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madechoreturns · 4 years

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The Two Minute Road To Happyness : My Discovery & Rediscovery of the Humble Maggi.

It happened just yesterday - I stood at a counter in a grocery shop well distant from the rest [ for all future purposes, this is being written at the time of the Corona Lockdown in India, and currently at Bhubaneswar. ], with a cart full of random food stuff, amongst which were all the TopRamen Curry (the best flat-noodles, everrr!!!) the shop had in stock. I looked across the partition, and there was this lady on the other side with her son, who didn't seem older than 10 years, constantly staring at her with puppy-eyes as if earnestly requesting for some treat while pulling down on her dupatta - forcefully enough to warrant attention, yet careful enough of the barrage that could ensue. And inevitably so, she finally gave into those tugging and calmly reaffirmed her predicament, "There is no Yippee left; You'll have to eat maggi". With all that's going around these days - the cooking and studying - that moment had just skipped the register of memories, until today's lunch when I Swiggied. "Veg n Cheese Corn Maggi with extra Cheese" is what I ordered and was delivered to me in under an hour. The moment I opened the packet though, I was hit with a smell of nostalgia. It has been ages since ordered food had "that maggi smell" in it. Of course, the menu did say maggi - but, with an emphasis on the but, it never was that maggi which I knew. It was either some other brand, mix, or ingredients which didn't make it the maggi that it should have been. If Shakespeare would have asked me then, What's in a name? - I would have surely replied, "Something different".

My tryst with Maggi was like any other kid of the early 90s. Easy to cook food, loved by the child and ate without a fuss. However, being an overweight child, in a very conscious family and yet giving into those wishes and cravings of mine - as my Mom at times was - I used to have maggi, once every fortnight. It could have been every week too, but I didn't want to bid adieu to french toast and thus reached an amicable truce. To be honest, maggi was the first thing I learned to cook (everyone's is), but rather learnt to experiment (which till date is how I cook anything). To adding spices and eggs to bournvita and ghee - I have had conjured all sorts of maggi - and never was a bowl wasted. I learnt how Soy sauce works, when once I had accidentally put half a bottle in a 2 cake maggi, and covered it up with sugar, for Taste!

However what fascinated me the most, and still does, is the taste maker. I can wager you anything for the statement that follows : Go to any hostel, get hold of the guy who wastes the most, and I am more than sure, even he/she would have patted the Tastemaker packet enough till every ounce fell into the mix and made sure any stary bits were properly licked. Thus, was the magic of that pandemonium of a multitude of spices and aroma that created such a distinct timid yet tempered flavour, one that suits, fits and satiates every palate.

In those times, when Chowmein was luxury, Ramen wasn't available, fastfood was looked upon and a Sunday breakfast meant the entire family at the table - Maggi was the perfect garnish. And not just family, friendships have been forged under the evaporation of the maggi mix. In school the maggi cake (cold maggi in shape of a cuboid tiffin) was the first to be eaten, notwithstanding who got it. The first time the entire boys' hostel of AIIMS Bhubaneswar congregated in a room was when someone took out his induction and cooked maggi. The first time me and the two roomies of mine got into a fight of who would do those dishes, was after a maggi meal. So much was maggi attached to me, and us, that in our batch magazine, the caption under my pic reads, "No one is alone while eating maggi" (thanks, Akshat!). And yes, all those were the stories of maggi - no Yippee, or WaiWai, or Pasta, or TopRamen or anything; plain and humble maggi. Yes, it never took two minutes to make, yet it was a wonder wrapped around a piece of yellow plastic.

It is said, Imitation is the truest form of flattery - and it's true when you see the variants available as options once you go to a store to get stuff. From brands to flavours, from taste to time taken to prepare - there is a plethora of option to choose from. Children these days know more about how which Instant Noodle (towards the end of the article, I mention the actual technical name for the first time!) goes with what sauce and what dip and so on; whereas, for me it was a bit soupy maggi, with tomato sauce, and a bit of chilli sauce - four gulps - and an empty bowl. Those were easier times it seems, and yet every child under 15 now will differ.

In hindsight, years have passed since those days when Maggi was a delicacy. Gradually as food style changed it just transformed for something looked upto to something looked down upon as being unhealthy and harmful. Everyone remembers the year maggi was banned, and maybe it was that watershed moment that made us look elsewhere. New flavors and taste became the norm while the OG of Instant Noodle was pushed into retirement. Also, I have nobody else to blame rather than me - in the meantime I became a connoisseur spaghetti, a lover of lasagna and a preacher of the perfect bechamel sauce pasta; and buried within all this was that guy who didn't even use a spatula but a fork and a spoon, checking the salt and pepper and "masala" in the water (just as Sanjeev Kapoor would have) while I was making something basic. But, the truth was, it was fun, it was love for the food. I wasn't trying to make something worthy of an Insta post or just a quick belly fill - but was putting in hardened effort to make something which I would sit in front of the TV and gobble it upto Mahabharata or Shri Krishna. Surely those days are gone, but not the characters involved (and also Mahabharata is re-running now).

So, when I opened my lunch I realised, how far have we come since those days. It was necessary and inevitable, but yes there always will be a longing, to go back to those "easy" days. As I always had a high BMI, I was always kept in check of the amount and quality of food that my mom cooked, and I always thought, once I go out of this cocoon I will eat whatever I wish for - sans restrictions. And so I did that, and a decade latter ask me, I will always wish to go back to that Santula and Badhi Chura (Odia dishes - Google It).

Here I am at a crossroad of time when I can make the finest Amuse-bouche or any hors d'oeuver right upto the dessert (and everything in between) - but will eagerly and happily and unflinchingly go back to the time when I could have some ghee on rice and posto-bara to call it a feast. The depth of this wish is, as a very good friend of mine would say, Unfathomable.

And as I finished my lunch, and was back on track to this semi mundane life of mine, I stopped for a while, and asked myself - Won't it be nice, to have a Sunday breakfast, with both Maggi and French Toast. Mama wouldn't say yes, maybe now she would.. But think, the dilemma aside, wouldn't it be aweosme?

As always, Bon Appetit 🍽️

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wakeuphealthy · 5 years

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11 Women Who Hate To Cook Share Their Go-To Weeknight Meals

To discover the hack-packed, low-lift recipes that keep the cooking-averse satisfied, we asked millennial women who hate to cook to share their go-to weeknight meals. Ahead, you'll find our favorite responses. These meals could inspire even those who enjoy cooking because, let's face it, we all have nights when we don't have the energy to spend too much time in the kitchen.

Spinach, sausage, mushroom, white bean sauté

Occupation: Writer Age: 41 City: Portland

Why do you like this meal? It's easy to prep, has a quick cook time, and contains solid protein and veg.

What is the recipe for this meal? 1 pound bulk chicken sausage 1 can cannelini beans 1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped 1 cup mushrooms, diced 1/2 cup onion, diced 2+ cloves of garlic, diced Crumble and brown chicken sausage in pan, along with onions and garlic. Add spinach and mushrooms and cook until al dente. Add beans and spices to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes before serving.

Where did this recipe come from? It's a quick recipe my ex (a chef) threw together.

Pimped-out Top Ramen

Occupation: Social media specialist in digital marketing Age: 29 City: Los Angeles, CA

Why do you like this meal? It's always good and you add whatever you have in your fridge.

What is the recipe for this meal? Top Ramen Packet (shrimp, chicken, or really any flavor), a teaspoon of butter, cheese (sliced preferably), salt, pepper, green onion, Sriracha, spam (if you have it), seaweed flakes or seaweed, and an egg.

Where did this recipe come from? My grandma would always add an egg to my top ramen when I was a kid, and all the other additions have been from whatever I had in the kitchen. Butter was a tip from Kylie Jenner. Cheese is my newest addition and it's sooooo good. It makes it creamy.

Rice, tofu, and veggies

Occupation: Graduate student Age: 22 City: Bethlehem, PA

Why do you like this meal? It's easy, quick, vegan, and healthy.

What is the recipe for this meal? Frozen steam bags of any vegetables (I usually use peas, corn, carrots, green beans, and mix them together in a bigger bowl) Frozen steam bag of brown rice (take as much as needed of rice and veggies for one meal and save the rest in the fridge) Firm tofu, sliced into small squares, seasoned with black pepper and nutritional yeast Mix a serving of rice, tofu, and veggies together in a bowl Flax and sesame seeds sprinkled on top

Where did this recipe come from? It's my own creation.

"Poor Man's Dirty Rice"

Occupation: Librarian Age: 23 City: Boise, ID

Why do you like this meal? It's super quick, simple, and really flexible.

What is the recipe for this meal? Cauliflower rice, ground meat, and salsa. I usually use two bags of rice and cook those in a pan. In a separate pan, I will cook some ground meat — usually turkey or beef, but it can be anything. Then, when both are cooked, I mix them in a pan and add a few tablespoons of salsa, a little salt and pepper, and maybe some garlic powder.

Where did this recipe come from? It's a family recipe.

Scrambled eggs and veggies with cheese

Occupation: Journalist Age: 22 City: Davenport, IA

Why do you like this meal? It's super cheap and reasonably healthy, especially since I go so heavy on the veggies. I'm trying to limit my meat intake and most of my attempts to meal prep vegetables have ranged from mediocre to sad, so I also appreciate that it's fast enough to make fresh each time.

What is the recipe for this meal? Two eggs, whatever chopped vegetables you wants (I like kale and tomatoes, a Brussels sprouts slaw I buy pre-cut, or even butternut squash), fresh (or not) herbs, and cheese. If the vegetables are hard, cook those first, otherwise scramble the eggs and add the vegetables at the same time. Add the herbs or any other greens and cheese toward the end. Lately, I've been using smoked cheddar with parsley or Brie and rosemary. I usually try to have an equal amount of vegetables and eggs, but the texture is definitely better with more egg than roughage. I'll add toast or an extra egg if I'm especially hungry.

Where did this recipe come from? It's really just scrambled eggs.

Cilantro-lime rice with chicken apple sausage

Occupation: Graduate student Age: 23 City: Orange County, CA

Why do you like this meal? Super easy and lasts for about three days.

What is the recipe for this meal? Cook cilantro lime rice packet from target, cook chicken apple sausage, then mix together!

Where did this recipe come from? I came up with it through sheer desperation of something easy and lots of time roaming around Target.

Soy chorizo burrito

Occupation: Graphic designer Age: 22 City: Washington, D.C.

Why do you like this meal? It's packed full of protein, is quick to make, can be eaten warm or cool, is easy to store for later or meal prep, and contains simple ingredients.

What is the recipe for this meal? Half a link of soy chorizo (from Trader Joe's), 1 egg, 1 flour tortilla, 1 cup of mashed avocado, olive oil, hot sauce for taste (I prefer the Mexican Valentina brand).

Where did this recipe come from? My boyfriend is Costa Rican, and he makes burritos that are to die for. Since I don't eat a lot of meat, this is an adaptation from what he makes.

Spaghetti with a green salad

Occupation: Temporary receptionist Age: 25 City: Vancouver, British Columbia

Why do you like this meal? It is relatively easy to make and there is enough pasta for at least two other meals.

What is the recipe for this meal? Boil water; start cooking extra lean ground beef until completely brown; add dry pasta to boiling water and cook for 8 minutes, occasionally stirring; add tomato sauce to the cooked ground beef. When the pasta is al dente, you can drain the water and put the pasta in a strainer. Prepare a green salad to go with the spaghetti dinner.

Where did this recipe come from? It is a family recipe but I am sure there are many online recipes for spaghetti.

Rice and chicken with sauce

Occupation: Teacher Age: 28 City: Dallas, TX

Why do you like this meal? It's incredibly easy to make, balanced, and fast. Almost every part can be store bought, so the only thing left to do is heat it up.

What is the recipe for this meal? There are several options for the rice. I'm Korean, so I like a sticky rice. There are companies who sell a microwaveable bowl of rice - that's the easiest way. You can also, of course, just make rice (easy, but time-consuming). Two cups of water per one cup of rice.

The chicken can either be mixed in with the rice or eaten separately. Take some diced chicken (whenever I buy chicken I dice it and separate it into different Ziploc bags, so they're easy to freeze and thaw as needed) and put them in a pan. Optional: before putting them in a frying pan, cover with flour. This will make them crispy. I put flour in a bowl and toss the chicken around in it. I'm sure you could add egg and whatnot, but this is the easiest way. Once that's done, I heat up some oil in a frying pan and then add in the chicken (if there's flour I try to use a little more oil so it can "fry").

Once the chicken is fully cooked, I add in store-bought General Tso sauce mixed with water, about a 1:1 ratio. Target carries several kinds of General Tso sauce, as does any other grocery store I've looked into. The Panda Express brand is one of my favorites. Once the sauce and water are in there, I swirl everything around to mix and let the sauce simmer. I wait until most of the water has evaporated and the sauce is thick. At this point, you can add in the rice. Add a little more sauce as desired and serve!

Where did this recipe come from? It mostly came from a love of Chinese takeout, rice, and easy dinners.

Mashed cauliflower and tofurkey Italian sausage

Occupation: International PR Age: 26 City: Brooklyn, NY

Why do you like this meal? It's super easy, quick, and relatively healthy.

What is the recipe for this meal? Mashed Cauliflower: 2 Tablespoons of butter 1 bag of frozen riced cauliflower or medium head of cauliflower 1 cup water 2-3 cloves of garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt Pepper to taste Directions: Add butter and finely chopped garlic gloves in a 4 quart pot over medium-high heat and add cauliflower once the butter is almost melted. Sauté cauliflower for 3-5 minutes until it becomes a little lighter in color. Add in the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and cook about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/8 of a cup of the cooking liquid and drain the remainder. Purée the cauliflower with food processor or hand blender.

Veggie Italian Tofurkey Sausage: Heat one link with olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Where did this recipe come from? I adapted the mashed cauliflower from a couple of recipes.

Instant noodles with all the (some) trimmings

Occupation: Journalist Age: 30 City: London, England

Why do you like this meal? It's balanced, tastes great, and ridiculously easy.

What is the recipe for this meal? Chop up some vegetables like peppers, broccoli, pak choi, Chinese leaf. Boil water on the stove, add vegetables and a protein like eggs, prawns, or chicken. Once the vegetables and protein are almost cooked, add a packet of quality, authentic instant noodles like Mama, Indomie or NongShim to the pot, with all their accompanying seasonings. Once everything has been cooked to your desired texture (I would recommend al dente noodles over soggy noodles), you're done. You can vary the proportions of noodles, vegetables, and protein according to your dietary needs.

Where did this recipe come from? I learned it from family

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/11-women-hate-cook-share-200500925.html

#recipes #easy meals #cooking #dinner #dinners #meal prep #easy recipes #family meals #health #healthy #nutrition #fitness #school #food #food prep #quick recipes #quick cooking

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iampikachuhearmeroar · 4 years

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y’know i just had a thought of how the whole “stop eating so many unhealthy, processed non-natural food/meals without real, fresh ingredients to get your much needed nutrients!!!” isn’t so helpful to people struggling with mental health (such as myself with anxiety and depression) and/or living in a disordered household environment where they can never find things, even in the kitchen.... that you just end up living off of prepackaged “continental” (a food brand here in australia) quick sachet microwave meals of rice or pasta.... or freezer meals of similar foods and/or classics like cottage pie or chicken parmigiana etc etc or cans of soup.

don’t get me wrong. i would love to cook fresh meals all day everyday. but half the time I don’t have the time or energy/patience to do so.... so I’d rather just whack a frozen meal or dry prepackaged meal into a microwave safe bowl and cook either of those meals from anywhere between 5mins-20mins, depending on what type of meal it is. and hell, half the fucking time I can’t find the pepper or certain ingredients in my house (like vegetable oil for example) bc i don’t know where we placed it the last time we used it.

and y’know what you can do to make those meals more appetising and slightly better to eat??? add frozen chicken pieces for protein or frozen beans/other frozen veggies for some other veggie nutrients or sometimes fresh veggies.... if it’s the dry package meals. you can add sauce as well.

like idfc if frozen veggies have less actual “nutrients” or “vitamins” or whatever the fuck tv dieticians want to shame people for eating snap frozen veggies about... but like at least I have some bloody veggies in my meal??? and some protein??? both of which took 3 or 10mins in an air fryer or the microwave.... instead of cooking fresh chicken in a pan for however much longer until I’m truly satisfied that it’s fully cooked through. besides the point that you might have to glaze the pan first and stuff like that before you put chicken in and other extra steps.

like my depressed ass just wants some food that’s easy to fucking make and that doesn’t take a complicated 45 step recipe that consists of hours of prep and cooking (bc if I have any meat I like it super well done, and not medium rare, like you’re “supposed” to eat it.) and then the fresh veggie part is the same. as well as various utensils/pots/pans to serve or cook a complicated meals. i ain’t got the fucking patience to both chop up fresh veg for maybe 10mins or whatever.... and then wait 25mins for the said fresh veggies to cook through properly, all the damned time.

like if my house wasn’t so disordered, and also if I knew how to cook, then I’d probably properly cook some more stuff with fresh veg and whatever. just let my depressed/anxious ass eat my quick microwave meals (both dry packet meals and freezer meals) in fucking peace, thanks, tv dieticians who love guilting everyone about “not eating healthy enough”.

#life #about me #shut up ilona #ilona whines about her shitty life to her followers lol

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sashagilljournalist · 4 years

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Embrace Your Freezer

I think you have heard this far too many times – stranger times are afoot. Stockpiling is a particular point of aggression for me, because there is simply no point in buying far more than you need. If supply is an issue, the answer lies in simply utilising the best appliance at your disposal. Yes, I am talking about your freezer.

There is a multitude of food that behaves rather well if you plunge it into the icy-cold depths of your freezer. But, as always, the question of food safety arises. Here is a crash-course into what freezes well, how to fight the devil that is freezer-burn, and what is a freezer-flop and must be avoided at all costs.

Bread I place this at the top of my list simply because I believe that far too many people have been chucking their Hovis slices into the compost when the slightest bloom of mould appears. Bread is the king of freezer foods. If you buy your bread pre-sliced, you can chuck whatever you believe you cannot finish by the sell-by date into the freezer. If you are a better person than I am, and get those crusty loaves à la Gail’s, make sure to slice them into neat pieces before freezing. Whenever the need for toast arises, no thawing is necessary. Pop it straight into your toaster. You can’t imagine a thing better since frozen bread.

Fruit Sure, you can buy pre-frozen fruit, and there is nothing wrong in that. But if you think you have far more than you need fresh, you can freeze whatever excess you have. Most fruit freezes remarkably well. And while in some cases (I am looking at you, citrus) the texture does deteriorate, if you are using it for baking/smoothies/juicing – no one would be none the wiser. A point of note: pitted fruit does best if you remove their stones before the freeze – trying to pry it out with a knife sub-thaw is not much fun. Avoid the peach equivalent to the millennial avocado injury. Citrus, forgiving my previous dig, is OK if you are using the pulp for a recipe or smoothie – but the zest reigns supreme. Zesting a frozen wedge of citrus fruit is easy peasy. And if you happen to need the flesh of citrus without the skin, just freeze it for whenever you may want to make a casserole calling for that tablespoon of orange zest.

Herbs We are all culprit to buying a pouch of rosemary when a recipe demands it, and leaving the remainder languishing in the produce drawer. If you have far too many fresh herbs than you know what to do with, freeze them (spoiler alert). Herbs are best if frozen in some kind of fat, so what I do is portion them out in an ice-cube tray, a teaspoon per well, and top each up with a glug of olive oil. If your next pasta sauce demands 2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary – pop out two cubes straight from the tray and toss them into your pan.

Soups and stocks I am a fan of the Kallo stock cube. But there have been times (i.e. mid-risotto making) when I have had far too much ready than I need. Instead of chucking it away, freeze them in portions (I like to go for a cup per container), so you know exactly how much to thaw out the next time you need it.

Leftovers I wrote an entire article about leftovers, and it seems particularly prescient to not let whatever you have spare to go to waste. Stews and curries fare particularly well from being frozen – just make sure you portion them according to how much you need for a meal.

Vegetables The list of vegetables that do well from freezing is far longer than those that do not. Onions, garlic, hard veg (squash, root veg, peppers)… Spinach and kale, while of the leafier variety, do well if you plan to deploy them later in a cooked dish and not in a salad. Skin your tomatoes before freezing – by slitting an X at their base, boiling them for 2-3 minutes, then immediately plunging them into a bath of ice-cold water. Their skin will start to shrink back – so peel off whatever remains with languorous ease and pop them into a freezer bag or Tupperware. While most root vegetables fare well, but potatoes do not. Only waxy potatoes do relatively OK, but I advise this only if you want to use them in some sort of stock, as their texture does change. Just parboil them before freezing. As a general rule of thumb – veg with a high water content either should not be frozen (i.e. iceberg) or needs some treatment. Hardier veg is much more resilient.

Tofu Even if food shortage is not an issue, I am a proponent for freezing your tofu.

Baked Goods Do you know how some people have eyes much bigger than their stomachs? I bake much bigger than my stomach. Most baked goods can be frozen. Banana bread, cinnamon rolls, cookie dough – it’s all good. Just make sure to portion them accordingly for future ease. To bring them back to their former glory – a whirl in the microwave is all you need.

Butter FREEZE YOUR BUTTER. I use non-dairy butter, but the rule withstands. And, hey, if you happen to be the sort that makes your own shortcrust – pre-frozen butter is a godsend.

Yoghurt and milk Yes, I am aware that some dairy comes with a warning emblazoned on the side of it – DO NOT FREEZE. But if your intention is to use your dairy in a dish, frozen shouldn’t be a problem. Freezing yoghurt or milk (or non-dairy equivalents) changes the texture of it – no longer silky and velvet but rather (urgh!) lumpy. This resolves itself if you throw it into a biryani or a pasta sauce, but not have any intention of consuming it as you would fresh. Just try you freeze whatever you do not think you can finish as soon as you can – anything a day or so near its sell-by date is risky business.

Eggs Don’t freeze your eggs in their shells. Crack them open, beat them and portion them in containers labelled with how many eggs lie within them.

Cheese Hard cheese freezes well, soft cheese less so. If you find a bit of mould growing on your wedge of parmesan, it is completely fine (and safe!) to cut it off with a generous margin, and freeze whatever remains. Soft cheese should not be frozen at all costs – and if you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of finding a bit of mould on your mozzarella. Chuck it. It isn’t worth any risk.

Flours Wheat, rye, spelt, buckwheat, oat… they are the superstar of the freezer. Whenever you need any for a bit of baking, scoop it out and proceed as you would normally.

Nuts and seeds I grew up in a hot climate, so all of our nuts and seeds claimed residence in our fridge or freezer. Nuts and seeds possess a fat that can, at times, go rancid in warmer temperatures. This poses less of a problem if you buy small bags of the stuff that they sell at Tesco. But, if you are a bulk-buy fiend, pop whatever you think you will not employ in the next few months in the freezer. It will save you a lot of money, and heartache.

Cooked rice, grains and pasta Yes, you can freeze these. Rice can be tricky, but be sure to cool whatever excess you have ASAP and pop it into the freezer once it is at room temperature. Pasta can be frozen, but please, only if it is just shy of al-dente. You will need to plunge it onto some hot water to revive it, and if it is already slightly over, you will have a soggy, gloppy mess.

Meat Freezing meat can appear to be a risky endeavour but if you follow a few rules, you’re golden. Freeze it as soon as possible, portioned as you would need per meal. When freezing meat, air is the enemy. Wrap each as much as you can in plastic wrap (or leave it in the vacuum pack it came in) and a further insurance of foil or Tupperware to discourage freezer burn. When thawing (which will be discussed below) – you can either leave it in the refrigerator for a day (smaller portions) or more, or in a tub of slightly-cold water. DO NOT leave it on the countertop, DO NOT microwave it. The 3-month rule applies here for maximum quality, and while a few months shy of that should be okay, the quality of it does deteriorate significantly.

Safe-Freezing Tips

You are now a freezing aficionado. But here are a few final tips about the longevity of frozen food, and just some general freezer-related housekeeping.

How long is it good for? This depends on the food. And while there are a whole list of websites and charts demanding you follow a strict schedule, if you have frozen the food as close to fresh as you can, a lot of it will be OK. But, for the wary, here is a good guide.

How should I freeze? A rule of freezing – minimise air contact. With meat this is crucial, but otherwise, try to use freezer-safe bags or tubs with airtight lids. Label EVERYTHING – with its contents, portions, and date of cooking/freezing. Always try to freeze according to your regular portion size so you can thaw exactly the amount you need.

What should I use to freeze my food? You can buy freezer bags, and containers – but avoid freezing any glass or metal. Glass is particularly tricky as it can shatter (yes, even the freezer-safe ones). Especially if you put anything slightly liquid inside, as water can expand and create cracks your glass container.

How do I thaw my frozen food? You have a few options. You can thaw it in the refrigerator, which is the safest, but also takes a fair amount of time. To speed things up, you can leave it in a bowl of cold water on your countertop, or in the microwave on the defrost setting. Meat, however, should never be let near the microwave in the effort of food safety.

How do I prevent freezer burn? This happens over a period of long freezing, when food loses its water molecules and they rise to the surface and crystallise as ice. Small ice crystals do not pose much of a problem, as they melt fairly quickly. But once larger crystals form, this usually indicates the deterioration of whatever you have had frozen. It is usually still alright to eat this (with the exception of meat and dairy products), but just be prepared for it to be a little subtracted in its original quality.

Image Credit: Theo Crazzolara, Flickr Creative Commons

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greaseonmymouth · 4 years

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I’m tasteless celery anon. Read your list I literally love everything you hate. Recipes will say one clove garlic I add a whole gulf I love garlic cooked or raw. The one thing we agree on is rocket it’s bad. Love black coffee. It’s kinda like what you eat influences your taste buds. Like if you don’t eat a lot of dark chocolate and heavy rich surgery foods than a triple dark chocolate cake that I would describe as rich and decadent you’d say too sugary. I just think taste is neat.

oh I love garlic when it’s cooked though! I’ll add insane amounts to what I’m making if the recipe calls for garlic in the first place. my Italian flatmate revealed to me the other day that she’s never had garlic and I was like......but you’re Italian?? turns out the region she’s from doesn’t use it in their cooking.

also I really love dark chocolate, but it’s an acquired taste. I used to be a milk chocolate kind of person, but then gradually went darker and darker. I draw the line at around 72% though which is the highest I’ll go, 80% and up is way too bitter for me. I can’t stand white chocolate though, it’s basically just fatty vanilla sugar, absolutely vile. I have also had the misfortune of being served what I thought was a rich and decadent dark chocolate cake and then it was mostly sugar and I was just...nope. how can you fail at putting enough chocolate in a dark chocolate cake???

to answer your other ask, some of my favourite foods (also prefacing this with: I am gluten intolerant so don’t eat a lot of pasta or bread because the gf versions are expensive):

Bland Category:

fish - fish and chips, boiled fish with boiled potatoes (I’m Icelandic don’t judge me), fried fish with potatoes (there’s a Theme here), fish stew, fish soup, fish gratin (my mum makes a really good one with yellow curry, pineapple, and grated cheese that she got out of a 90s cookbook). Fish is always cod, haddock, salmon, or rainbow trout (aka the ‘cheap salmon’). I detest herring. I’m very suspicious of most fishes that are eaten in Denmark that aren’t cod because in Iceland where I’m from those fishes are generally considered ‘inedible’ fish and are mostly used as animal feed or bait. Why would we eat them when we can have the Good Fish instead? It’s a cultural thing, I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with those fishes. Herring I just have an irrational hatred towards. It’s the Worst fish.

CHEESE and various dairy products. I like everything from ricotta and mozzarella and cream cheese to mature cheddar to goat cheeses, blue cheese, and Parmigiano. Yogurt. Skyr (Icelandic product). Kefir. Buttermilk. Viili (Finnish product). Rahka (another splendid Finnish product). Sour Cream! Cottage Cheese! I like it all.

The Fun Category:

Indian food - I cook a lot of simple curry dishes for myself though I definitely prefer getting it in restaurants or as takeaway as it’s often much better than what I can manage to make. If it’s coconut based it’s the best. The ones I cook for myself are actually more Sri Lankan than Indian and call for coconut.

Mexican food - two of my staple dishes to cook for myself are chili con carne (or chili sin carne, increasingly, these days) and a soup that is likely more Mexican inspired than actual Mexican (the recipe comes from a Swedish cookbook and I modified it). This is also food I’ll go out for.

Thai food - mostly fried rice/rice noodle type of dishes. Coconut based curries are my favourite. I go out for these.

Chinese food - if my dad isn’t cooking it for me, which he rarely is because we haven’t lived in the same country in 20 years, I go out for this. I’ll get rice and then chicken or vegetables in some kind of spicy sauce, depends on the restaurant (the ones I know of specialise in regions and the dishes vary drastically).

Vegetables:

eh this one’s hard because for a lot of vegetables it’s “DEPENDS” and also when I was a child I not only was a really picky eater who refused to eat anything but potatoes, fish, and dairy, but also a lot of fancy veggies weren’t available in my homecountry because it wasn’t grown there and didn’t ship well or whatever. so I’m not used to eating a lot of vegetables to begin with. hence why I like canned peas, because that was the only way we could have them. s lentil a vegetable? I love lentils. I’m not a huge fan of beans but I’ll put them in things like chilis, and I’ll have baked beans if I’m eating a full English/Scottish breakfast out somewhere.

I love tomatoes and mushrooms though. I don’t like most vegetables raw, I prefer them cooked. Roasted or fried. I have been served far too many boiled broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mixes in my life to ever want to eat them again. I

These days for my lunches I’m assembling them out of: bistro salad mix, fried mushrooms and fried bell peppers, fresh tomatoes (cherry, san marzano, or other very flavourful tomato that comes in small sizes), mozzarella if I have it (or avocado if I have it), hard boiled eggs or spicy fried chicken or other lunch meat if I can find it reduced in the supermarket. salt, pepper, oregano, sweet chili sauce. if I don’t have mozarella, eggs or avocado in there I’ll add some mayonnaise to the sweet chili sauce to add some fat. it’s very basic stuff but it’s easy to make, filling, and is made of things that I like.

sometimes I don’t have the energy to make lunch and will either have whatever Indian curry & rice on the menu from the restaurant on campus (it’s not great food but the servings are huge and very extremely affordable) or I’ll just eat gluten free oat biscuits.

Fruit:

see above. the only fruit I’ll eat fresh basically is bananas and I don’t even like bananas that much. They’re just the easiest to eat. I kind of like apples but I can’t just bite into one (it’s a texture thing), I’ll have to have it cut and sliced into small bits. Same with pears. Every now and then I’ll get a craving for some soft and sweet fruit and buy like, 1 peach, or 1 nectarine or 1 mango and then eat half of it and then I’m Done. I’ll sometimes get those little plastic cups with bits of melon and pineapple and grapes and eat the contents of that and be like I have now had A Fruit and be good for like, a month.

I like berries to an extent and usually cooked or baked in something. I love bilberries in pie and if I can find reduced raspberries at the supermarket I’ll turn them into a sauce to put on plain yoghurt. I like orange juice and prefer squeezing it myself, but I will not actually EAT an orange (or another citrus) because once the juice is all gone what you’re left with is the fleshy bits and they’re bitter as hell and a Bad texture.

I grew up with artificial fruit flavours in candy so generally I’ll prefer a cherry flavoured sweet over a real cherry because the real cherry will taste Green a lot of the time and the candy will not, and the candy will have a more intense flavour. The only exception to this is marachino cherries in those fancy jars, I’m happy to eat those in desserts.

But also most of the foods that I cook for myself are just Generic Pan European foods or Random Dish I Just Made Up. I’ll be making lasagne one day not following any authentic Italian recipe (I mean, it just has Things In It That I Like and also a can of tomatoes), and the next I’ll be having grilled cheese toast for dinner and the next I’ll not bother cooking and just have yoghurt and the next day I’ll go look at the reduced vegetables section in Tesco and come away with random stuff that I can put into a soup or stew (always tomato based) that again doesn’t follow any known recipe but rather a ‘these are tasty things I like that happened to be on sale and when combined like this will be tasty to me’ method. Not a huge fan of butternut squash for example and would never buy a whole one to cook but here in the UK it’s often in mix bags with sweet potatoes and onion (all diced), and if those are reduced to idk £0.85 down from two pounds whatever you bet I’m taking that bag and making soup or stew out of it. I’ll add lentils, stock cubes, can or two of tomatoes, whatever other veg I have if I have it, spices, and have rice with it. I’ll usually get dinner for at least 4 days out of it. My staple spices (aside from the sri lankan spice mixes I use) are paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, chili flakes, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon. we have a basil plant but I’d otherwise have dried basil as well. these are all spices that go well with tomato based dishes and/or mexican dishes and are pretty versatile.

#long post #I'm sure nobody cares #maybe except you anon #I talk a lot about buying things reduced #I have done this for a decade because such is the poor student life #and anyway there's usually nothing wrong with it #can you tell I'm procrastinating #almost done with my reading for tomorrow's class though #Anonymous

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actfact2-blog · 5 years

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Vegan School Lunches (and work lunches) with Tips & Recipes! (oil-free, nut-free)

Note Find more vegan school lunch recipes in Plant-Powered Families, plus an entire chapter on packing lunches section. Flip to page 233… and breathe easy!

Does the thought of packing school lunches again make you cringe? Or work lunches?

It can be frustrating to plan and pack vegan school lunches, especially now that most schools require nut-free lunches. I’m here to help relieve some of that stress!

I’ve been packing lunches for our girls (and my hubby) for about ten years now, so I’ve learned some tricks and definitely have a school-year system.

One of my tricks is to rely on key recipes for vegan school lunches. Ones that are easy, quick, that my kids love, and that pack well for school lunches.

Today I’m sharing my top 11 recipes for vegan school lunches, along with tips!

Ready to take notes?

Class begins, now!

1. Chickpea Nibbles

I would be lost without our Chickpea Nibbles. For years I made Tamari Roasted Chickpeas (from ed&bv), and then I needed a recipe even easier. Enter Chickpea Nibbles from PPF.

I make double and triple batches of these. Seriously, my kiddos eat one batch in one sitting – easily. Sometimes I hide away extra for lunches in the fridge, just so they won’t eat them all straight away.

Chickpea Nibbles

Your kids will love nibbling on these tasty chickpeas warm out of the oven, or cooled for lunches and snacks.

Ingredients

2 14 / 15 oz cans chickpeas rinsed and drained

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp tamari

1 - 1 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Toss all ingredients together and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing chickpeas once or twice during baking, until marinade is absorbed but chickpeas are still a little moist (not dried out).

What to do with them beyond snacking? Add them as a side snack in lunches, or mix into pasta, or rice/quinoa. Mash into a sandwich with your kiddos’ fave condiments. FYI, other kids may also want them. I’ve had requests. 🙂

2. Hummus #hummusisafoodgroup

Hummus must be in your arsenal of vegan school lunch recipes!

Now that the hummus food group movement has officially begun, get started with my Hummus 101 from Plant-Powered Families (page 84)! If you don’t have PPF, try one of these recipes.

And, you know you can FREEZE hummus, right?

Yes, double or triple batch, then freeze in about 2-cup portions. It thaws beautifully, take it out the night before and pop in the fridge.

How to use in vegan school lunches? In sandwiches, slathered in wraps, as a dip for veg and rice crackers or pitas, on pizzas, as a spread for bagels or on pizzas, thinned out and mixed into pasta!

3. Easy, Nut-Free Baked Goods

It’s difficult to choose just one vegan school lunch recipe here! Some of my favorites are Best Banana Bread, Oatmeal Banana Bites, Apple Hemp Muffins, and Pumpkin Snackles. You can find most of those recipes here. Put 4-5 recipes in rotation, double-batch and freeze some if needed.

4. Simple Tofu Recipes

Vegans don’t have to eat tofu. But, yes, vegans often do enjoy tofu! For back-to-school recipes, keep your tofu recipes very easy and with a versatile seasoning.

For years I made my “Lemon Herb Tofu” (from Vive le Vegan). Then our girls went through a phase where they were fussy about the herbs. I created my Simplest Marinated Tofu for PPF, and that has since become my staple recipe.

5. Smoothies

Either before school or after school, they are a brilliant way to nourish and sustain your kiddos in a nutrient-dense drink.

Don’t just fill them up with fruit, balance with some greens and veggies if you can, and also add nutrient-rich hemp seeds, chia seeds, goji berries, or nut butters.

Need tricks for balancing the grassy tones in green smoothies? You can get the full green smoothie tutorial here.

6. Energy Balls

These Cocoa Cookie Dough Balls are sweet enough to be in the cookie category (see 10). Still, I think Energy Balls or squares need their own category.

These are so nutrient-dense and pack a nice burst of energy while sneaking in good stuff like seeds, dried fruit, and oats. A win-win for us and the kids!

The recipe for these Cocoa Cookie Dough Balls follows, but also see the squares linked above and the Protein Power Balls in PPF.

image credit: www.ucdintegrativemedicine.com

Cocoa Cookie Dough Balls

Psst, these are really health. No need to tell the kids, or anyone else, for that matter; just eat them up knowing they are filled with almonds (nut-free option included) and oats, and sweetened only with dates and raisins!

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw almonds see note for nut-free option

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp rolled oats

A few pinches of sea salt about a scant 1/8 tsp

1 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup raisins or more dates

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp nondairy chocolate chips or cocoa nibs optional

A few teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder unrefined sugar, or a combination of both, for dusting/rolling (optional)

Instructions

In a food processor, process the almods until fine and crumbly. Then add remaining ingredients and (except the optional chocolate chips) pulse or process. Once the mixture starts to become crumbly, process fully for a minute or two. It will appear as if nothing is happening at first, that the mixture is just whirring around in crumbs, but soon it will start to become sticky. When you see it start to become a little sticky, add the chocolate chips and process again. Continue to process until it forms a ball on the blade. Stop the machine and remove the dough. Take small coops of the dough (1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons in size) and roll in your hand. Repeat until you have rolled all of the dough. Toss or roll the balls in the coating, if using,, and refrigerate. Eat and repeat often.

Recipe Notes

Allergy-Free or Bust!: For a nut-free version, replace the almonds with just 1/4 cup of raw pumkin seeds, and add another 1/4 cup of rolled oats.

If This Apron Could Talk: Make a double batch and freeze half. They thaw very well.

Kid-Friendly: These are excellent to pack in school lunches, with a nut-free option for you if nuts aren’t permitted in your school. For a nut-free version, replace the almonds with just 1⁄4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, and add another 1⁄4 cup of rolled oats.

Savvy Subs and Adds: Replace vanilla with 1/2 teaspoon almond extract or orange oil.

7. Nutritious Soups

Admittedly, soups don’t top my personal list of back-to-school recipes. But I know that so many of you love to pack nutritious, hearty soups so I must include a few.

Sniffle Soup (below) is one of our girls’ favorites, and I hear it’s popular with your families too! Make it for dinner one evening (keep on thicker side), and send it to school in a thermos for the kiddos another day.

Some other soups my girls love include this Sweet Potato Bisque, Tomato Lentil Soup, and this Smoky Bean Chili.

8. Cheesy Sprinkle

This unassuming little recipe with nutritional yeast transforms many of our school lunches from drab to fab. I add it to pasta, and “ta-dah!”, kiddos love it.

Sometimes I’ll use a basic marinara sauce, but more often I’ll do a simple slurry of apple cider vinegar, tamari, and maple syrup (just a touch) – mix it up to taste, toss into pasta, then mix in the cheesy sprinkle. Kids LOVE this for lunch. Add in some veg or beans (there’s those tamari roasted chickpeas again!), cubed tofu or tempeh, and it’s a very satisfying lunch.

I also sprinkle it into wraps for the girls, with things like cubed potatoes and hummus, and into quinoa bowls. Many possibilities! Note that the original version is nut-based, but I offer a nut-free alternative in the recipe. This is the one I use for school lunches, and the girls really haven’t noticed the difference.

9. Healthy Puddings

This may not be something you pack into vegan school lunches – though you certainly could, they are both nut-free.

If not packed, prep for after school. These puddings give a great boost of omega 3’s with chia seeds, and are delicious.

have Chocolate and Pumpkin Chia Chia Puddings posted, and a few more puddings.

10. Chickpea Salad

This chickpea salad mixture has become very popular with all of you. The recipe is in PPF, but you can also find it posted here.

Play around with the add-ins, using raisins instead of apples, omitting the celery or capers, and adding other chopped veg. It’s very versatile – and very delicious!

11. Cookies

With the school year comes school parties. Halloween, Christmas, birthdays… someone lost a tooth, someone has a new baby sister, it’s “party day”!

Yeah, I’m exaggerating a little. Still, school treats flow freely, and we need to have our cookie recipes at the ready for vegan school lunches.

My Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies are a classic. Also try my oil-free chippers from PPF (in this post), and the ever-popular nicer krispie squares!

Other Tips for Vegan School Lunches

– Pack lunches the day before. There is already enough chaos in the morning, so pack the lunches during lunch the day before, or the evening before.

– Also fill water bottles! Have them ready in the fridge ready to tote.

– Cook things in batches through the week and weekend. Hummus, tamari roasted chickpeas, muffins, as mentioned above. But also batch-cook potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, quinoa, beans, etc. All those staples can be used in wraps, sandwiches, added to soups, pastas, and more.

– Pack plenty of fresh fruit and make it EASY for them to eat. Yes, it feels a nuisance sometimes to peel those mandarins or cut oranges into bite-size pieces and pop into a container. Why not just pack the whole fruit? Because kids have very little time to eat in school, that’s why. So, make it easy for them to eat that fruit. Peel or slice or cut into small pieces and pack in a container along with a fork. They are far more likely to eat it.

– Pack occasional treats – seaweed snacks, baked chips, cookies, a few vegan gummy worms. They have very healthy lunches, let them find a treat once in a while!

– Have stock of different size containers (scroll down to ‘kitchen gear for kids and lunches). I have an entire cupboard with different sizes of containers. Some are ziploc, others are reused containers from nondairy yogurt or store-bought dips, etc. The smaller ones are great for fruit and snacky items, the larger ones for pasta, sandwiches, etc. One day I may reveal my crazy cupboard of containers and lids! If you prefer a bento box, this Planetbox gets top reviews.

– We all need shortcuts. You may not always get to making marinated tofu, making soup, or baking muffins. Get some Amy’s burgers or other veg burgers that you can easily heat and put in a sandwich, and pick up healthier granola bars or snack cookies. Try Amy’s baked beans in a wrap with rice (I always add about 1 cup or more of black or kidney beans to stretch it out) or Amy’s alphabet soup – amp up the nutritional profile by adding beans, cubed potatoes or sweet potatoes, or cubed tofu. Try a pre-marinated tofu which simply needs to be sliced or lightly heated. Keep some quick fixes on hand to avoid mama (or papa) food-prep burnout!

What recipes do you rely on regularly? And, what are your go-to snacks and meals to pack into lunches. Any terrific quick-fixes to share?