Perpetual "What's for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Today" thread
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nzilla
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Today I took a trip with my host family to an old school building with lots of trees. Lunch was a teriyaki chicken burger from Mos Burger, which is McDonalds' Japanese competition and actually quite tasty. Dinner was at a Denny's-type restaurant (not really Denny's, though they have those too) and I had a Chinese pork dish with lots of sesame oil, pickles with shiso leaf, rice, and miso soup.
Ever since I started equating correlation with causality, violent crime has fallen 58%.
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Kvetch
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As I promised Brad, I cooked a dish from Yamuna Devi tonight - Lavish Rice and Mung Dal Bunchi Khichari.
I too some fairly powerful liberties with the recipe (no coriander, red lentils instead of the moong dal [only just realised that moong dal = mung beans - since I have a large jar for sprouting, I could have stuck to the recipe there...], I did some seriously strange stuff with the spices (no cumin, for example) and made up the proportions of ingredients. And the only way I could get almonds at short notice was to buy 'oak smoke flavour mixed nuts' and pick out and wash the almonsds...
But still, it worked out very nicely, although next time I'll try and not burn the nuts - high heat plus shredded coconut != good idea
I also did sweet potato chips (UK meaning of chips) with ground black pepper and lemon - it was nice, but I think I boiled the potato too long.
I too some fairly powerful liberties with the recipe (no coriander, red lentils instead of the moong dal [only just realised that moong dal = mung beans - since I have a large jar for sprouting, I could have stuck to the recipe there...], I did some seriously strange stuff with the spices (no cumin, for example) and made up the proportions of ingredients. And the only way I could get almonds at short notice was to buy 'oak smoke flavour mixed nuts' and pick out and wash the almonsds...
But still, it worked out very nicely, although next time I'll try and not burn the nuts - high heat plus shredded coconut != good idea
I also did sweet potato chips (UK meaning of chips) with ground black pepper and lemon - it was nice, but I think I boiled the potato too long.
"I'm the family radical. The rest are terribly stuffy. Aside from Aunt - she's just odd."
Hey, it's the fun & effort that counts, not necessarily the results. 
It's only occasionally that I'm stuck for ingredients, but it occasionally happens to me too.
p.s. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I dont recall Devi using red lentils in any of her recipes ... which I found mystifying because it's one of the fastest cooking varieties, and is thus very convenient.
It's only occasionally that I'm stuck for ingredients, but it occasionally happens to me too.
p.s. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I dont recall Devi using red lentils in any of her recipes ... which I found mystifying because it's one of the fastest cooking varieties, and is thus very convenient.
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Kvetch
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No she didn't - that was one of the changes I made (it called for mung beans, but I didn't work out what she meant until a few minutes ago) - I subsitiuted in the only other pulse I had.
It would have been a lighter/moister dish with beans, which would have have improved it - my only problem with it was that it was a trifle dry (although the Indian guy down the hall tried some and said it was good, so I can be proud).
You have the advantage that you have a proper kitchen - I'm confined to a smallish cupboard, and a freezer and fridge compartment.
It would have been a lighter/moister dish with beans, which would have have improved it - my only problem with it was that it was a trifle dry (although the Indian guy down the hall tried some and said it was good, so I can be proud).
You have the advantage that you have a proper kitchen - I'm confined to a smallish cupboard, and a freezer and fridge compartment.
"I'm the family radical. The rest are terribly stuffy. Aside from Aunt - she's just odd."
You could make yourself a portable spice/tool kit - go to a hardware store, and get yourself a small plastic toolbox or fishing tackle box, and then go to a local gourmet shop and get yourself a bunch of spice bottles (which typically cost less than $1 each). Then go to a stationary store ang get a bunch of small round paper labels to label the caps with (or buy a label gun if you have the money). Then all you need to do is just slowly collect spices over time. That way they dont take up counter space, and are easily portable. You can also keep small culinary tools in the same box - like a paring knife, a peeler, a zester, a mortar & pestle (for spices), etc.
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Kvetch
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I am actually already (slowly) doing that (the only utensils I made sure to get, rather than rely on my parents handing me was a set of empty spice jars) - but I still have space issues (my sack of pasta is sitting on the 'fridge, which means it tends to get used by others quite a lot - anything else I leave out tends to go in the same way).
There are things I'd really like to have, but simply can't store (like a decent range of pulses and grains - and more pans). Still, next year my putative housemates ought to be rather more amenable - and we should have an actual kitchen.
There are things I'd really like to have, but simply can't store (like a decent range of pulses and grains - and more pans). Still, next year my putative housemates ought to be rather more amenable - and we should have an actual kitchen.
"I'm the family radical. The rest are terribly stuffy. Aside from Aunt - she's just odd."
good eats
Hi! I haven't been here in AGES. This place sure looks different. Ya'll been doing a lot of work I see.
Looks great, well organized.
Ah, dinner tonight, not sure yet. Last night we had baked turkey-jack chimichangas, those are great. My older son is 3 today so I'll probably have to do some kid friendly meal
So Brad, Oh Cooking Expert, do you make meals that are low in fat as well? I'm a weight watchers chick. Gotta watch my points
Looks great, well organized.
Ah, dinner tonight, not sure yet. Last night we had baked turkey-jack chimichangas, those are great. My older son is 3 today so I'll probably have to do some kid friendly meal
So Brad, Oh Cooking Expert, do you make meals that are low in fat as well? I'm a weight watchers chick. Gotta watch my points
Why do people say they 'slept like a baby', when babies only sleep for 2 hours at a time?
Long time no see, Grilka ! 
A lot (but not all) of that I cook is relatively low in fat, compared to the typical American diet. Cooking low-fat is more a matter of knowing how to adapt existing recipes (with the small caveat that some recipes are unsuitable for adaptation), rather than seeking out recipes that are designed that way from the ground up. It's much more liberating to work that way.
In any case, the single biggest rule of weight loss does not involve going crazy eliminating as much dietary fat (and joy) as possible from one's diet ... the real trick is learning to recognize what your body's actual caloric needs are, comparing it to your caloric intake, and then tweaking your exercise and eating habits accordingly, to satisfy the goals you set for yourself. Reducing dietary fat can certainly help (because fat, gram for gram, is 9/4ths higher in calories than protein and carbohydrate), but don't let it blind you to the other issue.
A lot (but not all) of that I cook is relatively low in fat, compared to the typical American diet. Cooking low-fat is more a matter of knowing how to adapt existing recipes (with the small caveat that some recipes are unsuitable for adaptation), rather than seeking out recipes that are designed that way from the ground up. It's much more liberating to work that way.
In any case, the single biggest rule of weight loss does not involve going crazy eliminating as much dietary fat (and joy) as possible from one's diet ... the real trick is learning to recognize what your body's actual caloric needs are, comparing it to your caloric intake, and then tweaking your exercise and eating habits accordingly, to satisfy the goals you set for yourself. Reducing dietary fat can certainly help (because fat, gram for gram, is 9/4ths higher in calories than protein and carbohydrate), but don't let it blind you to the other issue.
I posted some cooking tips (and a rant) about low-fat cooking about a year ago, in my review of Ruth Law's book
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wolfspirit
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Ramen noodles! Now there's a household staple
Read your ranting comments, thanks for link. Oh, I eat whatever I want, no diet that excludes the good stuff would EVER work with me. I've had big success with WW, the only problem is I keep getting interrupted by babies!
I do like to adapt current recipes to make them lower in points (you're allowed so many per day, based on your weight, and you can use 'em any way you want. Points are calculated by knowing the calories, fiber and fat content of your food.)
So, for birthday dinner, Dylan asked for pizza, but only because Jessica whispered it into his ear. Once he got that in his head, there was no deviation possible. Fortunately I had Ellio's... excuse me, Giant brand pizza... in the freezer. And us parents went for spaghetti. Then my father in law sent me into point excess by bringing over a damn homemade butter cake. Delicious!! That man can BAKE. But he's going to kill me.
Read your ranting comments, thanks for link. Oh, I eat whatever I want, no diet that excludes the good stuff would EVER work with me. I've had big success with WW, the only problem is I keep getting interrupted by babies!
I do like to adapt current recipes to make them lower in points (you're allowed so many per day, based on your weight, and you can use 'em any way you want. Points are calculated by knowing the calories, fiber and fat content of your food.) So, for birthday dinner, Dylan asked for pizza, but only because Jessica whispered it into his ear. Once he got that in his head, there was no deviation possible. Fortunately I had Ellio's... excuse me, Giant brand pizza... in the freezer. And us parents went for spaghetti. Then my father in law sent me into point excess by bringing over a damn homemade butter cake. Delicious!! That man can BAKE. But he's going to kill me.
Why do people say they 'slept like a baby', when babies only sleep for 2 hours at a time?
Simple dinner tonight, 4 people:
Onion soup and toast with cheese
Onion soup: 3-4 cut onions simmered lightly in olive oil and a tablespoon sugar, add beef soup stock (equal to 1,5 l soup stock) and 1,5 l. water, bring to boil and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes at least, add a little chopped parsley and maybe some pepper a little while before serving. Salt is seldom needed- the soup stock blocks are usually quite salty.
Toast with cheese: 12 slices of good bread (preferrably some wheat and rye type), sprinkle olive oil over, cover with some kind of white/yellow cheese, for example Jarlsberg or Swiss, sprinkle oregano over, cook in oven at 200 C for some 5 to 10 minutes- depending on how burnt you like the toast.
KEE
Onion soup and toast with cheese
Onion soup: 3-4 cut onions simmered lightly in olive oil and a tablespoon sugar, add beef soup stock (equal to 1,5 l soup stock) and 1,5 l. water, bring to boil and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes at least, add a little chopped parsley and maybe some pepper a little while before serving. Salt is seldom needed- the soup stock blocks are usually quite salty.
Toast with cheese: 12 slices of good bread (preferrably some wheat and rye type), sprinkle olive oil over, cover with some kind of white/yellow cheese, for example Jarlsberg or Swiss, sprinkle oregano over, cook in oven at 200 C for some 5 to 10 minutes- depending on how burnt you like the toast.
KEE
It is written.
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tollbaby
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one would think you'd just go out and eat a bushel of fried garlic & onionsBrad wrote:Hmmmm ... since the wifey is off babysitting for a relative, I think I'll go stag for some Korean tonite: samsum kochoo jampong {spicy seafood soupy noodles), and perhaps a bottle of sochu. Mmmmm.
And what manner of jackassery must we put up with today? ~ Danae, Non Sequitur
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tollbaby
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hm... can't wait until the kids go to their dad's tomorrow night so I can have something naughty that they wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.... I have a big bunch of asparagus in the fridge... some fresh Parmesan.... *drool*
And what manner of jackassery must we put up with today? ~ Danae, Non Sequitur
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wolfspirit
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/me flies to tollbaby's locationtollbaby wrote:hm... can't wait until the kids go to their dad's tomorrow night so I can have something naughty that they wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.... I have a big bunch of asparagus in the fridge... some fresh Parmesan.... *drool*
asparagus.....*drool*
wolfspirit
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wolfspirit
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And then hope we can get them in time for ICON? hmmm....tiem sounds constrained, we might have to organize yet another excuse for me to go into NYC.Brad wrote:Since MrDude's on a commune now, perhaps we can talk him into growing some white asparagus for us ... and I hope he isn't stingy with the horse manure used to bury them while they grow.
/~ Nuthin but luv, MrDude. ~/
wolfspirit