Meal Planning Mondays June 16th ~ 22nd

Well it's a day late but that's because I wasn't actually going to post this week's MPM due to the fact it's pretty vague because I am having minor surgery on Wednesday. Since it's my first time having a general anesthetic I have no idea how I will feel after and how much I will want to cook - I guessing not much!! I am trying to be organised by making a dish today for tomorrow - more so for my mother-in-law who was has the lucky job of looking after me(!) as I don't imagine I will want much to eat. On the off chance I do though I'm also going to make up a batch of Carrot & Lentil Soup (definitely not Summery but very comforting!).

Last night Wee One and I made the most of Scott being away by having our favourite - Tomato Pasta! I had leftover sauce from Friday's Roasted Pepper & Tomato Pasta so all I had to do was quickly cook some pasta, make a salad and hey presto dinner was done! Tonight and I'm trying out a new recipe that I found in an old issue of Olive (you've got to love opening an old magazine and discovering a ton of recipes you want to try!) - Carrot, Cumin & Feta Fritters. Only problem is I hope I'm not starving after since I can't eat anything tomorrow before my op!! Tomorrow and after much deliberation I have decided to make my Thai Red Curry with Chicken (using thighs instead of breasts so they don't dry out while being reheated and replacing the Bamboo Shoots with Squash) which I am making mainly for my MIL but will also mean I have leftovers for later in the week which I'll need. After that it will be a case of waiting to see. Thursday will definitely be either leftovers or takeaway and I have planned Fajita's for Friday since they are really easy and fast to make and I have all of the ingredients. It's yet another one of my planned "coming soon" recipes but we shall see as I seem to have less and less time to spend on here (as you have most likely noticed!). As usual the weekends are undecided as it will depend on what we do but I definitely suspect Scott will be barbecuing at least one night!

So there you have it! Have a great week everyone with family, friends and of course, lots of good food! x

 Monday June 16th - June 22nd

                                  Monday  -      Tomato & Pepper Pasta with Salad

                                  Tuesday -       Carrot, Cumin & Feta Fritters with Coriander Yogurt
                                  Wednesday -  Red Thai Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice

                                  Thursday -      Leftovers or Takeaway

                                  Friday -          Chicken Fajita's (my own recipe which I unfortunately don't have                                                                   on the blog!)

                                  Saturday -      TBD

                                  Sunday -        TBD
  
As always don't forget you can add links to your Weekly Meal Plans in the comments section below.  

Meal Planning Mondays June 9th ~ 15th

Well another Monday and another Meal Plan! We have been so incredibly lucky with the weather - normally June is a bad month for us here in Canada but so far it has been fantastic. We had a good week last week despite the fact that hubby was away again but I'm delighted he's home this week. The weekend was fairly busy but we still had time to relax on the boat for a few hours and enjoy another picnic on our own private beach.

I'm so excited as I picked up the chilli and tomato plants that I had ordered from a local farm so yesterday we spent the afternoon planting them as well as some extra herbs (Sage, Coriander/ Cilantro, Dill and lots of Basil - sweet and purple) and finally got our hanging baskets done. Planting everything really makes it feel like Summer is here so I'm just hoping we get a bumper crop! I have 3 tomato plants (a San Marzano which I'm very excited about; 1 yellow cherry tomato and 1 red cherry tomato) and 8 chilli plants which range in heat so I should be covered! The strawberry plants are already producing lots of strawberries and although most of them are really small they are so unbelievably sweet and packed with flavour. Funnily enough Ben seems to be the one that is reaping the rewards of the strawberry plant! Why am I not surprised?!

Due to some last minute plans over the weekend the meal plan was changed a bit so we didn't have the Potato & Chorizo Omelette which means it's back on this week's menu. Tonight I am excited to try out another recipe from the Bill Granger book I am reviewing - thankfully this one has a link if you like the sound of it. Tuesday and Ben has a Birthday party so I'm not entirely sure if we'll need fed or not so at least the Omelette won't take long to make if it turns out that Scott & I need a late, quick dinner! Wednesday and it's another review book recipe, this time from Clodagh's Kitchen Diary. She has so many Summery recipes that I am desperate to try so I'm  hoping this one will be good, but really how can you go wrong with Creamy Basil & Grilled Chicken Tagliatelle!?! I'm going to cook a little extra chicken on Wednesday and then Thursday will be a quick and easy Chicken Caesar Salad - perfect for after swimming. Friday and I realised we need a vegetarian night as the menu is pretty heavy on the meat this week(!) so it's going to be a Roasted Pepper & Tomato Pasta. I'm thinking along the line of my Spiked Pepper, Tomato & Chorizo Pasta Salad but without the Vodka and Chorizo and served warm. I would love to say it will be a new recipe that I'll get up on the blog soon, but my list of "New recipes coming soon!" is getting a lot longer than I care to see... Honestly I have so much I would love to share with you I'm just finding it hard to find the time to sit down and type it all out, never mind taking and editing photographs.... hopefully I will get something up soon, besides just a meal plan! As usual with our weekend I have no idea at this point what it has in store so Saturday is still TBD and Sunday is a surprise for now as it's Father's Day so I am hoping to really pull out all the stops and treat Scott for an extra special day.

So there you have it! Have a great week everyone with family, friends and of course, lots of good food! x

 Monday June 9th - June 15th

                                  Monday  -      Banh mi Vietnamese Baguettes

                                  Tuesday -       Potato & Chorizo Omelette
                                  Wednesday -  Creamy Basil & Grilled Chicken Tagliatelle (Clodagh's Kitchen Diary)

                                  Thursday -      Chicken Caesar Salad

                                  Friday -          Roasted Pepper & Tomato Pasta 

                                  Saturday -      TBD

                                  Sunday -        Father's Day - surprise for now!
  
As always don't forget you can add links to your Weekly Meal Plans in the comments section below.  

Meal Planning Mondays May 12th ~ May 18th

Ah the joys of a Monday morning..... I was so lucky as we had the most fantastic weekend, most of which was spent out on the boat in the nearby lake soaking up the sun and completely relaxing - it was bliss! On top of that, yesterday I was completely spoilt for Mother's Day and didn't have to lift a finger in the kitchen all day! Scott really went all out and it was just perfect! How lucky am I?! Now however it's back to reality and the start of a new week!

This week is all about what I have needing eaten in the fridge and leftovers that need eaten especially since I am cleaning out the fridge today (my most hated kitchen chore but it always makes me happy once it is done!). Tomorrow I'm using up the leftover chicken from our delicious Beer Can Chicken that Scott made last night. I am hoping one of these days to get it up on the blog as it really is the most delicious way to cook a chicken and keep it super moist. As well as the chicken there is also some French bread left which I'll use for croutons and I might add some avocado as well since we love avocado. A great salad that is really delicious and perfect for using up leftovers. Wednesday and it's a quick and easy pasta dish to finish off the broccoli that's lurking in the fridge. It's such an easy meal and so tasty so it'll be a hit. Thursday and we are back to swimming so I chose Sweet & Sour Chicken since I can make it ahead of time and I have a few peppers in the fridge waiting to be used and always have a tin of pineapple tucked away in my pantry. Ben loves it as well so that's always a bonus as he will be extra hungry after swimming. The obsession of my new Tortilla pans is resurfacing again on Friday as I am making Chilli Salad bowls, a perfect Friday night meal that doesn't take long to make and is full of flavours that we all love. My hope is to be able to snap some pics before we devour them so that I can share the recipe here with you. Saturday and we are having a family dinner so it's a night off for me and Sunday.....well it depends on our plans.... I have a feeling weekend cooking will soon become meals that can be made really quickly or prepared in advance since we will no doubt be out on the boat!!

I hope you all have a great week with great food, family and friends x

 Monday May 12th - Sunday 18th 

                                  Monday  -       Leftovers

                                  Tuesday -       Chicken Caesar Salad
                                  Wednesday -  Broccoli Pesto Pasta

                                  Thursday -      Sweet & Sour Chicken with Rice 

                                  Friday -          Chilli Salad Bowls

                                  Saturday -      Dinner with Family :)

                                  Sunday -        TBD
  
As always don't forget you can add links to your Weekly Meal Plans in the comments section below.  

Meal Planning Mondays May 5th ~ 11th

It seems it is getting to the time of year that when planning our weekly meals I also need to be looking at the weather forecast! Due to a couple of gorgeous hot days last week we had to rearrange things a little so that we weren't eating the Vietnamese Pork Curry when it was 25C outside! Not that I really mind eating spicy food when it's hot, I just don't want to cook it and be stuck over a hot oven! As it turns out the Vietnamese Pork Curry was a slow cooked recipe and was perfect for making on a lazy, rainy Saturday afternoon. It was so good Ben has already asked if we can have it again and when!

Also new last week was Ben's first swimming lesson which is late in the afternoon so now Thursday's are all about either super fast meals I can quickly make after swimming or prepare ahead dishes, which is probably the best option! This week I have decided to make the Italian Meatball Soup which I might make in the slow cooker so it can slowly simmer away all day, or failing that if I am super organised I will make most of it on Wednesday. Ben's choice this week was Spaghetti and Meatballs with Caesar Salad which again I am delighted about - so far no complaints with his choices and he is definitely enjoying helping me make dinner. Finally it's Mother's Day in Canada and the US on Sunday so that means a day off for me!! Woo-hoo!

I hope you all have a great week with great food, family and friends x

 Monday May 5th - Sunday 11th 

                                  Monday  -      Leftovers

                                  Tuesday -      Spaghetti with Broccolini, Chilli & Garlic
                                  Wednesday - Cajun Chicken with Potato Wedges & Yogurt Dip (Hairy                                                                                Dieters)

                                  Thursday -      Italian Meatball Soup

                                  Friday -          Beetroot Risotto with Parmesan Crisps

                                  Saturday -      Spaghetti & Meatballs with Caesar Salad (Ben's choice)

                                  Sunday -        Mother's Day - off duty!!
  
As always don't forget you can add links to your Weekly Meal Plans in the comments section below.  

Meal Planning Mondays April 28th ~ May 3rd

Well yet another week has flown by and still no new recipe post up on the blog! I'm sorry - but I literally don't know where the time is going, especially since Thursday is the 1st of May! The year seems to be passing at lightning speed, however at times like this when we have so much going on keeping us super busy I have to say I am glad that I am a Meal Planner. As I've said before things don't always go according to plan every night but for the most part it works as a weekly unit and sometimes meals just get switched around to accommodate increasingly changing plans! I'm hoping this week will be fairly straightforward but you just never know!

There is no particular theme to this week's menu. Leftovers are thankfully all gone (other than some stock that is stashed in the freezer) however we have decided to start something new with Ben. Once a week he gets to decide what we are having for dinner and he helps cook the meal with me. Last Saturday was Cat's Mac and Cheese taken from his Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook. It was a little more complicated than I had anticipated and he did get a bit bored after a while but generally he loved it and was a great help! Thankfully the final dish was delicious. This week he has picked Burgers which will be great fun as he'll really be able to get his hands dirty! Unsurprisingly I love having him help out in the kitchen, especially now that I understand that things will just take a bit longer and be a lot messier but that's a compromise I am more than willing to accept. I am so grateful that he is such a good eater but I find that letting him see how things are made really makes him understand his meals and enjoy them even more!

So there you have it....another week of meals and with it another month passed! The good news at least is that at this speed it will be Summer in no time and we will be able to enjoy our delicious food outside in the warm sun. Keeps your eyes open as I have lots of plans for upcoming posts including our Best Ever Ribs, easy recipes featuring Rhubarb and some special Cupcakes for Mother's Day!

I hope you all have a great week full of delicious food with family and friends! x

 Monday April 28th - Sunday May 4th 

                                  Monday  -      Spaghetti with Spicy Red Pesto & Cherry Tomatoes

                                  Tuesday -       Chicken Souvlaki with Greek Salad; Tzatiki; Hummus & Pita Bread
                                  Wednesday -  Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta (from Clodagh's Kitchen Diaries)

                                  Thursday -      Vietnamese Pork Curry with Jasmine Rice

                                  Friday -          Grilled Halloumi with Bulgar Wheat & Rocket Salad (new recipe!)

                                  Saturday -      Classic Beef Burgers with Potato Wedges

                                  Sunday -        Roasted Ling Cod with Dill Hollandaise Sauce, New Potatoes &                                                                     Broccolini
  
As always don't forget you can add links to your Weekly Meal Plans in the comments section below.  

Meal Planning Mondays March 3rd - 9th

Anyone that knows me knows that I LOVE to plan and organise things. I have often been told I should be an event planner as not only do I love planning parties and events but I am a list maker extraordinaire!! I seriously have lists for lists (I kid you not!) so it's probably no surprise that every Sunday I plan out my meals for the following week.

There are many advantages to Meal Planning and if you have 30 minutes to sit down with a cup of tea or coffee (or even a glass of wine!) then you have time to plan your meals. Now I know a lot of people like to do giant batch cooking on one day of the week so they are set to go but I'm not one of them. Generally I don't have the time or energy to spend a full afternoon or better part of a day cooking but I do like to know that I am semi organised for the week ahead so this is why I plan out our meals. It makes shopping so much easier as you know exactly what you are shopping for and the theory goes that it means you will also spend less money. Since shopping for food is my weakness I can't quite attest to that being completely true (in my case) but if you stick strongly to a shopping list and don't buy on a whim then meal planning definitely also helps with sticking to a budget.

For all of those reasons I have decided to start a new weekly series of 'Meal Planning Mondays' where I will share our meal plans for the week. Where possible I'll include links to recipes and if the series really takes off then I would be happy to include shopping lists as well.

Of course I'm not alone when it comes to meal planning. Lots of people find meal planning to be a necessity that takes little time to do but solves the daily problem of deciding what on earth you are having for dinner, especially after a long day when you haven't defrosted anything or the fridge is empty! One thing I would say however, is that I only ever plan about 5 meals for the week. Generally we will always have leftovers on at least one night of the week and let's be honest, as the week passes plans do change so you might end up being invited to family or friends for dinner (yay!) or eating out. For those reasons don't stick too rigidly to your plan and keep it flexible until you know what works for you.

So there you have it - Meal Planning Mondays are a go and without further ado here is my plan for this week......

Monday March 3rd - Sunday 9th 

                                        Monday: Albondigas Soup (Turkey Meatball Soup)

                                        Tuesday: Fresh Tomato Pasta with Salad

                                        Wednesday: Chicken Bhuna (from The Hairy Dieters Eat for Life)

                                        Thursday: Leftovers

                                        Friday: Beef Stroganoff (from the Hairy Dieters Eat for Life)

                                        Saturday: Mushroom & Ham Calzone

                                        Sunday: 5 Hour Smoked Ribs; Coleslaw & Salad

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Father's Day Menu Ideas

From Top L-R: Twice as Spicy Wings; Jalapeno Popper Dip; Prawn Cocktail Trio; Classic Barbecued Beef Burger; Char-Grilled Steak with Basil Hollandaise; Pulled Pork Buns with Coleslaw; New York Cherry Cheesecake; Profiteroles and Homemade Ice Cream

It's Father's Day on Sunday so I've put together a collection of recipes bound to keep the Dad in your life happy! Whether he likes to chill out in the garden with a Beer and Burger, get finger-licking messy with Wings and Pulled Pork (don't forget the napkins!) or perhaps prefers a refined sit-down meal with a good glass of wine, Steak and homemade Hollandaise sauce I've got plenty of ideas.

So for all you Dad's out there (especially my Dad and my husband – both of which are the best Dad's ever!!) have a great day x

Twice as Spicy Chicken Wings

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Prawn Cocktail Trio

Mushroom Bruschetta with Aioli

Baked Brie with Asparagus & Prosciutto

Potted Crab

Crispy Calamari

Spicy Chickpea Fritters

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Classic Barbecued Beef Burger

Char-Grilled Steak and Basil Hollandaise with Potato Wedges

Pulled Pork Buns with Coleslaw

Scallop and Bacon Spaghetti

Penne Arrabiata

Mushroom and Goats Cheese Ravioli

Barbecued Pizza

Pan-Fried Duck Breasts with Red Wine Sauce

Friday Night Chicken Curry

Fiery Lamb & Spinach Curry

Steamed Crab with Trio of Dipping Sauces

Grilled Fish Tacos

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New York Cherry Cheesecake

Profiteroles

Ice Cream

Coffee Cupcakes with Irish Cream Buttercream

Nanaimo Bars

Black Forest Cupcakes