A lot of people may assume that to change one's diet to avoid eating chemicals is a costly exercise. I would like to put your mind at rest. Making your own foods from scratch often means using less ingredients and using more fresh foods or basic pantry staples.

These items are usually a lot less than an item already pre-made in a packet. So who wants to pay extra just for a cup full of chemicals and fancy packaging - not me?

Our family is like most families, we budget for our grocery shop and try to keep our costs down as much as possible, so I am always keen to learn a new trick or two on how to do it. This week I heard an interview on the radio with a lady called Sandra Reynolds who has a food blog all about eating on a budget - a $120 a week budget!

Sounds interesting huh? Plus there are loads of great recipes to fill your meal planner up with! Check out her site at www.120dollarsfoodchallenge.com

If you read our Facebook site you may have already seen this, if not read on!

It's no secret I have become a big fan of Pinterest and on our Pinterest boards you can see the recipes and ideas that I come across pinned ready for you to use. Lately I have been investigating the idea of once a month cooking and using my freezer a lot more.

My project this month is to fill my freezer, do once a month cooking and eat healthier and it is well and truly underway. I ordered a lovely side of beef from my local butcher and yesterday I got to work on making May an easier more efficient month.

Using Pinterest and my other favourite site Cheapskates Club I meal planned for the month and then proceeded to chop up all my vegetables for the month of dinners that I will be cooking. Every meal is accounted for except Roast night.

It took just over two hours, but on busy nights will help save some tears and tantrums and that's not just from mum! Not to mention our meals will be jam packed with healthy vegetables and there will be no waste of something lingering in the bottom of the fridge because I couldn't be bothered cutting it up one night. Happy days!

P.S. Sorry for the plastic bags, I'm keeping an eye out for cheap Mason Jars for future months!

Once upon a time there was a very tired mummy. After a week of rushing around at work and after the kids and husband she looked in the pantry to find something for dinner.

The cupboard was almost bare but for a packet of Continental Pasta and Sauce and some chicken fillets in the fridge.

In almost robotic fashion the mummy prepared the meal on the back of the pack and in 2o minutes the family were fed and happy.

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU? Well now that we are Making Our Own I decided to fashion this family favourite from scratch. Above is the result. It was delicious and had no added chemical flavourings and colours. And it was just as quick to prepare!

Ingredients

500g pasta of your choice
Butter
1 small onion chopped
500g chicken fillets or thigh diced
1 cup of diced vegetables of choice (i.e. frozen peas, carrot, capsicum)
1 can carnation evaporated milk
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tsp chicken stock
Sprinkle of Onion Salt
Parmesan Cheese

Pepper to taste

Method

Prepare Pasta in pot as per packet instructions. Drain and leave aside.
In pan with sides melt a tablespoon of butter and then fry of onions until clear.
Add chicken and cook until brown.
Add vegetables and toss through heat for 2 minutes.
Mix cornflour, chicken salt and onion salt in with Evap Milk. Add to pan and stir.
When thick add some Parmesan cheese and stir through sauce.
Add pasta to pan and stir through vegetables and sauce.
Serve in bowls topped with more cheese and pepper to taste.

Note: If you don't have Evap milk use normal milk or cream! Change the recipe to suit other flavours just like the packet varieties i.e. add mushrooms and pepper, tuna and bacon for Carbonara!

We have been trying to get more vegies into our diet here in the Taylor household and tonight's dish is a traditional roast. Really on a Tuesday - I hear you say! Yes, it's true. It's not a whole roast chicken as we need to cut down our protein size but 3 chicken breasts are enough to feed our family of six and give my husband a little bit left over for a chicken salad tomorrow for lunch.

This is how I did it:

1. Cut up vegies in small chunks, all the same size. I used pumpkin, potato, mushrooms and zucchini. Hold the zucchini back as it is a softer vegie and requires less cooking time.

2. Put in large roasting pan and toss in oil. 

3. Add chicken breasts whole beside vegies. Cover in oil too.

4. Sprinkle Masterfoods Italian Herb Roast Chicken and Vegetable seasoning on top. It is nasty free. Cover the breasts in foil and cook in the oven for 20 min on 180C.

5. Add zucchini and remove foil so that chicken skin crisps up. Remove when chicken is lovely and brown and vegies roast looking (techinical huh?).

6. When ready to serve use the pan juices to make a gravy (that is only plain flour added to juices, stir until hot, add cold water and stir until thick. Amount of water depends on whether you like thick or thin gravy, season to taste and that's it!).

YUMMMY!!!! And all done in under an hour. The Taylor taste testers love a roast dinner any night of the week!