede shoes favoured by people over the age of 60!!
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I'm intrigued Quirky, what are Hush Puppies made with left overs???? Where I come from they are suede shoes favoured by people over the age of 60!!
I was wondering if anyone would comment on that!!! :D They are cornbread made with no oil/butter so the batter is thick, then shallow fried in small blobs like patties. I add my leftover chopped up corned beef and veges, and we eat them with white sauce - yum! I think the traditional hush puppies are just the cornbread, once you add meat/veges they're cornbread fritters, my mum tells me. (My parents are from Texas, this is a southern American thing which I grew up with!) :)
You seem to go out a lot Jo - luckily you are organized ;D ;D
Yes, I know! My husband tells me I go out too much! ;)
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yes, the life of a "stay at home" mum. is not being home all that much at all LOL
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I've finished my menu for next week...if anyone is interested it is posted at http://www.evernote.com/pub/staceleebrown/thermomix . Have a great day
Stacey
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Here's my menu plan for the week: http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/08/menu-plan-monday-31st-august.html
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Nem Nuong & TMX Stir Fried Veg
Tacos
Pasta Fagiole (TMX)
Spinach & Potato Soup with Cyndi's GF bread
Pizza
http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/2009/08/menu-plan.html
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Monday - potato, leek & corn pie (adapted from Chicken version in Budget Busters Thermomix cookbook) with carrot and beans on the side - made heaps and very delicious (cooked for 12).
Tuesday - home late - stir-fry and rice (for 12 - using the wok and rice cooker for larger capacity and speed!)
Wednesday - most of us out - baked beans and/or eggs on toast for the Dad and little man
Thursday - Tuna Mornay (in Budget Busters TM) and pasta
Friday - mashed potato (TM), boiled eggs (TM), salads (TM coleslaw)
Saturday - pumpkin soup (TM), bread (TM), dessert (TM)
Sunday - noodle omelettes, carrots, green veg, chilli sauce (TM for omelette mix, will fry to make it quicker to do a bulk lot, even though Varoma steamed omelettes in the TM are great!)
Other cooking and baking - I have been making coconut milk, rice/almond milk, tomato ketchup, jam, butter, etc in TM - as well as Immi and Abby doing their baking of muffins and cookies etc. I found I used the TM more in cold weather to make porridge and soups quite often. We make CADA for brekky, juices and I need to look at the TM raw 'cook'book for more warm-weather options because it feels as though summer has come early here!
...from http://belcooks.blogspot.com
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My oven's run out of gas, can't get any til Friday - thank goodness for the Thermomix!!! So my bread will have to be steamed bread/buns, plus tortillas cooked in the electric frypan...
Monday: (lunch) lunch out - chicken wraps; (dinner) Chilli con Carne (TMX) - made with less meat and grated veges in it, on corn chips with avocado.
Tuesday: (lunch) spelt bread (TMX) tuna salad sandwiches; (dinner) mince, potato and vege 'ragout' (TMX).
Wednesday: (lunch) spelt tortillas (TMX) with avocado & salad; (dinner) steamed fish (TMX), stir-fried veges (TMX) with mung-bean noodles.
Thursday: (lunch) leftover noodles & veges; (dinner) meatloaf & steamed veges with red sauce (TMX).
Friday: (lunch) crockpot baked veges & salad (out for morning); (dinner) lentil & pumpkin curry (TMX) on rice (TMX).
Saturday: (lunch) Russian potato salad (TMX) with raw veges; (dinner) fish cakes (TMX), steamed veges (TMX), mashed potato (TMX).
Sunday: (lunch) crockpot marinated beef ribs & salad; (dinner) leftovers, sandwiches.
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Hey Jo, you can make crumpets and muffins too. I think you should be able to make a"bread" in the crockpot too?
Yep = check this http://www.recipenet.org/health/articles/crockpot.htm (http://www.recipenet.org/health/articles/crockpot.htm) and google some more.
And spelt bread too - http://www.recipenet.org/health/recipes/recipkit/slow_cooker_bread_spelt.htm (http://www.recipenet.org/health/recipes/recipkit/slow_cooker_bread_spelt.htm)
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That's so cool! Thanks Thermomixer! :D
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Last week's menu went almost to plan... The pie was delicious! Tuna Mornay has been moved to this week because we had Creamy Broccoli Sauce with our pasta instead.
Monday - potatoes (TM), boiled eggs (TM), salads (incl TM Cyndi's Coleslaw), dessert (TM Caramel Chomeur from Budget Busters)
Tuesday - home late - curry (TM, from Budget Busters) with crusty bread or rice
Wednesday - slow cooker mexe-bake (beans in TM), green salad, mountain bread chips
Thursday - Chicken (TM), pasta (TM), eggs (TM) and salad (whole meal based on a salad recipe in Budget Busters)
Friday - Vegetable Stew (TM, from Cyndi's book), mashed potato (TM)
Saturday - Chicken Empanada (TM, from Budget Busters) and salad, dessert (TM custard)
Sunday - Tuna Mornay (TM, from Budget Busters) and pasta
Other cooking and baking - I also want to try the Cinnamon Bars (from the TM Rawlicious booklet) and Quarter Cake (from TM Budget Busters). Immi made the LTMs from the Lunchbox book and the kids love them (rice bubble bars with no icky ingredients).
...from http://belcooks.blogspot.com
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Here's my plan for this week - got a busy week, preparing to move and getting some baking done for a camp next week that I'm cooking at...
Monday:
(lunch) Tuna salad sandwiches on spelt bread (TMX)
(dinner) Meatloaf & baked veges (slow cooked in oven while I'm at a cooking class - couldn't use the TMX like I usually would because it was with me at the class!)
Tuesday:
(lunch) Tortillas & refried beans & fillings
(dinner) Friend's place - taking a dip (TMX) and Apple Berry Custard Crumble for dessert (TMX)
Wednesday:
(lunch) Fish (coated in cornmeal, pan fried) with stir fry veges (TMX)
(dinner) Beef stew (crockpot)
Thursday:
(lunch) Picnic with homeschool group - pasties made with leftover beef stew and spelt & lard pastry (TMX)
(dinner) Pasta e Fagioli (TMX)
Friday:
(lunch) BBQ Beef Ribs (crockpot) with salad
(dinner) TMX demo here
Saturday:
(lunch) Tuna pasta salad
(dinner) leftovers/sandwiches (doing baking for camp)
Sunday:
(lunch) Baked potatoes & salads
(dinner) leftovers/fresh bread (doing baking for camp)
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Fruit loaf x 2 days (breadmaker)
Can you post this recipe? I've been wanting to try fruit loaf but not sure how much fruit (and anything else) to add to my bread recipe.
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This week I'll be cooking at a camp of over 100 people - I do the special diet cooking (with Thermie of course!), which should be fun! I'll be making rice milk, dairy-free custards & ice-creams & sorbets, spelt breads & cakes & sweets, gluten free cakes & sweets, dairy-free white sauces... basically anything that needs to be dairy-free, naturally sweetened, wheat free and gluten free. Oh, and nut free. (Maybe egg free? Not sure.) Then at the end of the week we're moving house! So I have no idea what we'll be eating then... probably quick TMX meals and hand outs from Mum! :)
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I think I had better go have a 'nana nap' Jo, you are making me feel so tired just reading about what you are going to be doing. What are you on to give you all that energy ??? ??? ??? ???
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Don't worry - I'm sure I'll collapse by the end of the week! Off to clean out my fridge now... which means more cooking! :P
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Fruit loaf x 2 days (breadmaker)
Can you post this recipe? I've been wanting to try fruit loaf but not sure how much fruit (and anything else) to add to my bread recipe.
Sure Cathy. You just add the following to your breadmaker (in the order listed) and press start:
300ml tepid water
1 tablespoon EVOO
1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
2 tablespoons rapadura sugar
3 cups organic bakers flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoon (or slightly less) dried yeast
when machine beeps add:
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit
If you have a four-cup breadmaker you will need to increase the amounts to suit. :)
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Under the recipe for Varoma Bread - there is a variation for the steamed raison bread too.
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And very nice it is too. I set out to do that the other day and forgot to add the extras so we had plain steamed bread instead for toast. I love it and even DH was impressed with it with his soup tonight.
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Monday
Lunch: Fruit loaf (BM) and butter (TMX)
Dinner: Chow mien (TMX)
Baking: Quirky blender batter cake with stewed apple and rhubarb (TMX)
Tuesday
Lunch: Brown rice and goji berry individual puddings (TMX)
Dinner: Leftover chow mien and vegetable pakioras (TMX) Dessert: Stewed apple & rhubarb (TMX) with custard (TMX)
Baking: Choc chip chick pea spelt cookies (TMX)
Wednesday
Lunch: Brown rice and goji berry individual puddings (TMX)
Dinner: Vegetable pakioras and naan bread (TMX) Dessert: Custard & banana (TMX)
Thursday
Lunch: Leftover naan bread with garlic and herb dip (TMX).
Dinner: Spiced chicken & sweet potato (TMX), steamed rice (TMX) & green beans (TMX)
Soaking: Start muffins ready for tomorrow, soak overnight.
Friday
Lunch: Carrot & bran muffins (TMX) and butter (TMX)
Dinner: Quirky fried rice with bacon (TMX) Dessert: Quick blueberry icecream (TMX)
Baking: Muesli bars (TMX)
Soaking: Mill flour, soak flour and seeds overnight for bread.
Saturday
Lunch: Cyndi’s super-mix bread (BM) with jam (TMX).
Dinner: Left-over fried rice and beef patties.
Soaking: Start pancakes—soak overnight.
Sunday
Breakfast: Quirky blender batter pancakes (brown rice)
Lunch: Soft boiled eggs (TMX) and toast soldiers (left-over super-mix bread).
Dinner: BBQ with friends - Marinated chicken, beetroot salad(TMX), sorbet (TMX)
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I'm impressed - good work
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If you have a four-cup breadmaker you will need to increase the amounts to suit. :)
Will try adding these ingredients and quantities to my TMX bread recipe as I don't have a breadmaker. Thanks!
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I wondered if you saw that it was for a breadmaker in my post. I'm not sure if those quantities would work in the TMX. Perhaps try the recipe ILB recommended if you have no luck. :)
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chelsea you are such a quirky jo groupie now aren't you? ;)
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Yes and this week is particularly "Quirky" because I am trying to be a bit healthier and save some money!!! I like recipes that are healthy, but still really yummy and I think Jo does that really well. :)
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i have a ton of her recipes saved in my blog reader lol
while i'm here, here is our menu plan:
spiced chicken with sweet potato
burritoes or enchiladas or similar with salad & rice
homemade baked beans with bacon? - emelia to help cook
nuggets & chips with salad (carrot, cucumber, tomato, & lettuce) - ryan to help cook
pumpkin soup
pumpkin, tomato & spinach risotto - rora to help cook
links here http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/2009/09/menu-plan.html
my kids have gone crazy wanting to help cook lately ;)
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Go Chelsea!!!!
Monday - Gemuse Eintopf (TM) (http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/06/gemuse-eintopf-one-pot-vegetable-meal.html), peas, sliced tomatoes and dessert (TM chocolate custard)
Tuesday - Zucchini Slice (prepared in TM) (http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/2008/08/zucchini-slice-vegetarian.html), salad and dessert (berry yoghurt)
Wednesday - Garlic rice (TM), stirfry veg (TM)
Thursday - Chili Con Beans (TM), salad, avocado, sour cream, corn chips
Friday - Baked beans/eggs/leftover "buffet"
Saturday - Potato Bake (slow cooker - cheese sauce in TM), coleslaw (TM), green salad
Sunday - Potato Curry (TM), rice and dessert (yoghurt or sorbet)
Other cooking and baking - I haven't yet tried the Cinnamon Bars (from the TM Rawlicious booklet), but Abby made the Quarter Cake (from TM Budget Busters). We have eggs and milk to use up, so I'll be hunting for something to make other than custard!
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Thanks Bel - I have included the links from your blog for the Gemuse Eintopf and Zucchini slice - thanks for sharing.
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Here's ours.
Wednesday Cheese and Leek quiche with varoma vegies. Pastry made in TMX
Thursday Roast chickenwith roast vegies. Strawberry Fool in TMX
Friday Chicken breast stuffed with feta and wrapped in proscuitto.Vegies in Varoma. Leftover Strawberry Fool
Saturday Pasta in TMX, with salami, bocconcini.spinach and tomato. Quick and easy as I'm going to the Royal Show.
Sunday Pasta again with ricotta and semi sundried tomato mix, made in the TMX. Going on a Model A rally so will be late.
Monday Beef and Guiness TMX recipe
Tuesday Chicken using the Tandoori sauce in the TMX calendar, garlic rice in the TMX.
Bread, mainly 5 grain bread and some Cape Seed.
Lots of cookies and some cake for the hungry cake tins and cookie barrel.
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chelsea you are such a quirky jo groupie now aren't you? ;)
:-[ You're embarrassing me! lol
Your menu sounds so yummy and healthy Chelsea - where's the recipe for the chick-pea and spelt choc chip bikkies?? Yum, I want to try them! I just bought some gf, df, nf choc chips so I'm ready! :)
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Don't worry - I'm sure I'll collapse by the end of the week! Off to clean out my fridge now... which means more cooking! :P
P.S. I'm collapsing now - camp's over! Ready for chocolate, then bed!!!
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where's the recipe for the chick-pea and spelt choc chip bikkies?? Yum, I want to try them! I just bought some gf, df, nf choc chips so I'm ready! :)
I use the choc chip chick-pea recipe from the forum and use 2/3 white spelt flour and 1/3 freshly milled spelt grains.
Here is the link to the recipe: http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=1489.0
And here is a link to some recent comments about the recipe: http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=1869.0 :)
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I'm doing a stock-take of my pantry tonight before I go shopping at the markets tomorrow. I think this will be a laborious process by my pantry is over flowing with food and I need to do something about. So I'll try to cook with what I already have plus fresh vegies and fruit. It's ridiculous, I have never owned so much food at once!
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We are a bit the same ATM. Need to get into the pantry on Sunday and really sort it out. Started 3 weeks ago - but got cooking and ..... you know what happened.
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We are overflowing with food too at the moment. We have so much though because I am only doing the groceries and meat monthly now and I just did the huge shop earlier this week. I am determined not to set foot inside the awful supermarket until my next monthly shop. I get my veg/fruit/milk/cream from my organic farm store and fruit and veg shop weekly. In a couple of weeks time there might be some very interesting meals at my house - lot's of "making do"!!! ;D
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LOL :D :D
Do you remember those cooking shows where a celebrity chef would arrive at someones home and prepare a meal out of what they had in their pantry and fridge?
Sounds like they'd be spoilt for choice in a few homes :o (including my own!). I seem to "collect" ingredients I purchase for a specific meal but never get around to making it. Recently I had about 7 different types of rice!! :o :-))
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Yes, my pantry is as bad as my full freezers were ;D ;D ;D Going great guns in the freezers but I'm finding it harder to get the pantry items down since getting the TMX - in fact I think that has gotten fuller, buying items in advance for recipes I want to do and wanting to have everything on hand so that I can just go ahead and cook it. Because the meals I am cooking these days are so different to the old days, there are items in there now that probably are not going to get used at all. Where's that charity bin for cans of food. Anyone know what I can do with a can of mushy peas - I obviously bought them for a particular recipe once as it is not an item I have ever bought before and like ILB, have forgotten what the recipe was :-)) :-)) :-)) Should stick a note on things in future reminding me what they are to be used for.
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..... Anyone know what I can do with a can of mushy peas - ....
OMG - this from the capital of the pie floater !!! ;D - soup is simple - add some fresh mint. Add to casseroles, .... just eat them with meat (steak) and potatoes,
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I knew someone would suggest a pie floater Thermomixer :D :D :D Had one once 10.30 at night, made a special trip into town and took dearly departed MIL along - it is something you have to do before you die but one is enough to last a lifetime. At least I can say I have had one. Soup sounds nice, thanks. Wish I could remember what I bought it for though.
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Yeah - late at night, generally after the consumption of alcohol, makes them more appealing !! ;)
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We are all so fortunate aren't we. As I was trying to restack my canned food supply so that it would fit in the pantry I couldn't help but think of the many people throughout the world who would dearly love the "problem" of having too much food . . . . :)
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Too true Chelsea. We certainly live in the lucky country.
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Thanks Mr T for doing the links. One's Jo's recipe and one's Karen's - both favourites here. :)
When our pantry and freezer are too full we have use-it-up weeks where I try to buy as few ingredients as possible and use up all the frozen meals and pantry goods. I also do this before any bulk deliveries, where possible. Makes for some cheap shopping weeks!
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That is a really good idea Bel. My problem has been that I get caught up in wanting to try all the great new recipes on the forum and end up changing my menu plan midweek and buying even more ingredients. I am trying to be much more disciplined now and am keeping a folder of new recipes that I really want to try (to add into future menu plans). :)
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Judydawn, mushy peas go with fish and chips - just heat and serve with a pickled onion on the side - the way it used to be in UK in the good old days! I have to go to a special shop to buy mine. Talking of overflowing pantries and freezers - I am one of the worst. I even have friends who come and look to see what I have in there...... :-)) :-))
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Yes Chelsea, must admit that the use-it-up weeks are a bit boring. Few new recipes... Then again sometimes I'll look and say I have heaps of chickpeas, zucchini, tomatoes, etc etc and find recipes to suit. So that's more fun than simply eating up the freezer meals. Because we're always cooking for 8 or more people, it doesn't take long to have a good fridge/freezer/pantry clean up here!
I keep a little list of recipes I want to try with where to find them (F) = folder (of recipes printed from here and blogs), and with the books I write (E63) = Everyday Cookbook page 63 and so on - V for Vegetarian, C for Cyndi's, GF for Gluten Free etc. Makes it easy for anyone in the family to find the recipe and start gathering ingredients at least, if I'm late milking the cow or something...
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Judydawn, mushy peas go with fish and chips - just heat and serve with a pickled onion on the side - the way it used to be in UK in the good old days! I have to go to a special shop to buy mine. Talking of overflowing pantries and freezers - I am one of the worst. I even have friends who come and look to see what I have in there...... :-)) :-))
Funny, the different things other countries serve up. On holiday in America we received a sour gherkin on a lot of the meals we received in restaurants. I can remember when English friends of mine returned to Australia many years ago to live and stayed with us for a couple of weeks until they bought a house. It was summer time and I served up T-bone steaks, chips, eggs and salad. The look on the husbands face had me wondering what was wrong and then had it explained to me that they don't eat hot and cold food together. ??? ???
Thanks for the idea Shayla.
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I've found that since having my TMX I tend to use up most of the food I buy each week and nothing other than the staples get left in the pantry. But now the number of staples I need are much more! I don't really mind.
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Another week already!
Here's our menu, taken from my cooking blog...
Monday - Steamed baby potatoes, boiled eggs (TM), coleslaw (TM), green salad
Tuesday - Garlic rice (TM), stirfry veg (TM), dessert (fruit and TM custard)
Wednesday - Zucchini Slice (prepared in TM), salad, bread rolls (TM) and dessert (yoghurt)
Thursday - Wholemeal Spaghetti, tomato-based sauce (TM), steamed vegetables, cheese
Friday - Potato Bake (slow cooker - cheese sauce in TM), boiled eggs (TM), green salad
Saturday - BBQ with friends - fish, salads (TM), bread (TM), etc.
Sunday - Pistou (TM), rice, steamed greens and dessert (yoghurt or sorbet)
Other cooking and baking - I still haven't yet tried the Cinnamon Bars (from the TM Rawlicious booklet). I'd like to make raw brownies too. And a batch of cookies will be required! Hoping to get the hang of a couple of new bread recipes this week, so lots of messy experiments going on in our kitchen...
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So I went though my pantry and did a stock take... wow... ummmm... and discovered we have way too much food for 2 people.
I found 7 different types of sugar and 11 different types of flour! And many repeat buys of items. It took such a long time! Thankfully the cold canberra weather made it the perfect weekend for it.
If anyone is interested... I found this program: http://www.thinkfresher.com/#pantry
Its called 'Pantry' and it is for windows or mac. And if you have an iphone, it syncs to that aswell. It may seem odd to some people to use a program to keep track of your pantry, but I have found it really useful. I entered all my data, then I made an account, and now my information is automatically sent to my boyfriends iphone aswell as kept online so I can access the data when I am at work. Then it automatically creates a shopping list that you can either print out, or tick it off using your iphone and it will send back the info to you computer and update the info! Wow! I just think its awesome.
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Thanks Sim - sounds interesting - think we definitely need it.
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Sometimes the program doesn't work the way it should, but its free so I'm not complaining. I think over time the developers will improve it.
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Well, what a week it was last week! Didn't get a menu plan done, as I was cooking at a camp. And anything I might have planned for the weekend wouldn't have happened, as I was in bed with a migraine - so we ended up with fish and chips one night, and a quick TMX chicken, rice & veges the next night as I felt a little better. (Thankfully we didn't have to move on the weekend - change of plans - moving in about 2 weeks... hopefully!!!) Here's the menu plan for this week:
Monday:
(lunch) Leftover chicken with cashew satay sauce (from freezer) on rice (TMX)
(dinner) Stir fry spicy mince & veges (TMX) with mung bean noodles
Tuesday:
(lunch) Leftovers & spelt tortillas (TMX)
(dinner) Raw pasta sauce (TMX) on spelt fettucine & spelt bread rolls (TMX)
Wednesday:
(lunch) Pumpkin soup (TMX) with spelt seed bread (TMX)
(dinner) Corn & potato chowder with chorizo sausage (crockpot)
Thursday:
(lunch) Tuna fishcakes with salad (TMX)
(dinner) Sunny scalloped eggs with asian broccoli & silverbeet (TMX)
Friday:
(lunch) Lentil-vege bolognaise (TMX) on rice-corn pasta
(dinner) Turkey mince sausages in spelt tortillas (TMX) with Mexican bean salad
Saturday:
(lunch) Leftovers & tortillas
(dinner) Fish & baked potatoes with salad
Sunday:
(lunch) Beef pot roast with veges
(dinner) Leftovers
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After losing power for hours last night I have finally finished my menu plan for this week. Quirky Jo has really inspired me to experiment with blender batter baking (using the TMX) and this week I have been busy finding some Sue Gregg recipes from her website to try out. I can't wait!!! ;D
Monday
Lunch - Cheese & vegemite scrolls (TMX)
Dinner - Yummy (dirty) brown rice & meatballs (TMX)
Soaking -Start spelt milling and soaking for muffins
Tuesday
Lunch - Leftover meatballs in subs (TMX rolls) with salad veggies
Dinner - Pasta Fagioli (TMX)
Dessert - Custard with stewed apple & rhubarb (TMX)
Baking - Blender batter spelt, banana and walnut muffins (TMX) & Sweet potato spice cookies (TMX)
Wednesday
Lunch - Yoghurt & leftover stewed apple and rhubarb
Dinner - Moroccan lamb with couscous (TMX)
Soaking - Start brown rice milling and soaking for waffles
Thursday
Lunch - Blender batter pear and ginger brown rice waffles with yogurt (TMX)
Dinner - Chicken, leek & corn pie (TMX)
Friday
Lunch - Egg and salad sandwiches
Dinner - Pumpkin & baby spinach risotto (TMX)
Baking - Chocolate zucchini brownies (TMX)
Saturday
Lunch - Fried risotto balls (leftover risotto), salad, crusty bread (TMX)
Dinner - Pizza (TMX)
Soaking - Start spelt and oats milling and soaking for pancakes.
Sunday
Lunch - Zucchini & brown rice tart (TMX)
Dinner - Jacket potatoes, baked beans (TMX) & grated cheese
Dessert - Chocolate Tart (TMX)
Baking - Breakfast: spelt and oat gingerbread blender batter pancakes (TMX)
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I'm not sure how everyone plans lunches! I am hopeless at that. I actually brought an old electric frying pan into work (we have a big kitchen here) and I bring in various veggies and fry them up with ginger at lunch time. My colleagues think I am odd, but it tastes good, lol!
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I actually brought an old electric frying pan into work (we have a big kitchen here) and I bring in various veggies and fry them up with ginger at lunch time. My colleagues think I am odd, but it tastes good, lol!
Good on you, Sim! Much better than boring old sandwiches. (They're probably jealous!) My dh takes things like quinoa salads to work, and gets a few comments too! :P
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Or reheated food in the microwave! I am trying to avoid that. I packed up my microwave on Sunday! It will be an interesting adjustment to our lives :)
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reheated leftovers are great for lunch! i refuse to cook for lunch except very minimally.
inspired by mama bel's menu lol here is mine:
Gemüse Eintopf (one-pot vegetable meal)
Potato, Spinach & Chickpea Curry
Middle Eastern Cauliflower Fritters
dairy free pasta carbonara
pizza
l;inks here http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/2009/09/menu-plan_29.html
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We eat leftovers for lunch almost every day. Or some variation of leftovers supplemented with bread, salad, fruit, nuts, etc.
In winter I'll often make up soups for lunch now I have the TMX. :)
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I don't mind reheating them, just as long as it is not done in the microwave. :) There are mixed reviews about how good it is for your health.
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My little ones nap over lunch and DH comes home from work for lunch so I find it easier to cook lunches than dinners (dinner time = arsenic hour at our house). I don't like us to eat too much bread, so planning for lunches helps keep me on track. We sometimes eat left-overs for lunch, but more so for dinner. I am trying to get into the habit of using the varoma to warm left-overs rather than using the microwave, but it is a bit of a pain. :)
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I have never thought of heating up in the varoma, thanks for tip. I am certainly missing the convenience of the microwave.. I'll see how I go.. its just a trial at this stage.
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I have never thought of heating up in the varoma, thanks for tip. I am certainly missing the convenience of the microwave.. I'll see how I go.. its just a trial at this stage.
Especially if you are going to be cooking something else - it works a treat.
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We had no microwave for about 10 years and it was just fine. We only just got a new one because hubby's working shift work. It isn't used for days, weeks at a time.
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A new week...
Monday - Fish strips, vegetables and eggs stir-fried, with rice and sweet & sour sauce
Tuesday - Potato (TM), coleslaw (TM), boiled eggs (TM) and green salad, dessert (TM rice pudding & banana)
Wednesday - Slow-cooked mexe-bake (beans TM), green salad, avocado and mountain bread chips, dessert (berry yoghurt) ... Bel at meeting - take a plate of ?
Thursday - Omelettes with rice noodles, carrots, green peas and chili sauce, dessert (TM custard & fruit)
Friday - Away - pasta or take-away
Saturday - Away - picnic meal
Sunday - Quiche & salad, dessert (TM fruit sorbet)
Other cooking and baking - I did none of the baking planned for last week but two of my girls made some TM shortbread, fudge and coconut balls... So I still haven't yet tried the Cinnamon Bars (from the TM Rawlicious booklet). I'd like to make raw brownies too. And a batch of cookies will be required again. Not sure when I'll get on to the bread experiments...
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Here is my menu plan (fridge list) for this week. It has been almost 3 weeks since my last grocery shop (I am going monthly now) and my cupboards are still well stocked so I'm not needing to be too creative yet. I'm loving not having to do the grocery shopping each week (apart from a quick trip to our organic farm store)!!!
Monday
Lunch - Fruit buns (TMX)
Dinner - Carbonara with homemade spelt pasta (TMX)
Dessert - Impossible lemon pie (TMX)
Baking - Anzac biscuits (TMX)
Tuesday
Lunch - Fruit buns (leftovers) and protein shakes (TMX)
Dinner - Chicken croquettes (TMX) and pumpkin risotto (TMX)
Wednesday
Lunch - Toast with eggs (TMX)
Dinner - Vegie Lasagne (with homemade spelt sheets - TMX)
Dessert - Frozen yoghurt (TMX)
Baking - Rhubarb, apple & berry Galette (TMX)
Soaking - Mill and soak spelt grain for muffins
Thursday
Lunch - Fruit, cheese & cracker platter
Dinner - Dirty rice with meatballs (TMX)
Baking - Blueberry & banana wholegrain muffins (TMX)
Soaking - Mill and soak brown rice for waffles
Friday
Lunch - Pear and ginger waffles (TMX) with yoghurt
Dinner - Roasted pumpkin, feta & pine nut pizzas (TMX)
Dessert - Frozen yoghurt (TMX)
Baking - Banana mars bar cake??? (special morning tea)
Saturday
Lunch - Leftover pear and ginger waffles (TMX) with yoghurt
Dinner - Vegie paickoras with beetroot relish (TMX)
Soaking - Mill and soak brown rice for pancakes
Sunday
Lunch - Leftover paickoras in burger rolls (TMX)with salad
Dinner - Spicy Malay Bobotie (TMX) & garden salad.
Dessert - Chocolate tart (TMX)
Breakfast: Gingerbread pancakes (TMX)
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I have no idea what's going to happen with meals this week as my week is very 'up in the air'!!! Because we're MOVING - finally! (I think!) and although I guess we'll have to eat, I don't know when, where or what! Sorry! (But you guys have great menus this week, I must say!) :D
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good luck with your move jo!
well, we are off to the coast tomorrow and we have a lot of different food requirements in our group (1x vegetarian w no eggs, 1 x coeliac, 2 x low salicylates of who 1 is also no dairy, and several with issues with various colours and preservatives and myself avoiding dairy where possible. this is out of 4 mums & 9 kids LOL)
here is our menu:
Wed
*dinner - C- BBQ
dessert-L (tinned fruit-pears and jelly/yogurt)
drinks for the day - L-milk, apple juice and water
Thu
breakfast-cereal and toast
m/tea - donuts
*lunch-C baked potatoes with baked beans, ham, pineapple etc.
a/tea-L (rice crackers, hummus, carrot and celery sticks)
*dinner for kids Karen (nuggets, chips)
*dinner for mums - I (dahl, rice) Karen (butter chicken, poppadums, potato & spinach curry)
dessert - I (mango sorbet)
drinks for the day-L (apple juice, milk and water)
Fri
breakfast - K (buckwheat pancakes, maple syrup, bacon, some sort of fruit)
m/tea - K (selection of homemade GF cakes / biccies)
*lunch-L (assorted sandwiches, toasted and untoasted, using gf and other breads and fruit)
a/tea - I (popcorn, fruit)
*dinner-I (GF pasta, pasta penne and ricotta gnocci) with choice of bolognese, vegetarian bolognese, pesto PLUS salad)
dessert -
drinks for the day -
Sat
breakfast-L (gf cereals and toast-gf, raisin and bread)
m/tea-I (rice cakes with philli cheese, peanut butter, jam, vegemite, honey) + fruit
drinks for the day -
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That sounds like a great menu Karen. Have a great time!!! :)
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Well, seeing this thread going over the last few weeks has been inspiring me, and I've FINALLY got my act together to make one too! :D
Monday Beef stir fry (TMX)
Tuesday Marinaded Goat Chops (pan), Shrewsbury sauce (pre-made in TMX), mashed potato (TMX) and steamed Veg (TMX)
Wednesday Succotash (slow cooker) & pasta (TMX)
Thursday Chili (slow cooker) with rice (TMX) and salad
Friday Leftovers
Saturday Dan's Shepherd's pie, with lentils rather than meat (TMX / oven)
Sunday Pot roast goat (slow cooker), Parsnip Puree (TMX), steamed veg (TMX)
Hopefully I'll have some portions of the Wed, Thurs, Sat & Sun meals left over for the freezer.
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Good luck with the move Jo.
this thread just makes me feel totally inadequte - need the world to stop for a day.
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I think I'll put my order in for a week Termomixer ;) :D :D I keep thinking that one day I'll plan. But kid myself that once I get a menu planning program it will be easier than having to manually do the shopping list.
On the subject - those of you that use your i-phone to down load your shopping list etc. Out of interest can you please tell me if it is compatible with windows or do you need a Mac computer? I am completely useless when it comes to gadgets. Recently had to google netbooks??? those mini laptop thing-ee-ma-bobbas... thanks ??? :-\
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Good luck with the move Jo.
Thanks! We're partly in the new house now - don't have a fridge or freezer or beds yet, so we're 'camping' with an esky and camping mattresses - good fun! No oven either - at least I have a Thermomix!!! ;)
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LOL I am terrible, I plan breakfast to lunch and then lunch to dinner!! :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[ - I really must get myself organised. Hopefully you will all inspire me :D
Kathryn - I am pleased that I am not the only one - I also think about whats for supper after breakfast, then I ma full and cannot think of what I want to eat in the evening. I shop about once a week but keep a very big freezer and pantry going, herbs from the garden and usually decide on what to have at the last minute. Even when I have a dinner party I rarely plan much before the day. ;D ;D
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Shayla I have been really thinking about this for the last week as DH is away at the moment for 10 days and it has been chaos. I have decided that I need to menu plan!!! School goes back next week here and life gets even busier. Not only that I need to plan my breakfast and lunches so that I don't just opt for the sandwiches (well for me anyway, everyone else gets more but by then I am over it and busy and so just get a sandwich :-)))
sooooo my tremendously inspiring and helpful forum members where on earth do I start when I want to menu plan. I will need to plan all 3 meals each day as we work from home....
HEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPPP lol
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Kathryn, I actually drew up a timetable sort of thing with the days of the week on it. I then pencil in what I may have for the meals (depending on what is in the freezer etc) and then look at it and check that the main meals are reasonably balanced in the lines of meat, chicken, fish and vegetarian. When I've done this I put down next to them what I need to buy when I do the shopping. I only plan for dinner as we have basically the same for breakfast everyday and lunch is usually salad, bread and protein or DH has leftovers.
Clear as mud I guess. If you like I could try to send you a copy of an empty timetable.
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sooooo my tremendously inspiring and helpful forum members where on earth do I start when I want to menu plan. I will need to plan all 3 meals each day as we work from home....
HEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPPP lol
I print out a grid (usually on a Friday) that I use to pencil my meals into for the next week. I play around with it for a few days - sorting through recipes, checking pantry and freezer supplies, planning for special events on the calendar etc. On Sunday I then type it into the grid and print out our family menu to stick on the fridge. I plan for lunch and dinner each day and Sunday breakfast (all other breakfasts are very basic - cereal & milk at dawn followed by either a juice or smoothie a little later). I try to focus on using up ingredients, trying new and interesting recipes (that helps me stick to my plan), eating what is in season and grown locally and keeping to my budget. After I have finished my menu plan I do my fruit and vegie shopping list for Monday morning and once a month I also do my butchers list and my grocery list to restock my bulk supply cupboard (basically a mini supermarket ;D). I quite like menu planning and find that we eat a much healthier and interesting diet when I plan for our meals and I save money by limiting my "impulsive cooking".
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i can't cope with too much planning :D so i tend to choose 5-6 meals and then just write a shopping list for those. then i just choose each day which i'm going to cook. if i try to plan everything i rebel against it LOL 8)
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Karen that is my fear that I am going to do the planning and then go nuuuuuupppppp DON"T feel like that today, or tomorrow, in fact now not at all this week :o :o :o :o
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LOL htat does happen sometimes but it's honestly never a problem, as long as it uses basically the same fresh ingredients lol
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I don't stick prescriptively to my 'plan'. The entire week could be done backwards. I just find it easier than having to think what will we have tonight. I look at the plan and think nah, nah and oh yes we'll have that one, knowing I have the extras required for it. eg tonight was Swiss Steak, I don't feel like that so we're having salmon and zucchini slice which was for last Thursday on my plan.
It works for some of us and not for others I guess. I'm one of those people that like to know where I'm going and what I'm doing for the week. Bit weird I guess.
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I'm another weird one Cookie. I was about to say perhaps it is a teacher thing (lists, organising etc), but that doesn't work because half of us on the forum are teachers ;D. I'm not too fused about following my plan either - I often swap meals around and add a few extra things in each week depending on what we are doing. I just find life a bit calmer when meals are planned for and I know that I have everything I need to prepare them.
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Monday - Potato Bake (slow cooker), boiled eggs (TM), salads
Tuesday - Curry (TM), rice, dessert (fruit and TM custard)
Wednesday - Corn Chowder (TM), bread rolls (TM), dessert (TM mango ice-cream)
Thursday - Pasta with mushroom sauce (TM), steamed vegetables (TM)
Friday - Omelette with potatoes (TM), salad
Saturday - stir-fry (TM) & rice
Sunday - Black bean patties, sauce (TM), salad (TM), flat bread
Other cooking and baking - brownies (TM), rice milk (TM), butter (TM) etc
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I have just came across this fantastic thread.
I have never planned ahead for meals, now I have my TM3 (got it on the 6th oct, yes I remember the date well)
Only hubby and me at home now, so I am going to try this meal planning business lol.
I am going to my Sons today for 3 days so I can take my books with me and plan my meals fron Wednesday onwards.
Love it.
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It help so much with the shopping May. I rarely have things in the pantry that I bought for something and then never made. They were usually some weird thing that couldn't be used in anything else.
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May - Quirky Jo and Mamabel usually post a weekly menu on their blogs. Inspirational
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May - Quirky Jo and Mamabel usually post a weekly menu on their blogs. Inspirational
Do you have the URLs for their blogs please, Thermomixer?
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Here is my menu for the week:
Tuesday Thai soup (TMX)
Wednesday Sweet potato soup for lunch (TMX) and pot roast shoulder of Goat in red wine sauce for dinner (slow cooker)
Thursday Broccoli & Cauliflower Cheese with pasta, bacon and grilled tomatoes (mix of TMX & Remoska)
Friday Lunch: Roast veg and rice (rice in TMX) Tea: Rolls with cheese (TMX), ham & salad
Saturday Lunch: Carrot & squash soup (TMX) Dinner: Veggie burgers (TMX assisted)
Sunday Lunch: Lentil & veg soup (TMX) Dinner: Fishcakes with potato wedges & veg (partial TMX)
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mine too
http://brazen20au.blogspot.com/search/label/menu%20planning
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I'm just starting to get back into the swing of regular meal planning, and what a difference it's making! So far I'm only planning dinners, but I hope to start adding some lunches and breakfasts too once I'm on top of the dinner thing. Here's mine till the weekend.
Wed: Baked Potatoes topped with Bolognese Sauce
Thu: Vegetable Fajitas, Guacamole, Refried Beans
Fri: Spaghetti with Zucchini & Cherry Tomatoes (TMX)
Sat: Mexican Pizza (dough made in TMX)
Sun: Homemade Burgers with the lot
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May - Quirky Jo and Mamabel usually post a weekly menu on their blogs. Inspirational
Do you have the URLs for their blogs please, Thermomixer?
Sorry CW - been busy
Bel - http://belcooks.blogspot.com/ (http://belcooks.blogspot.com/)
Jo - http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/ (http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/)
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Thanks
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I'm afraid I had a really crazy week last week, and didn't get my menu plan done... and suffered for it - had to get up at 5.30am one morning to make something my dh could take to work, as their was no bread, wraps, leftovers... nothing!!! (I made Mexican Quinoa in the TMX, and went back to bed until it beeped! :D ) Anyway, try again this week! :)
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Monday:
(lunch - friends over) Rice pasta (TMX) with tuna, homemade mayo (TMX) & raw veges (mixed up individually into our own pasta salads!)
(dinner) Chicken & vege stir fry with rice (TMX)
Tuesday - a big cooking day!:
(lunch) Raw pasta sauce (TMX) on raw zucchini 'fettucine' (plus making a Christmas recipe to try it out - rolled chicken breast stuffed with cranberry & pistachio stuffing, steamed in Thermomix... will use for next day's dinner)
(dinner - DH's B'day BBQ at friend's!) Taking meat for barby, plus cream cheese & herb dip (TMX), potato & sundried tomato salad (TMX), steamed broccoli & lemon salad with fetta (TMX), spelt herb & garlic pull-apart bread (TMX), and, of course, the Thermomix - to make sorbet & lattes/frappes! And I'm making a cheesecake (TMX) for my dh, as he wants one for his birthday cake... so I'll also make a dairy free raw 'cheesecake' too, for those of us who can't have any dairy :(
Wednesday:
(lunch) Leftovers & sandwiches with homemade spelt bread
(dinner) Cranberry-pistachio stuffed chicken roll (TMX - made yesterday), served cold with salad
Thursday:
(lunch) Pizza - spelt base (TMX) with raw avocado & salad topping
(3pm) Homeschoolers' Art & Cooking Class break-up party - helping kids make salads & sausages, and taking leftovers home for dinner if any... if not...
(dinner) Tuna fishcakes with carrot & grape salad & oven-baked potato wedges
Friday:
(lunch) Baked potatoes & sweet potatoes (crockpot) with toppings & salad
(dinner) Lentil bolognaise (TMX) on spelt pasta with salad
Saturday:
(lunch) Tortillas (homemade, spelt, TMX) with refried beans & salad
(dinner) Fried marinara mix & salad
Sunday:
(lunch) Leftovers
(dinner) Spelt rolls with tuna, salad & homemade mayo
(lots of these recipes are available on my blog)
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Inspirational Jo - good to see you back on the planning. BTW the turkey looks great - good one :-* :-* :-*
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Ohhh Jo - would love the recipe for the raw dairy free "cheesecake" please!!! :P :P :-* :-*
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Okay, I'll take a photo today and write it out - I know I keep promising recipes left, right and centre and not getting them posted, but holidays are coming!!!! (Although from past experience, they always go WAY too quickly!!)
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That's OK Jo, no rush, just when you get it done ;) ;D And I totally know the feeling. I have a few to type up and post as well.... :-))
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that's the problem isn't it....you take the time to get them converted in your shorthand scribbled way that you can understand when you make it next...it is getting the time to type it up so everyone can understand it and getting it posted. I have a huge pile to do :-[ :-[ :-[ but yes holidays are coming woo hoo :D
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Yep, that's the problem - another great dish last night, but can't get motivated.
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Guess what? I posted the dairy free cheesecake recipe! (It's in the Raw section.) Now I'd better go do all the jobs I've been avoiding all morning! ;D
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Thank you!
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The above posting is a sign that ILB has got too much spare time on her hands just at present :D :D :D Good to see you are resting up ILB :-* :-*
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I love the kisses. It is amazing to have them all on the screen 'kissing'.
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:D :D Copy and Paste make it a lot easier!! ;)
Yes, I'm not used to having so much time. Have heaps to do, but can't physically do them yet.. >:(
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Here's my Christmas menu plan - have a great Christmas all! ;D
http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/12/menu-plan-monday-christmas-2009.html
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Sounds great Jo, hope all goes to plan. Have a great day.
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Thanks JD - you too! :)
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Hi all - just a quick menu plan this week - I'm a bit late! Hope you all have a great New Year's Eve/Day - whenever you're celebrating! :D
Wednesday:
(lunch) Spelt bread rolls (TMX) with salad (& probably tuna, again!)
(dinner) T-bone steak, baked potatoes & salad
Thursday:
(lunch) Vege pasta with gf noodles (TMX)
(dinner) Leek quiche with oat almond crust (TMX) & salad
Baking Breudher for New Year's! Yum!
Friday (New Year's Day):
(breakfast) Breudher! (http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2008/12/breudher-dutch-new-years-cake.html)
(lunch) Baked potatoes with toppings (including mushroom sauce - TMX)
(New Year's Dinner with friends!) Homemade lasagne (dairy free) with homemade spelt lasagne noodles (sauces & pasta made in TMX), spelt garlic bread (TMX), greek salad, chocolate sorbet (http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/09/quick-chocolate-sorbet.html)
Saturday:
(lunch) leftovers (I hope!)
(dinner) Tuna mornay (df TMX) on brown rice (TMX)
Sunday:
(lunch) Roast chicken & veges
(dinner) Spelt rolls and leftovers
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You amaze me Jo, even at this time of year you can still put together a menu plan ??? ??? I'm sure there are many out there like me, taking one day at a time at the moment.
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Yup and I'm one of them JD ;D It's the 3 monthly clean-out-the-freezer time again. Will be glad to get back to making up a menu again and cooking from there. :)
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My grandmother would be rolling in her grave - we should have everything "sorted" for New Year (Hogmanay) - like cleaning and organising the freezer, but have also planned to do that at the weekend.
My plan is to plan - NY's resolution
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I wonder if I could make a New Year's Resolution to 'not fill the freezer so full so often' and stick with it - Nah, impossible :-)) :-)) :-))
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Ha ha! That's my plan, Thermomixer - I plan to plan too! I've got to sit down today and plan my homeschooling schedule for next year... and I also need to clean out the fridge and freezer JO - better get started!!! ;D
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Hope I can join in here, this weeks menu as follows
- Chicken & Ricotta Crepe Bake with Salad
Bolognaise Pinwheel with Salad
Spaghetti Carbonara with Salad
Beef and Spinach with Veg and Mash
Chicken Skewers with Satay Dipping Sauce and Rice with Salad
Rigtoni with Pork Ragout and Salad
Something Random/leftover
Deserts that I have planned include Lemon Lime Tart, Chocolate Ice Cream and the usual Custard, Sorbet, biscuits/slices/cakes, would also like to try the rice pudding. Also bread, yoghurt and some juices too *insert tummy rubbing smilie*
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Sounds good - you are certainly welcome to post here.
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I still haven't got my menu plan organized for this week (slack!) but I wanted to post this link to my friend's blog - she plans the menus for the WHOLE YEAR in January!!! Have a look!
http://boswellbunch.com/simone/section/Blog/Entries/2010/1/11_Meal_Planning.html
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OMG - NOW I do feel totally inadequate !!!
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yikes, no way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i would be rebelling against that by the end of week one LOL
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OMG an entire month. There is no way I could do that. I wouldn't know who was going out, what the weather would be like and most importantly what I feel like cooking. That is organisation plus. All credit to her if it works for her.
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Wow That is inspirational! Think i might actually give this one a go! (well for a month or so and see how it goes) I like the idea of having each day of the week dedicated to a meal type and it will definatly make grocery shopping a lot easier.
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I have tried to plan meals in the past, but it usually ends quite sadly. ;)
It is too hard to predict who is going to be home, who has to be picked up late, what the weather is like, what I feel like cooking - etc, etc.
For example, planned to have crockpot ribs for dinner on Sunday as it was too hot to cook and we were all fed up with bbq. 3 hours into the 6 hour cooking time the power went out for 3 hours. Ribs in fridge, finished cooking and ate them yesterday - no problem.
However ... I had planned to cook (and had defrosted) a turkey roll for last nights dinner - now need to cook it tonight, but 2 of the 3 teenagers will be out and husband will be working late. Aaargh!
See how quickly it all turns to ashes in my hands! :-[
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Enjoy your quiet turkey roast all on your own tonight Amanda. If I lived closer I'd pop in and share it with you ;) ;) Meal plans definitely wouldn't work in your house with teenage kids coming and going.
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Yeah - we would need a massive fudge factor built in. Especially when I suddenly have to go off to meetings/seminars with little warning.
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I meal plan for our family and things change all the time. I just swap nights, or if something is defrosted I go ahead and cook it - they can always re-heat it for tomorrow's lunch or dinner. The meal plan still helps overall!
I am in awe of Quirky's friend who plans for a whole YEAR. I love her idea, but my calendar would be a scribbled mess swapping meals around etc! :p
I find that our summer menus are quite boring - we eat pasta or potato with salads, curries or stirfries and rice, etc. We don't seem to eat enough legumes and hardly use the slow cooker or oven. I think I need to work on this!
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My menu's a mess this week, with all the swapping of meals, but at least I have the meals planned loosely, even if I change them around a lot!
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Been a bit slack about posting my menu plans here... anyone else planning this week? I've posted on my blog about how to start menu planning, if anyone's interested: http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2010/02/menu-plan-monday-22nd-february.html (http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2010/02/menu-plan-monday-22nd-february.html)
Here's my plan for this week:
(our weather's cooled down, so I can have soup again! yay!)
Monday:
(lunch) Tuna sandwiches with spelt bread (TMX)
(dinner) Bean stew (TMX) and cornbread (TMX)
Tuesday:
(lunch) Leftover bean stew & cornbread
(dinner) DF Tuna Mornay casserole x 2 (TMX) (cooked ahead, one for tonight, one for freezer)
Wednesday:
(lunch) Tortillas with tuna & salad
(dinner) Sweet & Sour Beef Stew (TMX) on spelt noodles
Thursday:
(lunch) Soup (TMX - clean out the fridge!) & spelt bread (TMX)
(dinner) Fish (coated in cornmeal, shallow fried) & baked potatoes & salad
Friday:
(lunch) Tuna tomato gf pasta (TMX)
(dinner) Chicken curry & rice (TMX)
Saturday:
(lunch) Baked potatoes (crockpot) & leftover curry
(dinner) Steak/burgers, mashed potato & steamed veges (both cooked in TMX)
Sunday:
(lunch) Crockpot corned beef with leftover veges
(dinner) Spelt bread rolls (TMX) & leftovers
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Is there a spare bed - easier to come oveer than trying to produce a menu plan like this.
In exchange I can do a class for the kids in how to castrate cats if that is OK ;D ;D ;D
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Ha ha! The kids might find that interesting!! :P
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ROFL TMXer you are so funny :D
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now that someone found this thread i am giving it a HUGE bump as i am starting 30 hours o work a week next week and will need to be more organised!
i'm thinking on a friday (my day off) i will meal plan, then the shopping can be done fri/sat/sun. i'll have a meal planning folder which i can put all the recipes for the week in so that dh can start dinner if he's home first :D
i also want to download the living cookbook software to try to make it easier to get myself organised ;)
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Good luck with the new job Karen
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Hope it goes well for you, Karen! I know it really helps me to have meals planned ahead, especially on busy weeks like this one!!
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i cooked a double batch of beef strog / paprika tonight, so i could stash on ein the freezer - ti's great being organised - until the kids refuse to eat it lol *sigh*
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Oh you poor thing! Been there too! :-))
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glad it's not just me!
and just noticed my sig says my rora is 3yo when she's actually 4 and 5 months, oops! lol
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Good luck with the new job Karen. The couple of weeks I've been organised enough to plan meals we ate well and my shopping was less expensive.
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Great news about the new job Karen. Things may seem hectic for a while but it will all settle down soon enough, especially with the help of your TMX. Congratulations.
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Quirkycooking how do you do your baked potatoes in the crockpot? sounds like a great idea!
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LMT you wrap them in foil and sit them in the slow cooker (no liquid or anything). i think they take around 4-6 hours? they are pretty yum :)
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I don't even wrap them in foil - just chuck them in! Works fine. Best with the skins on, and sweet potatoes turn out really yummy too (just scrub, don't peel). :)
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now that someone found this thread i am giving it a HUGE bump as i am starting 30 hours o work a week next week and will need to be more organised!
Good luck with the job & even GOODER luck with the getting organised !!!! Although we seem to be more organised when we are working rather than having too much spare time ? ??? tell me why!
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thanks thermomixer and yes you are right!
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I thought I would bump this one again as I do my meal planning on a weekly basis and it is always a tricky thing to figure out what we will have each week, without having the same things over and over. Maybe this can give some inspiration to others facing the same weekly dilemma.
This week for dinner, when we are at home, we will be having:
* Roo Spag bol
* Baked potatoes
* African quinoa stew with lamb - http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=7986.0
* KFC Chicken - http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=4364.0
I will also make some cheese and bacon rolls to take to the museum tomorrow, and I want to try out some cashew butter some time this week too (to go in the quinoa stew).
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I enjoy my planning for the week. I sit with my 'plan' and lots of cookbooks. With a coffee too of course. I use a A4 sheet that has columns. The columns are:
Date
Anything that is on that day.
The meal
Where the recipe is
What I need to buy to make it.
If anyone wants a copy I am happy to email it to them. It is only made by me but suits me well.
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After our holiday i will be menu planning asap.
1. To save money
2. Eat healthy foods to reduce our expanded bodies. :o
H :)
Just about to hop on a plane, might start on board.
Soups, salads & stirfrys for us. :( no more deserts for a long time >:(
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I think you mentioned a good point cookie...where the recipe came comes from. I have that stuck on the fridge for the week to save me looking for the recipe for which I have bought all the ingredients!
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I write mine on a scrap paper pad that I have stuck a magnet on the back to stick to the fridge. Unless it is something I don't need the recipe for I usually write underneath the name either the topic number from here, or the book I chose it from. Is much quicker than trying to search for it again - plus then I don't get side tracked with the other new yummy things everyone has posted.
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Very true. I find that by planning I don't end up with too many things in the pantry that I havew bought for a special recipe and not made.
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Thanks for the reminder, i need to plan too.
Robyn
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I enjoy my planning for the week. I sit with my 'plan' and lots of cookbooks. With a coffee too of course. I use a A4 sheet that has columns. The columns are:
Date
Anything that is on that day.
The meal
Where the recipe is
What I need to buy to make it.
If anyone wants a copy I am happy to email it to them. It is only made by me but suits me well.
I have become a little lax in my meal planning lately. I would love a copy of your plan Cookie.
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Hmm have come a little undone this week. Have just had to divert DH on his way home from work to get some ingredients for tonight's dinner that I used on the spur of the moment with last nights dinner - not realising they were essential to tonight's meal. D'oh! Lucky I was getting organised early enough to fix it...
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I enjoy my planning for the week. I sit with my 'plan' and lots of cookbooks. With a coffee too of course. I use a A4 sheet that has columns. The columns are:
Date
Anything that is on that day.
The meal
Where the recipe is
What I need to buy to make it.
If anyone wants a copy I am happy to email it to them. It is only made by me but suits me well.
Cookie - I'd love a copy of your planner if possible . . . :D
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Cookie I also would love to have a copy of your planner :D
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Do u ladies really really stick to the plan? :-))
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Uni, yes for about 2 weeksLOL
H ;D
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;D
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No not me. I usually don't work out what's for tea until that morning lol. Occasionally I work it out the day before (does that mean I menu plan? ) ;D
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My problem is I plan these lovely meals, then new recipes appear or I buy another cook book & of course these new recipes just have to be tried ;D
H :)
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I stick pretty rigidly to my plan as I know I have all the ingredients. On my plan I have a box titled 'ideas for next week' so when I see new recipes I jot them down there. I also have a box to remind me of any new recipes etc I want to bake.
I may swap things around during the week and if I feel we need to change (unexpected visitors) I will.
I only do a week at a time.
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I usually get something out of the freezer in the morning.
But I have well stocked freezers, fridges, pantry too.
Robyn
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I stick to my plan pretty much (except for the occasional 'inspirations' which stuff me up for later in the week), but as Cookie does, I sometimes change around the different days. The weeks I don't have time or forget to sit down and make the plan and then the grocery list end up stressful as we are so busy after I collect the kids for school. Twice a week I have to have them fed and on their way out again at 5.30pm - one night involves taking dinner with us so that requires extra thought.
Even before I had to do that though I hated the 4pm discussion at school pickup of "what are you having for dinner?" because I had no put any thought into it. This way I'm much more relaxed and organised. I wish the rest of the family would help a bit more in choosing the meals though.
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Ok I am sitting at work planning this weeks meals.
So far I have
Monday: Meat pie and veges (meat pie made yesterday, just needs reheating)
Tuesday: Chicken Chasseur and veges
Wednesday: Gourmet Beef and veges
Thursday: Steak (DH & I) with macaroni cheese. DS will have left over meat pie with his mac cheese.
Friday: Tuna and Tomato Rice Bake (made the day before to reheat when I get home from work)
Saturday: Pizza night
Sunday: Roast in the slow cooker with baked vegetables
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lets us know if u stick with it DG
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I have to fundj.
As it is school holidays I only work Monday and Friday. The other days I will be at home, which is 35kms away from the nearest shop. Stick to it or eat baked beans on toast ;D
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:) Dizzy, we live 25 klms from the nearest proper supermarket.
Otherwise, the local supermarket which is tiny.
Robyn
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i cant imagine been 35kms away from the nearest shop
how far from your nearest neighbours? DG
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We are all on 100 or 200 acres fundj. The block down the road however is 8,000 acres. Their land backs onto ours.
35 kms is to the tiny Foodworks obbie and it is 60 kms to the nearest Coles or Woolies.
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We have a little foodworks here, but 25 klms to IGA.
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No chance of home deliveries then DG ;)
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No deliveries here and take away is cold by the time we get it home. At least we save money I guess
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I stick to my menu plan to (well might change the days around if something comes up but generally not the meals once planned)
I love it and it stops all the questions ... it is there for all to read ;D ;D
I use this (http://www.theprojectgirl.com/2009/01/19/menu-planning-form-free-download/)planner (the second one) and write on the side (under Misc) of dishes I see or think of during the week. I write under each day of things that are on that are not in the family planner that I use side by side on my pantry door along with the kids chore lists etc :D
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Thanks Faffa, looks like I will have to plan a lot now.
Especially baking, and main meals.
Robyn
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Since I got my iPad I have being transferring all my thermie recipes to Paprika. It also has a meal plan function which is great. Just planning next weeks menu. I really hate trying to mix it up as DS is a fussy eater. On the weekend I plan to make DS some meals to freeze so DH and I can have some more variety.
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That's a great idea DG - you never know he may want to have a small try of your different things one day, knowing that he still has his meal to go to if it doesn't suit him :)
You are welcome Robyn, I am a list / organiser person. You should see my pantry door lol.
I used to have everything on my phone and computer which was great but not everyone else used to know how to access it. I decided when I was spending so much time looking after mum last year to put it on the pantry door so that anyone who beat me home would know where to start (and they were pretty good about it too :)) so there it has now stayed. DS(7) likes to check each day what we are having. :D
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:) Sounds like mine will go on the pantry door too Faffa.
I have to go and buy GF stuff now.
Robyn
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Your pantry will explode Robyn!! Mine did with me just going wheat free but I can tell you your daughter will feel better in a matter of days if how I felt going wheat free is any reflection. Good luck :)
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Thanks Faffa :)
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Menu plan for this week took a bit of a hit but still not resorted to take away. In fact DH has a chicken pie cooking now (was supposed to be beef strog but we had that last night as the meat was looking a bit iffy - in the end it had turned and had to get more as we were half way though the recipe)...
Beef strog was fantastic though! The meat was a bit tough so next time we would cook it less, but then we seem to cook most things for less than the recipes say. Personal preference and all that. But the flavours were fantastic. DH said he might even make the sauce as a soup!
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Well I have found heaps of gluten free stuff, and am about to order for my daughter.
I will go shopping tomorrow and see what I can pick up for her as well.
then to sit down and meal plan for the week.
Robyn
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fundj,
So far I have stuck to meal plan. It is so easy as I know exactly what I need.
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You will handle the new challenge really well Robyn, I just know it :-*
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On the menu for this week:
Saturday night: Cashew Chicken Curry with naan bread, followed by Date and Butterscotch self saucing pudding with ice cream
Sunday breakfast: Naan bread with bacon and eggs
Sunday dinner: Bangers and mash with onion gravy
Monday dinner: Pasta
Tuesday dinner: Lemon Chicken parcels
Wednesday: Fish
Thursday: JD's Corned beef
Here's hoping that none of the food goes off in the meantime...
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On this weeks menu
Sunday- left over Mexican tuna bake (going out for lunch so won't be very hungry)
Monday - lasagna
Tuesday - chicken casserole with tarragon and mustard
Wednesday - curried sausages
Thursday - steak and veges with mushroom sauce
Friday - hamburgers
Saturday - chicken cacciatore
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I haven't meal planned for specific days as I never know what is going to happen here but I did sort through some paperwork in my 'to do' file and have pulled out a few recipes in no particular order for next week. I just find it handy to have a selection from which to choose depending on what I feel like or have time for on the day, making sure I have all the ingredients for every recipe. I usually shop on a Sunday or a Monday.
Red lentil & tomato soup
Simple steamed salmon
MJ's pasties
Spaghetti bolognaise
Chicken scaloppini
soft herb bread rolls
Soy marinated Pork fillet
My recipes will stay out until they are all done and if I see anything whilst browsing my books, they will go on the next list.
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Loves those Pasties that MJ does.
JD are you going to make the pastry? Its really nice
H :)
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No Hally, I hate making anything except the EDC shortcrust pastry - will be using my bought flaky pastry sheets :-)) ;D
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My plan for the week.
Sunday Rissoles / veges
Monday T bone steak, potato leek soup
Tuesday Pork loin chops / cabbage / veges
Wednesday Roast Beef / veges / yorkshire puddings
Thursday Coral trout
Friday Baf's chicken casserole
Wednesday baking cakes, slices, ect.
Robyn
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I plan Wednesday to Wednesday so I only have tonights and tomorrow nights planned. Tonight is steak and vegies, tomorrow night is a roast.
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Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner the night before so here it is for this week:
Monday - Thai Chilli Chicken and Basil with Rice
Tuesday - Tuscan Beef Stew with Polenta (except I couldn't find instant polenta in the shops (where is it??) so it will have to go with rice - Dinner Spinner
Wednesday - Seeded Quinoa Salad - Dinner Spinner and picnic food
Thursday - Almond Chicken Curry with Yoghurt - Dinner Spinner
Friday - Savoury Apple Couscous - Cyndi O'Meara's healthy eating book however I will be going out for dinner with friends
Saturday - Bickley Harvest Festival for lunch possibly and an anniversary dinner at a moroccan restaurant (which had to delayed from last weekend as I wasn't feeling the best)
Sunday - Tuna a la king from the forum
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I've just purchased For Food's Sake and QFITT and have decided to do a meal plan for the week to start getting the most out of these cookbooks.
What would you recommend I start with???
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Hopefully this thread is the kick up the backside I need.... before I had miss 16mths, EVERYTHING was planned, meals, cooking, housework, school times and extras, even what the kids were wearing to church!!! And life was SO easy. Each monday was plan for the next week day, which really only took a couple of hours for all lists to be made, shopping list ready to go, everything was written down in my A4 page-to-a-day diary. And it worked. I have tried to get it all happening again a couple of times - and each time something major happens - like we all go down with the wog, or some visitors turn up on my doorstep to stay for a week, something!!!
OK so I ALWAYS know the day before what jobs I have to do in a day and what dinner will be, but it is not as good as the whole week!!!! (so I guess I sort - of meal plan) but I hate shopping (& yes, I'm a girl!!) and hate even more not having the ingred.s needed for a meal or cooking... almost drives me as insane as squashed bread!!! I can't stand it!! :-)) yep, I'm weird!!!
So anyone willing to wish me luck on getting it all organised again and ... well ... any takers on the kicking me bit too...??!!!! :D
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Astra, I love shopping. Just need more shops where we live.
Its my ME time.
Robyn :)
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Astarra - I can't believe how organised you were. I have started menu planning and it's working well so far. I like only having to go to the shops once a week instead of several times like I used to as I was missing stuff.
I find visitors and major events don't disrupt me from this but rather stuff up my efforts to get healthy and exercise.
This weeks meal plan was to incoporate more veges into dinners but we have too many leftovers to get through from last week so it has to be put off a bit.
Good luck with it.
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Astarra, don't be so hard on yourself. If you have your jobs planned and dinner on the table you're doing well.
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Astarra I'm with you. Need to kick start the whole planning thing. When I do it, I just fit so much more into my days. The boring bits get done really quickly which leaves plenty of time for the fun things in life.
Have just started going to the market once a fortnight so need to plan ahead to ensure I make the most of the visit. So this week I'll be planning for the next fortnight of meals, using the plan from www.theprojectgirl.com (http://www.theprojectgirl.com). This will also help me use up stuff in the freezer and pantry.
Had a hard rubbish collection this week, so put out a whole heap of stuff for collection, feel slightly cleansed but more to do..
I suggest tackling one new planning activity each week, start small.
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Astarra you must have been the most organized person in the whole of the country :o :o Babies & tots seem to change our lives and throw things into turmoil though so what you are experiencing is perfectly normal. As you get older you will probably change again and just do whatever you want, whenever you feel like it - maybe not when it should be done but better late than never. I just go with the flow nowadays and take each day as it comes but you can do that when you have no children at home and life is about pleasing yourself - I was once very organized too though.
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Thanx everyone!! :D Glad to see I'm not alone in the unorganization thing. I tend to blame miss 16 mths for getting me out of the way of it - but know deep inside I just got out of the habit and now am finding it hard to get it all organized again!! (Well she may be a bit to blame, newborns don't seem to care much what is planned!! ;) ) It still all gets done, just takes most of the day instead of not long then time to relax!!! JD - I think it'll be a while til I have no kids at home! :D LOL!!
I know what is happening today and what is for tea tonight and tomorrow night........ still a bit of the old me in here somewhere!!!!
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astarra, your kids will be gone in the blink of an eye. I know that's hard to believe right now but before you know it, you'll be saying "where did the past 20 years go?" Trust me. I'm sure some of you older mums are hearin' me. ;)
Now I have no babies any more and really should have no excuse for being as disorganised as I am. I'm worse with 2 youngin's left than I ever was with 7 (5 hungry teenagers).
I know if I organise my meal plans and a few other things, I will have a lot more time for myself and my family. I just need some motivation and a kick in the ......... well, you know. :-))
I'll follow this thread and also attempt a meal plan for the next week.
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does anyone still meal plan weekly.
Do you use your thermie every night.
:)
since I want to do some cooking at work, I need to plan alot more..
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Yes I still meal plan every week. It really does help the budget :) i dont think I coukd stick to my budget if I didnt menu plan :)
This week its a bit all over the place, butbthen you dont have wisdom teeth done each week.
:)
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I guess we do to a certain extent, each weekend we try and figure out what we are going to have each night and for lunches and then buy accordingly. It's still a bit hit and miss though and don't go through what we have in the freezer to use up. We made a list of freezer contents on the weekdn and going to try and make meals around that. I also want to start keeping an eye on what we buy at the supermarket but unfortunately DH does a lot of our cooking and shopping and he doesn't look at prices or plan.
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Yes I menu plan weekly :)
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I menu plan weekly also, thanks to cookies meal planner :)
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where is cookies meal planner, I need to do this :) :)
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I se the one on Paprika, its really good :)
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I meal plan lunches and dinner for the weeknights, weekends usually play a bit by air (or leave it to DH!!) ;)
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ok, so do your kids eat what you eat, or are you making three meals at night.. ( I am sometimes crazy for doing this )
My kids are nearly 8 and 9.
sometimes I have a extra kid.
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Our kids eat what we eat,only time we have different foods is breakfast times as neither DH or I like porridge or weetbix, but they love them, and also we have ours at a different time to them. :)
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Bingo, my kids are fussy.
Ok, so I will have to bribe them..to eat what we eat.
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I meal plan every week, I just have a sticky note on my desk top with the days of the week and what we'll be having each night :D
It really helps with making sure I cover all our nutritional needs ;)
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I meal plan with Cookies planner (Cookie emailed it to me).
If the freezer is looking full, I use the meals out of there.
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Obbie you could get your kids to pick a meal each week that they want and then they eat what you pick for the rest of the week or no cakes :D :D
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Obbie I've never made seperate meals for our kids and over the years they have been up and down on what they will and won't eat but always more on the fussy side. I always try to make meals that i know they will eat and might make a curry less hot and small changes like that, or make sure there is at least one part of the meal they will eat but I've always had the attitude that if you don't like it don't eat it but don't come back asking for something else. My DS in particular has gone to bed without food on many an occassion. We were told by one of Melbourne's top peadatricians when DD was small and quite sick in hospital that "no child has ever willingly starved themselves", we have lived by that Mantra ever since but I know it's hard for a lot of people.
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we meal plan every Sunday I have a white board on my pantry door every one gets to pick a night I've never cooked separate except to make two curries one hot, one kid friendly my kids can be fussy but they know the deal eat your dinner or I'll see you at breakfast no doubt they have many times gone to bed hungry, like wonder said they aren't going to starve themselves and as my nearly 12 year old has grown so has his appetite and palate ;D
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Never cook separate meals here unless its a curry. Will do a mild version or kids can have left overs. I often add spinach to our plates as cp wont eat spinach, eg for pasta or risotto meals.
I let everyone choose meals too :)
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I still menu plan weekly. For Monkey Mia I planned for the month.
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You would want too cookie, otherwise it would cost you a fortune.
:)
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Great help, thanks. :)
I usually try and meal plan on the weekend for us. (adults)
Kids don't always eat what we eat.
Going to make a blackboard for the kitchen on the weekend, to meal plan on.
Usually cooking for 6-7 a night.
They both love pizzas, chicken nuggets, mac cheese, sausages.
I will ask them to pick 1 meal each week, and maybe help me cook.
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Sounds like a great idea Obbie. We try and get them invovled at the weekend but they don't very often come up with anything other than beef stroganoff or chicken schnitzel!
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Cp goes through recipe books.
Lr went through the. Junior master chef book & has chosen 9recipes to cook with me :)
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Hally that will be great for lr :)
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I still menu plan every other week, mainly so I know what we're having. i don't think I save money doing it.
Every other week, I get Dinner Twist. It's a new concept they have here where they buy the ingredients for 5 dinners that week and deliver it to you for free, as well as including the menu. Not only that the meals are usually healthy and quick! Love it! And never the same but have variety and ingredients I may not have used before but turn out to like.
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That sounds great Tasty!! I'm going to google it and find out more :)
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Amy - it is a great idea although I'm pretty sure they're only delivering to suburbs of Perth (and expanding). It will be pretty easy to find on google but if you are on Facebook, that's better as they show you pictures of past and current recipes for each week.
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Hm, I thought that might be the case :P
I am on facebook so I will check them out on there. Thanks Tasty :)
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Let us know please.
Never heard of it & I dont do facebook.
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I'm not quite sure why I'm reading this thread, as I don't menu plan. I may have a vague idea at the beginning of the week of what we may eat for the following week. I tend to buy an ingredient at the market if it takes my fancy, and then come home and decide what I am going to make with it. Im always trying new recipes and my family never know what they are going to get next. :o i guess I'm just not a list kind of gal >:(
I don't cook separate meals for my kids, although one is quite fussy. If I make something spicy, I make it mild for the kids and then add extra chilli or spices to our meal.
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I meal plan weekly but not strictly - if something looks good at the market or green grocer or plans change then I swap things around.
The 2 year old dictator eats what we eat, although sometimes we add extra chilli to ours (he does eat fairly spicy foods but DH and I like super spicy). Occasionally we have something we don't want to share but that is getting rare now that his lordship wants to eat everything. I'm heavily pregnant and my husband works long hours and travels for work a lot so the emphasis in our house is on healthy, quick and easy.
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I love the sound of the 2 year old dictator, he sounds cute.
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Thanks cookie, we think he is pretty cute ;)
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I have done the next 2 weeks menu plan :)
I am making some favs & some recipes I havent tried before :)
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I've done a menu plan for this coming week, Friday-Friday, and I'm cooking lots of double recipes because I'll be away the week after and I want there to be plenty of meals in the freezer for mum and SD :)
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Since DH has been home, I'm a bit out of my routine. Have planned tomorrow nights dinner at least. :D
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I am cleaning out my 3 freezers tomorrow. Then doing a menu plan, to use up stuff.
Ordering more beef, lamb, pork. ;)
Kids have told me what they will eat, that we eat.
So that is a good start. :)
DD is now going to help me cook. ;D
Then I will take a thermie and a slow cooker to work too.
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Obbe when dd you do your last big meat order?
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Hally a whole beast lasts us 10 months, so we got a 1/2 beast 5 months ago. :)
Looking forward to cooking one meal every nite for 6, instead of 3 meals.
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Obbie, this is what I have left from
1 pig
1/4 cow
1 lamb
10kgs chicken breast plusabout 4 or 5 chickens, have bought more since
Most pts are 500g to 1 kg
I also have a eg of pork & 1kg f beef defrosting & a chicken
PORK
1 Leg of Pork
2 Boned Rolled Porks
3 Pork Belly
3. Pork chop pkts
1 Diced pork pts
3 Pork steak pkts
3 pork mince pkts
LAMB
1 Leg of lambs
1. Forequarter Roast
3 little lamb chops
BEEF
2. Amelia Park Roast Beefs
1 Diced beef pkt
2 Bbq sausage pkts
1. T bone steaks
2. Oyster blade pkts
2 beef strips. Pkts
3. Bbq steak pkts
1. Rump steak
1 beef Steak
1 Prie Rib Eye
1 x 500g mince
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when I go through the freezers, I will know what I have left.
Looks like lots of roasts. about 15 liters of lemon juice.. :) Still.
Chicken, corned meat.
will check out prices for bulk meat now.
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Its such a great way to buy meat.
You put me on to it.
Thank you :)
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Hally when did you get your order? That's still a lot left with the exception of the chicken.
Obbie, do you always buy off the same butcher? i'm thinking not if you need to check prices.
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Yes usually Wonder Just want to keep in budget though,
Last beef we got for free, so I have not paid for beef for 10 months.
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Hally when did you get your order? That's still a lot left with the exception of the chicken.
Obbie, do you always buy off the same butcher? i'm thinking not if you need to check prices.
Beg of December.
I am going to get some chicen breasts & another lamb & that will do us until December.
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Do you find you still buy meat in between? We bought a lamb a little while ago and we still have a leg, some cutlets and ribs in the freezer, but I bought diced lamb on the weekend because I really wanted a lamb curry. I think I would end up with too much that I wasn't interested in eating buying beef but with pork would probably be ok.
I would be very interested in hearing how much you pay.
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Wonder, Just checked prices
Beef $5.99 kilo
Pork $8.50 kilo
Lamb $10.99 Kilo
saves heaps, :)
considering beef goes anywhere from 18.75-$42.99 kilo
Lamb chops from $17.00 - kilo
$23 leg
lamb cutlets $25
Pork from $15.39 = $19.50 kilo
for a average family, you can save $3000 plus.. :-*
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We buy meat in bulk too, I find it saves alot and also tastes better than supermarket meats. :)
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Supermarket meat here in Perth is old animals.
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Wonder, Just checked prices
Beef $5.99 kilo
Pork $8.50 kilo
Lamb $10.99 Kilo
I pay $7.50, $7.20 & $9.95, all really good meat
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That is still good prices Hally
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Very happy Obbie :)
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My last lot I paid:
$6.99/kg for beef rump
$5.99/kg for lamb
$2.50kg for chicken portions
$9.99/kg for pork.
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We are all over the country & prices are very different. :)
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It also depends on the price the poor farmers are getting for their stock and the demand. I agree all the prices are very good.
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will be ordering lamb, pork, and a 1/2 beef on Monday. :)
Have worked out what is in the freezers, ready to stock up again. :
(My local butcher had pump problems last night, so looks like we get a better deal on meat, as we fixed him last night, with a loan pump for the weekend.) ;D ;D
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all ordered.
so far this week has been easier with meal planning in place.
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Hi ladies my name is Jessie and only joined the forum a couple of weeks ago and enjoy the banter that I have read so far not to mention the recipes and have already used the dips, pate and cupcake recipes but noticed there is a chat group about meal planning and would love some guidance in this area how do you go about it, I am very unorganised and dont plan well in advance then when its lunch or dinner time a lot of head scratching goes on, hubby not much help, as there is only the two of us, need help please.
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Hi Jessie and welcome. :)
I have 3 big freezers for food, so I have now written down what is in them.
We buy meat, pork, lamb, fish, chicken in bulk..
So I have planned dinners for a week, and take out 2morows (meat) the night before.
I have a very well stocked pantry, which is great.
I had forgotten what I had left, untill DH cleaned them out on the weekend, and made my list.
I go through SFI magazine, and recipes from here, and print.
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Jessie I only plan the evening meals. I have a planner sort of like a timetable of the days of the week. I put in what we are eating, where I will find the recipe and what I need to buy for the dish all in different columns. I take into account anything that is on that day and have a column for that. Eg going out to lunch
I sit down the day before I do my shopping with books etc and decide for the week. I try to have a balance between red meat, vegetairian, fish and chicken.
I also have a little box for what is in the freezer and baking ideas for the week. I devised it to suit me. I find it easy during the week to simply look at that and know what we are eating.
I could send you a copy if you wanted it but I will not be home until next week.
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For those of you who buy meat in bulk - do you buy it through a local butcher? Halex - where do you buy your bulk meat from in Perth? Those prices sound good. Is the chicken and pork free range?
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We buy from our local butcher.
Chickens are only 4 weeks old, when processed,not very old at all.
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For those of you who buy meat in bulk - do you buy it through a local butcher? Halex - where do you buy your bulk meat from in Perth? Those prices sound good. Is the chicken and pork free range?
Yes the butcher is in Perth South of the River. Yes all meat is free range, chicken might have gone up in price since my last trip.
Where are you?
:)
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Halex - I'm SOR, in Applecross.
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I will pm you. You live very close to me :)
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.......and I only live down the road, round the corner, through heaps of traffic lights from Hally :D ;)
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Cookie, LOL
Rostess, we can be found having coffee at gc :)
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We'd love to meet you sometime. :D
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Ha ha - I can be found dashing through gc before my 2.5 yo decides he's had enough, or sitting at croissant express while he plays on the ride on toy 😄
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so much more organized with meal planning on the weekend.
Then doing a big batch cook up on Sundays. :)
Its actually alot more relaxed, having it all planned out for the week.
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Can't wait, 3 day weekend to cook
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still into meal planning, any one else still planning too. :)
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yes Robyn I've been meal planning for about 15 years certainly makes life easier;D;D
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Yes still meal planning, but using freezer food atm :)
When we are back to normal, my goal is to use as much as I can from our freezer, fridge & pantry before we go away. Save the $$s as we have/having a lot of additional expenses at the moment.
H :)
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I thought it would be good to have a topic for those who meal plan every week. Here is mine for the week.
Lamb chops marinated in honey and mint with mashed potato cakes, carrots and beans
Tacos
Nico Moretti's Thai chicken and basil with rice
Meat loaf with coffee sauce and veggies
lentil shepherds pie
Pork buns
Snacks/lunches:
Quiche
Muesli bars
Italian flat bread with onions
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I try and plan 4 or so meals for the week, and then see what happens.. ;D
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INAID, there used to be a thread a few years ago which was for meal planning, it was great to see what others were planning for the week. Maybe one of the moderators will be able to find it.
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Here's the thread Wonder http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=1529.345
I'll merge the 2 topics.
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Meal plan every week - Lunches (home and lunch boxes) and dinners. :)
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Yes I meal plan most of the time. Meal planning is the best way to stay on budget :)
The last few weeks not so much as its so hot.
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I have done so from time to time but I don't bother anymore as I never know what I'm doing from one day to the next. I usually have a few recipes earmarked at a time and I try and work my way through them but then something else will pop up that looks really inviting so the other recipes get pushed aside for the time being. If I've gone as far as getting the ingredients in, then they do get made within the week otherwise they sometimes go back on the pile of 'to do' recipes which needs a ladder to access. Then sometimes I just want to use up what I have in the freezer, especially when well laid plans get in the way and I want something quick.
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I am the same Robyn. I like to plan at least four meals a week. I've only got time to go shopping once a week. So if it's not on the plan, it doesn't get made.
I too have a full freezer Judy. What is in there, I don't know! I need to clean it out again. I know there is a duck in there.
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Meal plan every week - Lunches (home and lunch boxes) and dinners. :)
What's on it Astarra? And how do you meal plan?
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Buzzbee is looking for ideas for school lunches over here (http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=14982.msg344097#msg344097) astarra, perhaps you could help her out by sharing some of your ideas.
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OK, to menu plan I have an a5 diary (day to a page) that everything that needs to be done is written on that day, times included if applicable (such as school drop off/pick up, appointments etc)
At the bottom of every page I have ruled a section off on every page, and written lunch - school, lunch - work, lunch - home and dinner (a few lines apart.) then every Monday I sit down and work out from what I know is in my fridge/freezer and pantry
what we need to use and then fill the spaces in for the whole week. Makes life so much easier.
(And yes, if anyone is wondering....every Monday has 'menu plan for week' written in the job part..... :) )
Dinners this week are:
M- slowcooked beef, mash, steamed veg, zucchini muffins, & gravy
T-shepherd's pie (new EDC)
W-Chicken (whole) with roast potato and kumaras, steamed corn, peas & beans, carrot and zucchini ribbons steamed & gravy.
T- Pork roast with roast potatoes, pumpkin,crackilng, zucchini muffins, corn and carrots steamed and gravy
F - hamburgers and homemade wedges.
Lunches - Home. are:
M- chicken and salad
T-Egg quiche and salad
W-fish fillets, salad and buns
T- scrambled egg on toast
F- homemade party pies & sausage rolls with sauce.
Will put lunch ideas in the other thread that Judy mentioned above......
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very organized Astarra :)
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INAID I actually created a meal plan document that suited us many years ago. I can send it to you if you wish.
I plan only for main meals as DD takes salad, fruit and yoghurt to work everyday and DH has left overs or a sandwich. I have salad each day.
Breakfast is always the same for each of us.
I plan from shopping day to shopping day. (Wednesday). I list the meal, where the recipe is and what I need to buy. I also have a space at the bottom to list meat/meals that are in the freezer, ideas for next week and baking ideas. There is also a spot to check off what the protein is in each meal. Eg chicken, red meat, fish or other.
From last Wednesday it has been pasta with bacon, pesto and roasted pumpkin.
Thursday. Veal schnitzels with air fryer veggies and salsa verde.
Friday. A quiche, this week was chicken, bacon and onion.
Saturday. Always pizza.
Sunday. Char Koay Teow. I had to change this as I was unable to get the noodles, the shop had run out. We had home made burgers and French fries in the AF.
Monday. Skirt steak, split, then rolled round a filling of prosciutto, mustard, dill pickle and carrot. Baked for a couple of hours.
Tuesday. Tenina's family stew from KIS.
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Ok from saturday dinner
Dinners
Sat: chicken biriyani
Sun: rack of lamb, salad & boiled potatoes
Mon: chickpea fritters (QFEO) salad & potatoes
Tues: beef enchiladas
Wed: pasta, with spinach, cream, panchetta
Thurs: chicken & leek pies & veg
Fri: new dish, not yet chosen
Sat: steak on bbq
Sun: pizzas
as far as I have got so far.
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I have my white board on the front of my pantry and every Sunday I figure out what we will be having I like to ask everyone for some input although the usual response is I don't know ::)
here is this week's menu all with vegetables
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/03/9yja6yqy.jpg)
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LOL,You get I dont know, I get "surprise me"!!
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When I occasionally asked DH what he fancied I used to get 'whatever you want to get rid of out of the fridge' LOL.
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I use big oven. It has a calendar where I can add my recipes or notes where I type. I add ahead when I see recipes I want to try and add ingredients to my shopping list as I go. DH also had the app so can cook ahead of me if he gets home first or do the grocery shopping, which he normally does.
I like the idea of a whiteboard and have often contemplated painting our pantry door in black board paint.
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LOL,You get I dont know, I get "surprise me"!!
I get 'whatever'.
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I get whatever too Cookie. Or something I don't feel like :0
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I get "I don't want to think about it" or "whatever." :) :) :)
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I get blank stares and then they walk away. DS is the only one who gives suggestions then it's the same everytime - chicken schnitzel and beef stroganoff. We make our beef stroganoff from an old WW recipe and it uses eye fillet so is a "special" meal but he trys for it every week.
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I have a pink menu planning ( black board) in my kitchen.
we made it last year, so we all know whats for dinner each nite.. :)
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What are you planning for the week?
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this week
beef and red wine casserole
peanut satay chicken and steamed veges
lasagne and chips
sausages and wedges (SFI magazine)
coral trout and veges
lamb pasties ( from freezer)
pizzas
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Another "What ever" here as well. :D ;D
I must get more organised ???
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I usually menu plan but didn't this week as we were going away. Here is last weeks.
SC beef and mushrooms
Bacon and egg pie
Butter Chicken
Soup and JulieO's cheese bread
Vegetable pies with cheese sauce
Corned beef with veggies.
Garlic Prawn curry
I will have to sit down and do one for this week.
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I fly by the seat of my pants here, not worth menu planning for 1.
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I fly by the seat of my pants here, not worth menu planning for 1.
:D :D :D Love it Judy - haven't heard that saying for ages.
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I'm starting to plan & have incorporated one night per week to be a meal from the freezer/pantry.
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I normally menu plan but atm I am using up bits and pieces so just pulling things out of every where and making meals, plus using freezer meals.
:)
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I go around in circles and get nothing done all day if I don't know what we are having for dinner - therefore menu planning is a must here. (I also menu plan lunchboxes and our lunch too.)
This weeks dinner menu as follows:
MON: shepherd's pie (using leftover mince and mashed pot bites from the freezer)
TUE: chicken casserole (using leftover cooked chicken in the fridge)
WED: lamb chops in gravy (slowcooker) with mashed pot and mixed veg
THUR: marinated beef roast with roast potatoes & pumpkin, steamed beans, curried corn & carrot dish, zucchini muffins + gravy
FRI: Pork ribs, potato bake, veg
SAT: steak sandwiches.
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this weeks by DD :)
fish mornay
rissoles, veges
roast pork, veges
lasagne and wedges
pizza
curried chicken casserole
silverside, veges, white sauce
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Sounds good Robyn. At least if the kids help plan the meals you know they will eat them. :D
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I was impressed Michelle. all up on our menu planning board in the kitchen by DD.
DD used the thermie herself today to make a donut batter. :)
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We have macaroni mince
Nico Morettis Thai basil chicken and nasi Goreng leftovers
Tuna parcels
Sausages and potato mash bake and salad.
That should do us. DH away from Wed - Fri.
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How old is your DD Robyn?
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9 now, 10 in August cookie
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She will be taking the meal cooking over soon. ;D
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I hope so