Meal Planning Monday: 27th June 2016

Regular readers will have noticed the absence of a meal plan last week - we were off on our hols to the lovely Centre Parcs at Woburn. A wonderful time was had by all, Harry loved the bike and swimming pool. I was blissful at the spa, and M had a go at fencing which he really enjoyed. Overall a hit. I'm writing up some posts covering what we learned, enjoyed and would do differently so keep an eye out for those in the weeks to come. 

As enjoyable as last week was, talk about falling off the Slimming World wagon: ice cream, wine, biscuits, chocolate and garlic bread all featured. And were wonderful. Now to face the music and get back on it. 

Breakfasts are yoghurt and fruit this week. I'm not a fan of the Slimming World staple Mullerlights, because of the sweeteners which we think trigger my migraines (although I did enjoy a banana and custard one today but - headache ensued). Instead I adore the Total Greek 0% fat which is lovely and not packed full of additives. Aldi had melon and grapes on their Super 6 this week so those will both feature alongside my usual apple and banana. 

Lunches -  I'm going to have a go at some mini crustless quiches this week. I'm planning on a smoked salmon, broccoli and cherry tomato batch and will post about them if they're a success.  I've got lots of salady bits in the fridge so will make sure to have that too. 

Suppers - we had a roast chicken today which as you know is my favourite way to start the week, because: leftovers!

Monday: Cold roast chicken, baked potatoes, carrots, peas

Tuesday: Chicken and mushroom risotto

Wednesday: Leftover risotto

Thursday: Freezer surprise

Friday: Breakfast for supper

Saturday: Tomato, lentil and veg pasta

Sunday: Leftover pasta 

So that's our week - it's just a normal one: Baby groups, Brownies, Guides, work for M and stay at home mummying for me. But it keeps us all out of mischief. 

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Meal Planning Monday: the' where on earth are you?' edition

Hello there, you'll be pleased(?) to hear I haven't abandoned ship, but two weekends straight of Guide camps and a solid week of training have left me with little energy for cooking, plus last week I was lucky enough to be spoiled rotten my M's parents whilst I was staying with them for work so I had an unheard of week off from the kitchen. Possibly it was enforced as I served up chicken kiev with smiley faces on Monday night, fairly well deserved if you ask me.

That said, I'm back with a ginger biscuit recipe in my sweaty paws, ready and raring to... well, head off again. It's that time of year for holidays so I'm joining in and heading off for some sun (please God? Please?) rest and lots of reading in France.

However, I'm going to try and line up some posts for whilst I'm away. Try not to miss me too much!

This week in the pantry is a filler really:

Monday - we're being ironic and having bratwurst with potato rosti and applesauce if I've got some apples in the fridge.

Tuesday - There won't be any bratwurst left (there's no point pretending), so freezer surprise. Hopefully something we can have with potatoes or pasta.

Wednesday - poached eggs with asparagus spears for me as a lunch before heading back to Swindon again.

Thursday & Friday I have the dubious delights of Harvester type food. Then Saturday we're off at some ungodly hour to France.

A bientot mes amis (get me! Apparently that's what a French GCSE does for you!)

Toot sweets! Toot sweets!

The eatable tweatable treat!

Although in this day and age I feel like it should be Tweetable instead.

This is really part 2 of the post about our holiday where I stop being sanctimonious about taking pictures whilst we eat and not only  do I post pictures of one meal but two. Well meal is exaggerating a bit. It's pudding. Pudding in the most glorious (sadly quite overlooked by other tourists) Gelateria that we found in Playa Blanca. Hand made piles of pillowy, soft, melting, unctuous ice cream (and some frozen yoghurt just to balance the equation. Of course I didn't try them, looking just made me feel healthier). Flavours included dulche de leche, nutella, rasberry, creamy vanilla and an amazing chocolate. Options included sundaes, but the lure of a simple cornet was too much for us to bear.

Nutella and chocolate (this was mine) 

Dulche de leche and white chocolate

Just as an aside, I can't type or say Dulche de Leche without thinking of Guys and Dolls. For years I longed to play Sarah Brown, loving her role and songs, and for a while "If I were a bell" was one of the pieces I dragged out for auditions, never realising that she was hammered whilst singing. I would actually like to try whatever it is she drinks in Havana, just to say I have.

Now whilst we were away Shrove Tuesday took place. I was distraught at the prospect of no pancakes so was thrilled to find crepes on the menu at my new favourite gelateria. Initially I had planned to make pancakes in our mini kitchen at the hotel, but as a toasted sandwich had set fire alarms off left, right and centre the night before I wimped out and we pottered down to Playa Blanca. It would have been faster, but I slowed us down with the aid of my trusty stick.

It's here I have to make a confession. On this holiday I became slightly obsessed with... Nutella. No Supermarket chocolate spread for me, Nutella is all that will do. Dear Lord I love the stuff. And would quite happily eat it with every meal. Suggestions for how to become unobsessed with Nutella are welcomed as at the moment I'm rationing myself to it on a slice of bread on the nights I get in too late for dinner, or if I'm too slow in the morning instead of breakfast.

Here is my Nutella pancake, and Mark's slightly classier caramel crepe. His quote "yum!"