It's been a while...

I'm sorry I've not been updating my blog for the last few weeks. I had some laptop trouble and I'm still struggling but I will try to keep the posts coming. I missed out on the Lovelace Files' Challenge and I feel terrible but I will finish the challenge and update you as soon as I'm done.

Well it's Christmas Eve and I'm excited. It's Mwagala's first Christmas and she turns 9 months tomorrow too. Boy, has she grown! And for now let me leave you with some photos.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Meal Planning Challenge - Week 1

The challenge has begun! And what an exciting week it has been. This week we focused on meal planning and boy did I need to get organised. Each day I have to figure out what we're going to cook and I had thought of putting together a weekly meal plan but I hadn't gotten around to it but this week I did!

Recipes
The first day was dedicated to organising recipes. I had never really printed out the recipes that I get on the internet so this week I did and put them in a binder. Plus I found a new recipe website www.pikachakula.com It's amazing. I like it because the recipes are not too complicated and I can get most of the ingredients easily. Kathy suggested putting the recipes in sheet protectors so that you don't get spills on them while you cook which I thought was absolutely brilliant. I divided the recipes into 6 categories:

• Appetizers
• Main dishes
• Side dishes
• Desserts
• Drinks
• Breakfast

I used one binder because I wanted to save on space. And also because I haven't really got that many recipes yet - most of them are in recipe books. 

I can't wait to try out the new recipes!

Meal Plan
I also got to plan our weekly meals using a meal plan from here. We cook one meal a day because I'm home at lunch alone and I really don't mind eating the same thing for lunch and dinner so I chose this meal plan.

Food prep
I usually shop meats for a whole month. So I buy meats in bulk and split them up into one-meal portions  then freeze. This helps ration the food and also cuts out some prep time.

So far I'm loving the challenge :)

Next week we tackle cleaning schedules.

Fish & chips - with a twist

We were surprised with a public holiday last week. So I gave our house-help a day off and went into the kitchen to have a little fun. Thankfully, Mwagala behaved herself and I was able to get lunch ready quicker than usual.

My dear hubby recently had a tooth extracted and had been taking a lot of soup so I decided to make his 'first' meal a special one. I made grilled fish and chips. With a bit of a twist on the chips. So I'll let you in on the recipe. (I forgot to measure but I will estimate.)

Ingredients for fish (Serves 2)

• Fish fillet (4)
• Unsalted Butter/ Olive oil 
• White pepper
• Garlic powder
• Salt 

Pre-heat the oven grill to 210C

With Butter 
Melt butter in pan and add salt, garlic powder and white pepper to taste. 

With Olive Oil
Pour olive oil in a pan and add salt, garlic powder and white pepper to taste. 

Rub the oil/ butter mixture on both sides of the fish fillet and place on baking tray.
Place in the oven grill for about 20 minutes on one side and then turn to the other side. 
Reduce the heat and leave to cook through. You could cover with foil to allow them to cook through without drying out. 

Fish fillet in the oven. I forgot to take a before or during photo :( 

Ingredients for chips (Serves 2)

• 6 large potatoes
• 4 large onions
• 2 large green pepper
• Salt
• White Pepper 
• Sunflower oil/ vegetable oil

Peel, wash and chop the potatoes into chips/ fries. 
Slice the onions into rings and the green pepper longitudinally.
Pour about 2 tablespoons of oil into the frying pan and place on high heat. 
Add two handfuls of potatoes.

Add salt to taste.
Fry potatoes until they begin to brown. (Do not stir them too much as this will make them break up.)
When slightly brown, add some onions and green pepper. 
Add salt and white pepper to taste. (Easy on the salt since you already put some in the beginning.)

Add salt and white pepper to taste. 
Fry for about 2 more minutes and place on a kitchen towel to drain out the oil. 
Serve hot.

So yummy :)

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did :)

Lovelace Files' 30 Day Home Routine and Schedule Challenge

So the mighty organised Kathy over at Lovelace Files has set up a 30 day Home Routine and Schedule Challenge for the month of November. And I have decided to join in. I need this challenge. Did I mention that Kathy is super organised? Maybe you didn't get it - she is SUPER ORGANISED! So I know that she is the best person to help whip me into shape.

So every week for the month of November we will have a particular area of our lives to organise and I will blog about my progress each week.

• Week 1: Meal Planning
• Week 2: Cleaning schedule
• Week 3: Good Morning & Good night routines
• Week 4: Exercise routine

I'm looking forward! Let's do this :)

Formula - to be or not to be?

Until a few days ago I was all for breast feeding Mwagala until she’s a year old without supplementing with formula. I’m rethinking this plan. Sure breast is best and I don’t want to stop completely but I’d really like to get some relief from nursing once in a while. The problem is that formula doesn’t come cheap- which is the very reason why I wanted to avoid it in the first place. But it really does come in handy. Formula would allow me to leave her with the nanny without having to worry about whether I've pumped enough milk. I also think that the breast milk isn’t filling her enough anymore. And she’s not yet enjoying her solids so it’s more breast milk than anything else really.

 I love my baby but sometimes I just want a little space to spontaneously get out of the house without her. I need some me time. I’m fully aware how selfish that sounds. But it’s the truth. I love watching her nurse. She looks so content and it has really helped us create a bond. I’ve thought long and hard about the decision to introduce formula and I think I’m going to try it. Mwagala is quite opinionated so when she doesn’t like something she will let me know so I’m counting on her to tell me if I’ve made the right decision.

Hopefully the fact that she will still be nursing will keep the formula cost down. Here’s hoping. I’m taking the leap. *fingers crossed*