Week One - HERE WE GO!
Here are some lunch ideas and dinner ideas that are economical, delicious and healthy! The estimated cost (based on my workings out!) is £45 for the week.
Here are my tips for the week:
Lunches
I don’t really like bread as I find it makes me bloated and I fall asleep – however I do like whole meal pita bread and tortillas.
Monday: Sweet Potato, Feta and Beetroot Salad
Cut one sweet potato into small chunks, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and put in the oven for 20mins on 180 degrees until tender. Grab a handful of rocket, crumble in ¼ pack of feta and chop up two balls of beetroot (no sniggering!) toss in the cooled sweet potato, add a dressing (I normally just use straight balsamic) shake it up and bung in the fridge!
Tuesday: Lime and Chili Prawn Wrap
When you are making your prawns from your stir fry – set some aside and mix with green romaine lettuce and a chopped tomato and some of the stir fry sauce and use to fill a large whole meal tortilla. Yummy!
Wednesday: Greek Salad Pita
Chop up two tomatoes, some cucumber, black olives, and crumble some feta – mix in a bowl with olive oil and lemon juice and/ or houmous and use to fill a wholemeal pita (note – pita may go soggy so I take them separately and then fill it at work or use the pita to dip!) I sometimes add a bit of beetroot to this too purely because it turns the feta pink and I like having pink pitas.
Thursday: 3P’s pasta (pesto, parmesan and prosciutto)
Ahhh pasta – yum yum yum! When you are cooking your pasta for dinner on Wednesday – cook a bit more but add a dollop of pesto, a dollop of the crème fraiche and mix it up – sprinkle with parmesan and add in a few pieces of the prosciutto. Scoff away!
Friday: Chicken Wrap
Using some of the “Sticky Chicken” mix the chicken together with romaine lettuce leaves, tomatoes and some honey and mustard dressing (I dollop honey, 1 dollop mustard, 1 glug of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice) and use it to fill a tortilla wrap!
Evening Meals (sounds posher than Dinner)
By the time I get in from work I want to eat and eat relatively SOON! (I have been known to eat two doughuts between the checkout and the car). So all of these recipes can be made in under 30 minutes and include vegetables/ salads to keep it balanced! Except Friday which takes about 1hour but it SO worth it J
Monday: Super Quick Thai Prawn Stir fry
This really is cheating but it is so good. Get two packs of prawns and stirfry them lightly in sesame oil for about 4 minutes or until they are all pink! Squeeze in the juice of a lime and add one red chopped chili. Now keep some of the prawns for lunch tomorrow! To the wok add the stir fry veg and get shaking for 3-5 mins! Add the rice noodles and the sachet of green chili sauce! Voila! Dinner in 10minutes!
Tuesday: Tomato, Feta and Sweet Onion Tart (side: Rocket salad)
Unfold your puff pastry and use a knife to score diagonal lines across it (but not all the way through). Slice 3 large tomatoes and place on the pastry, crumble ¼ block of feta over it and dollop some onion marmalade (you can buy in a jar or make it in 20 mins by chopping up a red onion, cooking it VERY slowly in a small pan full of butter and adding some sugar and a glug of water and letting it simmer for 20mins). Place it in the oven on 200 degrees and cook for 10-15mins until the edges of the tart are all puffy and golden. Take it out of the over and tear buts of the prosciutto up and scatter over it with a few bits of the rocket (just to make it look good J) Serve with a rocket salad and some honey/ mustard dressing.
Wednesday: Spicy Italian sausage Pasta (side: Green Salad)
So easy it is ridiculous! Chop up a pepper or two, then add some oil (not much) to a wok or large pan. Squeeze the sausage meat out of their skins and into the pan (good quality sausages like Debbie and Andrews!) I would use 4 - 6 sausages depending on how meat hungry you are. The remaining sausages can be used in the same way to add some meat to the enchilladas on Friday!.
Use a wooden spoon to separate it into smaller chunks and add the peppers – cook for 5 -8 mins on a medium heat. (you can add garlic and an onion if you want) throw in a handful of mushrooms roughly chopped, pour in a jar of dolmio and leave it to simmer on a low heat for 10-15mins. Fill a large pan with water – bring to the boil and add your spaghetti – don’t forget to put some aside for your pasta when it is cooked! Drain the spaghetti and add it to the big tomatoey pan – stir it all together and serve with salad and/ or garlic dough balls!
Thursday: Sticky Chicken and Sweet Potatoes (side: Green beans)
My favourite!! Put a pack of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (they taste so much better and are cheaper than breasts) into an oven proof dish. Add a chopped chili, some crushed/ chopped garlic and a tablespoon of honey, a good tablespoon of soy sauce, now chop up 2-3 sweet potatoes into wedges/ chunks, 3 chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper, a dash of balsamic vinegar and a small glug of olive oil and stir it all up and put it in the oven for 30mins on 200 degrees. Cook some green beans in boiling water. Serve “rustic style” on the table and tuck in! Remember to keep a bit of the chicken over for your wrap!
Friday: Helen's Enchiladas (side: avocado and tomato salad)
Ahh the king of Friday dinners – these take a little longer but are so worth it! In a big pan (wok is best) add some oil and gently cook some crushed garlic, an onion, two chilis, and a teaspoon of dried chili flakes, a teaspoon of cumin. When the onion is softened add two cans (drained) of kidney beans and stir it up! Add 1 can of chopped tomatoes and leave it to bubble away for 25mins (put a lid on it!). Now in a big oven proof dish or tray get your tortillas and spoon the mixture into a tortilla, roll up when you have filled all 6 there may be mixture left – I just pour it over the top. Top with the pot of crème fraiche and a big handful of grated cheese – put it in the oven for 25mins. To make your avocado salad chop up 1 or 2 avocados, 3 tomatoes and squeeze half a lime over it – add a pinch of chili flakes if you want! Serve up and enjoy!
Here are some lunch ideas and dinner ideas that are economical, delicious and healthy! The estimated cost (based on my workings out!) is £45 for the week.
Here are my tips for the week:
· I always try and make my lunches the night before as quite often I’m using ingredients/ leftovers from dinner and if I get up late it’s already done J
· Online shopping is your friend - get everything delivered for Sunday afternoon/ evening so you're ready for the week. You'll save the £3-5 delivery charge by not putting loads of random "offers" in the trolley!
I don’t really like bread as I find it makes me bloated and I fall asleep – however I do like whole meal pita bread and tortillas.
Monday: Sweet Potato, Feta and Beetroot Salad
Cut one sweet potato into small chunks, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and put in the oven for 20mins on 180 degrees until tender. Grab a handful of rocket, crumble in ¼ pack of feta and chop up two balls of beetroot (no sniggering!) toss in the cooled sweet potato, add a dressing (I normally just use straight balsamic) shake it up and bung in the fridge!
Tuesday: Lime and Chili Prawn Wrap
When you are making your prawns from your stir fry – set some aside and mix with green romaine lettuce and a chopped tomato and some of the stir fry sauce and use to fill a large whole meal tortilla. Yummy!
Wednesday: Greek Salad Pita
Chop up two tomatoes, some cucumber, black olives, and crumble some feta – mix in a bowl with olive oil and lemon juice and/ or houmous and use to fill a wholemeal pita (note – pita may go soggy so I take them separately and then fill it at work or use the pita to dip!) I sometimes add a bit of beetroot to this too purely because it turns the feta pink and I like having pink pitas.
Thursday: 3P’s pasta (pesto, parmesan and prosciutto)
Ahhh pasta – yum yum yum! When you are cooking your pasta for dinner on Wednesday – cook a bit more but add a dollop of pesto, a dollop of the crème fraiche and mix it up – sprinkle with parmesan and add in a few pieces of the prosciutto. Scoff away!
Friday: Chicken Wrap
Using some of the “Sticky Chicken” mix the chicken together with romaine lettuce leaves, tomatoes and some honey and mustard dressing (I dollop honey, 1 dollop mustard, 1 glug of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice) and use it to fill a tortilla wrap!
Evening Meals (sounds posher than Dinner)
By the time I get in from work I want to eat and eat relatively SOON! (I have been known to eat two doughuts between the checkout and the car). So all of these recipes can be made in under 30 minutes and include vegetables/ salads to keep it balanced! Except Friday which takes about 1hour but it SO worth it J
Monday: Super Quick Thai Prawn Stir fry
This really is cheating but it is so good. Get two packs of prawns and stirfry them lightly in sesame oil for about 4 minutes or until they are all pink! Squeeze in the juice of a lime and add one red chopped chili. Now keep some of the prawns for lunch tomorrow! To the wok add the stir fry veg and get shaking for 3-5 mins! Add the rice noodles and the sachet of green chili sauce! Voila! Dinner in 10minutes!
Tuesday: Tomato, Feta and Sweet Onion Tart (side: Rocket salad)
Unfold your puff pastry and use a knife to score diagonal lines across it (but not all the way through). Slice 3 large tomatoes and place on the pastry, crumble ¼ block of feta over it and dollop some onion marmalade (you can buy in a jar or make it in 20 mins by chopping up a red onion, cooking it VERY slowly in a small pan full of butter and adding some sugar and a glug of water and letting it simmer for 20mins). Place it in the oven on 200 degrees and cook for 10-15mins until the edges of the tart are all puffy and golden. Take it out of the over and tear buts of the prosciutto up and scatter over it with a few bits of the rocket (just to make it look good J) Serve with a rocket salad and some honey/ mustard dressing.
Wednesday: Spicy Italian sausage Pasta (side: Green Salad)
So easy it is ridiculous! Chop up a pepper or two, then add some oil (not much) to a wok or large pan. Squeeze the sausage meat out of their skins and into the pan (good quality sausages like Debbie and Andrews!) I would use 4 - 6 sausages depending on how meat hungry you are. The remaining sausages can be used in the same way to add some meat to the enchilladas on Friday!.
Use a wooden spoon to separate it into smaller chunks and add the peppers – cook for 5 -8 mins on a medium heat. (you can add garlic and an onion if you want) throw in a handful of mushrooms roughly chopped, pour in a jar of dolmio and leave it to simmer on a low heat for 10-15mins. Fill a large pan with water – bring to the boil and add your spaghetti – don’t forget to put some aside for your pasta when it is cooked! Drain the spaghetti and add it to the big tomatoey pan – stir it all together and serve with salad and/ or garlic dough balls!
Thursday: Sticky Chicken and Sweet Potatoes (side: Green beans)
My favourite!! Put a pack of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (they taste so much better and are cheaper than breasts) into an oven proof dish. Add a chopped chili, some crushed/ chopped garlic and a tablespoon of honey, a good tablespoon of soy sauce, now chop up 2-3 sweet potatoes into wedges/ chunks, 3 chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper, a dash of balsamic vinegar and a small glug of olive oil and stir it all up and put it in the oven for 30mins on 200 degrees. Cook some green beans in boiling water. Serve “rustic style” on the table and tuck in! Remember to keep a bit of the chicken over for your wrap!
Friday: Helen's Enchiladas (side: avocado and tomato salad)
Ahh the king of Friday dinners – these take a little longer but are so worth it! In a big pan (wok is best) add some oil and gently cook some crushed garlic, an onion, two chilis, and a teaspoon of dried chili flakes, a teaspoon of cumin. When the onion is softened add two cans (drained) of kidney beans and stir it up! Add 1 can of chopped tomatoes and leave it to bubble away for 25mins (put a lid on it!). Now in a big oven proof dish or tray get your tortillas and spoon the mixture into a tortilla, roll up when you have filled all 6 there may be mixture left – I just pour it over the top. Top with the pot of crème fraiche and a big handful of grated cheese – put it in the oven for 25mins. To make your avocado salad chop up 1 or 2 avocados, 3 tomatoes and squeeze half a lime over it – add a pinch of chili flakes if you want! Serve up and enjoy!
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