Meal Plan: 8 - 14 June

Friday: Cheeseburger & Chips
Saturday: Nachos
Sunday: Chicken Nuggets, Pasta, Green Beans
Monday: Chili
Tuesday: Chicken & Leek Risotto
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread
Thursday: Minestrone Soup & Herb Bread

Meal Plan: 1 - 7 June

Friday: Cheeseburgers & Chips
Saturday: Enchiladas
Sunday: Meat pies, mashed potatoes, veggies
Monday: Sausages, pasta, veggies
Tuesday: Chili Mac
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread
Thursday: Tuna Casserole

Meal Plan: 18 - 25 May

Friday: Chicken Burgers & Chips
Saturday: Enchiladas
Sunday: Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake
Monday: Nachos
Tuesday: Chicken Tikka Masala
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread
Thursday: Chili

This week is a little different because it's Jack's birthday on Monday, so he could pick any meal he wanted, and he picked nachos. And some kind of cheesecake that Karen makes for dessert. The Sunday night meal is also a request from Jack -- not that he particularly wanted to eat it, but he asked if he could make a meal, and I thought that would be a good one for him to do. I haven't decided exactly what it is (I'm just going to kind of make up a recipe for him to follow), but it should be a good opportunity for him to show us the skills he's been learning in cooking class at school.

The tikka masala thing will use up some of the chicken I bought last week, and uses a spice mix that was on sale this week, so it should be a quick and easy sort of thing. I got another spice mix for the chili, so it'll be interesting to see if it's better than the bit-of-this-and-that sort of mix that I usually throw in.

Meal Plan: 4 - 10 May

Friday: Burgers & Chips
Saturday: Enchilada Casserole
Sunday: Jambalaya
Monday: Fish & Risoni Stew
Tuesday: Chili Mac
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread
Thursday: Minestrone Soup

 The enchilada casserole and the jambalaya were both great-tasting, enjoyable meals, but not good in terms of carbs, and I paid for it by stalling all weekend. So on Monday, I skipped the fish and risoni stew and had chicken and green beans, and had chili without the mac on Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday will be spaghetti (with a low-carb pasta substitute) and green beans, and hopefully I'll get over my stall and drop some weight.

Meal Plan: 27 April - 3 May

Friday: Burgers & Chips
Saturday: Tacos
Sunday: Sausages, Fondant Potatoes, Green Beans
Monday: Salisbury Steak, Pasta, Veggies
Tuesday: Chili
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread
Thursday: Tater Tot Casserole

I'm keeping it pretty simple this week, mainly just to try to keep the budget down. The only new thing I'm cooking is the fondant potatoes, because I saw the recipe in Google Reader within minutes of discovering that Supabarn is selling 2-kilo bags of potatoes for a dollar.

Meal Plan: 20 - 26 April

Friday: Hamburgers & Chips
Saturday: Enchilada Casserole
Sunday: Autumn Tomato & Vegetable Soup
Monday: Spanish Chicken & Chorizo Casserole
Tuesday: Pizza & Cupcakes (Karen's birthday)
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread
Thursday: Grandma's Tuna Casserole

I thought I'd already posted this, but apparently not. So here it is. So far, the Enchilada Casserole (heavily modified from the original recipe) has been a big hit, the vegetable soup was reasonably well-accepted after I added a bit of chicken to it, and the chicken & chorizo casserole was popular on the night and for left-over lunches the next day.

For my meals, I substituted a chicken breast and salad on Friday and Saturday nights (and a small piece of the enchilada casserole), ate the meals as listed for Sunday and Monday, fasted until dinner time and then thoroughly enjoyed my Pizza and cupcakes (yes, plural because I had two!) on Tuesday, and I'll have Spaghetti  with green beans on Wednesday and Thursday (I've been using SlimPasta low-carb pasta substitute for the last few weeks, and it's not bad).

Meal Plan: Apr 13 - Apr 19

Friday: Burgers & Chips
Saturday: Nachos
Sunday: Chicken & Tomato Braise w/Rice
Monday: Fish & Risoni Stew
Tuesday: Chicken Nuggets & Hash Brown Casserole
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Sausage & Potato Casserole

The kids are home from school on a two-week break between terms, so I'm trying to keep them menu pretty simple. The only new dishes are the fish stew and the sausage and potato casserole. 

I haven't exactly worked out what I'll be eating each night this week, but it won't be any of this stuff, that's for sure. 

Meal Plan: Apr 6 - Apr 12

Friday: Burgers & Chips
Saturday: Enchiladas
Sunday: Saucy Beef and Vegetable Casserole
Monday: Salisbury Steak, Pasta, Green Beans
Tuesday: Chili
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Minestrone Soup

Meal Plan: Mar 30 - April 5

Friday: Burgers & Chips
Saturday: Tacos
Sunday: Jambalaya
Monday: Tuna Patties, Pasta, and Green Beans
Tuesday: Meatball Soup
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Tater Tot Casserole

Okay, I've been trying to put together a meal plan all week, and I think I've finally got it.

Meal Plan: Mar 23 - Mar 29

Friday: Hamburgers & Chips
Saturday: Chicken Tamale Casserole
Sunday: Roast Beef & Roasted Veggies
Monday: Pork Chop and Hash Brown Casserole
Tuesday: Chicken and Tomato Braise
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Tuna Casserole

The food must've been popular this week, because there are no leftovers hiding in the back of the fridge. The Chicken Tamale Casserole went over reasonably well, and the roast beef (some sort of "California-style" pre-marinated sirloin roast) was very popular. Jack even asked for leftover slices to be used on his mini pizzas for lunch at school. The Hash Brown Casserole was popular, but not the pork chops (I don't blame the kids; I overcooked theirs; I pan-fried mine and they were perfect). I wasn't sure they were going to go for the Chicken and Tomato meal, but they loved it. And I don't know about the Tuna Casserole because I haven't talked to them since they ate it, but there's only a small amount left over, and none thrown into the trash, so at least they ate it.

None of which has anything to do with my weight, but since this is where I'm recording the weekly meal plans, this is also where I'm trying to keep track of what they liked and what they didn't. Hopefully, that will make it easier to put together future meal plans.

Weekly Menu Plan: Mar 16 - Mar 22

Here's our menu plan for this week, with mine in parentheses):

Friday: Hamburgers & Chips (Hamburger steak & salad)
Saturday: Tacos (Chicken breast, beans, salad)
Sunday: Sausages, chips, salad (Chicken breast, salad)
Monday: Chicken tenders, potatoes au gratin, green beans (Fasting)
Tuesday: Beef in Red Wine Casserole, Maple Dill Carrots (same)
Wednesday: Spaghetti Bolognese (spaghetti, green beans)
Thursday: Tater Tot Casserole  (spaghetti, green beans)

The summer menu for the boys tended to involve a lot of burgers, hot dogs, pizza, etc. but now that the party's over, we're getting read for winter food. Soups, casseroles, stews, etc. The slow cooker has made its return to our kitchen counter at least once a week.

My plan is to try out one or two new recipes each week, as well as bringing back some of the favorites from last year. Being able to look back and see what those meals were is one reason why posting these menus is helpful.

The other new thing I tried this week was a fasting day. Basically, I decided to fast for as long as I didn't feel hungry. I ate a low-carb snack bar after dinner on Sunday (around 8:30), didn't eat anything on Monday, didn't eat breakfast on Tuesday, then got hungry and ate a late lunch (around 2:30), then dinner. I was surprised that it was easy to go all day without eating. I'm going to try it again next week, and it may become a regular thing.

Menu Plan: 4 - 11 Feb

For the slow-carb thing, I'm having eggs & lentils for breakfast, and for most days, whatever I'm having for dinner I will also either have had for lunch that day, or will have for lunch the next day. To be honest, I'm not going to be too worried about how it all works out, as long as I have a general idea, and the ingredients I need to pull some meals together.

Friday: Hamburgers and Chips for the boys; hamburger patties, lentil mix, and salad for me

Saturday: Submarine sandwiches, potato chips and coke (Saturday is my Eat-Whatever-I-Want Day)

Sunday: Steak, veggies, mashed potatoes for the boys; steak, beans, mixed veggies, salsa and guacamole for me

Monday: Fried rice for the boys; Chicken, lentils and salad for me

Tuesday: Hot dogs and chips for the boys; Hamburger patties, beans, veggies, and salsa for me

Wednesday: Spaghetti for the boys; Chicken, lentils and veggies for me

Thursday: Meat loaf, mashed potatoes and veggies for the boys; Steak, beans and veggies for me

Weekly Menu Plan, 31 Dec - 6 Jan

Friday: Cheeseburgers & Chips
Saturday: Stir Fry Chicken w/White Rice
Sunday: BBQ - Marinated Beef Skewers, Grilled Zucchini, Baked Potatoes
Monday: Mexican - Nachos for the kids, Grilled Chicken Wrap for me
Tuesday: BBQ - Sausages for the kids, Steak for me
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Chicken & Rice Casserole

Summer is here, the BBQ has been cleaned and is back in service. A couple of pieces disappeared when we moved, but nothing I can't get along without. In fact, I think I prefer having fewer bits to worry about. So I'll be out there cooking a few times this week, and I'm looking forward to it. On Sunday, we're having marinated beef skewers. I was thinking of going with the spicy Bufalo marinade, but in the end I went with a simple (booooring!) teriyaki to keep the kids happy. I think that next time I'll ask Jordo to throw in a few spicy ones. Then on Tuesday, I'll do some sausages (beef, tomato, and bacon) for the kids and a steak for me. After cooking my steak using the sear/bake method all winter, it'll be nice to cook one over a fire again. 

And when I'm cooking inside, it looks like I'll be eating chicken. Except for spaghetti night. Wow, I hadn't realised that until just now. The chicken for the stir-fry is marinated in a tamarind, lime & chilli glaze, which smelled great and hopefully will taste just as good. And it's much easier getting the chicken from Jordo when I get the rest of the meat, and as long as I stick to breasts, I can get free-range organic. Or non-organic free range if I want other bits (I like wings and thighs, James likes drumsticks).

So there's nothing exciting or adventurous, but it'll be tasty, healthy, and easy to prepare. Perfect vacation cooking. 

Weekly Menu Plan, Dec 10 - Dec 16

Nothing Fancy. My lack of inspiration and enthusiasm includes the kitchen.

Friday: Burgers & Chips
Saturday: Liver and onions, rice, veggies
Sunday: Fajitas, rice, beans, salad
Monday: Chicken & Potato Casserole
Tuesday: Meat loaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Pies, potato wedges, veggies

I'm going to try the liver and onions thing again. Hopefully it works out this time. And the fajitas we missed out on, too. The chicken & potato casserole is new, and hopefully it'll be good. I'm following the recipe this time, and using frozen hash browns, but if it's good enough to make again, I'd rather make my own. And the meat pies are a repeat, except that instead of cheap frozen pies from the grocery store, these are Jordo's pies. We'll see if they're worth it.

Weekly Menu Plan, Dec 3 - Dec 9

Friday: Hamburgers & Chips
Saturday: Liver & onions, rice, veggies
Sunday: Fajitas, rice, beans, salad
Monday: Chili Mac, salad
Tuesday: Meat pies, veggies, chips (steak and salad for me)
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Chorizo & Lentil Stew

It was shopping on a budget this week, so this is what I came up with. Lots of mince (ground beef), and something a little different - organs. Specifically, lamb liver. I've never eaten it, and at this point my plan is to serve it up to the kids and see if they like it, and then tell them what it is after they've tried it.

I should probably have something on hand as a back-up, because to be honest, but hopefully it'll at least be edible. I've never cooked it, and in fact I've never even tried it. I've eaten beef liver a few times, but not in thirty years or so. Mom cooked it a few times back in the late 70s or early 80s when she (and her sister, Hazle) got on some kind of health kick (possibly the Feingold Diet), but she hated it so much herself that she gave up after a few attempts.

But now I'm going to give it another try. Organs are very nutritionally dense and relatively cheap, and I've been reading a lot of blogs, and while it seems to be an acquired taste, a lot of the people who've done it really seem to love it. I figure the least I can do is give it a try.

In other news, I've been seriously unmotivated this week. It seems like every time I get sick, I let it throw me off track for a while. Walking is difficult because it's been raining like crazy, but I could either walk and get wet, or I've got the Wii Fit, but I haven't been doing that, either. And not only am I not getting exercise, but because I've switched from listening to music while I walk to listening to podcasts, I'm way behind on a bunch of my favorite podcasts (As It Happens, Ideas, The Bob and Elvis Show, Planet Money, Point of Inquiry, Citizen Radio, Skepticality, This American Life, Democracy Now, Free Talk Live, and heaps more).

Yeah, I listen to a lot of podcasts, and yeah, it's a pretty eclectic mix. I just can't get enough of 'em. I rarely watch TV these days, but I can find and download some great podcasts that focus on just about anything I'm interested in. I listen to them when I'm walking, when I'm doing housework, in the car, and pretty much any time I've got time to kill. If you haven't tried 'em, you really ought to give 'em a try.

Blog Catch-up

Wow, I can't believe it's been over a week since I've updated the blog. There are a lot of reasons for that -- one day our power was shut off while the power company installed some new street lights; then our internet connection started acting up (it's still not working right); then I got sick (some sort of intestinal bug that I'm still not entirely done with). So I haven't been blogging, haven't been exercising, didn't go to meeting last Saturday, but other than that, everything is normal. :)

Let's see, what's been going on that I haven't blogged about.

On Wednesday night, I went to a great event hosted by Milkwood Permaculture and Slow Food Canberra that involved, among other things, a great talk by Joel Salatin, one of my favorite farms and one of my sources of inspiration to get serious about my health, and to do that by focusing on eating Real Food. In a nutshell, Salatin talks about the problems associated with factory farming and industrial agriculture, and explains how his approach to farming is better for the animals, the land, and the people. Joel is an awesome source of not only inspiration, but also education, entertainment and motivation. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and if you get an opportunity to hear Joel Salatin talk, do it. Seriously.

Then on the weekend, our bank had some kind of computer meltdown so that when our grocery order arrived, we couldn't pay for it because our credit card was declined. Talk about frustrating. We'd already unpacked and put away about 75% of the groceries! So once it was clear that there was no way we could get money out of our bank (after the credit card was declined, we tried our debit card as well, but it wouldn't work either), we had to give all the stuff back (although since the delivery guy wasn't interested in checking the invoice to make sure it all went back, we ended up accidentally keeping about $20 worth of stuff). What a hassle!

But once the bank got their computers working again, we were able to get everything (well, almost everything) sorted, and except for switching the order of a few meals around, we've managed to stick with the meal plan:

Friday: Chicken and Rice Casserole
Saturday: Sloppy Joes
Sunday: Beef Stroganoff
Monday: South of the Border Casserole
Tuesday: Curry Chicken and Tomato Pilaf
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Leftover Surprise

The Chicken and Rice Casserole was a new recipe, and it turned out pretty good, except that I put in 2 cups of brown rice instead of 1, which meant that it took a helluva lot longer to cook than it should have. But it was worth it in the end, because we cleaned it all up. I don't think it would've been enough with just one cup of rice.

I did the Beef Stroganoff again because I found the mushrooms that were supposed to have gone into it last week. To be honest, I don't know that they added a whole lot. But they didn't hurt, and I'm trying to get mushrooms into our diet a little more.

The South-of-the-Border Casserole (basically just a mixture of Mexican-flavored ground meat (mince), onions, tomatoes, corn, bell pepper (capsicum) and cheese was a big hit. It's easy enough to make, and tasty enough, but not something I'd want to have every week.

I guess that's enough to get caught up a little bit. I'm feeling better now (although still not great), so I should be back to posting regularly.

Weekly Menu Plan, Nov 19 - Nov 25

I've been working on the meal plan since I woke up this morning, and I think I've got it worked out. The only request from the boys was for...meat loaf. I'm really not sure how I feel about that. :) And because I'm all about the Getting Shit Done, I'm also almost finished making the spaghetti for dinner tonight, and I've started on the grocery order.

Friday: Hamburgers & Chips
Saturday: Mexican Crock Pot Casserole
Sunday: Beef Stroganoff, Garlic Green Beans
Monday: Meat Loaf , Creamy Herb & Garlic Potato Bake
Tuesday: Lamb, Chorizo, and Bean Stir Fry
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Chicken & Rice Casserole w/Summer Veggies

I was thinking about doing homemade pizzas on Friday night, but James is over at a friend's house but home in time for dinner (but probably not in time to help make dinner), and Jack is having a friend over to spend the night. So in the end, I decided there were too many damned kids coming and going, and went for an easier option.

The Mexican Crock Pot thing is because I have been wanting something Mexican, but I work that day, so this is something that I can have cooking while I'm at work.

I've had the beef stroganoff recipe for a while, but haven't tried it. I don't think I've ever made stroganoff that wasn't some kind of hamburger helper thing. I'm pretty sure I can do better than that.

Lamb and chorizo stir fry because I've got chorizo that I didn't use last night, and because I want to see if I can sneak the lamb past Jack.

Spaghetti because, duh, it's Wednesday. And Chicken & Rice casserole because I was trying to think of something easy that Karen could just stick in the oven, then remembered that I won't be at work that night because I finish work TOMORROW NIGHT. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. But I'm ready for summer vacation. I've got a lot of shit I want to get done, and I'm ready to get started!

Weekly Menu Plan, Nov 12 - Nov 18

If I had any damned sense, I'd get our weekly meal plan worked out before the morning I need to order the groceries. Some day, I'll be that organized. But once again, today was not that day. But now it's all done, and this week we're doing it this way:

Friday - hotdogs for the kiddies, steak and veggies for me

Saturday - Pork Chops With Apricot-Dijon Sauce and Lentils with Spinach

Sunday - Bangers & Mash (sausages and mashed potatoes) green peas, glazed carrots

Monday - Curry Chicken and Tomato Pilaf

Tuesday - Chorizo & Lentil Stew

Wednesday - Spaghetti Bolognese

Thursday - Tuna Noodle Casserole

Nothing revolutionary in there, but I think it's a good mix of new and familiar recipes. I've been thinking about that steak for over a week now, so I think it's time. :)

The pork chops are a little different, and I don't think I ever would've thought to serve them with lentils, but that's what's in the picture, and it seemed like a good idea, so I'll give it a try.

The sausages will be a nice, easy meal to prepare on a Sunday night (I was going to roast a chicken, but didn't really want two chicken meals in the same week).

The chicken pilaf was a request from Jack (not specifically, but anything with curry in it) and at first James objected, until I mentioned this one, which he's had before and he really likes.

The chorizo and lentil stew is because I've been wanting some chorizo, and I'm hoping Jordo's is as good as the rest of his meat has been. And I don't know if I've seen a recipe for it before, but putting chorizo and lentils together seemed like it should work pretty well, and I googled it and found out that a lot of other people thought so, too. I love teh internet.

Spaghetti because it's Wednesday, and even though Thursday night is usually the one night of the week I leave it to Karen to cook (for the kids, I mean; she cooks for herself every night), she's got a big week next week, so I thought that it might help her out if I put the casserole all together, so that all she had to do was pop it in the over for half an hour, then dish it up.

I picked up a couple of cookbooks from the library this week, so I might have some new ideas for next week. Maybe I'll be a clever, organized type of guy and get it all worked out over the weekend. Yeah, that'll happen. :)

Weekly Menu Plan, Nov 5 - Nov 11

I got up this morning and quickly got my meal plan worked out, and got the groceries ordered. Nothing exciting this week, but I'm trying to use up a bunch of stuff in the pantry/fridge. Including the "free sample" crap that we keep getting and doing nothing with.

I'm sticking with the smoothies for breakfast (I can't believe it, but I wake up wanting one even more than I want a cup of coffee), with a couple of days of oatmeal thrown in. Lunch will be veggie soups again, with whatever extra protein happens to be hanging around the place. Dinners will include:

Friday: Sloppy Joes - the kids loved 'em last time, and they've been hassling me to have them again, so we are. I'm going to try baking my own hamburger buns. Never done that before.

Saturday - Pot Roast (with DIY Beef Stew Seasoning)- because I can throw it in the crock pot in the morning, and it'll be ready when I get home from work

Sunday - Fish (with a free sample of hollandaise sauce), roasted potatoes, veggies

Monday - Tuscan Meatballs (using the free packet of meatball sauce), mashed potatoes, glazed dijon carrots.

Tuesday - Honey mustard chicken (using another free packet of simmer sauce), rice, green beans.

Wednesday - Spaghetti, of course.

Thursday - Not my problem, because it's Karen's night to cook (unless I end up doing a chicken and potato casserole that she can pop in the over and serve when ready).

I'm hoping that using all those free simmer sauces will help clean out the pantry a little. I know that I should just throw the things away, but I never do. Because, you know, they're FREE. And money that we're not spending on groceries now is money that we can spend on our vacation in January.

Weekly Menu Plan, Oct. 29 - Nov 4

Going to bed early last night was an excellent idea. I feel much better today. Since I ended up getting to sleep around 11, and also because I'm going to be up until at least midnight tonight (work), I decided it would be smart to skip going for an early walk this morning, so I reset my alarm and slept until 6:45. If I'm going to get up at 6 for an early walk, then I'm going to need to go to bed around 9:30. I'm really not sure I can do that.

So I didn't go for a walk this morning (Tom and I will go for one later today), but I have finished the meal plan. In the end, it wasn't all that complicated.

Breakfast is going to be a green smoothie on Monday,Wednesday, and Friday; Oatmeal on Tuesday and Thursday, and Bacon and Eggs on the weekends.

Lunch is going to be soup. I'm going to do three different soups, all pureed, and alternate between them. They're all Weight Watchers recipes, and are either 0 or 1 point per serving. Cauliflower and Potato Soup, Mexican Vegetable Soup, and Hearty Vegetable Soup. I've made the all before, and like them, and I puree them and then freeze any extra. Since I can essentially eat as much of these soups as I want, I should be able to dramatically increase the amount of veggies I'm eating. I'm hoping these are going to work out, although I'm a little concerned about the lack of protein and fat. I'm not sure they're going to be substantial enough to keep me from getting hungry, and provide me with enough energy, through the afternoon. If not, I might have to modify them a bit (add cream, bacon, cheese, etc.).

Then dinners will be:

Friday - Hotdogs/Steak & Veggies -- Jack is going over to a mate's house and they're having hotdogs. James felt like he was missing out, so when I asked for requests, he wanted hotdogs. Which is fine, but I'm not really in the mood for them myself, so I'll be having a steak and some veggies.

Saturday - Croatian Beef Stew with Parsley Dumplings - Jack's request was for something with dumplings. This is what I'm going with.

Sunday - Tuna Noodle Casserole

Monday - Pork Chops & Roasted Vegetables

Tuesday - Beans & Rice - our weekly meatless meal isn't quite meatless. I'm throwing in a ham hock. Oops, my bad!

Wednesday - Spaghetti

Thursday - Karen's Choice (I'm not home, I don't cook)

Lots of Real Food, and I'm excited because this week I'm ordering our meat from Jordo's Chop Shop. Franks for the hotdogs, a ham hock for the beans, beef for the stew, the steak, the pork chops (sorry, I mean pork loin medallions), ground beef for the spaghetti, plus bacon and ham straight from Jordo's smokehouse. I wanted to buy some of their beef jerky too, but that's going to have to wait until another order.

I'm really looking forward to trying Jordo's meat. Mmmmm...free-range, pastured pork and grass-fed, dry-aged beef from the Riverina. I'm looking forward to all of it, but especially the steak. And the bacon. And the jerky. And the camel. And...and...and... :)