Menu Plan Monday - 29th December

What's on the menu this week? I've decided to get organised with the help of orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday! For me, meals depend on what comes in my vege box (I buy my veges through a local CSA, so they're fresh, in season, local and organic), what's in my freezer, and what's on special at the shops. I'm working on cleaning out my freezer at the moment, as it's getting a bit full. I buy as much as possible in bulk - organic rice, seeds & grains (I grind my own flour), nuts, dried fruit, organic chicken, whole beef rumps, etc. So sometimes I just need to organize and clean out my freezer so I know what I've got in there, before dashing off to buy something else!

This week I have lots of over-ripe bananas, so today I've got to use them up (banana cream pie and gf banana-berry cake, plus freezing some for smoothies). Also, once I get my vege box on Tuesday I'll have lots of silverbeet, spring onions, carrots and asian greens (fried rice). And lots of eggplants (mousakka and ratatoulie). This is the plan . . .

Monday: Leftover roast chicken and veges chopped up, with gravy, on toast (easy leftover dinner) & leftover Christmas desserts.

Tuesday: Games night with friends - Marinated chicken wings, fried rice (brown rice, lots of veges), salad (brought by friend who makes the BEST salads!), spelt bread rolls, and a gluten, dairy & sugar free banana cream pie (adapted from Gluten Free Girl's recipe at http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/2008/12/banana-cream-pie-gluten-free-and-dairy.html).

Wednesday: Mousakka (mostly dairy free except for some cheese); and Breudher (a traditional Dutch New Year's yeast cake) for a New Years' Eve supper we're going to.

Thursday: New Year's Day
Breakfast - Breudher (warmed in oven) & fruit
Lunch - poppy rolls (made ahead & frozen, then cooked before lunch) & salad (Daddy will be at work)
Dinner - garlic prawns, homemade crumbed calamari (using crumbs from my spelt bread), baked potatoes & salad

Friday: Potluck dinner at friends house - taking homemade pizzas & Gateau au Chocolate with Berry Nougat.

Saturday: Fish pie with mashed potato topping, salad.

Sunday: Crockpot chicken baked in homemade tomato sauce w/ sliced carrots; and brown rice and salad.

Lunches at our house are usually leftovers, salads, homemade bread or tortillas, a quick Thermomix risotto or pasta dish, or a soup using up leftovers and veges that need using. Salads tend to be made from whatever salad veges I have in the fridge, plus whatever interesting things I have on hand to add a bit of pizzazz - eg. marinated artichoke hearts, fetta cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds, kalamata olives, sundried tomato strips, salmon, etc. I always try to keep some interesting things in the cupboard to add to salads, or to top pizzas with - two quick and easy meals!