74. My week is made up of multiple topics
It's hard to choose a topic for my newsletter. Generic advice says keep your newsletter simple, but life is messy.
There are several topics that have built up because I am trying to keep my newsletter simple and straight forward with a clear call to action but I just find myself bursting at the seams with things I want to share with the world.
Things that matter to me, and I think they are likely to matter to everyone who is looking to create a nice life.
So,
Topic #1
I was intrigued by a you tube video topic I saw about the 8 things you need to include in your planner. I hadn’t seen this you-tuber before so I clicked and watched.
The eight things were:
Set up a goal management system - tick
Have a task management system - tick
Include a time blocking ability - tick
Have space for capturing ideas to keep for later - tick
Create a decisions log - huh, I don’t have one of those
Daily planning pages - tick
Financial management or budget pages - tick
Review space - tick
Number 5 I didn’t have but I did have a number 9 which is a wellness section where I record self care ideas and progress.
I have bought myself a financial year diary with a day to a page for 2025/2026 and I am going to use it to write about decisions I need to make, what I decided and when. The dated pages covers the when part. The day to a page gives me room to work on the decision if I need to, as well as encouraging me to write up even small decisions. It’s not just those cross roads decisions that affect our lives, it’s the every day decisions that create our daily lives on the go.
I’m hoping that I will begin to see a picture of how my daily decisions shape my life in the long term. I love discovering this sort of stuff. I probably won’t do it forever in such detail but I have a plan to do it for a year. After the year I could get myself one of those 5 year diaries that has room for a few lines every day for five years. I am intrigued about keeping track of my life this way rather than a journal style record.
My self care section has room for positive affirmations and notes about road blocks and mental blocks as well as room for tracking self care activities. I find that helps me stay on track each week.
Topic #2
I am not the one who does the shopping in my household. I have a very basic understanding of how prices have gone up heaps and that people can’t afford even the basics.
I asked Chat GPT to give me 7 days of nutritionally balance main meals using budget friendly items that I could buy from Woolworths in Queensland (that’s the state I live in, in Australia).
I asked for this:
I have to shop at woolworths in Queensland. Based on the types of foods they sell suggest 7 main meals that are nutritionally balanced and also optimised for value for money, while keeping to a low budget
and ChatGPT said:
Got it! Here are 7 nutritionally balanced, budget-friendly main meals you can easily shop for at Woolworths in Queensland. These meals focus on good protein, veggies, carbs, and fats, while keeping cost low by using common affordable ingredients Woolies stocks regularly.
1. Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry with Rice
Ingredients: Chicken thigh fillets (cheaper than breast), frozen stir-fry veggie mix, soy sauce, jasmine rice.
Why: Chicken thighs are tasty and economical, frozen veggies last longer and reduce waste, rice is a cheap carb.
Nutrition: Protein + fiber + carbs + vitamins from veggies.
2. Spaghetti Bolognese with Mince Beef and Tomato Sauce
Ingredients: Lean beef mince, canned diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, spaghetti pasta.
Why: Beef mince is versatile and cheap in bulk, canned tomatoes provide nutrients and flavor, pasta is filling and low-cost.
Nutrition: Protein + carbs + fiber + lycopene from tomatoes.
3. Vegetable and Lentil Curry with Brown Rice
Ingredients: Red lentils, canned coconut milk, frozen mixed vegetables, curry paste, brown rice.
Why: Lentils are a cheap protein source with fiber, coconut milk adds healthy fats, frozen veggies for cost efficiency.
Nutrition: Plant-based protein + fiber + complex carbs + healthy fats.
4. Tuna and Sweetcorn Pasta Bake
Ingredients: Canned tuna in water, canned sweetcorn, pasta, cheese (optional).
Why: Tuna is a budget-friendly protein, sweetcorn adds sweetness and fiber, pasta is filling.
Nutrition: Protein + carbs + fiber + some fats from cheese or tuna.
5. Oven-Baked Sausages with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
Ingredients: Woolworths branded pork or chicken sausages, potatoes, fresh or frozen green beans.
Why: Sausages often on sale, potatoes are cheap carb source, green beans add fiber and vitamins.
Nutrition: Protein + carbs + fiber + vitamins.
6. Egg and Veggie Fried Rice
Ingredients: Eggs, leftover rice or cooked jasmine rice, frozen peas and carrots, soy sauce.
Why: Eggs are affordable, rice and frozen veggies are low cost and filling.
Nutrition: Protein + carbs + fiber + micronutrients.
7. Chickpea and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Noodles
Ingredients: Canned chickpeas, stir-fry veggies (fresh or frozen), instant noodles or rice noodles.
Why: Chickpeas are cheap plant protein, noodles are budget-friendly carbs, veggies add nutrition.
Nutrition: Protein + carbs + fiber + vitamins.
Why would I bother to sit down and work this out for myself!!
It asked if I would like a shopping list so I said yes, create a shopping list.
Woolworths Budget Shopping List for 7 Balanced Meals
Chicken thigh fillets600g (about 6 thighs)$8.00
Lean beef mince500g$7.00
Canned diced tomatoes400g can$1.20
Onion1 large$0.70
Garlic bulbs1 bulb$0.50
Jasmine rice1kg bag$2.50
Brown rice1kg bag$3.00
Frozen stir-fry vegetable mix1kg bag$4.00
Frozen mixed vegetables1kg bag$4.00
Curry paste1 small jar (100g)$2.50
Canned coconut milk400ml can$2.00
Canned tuna in water185g can$1.50
Canned sweetcorn300g can$1.00
Spaghetti pasta500g pack$1.50
Cheese (mild cheddar)250g block$4.00
Pork or chicken sausages6 sausages (400g)$5.00
Potatoes1kg bag$3.00
Fresh or frozen green beans500g$3.00
Eggs12 large$4.00
Frozen peas and carrots1kg bag$3.00
Canned chickpeas400g can$1.20
Instant noodles or rice noodles200g pack$1.50
Soy sauce150ml bottle$2.00
Estimated Total: Around $60–65 AUD for 7 days
I wanted to check if the pricing was close, so I went to my Woolworths on line and added up the items and got close to $70. So a bit more than ChatGPT suggested but close.
My next step was to ask for ingredients for one of the meals and it gave me ingredients and a recipe.
At the bottom of the shopping list ChatGPT said:
If you want, I can also help with a simple meal prep plan or recipe steps to stretch ingredients efficiently! Would that help?
You said:
List amounts to make chicken and veggie stir fry with rice for 2
ChatGPT said:
Here’s a simple Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry with Rice recipe for 2 people, using Woolworths ingredients and budget-conscious portions:
You can see how this has gone. I got nutritious meal ideas and a shopping list with prices and recipes.
I was really pleased with the results.
I got quite excited so I asked:
Create 5 build a bowl dinners using foods from the Mediterranean diet
The dinner bowls were great. I then asked:
Can you adjust the ingredients to exclude dairy and gluten
Absolutely! Here are 5 Mediterranean-inspired Build-a-Bowl dinners, all gluten-free and dairy-free, while keeping the meals balanced, flavourful, and true to the Mediterranean diet principles:
And I got 5 more options.
I then asked for a shopping list and I got a detailed list broken down into sections like grains, pantry, produce etc.
I was on a roll so I asked:
Add some new ingredients like eggs and oats to create 5 breakfast style bowls
Great idea! Here's a set of 5 Mediterranean-inspired breakfast-style bowls, all gluten-free and dairy-free, featuring ingredients like eggs, oats, and fresh produce to keep things wholesome and delicious:
The results were sweet and savoury so I asked:
Can you create 5 sweeter bowls with some including coconut yoghurt
I got 5 really nice breakfast bowls. Here are 2
Absolutely! Here are 5 sweet Mediterranean-inspired breakfast bowls, all gluten-free and dairy-free, and a few featuring coconut yoghurt for creaminess and healthy fats:
1. Coconut Yoghurt & Berry Bowl
Base: Coconut yoghurt (unsweetened or lightly sweetened)
Toppings: Fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries
Extras: Chia seeds, sliced almonds, drizzle of maple syrup or date syrup
Optional: Sprinkle of cinnamon or shredded coconut
2. Fig & Walnut Oat Bowl
Base: Gluten-free oats (cooked with almond milk)
Toppings: Sliced fresh figs or chopped dried figs, chopped walnuts
Extras: Pinch of cinnamon, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup
Optional: Spoonful of coconut yoghurt on top
One of the bowls had tahini so I asked:
What is tahini and what does it go with
ChatGPT said:
Tahini is a creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. It’s a staple ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine and has a rich, slightly nutty, and earthy flavor.
🌿 What Tahini Goes With
Tahini is incredibly versatile and can be used in both savory and sweet dishes:
I got the rundown on tahini.
I hope this description of how I used Chat GPT to work out some meal plans inspires you to have a go yourself. AI is not just a tool for writers or for the office. It is an amazing tool for help around the house :)
Topic #3
I am crazy about reading books and since getting some gift money for Amazon on mother’s day I have started reading:
On This Ground: Best Australian Nature Writing edited by Dave Witty
Uncommonsense Teaching: Practical Insights in Brain Science to Help Students Learn by Barbara Oakley, Beth Rogowsky and Terrence J. Sejnowski
Literary Journeys: Mapping Fictional Travels Across the World of Literature edited by John McMurtrie.
Literary Journeys will take you on the most important journeys in literature, over eight centuries and across over 30 countries. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS An team of fifty-five expert contributors includes literary critics, academics and authors such as John Sutherland, Maya Jaggi, Robert McCrum, Kimberly Fain and Alan Taylor.
I am finding this book and exciting way to be introduced to some amazing books.
Marco Polo The Travels (Penguin Classics) Translated by Nigel Cliff.
After reading about the travels of Marco Polo in the Literary Journeys book I just had to buy it. The style is ‘of the times’ but I have found it very interesting. It’s not a great story of his travels. It’s more like diary entries that are narrated by a third party. Apparently Marco told his story to a romance writer he was sharing a cell with in Venice.
The latest book I have started is a memoir I bought after watching the movie called Tracks that is the true story of Robyn Davidson trekking across the Australian desert. I watched the movie on ABC iview.
Unfinished Woman by Robyn Davidson.
This book has a dream like quality to the story of her childhood and later life. The style is not your regular narrative but I am finding it intriguing.
Topic #4
As I am writing this newsletter a few days before I publish, I have my tiny room model spread out on my table. It is so detailed and fiddly. You have to glue together every little thing such as all the lounge pieces that you can see in the front. Even the tiny green branches have to have the teeny red balls glued on the make them look like holly. It is a Christmas scene.
Because it is the weekend my doll dressmaking is pushed out of the way until Monday.
Life can be as full as we want it to be. I have no hesitation to start a new book before I finish the last one. I have my tiny room model on one table and I have my Western Australia trip journal on another table ready to add more photos. I have all my books on the book shelf in my lounge room that is specially for books I am reading now. I have been experimenting with dinner bowls and breakfast bowls for more than a week now. I just love them. I have also started planning another trip to visit family around the end of July. There are a few things to get organised.
My life is not busy. It is just full and I still have time to wander down the beach at different times of the day. The other day it was sunrise. Because my ears stick out the sides of my head I get to hear the waves on the beach and the birds in trees.
Life is too short not to fill it with things you love.
Cheers,
Val
I almost forgot!
I finished the styling suggestion from ChatGPT for my gathered rompers.
I didn’t have any tiny check gingham so I used seersucker with my version of the puffed sleeve blouse. This is ‘Country Picnic Charm’.
Paid subscribers have access to this pattern from Newsletter 72.
Purchase the pattern from my Etsy store here.
What are some of the many things you like to do? Leave a comment.
I’m going to spend some time this coming week on my latest quilt project. Small consistent steps gets me a long way.