Reverse Meal Planning

rtandon27

Well the week has moved on and OH currenty in the hospital. This left me with a whole lot of groceries that had arrived on Wednesday & needed cooking. So as not to waste I've done several sheetpans of food, had some as meals, and put the remainder in the fridge so future me has nutritious food ready to go!

First protein was a sheet of tandoori style chicken thighs. I can't admit to doing much more than taking them out of the pack ready marinated, adding some extra sauce from the box and bunging them in the oven. Very good value at half price and delicious when eaten as part of a fakeaway curry plate with pilau rice, corriander chutney, yogurt and poppadum. Must remember to fish out the jar of mango chutney to go with it as a tad firey for my taste.

Second sheetpan was Honey Roasted Butternut Squash. (Tagging @Greying_Pilgrim & @KajiKita & @Cheery_Daff as it is a really nice and slightly unusual way to cook squash.) Super easy prep though and I'd make it again. A few tweaks to use up what I had available at home, Walnuts instead of pecans, dried cherries instead of cranberries, twice the feta and finely shredded sage instead of thyme. Also not quite the 3 pounds in the recipe as once prepped the weight of peel and removed gubbins meant it was less.

https://healthyfitnessmeals.com/honey-roasted-butternut-squash/

Third sheetpan was a recipe OH used to have in rotation when he made most of our meals. Absolutely delicious, and makes about 6 servings I'd say when eaten with naan or other roti bread, in our case a seeded tortotilla as that is usually what I've got stashed in the freezer! Also used an enourmous bag of mixed broccoli and cauliflower as that was what I'd got in the fridge and finished off the remainder of our store bought potatoes, most of the remaining small garlic head, ginger and red chili from the freezer. I used a whole lemon and half a lime instead of only lime at the end.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/spiced_aloo_gobi_54698

Fourth sheetpan was sticky chinese pork ribs - again they were another deal at 50% off and required not much more than cooking and adding a glaze.

We have one remaining protein to cook up, a beef pot-roast which can go in at some point tomorrow for a low and slow cooking in the oven. I'm liking the lazy oven meals as there is the added benifit of warming up the ground floor without turning up the CH.

Suffolk_lass

Sorry to hear your OH is in hospital again @rtandon27 - I know he had some food you were pleased he ate at home this week so fingers crossed that stands him in good stead.

I roast butternut squash sprinkled with olive oil, salt and pepper and then freeze some so I always have that quick bag I can add to a veg curry. My curry in a hurry is with onions, sliced lengthways, chick peas and frozen spinach, with a sauce either made by me or out of a jar if no time. All except the spinach in together then roasted just until the tips of the onion start to caramelise, then some water added to ensure nothing sticks and back in, with the spinach to reabsorb the moisture. It has been nown for the end of a bag of peas to be added too. It works as an accompaniment, or a main, maybe with some cauliflower on occasion. I don't really eat rice, but a piece of naan goes well.

Only peppers left in the salad box (Oh and the last window-sill ripened tomatoes!) so I will have to get one or two bits this week - but mostly it is revision until next Saturday!

Suffolk_lass

We had two delicious salmon fillets for supper, shopped from home - I bought a box of 12 from the man who does local posh restaurant deliveries. Wild salmon - what a complete treat! Not cheap but worth it. Served with crushed potatoes (with a drizzle of cream and butter), carrots, last of the white cabbage, and cauliflower. An ice cream cornet for dessert - I don't know how Mr Sl gets quite so much in them (in my head it's a way of portion control!) but it was heavy and full all the way down - so much so it dripped out of the bottom on to my sweatshirt!! 🤦‍♀️

joedenise

Cooked a gammon joint in the SC yesterday so used the stock to make lentil soup. I don't usually bother and just bin it but thought that's such a waste so once cooked added some lentils to make it into soup (there were still onions, potatoes and carrots in it for flavour!). So that's lunch for today and tomorrow sorted and I'm sure there will also be some for the freezer and there is loads in there!

Suffolk_lass

Veg soup for lunch here then cheesy leeks and baked potatoes for supper. Mr Sl has his hernia appointment with the Consultant today (it's where the last year's surgery stitches have failed and it has continued to tear) - he needs to be completely honest and explain his pensioner wife is doing all the lifting, just to make sure they understand!!

EssexHebridean

Morning all! In true reverse planning style, I realised that last week's meal plan changed almost entirely, so this week's was an easy recycle! That means that the layered veg bake I made stays in the freezer for now.

We're out this evening, but heading home for food first, so I'll do beans in home made tomato sauce, possibly with jacket potatoes as we have a couple of good size tatties that could probably do with being used.

I was pleased to be able to pounce on some of the F@rmf00ds 2 for £2 butter on Saturday morning - even the staff were saying that it was astonishing that they had some in stock, and even at about 10am there wasn't much of it left - the people in front of me in the queue had taken 8 of the last 9 blocks of the Gr@h@ms one which I would have preferred, but there was still most of a tray of the slightly smaller own-brand packs. I bought 6 packs, which will keep us going for a reasonable time - once we get down to the final couple of packs I'll start looking out for it again!

Suffolk_lass

Ooh, I had not heard about that Farm Foods offer. I have to shop this week and might take a look, just on the off-chance.

Over here I have a couple of pieces of chicken out and defrosting to have with simple steamed veg and boiled potatoes, in an effort to persuade my body that the hunger from taking high dose steroids is not really hunger. Simple, smaller portions ahead of Christmas is no bad thing either. I have rummaged a couple of pre-cooked leftovers out too. I am woeful at using these until way after I have forgotten what they are. It makes the bottom drawer of the kitchen freezer a lot easier to close too!

EssexHebridean

Our food was exactly as planned last night - the beans in HG tom sauce are so tasty, I can see us using all those frozen tubs of toms, garlic & basil for exactly that! Last night I added some smoked chilli flakes and some smoked paprika, plus my usual quarter spoonful of sugar. Going back to standard tinned baked beans will be a disappointment when the time comes! Served with cheese on jacket tatties - yum.

Last night me was also organised enough to get out some frozen king prawns, some frozen pomegranate seeds and a chunk of frozen coriander ready for tonight's couscous - all defrosting in the fridge. Haven't entirely decided what the veg aspect will be, but most likely chickpeas and the last red pepper in the veg drawer.

Suffolk_lass

Chicken was postponed until today as I wasn't hungry when it came to it (I had had porridge and then two fried eggs on toast) so just had some cheese and crackers for a late supper, after my study group. Mr Sl polished off the leftover pasta bake portion I had liberated from the drawer of mysteries. It also has things like butter, cheese and baking fat frozen but not just 3 boxes of chick peas and one of cooked pumpkin.

In order to cycle things round a bit (I don't want forever storage) I have weighed out the dried fruits, peel and cherries for a Christmas cake this morning and they are quietly soaking in warm water to wash off the "fruit dust", ahead of soaking in (3* cooking) Brandy for a number of days. The currants look a bit old uth they will be fine after macerating in liquor, I am sure!

EssexHebridean

There is a tub of ragu defrosting gently in the fridge ready for tonight - with the only added decision to be taken when the time comes being fusilli or spaghetti! I may stir in the remains of the tub of soft cheese, but then I may leave that for eating on Saturday assuming MrEH will be out at lunchtime - I've got the last of a pack of posh papardelle to eat at some stage, there is chorizo in the freezer, and assorted other veggies to choose from too…

Last night's couscous used up the last pepper and half a leek from the fridge - the bottom veg drawer is looking wonderfully empty!