Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meal Challenge

Grocery shopping and regular home cooking are my personal chores from hell.  It's so bo-ring.  I circle the supermarket aisles aimlessly, uninspired and walk out with toiletry items and dog food when I am supposed to be shopping for tonight's dinner.  Well no more!  I have finally taken the responsibility of menu planning for the week so that at the very least I can serve relatively balanced meals for the family.  No more stressing at 5pm as to what to cook.  No more take-away (well I shall limit that to once per week, baby steps)

Over the years, I get given by well meaning friends, cook books.  They never get used or referenced other than to ogle at Nigella (prreeetty laadeee).  I stumbled on Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals and decided I shall pick six recipes from there for the week and shop accordingly.  So for the week ahead I have decided on conjuring:

Mighty mackerel, mixed tomato and quinoa salad
Chorizo and squid Greek style couscous salad
Sizzling chicken fajitas, salsa, grilled peppers, rice and beans
Mexican tomato soup, chili nachos, veggie and fetta sprinkles
Keralan veggie curry, poppadoms, rice and minty yoghurt
Pork marsala with porcini rice and spring greens

The verdict:

Cost for the grocery shop = $160 to procure the ingredients for the weekly menu.  Not to bad considering eating out for the week would cost more than that. 

Yumminess factor = 8/10.  Bubbachuck (child) was willing to try all the components of each meal.  Not much waste

Time efficiency factor = 8/10.  Although it claims to be 15 minute recipes, it generally took about 20 -25 minutes to prepare.  It may take Jamie 15 minutes but I'm no professional chef and have only a nodding acquaintance with my kitchen

I leave you to salivate (or not) over an image of my handiwork. 

Beaker Out

Pork marsala with porcini rice and spring greens