What's cookin', good lookin'? Part II

[seela]

Spreadsheet for meal organisation is very organised. I meal plan in Callander, though it is a sort of fluid meal plan which allows for change according to weather variation, surprise plans or just whim. I roughly plan ten main meals for a fortnight period, knowing there is plenty in the store cupboard and freezer should no impromptu plan arise. Similarly, with meal planning, this allows some degree of monitoring how much of each kind of meal we eat, but nowhere near as precisely. I also think photo diaries help. I used to use My fitness pal app, ( another way to record meals and food groups) but found it frustrating that it was not possible to also add a photo of meal too.

I wish I could do meal planning, but nope. I just write down what I've cooked rather than plan ahead. It's very rare I manage to actually plan. That's definitely something I should try to do more often.

Seela, why a 50% vegetarian target? Has something published influenced that, or is it just a personal goal? Just curious

Mostly for environmental reasons.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[midwestyankee]

I call Bullshit on your guacamole!

I suppose you think we don't get avocados up here? Pfffft! The best. The freshest, the greenest, I promise. We even have abogados up here, though they're generally less slimy than the avocados.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I suppose you think we don't get avocados up here? Pfffft! The best. The freshest, the greenest, I promise. We even have abogados up here, though they're generally less slimy than the avocados.

Haha! I think I call Bullshit on the abogado comment as well When I was in Spain, I accidentally said albondigo about my abogado amigo

As to guacamole, maybe you have a texture aversion, like I do with cooked peas. I don't care how tasty they may be, I just can't stand the texture

 

[IrisAlthea]

Interesting discussion!
We plan the meals for a week ahead and we do it family meeting style with calenders and bunches of cook books in front of us.
Don't think we could plan for longer as life looks for us right now, because schedule is too fluid.

Having a plan means less risk of ending up in a fast food place and that is good for both walllet and waistline.

I have a food diary that I write in daily to keep an eye on how well I stay on target with my goals when it comes to food intake.

I'm gonna make green shrimp curry. Mostly because I want to have some left over coconut milk for experimenting.



I've started to track what we eat a little more closely from the beginning of this year, simply to see if what I imagine we eat matches the reality. I've been trying to cook vegetarian every other day for a long time now, and based on the data it looks like I fail miserably. We also seem to eat a ton of pizza, burgers and salmon these days.

I put it all on an excel sheet, so I can get numerical info about the veggie/fish/meat ratio. At that moment we have about 38% veggie, so it's pretty far from the around 50% which has been my target. I've honestly thought I do much better in that regard, but numbers don't lie.

All in all been an eye opening little exercise. Here's an example of what my little food diary looks like if somebody for some reason is interested. It's a pretty good representation of how I cook and how we eat: I get long streaks of veggie cooking when I get sick of everything else and the rest is a bit more varied. Red = meat, blue = fish, green = veggie, white = eating out.

Spreadsheet for meal organisation is very organised. I meal plan in Callander, though it is a sort of fluid meal plan which allows for change according to weather variation, surprise plans or just whim. I roughly plan ten main meals for a fortnight period, knowing there is plenty in the store cupboard and freezer should no impromptu plan arise. Similarly, with meal planning, this allows some degree of monitoring how much of each kind of meal we eat, but nowhere near as precisely. I also think photo diaries help. I used to use My fitness pal app, ( another way to record meals and food groups) but found it frustrating that it was not possible to also add a photo of meal too.

I wish I could do meal planning, but nope. I just write down what I've cooked rather than plan ahead. It's very rare I manage to actually plan. That's definitely something I should try to do more often.



Mostly for environmental reasons.

I definitely find meal planning works out cost effective and also keeps me more creative, because I am thinking ahead. I find a week too short when I am in good habit, and a month too long. When I am out of the habit a week gets me into the swing of things, but rolls over, so I find the ten day/ fortnight more comfortable. It means I can, for example, see something here and be inspired and work it in quickly.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[midwestyankee]

Haha! I think I call Bullshit on the abogado comment as well When I was in Spain, I accidentally said albondigo about my abogado amigo

As to guacamole, maybe you have a texture aversion, like I do with cooked peas. I don't care how tasty they may be, I just can't stand the texture

I don't have a texture problem with guac at all. I have merely noted that when you first remove the meat of the avocado from its skin, the exterior is a bit slimy. Slimy, but satisfying, you might say.

 

[Blue]

I can't think of any food textures I'm put off by other than cooked chick peas.
The texture of polystyrene though, is the single most repulsive thing I've ever come into contact with. I'd rather scoop up human vomit and mucus with my bare hands than handle polystyrene.
And the sound when it's scratching literally causes me physical pain.
Death to polystyrene.

 

[Endless_Night]

Blueberry pancakes made with almond flour, topped with butter and maple syrup. Mainly because I was just too lazy to cook anything that require more effort.

They were tasty.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Blueberry pancakes made with almond flour, topped with butter and maple syrup. Mainly because I was just too lazy to cook anything that require more effort.

They were tasty.

And what wine goes with that?

 

[seela]

Pan fried perch fillets, green beans, hollandaise, fennel salad.

 

[midwestyankee]

And what wine goes with that?

Something fruity with a subtle nose. Elderberry wine comes to mind.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Something fruity with a subtle nose. Elderberry wine comes to mind.

Elderberry!? With almonds and butter Before Labour day?! Barbarian!

 

[midwestyankee]

Elderberry!? With almonds and butter Before Labour day?! Barbarian!

It's perfectly fine if you're wearing white pants.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

It's perfectly fine if you're wearing white pants.

Oooohhhh! It all becomes clear now

 

[IrisAlthea]

Burger with blue cheese, tomato, red onion, ketchup and mayonnaise.
A Brooklyn Lager didn't hurt either.

 

[IrisAlthea]

And today it is moussaka made with aubergine and lamb, greek salad with feta and a glass of retsina wine.

 

[MeekMe]

Grilled lemon garlic chicken and a layered salad. I made with it a toasted pine nut couscous, which is something I've never cooked before. It came out so yummy! (o^^o)

 

[barefootgirl69]

That sounds delicious, MeekMe! I've tried couscous, and I didn't like it, but I wondered if I would simply prefer another flavor or different way to prepare it. I'm willing to try again!

Tonight we had teriyaki chicken and some stir-fried vegetables that I needed to use up.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Kindred's Milk Bread just went in the oven. I have been wanting to make this for a while now, finally!

 

[MeekMe]

That sounds delicious, MeekMe! I've tried couscous, and I didn't like it, but I wondered if I would simply prefer another flavor or different way to prepare it. I'm willing to try again!

Tonight we had teriyaki chicken and some stir-fried vegetables that I needed to use up.

I was worried I wouldn't like it. I've had couscous before, but I wasn't fond of how gritty it felt. When I made this, I was pleasantly surprised by how fluffy it came out. Here's the recipe I used if you're interested.

 

[Porkwarrior]

Pan fried perch fillets, green beans, hollandaise, fennel salad.

BITCH!

We're suffering a three year long Perch drought up here. At this point I would almost trade a night of unadulterated debauchery with a stacked coed over a great morning of a Jumbo bite.

Meh wubs meh Perch fillets. Breaded with Panko, deep fried...Perch burgers, Perch tacos, Perch & chips, just a plate of Perch & half dozen dipping sauces, Perch & Sriaracha Mayo, Perch & sweet Thai chili sauce, Perch & more Perch....


erchDrool

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

That sounds delicious, MeekMe! I've tried couscous, and I didn't like it, but I wondered if I would simply prefer another flavor or different way to prepare it. I'm willing to try again!

Tonight we had teriyaki chicken and some stir-fried vegetables that I needed to use up.

I was worried I wouldn't like it. I've had couscous before, but I wasn't fond of how gritty it felt. When I made this, I was pleasantly surprised by how fluffy it came out. Here's the recipe I used if you're interested.

I have been surprised by couscous comments I have heard lately. Besides these, I overheard a lady saying she didn't like couscous because it has a texture like tapioca what?? I think a lot of people believe it is a grain or something, instead of pasta. Having no real flavour of its own, it's an easy blank slate.

I guess I have been fortunate in that I haven't had any bad experiences with it. I buy it plain in pretty large bulk at the Indian store and make it with homemade stock and whatever bits and bobs of veggies I have to hand. I pan roast the veggies until soft, and then add them to the boiling stock along with the couscous. Prefect every time, no tapioca

 

[cfuhrer]

Elk back strap, baked potato, parmesean crusted eggplant, and bacon wrapped mushrooms.
And plum upside down cake waiting for a dollop of cream.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]