Have you ever wanted to get more organized with your meal planning? Have you taken the time to sit down, decide what you’re going to eat, then written your detailed list? Then gone shopping with the list and got everything you need?

How did that work out for you?

I’m guessing if you’re anything like most people, you’ve experienced the pitfalls of traditional meal planning…

The time it takes. The frustration when you can’t find everything on your list. The temptation to buy things which aren’t on the list because they look delicious or are on special. Having to eat the meal you ‘planned’ even though you don’t really feel like it. The guilt at throwing away all those veg that are ‘passed it’. The stress of adapting your meal plan to the inevitable changes in your schedule and life.

Let’s face it, the traditional meal planning can be tedious. And pretty ineffective.

What if there was another approach to meal planning?

Here’s the thing… There is!

You just need to learn how to ‘reverse’ the process.

It may sound scary, but it’s a liberating approach to meal planning. That’s also quicker and easier.

Since last year, I’ve been teaching people like you how to ‘reverse’ their meal planning with my 2-Minute Meal Plan System.

When I asked my students if they have achieved the results they were hoping for with this new meal plan system, the overwhelming majority answered ‘Yes!’.

How does the 2-Minute Meal Plan work?

I’m glad you asked. Basically there are 2 main parts…

2 Keys to the 2-Minute Meal Plan System:

1. A simple ‘formula’ to help you figure out how much food to buy.
The formula is quick and easy to work out. If you can count, you’ll be able to do this in your head.

It tells you how many types of protein (or main events) and vegetables to buy. This gives you the freedom to shop for what looks best, rather than having a rigid list.

The formula helps get the quantity right so you don’t end up with more than you need, while allowing as much flexibility as you need. If you’d prefer to have a few specific recipes in mind before you shop, the formula will help with that as well.

2. The collection of ‘template’ recipes.
These help you learn to cook based on the ingredients you have on hand, freeing you from the constraints of traditional recipes.

It includes general templates for how to make different classic dishes. For example a great stir fry, a quick soup or a fragrant curry. Each template comes with suggestions for variations so you’ll be able to adapt them to the ingredients on hand. It’s a way to learn to cook more creatively, while still having a basic recipe to follow.

Ready to reverse YOUR meal planning process?

It’s been 12 months since I first launched the ’2-Minute Meal Plan’ eCookbook.

So to celebrate I’m having a special anniversary sale!

To make sure you don’t miss out on this limited time discount, go to:
www.thestonesoupshop.com/2mmp/

–

Rice & Greens

This is one of those super comforting dishes. The perfect antidote to a weekend of over-indulging.

I also love it because it uses items you could have stocked in your pantry so it’s a great ‘last minute’ or change of plans meal.

If you can get spinach frozen into little ‘bricks’ rather than one big block, it’s much better because it defrosts much more quickly. If you’re stuck with a big frozen chunk of spinach, it may need a little spin in the microwave to speed up the defrosting process.

Enough for 2
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 can coconut milk (400mL / 1.5 cups)
1 packet frozen spinach (250g /9oz), defrosted
1 packet par-cooked brown rice (250g /9oz)

1. Heat a little oil in a medium saucepan. Cook garlic on a medium heat for about 30 seconds or until starting to brown.

2. Add coconut milk, spinach and rice. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes or until everything is hot.

3. Taste. Season.

VARIATIONS
paleo / grain-free – replace the rice with grated raw cauliflower (I use the food processor for ease). Simmer until cauliflower is tender and the liquid has reduced.

no coconut milk? – replace with almond or soy milk – they’ll be a little more watery so be prepared to simmer longer to thicken up.

can’t find par-cooked brown rice? – most supermarkets now have ‘pouches’ of cooked rice but feel free to cook your own brown rice, just boil in water until just tender. Drain and use as per the recipe.

rice alternatives – risoni (rice shaped pasta), cooked short pasta, canned beans, canned chickpeas + see below.

lower GI / slow carb – replace rice with cooked lentils, canned chickpeas, cooked split peas or quinoa.

higher protein – add in a drained can of black beans. Or serve with a poached egg on top.

carnivore - stir fry some sliced chicken breast or thigh fillets in the pan before adding the other ingredients and proceeding from step 1.

fresh greens – replace frozen spinach with fresh spinach, baby spinach, sliced kale, cavolo nero, collard greens, chard (silverbeet) or a mixture. Add with the garlic and cook until wilted before adding the other ingredients.

Video version of the recipe

With love,
Jules x

Not last October but the one before, I happened to be in Melbourne at the same time as Tim Ferriss. I’d ‘email-met’ Tim online via a mutual friend and had written a guest post for his blog. So I was delighted when he agreed to meet for a drink.

I’ve been a massive Tim Ferriss fan since I stumbled across his first book, the 4-Hour Work Week, in mid 2009. At the time I was designing chocolate biscuits for Arnotts, the largest biscuit (cookie) manufacturer in Australia. As far as jobs went, it was pretty great. I was developing new Tim Tams. I got to eat chocolate AND get paid for it. But I was yearning for more.

I’d already set a goal of working on my own business full time. But it seemed a long way off.

Until I read the 4-Hour Work Week.

The book was an inspiration. Maybe I could follow my dream and make it work. In January 2010 I took the leap, quit my job and started working on Stonesoup full time.

Apart from being a huge fan, I did have an ulterior motive.

Not long before, he had announced his latest book project, The 4-Hour Chef, where he was planning to teach people how to learn any skill by using himself and cooking as an example. Given I teach people how to make their cooking more simple and fun in my online cooking school, it seemed like a no brainer.

In hindsight, not exactly. Tim and I did have that drink in Melbourne. We had a great old time. I tried to convince him I was the right girl to teach him to cook. He gave me tips on calming my nerves before public speaking (basically have another drink – excellent advice!). We had a few laughs.

I followed up by sending him one of my online classes. And that was that.

As time for publication of the 4-Hour Chef drew closer, I did feel a little disappointed that he hadn’t been in touch. But when details of the book revealed it was learning to cook like a ‘pro,’ I didn’t feel so bad.

As you know my style is simple home cooking, not fancy 5-star ‘professional’ chef type food.

So you can imagine my surprise when my pre-ordered copies arrived and I saw my name, a few lines below Heston Blumenthal, on the ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ acknowledgements page.

Wow, I was in Tim Ferriss’ book! And not only my name, one of my recipes as well (Cashew Nut Pesto, page 212). Yay!

9 Lessons from the 4-Hour Chef

Even though I have a degree in food science and read cookbooks like novels, I picked up plenty of new ideas and tips from the 672 pages of the 4-Hour Chef. Here are some of my favourite new tips as well as some I hadn’t thought about in a while…

1. Leftover egg whites can be used to make a great hair conditioner.
Combine 2 whites with 5 tablespoons full fat natural yoghurt. Apply to hair and let sit in a towel turban for 30 minutes. Rinse. I’m yet to try this but love the idea.

2. Smell your food like a dog.
This isn’t a new one for me but it’s super important. Flavour is less than 10% taste and more than 90% smell. So by smelling your food before you eat, you’ll radically change how you experience flavour.

3. Not all taste buds are located on the tongue.
Apparently taste receptors have been found in the throat, roof of the mouth, small intestine, and stomach. So maybe the wine makers and judges who are spitting out have it all wrong after all.

4. To counteract hot food, drink whole milk.
Or cream. Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chillies, is soluble in fat and not in water. Yoghurt or coconut milk will do the same thing.

5. Unusual (but apparently delicious) flavour pairings to try.
:: cayenne pepper and salt on mango
:: cinnamon and chilli powder on vanilla ice cream
:: soy sauce on vanilla ice cream (this one is mine… I’d forgotten how good it is!)
:: cinnamon on bacon
:: almond butter on hamburger

6. When using a ladle remember ‘double dip, no drip’.
To avoid drips, fill the ladle then tap the bottom of the ladle on the surface to remove any excess liquid or sauce.

7. If in doubt set your oven to 350F (180C).
Most times it will work out fine. Except if you trying to ‘slow cook’ something.

8. Each type of protein has a herb that will never fail you.
fish = fennel or dill
beef, pork or lamb = rosemary
lamb = mint
eggs = chives or tarragon
chicken = all of the above

9. Having a Plan B removes much of the stress of cooking.
Ferriss confesses to being the ‘king of freaking out’ in the kitchen until he realized that he needed a backup plan. The first and last rule of the 4-hour Chef…

“If you f**k it all up, you can always order takeout”

More notes about the 4-Hour Chef

The 4-Hour Chef isn’t just about cooking, it’s about teaching you how to learn new skills quickly and easily. It’s definitely not your regular cookbook but there’s a bit of ‘something for everyone’.

If you’re a novice cook, the ‘Domestic’ section does a great job of breaking down cooking into 17 lessons based on specific dishes. The instructions are clear and the ingredients lists are short… A man after my own heart.

If you’re more a Bear Grylls wanna-be, the ‘Wild’ section will appeal. It’s all about hunting and survival stuff. To be honest I skimmed most of this.

The ‘Scientist’ section is a great introduction to the classic food science principles as well as some more modern ‘molecular gastronomy’ techniques. It’s fascinating stuff but to be honest I wasn’t inspired to cook anything from this section. Not my style.

Finally the ‘Professional’ section gives some great insights into what it takes to be great chef. Loved the ‘classics’ recipes in this section. Although I can safely say I won’t be trying the ‘carp a l’ancienne’ which has not 5 ingredients but 5 whole pages of ingredients (about 150 ingredients total).

The 4-Hour Chef by Timothy Ferriss.

So you probably won’t be interested in the 150 ingredient carp recipe either. But there are plenty of recipes that fall under the Stonesoup ’5 ingredients’ umbrella. Definitely worth picking up a copy.

Get it shipped anywhere in the world for FREE from bookdepository.co.uk.

Cashew & Cauliflower Mash

Inspired by Tim Ferriss’ Coconut Cauliflower Curry Mash from the 4-Hour Chef.

Enough for 2 as a main or 4 as a side
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florettes
1 can coconut milk (400mL / 14oz)
2 handfuls cashews + extra to serve

1. Place cauli, coconut milk and cashews in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil.

2. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until cauli is no longer crunchy.

3. Mash with a stick blender or a fork and some muscles. Season.

VARIATIONS
Nut-free – just skip the cashews.

different veg – feel free to try different root veg such as parsnip, sweet potato, swede (rutabaga) carrot, turnips or a combo.

curry mash – add in a ‘large’ or ’3 finger’ pinch of curry powder when seasoning.

carnivore – serve as a side with your favourite grilled sausages.

mexican mash – (stealing Tim’s idea here) replace cauliflower with sweet potato. Skip the coconut milk and cashews and simmer chunks in water until soft. Drain and mash with 2 chopped chillies, 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with coriander leaves (cilantro) on top.

greener – serve on a bed of baby spinach or with chopped parsley leaves.

Video version of the recipe.

With love,
Jules x

ps. I’ve used affiliate links so if you buy Tim’s book you’ll be supporting Stonesoup as well. So thank YOU!

I’ve also set up a ‘Stonesoup Recommended‘ page if you’d like to checkout other ebooks and books I have purchased, cooked from and LOVE. I really value YOU as a Stonesoup reader so please know that I don’t take freebies and only recommend products I truly believe in.

This year marks the 6th Mother’s Day since my mother died. It’s always a bit of a funny time for me. I tend to try and focus on all the memories. What she was like.

How she LOVED asparagus. How she loved lashings of cream on her desserts, especially if they involved passion fruit. How she loved her garden and playing tennis on a Tuesday.

But there’s always a bit of sadness that creeps in around the sides.

This year it’s worse than normal. Which is understandable I guess since it’s also my first Mother’s Day where I have any claims on getting flowers OR breakfast in bed*.

I just really wish she was still around. So many questions. And my Mum just adored babies (she had 5 of her own). Whenever there was a baby anywhere near, she’d be the first to volunteer for cuddles and the last to hand them back to their mothers.

There’s no doubt in my mind that she would have been a champion grandmother. I can just imagine how ‘in her element’ she’d be with 4 special grandchildren and 2 more on the way (my sister is expecting in August!).

And the Love Is Free

If you’re new to Stonesoup you might be surprised to learn that ‘5 Ingredients 10 Minutes‘ isn’t my first print book. I actually self-published a collection of my Mum’s recipes back in 2009.

The book is called ‘And the Love is Free and I’m so glad I wrote it. I just love having my Mum’s recipes and stories all in the one place.

There are only a limited number left. So why don’t you order a copy of my first print book today?

To make sure you don’t miss out go to:
www.thestonesoupshop.com/and-the-love-is-free-a-tribute-to-my-mum/

Super Quick Tuna ‘Dish’

Adapted from ‘And the Love Is Free‘.

Enough for 6-8
1 large can tuna in brine (425g / 15oz), NOT drained
500g (l1b) full fat ricotta
250g grated melting cheese, I used emmental but see below for other options
3 cans white beans, (400g / 14oz each), drained
2-3 handfuls almond meal, optional

1. Preheat oven to 180C (350F).

2. Mash tuna with a fork until combined with the brine. Stir in the ricotta.

3. Place a thin layer of tuna & ricotta mixture in the base of a medium ovenproof dish. Scatter over half the beans and a little cheese. Top with more tuna mixture, then the rest of the beans. Cover with the remaining tuna mixture and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Dust with almond meal, if using.

4. Bake for 20-30 minutes until everything is hot and the cheese on top is melted and browned.

VARIATIONS
bean-free – replace beans with 400g (14oz) short pasta such as penne, cooked until al dente.

nut-free – just skip the almond meal or replace with breadcrumbs.

vegan / dairy-free - the cheese is really essential here. Sorry!

vegetarian – try this warming onion and white bean bake instead.

different cheeses – try a mixture of cheeses instead of the emmental. Cheddar is good, so is raclette or gruyere. You’re just looking for something that will melt and go all golden. My mum used to use processed cheese slices, so feel free to give them a try.

Video version of the recipe.

Do you have something special planned for the mother(s) in your life?

I’d love to hear about it. Please share your ideas in the comments below.

With love,
Jules x

* For the record (you never know which Irishman might end up reading this) I’m happy to skip the breakfast in bed tradition. The thought of crumbs in bed just doesn’t do it for me. BUT breakfast sitting in the sun on the lounge room floor with lashings of hot, milky Irish breakfast tea sounds like my idea of heaven.

A little while back I got a question from an anonymous Stonesoup reader…

“How can I attain the ultimate goal…creating a meal without a recipe, anywhere anytime.”

These days I hardly ever use recipes. I have too many ideas of my own that I’m keen to try out each time I step into the kitchen. But it may surprise you to hear that I haven’t always been this confident and creative in the kitchen.

For pretty much all of my 20s I was a recipe follower. Not to the letter, mind you, I’d always make a few little ‘tweaks’. But unless I was making a sandwich, I pretty much consulted a recipe before I cooked anything.

Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with following recipes. I firmly believe that it was following recipes (mostly from my still favourite food mag Australian Gourmet Traveller) that taught me to cook way more than anything I learned while studying for my food science degree.

I even remember creating my own website in late 1999 so I could access my favourite recipes while I was working in a winery in California without having to cart around my hefty folder of favourite recipes.

But over time it was a combination of things that led me to start cooking on my own. Cooking from the heart.

Why cook without recipes?

The biggest driver for me was time. Working as a young winemaker I didn’t have the luxury of an hour to spend each week picking out recipes, writing my shopping list.

There were lifestyle influences as well. When I was living in the Barossa Valley my Saturday morning ritual was to head to the farmers markets. I’d grab a coffee and sometimes a bacon and egg roll and stroll around the markets picking up whatever looked good.

This market-led type of food shopping was heaps of fun. But it didn’t lend itself to list making and recipe cooking.

So I found myself starting to create ‘template recipes’ based on successes I’d had in the past. I then used these to branch out and cook on my own.

Cooking without recipes was much more fun and (mostly) just as delicious, if not more so. It also meant I had far less waste because I used what I had.

3 Steps to learning to cook without recipes.

I firmly believe YOU CAN learn to cook without recipes. You just need to take it slowly and follow these simple steps.

STEP 1. Start ‘tweaking’.
The recipes here on Stonesoup are a perfect starting place for that. I challenge you to step up and start trying some of the ‘variations’ I list at the bottom of each recipe. I especially want you to try the more ‘out there’ variations. The ones that make you feel a little bit uncomfortable.

Then when you’ve pushed yourself on the tweaking, it’s time for Step 2…

STEP 2. Branch out to ‘template recipes’.
I did this unconsciously myself, but I wish I’d had someone to show me the way. I would have saved myself loads of time and mistakes.

It’s all about thinking about your recipes in more general terms rather than specific ingredients. So instead of lemon juice you’d be thinking in terms of ‘acid’ which could be any type of citrus juice or vinegar or even tomatoes. Or from the recipe examples below, instead of chicken thigh fillets you’d be thinking about ‘tender cuts of protein’.

Armed with a good collection of ‘templates’ you’ll find that you are able to open the fridge and see delicious possibilities.

If this sounds a bit too much, the good news is you don’t have to figure it out all on your own. If you join me for ‘Master Your Meal Plan’ I’ll be sharing 60 of my best template recipes and showing you exactly how to put them to use. Before you know it you’ll be one of those people who can just effortlessly ‘whip something up’

Sound good?

I’m super excited to announce that the 2-Minute Meal Plan System is now ready.

To pick up a copy today, go to:
www.thestonesoupshop.com/2mmp/

Pan Fried Protein with Instant Sauce and Raw Veg Salad Template Recipe

Please don’t let the name of this template recipe put you off. I know it doesn’t sound the most appealing. As soon as you narrow it down, like in the ‘pesto chicken with zucchini’ variation below it will start sounding like something you’ll actually want to eat. Trust me.

Enough for 1:
approx 150-250g (5-9oz) protein
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 handfuls finely sliced raw veg
3-4 tablespoons sauce, to serve

1. Heat a frying pan on medium high heat. Add a little oil to the pan or rub the protein with oil. Pan fry the protein until browned on both sides and cooked to your liking. Anywhere from 2-5 minutes each side.

2. Combine lemon juice with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Season. Toss in finely sliced veg.

3. Serve protein on a bed of the salad with sauce drizzled over.

variations

veggie ‘protein’ - Halloumi, tofu or seitan would also work well here. Or think about pan frying some precooked / canned beans or lentils until they are just cooked and serve with the raw veg salad. Field or portabello mushrooms are great here too. Or think about slicing an eggplant into thick ‘steaks’.

carnivore protein – for pan frying, tender cuts are best. And preferably not too thick as it can be difficult to get the middle cooked without completely burning the outsides. Steak, lamb cutlets or lamb chops, pork cutlets or pork chops, chicken breasts, chicken thigh fillets. Also consider forming minced (ground) meat into burger patties.

pescetarian protein – any fish fillets will be great.

raw veg – Broccolini, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, fennel, snow peas, carrots, capsicum (bell peppers) or zucchini are all great. Pretty much any veg that will work in a shaved salad is good here. You could use salad leaves as well. Think baby spinach, rocket (arugula), flat leaf parsley, mint leaves, basil leaves, finely sliced kale or any salad leaves.

veg combo – feel free to use a combination of veg. I toyed with the idea of tossing in a few handfuls of baby spinach leaves but decided against it today. On another day the salad may go in.

sauce – Don’t be afraid to call on convenient ready-made options if you don’t have time to make your own. Things like pesto, hummus, babaganoush, chilli oil, basil oil, lemon oil, tabasco, chilli sauce, lemon wedges, lime wedges, oyster sauce or soy sauce (for an Asian vibe), even good old ketchup can all work.

warm veg – if you’d prefer a warmer meal. Steam or pan fry the veg before dressing in the lemon juice mixture.

OR

Pesto Chicken with Zucchini

Here’s an example of how you could turn the ‘template’ recipe above into a meal.

Enough for 2
450g (llb) chicken thigh fillets
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 medium zucchini
6-8 tablespoons pesto, to serve

1. Heat a pan on a medium high heat. Remove excess fat from the chicken. Using the palm of your hand or a meat cleaver, bash the chicken so you have an even thickness all the way though.

2. Rub chicken with a little oil and season. Sear in the pan for 3-4 minutes on each side or until chicken is well browned and cooked through.

3. While the chicken is cooking, mix lemon with 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Season.

4. Finely slice the zucchini crosswise into ‘coins’ and toss in the dressing.

5. When the chicken is cooked, serve with zucchini salad on the side and pesto on top.

VARIATIONS
paleo / dairy-free – use a dairy-free pesto like this sicilian nut pesto.

vegetarian – replace chicken with sliced halloumi (no need to bash the halloumi!).

vegan – replace chicken with sliced firm tofu or seitan. Or try field mushrooms instead. OR Replace chicken with drained canned butter beans – just pan fry in a little oil until golden. And use a dairy-free pesto like this sicilian nut pesto.

nut-free – make your own nut-free pesto replacing the pine nuts with extra parmesan.

different veg – see the template recipe above for ideas.

different sauce – see the template recipe above for ideas.

Video version of the recipe.

With love,
Jules x

Is meal planning something you wish you didn’t have to spend time worrying about?

What if I told you there is a better way? That meal planning, as you currently know it, could become a thing of your past?

I know it might seem a little ‘too good to be true’ but bear with me…

It’s been years since I sat down and actually planned out my meals before writing my shopping list and heading to the store. I admit I’m a bit unusual in that I use to enjoy planning everything in great detail.

But it did take up A LOT of time.

The main reason I changed to a new way of ‘planning’ was that something would always come up. We’d never actually eat what I’d planned. Or we wouldn’t ‘feel like’ eating what I’d planned. For example, it would be unseasonably hot and the hearty slow-cooked lamb shanks I had planned wasn’t appetizing.

Usually the outcome was that at the end of each week, I’d feel guilty about turfing the veggies that had gone bad in the fridge. Not a great result.

So over the years, I gave up on meal planning and found a much simpler, quicker, more flexible way…

So How Do I Plan my Meals Now?

The short answer is… I DON’T.

Each week, I head to the markets or the grocery store and buy what we need. I do have a list of pantry items, but apart from that, I just decide what to buy when I get to the shops.

Then I decide what to cook on a day-by-day basis, based on what I have on hand and what we feel like.

Seriously, it’s about as stress-free as meal planning gets. And it takes hardly any time. But the best bit for me is I very rarely have waste now.

Sound like something you’d like to try?

It’s not as difficult as you’d think.

All you need is to follow my 3 simple steps…

3 Steps to Simplify Your Meal Planning.

STEP 1. Stop planning in advance.
Of course the first place to start is to stop wasting your time and energy.

It’s all about ‘reversing’ the meal planning process. Instead of deciding what to cook first and then buying ingredients we need to get you shopping first and THEN deciding what to cook.

If this seems a bit to scary, you can take baby steps. Instead of planning every single meal, or whatever you’re doing, leave a few nights free and see what happens.

STEP 2. Learn to shop for what you need.
You probably already have an idea of what you need each week for breakfasts and don’t plan them out in detail. So it’s time to extend this to dinners and lunches as well.

It may take a little bit of time to get used to this. And if it seems a bit too daunting, I have a solution…

As part of the Master Your Meal Plan online program, I’ll show you my ’2-Minute Planning Formula’ which will help you calculate exactly how much food to buy.

This will not only save you loads of time creating your detailed plan, it will make shopping more fun(!)

You won’t be following a strict list, you’ll be free to choose the vegetables and other produce that look the most appealing on the day. And of course, it will allow you to make the most of any ‘special’ discounts on the spot.

STEP 3. Stop cooking from recipes.
One of the keys to getting my new meal planning ‘system’ to work is to break-free from traditional recipes.

Now before you start thinking ‘there’s NO WAY I could cook without a recipe’, you don’t have to turn into a master chef overnight… It’s not as crazy as it sounds.

The way I taught myself to ‘cook without recipes’ was to start thinking of recipes in general terms instead of specific ingredients.

I started by coming up with ‘template’ or blueprint recipes I could adapt depending on the ingredients I had or what I felt like cooking. It’s kinda like having ‘training wheels’ for cooking on your own. Or taking the ‘variations’ I include at the bottom of all my recipes to the next level.

When I want to make a quick stir fry, for example, instead of coming up with a recipe from scratch, I think back to my ‘template’ and go from there.

To give you an idea, I’ve included an example ‘template’ recipe below. And if you join me for ‘Master Your Meal Plan‘ I’ll show you over 60 of my very best template recipes so you’ll never be ‘bored’ with your meals again.

I’ll also walk you through my detailed step-by-step guide to help you become one of those people who can walk into the kitchen and just ‘pull a delicious meal together’.

Like to learn more?

I’m super excited to announce that the 2-Minute Meal Plan System is now ready.

To pick up a copy today, go to:
www.thestonesoupshop.com/2mmp/

Quick Legume Salad Template Recipe

Legume salads using canned chickpeas, beans or lentils are at least a once-a-week affair in our house. Especially for quick lunches. As you can see, there are endless possibilities so I don’t think I’ll ever tire of them.

Enough for 1:
1 tablespoon acid
1/2 can (120g / 4oz) legumes, drained
handful vegetables or salad leaves
handful cooked protein
small handful highlight ingredient, optional

1. Combine acid with 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a salad bowl. Season.

2. Add drained legumes and finely sliced veg or leaves to the dressing. Toss.

3. Sprinkle protein over the salad and top with highlight ingredient, if using.

VARIATIONS
acid – Sherry vinegar, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, red/white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar.

legumes – butter beans, cannellini beans, borlotti beans, chickpeas, lentils, red kidney beans. Pretty much any canned legume or home cooked ones.

vegetables – fennel, zucchini, cabbage, carrots, beets, asparagus, broccoli (grate rather than ‘shave), cauliflower (grate rather than ‘shave’), snow peas, sugar snap peas, celery, red capsicum (bell peppers). Leafy veg such as spinach, kale or collard greens can be finely sliced into ribbons with a knife.

salad leaves – pretty much any washed salad leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces if large.

cooked protein – canned tuna, salmon, sardines, nuts, cooked chicken, smoked chicken, salami, prosciutto, cold roast meats, avocado (not strictly protein but good), boiled eggs, smoked salmon, goats cheese, ricotta, cheddar, parmesan, cottage cheese.

simple protein – just increase the amount of canned legumes.

highlight – crunch – nuts or finely sliced red onion.

highlight – spice – chopped chilli, curry powder, smoked paprika, tabasco sauce, ground cumin, fennel seeds, coriander seeds.

highlight – herbs – try fresh coriander (cilantro), basil, mint, parsley, oregano, chives, green onions or even thyme.

OR

Chickpea & Feta Salad

Here’s an example of how you could turn the ‘template’ recipe above into a meal.

Enough for 2
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 can (240g / 8oz) chickpeas, drained
2-3 handfuls salad leaves
200g (7oz) feta cheese, crumbled
2 small handfuls pine nuts, optional

1. Combine lemon juice with 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a salad bowl. Season, remembering the feta will be quite salty.

2. Add drained chickpeas and salad leaves to the dressing. Toss.

3. Sprinkle feta over the salad and top with pine nuts, if using.

VARIATIONS
paleo / chickpea-free – double the salad leaves and replace the chickpeas with an avocado, flesh scooped into chunks and replace feta with brazil nuts.

dairy-free – replace feta with hard boiled eggs, tuna, cooked shredded chicken, sliced prosciutto, ham or replace with extra chickpeas.

vegan – replace feta with extra chickpeas and be more generous with the pine nuts.

nut-free – replace pine nuts with toasted bread crumbs or halved cherry tomatoes or semi-dried tomatoes or olives.

Video version of the recipe.

__

With love,
Jules x

It’s been almost a month since the first official launch date for 5 Ingredients 10 Minutes. So today I wanted to share with you some of the lovely things that have been said about the book in the press and on the interweb.

So first…

Some Shameless Self-Promotion

“This nimble little book fulfils the promise of its irresistible title by being modest in ambition and realistic in execution. No all-singing, all-dancing three-course dinners here, but a collection of simple dishes containing no more than five ingredients which can be on the table in less time than it takes to heat up a ready-meal.”
John Koski
Daily Mail Online – Food Book of the Week

“When we find a new one [cookbook] containing several recipes that we might like to attempt, using ingredients that are available on the local high street… well, it’s a cause for major celebration in our lives. And that is what is great about 5 Ingredients, 10 Minutes. Of course, the basic premise is a no-brainer when it comes to speed, but Clancy’s recipes are seductive in their own right.”
Carolyn Hart
The Telegraph Cookbook of the Week

“Upon receiving a review copy last week, I found myself tagging a good two dozen I want to try stat. Spiced pita chips, broccoli and green curry soup, eggplant with chickpeas, chicken and lime noodles, lentil burger, salt and pepper squid, fresh pineapple with mint sugar… the list goes on.”
Clotilde Dusoulier
www.chocolateandzucchini.com

“For me the beauty of this book is that provided you have an even half-decently stocked larder and fridge, you will always be able to find something to make for dinner. Unlike many of the books which claim to feed you quickly, this one has an ingredients palette firmly populated with real foods rather than manufactured shortcuts.”
Sophie Roberts
www.mostlyeating.com

“Looking at her recipes, they all look appealing, they all look possible. Especially on a busy weeknight. Mostly what Jules’ cookbook reminded me of is that it’s not so hard.”
Tara Austen Weaver
www.teaandcookiesblog.com

“One of the main excuses people use today for not eating healthy is that they don’t have the time to cook healthy meals . . . this delightful cookery book blows that theory right out of the water . . . it is indeed possible to cook fresh and delicious food, using healthy fresh ingredients in not an awful lot of time!”
Marie Rayner
www.theenglishkitchen.blogspot.co.uk

“One of these blogs was Stone Soup; a blog devoted to pared-back no-fuss cooking. The freshness and purity of the recipes was appealing, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that the photography is achingly gorgeous.”
Gary
www.bigspud.co.uk

“All the recipes are healthy and delicious and they all contain just five ingredients and can be made in about ten minutes. It might all be a bit gimmicky if the recipes weren’t so lovely and the kind of stuff you actually want to make.”
Anne Shooter
Daily Mail Online

“One of the refreshing things about this book is that it gets you thinking outside the meat/carb/veg box that a lot of us stick to (myself included). My teenagers are already strapping lads: very active, and still growing fast, so protein-rich dinners are a must. Jules provides these in a creative way, using lots of pulses, beans and lentils and, a new one for me, quinoa.”
Becky
www.englishmum.com

“I see she has added veggie and vegan variations to her meat, poultry and fish recipes. Go girl!!!
Vegetarian Recipe Count 130 out of 134 recipes + meal ideas
Vegan Recipe Count 128 out of 134 recipes + meal ideas”
Jacqueline Meldrum
www.tinnedtomatoes.com

“Thanks so much for writing this book. I’ve already used it more than any of our other cookbooks. I’m generally pretty useless in the kitchen but you make everything so easy that even I can follow it. Also, I’m a vegetarian, so it’s such a great touch that you have veggie options for everything. I hope everyone else will like it as much as I do!”
Anna Mrowiec, Editorial Assistant
Penguin UK

“5/5- As far as cookbooks go, I think 5 Ingredients, 10 Minutes is one of the best (And I have a lot of cookbooks) Jules Clancy has clearly written it with her readers in mind and she made me want to cook every single recipe she suggested.”
Atifa Jiwa, Blogger
www.firewaterman.wordpress.com/

“Wow!! My copy was received late last week and I spent most of the weekend tagging recipes to be tried ASAP. It is bigger than I expected and I know it will become my “most used” cookbook.”
Ann, Stonesoup Reader

Thanks for your support!

With love,
Jules x

ps. There are also FREE sample recipes from the book!

So what are you waiting for? Check out the new website over here:
www.5ingredients10minutes.com

I‘m publishing a little earlier than normal this week because I’m off to Melbourne for a few days. Super excited to be visiting one of my dearest friends, Missy Helgs and her adorable 4 week old daughter Fleur.

Really looking forward to both of them giving me a crash course in how to look after a newborn. An area where I have A LOT to learn! And of course it’s a great chance to try a few new Melbourne hot spots before I enter the new parent fog.

Anyway back to the normal Stonesoup programming….

One of my goals for Stonesoup this year is to spend more time talking about topics that you are interested in.

So I’ve set up a survey to capture your questions and I’ve also started keeping a notebook in my Evernote account to keep track of questions that come in via email.

One of the most common questions I get asked came most recently from John…

“Where do you get the sherry vinegar? I heard Jamie give it a plug about a year ago but haven’t been able to find it. Now you mention it.”

Now I LOVE vinegar and could happily talk about it all day, so I now have the perfect excuse to dedicate a whole blog post to my favourite vinegars. Thanks John!

My favourite vinegars

Normally I don’t like to play favourites with my ingredients but for some strange reason when it comes to vinegar I have a clearly defined hierarchy…

1. Sherry Vinegar
This is my desert island vinegar. If I could only have one vinegar, like I did when I was living in New York for a month, sherry vinegar would be it.

Why do I love it so much?

I find sherry vinegar has the perfect balance of acidic flavours without being too harsh or chemically. While I’m happy to eat sherry vinegar by the spoon, I find red or white wine vinegar overpowering and too much.

So basically it adds the right type of acidity and freshness to food without turning it into a vinegar fest.

2. Rice Vinegar (aka Rice Wine Vinegar)
Rice vinegar comes in a close second because it’s really similar to sherry vinegar in terms of adding freshness without the overpowering chemically acidity found in white and red wine vinegar.

And if you’re wondering, as far as I know Rice Vinegar and Rice Wine Vinegar are the same thing. Adding the ‘wine’ to the name is just a marketing ploy to make it sound more ‘fancy’.

3. Balsamic Vinegar
It’s sweet, it’s intense. What’s not to love about balsamic. I currently have 3 balsamics in my pantry (not very minimalist of me!). One cost more than a bottle of perfume and I use it sparingly to drizzle on things for special occasions.

The next cost about $25 and it’s my go-to vinegar when I want to make a dressing with a bit of sweetness. I usually mix up 1 tablespoon of this balsamic with 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, depending on how intense I want my dressing to be. I also use this one for drizzling on less special occasions.

And then I have a cheap supermarket balsamic I use when I want to cook with it. This tends to be things like a hearty beef or lamb slow cooked dish. But I sometimes use it to deglaze a pan to make an instant sauce.

4. Cheap White Vinegar
Essential for keeping my morning poached eggs in good shape. And anytime you want a huge acid hit from an inexpensive source.

Other Vinegars
I also have a caramelised red wine vinegar which is basically a ‘poor girls balsamic’. Much sweeter and less interesting than balsamic. But fun for a change. I tend to use some soy sauce when making a dressing with this to add complexity and depth and to balance the sugar.

Chinese black vinegar or Chinkiang vinegar is something I picked up when my Irishman was going through his kung pow chicken phase. I do love the salty intensity but it’s not something I think to reach for very often which probably explains why the bottle is still quite full.

I pick up a bottle of apple cider vinegar every now and then. It has similar intensity to sherry or rice vinegar but for some reason, I can’t put my finger on, I don’t like it as much.

I can’t remember the last time I had a bottle of red, white or even champagne vinegar in the house. If they work for you, great! But I find they’re never as nice as my sherry vinegar.

How I use vinegar

If you’re only using vinegar to make salad dressings you’re in for a treat… There’s so much more you can do with vinegar.

After salt, vinegar is my second favourite ingredient to add when I’m ‘seasoning’ my food.

One of the things I learned when I was a winemaker was the importance of acidity in how things taste. Winemakers spend hours (I’m not kidding) messing around with different pH levels and different types of acid which inspired me to start using acid and vinegar more thoughtfully in the kitchen.

When I’m tasting a dish to season it, I ask myself whether it needs more salt OR does it need a little vinegar?

Salt is great for enhancing flavours but vinegar has the ability to really freshen things up and bring everything to life. If you’d like to learn more about this, we cover it in depth in my online cooking classes at the Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School.

So I’m often reaching for the vinegar bottle when I’m seasoning a stew or soup or a dish like the sausages and lentils below.

Where I buy my vinegar

My sherry vinegar and balsamic come from my favourite deli. And the super expensive balsamic comes from Fratelli Fresh in Sydney. With sherry vinegar I’ve found you get what you pay for, so choose the most expensive one you can afford.

With balsamic it’s not so simple. I’d recommend going with a mid-priced balsamic first and then branching out to more expensive if you’re up for it. Supermarket balsamic can be OK but I find it’s worthwhile getting some from a deli, especially to use for salad dressings.

My local supermarket stocks an excellent rice wine vinegar in the Asian section. But depending on where you shop, you may need to go to an Asian grocery store. The great thing is it’s very inexpensive compared to the quality.

And of course my cheap white vinegar is another supermarket buy.

What about you?

Are you willing to take my vinegar challenge and branch out and try something new?

Pickup a bottle of a new vinegar for you and share your results in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you think…

Quick Sausages & Lentils

In our house we LOVE a good sausage. And over the years I’ve learned that there is a massive difference in quality between a sausage made with excellent ingredients and love and your super cheap supermarket sausage.

Enough for 2
3-4 good quality pork sausages
250g (9oz) cooked lentils or 1 can, drained
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Heat a little oil in your frying pan. Remove sausage from their casings and crumble the meat into the pan.

2. Cook on a highish heat, stirring every now and then for a few minutes or until sausages are well browned.

3. Add lentils, vinegar and soy. Stir and keep cooking until everything is hot and the sausages are cooked through.

4. Remove from heat. Taste and season with extra soy or vinegar if needed. Sprinkle over parsley.

VARIATIONS
not a sausage fan? – replace sausages with ground (minced) meat. Pork, veal, beef or lamb would all be fine.

different lentils – I’ve used home cooked French-style or Puy lentils, but you could use canned lentils. Red or brown lentils will also work, just be careful you don’t overcook them as they like to turn into a mush. The best way to cook lentils is to add to a big pot of cold water then simmer until they’re tender, about 15 minutes for red or green lentils, longer for brown).

soy-free – skip the soy sauce and season with salt instead.

vegetarian / vegan – Skip the sausages and double everything else. Warm the lentils and season with the soy and vinegar. Serve with a generous handful of roasted nuts for extra protein and crunch.

Video version of the recipe.

5-Ingredients 10-Minutes BONUSES!

It’s been a white since I mentioned my new print book which is NOW AVAILABLE in good bookshops in the UK and Australia.

A HUGE thank you to you if you’ve purchased one (or more!) copies. I really appreciate your support.

If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, what are you waiting for? Order online from amazon.co.uk and bookdepository.co.uk (my favourite book supplier because they have FREE shipping anywhere in the world!).

To make sure you don’t miss out go to:
www.5ingredients10minutes.com/

With love,
Jules x

I recently had an email from a Stonesoup reader asking me whether I was planning on writing an ebook focusing on eating ‘Paleo’. As much as I’d love to, the short answer is ‘no’. Being 7 months pregnant, I’ve promised myself not to take on any new projects.

But it got me thinking.

It’s been quite a while since I wrote about my experience with eating like a ‘cave man’. So maybe it’s time for an update…

What is this ‘Paleo’ way of eating?

Basically it’s about eating the way our Paleolithic ‘hunter gatherer’ ancestors ate before the inventions of agriculture.

It focuses on eating vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, poultry and nuts. And avoiding grains, dairy, legumes, starches and processed foods and sugars.

And my interpretation?

For the last couple of years my Irishman and I have been eating what I like to call ‘mostly’ paleo. I’ve found being 100% paleo a little too restrictive so I’ve evolved it to allow legumes and dairy.

The other refinement is to take one day off a week and eat whatever we feel like. I got this idea of a ‘cheat day‘ from Tim Ferriss. It makes the whole paleo thing easier to stick to because you have a break from it every week.

3 reasons I eat (mostly) Paleo

1. Helps me focus on real whole foods.
My focus is on eating unprocessed ‘real’ food. I’ve found that by thinking about it from the ‘Paleo’ perspective, makes it easier to focus in on healthy whole foods.

2. It’s waistline-friendly (well not at the moment).
OK so being 7 months pregnant hasn’t done my ‘waistline’ any favours. But before I was pregnant, I found that eating ‘mostly’ paleo helped me easily get rid of the extra weight I was carrying around my middle.

3. Avoids grain-associated health problems.
You probably know someone that is coeliac or suffers from a gluten intolerance. The Paleo crowd argue that grains impair everyone’s health, just not to the same degree. If you’d like to learn more about the health problems associated with grains, have a look at this post I wrote a while ago about why I mostly don’t eat grains.

Like to discover more about eating ‘Paleo’?

My first introduction to Paleo eating was Robb Wolf’s book ‘The Paleo Solution’. While I found the book super informative it does focus on convincing you ‘why’ you should try eating Paleo.

I’ve recently been reading Wolf’ latest interactive ebooks, and have found them much more useful because they focus on the ‘how’. They’re all about practical instructions to help you give the Paleo lifestyle a try.

If you’re completely new to the whole Paleo thing and interested in trying it out for yourself, the best option for you would be Robb Wolf’s 30 Day Total Transformation. It focuses on giving you concrete steps to help you implement the whole paleo lifestyle including what to eat, what type of exercise to do.

Or if you’re familiar with eating Paleo but looking for help to make it easier AND cheaper, then you’ll get more out of the Paleo Diet Budget Shopping Guide.

The only thing you should be ware is that both books contain ads at the end for Wolf’s dietary supplement products. Although I do take fish oil and have been taking a pregnancy multivitamin, I’m not a huge fan of supplements so was a little disappointed Wolf has gone down that path. I also found that some of the recipes referenced in the ebooks tend to be a little on the ingredients-list-as-long-as-your-arm side.

If you do decide to buy either or both of Wolf’s books using the Stonesoup affiliate links on this page, you’ll be supporting the Stonesoup business too. To say THANK YOU I have an extra gift for you…

The bonus Stonesoup Guide to Eating Paleo contains 31 of my favourite Paleo-friendly recipes and includes:

* 11 ways to ‘Paleo’ your favourite meals
* A checklist of essentials for your paleo pantry
* My printable Paleo ingredient substitute ‘cheat sheet’
* 7 cereal + dairy-free Paleo breakfast recipes
* 6 healthy lunches that don’t involve sandwiches
* PLUS! Recipes for Paleo dinners, sauces, sides and sweet treats.

2 easy steps to claim your bonus gift:
1. Buy a copy of one or both of Robb Wolf’s ebooks. Just go to:
www.robbwolf.com/shop/

2. Come back and enter your details and receipt number on the page over here:
www.thestonesoup.com/blog/pebonus/

NOTE: The recipes in the bonus ebook have been previously published either here on Stonesoup or at the Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School.

Ground Beef with Kale

I decided to try out Robb Wolf’s ‘Paleo Food Matrix’ to come up with a new recipe. This was the result. It’s one of those meals that you won’t find featured in any fancy restaurants but it’s super quick, delicious and filling.

Enough for 2
450g (1lb) ground (minced) beef
1-3 small red chillies, finely sliced
1 large bunch kale, finely sliced crosswise
1 lemon

1. Heat a little olive or coconut oil in a large frying pan on a high heat.

2. Add beef and chilli. Stir fry for a few minutes until will browned.

3. Add the kale and continue to cook, stirring now and then until the kale is wilted and tender – another few minutes.

4. Taste and season with salt, pepper & lemon juice.

VARIATIONS
vegan – this won’t be ‘paleo’ but you can replace the ground beef with cooked lentils (simmer lentils in boiling water until tender). Instead of browning the lentils in the pan first, wilt the kale and then add in the cooked lentils at the end and cook until heated through. You might like to season with a little soy sauce as well for extra flavour.

vegetarian – replace the ground beef with 6 eggs. Cook the kale first then scramble the eggs and cook until no longer ‘snotty’.

different veg - Most green veg will work. Try collard greens, spinach, silverbeet, chard, baby spinach, broccoli or zucchini.

asian vibe – add a few tablespoons of oyster sauce in at the end and serve scattered with fresh coriander leaves (cilantro).

different spicing – replace the chilli or keep it and add one of the following – curry powder, garam marsala, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika.

Video version of the recipe.

With love,
Jules x

ps. The links to Robb Wolf’s ebooks are affiliate links so if you do buy something you’ll be supporting the Stonesoup business too. Thank you!

I‘ve always been a fan of Easter. Especially since developing a serious ‘appreciation’ for chocolate back when I was designing chocolate biscuits (cookies) for a living. But this Easter I’m more excited than usual.

We have some friends coming to stay for the weekend and they’re bringing their 3 year old. So you know what that means…

Yes! A real Easter Egg Hunt! Yay!

So this week I have a couple of Easter ‘treat’ recipes to get you in the mood.

Happy Easter!

Potato Rosti

Inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe in his brilliant newish book ‘Jerusalem.’

Enough for about 8 rosti – serves 1 Irishman and 1 pregnant lady
500g (1lb) potatoes
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons flour
small handful chopped chives, optional
oil for shallow frying

1. Scrub your spuds then grate – I use my food processor. Rinse grated potato in cold water. Drain then transfer to a clean tea towel and squeeze the spuds as dry as possible.

2. Heat about 1cm (1/1in) oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.

3. Combine dry spuds, egg whites, flour and chives, if using, in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Then form the mixture into about 8 flat patties, placing each on a clean plate as you go.

4. Gently slide half of the rosti into the hot oil. Shallow fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or until deeply golden brown.

5. Drain on paper towel and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the second batch of rosti.

6. Serve hot with a generous dusting of sea salt flakes.

VARIATIONS
potato & parsnip – Ottolenghi uses a mixture of spuds and parsnips in his rosti.

vegan – try replacing with 1 tablespoon ground golden flax seeds (linseeds) combined with 3 tablespoons water. I haven’t tried this so let me know how you get on if you do.

gluten-free – just use your favourite GF flour. I’ve used quinoa flour in the video but GF flour will work.

other root veg – it’s hard to go past the humble spud but I’d consider trying swede (rutabaga) or sweet potato.

mini rosti – make smaller rosti to serve as canapes. Brilliant with a dollop of cold sour cream.

Video version of the recipe.

Fudgy 5-Ingredient Chocolate Cake

This is my all-time favourite chocolate cake recipe. It’s gluten free. It’s dense and fudgy, yet at the same time it’s light and lovely.

Enough for 6 or possibly 8 if everyone is feeling virtuous.
100g (3.5oz) butter
200g (7oz) 70% cocoa solids chocolate, chopped into chunks
4 eggs
100g (3.5oz) caster sugar
100g (3.5oz) almond meal

1. Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Melt butter and grease a 20cm springform cake tin.

2. Add chocolate chunks to the hot butter and allow to stand off the heat.

3. Meanwhile, separate eggs. Whisk whites with a pinch of salt until white and foamy and the volume doesn’t seem to be increasing any more.

4. Gently scatter in the sugar and keep whisking eggs for a minute or so. Then attend to the chocolate mixture.

5. Stir the melted chocolate and butter together. Add egg yolks. Stir. Add nuts. Stir.

6. Gently combine chocolate mixture with egg white mixture. Transfer to your prepared cake tin.

7. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top feels firm with a springy mass underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

VARIATIONS
sugar-free – use 85% cocoa solids chocolate and replace the caster sugar with erythritol or a commercial erythritol / stevia blend like Natvia.

‘easter’ cake – serve with a ‘nest’ of marscapone on top and pile on a heap of little chocolate Easter eggs – I used a mixture of white, milk and dark chocolate eggs.

different nuts – I often use hazelnuts or pecans instead of the almond meal. Most nuts will work well here.

nut-free – You could try replacing the nuts with flour, but I’d be worried it would dry the cake out. My first step would be to replace half the nuts with an extra egg and replace the other half with extra chocolate to go for a flourless chocolate cake texture. I haven’t tried this so if you do, please let me know!

milk or white chocolate – again I haven’t tried these because I love dark chocolate so much, but there’s no reason they won’t work.

dairy-free – replace butter with vegetable oil or coconut oil.

vegan – I’m afraid we’re relying on egg whites for texture here so this isn’t a cake for vegans.

Video version of the recipe.

eBook Bundle!

I recently put together the first Stonesoup ebook ‘bundle’ deal. Basically it allows you to buy the ‘Tired & Hungry Cook’s Companion‘ AND ‘30-Dinners in 30 Days‘ together and SAVE $10.

For more details, before the offer expires, go to:
www.thestonesoupshop.com/bundle/

With love
Jules x

ps. Not sure if these two ebooks are for you?

Here’s what Patti had to say about the ‘Tired & Hungry Cook’s Companion’…
“A few days ago, I bought the tired and hungry cook’s companion. What a great book! This book is a terrific little resource to have right in my iphone for the inevitable times in the supermarket, 25km from home, running around in tiny circles going WAAHHH! WHAT AM I DOING FOR DINNER? and trying to remember what is in the fridge. Jules, thanks a million for such a beautifully-put-together book. I like everything about it. Lovely photographs and layout, nifty features (click the links, hello… not to mention the complete portability…. I have saved it to kindle and evernote so I have a copy wherever I am), and of course delicious ideas in abundance.”
Patti, Tired & Hungry Cook’s Companion Reader.

So there’s something I’ve been meaning to share with you for quite some time now. Some really exciting personal news that has nothing to do with book launches. Or cooking for that matter.

As you’ve probably guessed from the title of this post, my Irishman and I have been working on a big project called ‘starting a family’. And I’m super happy to report that we’re all on track for delivery of said project in June.

Which is especially nice because I love the idea of a Winter baby and my Mum was born in June. And her name was June so it’s all very fitting. I’ve also been super lucky in inheriting my Mum’s absence of morning sickness. I feel very blessed.

Don’t worry, I’m not planning on turning Stonesoup into a parenting blog. I’ll stick to a topic I actually know something about.

But for today I thought it would be fun to talk about lunches because they seem to be one of the biggest challenges for pregnant ladies. And most of the tips apply to everyone really.

5 Tips for Safe, Healthy Lunches for Pregnant Ladies (and everyone else)

1. Make your own.
No matter how good the safety practices are at your favourite lunch spot, there’s no way it can be as safe as when you’re preparing food for yourself. They just can’t care as much as you do. Take this as an opportunity to save some money AND eat healthier by developing the habit of making your own lunch.

And don’t feel like you need to be super organised, you don’t necessarily need to be. I’m a big fan of ‘cooking’ your lunch at work during your lunch break. For ideas of how to do this see ‘3 uber-simple lunches you can make at work in less time than it takes to go out and buy something‘.

2. Invest in some good quality lunch containers.
Crappy plastic containers that spill your lunch in your bag aren’t going to inspire you to make your own lunch. Years ago, my Irishman bought me a collection of Pyrex glass containers with plastic lids. I can’t tell you how much of a change it made to how I felt about my work lunches.

Plus microwaving plastic isn’t the healthiest for you or your little one.

3. Keep it chilled.
Temperature is one of the biggest factors of food safety. Chilling your food asap and making sure it stays chilled is the biggest thing you can do to keep food is as safe as possible.

If you have a short commute and a fridge at work then you’re laughing. If you have a long commute, and /or you don’t have fridge access, it’s best to invest in a cooler bag and some ‘ice bricks’. Or freeze a bottle of water the night before to use.

4. Serve hot things hot.
The other part of the food safety / temperature spectrum is making sure hot food is reheated properly before serving.

Microwaves can be problematic because you get uneven heating – make sure you take the time to stop and stir and keep going until everything is piping hot, even if there’s a queue of people waiting.

5. Try and focus on what you can eat.
On one of my first visits to my obstetrician, he gave me a booklet on safe food during pregnancy. Even though I have a First Class Honours degree in Food Science, majoring in Microbiology, I found the whole thing a bit overwhelming. And depressing.

Sure I knew the whole motherhood thing was going to require some sacrifices, like curbing my champagne and sashimi intake. But seeing all the things you ‘can’t’ eat during pregnancy was a bit too much.

So I’ve been focusing on what I can safely enjoy. And that’s made life a lot easier (and more fun!).

Here are a few ideas so you know what I mean…
No soft cheese = Hard cheeses and feta.
No champagne = Sparkling water (and yes, it’s definitely no substitute… but better than nothing).
No salami or prosciutto = Crispy grilled or pan fried salami and prosciutto.
No soft poached eggs = Hard eggs with commercial hollandaise.

Looking for healthy lunch recipe ideas?

Then check out these 16 Easy, Healthy Lunch Ideas that Don’t Involve Sandwiches. Apart from the ‘mixed sprout and avocado salad’ the list is suitable for pregnant ladies too. And if you are pregnant I’d recommend swapping the canned tuna for wild canned salmon or sardines as these are less likely to have high mercury levels but still provide plenty of omega-3s. Although I still have tuna from time to time, just not as often.

Enjoyed this?

Then you might like to check out my previous post about pregnant cooks: 12 Meals to Stock Up while Waiting for Baby.

Quinoa, Feta & Avocado Salad

I’ve really been getting into feta lately. It’s become my go to cheese when I would have normally reached for a soft cheese like ricotta or goats cheese.

Enough for 2
100g (3.5oz) quinoa
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
200g (7oz) packet feta, I like Greek style best
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 avocado

1. Bring a medium pot of water to the boil. Rinse quinoa and add to the pot simmer for 12-15 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Drain well.

2. Whisk vinegar with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Toss in quinoa and parsley.

3. Crumble over feta and scoop chunks of avocado on top. Season mostly with pepper and leave the feta to provide the salt.

VARIATIONS
dairy-free / vegan – replace the feta with roasted almonds.

paleo – replace the feta with 3-4 hard boiled eggs. And replace the quinoa with a big bunch of kale – no need to cook the kale, just wash well and chop into super fine ribbons before tossing in the dressing.

cooked quinoa – if you’ve cooked up a big batch of quinoa in advance you’ll need about 300g (10oz) cooked quinoa for the recipe.

no quinoa? – replace with 300g (10oz) cooked lentils or brown rice or see the ‘paleo’ variation above.

no rice wine vinegar – use lemon juice, sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar instead.

different cheese – If you’re not pregnant, go nuts with your favourite goats cheese or even a creamy blue.

video version of the recipe.

5-Ingredients 10-Minutes!

My new print book NOW AVAILABLE in good bookshops in the UK and Australia.

There are no plans to launch in the US at this stage but you can order online from amazon.co.uk and bookdepository.co.uk (my favourite book supplier because they have FREE shipping anywhere in the world!).

More details over here:
www.5ingredients10minutes.com/

With love
Jules x