Whoop, whoop, whoop we have a meal plan!

So it's another #mealplanningmonday and whoop, whoop, whoop I actually have a meal plan!  I've been so rubbish at it recently always, but this week we will be having:

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Monday: 
Almond pilav & left overs  
Tuesday:  
Thyme & taleggio quinoa
Wednesday: 
White bait & rocket salad
Thursday: Stew and dumplings 
Friday:  
Pumpkin & chickpea pasta
Saturday: 
Cheesey gnocchi
Sunday:  
Salmon, boiled potatoes & spinach





Bulgar Wheat Pilav
Monday to Wednesday, littl'un is at nursery so it's adults only.  Am on a big effort to be more thrifty this month and increase amount of nuts I eat as they are super valuable when you're a veggie.

The bulgar wheat almond pilav in Nigel Slater's Real Fast Food is a great for both of these.  You just simmer about 100g/4oz of bulgar wheat (per person) in veg stock for 8 minutes whilst toasting a couple of tablespoons of flaked almonds under grill. Once stock all absorbed add almonds and 25g/1oz of butter and leave to stand in pan with lid on for 8 minutes.

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Whilst it's standing I warm up any random left overs or cupboard stand bys - anything from left over veg, houmous, boiled potatoes, some frozen peas, a handful of sultanas and serve with the pilav as a kind of mezze.  I was a bit nervous about adding random stuff but my completely brilliant middle eastern cookbook from Arto der Haroutunian makes clear this is just what mums there would do!

Converting the Carnivore
From Thursday to Sunday, I'll be trying again to get littl'un to enjoy new flavours and textures - apart from meat - so her taste buds get used to new stuff, (apparently takes about 6 weeks), and so she starts to believe she likes new things rather than instinctively pushing them away.

The dumplings aren't exactly super healthy or increasing her veg intake but as they're pretty close in texture to cake they're close to something she knows she adores but a bit different.  We''ll make a batch of basic meat stew for her that will give us 4 or 5 freezable portions and then adapt the Leek and Walnut Steamed Pudding from  Leith's Vegetable Bible - recipe next week when I report how we got on - for the veggies and as a side for littl'un.

Inspired by a conversation with Mummy Mishaps on Twitter I am also going to be stricter about there being no alternative.  I tried this out last night when she shoved away her salmon and spuds and prepared to sulk.  Apart from complementing her on what good salmon she had picked at the fish monger I just said there was nothing else and ignored her.  In the end with a little bit quite a lot of help she ate it all and enjoyed it!  Whoop, whoop, whoop!

If you're struggling with a fussy eater do come and moan and groan about it with me on Facebook! And if like me you're just getting going with meal planning you might like some of these ideas on Pinterest.

I'm linking this post up with the fabulous #mealplanningmonday parties at At Home with Mrs M, Meatless Mondays and I'm An Organizing Junkie - please do check them out for lots more meal planning ideas.