Meal Planning Monday, 5:2 Diet Fast Days and Pesto Pasta with Parmesan Recipe (310 calories) (2024)

Meal Planning Monday, 5:2 Diet Fast Days

and Pesto Pasta with Parmesan Recipe

The Marmalade has been made, for my grand entry into the World’s Original Marmalade Awards, British Farmhouse Breakfast Week is over and January is about to slither out in either an avalanche of snow or a deluge of flooding, and, it is another Meal Planning Monday post – WHERE did lastweekgo?As ever I amchasingmy tail and have a pile of work to do, both online and offline, with much of it to do in the kitchen and the garden. But, I DO find that a meal plan helps me, I may veer away from my plan sometimes, and why not, I hate things to be written in stone all the time, but the very fact that I sit down and plan what we will be eating based on what is in the pantry, freezer and store cupboard, does keep me on the straight and narrow for most of the week. It is also an excellent way to use all the perishable goods you may have, as well as plan meals with leftovers too. As I am still following the 5:2 Diet and will be eating 500 calories and less for two days this week, I like to know what I can enjoy on those two days, and planning for themdefinitelycomes in handy then. My daily recipe today is a simple pasta idea, made with leftover pesto and a small end chunk of Parmesan cheese, sothriftyand yet very tasty.

As it is avegetarianrecipe that uses cheese, I am entering this simple supper dish into Jac of Tinned Tomatoes Pasta Please challenge, a new event that highlights Pasta of course! The theme for January is cheese, one of myfavouriteingredients whenmarredwith pasta.

My recipe may be simple, but it has been made from scratch, and it will therefore qualify for JW’s (JavelinWarrior) fabulous weekly event of Made with Love Monday, so I am also sending my humble recipeoverto his challenge too.

Andfinally, as ever, I am submitting my Monday Meal Plan into At Home with Mrs M’s weekly link up forMeal Planning Monday, a handy resource of blog meal plans all in one place.

I hope you find my meal plan handy and that some of the recipe ideas may inspire you to make them for you and your family this week. Plus, if you are following the 5:2 Diet, I am hoping that this meal plan for my two fast days may help you, if you are stuck on aculinaryrut of what to make. So, with a flourish of knives and forks, I give you the Lavender and Lovage Meal Plan for Monday the 28th January! See you later and have a GREAT week! Karen

The Lavender and Lovage Monday Meal Plan

Monday 28th January:

Cottage Pie made with leftovers from Burns Night

Tuesday 29th January – Fast Day (500 calories):

Breakfast: Boiled Egg with 1 Ryvita = 85 cals

Lunch: New Recipe – Lemon Chicken with Cannellini Beans (275 cals)

Recipe to follow

Tea:Meat-Free Scotch Broth (146 cals)

Total: 506 calories

Wednesday 30th January:

Easy Smoked Haddock au Gratin

Thursday 31st January – Fast Day (500 calories):

Breakfast:Breakfast Omelette (170 cals)

Lunch:Greek Lunch Box Salad with Feta Cheese and Mint Dressing(200 cals)

Tea:Vegetarian Red Pepper, Lentil and Cheese Pâté (Spread)(120 cals)

Total: 490 Calories

Friday 1st February:

Mediterannean Cod Parcels – New Recipe

Recipe to follow

Weekend:

Sunday is National YorkshirePudding Day – so no guesses there!

My Grandma’s Yorkshire Pudding Recipe

Pesto Pasta with Parmesan Recipe:

(310 calories)

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

300g dried macaroni or pasta of yourchoice

4 tablespoons home-made pesto

shaved Parmesan cheese to serve

a little olive oil

Pesto:

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water with a little olive oil, following packet directions until tender. Drain. Return to pan.

Add pesto to pasta, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss to combine. Serve with shavings of Parmesan cheese.

How to make the pesto:

Add the pesto ingredients to a food processor and blitz them for a minute, scraping down sides occasionally, until almost smooth. I use an old tea cup to measure my pesto ingredients in, use any cup or glass you have to hand.