Food inspiration, or what's for supper?
Replies
-
Fajitas sound good! I admit that I sort of miss taking the time to cook! Eating out (or frozen / pre-prepared stuff like I do) is good at times; but, calories are crazy high in comparison2
-
Maybe when you have time, make a double or triple batch of something that can be portioned and frozen. Soups or stews are easy. Depending on work schedule or if you can work from home for a few hours? Or get an Instapot/pressure cooker that can do meals quickly and often from frozen state. At least you might alternate some home food with restaurants/ prepackaged meals?
Every little bit helps because soon it’s cookies, feasting, and all things chocolate season.2 -
Current plan calls for being just being anti-social? 100% guaranteed success?!?!?!
Grinch central!
Made a nice batch of soup a couple of days back. Cleaned up the fridge a bit too: some baby potatoes and onions and coleslaw that were languishing long enough to be close to questionable... a couple of tetra packs of "beef with red wine" stock that was a few months past its best before date, a tiny bit of olive oil to get it all started, a bag of the little girl's frozen squash, some extra white rice left over from a couple of frozen Indian dinners (I tend to eat about half the rice that they come with), and some garlic powder, roasted garlic, and other potions and concoctions!
Sodium levels... yeah, let's not go there!
And "made" a couple of salads (out of bags, of course), though I admit to being jelly of the one Dante made the other day!3 -
Today is the mean combo of beans and sardines!
They go very well together too!1 -
What kind of beans are those? Canned, frozen, dry? I see some pepper flakes but how did you prepare the beans?
We’ve got all kinds of beans here - red kidney, pinto, Navajo, black beans, lima, chick peas, navy white ......- but the ones in your photo don’t seem familiar.2 -
Maybe when you have time, make a double or triple batch of something that can be portioned and frozen. Soups or stews are easy. Depending on work schedule or if you can work from home for a few hours? Or get an Instapot/pressure cooker that can do meals quickly and often from frozen state. At least you might alternate some home food with restaurants/ prepackaged meals?
Every little bit helps because soon it’s cookies, feasting, and all things chocolate season.
I plan to do this, but it may be awhile. Right now I have a full freezer and I need to make enough room for a small turkey. Once that turkey is made (mid to late December), then I should have space. Especially since January and February get COLD here. It would be nice to have some stew or soup ready to just heat up.
Right now I am just trying to get through the crazy.Today is the mean combo of beans and sardines!
They go very well together too!
The beans look really good. I am not a huge fan of sardines, but would be willing to give them another shot as it has been awhile since they last time I tried them. Always willing to give something a try!
3 -
Beans yes, maybe (I enjoy them for sure; people around me the next day?🤯 🤣) Sardines, depending on preparation, oh yes!
Beans and Sardines? Where is that disagree button??????🙀
A lb of Brussel Sprouts and carrots in the oven (that's the good pav)
An 800g beef pot pie (2000 Cal, previously frozen)🙀... that's the living a tad dangerously pav!
Was attacked by 125g of warm cookies yesterday. I ended the day over target calories by 125g of cookies (500ish).
I may have to implement un-neighbourly policies or resort to straight to dumpster measures--which I loathe. Obviously simple yes/no doesn't work.
1 -
Is there anyway to pass on some goodies - like to the ladies where your dad lives? I’ve re-gifted many holiday treats to nursing homes, clinics, schools. If the patients can’t eat them it’s always welcomed by the staff. I’ve donated to the firehouse, police, cleaning people and car mechanic shops and never been turned down. And you earn some good karma.
Spent the last weeks in and out of doctors offices trying to get to the bottom of some long term pesky gut issues. After ultrasounds, blood work, X-rays, CAT scans and many antibiotics, finally met a doctor who gave me some answers. Good news - I get to go on my merry way for at least a few more years! 🥳
Had some soup for dinner and there’s room for a bit of ice cream too.3 -
What kind of beans are those? Canned, frozen, dry? I see some pepper flakes but how did you prepare the beans?
We’ve got all kinds of beans here - red kidney, pinto, Navajo, black beans, lima, chick peas, navy white ......- but the ones in your photo don’t seem familiar.
No, I bake them. This is a very popular dish here called Γίγαντες "Giants" in Greek, using giant greek beans, a variant of the runner/butter bean.
Here is an easy recipe to follow by Akis. I make them in a similar way, not using that recipe tho but my Mom's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FMNwcwFa8U
https://akispetretzikis.com/en/recipe/3442/gigantes-foyrnoy
3 -
Thanks Dante! Definitely a keeper recipe. I’ve got Akis website bookmarked and have been reading through the recipes. So much good stuff!0
-
I did a lot of pre-cooking prep work yesterday, including freezing a lot of pork broth left after making pulled pork. It was so rich it set up into a jelly, so taking the fat off the top was easy. That will make nice sauces and gravies, and I know where it came from and know that it doesn't have extra salt or anything that triggers our allergies.
Today I'm making pot roast for the freezer (I'll get three meals out of the meat I have thawed) and pizzas for Girlfriend and I. Dinner will be tandoori chicken, with rice and saag and some onion pakora and samosas and of course naan.2 -
Alexandra, it sounds awesome as... expected. 😘 I'm glad you portion cause otherwise it would all be gone in one meal! 🤣
Yooly, did figure it out and are you now fully repaired and good to go for another 100,000 miles?
Dante the carob rusks! I got a bag of "το Μάννα!" by αρτοποιία Τσατσαρωνάκη. Awesome taste. Nice crunch. Lighter than they look actually. But the shape means that each rusk still weighs a bit. 🤔 Too easy to consume! 😯 Too many calories!🤣
So stopped at half the meat pie yesterday and made a batch of soup using a couple of not yet expired tetra-packs of broth, plus old onion, fresh broccoli-slaw, fresh carrots and zucchini, plus potions and powders!
Got the carrots from a nearby Safeway. 1 kg doesn't seem to exist any more.... Lots of 907g or 908g packages (2lbs). Regular carrots were 5.49 for the 2lbs which I thought was much higher than expected... so I bought organic same size for 3.99 NOT on sale--just not yet inflated!🤔 They were actually a tad less than even the frozen ones which were coming in at 4.22 for the same weight!🤔
Anyway. Soup and pie today.. plus 32g of rusks while making coffee!!0 -
I have to be careful with samosas. I can eat quite a few of those. But if I only thaw one and serve it with the rest of the meal, once I'm done with the meal, eh, I'm full, I don't want any more. We'll have samosas again next time we have curry, so I'm not deprived.2
-
If samosas were the only thing on my careful list... I would be a happy puppy!
Soup is still in the fridge. Went a tad sideways by going for 1/4 of the pie (so 1/4 still left), salad, and... betty crocker garlic mashed potatoes!
It's going to be interesting to see what kind of mental gymnastics I'll have to engage in to get my logging to more or less agree with reality!
For ease of logging, I've logged both the 11th and 12th at maintenance but with the whole pie in on the 11th and the whole of the soup in on the 12th. So, at this point, I have maintenance calories for both days and "free weight watchers food" consisting of 1/4 (so about 200g before cooking) meat pie, 1600g of soup, and a good amount of left-over tomato/onion/capers and other pickles salad.
But what are the chances that I won't stray from the script and have to add things to Sunday... while extending the list of "free weight watcher foods that have already been logged?!?!?!" ???? hmmm.... not sure that that's good logging!!!!!!0 -
Creative logging never works for me. Or juggling the estimated calories to fit my allotment. I’m sure I’m over today.
There was lots of grab and go eating today. Fish tacos for lunch so not too bad there. It’s finally cold (50s F). That means heartier foods that hubby wants. Tomorrow its cincinnati chili, then later in the week enchilada casserole, kraut and sausages.... oy!1 -
Oy indeed... well.... except for the kraut and sausages.... especially if you sneak in some baby potatoes in there too High on the cabbage, medium on the potato, sneak in an apple or two, low on the snausage... you COULD make a pretty filling meal with relatively average calories out of all that!
Not sure that I would combine mexican with german in the same pot through!
1 -
Today is ground turkey burgers, vegetable rice and (half a) τηγανόψωμο (feta cheese frybread).
Yummy, but...1150kcal in total. Oh well!2 -
German and Mexican will definitely NOT be combined!
Fry bread - dangerous stuff there. Had myself a goodly amount of Indian fry bread in New Mexico. I cannot have that except on vacation.1 -
Mmmmm Cincinnati chili. Mine comes out of a can though. Over spaghetti and topped with a ton of onions and cheese. I have a couple cans left. Need to see if they have it at stores here. I don't have it often, but sometimes it is the one thing that sounds good.
Not sure on breakfast or lunch today as I am about to get up and then go out for a longer walk to pick up a few things. So not sure how late I will be out and about. Dinner tonight will be nacho bowls. Ground beef taco meat, white queso, pickled jalapeños, guacamole, sour cream, and lettuce in a bowl and eaten with chips. May stop and get some black olives too.
I got a new cookbook yesterday and pulled some more from the shelves. Hoping it helps get me back into the cooking mood. This week is a normal week. Saturday I am meeting up with an old high school friend for lunch. Then next week starts the crazy. I will be gone Wednesday after noon until Saturday evening for Thanksgiving. Then the next week I will be gone Wednesday afternoon for 10 days for Disney. So I think I will continue with the super easy meal plans until after Disney then start trying to turn things around.
2 -
I use this recipe for Cincinnati chili. It’s pretty easy. I do use ground turkey instead of beef. And I either go easy on the pasta or use riced cauliflower. Freezes well too.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/cincinnati-style-chili-11659386
For those unfamiliar with Cincinnati chili, it’s a fusion of chili with middle eastern spices. Served on spaghetti with add ons like cheese, onions, beans.2 -
This Cincinnati chili sounds interesting
I had plans for nice soup... then freshly charcoal grilled chicken (125g of cooked white meat and a drumstick with a 113g pita, and a 64g grilled onion and 85g tomatoes and cucumbers to put in the pita arrived at the door! And just as I was recovering, I get hit with a second doorbell and with 133g of feta cheese-pies with only a small amount of cheese filling--would be the closest I can describe them...just baked... NOT FAIR!!!!!2 -
This Cincinnati chili sounds interesting
I had plans for nice soup... then freshly charcoal grilled chicken (125g of cooked white meat and a drumstick with a 113g pita, and a 64g grilled onion and 85g tomatoes and cucumbers to put in the pita arrived at the door! And just as I was recovering, I get hit with a second doorbell and with 133g of feta cheese-pies with only a small amount of cheese filling--would be the closest I can describe them...just baked... NOT FAIR!!!!!
Geez - why have I never had neighbors like this?2 -
I had plans for nice soup... then freshly charcoal grilled chicken (125g of cooked white meat and a drumstick with a 113g pita, and a 64g grilled onion and 85g tomatoes and cucumbers to put in the pita arrived at the door! And just as I was recovering, I get hit with a second doorbell and with 133g of feta cheese-pies with only a small amount of cheese filling--would be the closest I can describe them...just baked... NOT FAIR!!!!!
Surprise Greek food delivery..this is definitely not fair...for the rest of us!
3 -
I ended up getting a sub from Jersey Mike's on my way back to the apartment. I was tired at that point. I also ended up stopping by the store to get black olives for my nacho bowls.
And the bowls ended up being so good. Just a bit spicy with the queso and jalapeno. The lettuce gave it some freshness and texture. The only negative was the guacamole. Not that it wasn't good guac, but it overpowered everything else. So I will either use less or I will exclude it from the leftovers tonight.3 -
Made some beef soup today, It's been a year since the last one.
Well...I really missed it, took some fortitude to not go for a second serving! 4 -
Beautiful soup there Dante! I am going to make some of that carob rusk. I’ve looked everywhere for it but no luck. Amazon prices are ridiculous. Almost as bad as trying to get Canadian ketchup potato chips.
After one of the hottest summers on record, we’re having unusually cold weather for central Texas. Fifties in the daytime and 30s at night. Snow flurries forecast for Saturday! Crazy!
Rather than follow Dante’s fine homemade example, I think we’ll go for soup Saturday at a Vietnamese restaurant. A big bowl of pho on a cold day.......3 -
That would be vegetarian pho because those fatty beef or pork bits add up. I can control beef stews and soups at home but restaurants- not so much.3
-
Looks delicious even to this vegetarian, Dante.
That sounds delicious, Yooly.
I've not been binging this week so far - but not exactly eating at goal yet. Baby steps.3 -
Today is cold, blustery and raining 🌧 maybe even a snowflake ❄️ or two. Totally uncharacteristic of November in Texas where it should be about 70 degrees. In celebration of our almost 40 degree day, we’re going out for a big steaming bowl of pho. Woohoo!3
-
I picked up a package of veggie sausages in a flavour I haven't tried before: kale and caramelized onion. Sounded okay - but I'm not particularly impressed - won't buy then again. But one of those, some potatoes and a salad (field greens ... lol probably greenhouse greens) will be dinner tonight. Yesterday was a disasterous eating day only good thing about it was that I'm feeling a bit repulsed by starchy sweet food this morning. I think I have a food hangover - and no hair of the dog is desired.
Hope your pho keeps you warm! The weather that you are describing is my least favourite. Shiver to think about it.
1
