Easy Dinner Recipes - 4 Weeks of Budget Meal Planning For February

Do you feel constantly hassled when it comes to thinking of putting a meal on the table at the end of a busy day? There is a solution by way of easy monthly meal planning. Not only is the free monthly meal plan provided for you, so too are the delicious recipes. And it gets better...for each of the Main Meals that you cook, there are Leftover Recipes. This means that you cut the time on preparation and more or less get two meals out of one.

WEEK 1

February's Easy Dinner Recipes are available. If you want to know how to cook Beef Tenderloin, there is a delicious recipe with a coriander, paprika and black pepper rub. Want to use the leftovers? Try the Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry.

And then there is a very light Smoked Salmon Pasta Recipe - ideal for informal entertaining or a simple family evening and very quickly prepared.

And how about starting the day with Healthy Blueberry Muffins? This recipe can be prepared the night before and then whisked into the oven in the morning. Nothing beats the aroma of freshly baked muffins in the morning and they are great lunchbox fillers.

WEEK 2

There is the Rotisserie Chicken Rub Recipe which is suitable both for the rotisserie as well as for oven baked whole chicken. This month we use the leftovers for Easy Chicken Enchiladas - a really quick, delicious recipe and easily whipped up after a day on the go.

The Baked Fish Recipe with Pecans, Coriander and Parmesan Crust is both tasty and simple. You can even use the same crust for a Stuffed Mushroom Recipe.

February, of course, is Cupid's month! If you are looking for good gifts for Valentines, the Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe fits the bill. It is fudgey and truly decadent. Make it in a heart-shaped cake tin and present it to the love of your life - or your family!

WEEK 3

What would winter be without a Homemade Beef Stew Recipe and this month we make it with carrots and parsnips. This really is a warming family treat but really simple to make. And the leftovers are cunningly turned into a Meat Pie Recipe with a puff pastry top - what could be easier?

The Seafood Jambalaya Recipe is a Cajun favorite - mildly spicy and not complicated to make.

Our Fresh Pumpkin Pie features again. This has been a very popular recipe and uses the last of the butternut squashes.

WEEK 4

And of course there are some healthy fish recipes. This month there is the Best Grilled Salmon Recipe with a Teriyaki Sauce. Now, this is where the plan gets clever. You can make a double quantity of the Garlic Mash Potato Recipe. Use it with Sausages one night, then combine it with a little extra salmon to make a delicious Salmon Patties Recipe and finally, you can use it to make Potato Leek Soup. The family will never guess that they are eating the same recipe three completely different ways!

Here is another clever idea. Make double of the Caramelized Onions and Roasted Vegetables Recipe and you will easily be able to make the Vegetable Quiche Recipe.

And it gets better! Make double of the Quiche Crust Recipe and you will be able to make not only the Vegetable Quiche but the Best Apple Pie Recipe too. There is a surprise here. The shortcrust pastry has a little cheese in it. Cheese? With Apple Pie? Try it! It is one of those marriages and works really well. This Apple Pie is based on a very old American Recipe and somehow the savory of the cheese enhances the sweetness of the apples. The result is a delectable pie which is sweet without being cloying. This is definitely one of our family favorites.

SO - WHAT IS STOPPING YOU GETTING STARTED? Meal Planning saves time, money and your sanity.

Start here with February Meal Planning.

Reference: Fiona Lesley

Romantic Meal Ideas for Valentine's Day

Are you planning to prepare a romantic dinner for two to celebrate Valentine's Day? When deciding what to serve, it's important to consider what types of foods that you and your other (better?) half both enjoy. It would definitely send the wrong message to prepare shrimp for Valentine's Day if your significant other is allergic to shellfish.

Something New?

If you'd like to find new recipes for your Valentine's Day dinner, it's a good idea to check out Kissing in the Kitchen, a terrific cookbook by Kevin T. Roberts that focuses on romantic meal ideas. The book is full of terrific, easy-to-prepare recipes that are sure to make your Valentine's Day dinner just perfect. You can find great ideas for every course of the perfect Valentine's Day dinner.

Something Old?

Valentine's Day might actually be a great time to try a tried and true recipe, or prepare a dish that has a special significance for you and your sweetie. Think about meals that you and your sweetie have shared that marked major milestones in your relationship, and try to replicate them. For example, if you enjoyed an Italian feast on your first date, serving a similar meal each year on Valentine's Day can be a terrific tradition for the two of you. If you had terrific steamed seafood on your honeymoon, a similar feast make a great Valentine's Day feast.

Foods to Avoid

Since the idea behind preparing a special meal for Valentine's Day is to enjoy a quiet and romantic dinner with the one you love, you should probably avoid foods that are extremely messy or are likely to cause bad breath or indigestion. Chili dogs with onions, for example, probably aren't a good choice for any romantic meal occasion. If you look at or think about a particular food item and think, "I'd never eat that on a first date," you should scratch it off your Valentine's Day dinner ideas list.

What About Dessert?

When it comes to dessert, chocolate is the perfect choice for Valentine's Day. You can go the traditional route, with a heart shaped chocolate chip cookie or chocolate heart candy. You can go for rich and decadent with a chocolate doberge or red velvet cake shipped directly to your door from Gambino's Bakery in New Orleans. (I've eaten both of these cakes; they are out of this world. They are most definitely worth every penny and every calorie!)

Have a Great Dinner!

What really matters on Valentine's Day is that you get to spend time with the person you love, and you make a point of letting that special someone know just how grateful you are to have him or her in your life.

Reference: mgwhite

What are good diet snacks to eat when trying to lose weight?

Snacking is often one of the main reasons people become overweight. It's also one of the most common reasons why a diet plan fails. Those sweet or savoury treats are just too tempting.

Diets and snacks aren't particularly good bedfellows. But it doesn't need to be this way. There are a number of snacks you can eat when dieting. Indeed, eating diet snacks is usually beneficial, as trying to cut out snacks altogether can be counter-productive.

As you will no doubt have guessed, suitable diet snacks do not include cream cakes or king size chocolate bars. However, you can eat snacks such as apples, dried fruit, almonds and low-fat string cheese.

The dieting industry in the UK is so huge that you'll also find low fat and low calorie versions of most of your favorite snacks. So there's no reason to deprive yourself of a little of what you fancy.

The final point to remember when it comes to diet snacks is portion size. Even healthy snacks must be eaten in moderation. A handful of unsalted nuts is a great snack for the middle of the day. But several handfuls will have a big impact on your daily calorie intake.

Reference: Women Republic