McCosker - 4 Ingredients Menu Planning

Menu Planning

4 Ingredients

PO Box 400

Caloundra QLD 4551

www.SimonandSchuster.com

ABN: 17 435 679 521

FB: facebook.com/4ingredientspage

YT: 4 Ingredients Channel

W: 4ingredients.com.au

T: @4ingredients

4 Ingredients Menu Planning

Copyright Meymott Enterprises Pty Ltd

Published by 4 Ingredients 2013

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the author and the publisher of this book.

Photography:

Megan Slade Photography www.meganslade.com

Cover & Formatting:

Splitting Image

www.splittingimage.com.au

Printing & Binding:

Leo Paper Group.

Printed in China

Australia Publisher:

Simon & Schuster

New Zealand Publisher:

Random House

UK Publisher:

Simon & Schuster

USA Publisher:

Atria Books (a division of Simon & Schuster, USA)

ISBN: 978-0-9806294-9-1

ISBN-13: 978-1-9250-3068-6 (eBook)

I sometimes feel like Im drifting aimlessly on the ocean of life! But what I have realized is that when I feel like this, Im usually without a plan Im unorganised. Ive got a million things on my to-do list, but no priorities. I have several unfinished projects, but no focus. I have a pantry full of ingredients, but no idea what to cook!

It doesnt matter what you do in life, what your goals are, success is more likely, if you have a plan .

THIS IS NO DIFFERENT IN THE KITCHEN . I cannot stress enough the importance of sitting down each week and creating a Menu Plan. Extracting from it the ingredients you dont have and then simply shopping for the ones you need.

Not only will you be more organised, but you will also find you make healthier food for your family.

The whole idea of 4 Ingredients Menu Planning came from the many voices on our facebook page that struggle with inspiration for regular dinners.

The reality of it came from the hard work and dedication of my amazing team. In particular Melanie Roberts (and her Mum, Sherys endless supply of beautiful props), Nelly McCosker and Leonie Wohlsen for their clever ideas and cooking skills. Michelle, Kate and Melinda who keep everything working tickety-boo when my focus is elsewhere, and my beautiful formatter Angela Whitehead whose ability to interpret my visions is quite uncanny!

CALM, COOL & CONFIDENT

Welcome to a life with

Ingredients Menu Planning

With Love
Kim

Menu planning has countless benefits , here are some of my favourites:

Menu planning saves you TIME

Whether youre a SAHM (stay-at-home-mum), working, or juggling any number of activities, menu planning will definitely save you time. The big advantage is that you have the ingredients you need to whip up a meal. You dont have to run to the store, run around your kitchen frantically trying to figure out what to make for dinner, or spend an hour trying to find a great recipe on Google ( but if that is you, lets hope your search lands you on 4ingredients.com.au ).

Menu planning saves you MONEY

Menu planning is the number one way you can save money in the kitchen! Apart from our mortgage, often the second biggest household expense is our weekly food bill. I promise you this will fall if you shop to a plan. When you have a menu plan, you know exactly which ingredients you need to buy at the supermarket. You have a list and you stick to that list while shopping, it eliminates impulse buys. Impulse buys , often are the goods we randomly buy at the supermarket, thinking well use them (like my tin of organic Singapore Curry) but that end up getting thrown out (4 years later, like my tin of organic Singapore Curry!!!!) costing money!

Menu planning promotes HEALTHY EATING

When meals are planned out, you will usually end up with a more balanced, nutritious diet. You dont have to run through fast food drive-through, grabbing processed food on the go, or skip meals. Instead, more often than not, you are eating delicious, wholesome meals, that make you feel like Mother-Earth because you make them (double bonus ).

When you have a menu plan Easy-Freezy cooking is a snap! And it means you have yummy, homemade meals ready to go at a moments notice.

Some recipes like casseroles, lasagnas etc., can be thawed and cooked at the same time. Just pop them in the oven frozen and cook on 180C for approx. 11/2 to 3 times longer than you would need for baking in their unfrozen state. Or, for a shorter cooking time, simply thaw overnight in the fridge.

For optimum flavour and texture, homemade frozen foods should be used within 6 months.

As a general guide, dont freeze:

Salad greens and crisp raw vegetables to be used in salads and sandwiches such as celery, onions, and sweet peppers will lose their crispness and become limp after freezing.

Eggs in the shell will expand and crack the shell. Hard cooked egg whites will become tough and rubbery.

Creamed cottage cheese will change texture, becoming grainy.

Sour cream will separate when frozen and thawed.

Heavy or whipping cream will not whip high after freezing.

Potatoes become mushy if frozen raw, and watery and tough if boiled and then frozen.

Throughout this cookbook, this symbol indicates what can be easily frozen and defrosted at a later date.

Highlights ideas incorporating leftovers Cook once, eat twice, I love it!

Indicates a clever alternative, idea or information.

OK The idea of including this is that in a quick 20 minute spin around your supermarket, you can collect these items isle to isle and arm yourself with the ability to bake, make and flavour a very large variety of recipes, quickly and easily!

BAKING

Cocoa powder

Corn flour

Dates

Desiccated coconut

Dried apricots

Flour; plain & self raising

Oats

Sugar; brown, confectioners

& super fine

Vanilla cake mix

Vanilla extract

NUTS & SEEDS

Almonds

Cashews

Macadamias

Pine nuts

Pistachios

Sesame seeds

Walnuts

DRIED HERBS & SPICES

Black peppercorns

Chilli flakes

Cinnamon, ground

Curry powder (garam masala)

Nutmeg, ground

Mixed dried herbs

Mustard powder

Sea salt flakes

Sweet smoked paprika

Nutmeg, ground

OILS & VINEGARS

Balsamic vinegar

Coconut oil

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Sesame seed oil

White wine vinegar

Vegetable oil

JARS & SAUCES

Agave nectar

BBQ sauce

Condensed soup; chicken & mushroom

Crushed pineapple (tin)