Thermomix Menu Plans - 13th February

Valentine's Day is less than a day away! Do you have any special treats planned? I've been posting some ideas of things to make on my Facebook Page today - have a look if you need some inspiration. ♥ And guess what? For the next 24 hours I'm having a special Valentine's Day Giveaway!

I'm spreading some love, with this Oneida silverware butter knife!

I fell in love with all the beautiful, stamped silverware from Beach House Living a few months ago, and finally managed to get some sent over. They're so pretty. Rita was very kind and sent me two extra butter knives with 'Spread Love' stamped on them - so I gave one to my Grandma (who has spread so much love in her lifetime that I really felt she deserved one!), and I kept one to give to one of you! Who will it be?

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment
on this post telling us what special food you will be making
for Valentine's Day... or what you would like to make.
And 24 hours after this post has gone 'live',  I'll draw
the winner by random selection using Random.org.

So don't forget to comment!

*     *     *     *     *

Valentine's Day has always been a family day for us - heart shaped cut-out cookies decorated with pink, red and white icing, a chocolate beside each plate when we get up in the morning, heart shaped scones for breakfast, homemade valentines for everyone, a luscious chocolate dessert after dinner... simple things that make the day fun and special.

This Valentine's Day will be a little different - for the next few weeks my two eldest kids and I are not eating cacao/cocoa/chocolate (help!!) or sugar (except a little bit of green stevia and some fruit, and maybe a tiny bit of raw honey), as little grains as possible (and those we have are only gluten free), no dairy (as usual), and my daughter can't have fruits that are high in sugar either. The reason for all this is that my son is having bad allergies due to a leaky gut. (The little bits of wheat and dairy and who know what else that he's eaten when I've been busy or he's been out have made little holes in his gut wall, which is what causes the allergy attacks.) So he needs foods that won't irritate the gut lining, but will heal it. And my daughter has had swollen glands ever since she had a bad cough late last year. Turns out she has high blood sugar levels too. So we're on a 'healing foods' diet to fix things. Then we'll be able to have a little chocolate and natural sweeteners again. :) Looks like a chocolate-less Valentine's and Easter... unless I can figure out a white chocolate recipe that's dairy free and sugar free... I'm on a mission! I'll let you know how I go.

Here's my menu plan for this week - I hope you're inspired to plan your menu too, it really helps save time and frustration. If you have a website or public facebook page where you post your menu plan, I'd love you to link up to this post so we can all see it. (How to link up and How to menu plan)

Monday:
(lunch) Sweet potato wedges, raw vege sticks, boiled eggs (tmx)
(dinner) Brown rice risotto - made with baked pumpkin, spinach and macadamia cheese (still having a little rice now and then, but lots of salad & veges to help cut it down)

Tuesday - Valentine's Day!
(lunch) Maybe some heart shaped boiled eggs! And salmon patties (tinned salmon, lemon juice, shallots, egg, buckwheat flour - shallow fried) with my homemade mayonnaise and raw vege sticks

(See this article from The Food Blog for a recipe and explanation of how to make mayonnaise and why homemade is better, and some great info on why healthy fats and less grains are better than lots of wholegrains and low fat!)

Fruit flowers & hearts for afternoon tea

(a homeschool project for the kids)

Valentine's Day Dinner:

Lamb roast with baked sweet potatoes,

green leafy salad & pink beetroot salad
(add some homemade mayo to the TM beetroot salad)

Dessert: 

Strawberries dipped in raw white chocolate (I hope)

on top of frozen berry fruity dream

Wednesday:
(lunch) Tuna salad
(dinner) Steak with mushroom sauce (tmx), baked sweet potatoes, and a big green salad

Thursday:
(lunch) Raw tomato pasta (tmx) on 'zoodles' (zucchini noodles)
(dinner) Butter chicken (made with coconut cream - from the Thermomix Indian Cookbook) on 'Mock Rice' (made in tmx with cauliflower - grain free)

Friday:
(lunch) Turkey meatballs in cos lettuce wraps; raw vege sticks; quinoa & chia seed flatbread
(dinner) Mexican quinoa, grain free wraps, salad

Watch my video clip about making wraps with Mexican Quinoa -
and here's my spelt tortilla recipe if you'd rather that one.

Saturday:
(lunch) Mexican quinoa in wraps with salad (leftovers)
(dinner) Fish & vege stir fry with mung bean noodles (tmx) and green salad

Sunday:
(lunch) Morrocan lamb (using leftover lamb from roast) on cauliflower 'mash' (both tmx) & green salad
(dinner) Leftovers, salad

So what's on the menu at your place? Link up, and don't forget to leave a comment. And make sure you tell us what you're making for Valentine's Day so you can be in the prize draw for the "Spread Love" butter knife! Have a great week :)