Weekly menu challenge!!!

[ThreePinkFaireez]

Ok guys, I'm seeing all these weekly menu plans and they are awesome, so I thought I'd set up a challenge because DP is so fussy!!

I'm after a cheap and easy, but interesting weekly menu plan BUT there is a catch...he doesn't eat:

pasta
rice
stew
casserole
curry/chilli (sweet curry he will eat)

I think that's it.... anything else I will add later!

I have a slow cooker if that gives you any ideas!

He's a meat and three vege guy, he luvs gravies and stuff like that... I made beef stroganoff and he just had his with 3 vege and I had mine on pasta lol his loss!!

He eats spaghetti mince just not the pasta he has it on toast.... wierd lol...

Anyways, hoping people can come up with some ideas to help me out with my ever so boring dinners!!

TIA!

[sugar n spice]

i love steak burgers. another idea is tacos.
hmmm ruling out rice pasta, stews and casseroles makes it hard

[daytime-tv-addict]

Tell him to make his own, that will solve all of your problems! :D

[SassyMummy]

If he eats the bolognaise sauce used for spaghetti, you could just make the pasta for yourself, and give him a baked potato instead. Just poor some sauce over his and melt some cheese on top. Maybe add some veges.

What about fish? DP made some lovely pan-fried fish recently... pan-fried it, put it in the oven... then made some mash potato and added some snow pea sprouts... and he sauted some garlic with some asparagus. Very yummy indeed! (BTW, I think the best mash is made with cream instead of milk. Not the healthiest mind you, but it's delish).

UM.... maybe you can stuff some chicken breast with... I dunno... brie and semi-dried toms or something... or have chicken kievs or skewers or whatever.

How can he not eat Pasta or Rice? It kinda makes it very hard! lol.

[ThreePinkFaireez]

i love steak burgers. another idea is tacos.
hmmm ruling out rice pasta, stews and casseroles makes it hard

Steak burgers are definately a hit in this house... so are Tacos.... yummo!!! And it definately makes it hard lol!! And boring!

Tell him to make his own, that will solve all of your problems! :D
:laughing: Oh I've so tried that... LOL Lets just say KFC and sangas were his best friends!

If he eats the bolognaise sauce used for spaghetti, you could just make the pasta for yourself, and give him a baked potato instead. Just poor some sauce over his and melt some cheese on top. Maybe add some veges.

What about fish? DP made some lovely pan-fried fish recently... pan-fried it, put it in the oven... then made some mash potato and added some snow pea sprouts... and he sauted some garlic with some asparagus. Very yummy indeed! (BTW, I think the best mash is made with cream instead of milk. Not the healthiest mind you, but it's delish).

UM.... maybe you can stuff some chicken breast with... I dunno... brie and semi-dried toms or something... or have chicken kievs or skewers or whatever.

How can he not eat Pasta or Rice? It kinda makes it very hard! lol.

That fish dish sounds delish! (wow I rhymed hehe) so does the stuffed chicken breast.... I'm not very creative lol but looooooooooove brie!

He doesn't like the texture of rice and pasta apparently!! I find it super dooper wierd but after 5 years can't change his mind LOL he's eaten on the odd occasion but he definately despises it LOL

Never had mash spuds with cream before, always butter and milk....

[EmsMum72]

What about nachos with mince & kidney beans, silverside with vegies & white sauce, chicken mignon, egg & bacon pie served with potato gems & salad, a quiche with salad (or warm it up and serve with vegies), or a filling soup like lamb shank & pearl barley soup, served with garlic bread, or a home made pizza. :yelclap: Just a few suggestions!

[ThreePinkFaireez]

Ooh i love nachos!!! What would be a healthy version!? I am trying to keep all meals healthy too... but we always skip out on the beans hehe

That's the other thing that he doens't eat... SOUP!! My gosh.... he doens't eat much does he LOL....

He LOVES quiche, silverside and home made pizzas... but he gets alot of that lol! All so yummy tho!

[Amberlea]

For a reasonably healthy nachos option - use the "insert name brand here" baked corn chips - they are round instead of triangular - I just cant remember who makes them lol.. theres a couple of healthier alternatives to normal ones.
I make the meat mix from - mince, baked beans, tin of tomatoes and some nacho seasoning mix.
Then serve with cheese, tomato and lettuce.
Pretty healthy :D

Even though he doesnt like casseroles etc..you can still buy the continental packet mixes (for chicken chasseur etc) and instead of doing them in the oven - just make the actual recipe mix up as a sauce to go over the chicken and serve with veges, I do that for my kids because they dont like casseroles either

Chicken filo/puff pastry parcels : add a chicken breast and slices of carrot, shallot and zucchini in with some mustard or whatever sauce you like, wrap up and bake in the oven for around 30-45 mins

Potato/vege bakes (really nice with some salami or pepperoni in them too)

Homemade Kebabs (the pita bread ones), fill with marinated cooked chicken pieces and salad veges, and sauce. roll up and pop under the grill till toasty.
(they are actually really nice as a hot version as well.. ie: fried mushroom and onions, sundried tomatoes, olives, capsicum etc.. any veges you can fry up)

Chicken and vege/meat pies

Chicken caesar salad
Chicken and vege potato salad (served warm)

Umm I cant think - I say starve him - or let him eat sammiches:laughing:

[Milk_Monkey]

Dont think anyone has mentioned omlettes- they are so quick and easy.

Um, what about stirfrys? will he eat noodles?

[Cordelia]

what a fussy eater! I'd tell him to eat it or starve ;) Can't you convert him? :P

[SassyMummy]

Stuffing chicken breasts is easy... just cut pocket into the chicken (it's better if you make the opening as small as possible so the insides don't spill everwhere). You just stuff it with whatever you like, and close it up with toothpicks and put in the oven.

I used to make mashed potato with milk and butter too... but DP's an apprentice chef and usually has a better idea as to what's "yummier" (though not always friendliest on the waistline...lol). You just use cream instead of milk, butter, and salt and pepper (ground sea salt and ground peppercorns are better).

If you wanted to do something slack, I like to use the Old El Paso Mexican kits to make Enchiladas, Tacos, Burritos and Fajitas (actually had the fajitas last night!). All of them are usually just veges/salad and some sort of flavoured meat in a wrap-type thing (some flour, some corn, some hard, like taco shells).

I'm trying to think of all of the things I love... but most contain pasta (it's prob my fave ingredient...lol), so it makes it quite hard to help!

[mummyof5]

For a healthier nachos use red lentils (that have been soaked first) instead of mince to make a mild chilli con carne, then make as per normal. I just follow the packet recipe, though because he doesn't eat chilli (neither do I), use only half a packet of chilli mix. Dollop sour cream or natural yoghurt to lessen the heat too.
Healthy garlic bread is to grab some hi fibre or wholemeal lebanese bread and wipe over with olive oil - use a pastry brush, then sprinkle with garlic salt, and brown in hot oven for a few minutes. Yummo.

[ThreePinkFaireez]

Sassy Mummy - I will definately be doing the stuffed chicken breast... I LOVE chicken breast and it's usually all I'll eat... Thanks!

Always forget about tacos!!

mummyof5 - I never thought of the red lentils before...wonder how DP would react to them LOL!! Would definately have to be a mild chilli....

The healthy garlic bread sounds awesome! I'm so going to try that! I love lebanese bread and it's something DP actually eats LOL Thanks!

[mummyof5]

Forgot to add, you can put cheese on them too - delish and the wholemeal tastes exactly the same as white leb bread, but has heaps of fibre!!
The lentils work well, it's actually the only way I can eat any, so hopefully you can get him to eat it too:fingerscrossed: . And don't worry, when it's cooked, doesn't seem like you're eating lentils either:D .

[Wish_Bear]

Tell him to make his own, that will solve all of your problems! :D

My thoughts exactly!! :D

[ThreePinkFaireez]

Dont think anyone has mentioned omlettes- they are so quick and easy.

Um, what about stirfrys? will he eat noodles?

Oh omlettes! I love them!! And he does too, thanks for the idea!! He won't eat noodles either.... gosh I think it's getting worse LOL

what a fussy eater! I'd tell him to eat it or starve ;) Can't you convert him? :P

HAHA I've tried converting!! On the very rare occasion he does eat it, it's always with a sour face LOL So to save tension I just go wihtout now lol... or cook him something seperate....

Forgot to add, you can put cheese on them too - delish and the wholemeal tastes exactly the same as white leb bread, but has heaps of fibre!!

I cooked your garlic bread 2 nights ago... it went down a treat!! Everyone including DP loved it.... I had some wholemeal lavash bread thingys in the freezer... will definately cook it again!

[ThreePinkFaireez]

Even though he doesnt like casseroles etc..you can still buy the continental packet mixes (for chicken chasseur etc) and instead of doing them in the oven - just make the actual recipe mix up as a sauce to go over the chicken and serve with veges, I do that for my kids because they dont like casseroles either

Chicken filo/puff pastry parcels : add a chicken breast and slices of carrot, shallot and zucchini in with some mustard or whatever sauce you like, wrap up and bake in the oven for around 30-45 mins

Potato/vege bakes (really nice with some salami or pepperoni in them too)

Homemade Kebabs (the pita bread ones), fill with marinated cooked chicken pieces and salad veges, and sauce. roll up and pop under the grill till toasty.
(they are actually really nice as a hot version as well.. ie: fried mushroom and onions, sundried tomatoes, olives, capsicum etc.. any veges you can fry up)

Chicken and vege/meat pies

Chicken caesar salad
Chicken and vege potato salad (served warm)

Umm I cant think - I say starve him - or let him eat sammiches:laughing:




You have some great ideas hun! When can you move in and start being my personal cook?? :p just kidding!

I made a meat pie the other day for lunch... he loved that... of course drowned it in BBQ sauce first LOL!!

Chicken and vege potato salad?? How do you make that!

The kebabs and chicken puffs will definately be on the list to try...Thanks!



Thanks to everyone for the ideas!! Keep them coming, I've almost made up a months worth of meal ideas/menus lol!