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Meal Planning – As Simple As Salad

June 24, 2014 by SimplyBeingMum

We’re in a routine here at Chez Wright.

Meal-planning is a must.

(Learn how I meal-plan here)

Meal planning tends to happen Thursday night or Friday morning as part of my No Waste Tastes Great routine.

The meal plan is displayed for all to see on the kitchen board.

IMG_4249

Rarely do I plan the same meals each week (although I concede this may make life easier) but we do typically stick to homemade pizza on a Saturday. This is a little bit of a tradition. I do like my traditions.

And this is typically how I (or we if the Kids fancy getting their hands doughy also) make that pizza.

pizzahearts

Although since I have discovered fresh pizza dough in Aldi, I’ve been a bit of a shortcut-queen. Watch my YouTube video where I express my love here 🙂

This Saturday, the usual pizza was sidelined for a smoked salmon salad.

IMG_4716

Salad was never a meal I used to prepare or enjoy.  I’m not a massive green leaf fan. But then I discovered balsamic vinegar. Vinegar has always saved the day. As a child I would not eat my Sunday roast until my Mom had a Eureka moment and poured mint sauce all over it. I still have mint sauce with every roast.

My appreciation of salads has grown and grown.

This is because they are:

1. Generally no-cook

2. Simple

3. Healthy (well mostly)

4. Great for keeping waste down

5. A fantastic emergency meal

In my Fridge each week I keep some baby leaf salad (and store it in pyrex with kitchen towel to absorb moisture – this seems to be keeping it fresher longer).

I also buy pre-cooked fish (purchased from Aldi usually) – salmon or mackerel. And keep tinned tuna in the cupboard.

In my storecupboard I also keep unsalted cashews and balsamic vinegar.

Just these 4 items can rustle up a meal. By adding in extra salad such as peppers, cucumber, fruit or olives, and maybe a little pasta – it makes a substantial meal. Served with wholemeal pitta bread (which I always keep in the freezer) there’s a tasty nutritious simple meal on the table in less than 5 minutes. With no pots and pans to wash and dry.

Salad makes a great save when it comes to potential food waste. Unsure what to do with the extra chicken, leftover from dinner, that was planned for fajitas?

IMG_4719

Make a salad, for lunch, the next day!

I’m looking for inspiration? What great salads do you rustle up? What combinations should we all try?

Filed Under: Simple Meal Planning, Simple Recipes Tagged: Aldi, balsamic vinegar, fridge, homemade pizza, meal planning, pizza dough, salad, simple family meals, simple healthy meals, simple salads, smoked salmon salad

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rachel Jonat (@racheljonat) says

    June 24, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    Chopped salad is my go to for lunches right now. Salad leaves tend to be my food waste undoing so I only use them occasionally. Instead of salad leaves I thinly slice cabbage, grate a carrot and then mix in whatever else we have: sliced almonds, peppers, chicken, raisins, chopped grapes, grated or chopped apple, balsamic dressing (of course!) or half an avocado mashed up with some lemon juice and spices (instant easy dressing), chopped walnuts, sometimes feta cheese. I usually chop enough of the base for the next day’s lunch.

    Reply
    • simplybeingmum says

      June 26, 2014 at 8:42 am

      Agree vegetables make a great base for salads, particularly as I too do seem to lose a lot of leaves. Putting in glass with kitchen towel seems to be helping though.
      Love the sound of the avocado!

      Reply
  2. Rachel Jonat (@racheljonat) says

    June 24, 2014 at 1:20 pm

    Chopped salad is my go to for lunches right now. Salad leaves tend to be my food waste undoing so I only use them occasionally. Instead of salad leaves I thinly slice cabbage, grate a carrot and then mix in whatever else we have: sliced almonds, peppers, chicken, raisins, chopped grapes, grated or chopped apple, balsamic dressing (of course!) or half an avocado mashed up with some lemon juice and spices (instant easy dressing), chopped walnuts, sometimes feta cheese. I usually chop enough of the base for the next day’s lunch.

    Reply
    • simplybeingmum says

      June 26, 2014 at 8:42 am

      Agree vegetables make a great base for salads, particularly as I too do seem to lose a lot of leaves. Putting in glass with kitchen towel seems to be helping though.
      Love the sound of the avocado!

      Reply
  3. streatfoodco says

    June 24, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    Using a couple of the ingredients that you mentioned you love, I would suggest a Greek style salad with baby leaves, chopped vine tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese and black olives. I make a simple dressing using low fat Greek yoghurt with a couple of teaspoons of mint sauce mixed in, seasoned with salt and black pepper, I sometimes add 1/2 a teaspoon of garlic powder too. Greek yoghurt is a great, low fat, base ingredient to many dressings or marinades so I can always use up a small pot within a couple of days.

    Crispy fried chopped Panetta is also great in salad, combined with sweet red pepper, fried off in the same pan with a dash a balsamic vinegar to enhance the sweetness. It also tastes great with chicken if you want to make it more substantial.

    I definitely agree with the nut and salad combo. I always have a bag of Aldi’s mixed nuts in my cupboard, it includes almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, cashews and pecans. I usually just crush a handful and throw them on… great value at just over a £1 per bag too!

    Reply
    • simplybeingmum says

      June 26, 2014 at 8:42 am

      All of that sounds good but I would have expected nothing less! 😉

      Reply
  4. streatfoodco says

    June 24, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    Using a couple of the ingredients that you mentioned you love, I would suggest a Greek style salad with baby leaves, chopped vine tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese and black olives. I make a simple dressing using low fat Greek yoghurt with a couple of teaspoons of mint sauce mixed in, seasoned with salt and black pepper, I sometimes add 1/2 a teaspoon of garlic powder too. Greek yoghurt is a great, low fat, base ingredient to many dressings or marinades so I can always use up a small pot within a couple of days.

    Crispy fried chopped Panetta is also great in salad, combined with sweet red pepper, fried off in the same pan with a dash a balsamic vinegar to enhance the sweetness. It also tastes great with chicken if you want to make it more substantial.

    I definitely agree with the nut and salad combo. I always have a bag of Aldi’s mixed nuts in my cupboard, it includes almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, cashews and pecans. I usually just crush a handful and throw them on… great value at just over a £1 per bag too!

    Reply
    • simplybeingmum says

      June 26, 2014 at 8:42 am

      All of that sounds good but I would have expected nothing less! 😉

      Reply
  5. Live and Learn says

    June 25, 2014 at 12:09 pm

    I think it’s time for a salad dinner. Thanks for the inspiration. Now it’s time to see what’s in the fridge to throw in.

    Reply
    • simplybeingmum says

      June 26, 2014 at 8:43 am

      Chuck it all in!

      Reply
  6. Live and Learn says

    June 25, 2014 at 12:09 pm

    I think it’s time for a salad dinner. Thanks for the inspiration. Now it’s time to see what’s in the fridge to throw in.

    Reply
    • simplybeingmum says

      June 26, 2014 at 8:43 am

      Chuck it all in!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Food Waste Friday / Make A Save With Salad | Simply Being Mum says:
    June 27, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    […] I blogged about my love of simple salads earlier this week! […]

    Reply
  2. Food Waste Friday / Make A Save With Salad | Simply Being Mum says:
    June 27, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    […] I blogged about my love of simple salads earlier this week! […]

    Reply

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