What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 6

Into our last week of school before the holidays. It's come around really quickly this time as it's only five weeks since the Christmas holidays, but we'll pay for it at the end of the year as we'll have a longer final term before the summer holidays. Pierre is having fun at the moment gadding about taking photos at various football matches and really enjoying it, which is good as it's what he's planning on studying and following as a career. Sophie is still busy emptying her flat and filling up every corner of our house to stash everything ! Juliette is still at college and having fun renovating her flat with her boyfriend. Here's what's on the menu this week.

Monday

lunch- I'll be eating at school as I have a meeting just before lunch (fridge diving for the kids)

dinner - chicken cordon bleu with pasta and parsnips

Tuesday

lunch- Chicken and tomato spicy rice one-pot

dinner-  sausages, mash and beans

Wednesday

lunch- something out of Sophie's diabetes cookbook

dinner- beef bourguignon with potatoes and carrots

Thursday

lunch-something in town with Sophie

dinner- Chinese chicken stir-fry with noodles

Friday

lunch- school canteen (Sophie and Pierre can fend for themselves)

dinner - pork curry with rice

Saturday

lunch- chicken burgers, spicy rice and sweetcorn

dinner- pasta carbonara

Sunday

lunch- steak, baked potatoes and green beans

dinner - leftovers or spaghetti bolognese

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Degustabox January 2025 review

We're into a brand new year and I find myself contemplating what 2025 will bring us. I have made no new year's resolutions this year and we haven't booked this year's holiday yet so we can't even look forward to our future adventures. The postman helped us get off to a good start though when he dropped off the first Degustabox of 2025. Here is what was hiding away in the January 2025 box.

Deliciously Ella Apple & Almond Breakfast Bakes (RRP £1.50) are a totally different breakfast option that are perfect when you are running late and need something to eat on the way to work. They are made of oats, apple pieces and a creamy almond centre and I appreciated both the taste and the texture. They are naturally high in fibre and made with 100% natural, plant-based ingredients. They're great as an occasional treat to keep in the cupboard as a fallback plan when time isn't on your side. Available at Ocado, Tesco, Sainsbury's and deliciouslyella.com.

 

Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (RRP £3 - other Degustaboxers got Bonne Maman Crunchy Peanut Spread) is a delicious, rich spread that is perfect on a slice of toast or just a slice of bread as a quick snack or breakfast. It can also be jazzed up into a quick and simple dessert that the whole family will enjoy (extra bonus points for doubling up with fresh fruit), for example Strawberry and Chocolate Spread Tart or Chocolate and Pear Tart. You may even like to try the more sophisticated-looking but ultra quick Chocolate Spread Palmier Biscuits that look much more complicated than they really are. Available from most major supermarkets.

Dorset Cereals Oat Granola (RRP £3.69) is a simple granola made with crunchy golden oats and sunflower seeds. It's perfect as a blank canvas for adding extra ingredients, whether that be raisins, blueberries or even chocolate chips. It can be topped with milk or yogurt if you want to switch things up a bit. Available in Waitrose, Ocado, Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco.

Kind Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Bars (RRP £1.49) are another tasty snack option, combining the smooth texture of peanut butter with the added decadence of dark chocolate. They contain 50% nuts and no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. They are high in fibre and gluten free. They taste great and feel like they are one of the healthier snacking options out there. Available in most major supermarkets.

 

Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Penne (RRP £3.50) is made from organic green lentils and brown rice, both of which are gluten free. The texture and cooking time is similar to regular pasta, so I mixed it 50/50 with regular pasta and the kids were none the wiser ! It's a simple way of adding some plant protein into classic family meals. Available at health food stores and online on amazon.

Jimmy's Iced Coffee Oat BottleCan (RRP £2) is a dairy-free but creamy blend of oat milk and bold single-origin Rainforest Alliance Arabica coffee. Perfect if you are looking for a tasty burst of energy to kick off the day or as a mid-morning boost. Available in Tesco or online.

Tilda Long Grain Rice Pots (RRP £2) are this month's Product of the Month. They are a quick and simple way to prepare rice, taking just 60 seconds in the microwave. This makes them perfect for accompanying leftovers or as a quick side with fajitas, chilli, curry or whatever else you have planned for dinner. One pot is one serving, making things even simpler. Available at Tesco, Ocado and Sainsbury's.

 

Koko Dairy Free Unsweetened Milk (RRP £1.80) can be used in hot and cold drinks, as well as sweet and savoury cooking, in place of regular milk. It is made from coconuts and avoids the 14 major allergens so it is perfect for anyone who is avoiding real milk, due to allergies or ethical issues. It tastes surprisingly like regular milk, which is definitely a good thing in my opinion. Available in most major supermarkets.

Linwoods Health Food Cold Milled Flaxseed (RRP £4) is organic, gluten-free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians. It can support cholesterol levels, energy, muscle growth and even your immune system. It is simple to use - you just sprinkle a couple of spoonfuls over your meal. It is cold milled to preserve nutrients and allow for easy absorption. Available in major supermarkets and health store chains, as well as online on linwoodshealthfoods.com

 

 

Mission Protein Plant Powered Wraps (RRP £1.75) are a simple way of adding protein to your diet. Each wrap contains 10g of plant-powered protein and they can be used in anything from breakfast burritos, taco lunches and fajitas dinners, not to mention cold wraps in your lunchbox. They taste the same as regular wraps so you're getting the added protein as a fuss-free extra. Available at Tesco.

Tick Tock Rooibos Tea (RRP £1.90) is the original version of the famous redbush tea. With a light honeyed sweetness, high levels of antioxidants and low levels of tannins, it is recognised around the world as a superfood. If you're looking for a bargain, you can get a box of 40 teabags for £2.35 so the bigger box works out much cheaper. Available in all major supermarkets.

Vidrate (RRP £2.25) was created to help you drink more water and was the first zero-sugar product of its kind made with natural ingredients and added vitamins and electrolytes. There are now 13 natural flavours to discover, including the three in the Degustabox : Strawberry & Lime (standard sachet), Boost Guava (90mg caffeine) and Night Time Mixed Berry (for sleep - taken before bed). It's a great way of giving your body a boost, both from the extra water and the added vitamins. Available in Boots and Whole Foods Market.

A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that, but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which means you'll get the first box for just £9.99 - enter code PKUFE at the checkout. 

for more information :

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook

http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

Also now on Instagram @DegustaboxUK

Disclosure : We received the box in order to write an honest review. As a Degustabox blogger, I receive all of the products that go into the monthly boxes, but subscribers may not get exactly the same selection.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 5

I can't believe we'll be into February by the end of the week. Where is the time going ?!! This week, I'll be heading off on the train to a training session in a town about an hour and a half away on Monday morning, to find out all about the new International Section opening in our school next year. I'm probably going to be picked to teach it and we have 6 hours per week to teach literature in English, on top of their normal English lessons. It's going to be tricky finding simple texts to use with the students whose English level is pretty basic in their first year at our school. I'm thinking Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (using the dvd to help with comprehension) and a simplified version of Oliver Twist to start off with, but I'm hoping to get lots more ideas on the course. Then on Friday, I have a two hour meeting at another school to talk (again) about setting up the new section. Lots of running around but it's making it all clearer for next year, which is a good thing. Here's the menu plan for this week.

Monday

lunch- I'll be eating at the school where my course is being run (fridge diving for the kids)

dinner - sausages with mash and beans

Tuesday

lunch- chicken burgers with rice and ratatouille

dinner-  veal with pasta and roasted parsnips

Wednesday

lunch- super smoky bacon and tomato spaghetti

dinner- chilli con carne with rice

Thursday

lunch-something in town with Sophie

dinner- pasta carbonara

Friday

lunch- school canteen (Sophie and Pierre can fend for themselves)

dinner - baked potatoes with bacon, cheese and beans

Saturday

lunch- Deliveroo

dinner- Amatriciana chicken traybake

Sunday

lunch- Pastitsio (Greek Lasagne)

dinner - leftovers

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 4

Our menu plans are a bit hit and miss at the moment as we tend to go and grab a couple of Too Good To Go bags at a local supermarket towards the end of the week. Last week we got loads of four cheese pizzas and lots of mini hamburgers. Pierre has just had his braces retightened so he wanted to avoid things that needed a lot of chewing for a few days. That gave us the chance to use up some of the tins of soup that have been filling up my food cupboard. Here's what we have on the plan for this week.

Monday

lunch- something in town with Sophie

dinner - Monterey chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans

Tuesday

lunch- pasta carbonara (with fatty pork slices from Too Good To Go)

dinner-  sesame pork roast (in the slow cooker with Too Good To Go pork) with rice

Wednesday

lunch- Frittata (spinach/sausages/courgette) (p84 Diabetes cookbook) (didn't get made last week as Sophie went back to Lille)

dinner- leftovers

Thursday

lunch-something in town with Sophie

dinner- chicken burgers in buns with Airfryer chips

Friday

lunch- school canteen (Sophie and Pierre can fend for themselves)

dinner - spaghetti bolognese

Saturday

lunch- minced beef fajitas with guacamole

dinner- probably something from Too Good To Go

Sunday

lunch- roast dinner

dinner - leftovers

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 3

We've all settled back into our school routines. Sophie is moving back home so she's doing multiple trips to her flat and bringing it all back home. Cue lots of interesting recipe books and a million seasoning sachets and pots of herbs and spices that we can start working our way through. We've got a new Air Fryer cookbook to go with the air fryer that I got for Christmas, plus Sophie has just brought back her Diabetes cookbook, so we've got lots of new things to try out. Here's what's on the plan for next week.

Monday

lunch- something in town with Sophie

dinner - beef casserole (with carrots/onions) with mash

Tuesday

lunch- chicken satay with rice

dinner- chicken burgers with potato Christmas trees (hanging about in the freezer)

Wednesday

lunch- Frittata (spinach/sausages/courgette) (p84 Diabetes cookbook)

dinner- Mediterranean chicken (with tomatoes/courgettes) with pasta

Thursday

lunch-school canteen

dinner- Spanish chicken and rice

Friday

lunch- school canteen (Sophie and Pierre can fend for themselves)

dinner - Quick sausage pasta sauce (p90 Diabetes cookbook)

Saturday

lunch- Swedish meatballs with Ikea sauce and mash

dinner- Deliveroo (assuming Juliette and her boyfriend will be home)

Sunday

lunch- chicken roast dinner

dinner - chicken soup

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Degustabox December 2024 review

 

Just before Christmas, we received our final Degustabox delivery of 2024. With Christmas and New Year on the way, it was great to receive a selection of snacks and cupboard staples to stock up the kitchen and help see us through our festive nibbles and creative use of leftovers. Here's what was in the December Degustabox.

 

Tilda Sticky Rice (RRP £1.54) is a new addition to the range of time-saving microwavable rice pouches. This one provides the perfect sticky rice taste and texture needed for making poke bowls and sushi. We have tried making sushi a couple of times (here and here) here at the Madhouse and this 90-second rice would make the whole process quicker and simpler. I've put this aside for the girls to have fun with at a later date. Available at all major supermarkets.

Ryvita Thins Sour Cream & Chive (RRP £2.19) are delicious crispy, crunchy snacks that can be nibbled on their own or eaten with a dip - spicy salsa or creamy dips would work well with this flavour. The smooth creaminess and zingy chives flavour combine to create a delicious taste sensation. They are high in fibre and baked full of goodness so you can even feel good about eating them ! Available at Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado and Amazon.

 

Fanta Mentos (RRP £2.50) are a combination of two products that I love so these were sure to be a match made in heaven. The sweet citrus flavour is delicious and I love the chewy texture of the sweets. I prefer the individual tubes of Mentos to the sharing pouch bag but the sweets inside were still a big hit. I'm sad to see that these are a limited edition flavour so don't miss out. Available at all major supermarkets.

Maggi 2-Minute Masala Noodles (RRP 65p) are a quick and simple lunch option that I can see Pierre nibbling on. He usually buys Chinese-style noodles so these Indian recipe noodles will make a nice change. These spicy noodles include vegetables and are suitable for vegetarians, but you could also add in some chopped-up leftover cooked chicken to make a heartier meal. Available at all major supermarkets.

 

Jayish V Gallery Vodka (RRP £4 for the miniature bottle) is a range of fabulously flavoured premium vodka spirit drinks. Five times distilled to bring you the purest of the pure crystal clear vodka every time. We got Very Berry flavour which was enjoyed as part of our New Year's Eve celebrations. I would say it is a brand that is particularly appealing to female and/or youngish drinkers who don't really like the taste of alcohol as it is a very fruity, appealing flavour. Other flavour options (there are eight available in total) include Marshmallow, Toffee Fudge, Mango Crush and Cucumber. Definitely worth looking into for an enjoyable night in. Available at vgalleryvodka.com

Human Nature Caramelised Onion Flavour Pea Snacks (RRP £2 - other subscribers got Hot Jalapeno and Lime Lentil, Smoky BBQ Pea or Cheese Flavour Lentil) are delicious, crunchy snacks that have an intense onion flavour and a texture that seems to melt in the mouth. Human Nature is a vegetarian brand on a mission to make wholesome foods that positively contribute to social and environmental causes. They aim to offset more than twice their carbon emissions by removing ocean-bound plastic, planting trees, creating eco-friendly jobs, and donating to 1% for the Planet. Available at humannaturefood.com

Knorr Fiery Spicy Stock Pots (RRP £1.90) are another option from the quick and convenient range of cooking aids. I love the simplicity for adding flavour and thickening up cooking juices but we did find these ones slighty too spicy. I toned them down by adding some creme fraiche at the end of the cooking time.  They can be used in soups, stews, casseroles, pasta dishes and more. They are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and are perfect for adding some oomph to slightly bland dishes. Available at Waitrose, Ocado and Asda.

 

Get More Vits Multi Vits (RRP £1.10) is a Sparkling Lemon & Lime drink that is sugar-free, low calorie and high in vitamins. Each drink contains a daily dose of vitamins B, C and D, so it's an easy way to get your daily dose of vitamins. B Vitamins support energy release by converting food to energy in the body, vitamins C and D support the immune system, and vitamin D also supports healthy bones, teeth and muscles. It is a simple and tasty way of giving your body some health-boosting nutrients.

Get More Vits Recovery (RRP £1.25) is a Cranberry flavoured sports drink. It is advertised as the perfect drink to rehydrate during or after exercise or illness and I drank this when I was unwell just before Christmas. It contains Sodium, Potassium & Magnesium electrolytes which aid hydration, whilst B Vitamins support energy release. As well as helping your body regulate itself, it tastes great.

Forest Feast Salted Dark Chocolate Cashews (RRP  £1.50) are slowly roasted to a golden finish then dunked into dark Belgian chocolate, sprinkled with salt and dusted with cocoa. They taste just as divine as they sound and we gobbled up the whole packet in record time ! I was slightly unsure about mixing cashews and chocolate but it's a combination that really works well. Available at Tesco, forestfeast.com and Fine Food independents.

 

Garofalo Ditali Soup Pasta (RRP £2.60 - other subscribers got Semi Di Melone Soup Pasta) offers an authentic Italian experience. It is perfect in hearty soups or light broths but the kids ended up cooking this and serving it with bolognese sauce which worked just fine too. It is made from high quality durum wheat which has a great al dente texture and the short tube shape is perfect for holding onto sauce and seasoning.

Dorset Cereals Simply Nutty Muesli (RRP £3.40)  is a blend of rolled and toasted flakes with dates, hazelnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts and sunflower seeds. It contains no added sugar, uses wholegrain wheat and oats and is high in fibre. It is free from added preservatives, colours or artificial flavours and is suitable for vegans. You could do a lot worse if you're looking for a new, healthy way to start the day for 2025.

A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that, but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which means you'll get the first box for just £9.99 - enter code PKUFE at the checkout. 

for more information :

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook

http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

Also now on Instagram @DegustaboxUK

Disclosure : We received the box in order to write an honest review. As a Degustabox blogger, I receive all of the products that go into the monthly boxes, but subscribers may not get exactly the same selection.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 2

And we're back, welcoming in the year 2025 ! I ended up the last week before the holidays off sick and barely eating but luckily I got better just in time to go and visit the family for Christmas. We had a lovely week there before coming back for the kids to catch up with their respective boyfriends and girlfriends. I acquired an AirFryer for Christmas and bought a recipe book to find out what we can do with it. Sophie's moving back home so she'll be helping out with the cooking and the menu planning. Lots of fun times in the kitchen ahead ! Hope you all had a lovely break over Christmas and fingers crossed that 2025 will be a great year for everyone. Here's what is planned for our first menu plan of the year.

Monday

lunch- something in town with Sophie

dinner - chicken curry with rice

Tuesday

lunch- baked potatoes with burgers and roasted garlic broccoli

dinner- chilli con carne with rice

Wednesday

lunch- courgette hash browns with feta

dinner- leftovers

Thursday

lunch- something in town with Sophie

dinner- Mediterranean turkey escalopes with pasta

Friday

lunch- school lunch

dinner - pasta carbonara

Saturday

lunch- chicken wings with white sauce and chips

dinner- Airfryer chicken skewers with rice

Sunday

lunch- roast dinner

dinner - soup

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Our top 3 Picks from the Degustabox Advent Calendar 2024

I shared our review of the fabulous Degustabox Advent Calendar 2024 last week and since then, we've been busy sampling, tasting and sometimes just straight guzzling many of the products that were hiding behind the doors. I thought I'd pop back and give you a quick rundown of our favourite three products. Can you guess what we loved the most ?

In third place, I give you Garner's Sweet Pickled Baby Onions. They may be baby sized but they certainly pack a punch. The first one that I ate, I gobbled straight from the jar and as I bit into it, the vinegar hit my throat and left me with tears streaming down my cheeks as I coughed relentlessly ! The next time, I sliced it up into small pieces and added it to a cheese sandwich which was very tasty. They were also great chopped up on the side of the plate with fish and chips or salad - they were a great way of livening up the turkey leftovers as we worked through the remains of the Christmas dinner. Once you've tried them, you'll look down your nose at the regular tiny silverskin pickled onions that seem to have little or no flavour once you've tried the more interesting Garner's onions.

In second place, Knorr Chicken Gravy Pots have been another ally in helping to use up the leftover festive turkey. After frying up an onion and some mushrooms, then tossing in the chopped up cooked turkey, I added a gravy pot to the pan, topping it up with some water. After simmering for ten to fifteen minutes, I was left with a tasty pan of juicy turkey covered in sauce that could be accompanied with rice, pasta or baked potatoes. They are also great for adding to turkey and vegetables before flinging on a puff-pastry lid to create a turkey pie that the whole family loved. The whole family appreciated the taste and I loved the simplicity. Just add water for a great tasting gravy in seconds.

Finally, in top place, Ballymaloe Relish takes my number one spot. This has been another godsend in helping to liven up the festive leftovers. A spoonful heaped over roast turkey will make a tasty, moist, satisfying sandwich and the kids have also tried and adopted using it in cheese and ham sandwiches too. It is also recommended in burgers and is lovely on the side of the plate to add some oomph to whatever you are eating. It has even been sampled mixed in with mashed potatoes and given the thumbs-up. It's definitely something I can see us buying regularly at the supermarket as we do our weekly shop.

Did you get a Degustabox advent calendar this year? What did you think? What were your top picks?

The Degustabox Advent Calendar contains 24 full-sized products, perfect for sharing with your loved ones over the festive period. The products have a value of £55 but you can grab yourselves an advent calendar for £44.99. It's an enjoyable way of counting down the days to Christmas for the whole family to share but it would also make an original gift idea.

Find out more at Advent Calendar | Degusta Box

Disclosure : We received the product in order to share our honest review.