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Showing posts with label Dairy free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dairy free. Show all posts

5 Cup Fruit Loaf

Monday, 10 June 2019
I love this recipe, and have used it for years but have never gotten around to blogging it.  Perfect for school lunchboxes, picnics, or just a quick bake for an afternoon tea treat, this recipe is SO easy.  My family love it, and it's great for filling a gap when there are hungry teens seeking a snack.

You could use dairy free milk to make this loaf vegan, use whatever dried fruit you have in your store cupboard. I've added a little vanilla bean paste or ground cinnamon/ginger on occasion, to give it a different flavour.  



5 Cup Fruit Loaf

1 cup rolled oats or dessicated coconut
1 cup sultanas/raisins or finely chopped dried apricots
1 cup light soft brown sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup milk, I used full fat whole milk

Preheat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4/350F.  Grease and line a loaf tin, I used a 2lb/900g loaf tin.  In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together then make a well in the centre.  Pour in the milk then mix until completely combined. Pour mixture into your prepared loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out free from crumbs or mixture.


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Carrot Hummus

Sunday, 5 May 2019
Hopefully the weather will start warming up and we can think about weekend picnics, and packed lunches for outings.  I've been experimenting with different dips and spread recipes recently to change up our usual picnic fare.  Carrots were very cheap recently, 1kg bags were 30p, and I had some miso that needed using up, so I thought why not add some to my usual hummus recipe for a delicious savoury flavour hit.

The dip is really tasty, and great for spreading thinly on flatbreads when making salad wraps.  I've even mixed some leftover dip with vegetable stock to make a quick cup of soup.  It's also rather tasty spread on a fresh white bread roll filled with lettuce and fish fingers.

Carrot Hummus 

500g carrots, thinly sliced (I don’t bother peeling them, just give them a good wash)
3 Tblsp oil
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground ginger
2 Tblsp water
1 tsp salt
400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tblsp miso paste or 1 Tblsp Marmite/Vegemite
1 Tblsp lemon juice
2 Tblsp water
dash of sesame oil

Put the carrots, oil, garlic, cumin, ginger, water and salt into a saucepan over a low/medium heat. Cook until the carrots are very soft, it usually takes around 20 - 30 minutes. Alternatively steam the carrots, etc in the microwave until very soft.  Once the carrots are soft, add the chickpeas and stir to combine, cook for another few minutes. in the chickpeas and heat through. 

Add the rest of the ingredients then either use a stick blender or pour the mixture into a food processor to blend the dip until smooth, adding a little more water if necessary to get the consistency that you prefer.  Serve with crackers and crudites.



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Delicious Fish Curry

Friday, 3 May 2019
This is a delicious, easy and quick fish curry perfect for a busy weeknight.  I've been trying to find simple and thrifty ways of incorporating more fish into our Meal Plans as it's recommended that we eat at least two portions of fish a week, one being oily fish.  I normally use frozen or tinned fish to keep costs down.

This recipe uses frozen white fish fillets, you could use frozen salmon fillets instead.  If you're in a rush, or don't like cooking rice from scratch, you could use microwave rice pouches.  I usually serve our curry with steamed greens, or steamed mixed vegetables.

Delicious Fish Curry

300g basmati rice
1 Tblsp oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
400g tin chopped tomatoes or 450g fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks
3 Tblsp tikka curry paste
400g can coconut milk, full fat
500g frozen skinless and boneless white fish fillets
handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Put a large saucepan of water on to boil and cook the rice following pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, wide saucepan over a medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 5-10 mins until softened and starting to colour. Add the garlic and tomatoes, and fry for 2 mins. Add the curry paste, fry for 2 mins more, then pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Add the fish to the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the coriander over the curry and serve with the rice.





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Pulled Jackfruit Tacos

Thursday, 28 February 2019
We've recently been trying out some vegan dishes and experimenting with including more plant based meals in our diet.  It's a great way to broaden our tastes and of course eat more vegetables and pulses.  My family will usually eat most things if they taste good enough to satisfy their tastes, and this meal was a hit with everyone.  Most of my family didn't even realise that there was no meat at all in the dish, jackfruit is great at absorbing flavours and has a 'meaty' texture.

With the recent unseasonably warm weather, these tacos were perfect for a weekend supper sitting out in the sun.  I never thought we'd be able to do that in the UK in Febriary, we had snow at the beginning of the month!  



Pulled Jackfruit Tacos

2 large onions, thinly sliced into strips
4 Tblsp oil
2 tsp Tamari, or soy sauce
3 tins green jackfruit in water, about 400g each
8 Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tsp Cumin seeds, ground
2 tsp Garlic powder
3 tsp Smoked paprika
½ tsp Chilli powder, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
300ml vegetable stock

To serve
8 soft tortillas, or more
1 or two red onion, finely sliced
2 peppers, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 or 2 avocados, sliced
fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 200C.  Cook onion in oil on a low heat for 10 minutes until softened and sweet, be patient and don't rush this step.  Drain the jackfruit then break up into smaller chunks.  Add to the onions with all the remaining ingredients.  Increase the heat and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes or more until the liquid has been absorbed.

Tip the jackfruit mixture on to a lined oven tray and spread out to an even layer.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring twice during cooking.  You want the jackfruit to be lightly browned and no longer overly moist.  Serve on soft tortillas with sliced avocado, red pepper, red onion, a sprinkle of sliced chilli and fresh coriander.


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Middle Eastern Inspired Pilaf with Chickpeas

Tuesday, 26 February 2019
I'm constantly trying to create dishes that fill our tums for pennies and taste delicious.  There's always rice in our store cupboard, along with spices and dried fruit, so this scrumptious pilaf was easy for me to whip up one evening when the shopping delivery hadn't come due to bad weather.  I've made it a few times, and adjusted the spices to our tastes.  Now that it has been thoroughly tested and approved by my family of hungry taste testers, I can blog the recipe.  This Middle Eastern Inspired Pilaf has been a delicious, filling, and thrifty discovery which will feature on our Family Meal Plans in the future. 


Middle Eastern Inspired Pilaf with Chickpeas

2 Tblsp oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 pepper, deseeded and diced
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
4 whole cloves
6 peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks
300g uncooked long grain rice
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
75g raisins
600ml vegetable stock
75g lightly roasted cashews, roughly chopped

Put the oil in a large saucepan over a medium high heat.  Cook the onion and pepper until softened.  Add the rice and spices and cook, stirring for a couple of minutes, to enable the spices to become fragrant and to coat the rice in the oil.  Add the chickpeas, raisins and vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender.  Stir through the cashews and then garnish with fresh mint.


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OUR FAMILY MEAL PLAN FOR WEEK OF 13/01/19 - £66

Sunday, 13 January 2019

Our back to routine week last week didn't exactly go to plan.  Our 12yo was poorly all week, with what turned out to be flu, and I've got yet another cold.  Aside from more soups than planned, and some homemade Lemon, Honey and Ginger Drink we stuck to our Meal Plan fairly well.

Hopefully this week will be back to proper normal, and everyone will be well again.  We've a play date on Tuesday, as well as the usual evening/after school events so I've factored them all in to our Meal Plan for the week.

We're getting low on spices and stock cubes so I've added them to the list this week.  We've still got some plain and self raising flour in the cupboard so I'm not getting any this week.  I've added extra rice and some popping corn kernels so I can make rice pudding pots and popcorn for snacks.

Breakfasts will be cereal and hot milk or porridge, both with homemade fruit compote or sliced banana. Weekend breakfasts will be toast and pancakes.

Packed lunches will be 5 Ingredient Eggy Quinoa Cups twice, and Wholemeal Savoury Scone Swirls three times.  Packed lunches will include some Vegetable Crisps, a piece or two of fruit and a baked treat for afters.  Weekend Lunches will be soups from the freezer with homemade wholemeal bread rolls.  

Slow Cooker Bean Chilli

2 onions, peeled and finely diced
500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into roughly 2cm/¾in chunks
2 peppers, deseeded and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 Tblsp sugar
200ml hot vegetable stock (made with 1 vegetable stock cube)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 x 390g tins red kidney beans in chilli sauce
400g tin mixed beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp mixed dried herbs

Put all the ingredients into a slow cooker. Stir well then cover with the lid and cook on high for 3–4 hours or low for 8–10 hours until the sauce has thickened and the sweet potato is tender.

Mixed Vegetable and Egg Fried Rice

Simple Chicken Casserole

2 Tblsp plain flour
1kg chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
2 Tblsp oil
2 onions, finely sliced
4 - 6 carrots, sliced into thick batons
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
500ml chicken stock

Preheat your oven to 160C/Gas Mark 3.  Season the flour with a little salt and pepper then coat the chicken thighs in the seasoned flour.  Heat the oil in a large, heavy based casserole dish over a high heat then brown the chicken thighs on all sides.  Add the vegetables, herbs, and enough stock to just cover everything.

Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and then put in the oven for one and a half to two hours until the chicken and vegetables are tender and soft.  We'll be serving ours with mashed potato and steamed greens.


Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew with Dumplings

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 carrots, cut into chunks
3 parsnips, cut into chunks
2 Tblsp plain flour
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 Tblsp tomato paste
350ml hot vegetable stock (made with 1 stock cube)

Dumplings:
200g self-raising flour
75g vegetarian suet (I used Trex)
125ml cold water

Put the prepared vegetables into the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and stock. Stir well then cook on high for 4 hours.

Make the dumplings. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the suet and rub into the flour until combined. Stir in enough cold water to bring the mixture together as a soft, dough. Divide into 12 equally sized pieces and roll each into a ball.

Remove the lid from the slow-cooker then arrange the dumplings gently on top. Replace the lid and continue to cook on high for a further 25-30 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through. We’ll be serving ours with steamed greens.

Homemade Fish and Chips

Homemade Pizzas

Toad in the Hole

Shopping List


47 items: £66.04

Packets and Cereals
2x       ASDA Smartprice Wheat Bisks (24x18g)          £1.48
2x       ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg)          £1.38
1x       Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar (500g)          54p
2x       ASDA Smartprice Long Grain Rice (1Kg)          90p
1x       ASDA Quinoa (300g)          £1.14
1x       ASDA Great to Bake Golden Syrup (750g)          £1.34
1x       Tropical Sun Popcorn (500g)          79p
1x       ASDA Scottish Porridge Oats (1Kg)          89p

Frozen
2x       ASDA Frozen for Freshness Mixed Vegetables (1Kg)          £1.90
1x       Ibco Pangasius Fillets (800g)          £3.50
1x       ASDA Frozen for Freshness Berry Medley (1Kg)          £2.75

Tins, Jars and Cooking
2x       ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g)          56p
1x       Rajah Haldi Ground Turmeric (100g)          67p
1x       Rajah Paprika (100g)          67p
1x       Rajah Jeera Ground Cumin (100g)          67p
1x       ASDA Smartprice Strawberry Jam (454g)          28p
1x       ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (200g)          37p
1x       East End Ground Coriander (100g)          £1.15
1x       ASDA Stock Cubes - Chicken (12x10g)          43p
1x       ASDA Stock Cubes - Vegetable (12x10g)          39p
1x       TRS Cinnamon Powder (100g)          65p
1x       TRS Garam Masala (100g)          65p
1x       Rajah Ground Ginger (100g)          75p
2x       ASDA Chilli Beans in Chilli Sauce (390g)          £1.30
1x       ASDA Mexican Style Bean Mix in Water (400g)          65p

Dairy and Eggs
2x       ASDA Semi Skimmed Milk 6 Pints (3.41L)          £2.96
1x       ASDA British Whole Milk 6 Pints (3.41L)          £1.48
1x       ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight Eggs (15)          £2.00
1x       ASDA Butter - Unsalted (250g)          £1.49
1x       Trex Vegetable Fat (250g)          85p
1x       ASDA Mature Cheddar Cheese - Light (750g)          £3.65

Fruit and Vegetables
25      ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas by Weight (200g)          £3.00
2x       ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg)          £1.30
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection Beetroot Bunched (500g)          £1.60
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection Sweet Potatoes (1Kg)          £1.00
5x       ASDA Farm Stores Pears (500g)          £2.95
6x       ASDA Farm Stores Apples (500g)          £3.54
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection British Parsnips (500g)          54p
1x       ASDA Farm Stores Brown Onions (1Kg)          75p
1x       ASDA Farm Stores White Potatoes (2.5Kg)          £1.25
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection Cooking Peppers (700g)          £1.45
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection Sweetclems (1.2Kg)          £1.80
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection Black Seedless Grapes (400g)          £1.00
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection Seedless Red Grapes (400g)          £1.00
1x       ASDA Farm Stores White Mushrooms (250g)          54p

Meat, Fish and Poultry
1x       ASDA Butcher's Selection Chicken Thighs (1.1Kg)          £2.09
2x       ASDA Extra Special Pork Sausages (6 per pack - 400g)          £4.00


We purchased our groceries online from Asda, via My Supermarket on 12/01/2019 and out items cost £66.04. Had we shopped elsewhere our shopping list would've cost:

£76.59 from Tesco
£80.50 from Sainsbury's
£101.16 from Ocado
£102.58 from Waitrose

My lovely blogging buddy Ciara from My Fussy Eater has created a fab Meal Planning Facebook Group so we can inspire each other. She also has a book out which you can order here. 

And Katykicker has a Meal Planning Linky full of fabulous Meal Planning posts with lots of tasty ideas.
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Spiced Chicken Traybake

Wednesday, 9 January 2019
I love low faff dinners that don't require much preparation, and pretty much cook themselves.  This chicken traybake is perfect for a busy weeknight, just prepare the vegetables and chicken in the morning, put them in the fridge, then into a preheated oven when you're ready to cook dinner.  You could use microwave pouches of rice, and cook the peas in the microwave too for extra speed and less fuss.

Spiced Chicken Traybake

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp garam masala
750g boneless and skinless chicken thigh fillets
3 large carrots, cut into quarters lengthwise then chopped into 2.5cm/inch lengths
1 pepper, deseeded and chopped into chunks
1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges
2 large handfuls frozen peas, defrosted in boiling water for a few minutes
1.5 cups rice

Chop the vegetables and put into a container in the fridge ready to cook later.  Mix the oil and spices together then pour over the chicken stir until evenly coated.  Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge all day, or just for half an hour or so whilst you have a well earned cuppa, and get the kids reading done or homework started before cooking dinner. 

Once you're ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200C.  Take the chicken out of the fridge, uncover it and stir through the prepared vegetables, except for the peas.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the carrot is tender and the chicken is cooked through. 

Meanwhile, cook the rice.  When the rice is cooked, drain the peas and stir them through the rice.  Serve alongside the cooked chicken and vegetables.  Garnish with some chopped spring onion or fresh coriander. 
   





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OUR FAMILY MEAL PLAN FOR WEEK OF 07/01/19 - £65

Sunday, 6 January 2019

The week we're all properly back in routine, work and school as usual for everyone.  It makes Meal Planning easier, and there will be no children raiding the fridge and cupboards for random snacks throughout the day.

Breakfasts will be porridge or toast with fruit depending on the morning.  Weekend breakfasts will be pancakes and homemade crumpets or toasted teacakes.

Packed lunches will be Root Vegetable and Red Lentil Dhal and Butternut Squash and Lentil Curry alternated each day, served in flasks with homemade wholemeal bread rolls, a piece of fruit, and a baked treat for afters.

Weekend Lunches will be Twice Baked Potatoes, using already baked potatoes from the freezer, and Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup with homemade bread rolls.

Dinners


Pepper, Sausage and Gnocchi Traybake

4 peppers, any colour, deseeded and cut into chunks
2 onions, peeled and cut into eighths
300g cherry tomatoes
2 x 500g packs of gnocchi
2 Tblsp oil
12 pork sausages

Preheat your oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6.

Toss together the peppers, onion, tomatoes, gnocchi and olive oil and spread out on to a large foil lined baking tray.

Put the sausages on top of the vegetables then put the tray into the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked through, the gnocchi are golden, and the vegetables are tender. Serve with steamed greens or mixed vegetables.

Macaroni Cheese




Keema Naan with Speedy Vegetable Curry


Shopping List

37 items: £65.12

Frozen
3x       ASDA Frozen for Freshness Mixed Vegetables (1Kg)          £2.85
1x       ASDA Frozen for Freshness Berry Medley (1Kg)          £2.75

Tins, Jars and Cooking
5x       ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g)          £1.40
1x       ASDA Curry Paste - Balti (200g)          £1.19
2x       Napolina Lentils in Water (400g)          £1.70

Dairy and Eggs
2x       ASDA Semi Skimmed Milk 6 Pints (3.41L)          £2.96
1x       ASDA British Whole Milk 6 Pints (3.41L)          £1.48
1x       ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight Eggs (15)          £2.00
1x       ASDA Mature Cheddar Cheese - Light (750g)          £3.65

Packets and Cereals
2x       ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg)          £1.38
1x       ASDA Smartprice Long Grain Rice (1Kg)          45p
1x       ASDA Easy Bake Yeast (6 per pack - 42g)          52p
1x       ASDA Wholewheat Penne (500g)          45p
2x       Il Pastaio Potato Gnocchi (500g)          £1.30
1x       Cypressa Red Split Lentils (500g)          £1.15
1x       ASDA Good and Balanced Pearl Barley (500g)          55p
1x       ASDA Quinoa (300g)          £1.14
2x       ASDA Scottish Porridge Oats (1Kg)          £1.78
1x       ASDA Four Seed Mix (150g)          90p
1x       ASDA Ready to Roll Puff Pastry (500g)          £1.00

Fruit and Vegetables
20      ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas by Weight (200g)          £3.00
2x       ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg)          £1.30
2        ASDA Grower's Selection Butternut Squash by Weight (1.3Kg)          £1.95
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection Celery          52p
2x       ASDA Grower's Selection Sweet Potatoes (1Kg)          £2.00
4x       ASDA Farm Stores Pears (500g)          £2.36
4x       ASDA Farm Stores Apples (500g)          £2.36
3x       ASDA Chosen by Kids Easy Peasy Peelers (500g)          £2.37
2x       ASDA Grower's Selection Swede          £1.00
2x       ASDA Farm Stores Brown Onions (1Kg)          £1.50
1x       ASDA Farm Stores White Potatoes (2.5Kg)          £1.25
1x       ASDA Grower's Selection Cherry Tomatoes (325g)          75p
2x       ASDA Grower's Selection Cooking Peppers (700g)          £2.90

Meat, Fish and Poultry
1x       ASDA Butcher's Selection Chicken Thighs (1.1Kg)          £2.09
2x       ASDA Extra Special Pork Sausages (6 per pack - 400g)          £4.00
1x       ASDA Butcher's Selection Beef Mince - 12% Fat (1Kg)          £4.50
1x       ASDA Farm Stores Cooking Bacon (600g)          67p

We purchased our groceries online from Asda, via My Supermarket on 05/01/2019 and out items cost £65.12.  Had we shopped elsewhere our shopping list would've cost:

£71.10 from Tesco
£82.59 from Sainsbury's
£88.30 from Ocado
£90.87 from Waitrose

My lovely blogging buddy Ciara from My Fussy Eater has created a fab Meal Planning Facebook Group so we can inspire each other. She also has a book out which you can order here. 


And Katykicker has a Meal Planning Linky full of fabulous Meal Planning posts with lots of tasty ideas.
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Koshari

Wednesday, 2 January 2019
This is a delicious and filling store cupboard supper, perfect for using up part packets of pasta and rice. Koshari is an Egyptian street food dish made from rice, lentils and macaroni, topped with crisp onions and spicy tomato sauce.  The ingredients use to make this scrumptious supper came to £1.42, excluding energy costs,  I served it with steamed greens from our garden (free), but you could serve it with 500g steamed mixed vegetables for an extra 47p.

It does take a long time to get the onions really caramelised and tasty, don't rush that step it's well worth taking the time.  The rice, lentils, and macaroni are all cooked separately which might seem a bit of a faff but you can have them all going at the same time, or use a tin of lentils to cut out a step.

Koshari  

3 large onions, diced (30p)
2 cloves of garlic (5p) 
400g tin of chopped tomatoes (28p) 
1 Tblsp tomato purée (2p) 
pinch of chilli flakes, pinch of chilli powder or dash of hot sauce (5p)
1 cup (150g) lentils, rinsed and drained (39p) 
1 cup (200g) rice, rinsed and drained (9p) 
1 tsp ground cumin (2p)
1 tsp ground cinnamon (2p)
1 cup (150g) macaroni (20p)
Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions until deep golden, this can take a good 30 - 40 minutes.  Don't rush this step, your dish will be so much more flavoursome if you take the time to get the onions right.  Once the onions are deliciously brown and sticky, put a sieve over a bowl and tip the onions into it, so the deliciously flavoured oil drains into the bowl. 

Heat one teaspoonful of the onion oil in a small pan and crush or mince in a garlic clove.  Cook for a few seconds before adding the tomatoes, tomato purée and chilli.  Fill up the empty tomato tin with water and add this too.  Cook, uncovered, until thickened to a rich sauce. 

Put the lentils in a pan and cover generously with water. Add the other garlic clove, bring to the boil and cook for 25 minutes or until tender. Drain well and set aside. 

Heat the remaining oil from the onions in a saucepan and add the spices. Cook for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the rice. Cook, stirring to coat the rice in the oil and spices, then add one and a half cups of water and a large pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, cover tightly, and cook for 10 minutes until cooked through and all the water has been absorbed.  Leave covered for a further 10 minutes whilst you quickly cook the macaroni according to packet instructions. 

Mix the rice with the lentils and macaroni, season to taste.  Top with the rich tomato sauce and the caramelised onions.




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Broccoli and Potato Soup

Friday, 28 December 2018
Another soup recipe using cheap and free vegetables from our local supermarket. Broccoli was discounted to 20p per head for Christmas, and we were able to get 3 bags of free potatoes from the same supermarket which they were giving away to cut food waste. I've used both the florets and stalks from the broccoli so nothing is wasted.  We also made Vegetable Peelings Crisps from the potato peelings, and the carrot and parsnip peelings from Boxing Day.  I made two delicious batches of this soup, one for lunch today, and the other has been packed up and frozen. 

Broccoli and Potato Soup 

1 Tblsp oil 
1 onion, diced 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
1 tsp dried mixed herbs 
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced 
2 heads of broccoli, florets removed and chopped, stems finely chopped 
1 litre vegetable stock 
salt and pepper to taste 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan then add the onion. Cook until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. 

Add the dried mixed herbs, potatoes, diced broccoli stems, and stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 15 minutes until potatoes and stems are tender. 

Add broccoli florets and cook until broccoli is tender and bright green, about 10 minutes. Puree using a stick/immersion blender then season to taste and serve. 



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Spiced Parsnip and Carrot Soup

Wednesday, 26 December 2018
On Boxing Day we took a walk to get some fresh air. After a wander on the local common I received a text from a friend telling me that a local supermarket was giving away bags of Christmas vegetables. It was about 10 minutes walk away so we checked it out. Sure enough, huge crates and trolleys full of bags of parsnips, carrots, sprouts and potatoes with a use by date of today.

We took home 3 bags of potatoes, 3 bags of carrots, and 2 bags of parsnips. I'm sure hauling the extra weight home helped burn off some Christmas calories I baked one bag of potatoes so that we can have Twice Baked Potatoes for quick lunches or dinners once the holiday are over. The second bag was peeled, chopped and par boiled then roughed up sprayed with a little oil and cooked for 15 minutes. I then let the potatoes cool and packed them up for freezing. We've now got ready frozen roasties for the next couple of weeks. 

I made two batches of this delicious soup with the parsnips and some carrots. One batch of soup for lunch today, and one for the freezer. 

Spiced Parsnip and Carrot Soup 

2 tsp oil 
1 onion, sliced 
2 garlic cloves, sliced 
2cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 
4 large parsnips, peeled and chopped 
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
½ tsp cumin seed 
½ tsp coriander seed 
1 Tblsp garam masala 
1.2L vegetable stock 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, cook for a couple of minutes then add the parsnips, carrots, and spices. Cook for a minute or two, stirring, until the spices are fragrant. Pour over the stock and gently simmer for 20 - 30 minutes until the vegetables are very tender. Using a stick/immersion blender, blitz the soup until completely smooth. Serve immediately or chill then pack into containers for freezing. This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.



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Baghrir - Moroccan Pancakes

Friday, 19 October 2018
I recently purchased the "Together" cookbook, proceeds from the sales of the book go to help the Hubb Community Kitchen which serves those affected by the Grenfell tower fire.  It is a beautiful book, with delicious recipes, a mouthwatering photo of each recipe, and lots of information about each dish.  I totally love this cookbook, and would thoroughly recommend buying a copy.


When I first read through the cookbook I wanted to cook everything.  I've been slowly working my way through the recipes, and each one has worked brilliantly and tasted delicious.  We decided to try making some Baghrir, Moroccan Pancakes, for breakfast one Saturday morning. They are kind of a cross between a pancake and a really thin crumpet.  Very easy to make, and delicious with honey/golden syrup, chocolate spread, or jam.  I made a double batch to freeze some for later in the week.  The pancakes are dairy free, egg free, and vegan.



Baghrir - Moroccan Pancakes

Recipe from the Together Cookbook

150g fine semolina
75g self raising flour
3.5g fast action yeast (half a 7g pack)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
375g warm water

Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until a smooth batter forms.  Leave to sit, covered with clingfilm for around 45 minutes.  The batter should have risen and plenty of bubbles should be visible in the batter. 

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a low-medium heat and add about 1/4 cup of batter to the pan.  Cook for 3 - 4 minutes, until the surface has lots of bubbles and has dried.  Don't flip the pancake.  Transfer to kitchen towel and continue making the other pancakes, this batter should make around 12.

Let the pancakes cool for a few minutes before you stack them up, otherwise they will stick together.  Serve warm.



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OUR FAMILY MEAL PLAN FOR WEEK OF 15/10/18 - £68

Monday, 15 October 2018

We've a busy week this week, with a birthday on Monday and a couple of evening activities.  This means we'll need lots of easy meals, as we're all knackered leading up to Half Term.  I've once again decided to use tasty recipes I found on the Internet for our Meal Plan.  We're really enjoying looking for new recipes to try.  I'm sure I'll blog more family dinners for our Meal Plans soon, but in the meantime it's great to be able to try out recipes from elsewhere. 

Breakfasts will be porridge, it's finally going to be cold enough for it after an unseasonably warm spell of weather.  I've made a couple of batches of Healthy Berry Breakfast Muffins for particularly busy mornings.  Weekend breakfasts will be pancakes and bacon butties.

Packed lunches will be Wholemeal Savoury Swirls, accompanied by crudites, a piece of fruit and a baked treat.  Weekend lunches will be Veggie Bread Parcels and Mini Fritattas 

Dinners

Baked Not Fried Chicken with oven baked potato wedges and steamed vegetables (Birthday dinner)

Banana Peel Dhal a delicious way to use up our banana peels

Tasty Tuna Rice Croquettes with sweet potato wedges and steamed greens

One Pot Chorizo and Pepper Pasta

Traditional Boil Up using free bones from our local butcher

Cowboy Beans and Potato Bake

Cauliflower and Potato Bake with Spinach

Shopping List

42 items: £67.95

Packets and Cereals
1x   ASDA Wholewheat Spaghetti (500g)                                  45p
1x   Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar (1Kg)                                 65p
1x   Allinson Wholemeal Plain Flour (1Kg)                                 £1.00
1x   ASDA Smartprice Long Grain Rice (1Kg)                           45p
1x   ASDA Dried Red Lentils (500g)                                           £1.15
1x   Tropical Sun Popcorn (500g)                                              79p
2x   ASDA Scottish Porridge Oats (1Kg)                                    £1.78

Frozen
3x   ASDA Frozen for Freshness Mixed Vegetables (1Kg)        £2.85
1x   ASDA Scratch Cook Whole Leaf Spinach (1.3Kg)              £1.69
2x   ASDA Frozen for Freshness Berry Medley (1Kg)               £5.50

Tins, Jars and Cooking
3x   ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g)    84p
1x   ASDA Smartprice Red Kidney Beans in Water (400g)        30p
1x   ASDA Sunflower Oil (1L)                                                     £1.09
1x   ASDA Pure Honey (454g)                                                   £1.25
1x   ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (200g)            37p
1x   Princes Sandwich Tuna in Spring Water (3x160g)              £2.50
1x   ASDA Cannellini Beans in Water (400g)                             42p

Dairy and Eggs
3x   ASDA British Whole Milk 6 Pints (3.41L)                             £4.44
1x   ASDA Best for Baking Cakes Spread (500g)                      81p
1x   ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g)               45p
1x   ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight Eggs (15)                       £2.00
1x   ASDA Smartprice Mature White Cheddar (830g)                £3.68

Fruit and Vegetables
1x   ASDA Grower's Selection British Spring Greens (500g)     62p
2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Salad Tomatoes (750g)             £2.30
20   ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas by Weight (200g)        £3.00
1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg)                             65p
1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Cauliflower Loose                      £1.00
1     ASDA Grower's Selection Butternut Squash by Weight (1.3Kg)   97.3p
4x   ASDA Grower's Selection Whole Cucumber                       £2.20
1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Sweet Potatoes (1Kg)                £1.00
2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Satsumas (600g)                       £2.00
2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Apples (1.2Kg)                           £3.30
4x   ASDA Farm Stores Pears (500g)                                        £2.36
2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Plums (750g)                             £2.98
1x   ASDA Farm Stores Lemons (4)                                           84p
1x   ASDA Farm Stores Brown Onions (1Kg)                            65p
1x   ASDA Farm Stores White Potatoes (2.5Kg)                        £1.30
1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Cooking Peppers (700g)            £1.45

Meat, Fish and Poultry
1x   ASDA Farm Stores Cooking Bacon (500g)                         57p
1x   ASDA Extra Special Chorizo Casero Sausage (225g)        £1.85
1x   ASDA Butcher's Selection Chicken Thighs (1.1Kg)            £2.20
1x   ASDA Extra Special Pork Sausages (6 per pack - 400g)    £2.25


We purchased our shopping online from Asda, via My Supermarket and the cost of our groceries was £67.95. Had we shopped elsewhere our shopping list would've cost:

£71.68 from Tesco
£80.71 from Sainsburys
£91.53 from Waitrose
£95.41 from Ocado

My lovely blogging buddy Ciara from My Fussy Eater has created a fab Meal Planning Facebook Group so we can inspire each other. She also has a book out which you can order here. 

And Katykicker has a Meal Planning Linky full of fabulous Meal Planning posts with lots of tasty ideas.


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