A recipe, and food for a fortnight

I'll never be able to tell my kids not to play with their food.  It's just so much fun to come up with peary, hazelnutty yumminess such as these little muffins!  Which are, of course, sugar free.

Pear and Hazelnut Muffins

2 cups self-raising wholemeal flour
1 cup hazelnut meal
3 ripe pears, two finely chopped, 1 chopped a bit chunkier
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly whisked
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup Natvia

Preheat oven to 180C.  Grease well two muffin trays.  I like to use olive oil spray because it's convenient.

Mix flour, meal, Natvia and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and mix to combine the ingredients.  Add the chopped pear and mix.  In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract and mix well.  Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients.  Fold the wet and dry ingredients together, taking care not to over mix.

Divide mixture amongst muffin trays and bake for 15-20 minutes until just cooked and lightly browned.

Remove from oven and devour when cool enough not to burn the insides of mouth.

Now, I don't believe in New Year resolutions, but I do believe in getting your act together, which is why I'm trialling a fortnightly meal plan.  I'm also hoping it helps the ol' fundulations situation by making me more prepared, and therefore less likely to duck out for a couple of missing ingredients and come home with a trolley full of food.  It gets me every time.  Sheesh!

But, since the grand world of pre-planning meals is really very new to me (I may or may not normally glance into the freezer at 5.30pm wondering what I'm going to cook…), I couldn't decide what level of 'organisation' I want.

Do I want state library style organisation, where every day has it's meal and every meal must be cooked on that day?  Or do I want Ikea style organisation, where I can mix it up a little depending on my mood.      Decisions, decisions!

Ok, ok.  Ikea won.  No contest.  So here you go!  I hope it inspires you too.

Week One
Cauliflower crust grilled chicken and three cheese pizza
Spaghetti bolognese
Chicken pilaf with steamed vegetables
Ricotta fritters with tomato sauce and zucchini salad
Hot dogs

Week Two
Chickpea patties with Greek salad, tzatziki and flatbread (Donna Hay's No Time To Cook)
Pan-fried porterhouse steak with grilled haloumi and fennel salad (Donna Hay's No Time To Cook)
Chicken dim sum with coconut buns and steamed broccoli (Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals)
Peppered pork with apple slaw (Donna Hay's No Time To Cook)
Sausages and salad

Snacks
Pear and hazelnut muffins (recipe above)
Pumpkin fruit cake
Jam drops