I've had a few emails recently asking if I would share my monthly menu plan, and I'm most happy to oblige!
Just a note, though, if you are a hard-core meat eater who needs to consume a bloody 600 gram steak at breakfast - the menu plan is mostly vegetarian. We do eat a little meat, but that's it - only a little. We're sort of the opposite of what Paul McCartney is trying to achieve: instead of Meat Free Mondays, we have Meat On Mondays. Well, not always Mondays, but you know what I mean! I have no personable objection to eating meat, but as an environmentalist I am very aware of the impact that meat production has on our environment, so try to limit the amount we consume as part of my ongoing commitment to reducing my footprint. However, I do also have a growing child, so I also don't want her to miss out on any vital nutrients that meat does so readily provide. I feel that by eating meat only once a week it's the best happy medium I can come up with at this time.
(And for anybody who is going to have major issues with this, I will take the opportunity to remind you that we don't own a car, we only fly once every 10 years, and we try to be as plastic free as possible. If you still have issues with all that, then there are plenty of other blogs to read. You are most welcome to leave this one and engage with them instead. There, that's said!)
Anyway, enough of the blather, let's get to the menus!
I'll provide links to recipes if I use them directly from a website. If they are from a recipe book, then I'll link to the book. If the recipe has no link, then the recipe is one of my own that I have invented over the years. Hope you like it, and that it inspires your own menu planning.
Week One
Monday - Vegetable curry with paneer and saffron rice
Tuesday - Carrot fritters with avocado salad
Wednesday - Roasted vegetable tart with rocket salad
Thursday - Spaghetti with zucchini and cherry tomatoes, with garden salad
Friday - Vegetarian sausages with potato salad and corn on the cob
Saturday - Tacos, with beany tomato mix and coleslaw
Sunday - Macaroni and cheese (with peas, broccoli and zucchini)
Week Two
Monday - Spring vegetable soup with garlic bread (from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson)
Tuesday - Spaghetti and meatballs
Wednesday - Tofu and vegetable noodle stir fry
Thursday - Cauliflower and lentil pilaf with minted yoghurt
Friday - Cheese, tomato, mushroom and spinach omelets with salad
Saturday - Pizza (toppings vary, but probably mushroom and capsicum, and roasted veg and feta, with rocket)
Sunday - Lentil spaghetti bolognaise with feta, and salad
Week Three
Monday - Roast chicken with salads (roast chicken a la Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef)
Tuesday - Sweet potato and zucchini risotto (any left of chicken will be sprinkled on top before serving)
Wednesday - Spicy Mexican bean soup
Thursday - Creamy mushroom parpadelle with rocket salad
Friday - Tofu burgers with sweet potato wedges
Saturday - Picnic cob with salad (like this recipe but without meat)
Sunday - Silverbeet spanakopita with roasted tomatoes
Week Four
Monday - Lentil and ricotta cannelloni with garden salad
Tuesday - Chilli lime and tomato risotto
Wednesday - Spicy beef stir fry with noodles
Thursday - Spiced carrot and lentil soup with garlic bread
Friday - Zucchini and smoked salmon pasta with salad
Saturday - Bean burgers with coleslaw
Sunday - Falafels with all the trimmings
So, whaddya think? Let me know if you want me to write out each monthly menu plan as I do them. Whew, all this food talk has made me hungry. Time for lunch!
YUM! I'd like to move in with you!
ReplyDeleteI second that "Yum"! Definitely would love you to share this each month. I am constantly looking for inspiration and personally preferring vegetarian this is a fantastic springboard. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCan I come and live at your place for the next month? I would LOVE all your menu plans - you're the one that got me hooked on carrot, rasin, cream cheese sandwiches from your FANTASTIC school lunch menu many moons ago!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. The paneer curry looks great, will have to try out tomorrow with the paneer in the fridge.
ReplyDeleteOH WOW! That look so yum! Pleeease keep posting these!
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGosh, I need to do this too. I never plan menus ahead. Yours looks delish. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI gather you've had some rather aggressive messages/comments about being 90% vego? Astonishing. We're on a similar journey and have meat about 3 days a week, occasionally 4. It will reduce again in time. It's so much less meat than my parents eat they struggle when they visit. We plan a week in advance.
ReplyDeleteWOW!Thankyou (I feel like you have answered my comment personally - presumptive maybe but I'll go with that!). All sounds very yummy and I'm inspired to plan more - ta
ReplyDeleteThis all looks yummy! I'd be interested to know if you stick to this plan or not. I constantly make weekly meal plans only to `fancy` something else on day 2 or for circumstances to change and the having to replan the day! Or maybe that's just me being unorganisef :-)
ReplyDeleteHurro!
ReplyDeleteWe generally stick to it 90% of the time. People often ask me "but what if you don't fancy what is on the menu?", but since I'm writing the menu I only ever put things on it that I want to eat! Problem solved!
However, we do have nights where it all falls apart - somebody might be sick, we've had a really busy day, etc, so we always keep plenty of pasta and tins of tomatoes in the cupboard to whip up a quick no-fuss meal instead of the more elaborate meal that might have been designated for that night, and then try and use up the ingredients for the original meal asap.
Love the concept of you publishing
ReplyDeletethis format, gives me a few ideas
for different uses of vegetables.
Well done. x