A week in the tummies of Jack and SB, the results!
Hi lovely readers!
Do you remember last week I asked you to help me out with recipe ideas for my food shop?
Well, over 300 ideas were sent in here, on Facebook and on Twitter, and I spent the week making a few that had caught my eye.
To recap: here’s what I had to work with:
http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/27/turning-the-tables-heres-my-food-what-should-i-make-this-week/
And here’s what I made:
TUESDAY:
Breakfast: Apple granola – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/28/apple-crumble-granola/
Lunch: Spiced split pea and yoghurt soup – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/28/spiced-split-pea-and-yoghurt-soup/
Dinner: Pasta with turkey and chickpea meatballs, tomato, spinach and Greek cheese – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/29/turkey-and-chickpea-meatballs-with-pasta-spinach-onion-and-crumbled-not-feta-cheese/
WEDNESDAY:
Breakfast: Apple granola – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/28/apple-crumble-granola/
Lunch: Spiced split pea and yoghurt pasta bake with cheese – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/30/pasta-bake-with-leftover-spiced-split-pea-and-yoghurt-soup/
Dinner: Turkey meatball and two bean stew – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/29/turkey-meatball-stew-with-green-and-white-beans/
THURSDAY:
Breakfast: Banana pancakes – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/30/banana-pancakes/
Lunch: Spiced split pea and yoghurt pasta bake with cheese http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/30/pasta-bake-with-leftover-spiced-split-pea-and-yoghurt-soup/
Dinner: Mackerel and spinach chowder – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/30/mackerel-and-spinach-chowder/
FRIDAY:
Breakfast: Sweet mandarin Bircher – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/31/sweet-mandarin-breakfast-bircher-31p/
Lunch: Roast carrot and Greek cheese soup
Dinner: Smoked mackerel kedgeree – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/31/smoked-mackerel-kedgeree-89p/
SATURDAY:
Breakfast: Pitta bread with fried sardines and runny egg – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/02/01/toasted-pitta-bread-topped-with-chunks-of-fried-sardine-and-a-runny-egg-44p/
Lunch: Roast carrot and Greek cheese soup
Dinner: Carrot, cumin and kidney bean burgers with rainbow rice –
http://agirlcalledjack.com/2013/04/06/carrot-cumin-kidney-bean-burger-9p/
SUNDAY:
Breakfast: Apple pancakes (these without the sultanas) – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2013/11/20/apple-sultana-pancakes-22p/
Lunch: Avgolemono soup
Dinner: Mushroom, spinach and garlic risotto
MONDAY:
Breakfast: Sweet mandarin Bircher – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2014/01/31/sweet-mandarin-breakfast-bircher-31p/
Lunch: Mushroom, garlic and soft cheese soup
Dinner: Carrot, cumin and kidney bean burgers with rice and green beans – http://agirlcalledjack.com/2013/04/06/carrot-cumin-kidney-bean-burger-9p/
We snacked on apples, bananas, and pitta bread dunked in a mackerel and sardine pate. And I still have some bits left! But that’s a blog post for another day – if you’re all willing to help me out again!
Any recipes that haven’t been posted yet will be done over the next couple of days – bear with me as they’re all scribbled notes on pieces of paper in my kitchen.
Thanks again for all your amazing ideas and inspiration, I’m definitely going to do this again! Next weeks shop is definitely going to have bacon, lentils, liver and pears in, so get your thinking caps on!
Jack Monroe. Twitter: @msjackmonroe
Categories: Recipes & Food
COOKING ON A BOOTSTRAP 
This is awesome, Jack – you’ve not only put together a week’s worth of delicious-sounding meals out of a seemingly random selection of items, you’ve effectively combined a budget meal plan and a shopping list, which is something I imagine a lot of people who are pushed for time *and* cash will really appreciate! Well done – and thank you!
How exciting, can’t wait to see what people come up with
Hi Jack – have really enjoyed this week, and the interaction with your followers. (Not so much the Currie moment, but let’s forget about that).
Can you tell me – how much do you reckon this whole weeks menu cost you? I think you started with the £10 shop but then had some items already in your freezer / cupboard. Just a ball-park figure would be great. Thanks 🙂
There’s no way my sb’s would touch sardines, chickpeas, or even soup unless its tomato how do you get yours to eat it? Or is it a case of its this or nothing? If I said that mine wouldn’t eat
jesus…. what a feast! Monday, beans on stale toast, Tuesday stale toast and beans, wedensday (payday) egg and beans on toast. thursday egg on fresh bread, friday (feast) sausage egg and beans) etc etc etc….. I’m a walking gasbag!!! lol x Loved your reply to Edwina!!!!
Love this idea, really enjoying your recap for the week! It definitely makes me want to get out of comfort zone and try new recipes with what’s left in my cupboards.
If only I could bring myself to eat turkey except on Christmas day! I KNOW it is cheap and nourishing meat..but I can’t abide it. Mind you, mackerel is good value and we have that in many forms, good meaty, tasty fish. And lentils …oh yeah. Liver too. We are stretching a huge amount of homemade hummus I made at the weekend. Another good standby. Need to get my head round your food shop request – have only just found and followed your blog.
Hi Jack
I am completely making this one up but I did something similar with apples and it was great at the weekend 😉
Sauté an onion and either garlic or chilli or both with olive oil and butter ( or vegetable or sunflower oil whatever you have to hand)
Add salt and pepper
Then add your lentils (once they have been soaked and boiled etc as per any other recipe)
With cubed bacon
Fry for five/ten minutes max
In the meantime half and core your pears
Make sure your oven is preheated at c 200
Put your pears in a tightly packed oven proof dish
Spoon over your lentil and bacon stuffing
Put in the oven for half an hour to roast
Until soft c 30-40 mins
If you want to do so grate cheese over the top for last five mins to gratinate them
Serve with rocket salad or similar
Or chop up and mix with pasta
Or add to basic risotto
Or put on top of mashed potato or even ciabatta whatever you fancy
Drizzle of olive oil optional
Xxxx
Hi Jack
I wanted to know how you make Greek cheese soup. Being half Greek myself I know how to make the avgolemono (had it last night for dinner – yummy!).
Loving your posts and the work you do. xxx
Thanks for this interesting topic, it makes me realise just how much food I have already got at home and how many things I could make instead of constantly going out to buy more. I wish we had had this type of challenge at school. Good luck with your book launch.
My favourite was same as yours, Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree,
delicious.
Great set of recipes. I’d never heard of avgolomeno before today – I’m looking forward to your recipe!