Meal Planning Thread

[mama_bel]

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...

[Sim]

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.

[Thermomixer]

Thanks Sim - sounds interesting - think we definitely need it.

[Sim]

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.

[quirkycooking]

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

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

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!!!   

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)

[Sim]

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! 

[quirkycooking]

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! 

[Sim]

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

[brazen20au]

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

[mama_bel]

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.

[Sim]

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.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

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. 

[Sim]

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.

[Thermomixer]

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.