Meal Plan For January

So, January. The month of post Christmas blues and post Christmas weight! I thought I would kick the year off with some super simple, tasty, healthy meals.

Week One
Chicken and chorizo risotto
Cod with mango salsa and veg
Meatloaf and roast potatoes
Chili with a side salad
Mexican taquitos

Week Two
Jambalaya
Cottage pie
Homemade pizza
Chilli fish and veg
Homemade burgers with wedges and salad

Week Three
Sausage hotpot
Beef casserole
Falafel and yoghurt dip and salad
Chicken portions with chutney
Salmon with mash and kale
Spaghetti bolognaise

Week Four
Lasagne
Pumpkin soup with crusty rolls
Sausages and mash and assorted veg
'Left over pie'
Pork chops and veg
Spaghetti carbonara

Most weeks have one vegetarian meal and one fish meal. I also make up a batch of chicken broth and beef broth. Any left overs are either frozen or used for the leftover pie at the end of the month. Additionally, all weeks have only six meals to accommodate a change in plans necessitating and egg and baked beans quick meal or a roast at the end of the week, chosen from the discounted meat section of the local supermarket.

Chicken and chorizo risotto

Chicken and chorizo risotto

This was taken from the Tesco Real Food site.

• 4 Chicken breast, chunks
• 1/2 Chorizo sausage ring, cubed
• 350g Arborio risotto rice
• 1 1 large onion, diced
• 100g frozen peas
• 1tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2pints Vegetable stock
• 100ml White wine
• 4 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 20g parmasan cheese, grated

Make up the vegetable stock, put into a saucepan over a low heat.

Heat the olive oil in a deep sided pan. Add the chicken and chorizo and cook until chicken is cooked. Remove the meat onto a plate.

Add the onion and crushed garlic to original pan and sautee for 5-10mins until soft.

Add the rice and stir for 3min over a medium heat.

Add the wine and continue to stir until absorbed in.

Next add 1 cup of vegetable stock. Stir in and leave until soaked into the rice. Continue this until 3/4 of the stock is used.

Add the peas, chicken and chorizo, stir in.

Continue to add stock until the rice is cooked and no more is absorbed.

Turn off the heat. Add parmesan cheese, stir in and cover for 5 mins.

Serve with green salad or nice crusty bread.

Add alternative vegetables depending on what you prefer and what is in season.

Falafels

Falafels

This recipe is taken from the fabulous blog by A Girl Called Jack.

Ingredients (makes 20-30, depending on your sizes):

1 onion
400g canned chickpeas
1 tbsp (yes, really) of cumin
Handful of coriander
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp water

Bring the chickpeas to the boil in a saucepan of water, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes until very soft.

While the chickpeas are simmering away, peel and very finely chop the onion, and add to a mixing bowl with the cumin and chopped coriander.

When the chickpeas are very soft, remove from the heat. Add 2tbsp of the cooking water to the onions and spices, then drain the chickpeas and tip into the mixing bowl. Mash well with a masher until a soft pulpy mixture is formed.

Add the flour, and shape into walnut-sized balls in your hands.

Add the oil to the saucepan or a large non stick frying pan, and pop the falafels in on a medium heat. Gently shake the pan as they cook, or turn them over, to crisp all over.

Remove from the heat and place on a clean plate or surface while you make the rest of the falafels.