Weezl and friends Phase 2 -giving it a whirl for Shirl! Testing meal plan for a month

weezl74

thanks frankie

Gosh, you are a good varied cook. My DH looked at the planner and said it had loads of variety compared to our usual fare! :rotfl:

Orange flim flam recipe posted to the usual place

Arty-sorry another one for indexation!

Bit worried about you having to fork out for all this kitchen gear

Feel bad for people spending their cash on all this, feels a bit contra the ethos of MSE :money:

pammyj74

its an investment into gadgets that will last a very long time anyway so should have them for future uses.

FrankieM

weezllol, I try to alternate the carb in the evening meal or at the very least how it's served.
Also the type of meat, though I have been trying lately to do a veggie evening meal every other day.

It was the chicken every sunday and pastry 2 days in a row that I thought I'd swap around so my DH wouldn't notice.

What I'm starting to notice is that we could spend less on food if we wanted to and that we easily use food as a treat rather than something that gives us energy.

poohbear59

Hi,
I have decided to be a tester because I want to try to reduce my food bills further. We are already quite a frugal household and don't buy branded goods, ready meals or take aways.

I also believe that many more families could reduce their food bills with a bit more guidance.Testing the plan will make it more accessible to families who may not want to risk making changes without proof that it can be done.

Everything in our household is home cooked but I am pretty sure it is possible to spend less than our £200 per month on food for five adults without compromising on health or flavour and without anyone going hungry..

There is me, DH and DSs x 3 eating here. All are adults and have hearty appetites.

I haven't started my batch cooking today as we needed to go out . Over thewekend I made three loaves of bread to get me started. AND DH has eaten some of the cheese. He had cheese on toast! Real life again!!


yesterday I made Lesley's pea soup. I doubled the quantities and it fed six yesterday and tow more lunches today. I didn't have any mint but we had some mint sauce in the fridge so I ut two small tspfuls into it and the family said it was tasty, like mushy peas, but we think that was because of the vinegar in the mint sauce.

Allegra

SKILL LIST

WEEKLY SHOPPING LIST (For Planner 1, meat eaters)

The Frugal Recipes Website

Planner 2 Monthly Shopping List

WEEKLY SHOPPING LIST FOR PLANNER 2, VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN



Cooking advice

Shirley's big batch cooking day



Please note that the more up-to-date versions of the links below can be found on the website:

Month 1 Planner

Shopping List

Recipe List

List of all the month's meals

Tester's Instructions

Kit List

What to do with leftovers

The Usual Place - recipes, tips and photos

artybear

Oh weezlie no worries:D-I'm going to be moving in with mr artybear soon so would have to get the stuff anyway. Just not had some stuff as I've always lived with loads of people so we combined utensils and some things I did have seemed to leave when they did, coincidence I think not.

Hunger wise-the only thing I'v wondered is if lunch would be filling enough but we shall soon see:eek::)

xxx

Allegra

Lunches:
Walnut spread
300g walnuts
80g pumpkin seeds
20g sugar
160ml veg oil
heaped teaspoon garam masala

Method Pulverise the nuts, sugar, spice and seeds in your food processor until finely chopped.
Then drizzle in a thin stream of oil, until you've achieved a loose-ish consistency like the one in the image.
Serve 10g per piece of bread/toast and have 2-3 slices per breakfast depending on your energy needs. Make once in the month if you are following our meal planner.
Store in a large sterilised jam jar or two, or freeze until required. Keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator.

Houmus
300g dry weight chick peas cooked as per packet instructions
200ml oil
15ml balsamic vinegar (you can substitute lemon if you have any, in equal measure)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt and pepper, (about a level teaspoon of salt is required, but adjust to your taste)
1/4 tsp chilli (optional)

Method Place all the ingredients except oil in a food processor, then gradually add the oil whilst pulsing the food processor until you have achieved a loose runny consistency a bit like natural yoghurt or double cream.
Make once in the month- serve 100g per person per meal, with 4 slices of toast. The houmous can be frozen.

Rice Salad
200g rice
150g swede, cubed and roasted
75g frozen parsnip, roasted
50g green peas
50g onion, sliced as finely as your knife allows
2 teaspoons garlic powder
dessertspoon balsamic vinegar
35 ml vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method Cook rice as per packet instructions, then add all the other ingredients, which will cool it down to room temperature (especially the frozen peas). Taste and adjust seasoning.

Bean pate
1 can baked beans
half a teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 dessertspoon lemon juice
100ml oil
one leftover end bit of homemade bread (approx 46g) broken into breadcrumbs
2 pinches salt and 2 pinches ground black pepper

Method Put all ingredients together (except the oil) in a saucepan and simmer for around 10 mins or until the beans are ready to fall apart under the gentle pressure of your potato masher, or a fork.
Mash up the pate. Leave to cool. Add the oil and remash/mix.
You can make this in your food processor too, less mashing!
Store in a bowl, covered with cling film or a plastic tub with a lid, in the fridge, for up to 4 days.
Make twice in the month, if following option one or once if following option 2 - allow 25 g per person per meal.

Tomato Houmus
200g dry weight chick peas cooked as per packet instructions
135ml oil
50g tomato puree
10ml balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp chilli

Method Place all the ingredients except oil in a food processor, then gradually add the oil whilst pulsing the food processor until you have achieved a loose runny consistency a bit like natural yoghurt or double cream.
Make once in the month- serve 10g per person per meal, can be frozen.

Olive tapenade
100g olives
100g potato
110 ml vegetable oil
dessertspoon balsamic vinegar
half teaspoon garlic powder
300g onion diced

Method Boil and drain the potato.
Fry onion in a small amount of the oil until just softened.
Combine all the ingredients in your food processor and pulse until you have a smooth pate.
Serve with 2 slices per person of homemade bread to 15g tapenade.
If you are following our planner you will need to make one batch of this in the month.

Onion houmus
100g dry weight chick peas cooked as per packet instructions
50ml oil
100g onion chopped very finely
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp chilli
dessertspoon balsamic vinegar
10g sugar

Method Place onion on baking sheet.
Mix vinegar and sugar together and drizzle over the onions.
Turn onion over with hands until covered.
Bake at the bottom of the oven (underneath something else you are cooking) until softened and browned turning over occasionally (at 200C this takes about 30 minutes)
Place the chick peas, garlic, chilli and seasonings in a food processor, then gradually add the oil whilst pulsing the food processor until you have achieved a loose runny consistency a bit like natural yoghurt or double cream. Stir the roasted onions and their juices through your finished houmous.
Make once in the month- serve 10g per person per meal, can be frozen.

Red lentil pate
160g (dry weight) red lentils
160g onion- finely chopped
tspn garlic
2 teaspoons marmite/yeast extract
500ml boiling water
120 ml veg oil
dessertspoon of balsamic vinegar

Method Rinse lentils under the cold tap until the water runs clear (swoosh them around in the pan in cold water a couple of times, changing the water each time) Drain and place in a medium saucepan with the onion and garlic.
Add 2 tsp marmite to 500ml boiling water and stir to dissolve.
Pour over the lentils, cover and simmer until the water has been absorbed and the lentils have softened (the mixture will look quite dry at this point) Remove lid and leave to cool.
Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon whilst slowly pouring the vinegar and then the oil into the mixture.

Green pea soup
100g onion
428g peas
20ml vegetable oil
45g self raising flour
30g creamed coconut
20g red lentils
4 teaspoons marmite/yeast extract dissolved in a mug of hot water
salt & pepper to taste

Method Fry the chopped onions and lentils in the oil.
Gradually add the marmity stock and 1 litre more water mixing all the time to form a smooth paste, then a smooth liquid.
Then add the peas and coconut and blitz in a food processor, liquidizer or with a stick blender, the peas will cook sufficiently in the heat of the stock, but you may need to re warm the soup before stirring.


Cloddies
1 heaped teaspoon garlic powder
105g onion, finely chopped
55ml vegetable oil
150g swede, grated
220g self raising flour
approx 90 ml water
1 heaped teaspoon garam masala
1 heaped teaspoon mustard powder
salt & pepper to taste
oil to fry

Method Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir the mixture together to form a dropping consistency.
Allow to stand for a few minutes. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan, and on a low heat cook tablespoon sized splats of your mix.
Makes 16 small patties. Make once in the month.


Vegetable soup
510g onion
130g peas
290g carrot
50ml vegetable oil
250g potato
50g swede
approx. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Method Chop all the vegetables (except peas) into small cubes.
Fry the chopped onions in the oil, adding in the other chopped veg when they have softened. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
Gradually add 500ml water and your seasonings and cook with a lid on the pan for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are easily speared with a knife. You may need to add more water to achieve the desired texture. (You are aiming for a thick soup)
Then add the peas and blitz in a food processor, liquidizer or with a stick blender.

FrankieM

Allegra I would find that really helpful.

artybear

Thanks Allegra-I was looking for the equipment list for ages earlier!!

xxxxxxxx

weezl74

allegra-top tastic list Between us all we have all the right skills to make this work, that is sooooo what I should have put in post 2 :rotfl:

arty- sneakily getting that in eh? Moving in together awwww, how smashing :beer:

I forgot to say:

I am weezl, and me, mr weezl and DS1 will be following the plan as far as we can, but sometimes slightly ahead while I quickly cobble together a recipe! DS1 will eat little quantities without salt, and I will raise the fat content for him as appropriate for his age. He will also be drinking whole cows milk every day. I will also need to eat slightly off plan as I had a slight haemorrage during labour so have low iron levels and will therefore eat things to boost that and my calcium a bit

Why I am doing this: All of my usual rantings about hidden poverty in the uk, plus I can't not join in a bit because I've made you do it!