Friday 21 January 2011

Eat, Pray, Enlightenment with Jamie Oliver.......

At times, the relentless meal making gets me down. I get so bored with my usual creations but don't have the time or interest to dedicate to new elaborate recipes every night. I'm probably suffering from winter jadedness, (it is too a real word!) In the spring, summer and autumn I seem to get inspiration from the garden produce but winter is just not that inspiring.

I'm not a fan of ready meals, preferring to cook from scratch, but sometimes, after writing all day, I surface for air and find that it is almost time for school pick up. This is a time when fear strikes my heart, a time when I realise that the sproglets and hubby will soon need feeding.

The Entrepreneur came to stay recently, she's so glam and seems to knows everything [honest!]  She brought me a gorgeous present Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals. It is a bloody revelation. He's made me think about planning ahead. I'm on a mission now: Meal planning for 30 days. Mrs Beaton'd be proud.

I'm not saying I'm following his recipes exactly, his are possibly a bit zingy for my gang, I like spice - they do not, but I'm mixing and matching from his book. I've written out a list of the meals I can do from my own repertoir and teaming them with puddings or sweet offerings. The second course seems to be most essential to the sproglets who ask, long before the first forkful of dinner is raised to their lips,

'What's for pudding?'

Normally I haven't thought that far ahead, being of a more savoury persuasion.

However my list is forming beautifully and with a 30 day plan I should be able to ensure ingredients are bought and in the dairy (pantry) or freezer ready for use that week. Here's some yummy examples:
  • Italian tray-baked fish, potato wedges and salad with Jamie's Cheesecake
  • Roast chicken and veg followed by apple crumble
  • Spaghetti, home made meat balls and salad with chocolate muffins, cream and banana
  • Slow Cooker Ham, peas and potatoes and Jamie's Pear Tartlets
  • .......... I'm inspired and on a roll...............
Needless to say I'll be having weeny portions, in case the Weight-Watcher Police knock on the door, but I'd rather have a little of yummy than lots of boring...wouldn't you?

If you've got any good, tasty, fast combinations you'd care to share let us know.....It's Movie Night here in The Larches tonight so we're having home made meat-feast pizza followed by Jamie's Banoffee Pie.... Deeee-lish.

Happy weekend gang.

BTW I'm tweeting nowadays too....... what the hell is THAT about?????

9 comments:

  1. ha ha am on tweeter too, I thot jamie olivers meals were supposed to be healthy?

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  2. What a feast going on over there! All sounds delicious, although not sure how helpful with WW?! But like you say, a little of the yummy stuff is better that the boooooring rabbit food eh! Do you always have dessert?

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  3. Can't bear Jamie O but do love his food. I too struggle with the daily grind of deciding what to eat and rarely buy ready meals, always cooking from scratch. I'm constantly amazed that after 18 months back in the UK we still haven't had a takeaway but I'm hopelessly disorganised about meals and find myself in the supermarket most days which is not good use of time. Twitter.... just can't seem to find the time. I'd get even less done that I do now. Will send you some nice recipes when I find where I put them. All simple.... just like me;)

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  4. We reckon Jamie is lying when he calls them '30 minute meals'. It would take me that long just to chop up the ingredients he uses. lol.

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  5. I have followed you on tweeter or sould that be time waster. I have heard that the lastest book has lots of ingredients so am waiting to hear more about it

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  6. Joanna St James: I really don't get Tweeter, might need to investigate further and Jamie's food has definitely got a 'naughty' edge to it this season.

    Victoria: I'm not a fan of dessert, but the active sproglets are hollow tubes, constantly starving .... I think they have an expectation thanks to the excellent school puds! Wylye Girl:

    Big mamma frog: Actually I've tried several recipes and you can do it in 30 mins BUT you need to shop ahead and the ingredients are a little pricey for every day.

    TheMadHouse: How could following me be a waste of your time? It's me, Lou, we're talking about - rural disaster is my middle name!

    Jamie's good too!

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  7. Yep, a little of yum is better than a lot of glum! I too put that on my new year's resolution list, to cook a few new meals per month otherwise we're neck-deep in food doldrums and starving to death. Planning ahead helps a ton! Your meals sound super delish, btw :)

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  8. I just spent about half a day in Tescos (or Stresscos as one of my friends calls is) - I have now added 'can't shop' to my list of 'can't cook, can't clean, can't sew....'

    Tried Twittering twice. Both times to my husband who was sitting (and Twitting) at the other end of the table on his laptop. Wondered what the bloody hell I was doing...... But I have just learned how to do Facebook - not very good at it yet but getting better. Now all I need is to get up to date with my thousand e-mails........

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  9. Technodoll: Thanks... must remember that: Yum vs Glum

    MadameSmokinGun: Can't 'do' shopping either but have recently migrated from Tesco deliveries to Asda deliveries, better, faster website and cheaper.

    Really not getting Tweeting, promise I'm trying, but just don't get it!

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The Archers at The Larches

Lou - Chicken whisperer....

Lou - Chicken whisperer....

Snowy and Moon

Snowy and Moon