Thursday, March 26, 2009

A Quickie Post

I know I've been very slack this week in posting but I will make up for it next week :D

I'm off to Melbourne Friday morning and get back Sunday evening.

Until then my friends ...........

Stay safe and happy :D

Monday, March 23, 2009

Menu Plan Monday - Toni - 23 March 2009

Monday - Spaghetti Bolognese

Tuesday - Steak Diane

Wednesday -
Beef Stronganoff

Thursday -
Chicken Curry

Friday -
Homemade Pizza

Saturday -
Roast Pork & Vegies

Sunday -
Scrambled Eggs on Toast

Spaghetti Bolognese

This is such a favourite in my house. All the males love it.

The female doesn't but ........ oh well!!!!

I use :

1kg of mince (ground beef)
1-2 tbspn Worcestershire sauce
1 can tomato soup
2 beef stock cubes
1 tbspn of brown sugar
1 onion
Garlic (to taste)
2 cans of water (use the tomato soup can)

All of that goes in a big saucepan and I "chop" up the mince so its like meatballs (much easier than rolling them lol)

Cook for about 20 mins or until the mince is totally brown.

Add cooked spaghetti, serve onto plates and sprinkle with cheese.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Five Food Groups Series - Number 4

Milk, Yoghurt & Cheese

From an irresistible slice of smoked cheddar with relish, to a fresh strawberry smoothie, or a dollop of yoghurt on sliced ripe mango, there's nothing quite like the creamy, indulgent taste of milk, cheese or yoghurt.

Dairy products can also be enjoyed in a multitude of sweet and savoury ways. Milk can be poured on cereal, added to mashed potato, used to poach fish, or blended in a fruit smoothie. Yoghurt is great as an accompaniment to many savoury dishes - such as couscous or curry - as well as with fruit for a delicious snack or dessert. Cheeses are also fantastic on their own, on top of pasta, in salad, on bread or even as a simple cheese platter.

Better still, when it comes to dairy products there are plenty of different flavours and reduced fat options available - so you can always find one that suits you, and can still enjoy your favourite milk, yoghurt or cheese every day.

Why is this group good for me?

  • Milk, cheese and yoghurt are high in calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. Calcium helps young bones grow strong.
  • Dairy products are also an excellent source of protein - which helps our body's cells grow strong and healthy and riboflavin and vitamin B12, two of the B group vitamins.

Fresh food tips

How many serves a day do I need?

You should have at least 2 serves of dairy produce every day. Fat-reduced products are recommended for those over 2 years of age. One serve is equivalent to:

  • 40g of cheese
  • 200g tub of yoghurt
  • 250ml of milk or fortified soy milk.
  • 250ml of custard

Fresh food tips

Enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie with your breakfast. Combine a banana, 1 cup of skim milk, 1/3 cup of natural yoghurt, 1 teaspoon of honey and 1-2 tablespoons of wheat-germ in a blender, whiz and drink!
Rich in iron and protein, these foods provide us with the strength and stamina our bodies need for everyday activity.

Try to choose lean cuts of meat or chicken wherever possible, and match this with a healthy preparation method such as stir-frying, grilling or poaching - which don't need extra oil.

Eggs, nuts and legumes - such as chickpeas and lentils - also make fantastic, easy alternatives to meat.

Barbecue slices of haloumi on a hot grill and serve sliced with kalamata olives and quartered Roma tomatoes in a Greek salad.

Spice up a cheese platter with fresh dates, halved and topped with slices of blue-vein or cottage cheese.

If you don't like to drink milk on its own, try adding it to cooking. Make a cheesy sauce to serve over vegetables by melting 2 tablespoons of reduced fat butter with flour in a saucepan, and adding 1 cup of skim milk and 1 cup of low fat grated cheddar

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Crumbed Sausages

Ingredients
8 sausages
2 teaspoons flour
6 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
Pepper & salt
375ml water
1 tablespoon butter

Method
  1. Prick sausages and roll in seasoned flour
  2. Put egg and breadcrumbs into separate shallow dishes
  3. Roll sausages into egg, then roll into breadcrumbs
  4. Heat butter in frying pan
  5. Place sausages in frypan and cook for 15-20 minutes or until browned nicely
  6. Lift sausages out. pour off nearly all the fat and add the remainder of seasoned flour in the frying pan.
  7. Stir until brown. Gradually add water and 2 tablespoons tomato sauce if liked. Strain around sausages and serve.
Nice with home-made chips and vegies.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Curried Prawns

Oh yummo!

I love prawns :D

Tonight's dinner was curried prawns. Same curry preparations that I use for the curried chicken just using prawns instead.

This time though, I processed the prawns so it was really fine throughout the curry, didn't tell the boys about prawns being in it so they ate it without complaint.

Still haven't told them they ate prawns yet hahahahahahaha

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Slow Cooker

I am loving having a slow cooker. I honestly can't believe I didn't buy one years ago. Everything tastes so much nicer.

Here is my first meal made in my SC. Beef Stroganoff & Rice.


Chicken Curry made a few nights later. Didn't even have to add rice too it, just had some bread on the side.
Can anyone say YUMMY?

Saturday, March 14, 2009

2 weeks in a Row

Now this is a bonus. My mum has invited us for dinner the last two Saturdays. What a score! Last week was Roast Beef (on my menu) and tonight is Roast Pork (also on my menu).

The extra bonus is now I have 2 roasts still in my freezer so I don't have to spend the extra on them for the next two weeks.

Isn't that exciting?

Yeah, glad you agree.

This is approximately $25-30 saving for me already this fortnight and I haven't even stepped outside the door to shop this week.

Kaching!!!!!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Five Food Groups Series - Number 3

Fruit

Savour the taste of summer with a dessert platter of mangoes, cherries, nectarines, peaches and grapes. Keep sugar-cravings at bay by snacking on fresh berries and natural yoghurt Or top off a roast dinner with a warm, hot baked apple stuffed with prunes and walnuts.

With so many different shapes and sizes, in almost every colour of the rainbow, fruit is one of nature's true delights. Packed with vitamins, minerals and natural sugar, it's also a delicious and healthier alternative to the lolly jar.

Make the most of fruit by learning what's in season. Summer brings a smorgasbord of delicious fruits - including grapes, melons, mangoes, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, strawberries and cherries. In cooler months, you can't go past crisp apples, pears, or juicy sweet oranges, mandarins and tangelos.

Fresh, poached, squeezed, baked or fried, fruit offers an enormous variety of delectable flavours and textures. It also works wonders for our digestion, teeth, gums, immunity and overall well being. As the old saying goes, 'an apple a day….'

Why is this group good for me?

Fruit is an excellent natural source of fibre - which helps our digestive systems to process food efficiently.

Fruit is also a great alternative to refined sugar snacks - packed with a wonderful combination of vitamins and minerals essential for our day-to-day wellbeing and far fewer kilojoules.

All fruits are good sources of vitamin C, but oranges, mandarins, kiwifruit, berries, grapefruit, melons and pawpaw are especially good sources of this essential vitamin, which can boost your immune system.

How many serves a day do I need?

Try to enjoy at least 2 serves of fruit every day. An example of a serve could be:

  • 1 medium sized fruit eg. apple, orange, banana, etc
  • 2 small sized fruit eg. figs, plums, nectarines, etc
  • 4 dried apricots or 1 ½ tablespoons of sultanas
  • 1 handful of fresh raspberries
  • 8 strawberries
  • 1 cup of diced fruit
  • ¼ medium melon
  • ½ cup of fruit juice

Fresh food tips

One of the few savoury fruits, avocado is a delicious and healthy alternative to butter or margarine, with only a quarter of the fat content of yellow spreads. Avocado is also a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant which is great for good health. For a quick and delicious breakfast, smooth ripe avocado on wholemeal toast with slices of vine-ripened tomato, thinly sliced mozzarella cheese, basil and some cracked pepper.

When summer heats up, start sipping on a fruity cocktail made with 300g pureed watermelon, the juice from one orange and ¼ cup of pureed strawberries. Just one fresh fruit cocktail will provide your total daily fruit intake!

For a fun barbeque dessert, try fresh fruit kebabs with banana, strawberry, kiwifruit, grapes and rockmelon. Serve on a platter with a yoghurt dip.

Slices of ripe stone fruit - such as peaches, plums and nectarines - make great additions to salads. They're also delicious cooked on the barbeque and served on a cheese platter alongside a creamy slice of camembert.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Yummy!

I've so enjoyed my meals for the last two nights.

Last night was a huge success for the first time use of a slow cooker. I'm so glad Bonnie introduced us :D

A slight change to the menu this week -

Tonight (Wednesday) will be homemade pizzas
Thursday will be curry chicken - slow cooker

Already looking forward to Thursday :D

Monday, March 9, 2009

Menu Plan Monday - Toni - 9 March 2009


Monday - Devilled Sausages & Rice

Tuesday - Beef Stroganoff

Wednesday -
Sweet & Sour Chicken

Thursday -
Homemade Pizza

Friday -
Left-Overs

Saturday -
Roast Pork & Vegies

Sunday -
Scrambled Eggs on Toast

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Sweet and Sour Chicken




Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs/ 0.7 kg boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 tbsp tomato sauce/ ketchup
1 cup water
½ cup white vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp water

Method:
Combine sauce, cup water, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in slow cooker. Stir.
Add chicken. Stir and cover. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours.
Combine cornflour and second amount of water in small bowl. Stir into slow cooker. Cook on High, stirring often for 15 – 20 minutes until thickened. Serve with rice.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Saturday Roast

Don't you love a nice roast dinner with all the trimmings?

I do. Whether its beef, pork or chicken, I love it!

We went to my parents' for dinner tonight and my mum cooked a roast beef. It was so yummy. Everyone enjoyed it but I don't think anyone did as much as Connor. The meal he had was as big as mine and he ate every bite.

Saturdays are the only days we have a nighttime meal as a family so I always try to have a roast so it was a good thing that mum made one :D

Friday, March 6, 2009

Five Food Groups Series - Number 2

Breads & Cereals

Prepare for a busy day with a hearty breakfast of homemade muesli and wholegrain toast. Fill up at lunchtime with a toasted pita pocket stuffed with tandoori chicken, bean sprouts and avocado. Or relax in the evening with a welcoming bowl of prawn, saffron and snow pea fettuccini.

Flavoursome, versatile and convenient, breads, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles are the basis of most our meals. Wholemeal grains have, on average more than twice the fibre of white bread -and wholegrains take longer to digest and keep you satisfied for longer. They provide long-lasting energy, are satisfying, and help us keep up with the demands of a busy lifestyle.

Best of all, there's no limit to the range of flavours, varieties and textures on offer. From creamy risotto to crumbly rye bread, you'll find something to suit every occasion.

Why is this group good for me?

Bread, cereal, rice, pasta & noodles are rich in carbohydrates. Wholegrain breads and cereals and all types of pasta provide slow release glucose that keeps us satisfied for longer. Whether you're a new mum, a growing child, or a busy office worker, all of us need carbohydrates for energy supply, to help our bodies function effectively.

Wholegrain and wholemeal breads and cereals are also good sources of fibre - which keeps our digestive system functioning as it should. Wholemeal and wholegrain varieties have a low glycaemic index, which means their carbohydrate is broken down slowly to form glucose and the slow-release of energy from this process helps keep us feeling full for longer.

How many serves a day do I need?

Try to have at least 4 serves every day. An example of a serve could be:

  • 1 cup of cooked pasta, noodles or porridge
  • 1 cup of cooked rice
  • 2 slices of bread or 1 medium bread roll
  • 1/2 cup of natural muesli
  • 1 cup of breakfast cereal

Fresh food tips

There's nothing like an appetising bowl of Italian-style pasta. Lightly fry some button mushrooms in a pan with onion and garlic. Add a dash of white wine, some fresh snipped oregano or thyme or finely chopped rosemary and some tomato puree and pour over freshly boiled veal tortellini. Top with a sprinkle of finely grated parmesan.

Take your tastebuds on an exotic journey with a Vietnamese beef noodle soup. Boil beef stock with lemon juice, star anise, ginger and lemon grass. Place uncooked rice noodles and strips of raw beef into bowls and cover with steaming broth. Top with fresh basil, coriander, lime, chopped chilli and bean sprouts.

Start the day with fruity French toast. Dip a thick slice of raisin bread into a bowl of whisked egg, and lightly fry it on both sides until the egg is cooked. Serve with poached peaches and ricotta cheese.

For a healthy kick-start to the day, make your own homemade muesli with rolled oats, wheatgerm, a little toasted flaked coconut, dried apricots, cashews and linseeds. Serve with slices of banana and fresh yoghurt.

Need a quick and easy dinner for two? Try this simple baked risotto. Throw 1 cup of Arborio rice into a baking dish, and add 1 ½ cups of salt-reduced vegetable stock, a small knob of butter or 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 350g of diced pumpkin. Bake for 30 minutes at 190°C until the rice is soft. Top with grated parmesan and serve.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Savoury Steak

OMG! This was tonight's dinner and it was fantastic.

I mean it!!

You really have to try this recipe.

If you do and you increase the amount of meat, make sure you increase the liquid as well.

Instead of our usual rice as a base, tonight I made mashed potato and it just rounded the meal out to perfect.

Recipe Here

Monday, March 2, 2009

Menu Plan Monday - Toni - 2 March 2009


Okay, let's go. Here's to #1 of many Menu Plan Mondays :D

Monday
Individual Pizzas

Tuesday
Chicken and Rice

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday
Roast Beef and Vegetables

Sunday
Scrambled Egg / Toasted Sandwiches