The Lettuce Shop have gifted a delicious sample box of fresh produce for this GIVEAWAY
Convenience Shopping has never looked so Fresh
Why I’m casing the convenience factor and getting more than a bit fresh while looking for help in the kitchen this week, together with our latest Perth GIVEAWAY. It doesn’t get any fresher than this.
Does busy really need to be a dirty word?
I appreciate busy is a dirty word to most people these days but for the most part it’s how I tend to operate. Since commencing my online business diploma with Business Mamas, you could say I’ve taken multi tasking and the art of being busy to the next level but I’m not looking for a badge or a whinge fest, just merely stating how things are for me at the moment.
With so much on, the home front has been feeling the brunt of it and is looking and feeling more chaotic than I normally find acceptable.
To help keep me focused and to maintain a certain level of what I like to call the acceptability factor (especially with the school holidays about to descend on us here in Perth), I’ve been looking for ways to cut corners around the house.
The only thing with cutting corners, they don’t tend to sit well with me and eventually things start to fall apart at the seams. Like takeaway meals when you are time poor and more than a bit disorganised, resulting in a less than ideal diet and blowing our food budget.
Being more organised is a great way forward and a big part of that is looking to use my time more effectively. Grocery shopping in Perth, does my head in. Although even before we moved to Perth, it was never one of my favourite past times.
We tend to shop around the outside these days, starting with the fresh food and moving away from the processed side of things. Only the supermarket’s fresh food, doesn’t seem to be that fresh and this leads to a lot of waste and shopping between shops. It can also turn into a bit of a three way shop trying to find the freshest ingredients while shopping the specials, so I can try to stick to our weekly budget. BUT seriously… who on earth has the time for that crap?!
With hubby heading back out to sea with work for an extended period and my workload going into overdrive with my studies thrown into the mix, it’s time to get my house back into some sort of order, starting in the kitchen.
My top tips to being more organised on the home front when it comes to cooking:
Menu Planning
I’m first to admit I’m not a natural when it comes to menu planning. This approach might be a bit time consuming and fiddly while you are finding your menu planning feet but has the potential to save you time and money in the long wrong. If you have any great tips when it comes to menu planning or you’ve written a how to guide… I need to know about it. Pronto.
Embrace your slow cooker
Oh goodness, do I really have to?! I’m not sure why I’m so opposed to this kitchen appliance, I suppose it’s the hit and miss sloppy stews that remind me of a bad camp but I’m determined to make peace with my slow cooker and source family friendly quick and easy recipes that look and taste good. I will be heading over to case some of Amanda’s slow cooker recipes over on her blog Cooker and a Looker.
Quick and Easy Recipes and a well stocked pantry
It goes without saying that having your pantry well stocked and four or five quick and easy go-to recipes up your domestic goddess sleeve is a great back up when time isn’t on your side. I’ll be sharing my family favourite go-to recipes in the coming weeks as part of our From the Case Kitchen series.
Home Delivery
I don’t know about you but I find online shopping just as time consuming and frustrating as actual shopping when it comes to the big supermarkets but if you have a regular running list and you don’t stray too far from it, it could be a great way forward. Just expect to spend extra (yes they do charge a little more than in-store) and there is the delivery fee to factor in.
Pick of the Bunch | The Lettuce Shop Home Delivery
I recently turned to The Lettuce Shop, a family run business here in Perth, that sources the freshest of ingredients from a variety of local and Australian suppliers and delivers straight to your door. I like to think of it as convenience shopping with a conscious. Not only am I supporting local business but I’m providing my family with top quality ingredients that don’t come any fresher, which means less waste and your food dollar goes a long way.
There are a couple of ways to approach shopping with The Lettuce Shop. You can pick and choose, exactly what you want, with all orders over $70 including FREE delivery or you can choose from a variety of sampler fruit and vegetable boxes.
To save time and knowing I have a family that loves their fruit and veg, I tend to select a mixed box of fruit and vegetables together with a huge $5 juicing box. I’m finding the quality of the juicing box, for the most part, is similar to the quality you’ve come to expect at your local supermarket and perfect for adding to my juices and green smoothies.
The quality of the normal fruit and vegetables is probably as close to picking it fresh as you will get. We never have to throw out spoiled produce and a sampler box can generally last us up to two weeks, if Miss 14 (our fruit and veggie loving monster) doesn’t inhale it first. I’ve only just started adding some of their meat options to our delivery and we are all really impressed with this side of things as well.
For me, home shopping doesn’t get any better than this. Of course not everything can be sourced from The Lettuce Shop but for our family, who shop around the outside and try to avoid the overly processed and pre-packaged foods, it does cover almost 90% of our regular shop. Meaning when we do hit the supermarket, it’s now a case of a quick in and out for a handful of products like cat food and toilet paper, giving me a better chance of sticking to our list and our budget.
WIN WIN
I already feel like I’ve had a WIN for my family with our regular deliveries from The Lettuce Shop and now you can too! Thanks to The Lettuce Shop we have a delicious sample box of fresh produce up for grabs for one of our Perth followers. You will need to head over (here) to check that you are in the delivery zone before entering.
To be in the running all you need to do is leave a comment below letting me know about your favourite go-to recipe or slow cooked meal. The more details, the better.
BONUS PRIZE: The Lettuce Shop have only just started to embrace Instagram, so if you head over and start following them there or you are following their Facebook page, there will be a bonus mystery prize if you are selected as our winner.
Terms and Conditions
One Winner must reside in The Lettuce Shop delivery zone (check here by entering your postcode).
Must not be an existing customer of The Lettuce Shop.
Game of skill.
Bonus prize available if the winner is also following The Lettuce Shop on Instagram and/or Facebook.
Entries Close 18/7/15 at 9pm (WST – Perth time)
My go to meal is Tuna Mornay as it’s such a hit with the family. As for the slow cooker, I can’t go past lamb shanks with winter vegetables!! Now that is an absolute favourite
Do you know, I don’t think I’ve ever cooked Tuna Mornay. I might need to give it a try. Love, love, love lamb shanks.
Love this post. I have a running list of easy meals with a chick pea curry at the top of the list. It’s always a huge hit in our house.
I might need your chick pea curry recipe. I have an abundance of chick peas at the moment and have been looking for something to do with them. I tend to sprinkle them over salads or make hummus.
I’m with you on the slow cooker, my meals turn out rather sloppy. It’s just not appealing and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong because everyone seems to be raving about their slow cooked meals. Our fav go to meal would be nachos.
I wonder if you can do nachos in the slow cooker? I suppose the meat side of things would work.
Adore my slow cooker. Such a time saver. I don’t precook, just throw everything in and leave for the day. Always love walking in to the aromas after a stressful day at work. You must try slow cooker stuffed capsicum.
Now that recipe does sound interesting. Is it available online?
I do love my slow cooker, the trick is to use plenty of herbs and spices for flavour.
My latest favourite recipe which I made on the weekend was a slow cooked spiced roast chicken with lemon and vegetables which I served with pearl cous cous …… The following night I turned it into a completely different dinner by removing the whole chicken and chopping the meat, blending the vegetables and stock until smooth and then adding the chicken back in – making a delicious chicken and vegetable soup. Two meals from one means more time chillaxing!
I’ve never thought to do a chicken in the slow cooker. That sounds really appealing. I love the sound of two meals from one.
Stick a chook in with some stock, turn it on, and watch it fall off the bone in just a few hours 🙂
Can’t believe it is that easy. Definitely going to give it a try. Thanks.
Congratulations Michelle, you have been selected as our winner. Please get in touch, so we can confirm details and organise your prize.
Wow thanks so much! Im so excited to try the lettuce shop produce =)
My email is Jarrahjungle@hotmail.com
I really need to learn how to menu plan effectively. I do the weekly shop with meals in mind but they are never planned out unless it’s “got to use the chicken by then”. I’m just one of those annoying people who only wants to eat what they feel like and never knows until an hour before tea what that might be. I love a good old-fashioned beef casserole in the slow cooker but I have to par-steam the veg because it never seems to cook to my liking from scratch.
I’m hopeless at menu planning, as is hubby. We both like to cook what we feel like eating and inspiration usually arrives five minutes behind time. So can relate.
Glad it’s not just me! I see blog and Insta posts of all these immaculately planned and presented meals and I’m all “err spaghetti bolognese?”
We have a couple of rotating favourites that are quick and easy but have lost all sense of adventure in the kitchen because it’s more like a chore these days. Time to spice things up.
I am trying harder and harder to use my time on a Sunday to get ready for the week of eating ahead of us. Trying to balance being bck at work and stay healthy is a challenge! My got to slow cooker recipe is a pork and sweet potato stew. So yum!
I must get back to doing this as well. Probably not on a Sunday as such, as I try and have most Mondays off as I work intermittently throughout the weekend.
I might need that pork and sweet potato stew recipe. Sounds interesting.
I just can’t go past spaghetti bolognase, it is both my go to meal and it is slow cooked. I drop my son at school, then come home and start cooking the onions and garlic with some salt and olive oil, then add the best mince and brown it and break it down with the back of fork. Then I gradually add a chopped green capsicum, 2 bay leaves, a tin of the best tomatoes, a good amount of tomato paste, a spoon of tomato sauce, basil, oregano, some mustard powder and a dash of cinnamon to add richness.. I cook this for at least 4 hours and top it up with water to stop it drying out. Serve with Organic spaghetti and plenty of cheese, along with a glass of red wine.
I honestly had no idea you could do spaghetti bolognese in the slow cooker. I’m going to have to give this a try because everyone in the house will eat this dish. Thanks.
Fantastic! Yes everyone loves it here too, and I just love the smell of it cooking, it makes me so hungry
organization is a very good thing when you are busy raych! I know these things in theory but I’m not good with that particular practice! as I like to be too creative on every level of living! … outcome is not very efficient! that’s ok as I like to experiment with different ways!
my daughter does a wonderful Jamie oliver recipe with lemons and cooked in milk!
that may be able to be cooked in a slow cooker don’t know! it is more like a poached chicken and it is soo moist and delicious! could give it a try!
i’ll ask my daughter because she was a chef/cook in her own restaurant!
she knows what she’s doing! … not so me with cooking! that’s why she became good at it!;) lol m:)X
I’m much the same. I do like to be organised but having a bit of creative freedom is far more important these days. That chicken recipe sounds interesting.
My fave go to recipe is always the spaghetti bolognese. Quick and easy to prep and cook after a hard day at work and running around with kids. most of the time have the ingredients on hand which is a bonus. Love that I can also hide a multitude of vegetables in this meal without the fussiest of husband or kids finding out EVER!
One of our family favourites as well. Thanks for entering Leanne.
Love my slow cooker in winter, especially for lamb shanks, love how tender the meat is and it falling off the bone. Usually make it with beef stock, tomato paste, onions, carrots, garlic and lots of red wine!
Sounds wonderful. I really must give this one a try. Love lamb shanks when they are slow cooked.
I use my slow cooker all of the time! Roast chicken, casseroles, rice pudding and lots more. My favourite though is barbecue pulled pork which is just IMMENSE!!!
Ok, I NEED the recipes for slow cooker rice pudding and the BBQ pulled pork. We do a crispy skin pork belly but it’s a long winded process, one we reserve for special occasions.
The pork is super simple. I’ll find the recipes for you
Thanks.
My quick and easy is Baked tuna casserole, a favourite for everyone! I love my slow cooker and do a roast pork or lamb at least once a week!
That sounds divine Maria.
I do a relatively simple salt and pepper squid that looks more complicated and impressive than it really is.
I might need that recipe Heather. Thanks for entering.
Taste.com is my go to online site for recipes when I’m looking for inspiration. We have a list of family favorites that take less than 30 minutes to get on the table. I would love to see Vicki’s pork recipe as well.
I’m a huge fan of Taste.com.au
With a family of 7, I love the slow cooker. I don’t tend to fiddle around and pre cook though, just chuck everything in and forget about it till dinner time. Spaghetti Bolognese is always a favourite.
Gosh family of 7, I struggle with the five of us. I suppose you just need to be super organised?
Have you tried Chicken Korma in the slow cooker? I love anything Indian and it’s fairly easy in the slow cooker. You can use a cheaper cut of meat or chicken to keep costs down.
No I haven’t but putting it on the list. Thanks.
Meatballs with mushroom sauce is our family slow cooker fav. You can find the recipe here… http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/meatballs-with-mushroom-sauce-L1750.html?ref=recipe_collection_view%2C
Thanks so much for sharing. Sounds delicious.
Pork ribs are the best. I put two racks in my slow cooker with chicken stock, garlic, ginger and tinned tomatoes. Cook while you’re at work, or min 4 hours. Then whack them in the oven on low. Meanwhile blend the cooking liquid with some soy sauce, honey and chili and glaze the ribs with it, cook for a further 5 mins. So delicious.. Ok I’m going to make this tomorrow!
We love pork ribs but I’ve never thought to do them in the slow cooker. Definitely going to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
Congratulations Becmania, you were selected as our winner. Sorry for the delay in getting in touch. We changed commenting systems, so the judging process was rather involved with almost 200 entries online and off to go through.
Please email your contact details, so we can verify your prize.
Lamb Shanks, my kids love sucking the marrow out of the bones!
My girls love lamb shanks as well. They aren’t as cheap as they use to be and almost a gourmet meal in restaurants these days.
Corned beef so simple just need 1 onion 1 carrot 1 celery stalk small handful of peppercorns 1 table spoon of vinegar 1 teaspoon of brown sugar 2.5 litres of water 8 hours on low. Serve with mash steamed veg topped of with white sauce with cream of horseradish stirred though . My favourite and always some left for sandwiches the next day
I’ve never been a fan of corned beef but I think it’s always just had the guts boiled out of it and comes out looking and tasting rather unappetising. I might need to revisit this. Your recipe sounds easy.