A Food Post. One Pot Wonders.

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A few weeks ago I was feeling not very well due to some minor stomach problems... not eating very much because I felt sick afterwards and generally out of sorts. Might have been a virus as it's more or less cleared up now but it did get me changing my eating habits slightly. Although I've always liked grapes, oranges, grapefruit, nuts, honey, most veg, porridge, cornflakes etc... I decided I need a change. So here's a selection of recent meals, snacks and treats. When I mentioned I was a hedonist recently it's not the sex, drugs, and rock and roll lifestyle type I was talking about. Can't afford the first pair and rock and roll seemed to fade out sometime around the early 1990s. Food is my main hedonistic pleasure these days so for me there's no choice between heating and eating... it's eating every time.

 

With no heating on in the kitchen, (or any of the other rooms for that matter,) I always like to get cooking over with fairly quickly, especially in winter when it's dark and cold in there. This is chicken, some salad, red peppers, tomatoes, grated cheese and a kiwi fruit. (a bag of six for £1 so one for each meal.) Under 30 mins prep to plate.... same with all the others.

 

Broad beans, lamb chops, baby potatoes. Although it's basic ingredients I usually enjoy anything I make and the only time that's not the case is when I try new products or make something new I haven't had before.

 

A case in point. Three products from Lidl. The pineapple tarts I already know and love but not particularly healthy for you. But delicious nonetheless. Very moreish. The low fat rice I was not all that keen on but finished it anyway, thinking I might acquire a taste for it at some point... in the distant future.. if I tried hard enough. Would not rush to buy it again though. The Petits Filous I spooned out slowly and munched with interest/ curiosity but no great enthusiasm, Two at a time per day. Slightly astringent and almost bitter it's not a flavour I would think would be loved by kids, despite the packaging claim. More a sensible healthy eating choice for discerning parents packing off-springs lunch boxes... hoping their little bread snappers might acquire a taste for it.... if they persisted and tried hard enough to like it. And that's the problem I've found with healthy eating so far. It's not all that tasty. You've got to make a real effort to like it. Often you need to drench it in other things to make it palatable. A hard choice for a taste bud hedonist. That old red devil Satan has all the finest flavour sensations it seems. A massive tinkling jukebox filled with the stuff that's bad for you.

 

I did like these though and with a generous multipack for a pound I'd get them again. No idea if they are healthy or other wise. However, having worked my way, (on a limited budget) through the spectacular universe of world fruits last year in 2022 ( the ones available in a variety of local supermarkets anyway) I'm now onto puddings and tarts as I think I've built up enough brownie points from the one a week all year bash on exotic fruits of the world to indulge a little.

 I've also been doing one pot wonders for the past few weeks... quick and easy to prepare main meals. Baked bean curry stew here.

 Pea and turnip one pot meal. Legumes and more legumes.

 

Cumberland sausage stew. Not as good as the Lake District chip shop version but tasty nonetheless. 

Chicken Balti and rice.... with pineapple chunks for an extra tangy zing.

 Cheese and tomato quick cracker lunch. Card shuffling skills put to good use.

 Chicken, egg and cheese lunch on another day.

Sausage, broad bean, egg, cherry tomatoes and spuds.

Brussel sprouts curry one pot meal.

Pasta meal with asparagus.

Beans and beetroot stew lunch. This one pot batch lasted two full days and four meals. I spotted a big family jar of beetroot going cheap so stuck that in as well. Five a day in one main meal.

Chicken curry with kale home made stew.

 

Rice, beans, beetroot and kale.

Ham, egg, scones, peas, carrots, potatoes. A body fully recovered again. Yep... it's a hard life!