Meal Planning Monday; 1st October 2012

Hello October! Goodness the weeks are practically flying by at the moment! This week has had so much crammed in I feel like I've hardly had time to sit down, let alone do much else. Bubbah has started crawling properly now and is attempting - and quite often succeeding - to get into everything humanly possible. This includes our open front DVD unit, the tea towels and a metal dog statue that nods its head when you tap it (which he finds particularly fascinating).

The OH had a day off this week for a hospital appointment in the morning, and treated me to an afternoon in nearby town Hitchin complete with a visit to Just Desserts (I had a chocolate waffle with ice cream but was too greedy to wait and take pictures) and a second hand book shop I adore and visited loads when I worked in Hitchin, where I came across (and bought) a first edition Enid Blyton book for £10. Result!

Finally, Saturday saw Bubbah and I join my mum in a trip to St Albans where I enjoyed shops home doesn't have to offer including Lush and Whittards. We also treated ourselves to Nandos for lunch where I, again, was too greedy to take any pictures as I simply scoffed my meal as soon as it arrive. Oops!

In better news; last week's meal plan was a success as every meal was cooked (hurrah!) I added sausages to the cheesy mushroom pasta as I had a few to use up, and Risotto was mushroom, bacon and peas with meat gravy. I also made a batch of banana and berry pudding, including an adult portion for OH after his complaints last time.

This week we're having old favourites when OH isn't fasting;

-Fajitas with sausages, mushrooms, sweetcorn, peppers and onions

-Jackets with cheese/beans

-Toad in the hole with potato slices

-Pizza with potato slices

When OH is fasting I've got some fish fingers or marinated chicken to have along with curly fries.

I'll also make a batch of mac n cheese to freeze as after a few weeks without our microwave (it died after about 23 years so not bad) we have a diddy new one so I can batch cook and defrost meals for lunch quickly.

As always, I'm linked up to Mrs M's meal planning linky so feel free to head on over there and browse for inspiration for the week.

Meal Planning Monday; 24th September 2012

My goodness how cold has it been in the last week! We dug out the woollies, and after a lengthy search and a purchase of an insurance hat, my beloved winter hat was found. (Hurrah!) Bubbah looked adorable in his jumpers this week, particularly his lion one which I couldn't resist when I saw it in the shop...

Last week's meal plan went pretty well, except veg soup was substituted for chicken soup for me and mushroom soup for OH. Toad in the hole went down a treat indeed, although I swapped the intended day for it around as OH injured his back and had a day off work feeling miserable. He requested this when I gave him the option of meals I'd planned and I couldn't say no, could I!?

This week's meal plan is a bit of a store cupboard hoard of old favourites and a few lazy meals too:

• Cheesy mushroom pasta
• Risotto
• Pizza
• Jackets

I'll probably have sausages wrapped in bacon with cream cheese and curly fries, and fish fingers and curly fries when OH is fasting.

As always, I'll be linked up with Mrs M's linky so head on over there for foody inspiration

Recipe Binder: Banana and Berry Pudding

Just a quick recipe post while Bubbah is asleep. I have a terrible/brilliant (depending on your view) habit of hoarding recipe books/magazines. I do go through them eventually and last weekend was such a time. I came across this in a baby recipe book but adapted it a bit and I'm pretty sure adults can eat it too.

What you need;

• A banana
• A handful of berries (mixed or one[s] of your choice)
• A blender

What you do;

• Break up the banana into small chunks and place in a jug
• Add the berries on top
• Blend

And ta-dah! You have a desert that is simple and healthy. 

This makes about three (baby sized) batches and can be stored for two days in the fridge in an air-tight container.

Meal Planning Monday; 17 September 2012

As winter draws in, I swear time is moving quicker! I still feel as if barely a day has passed since I wrote last week's meal plan up, however my calender is telling me quite stubbornly that, actually, a week has gone by and it's time for another one so here we go.

We stuck to last week's meal plan very well, although stir fry was replaced with honey and mustard chicken and pasta one day after OH decided to swap around his fast day at the last minute and discovered I'd been hoarding this dish in the freezer.

Bubbah has also discovered the joy of cheesy vegetable mash, made for when we had fajitas Saturday rather than the stir fry as most of the veg had gone off by the time a non-fast day had come around after the fast day swap earlier in the week. We've started to have him eat tea with us as he seems to sleep better eating later then having bath etc rather than early tea then bed. Fingers crossed because it's been lovely having some form of evening time back!

I've discovered just how messy feeding a baby can be, as perfectly demonstrated by Bubbah decided he wanted to feed himself his fish pie when we were out at the beginning of the week whereupon he grabbed the bowl and pulled it towards him, tipping it at the same time. Cue one bowl of fish pie landing on my lap and all over my jeans (and the floor of the coffee shop we were in but like a nice mummy/customer I cleaned up most of it) Needless to say, said jeans were changed when we got home.

Quiet weeks and a full cupboard usually will involve some form of baking and true to form this week I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip and marshmallow cakes (recipe to follow)

There's a couple left, at least one of which shall be devoured by me while OH is out with Bubbah (who has taken up to staring at me pleadingly whenever I eat anything within his presence) possibly with a blob of nutella on top to make them even more yummy!

Anyway, this week's meal plan is again rather more winter based and *trumpet fan fare* the slow cooker is coming out! Technically it doesn't need to but I'm all for easy cooking and standing over a stove with a baby crawling/zooming about in their walker is not conducive to a calm mummy - especially when he's taken such a keen interest in the oven because it has shiny handles and he can see himself in the doors...

So, this week we are having:

• Toad in the hole with chips/mash depending on how lazy I'm feeling and veg. Bubbah will have some of the Yorkshire pudding (home made), mash and veg
• Vegetable soup consisting of potato chunks, carrots, peas and sweetcorn. I might add some chicken for myself and my mum (who has said she'll try some) depending on my mood.
• Pizza as normal on Friday with whatever toppings we have in the house - normally sausages, mushrooms, sweetcorn, peppers and onions topped with extra cheese, bbq seasoning and oregano. Served up with chips and salad
• Jacket potatoes have been requested by OH because he "likes it when you do them with cheese and sour cream"
• Quick freezer meals such as chicken and curly fries, or fish fingers and curly fries have been reserved for OH's fast days

Conveniently, OH asked for wraps this week for his lunches so I felt justified buying sour cream when shopping (as it's normally reserved for fajita week). They will include tikka chicken, salad, cucumber and tomatoes along with aforementioned sour cream.

I loaded up on bagels and crumpets this week (I blame value prices making the crumpets look even more tempting and the bagels were on special offer) so I've got those while bubbah has cheesy veg mash, fish pie, and mince and veg to get through..

As always, I'm linked up to Mrs M's link so head on over there to check out what everyone else is planning.

Meal Planning Monday; 10 September 2012

Happy Monday! After a bit of a hectic week without the OH about (and as a result a rather unsettled Bubbah) it's been nice to have a bit of a break for a few hours today. Bubbah has been swimming twice, the second time with his cousins (which made him practically hysterical with excitement) and I've got my winter coat which always makes me excited. I love autumn so much!

Last week's meal plan pretty much consisted of fish fingers and chips, with the occasional side of pork and noodles, and spag bol. Not ideal but it was a case of easy food as and when possible.

We also had a bit of a clear up and ended up unearthing a load of Bubbah's old newborn stuff, including the hat you see below. It looked massive and we (my mum and I) decided to test if it still fitted. It did and he pulled such a funny face, I couldn't resist taking a picture...

As it's now officially autumn, and as the weather turns to the colder side of things, this week's meal plan looks a bit more comfort-food orientated than light summery food.

-Fish pie
-Mac n cheese
-Pizza
-Fajitas
-Chicken and veg stir fry
-Honey and mustard with veg and rice

OH is, as per usual, doing the 5:2 fast plan so the fish pie and the honey and mustard with veg and rice will be my meals when he's fasting. Lunch will be a variety of things as I stocked up on bakery goods from the reduced section while shopping today.

As always, I'm linked up to Mrs M's meal plan linky so pop over there to see what everyone else is planning.

Meal Planning Monday; 3rd September 2012

Oh my goodness, I can't believe it's September already! Last week's meal plan went pretty well, we moved Pizza Friday to Wednesday and made a romantic meal of it (there was candles and wine; that counts as romantic, right?) as OH was out helping his dad deliver some stuff Thursday night and Friday night he stayed at his parents as he had an early flight.

That's right, the OH has gone on holiday! He's gone to Spain with his family. I requested to stay behind with bubbah as he doesn't do well with heat, and he's getting in to EVERYTHING at the moment so I wouldn't relax and it'd be a waste of money for me to go.

As such, it's pretty much just me I've planned for this week. The bonus of this is I can have stuff OH doesn't like! Also, as shopping would be cheaper I managed to stock up on some basics that would ordinarily bumped up our shopping budget. I took advantage of Asda's baby even and got a month and a half - two month's worth of nappies for £14!

It's been a tough week for poor old Bubbah, I think another tooth is working its way into appearance so smiles like the one below were far and few between. Hopefully this week will be better as we're trying to get him settled in his own bedroom this week.

My meal plan is pretty simple this week, I'll literally cook whatever I fancy on the night so here's a list of what I've got in. Any meat not used will go in the freezer for a later date.

• Beef mince
• Lamb steaks
• Pork mince
• Fish fingers
• Sausages
• Beef burgers
• Tuna
• Chicken pieces

I'll probably make a bolognaise with one of the minces (sans tomato, using baby stock cube instead) with mushrooms and carrots for Bubbah to have alongside me.

His meals are very simple this week as I haven't had my free day due to the holiday so his food is restricted to broccoli and cauliflower cheese, rice pudding, pittas with cream cheese, aforementioned bolognaise, sweet potato, weetabix, fruit, yoghurt and baby jelly. Most of this is already in the freezer, it's just the bolognaise and sweet potato which will need cooking which should be simple enough.

As always, I'm linked up to Mr's M and her meal planning week so have a look