Food inspiration, or what's for supper?
Replies
-
I use a jarred alfredo and it's not terrible. I'm just not as fond of it as I am of red sauce, though. Pasta's a winter dish for us. In this weather, I just don't want spaghetti, thanks.
Tonight we had chicken quesadillas. Tomorrow's going to be another medievally inspired dinner. I marinaded the pork chops for it on Friday so they will have a good flavor. We'll see how they turn out.2 -
One day... I WILL get to eat chez medieval Alexandra's!!!
In the meanwhile there was "Indian inspired rice" (broccoli slaw, and a pouch of veggie biryani (350Cal) and a pouch of basmati ( 350Cal) and 6g of oil and 457g broccoli coleslaw. And a 400g pack of tandoori chicken thighs from Costco (plus 100g of mango chutney).
All in all tasty but a pretty expensive way to do things in more ways than one (my larger than half share of dinner was close to 1200 Cal)
Reminder: Fruit bunnies galore are available in the fridge and waiting to be consumed!!!2 -
I have nine different 16 oz lattes in the fridge waiting for the people who like them. They're about half caff and half decaff. Caramel mocha, turtle (caramel pecan chocolate) and chocolate mint. Going to get peppermint syrup next paycheck cause peppermint mochas were requested.
Also about a dozen quart jars of iced tea. I haven't wanted to eat much but I am drinking ALL THE TEA.3 -
Oh to have someone make my culinary whims on request! Left to my own devices I’m pretty boring and repetitive.2
-
(laugh) We do have a spare room for someone to rent.
It's not so much that I mind boring and repetitive, until the point that I do, and then I won't eat it for another year or so. I'm there with English muffins at the moment; I ate them for breakfast for two years and now I DO NOT WANT. (shrug) Hence, muffins that I make at home and hopefully by varying the flavor I won't decide I don't want a muffin for breakfast until I get over the issue with the English muffins.4 -
Looking at apartments in Chicago has made me realize I will have to rethink my grocery shopping and how I eat. There is a lot less storage! So I can't have a packed freezer and pantry. Plus I will most likely be selling my car so I have to be able to either bring my shopping home while walking or on public transportation OR I will have to have groceries delivered. It will be a different way of doing things.
Tonight though I am making a steak, baked potato, and roasted zucchini. Later this week I am making lemon chicken and rice with a side of asparagus and my favorite hibachi bowls.3 -
Urban living tends to be small - but hopefully you can find a safe comfortable place. Guess it all depends on the job hunt and potential salary.
I think if you stock some shelf-stable staples and just supplement with fresh produce it should work out. Delivery is more common now too. Not free but more convenient than schlepping groceries on a bus.
Good luck. I hope you find a good place to land soon!3 -
I know I know: get with the times. Incentives to have everything delivered!
I drive my own pizza home!!!
1 -
Holy **kittens** YOWZERS!!!!!!
I mean I made the mistake of pouring the second dressing pouch on my salad instead of the one for the "other person who shall remain nameless". I skimmed out some from the top but most had already attached itself to my kale mix! So... the damage was 113g of dressing.
I mean it's a lot but... really... it's NOT as if the salad is swimming. NO, my 350g of salad were NOT swimming in dressing. Just comfortably coated and tasty.
I mean I believe it, and there is a reason why dressings were one of the first things out the door, but holy smokes and kittens and everything else. This was MORE than SIX HUNDRED CALORIES. For the effing dressing of the effing salad! Dress me red at me!!!!!!!
2 -
I've never been more grateful that I never quite learned to eat salad dressings.
Not that I eat salad much; it tends to anger up my gut.1 -
Put salad in a colander, rinse well, drain, pat dry and start over? Swap salads with other person?2
-
The calorie count in dressings and sauces is jaw dropping. I love the PC memories of Thailand - especially with little frozen cocktail samosas - but can almost east as many calories in the sauce as in the samosas - which is pretty poor way to spend calories.
2 -
Remember my thing about pre-logging when you're trying to lose weight especially when you're starting?
It's a little bit late to go rinse the salad once you've eaten it--when you're logging after! I mentally blanked and looked at the pouche as being one portion, so I was eating two, maybe a couple of hundred calories!🤷🏻♂️
Well 113 g is closer to 4 portions and each of those was closer to 160Cal than 100!1 -
Well no wonder the extra dressed salad was extra tasty 👅. Oops and move on I guess!
Today I made a white lasagna - frozen chopped kale, onions, chopped ham, low fat Alfredo, low fat mozzarella and noodles of course. Satisfied Italian hubbys pasta cravings. He goes into withdrawal without daily pasta. Usually I decline but indulged a bit today.2 -
Veggie "blue menu" lasagna ... I like mine saucy, so I was quite happy! Others were overwhelmed by sauce and unhappy with quantity of "hearty stuffing". Did three frozen meatballs each too. And a tomato/pickles salad cause no other veggies in the fridge.
Oh. And for lunch had a "soup": powdered mushroom knorr, 130g carrots out of the bag chopped in two or three, 30g of onion and 130g of korean dumplings from a mega bag from the Costco freezer section1 -
Bit late to the party, but it would break my heart to spend that many calories on dressing my salad.
I'm a creature of habit, so depending on what else I'm having in the salad, I add a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and one of the following dressings:- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar;
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice and a drizzle of sriracha
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and finely shaved parmesan
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice, red or white wine vinegar
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a teaspoon of homemade chermoula and a sprinkle of sumac
None of these add more than 20 calories to the salad, but they add a ton of flavour.
I also like to make my salads very colourful and flavoursome anyway. And I always ensure they have texture and crunch. There's no need for salad ever to be boring, when you can add a chopped walnut or two, a teaspoon of chopped dried apricot or sultanas, some torn basil leaves, some peppery rocket, a couple of artichoke hearts, a few crisp green beans, a sprinkle of homemade rosemary croutons, some sharp capers, a tablespoon of creamy canellini beans...
One of my all-time favourite places to eat is a place called Bar Miscellanea in Rome. It's a place that's hugely popular with students and office workers because it's cheap and cheerful, and they do the most amazing salads. Whenever I'm lost for ideas, I consult their menu to refresh my memory of how versatile a salad can be:
3 -
Thanks for the inspiring list. I try do creative salads a lot over the hot summers.
As for dressing, hubby’s Sicilian grandmother served only undressed salads with cruets of olive oil and vinegar on the table. Put salad into your own bowl and dress to taste - salt and pepper too. Simple and always good.2 -
Agreed - never serve another person’s salad dressed ... always nekkid as nature intended. That way they can add their own seasonings...1
-
Well my carrot beetroot and parsnip fries were already dressed for success before being frozen in a bag!😹 And they're definitely bunnies! 👍
Plus some Blue menu haddock in the same oven pan!2 -
Where do you get the fries? I assume they are frozen. We have the usual sweet potato and white potato fries. Don’t think I’ve seen these.1
-
Love those veggie fries, PAV, but even they are a bit dear on the calorie front? Parfried????
They are a President's Choice brand product, Yooly - a higher end store brand up here connected with Loblaws.
Supper tonight for me is some soup I pulled out of the freezer a few days ago when The Boy was here. He had dreams of soup and popcorn for lunch but we had peanut butter and crackers instead. And popcorn later..lol0 -
Frozen. Snazzy too. President choice veggie fries. Remember Canuck dollars are worth less!
https://www.presidentschoice.ca/product/pc-ready-veggie-fries-–-carrot-parsnip-and-beet/21398244_EA1 -
I checked a few local sources for root veggie fries. Available at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods - upscale pricier stores. But I may indulge and get some next time I stop there. Otherwise I’ll stick with sweet potato fries which are easier to get here. It’s hard to find parsnips or beets here in raw form much less frozen.
Now avocados, mangos, tomatillos, limes, papaya, chili of any kind, no problemo!2 -
We had Kung Pao pork with white rice and "mixed Asian vegetables" from a steamer bag. They look pretty on the plate and are apparently tasty, so it's fine. (They include broccoli, so I don't dare.)3
-
My soup for supper turned into a salad (field greens, peppers, cucumbers and grape tomatoes with hummus, balsamic vinegar and strawberries) - it was delicious!
2 -
Chinese buffet. 11 people. Nuff said! 🙀🤷🏻♂️2
-
Oooh Chinese buffet! I have not allowed myself to go to any kind of buffet place in years. I think maybe when I feel a bit stronger I can try one again. We have some really good Chinese buffets here.
In the old days I worked a few blocks from the Sea Dragon buffet where many gigantic lunches were eaten. Don’t know how I managed to stay awake at my desk and edit anything in the afternoons.1 -
You are so wise, Yooly.
The idea of going to a buffet and eating moderately just sounds so alien to me at the moment?
My headspace going in would be to indulge - and make up for it later. And then that wouldn't happen because the indulging would send me on a tailspin. So the smart me is saying no buffets for me anytime soon - the currently dominant part of my brain is saying WTF - let's go baby.
I'm in a very weird place. It feels as if I have been maintaing a really high deficit - but that is not the case. Brain/hormones/mystery player/hamsters ??? are all running rampant these days. I'm not giving up - but WOW just WOW it is a weird place. Somewhere I thought I would never be again.
Thankful for your thoughtful, measured words, Yooly. Though I'm probably not at the point where I'm following them - they have entered my conciousness and are making there way further into my psyche (I hope).2 -
DO NOT GIVE UP!!! Yes you are in a weird place now. Grieving the move of your son’s family. Hang on and give it some time. You can’t be perfect but try a little each day.
Perhaps doing a weekly menu or preplanning grocery shopping. Measure one meal at a time. Small changes that might help you get back to where you need to be.
When you’re ready you’ll know.
2 -
Laurie... too many things, right? The Texas lass is correct. You should listen to her!!!!
And of course I over-over ate and avoidance of buffets for ALL of us, myself included, is probably a better idea than not!
Then again, which is totally weird, I was feeling hungry at 3am and decided to ignore it and just go to bed. Today I looked and, with the Chinese unlogged, I had 2750 Cal left... and that's with a 250 deficit. So it is unlikely it was more than minor damage whatever the total was... moving garbage and boxes does seem to consume calories whether real or Fitbit imaginary
... and confirmed... resting HR is down one since yesterday, so this means that yesterday was at worst a wash and that once again body logging is better than the human logging (I swear I was actually thinking of a "nut bar" right before going to bed, and not because I was bored!)2
