Meal Planning Monday

Tonight I am posting the meal plan, in the vain hope mostly of sticking to it! I woke up Saturday full of cold and its now progressed to today where I've lost my voice and rather amusingly on a phone call at work, they commented that they felt like the should be paying for the call, which made my husky voice even worse by laughing so hard it left me a little speechless! Am soooo annoyed at yet another bug! In the space of two months I've already had a bout of Sinusitis and a cold, so frankly waking up with this has left me pondering what can I do to boost my immune system?!

Sometimes I can't help but wonder if its a result of when I was restricting my diet during the FODMAP trial a few months back, I did the first part quite a while due to holidays and things going on, plus I had a fair amount of stress going on - some good and some bad! Don't get me wrong it really did help when I stuck religiously to it but most re-introductions left me a bit confused even with the support of my lovely dietitian! Nowadays I have figured out a few of my triggers and either avoid them or try to avoid mixing too many FODMAP's together. Right now though my sore throat is craving Honey and nothing else will substitute!!

Meal planning has been a bit hit and miss the past few months. My job has been through a peak of the project and I've quite often been exhausted to even make what we had planned and we often had a takeaway! Also I am trying to run down the cupboards, which doesn't always mean much excitement! Sardine noodles anyone?! Though I do have a very good reason for running down the cupboards - as we are finally going to be getting a home all of our own in the New Year!! Its something I thought at one point would never happen but finally the stars have aligned and now we are just waiting for the date! I can't honestly wait to have my own kitchen again after 5 years of sharing!!

So this week, depending on germ status:

Smoked salmon fillets and orzo with sauteed green beans and courgettes 

Leftover ragu risotto 

Garlic sausage fusilli 

Smoked mackerel frittata, potato wedges 

Sweet chilli pork stir fry with noodles 

Have a great week!

Smoked Mackerel and veggie packed Buckwheat-otto

Soooo.. its been a while! I had completely lost my blogging mojo and over the past year I've really been questioning in general how much I share and how much time I spend online. Tweeting this, Instagramming that, posting various things on Facebook and updating on other groups meant there was not enough time leftover just for me and so I decided enough is enough, no more blogging and a real cut back of being online. So I did nothing. Absolutely nothing. And its lovely to do nothing. The last year or so has frankly been far too stressful (though there were some good things too) and it was taking a toll on my health and so I took a month off. My inbox is full but it doesn't bother me anymore. My blog has only ever meant to be a hobby and I had been thinking about giving up entirely but I will hang in a bit longer and see how I feel.. 9 years is a long time!!

These winter nights are not helping either with the blogging!! Everything I photograph looks odd and I've spent ages trying to adjust the colour balance!! Fingers crossed in the new year we may also be in pastures new...hopefully with much better lighting too!! Though the whole process is the part of my current stress levels, it will be worth it in the end! I've already decided summer cannot come around quick enough - our current kitchen is freezing and I am currently huddled under my snuggie blanket typing, thawing out from cooking our dinner tonight!!

Comfort food is definitely winning at the moment and this is one of those dishes! I am following my FODMAP about 80% of the time and whilst I think I've worked out both wheat and dairy are not my BFF's, we are alright mates if we don't hang out too frequently! I missed bread to much to carry on long term, also with it being the 'C' season I've been eating out a lot and doing FODMAP + restaurants is always a bad idea!! I have been avoiding garlic but a little in this would be probably rather lovely!!

A few months back when I started re-assessing my diet, I discovered Buckwheat, which isn't actually a type of wheat and is more grain like in texture. Its slightly nutty and its really versatile - it soaks up flavours brilliantly too and I've been making lots of risotto style dishes with it. This dish is also a one pan winner - less washing up is always good!! Its also fairly cheap to make, in a month full of annual type bills its very welcome! 

Serves 3

Ingredients

100g buckwheat

200g smoked peppered mackerel, skinned and shredded

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1/2 courgette, cut into strips

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 small stick of celery, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

5 tbsp parmesan, grated

1/2 tbsp herbs de provence

2 tbsp basil leaves, chopped

S&P to taste

Soak the buckwheat for about 10 minutes in cold water and rinse well. (This helps to remove any wheaty dust etc but isn't the end of the world if you forget!)

Heat a glug of olive oil in a saute pan till hot and fry the carrot and celery for 5 minutes, until starting to soften and then stir in the remaining veggies and fry until the courgette is starting to become lightly golden - about 5 minutes. 

Stir in the prepared buckwheat, herbs de provence and add the tomatoes. Fill the empty tin with water and pour over, cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed, stirring every 5-10 minutes.

Fold in the prepared mackerel and half the parmesan and heat through. Scatter over the basil and remaining parmesan and serve

Serve in big bowls and enjoy!

Monday Meal Plan

Ahh I feel like such a bad blogger! Honestly I still cook but trying to cook + blog my FODMAP diet and all the fun that entailed + life in general it all got a bit too much! Plus I have lots of exciting stuff going on and its been crazy busy and its left little time for my little blog! I don't want to tempt fate.... but crossed toes and fingers we are on the move....! 

Last week it was my boyfriends and a good friends birthday, which means cake and lots of it so I relaxed a little on the FODMAP rules and also skipped a week of 'reintroduction' I've kinda figured out wheat is a little naughty but in moderation...its okay... plus I missed croissants too much! Dairy is also...a little dodgy I think but again... all in moderation...plus when PMT comes along it blows it out the park so to speak so it was a needed 'week off'!

This week is fairly simple, a mix of favourites and mostly FODMAP friendly. I am a little addicted to Halloumi and have now converted a few more last weekend at a BBQ we hosted for my B's birthday - I made my loved Bacon and Halloumi salad but without the potatoes, as I'd already made potato salad and figured we had enough carbs!! For this weeks lunches, I prepped ahead last night and made a tray of roasted veggies, with smoky chunks of chorizo and a scattering of halloumi crumbed up - my golly it made for a good lunch box today! If only they would invent smell-o-vision!

Bacon & spinach omelette, new potato salad 

(need to use up some leftover bacon)

Spag bol

(gluten free spaghetti)

 

Squash and halloumi fritters, sauteed courgettes

(trying to figure out a plan for half a chunk of halloumi!)

 

Grilled gammon steaks, fried egg, roasted new potatoes, sauteed cavolo nero 

(a favourite of ours!)

Smoked salmon & veggie filled rice paper wraps, edamame to start

(really liking some rice paper wraps I bought a few weeks back, sort of DIY supper!)

Monday Meal Plan

Sorry I've been slacking - I had a good excuse though - I was very busy drinking Sangria watching the sunset over the mountains in Spain! Despite knowing most beverages fairly well, for some reason I had never overly tried Sangria before and towards the end of the holiday and not being put off it despite one of the guidebook descriptions I was pleasantly surprised - it was a little like pimms but sort of red winey too.. either way very refreshing after another busy day spent reading and lazing by the pool! The picture doesn't quite do it justice- was more fish bowl sized!!

Now I am back home (sob, sob!) Meal planning is back in swing, though I'm still on the FODMAP reintroduction phase which makes it essential in the form of planning but also hard as most things I want to eat are off limits and its hard to stay inspired at times!

This week is super busy - have a full week back at work along with planned cinema trips, friends over, other friend staying with us and a dreaded 2nd root canal treatment on Friday!! 

Curried Corned beef hash, made with extra veg (basically using up some leftovers!) alongside some roasted marrow and carrots 

Chorizo & Cheddar omelette, new potatoes, buttered Kale

Smoky tomato Slow cooked pork stew, rice 

Sardine and pepper stir fry and rice noodles 

(I have never had sardines and I am really unsure about them but need to boost up my calcium levels!)

Dentist in the afternoon... dinner will be most likely either involving porridge or gravy!

An InLinkz Link-up

Meal Planning Monday w/c 22/08/16

Today is a special day. Its bread day! Now that might not seem very exciting, however when you have not eaten real bread in hmmm maybe 10 weeks actually eating a 'real' sliced is quite exciting!! Not some pappy, dense stuff that makes you really question how much you wanted to eat. Don't even start me on the 'freefrom' crumpets I had yesterday morning - they were a real big disappointment and I struggled to finish them! The reason why its bready day is that last week I met with my lovely Dietitian, who commented how well I had stuck to the FODMAP so strictly (not often as a patient I have been told I am good, I am usually the awkward one who can't tolerate half the meds they want to give me and never conform to how plans should work!) and so after going through the re-introduction and inside nervously thinking how on earth will I manage this I had a long hard chat with myself - I survived nearly 8 weeks of elimination and got this far, we can do this!

To manage the re-intro is a bit of a challenge in itself however meal planning is essential to keep my head straight as you have to have a small portion of one the ingredients on the naughty list, double the next day, and double again the third day! Whilst still eliminating everything else and regardless of the results and if I tolerate it, you have to then not have said ingredient until all completed. Hmm! In my head I think I will try every Monday to re-introduce something though to the Wednesday...

Unfortunately after several really good weeks my IBS flared on Saturday on the tail end of a funny reaction to some pain meds, so I held out till today to re-introduction start. I so hope I can eat real bread again long term!

So this weeks plan is:

Corned beef hash, carrots, kale 

(B's favourite and was requested!)

Basa parcels, courgette and pepper rice noodles 

(easy dinner as getting my hair done!)

Chicken and aubergine pilaff, bread and butter 

(A new recipe cut out from a magazine, have made similar dishes before so hopefully good! The bread addition is part of my FODMAP challenge!)

Mini turkey meat loaves, homemade tomato sauce, buckwheat mash 

(May wrap the meatloaves in bacon...)

Gammon steaks, fried eggs, crispy potatoes 

(Friday night easy dinner!)

An InLinkz Link-up

Meal Planning Monday W/C 15/08/16

Ooops I missed last week! I had a plan on paper, well my excel sheet but I knew the week was going to busy and subject to change so I never blogged it on purpose! The week flew by, Monday saw the arrival of my dad back from a long holiday and for once the M25 was kind to me and didn't take too long to get him back from the drop off point. However it still meant I was not going to be home anytime before 7pm so we ended up getting a Chinese takeaway! Fortunately one near to us actually are very good about food intolerances and allergies and were really helpful and I managed to navigate the menu and still enjoy my dinner! In the end I had chicken wings, chicken with cashew nuts and boiled rice. Not entirely FODMAP but about the closest I could get! 

The original plan that night was actually for slow cooked pork steaks - I thought I could get home from work, stick them on the back of the hob on low and then let them gently simmer away.. however that would of required prep the night before.. and we actually ended up spending most of the afternoon and late into the night in our local A&E as my boyfriend hurt his knee at cricket! Fortunately nothing is broken but he is rather uncomfortable whilst it heals up. Then on Friday night I managed to take a tumble at home when a stall I was using to put some boxes on top of the wardrobe gave way and I  have ended up a little bruised and scratched so we are a right pair!! 

We did eat a few new things last week - on one of the nights we had some leftover ham slices that needed using up and I made mini baked ham and egg cups - alongside roasted green beans and new potatoes. An easy dinner and was a popular dish!

Some other choices...well may have been made under the influence slightly.... I was next door at my friends... we have opened some wine my Dad bought back... then a bottle of bourbon got opened... then I admitted I'd bought some Pigeon breasts... and well after discussion whether we could get dinner quicker than the Chinese takeaway could arrive... we did indeed manage dinner in 20 minutes! I made stir fried pigeon with 5 spice, aubergine and peppers, really quite excellent basmati rice dressed with sesame oil and very randomly we also heated up some ragu I'd made in case there was not enough meat for the boys! The pigeon wasn't bad at all, quite gamey.

So this week is a little flexible - I am meeting with the dietitian tomorrow to discuss the re-introduction phase of FODMAP (I'm scared!) so I have made a loose meal plan!

Bacon wrapped cod fingers. Green beans and polenta chips 

(only just taken the cod out of the freezer oops! Saw it on tv looked good...)

Quorn 'Chicken' Spanish style with potatoes and tomatoes and chorizo 

(My dad found me gluten free chorizo yay!)

Ikea meatballs for b, me - Salmon fillet. New potatoes and

(two meals as meatballs been in the freezer forever!)

Slow cooked bbq pork steaks, buckwheat mash

(aka last weeks dinner!)

I have root canal booked. B can have ready made pork tortellini!

(goodbye money!)

An InLinkz Link-up