Another 'please can you make me some meals' thread!

lightisfading

Hi all,

I've seen over and over on here you fantastic lot helping others to create 'something out of nothing' food wise. I have loads in the cupboards but I'm struggling for ideas!! low cal packed lunch (with microwave) ideas would be great too!

Limitations: I'm on a diet so not too much bread/cheese/oil etc, we're both vegetarian, and OH won't eat stuff with mushrooms/eggs or too spicy - though we both love mexican food.

So here's the list:

Cupboards:
Dried veg sausage mix x3(6-8 portions at least) (can't have too much of this as not that diet friendly)
Dried veg savoury mince x2
Dried veg bolognese x1
Morrocan flavoured couscous
Minestrone soup
Coriander + lemon rice
Morrocan tagine kit (w/ couscous, just add chicken/quorn)
Fajita kit (just add chicken/quorn)
Pizza bases
Lasagne/spaghetti/pasta shapes
Couscous/rice/noodles
Dried soup mix / dried beans
Canned: sweetcorn, mushrooms, tinned toms x 4, pinto beans, lentils, chickpeas x2, mexican refried beans x4 (surprisingly healthy)
Sauces: sweet and sour, dolmio, sundried tom sauce, pesto, chilli sauce, fajita sauce, shepherds pie mix, sausage casserole mix (not sure if this will work with the dried sausage mix as they fall apart easily), stirfry and curry sauces x5 single serves (not liked by OH)
Tinned fruit x4 (usually take this for lunches)
Salsa

Freezer:
Pizza bases
Sweet and sour sauce (much nicer than the canned!)
Pitta breads
Bolognese 1 portion
Chicken nuggets 2 bags
Tortellini pasta 1 portion
Raisin bagels x2
Meatballs 1 small portion
Quorn 'chicken' fillets x7
Quorn 'chicken' pieces 1 bag (1 meal)
Veggie mince 1 large bag (2+ meals)
Veggie burgers x2
Sweetcorn, peas and green beans

Fridge
Eggs x6
Mature cheddar 250g
Peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms, lettuce, lots of new potatoes, onions
(+ will buy milk!)


We have loads of herbs, spices, sauces, vinegars, soy sauce, oils etc, so nothing should really be a problem with that. Also have in basic baking ingredients (flours, sugar, cocoa powder etc) if anyone has ideas for lower-cal treats!

Any help gratefully received!

jackieglasgow

Hi, I'm hopeless at creating new meals from my own cupboards, but yours has inspired me, hope some of these will help.

lightisfading wrote: »

Hi all,

I've seen over and over on here you fantastic lot helping others to create 'something out of nothing' food wise. I have loads in the cupboards but I'm struggling for ideas!! low cal packed lunch (with microwave) ideas would be great too!

Limitations: I'm on a diet so not too much bread/cheese/oil etc, we're both vegetarian, and OH won't eat stuff with mushrooms/eggs or too spicy.

So here's the list:

Cupboards:
Dried veg sausage mix x3(6-8 portions at least) (can't have too much of this as not that diet friendly) if this os SOSmix, do you use eggs to make?
Dried veg savoury mince x2 shepherd's pie or chilli add lentils to stretch
Dried veg bolognese x1 canneloni/lasange without white sauce, just put some tom purre or toms in and top with cheese
Morrocan flavoured couscous I mix mine 50/50 with plain and just use water and leave to stand, no added oil etc.
Minestrone soup add extra cooked pasta for a meal
Coriander + lemon rice add some lightly fried or grilled peppers, onion, delicious cold for lunch. these veg will also go well with couscous cold for lunch.
Morrocan tagine kit (w/ couscous, just add chicken/quorn)
Fajita kit (just add chicken/quorn)
Pizza bases bake with garlic olive oil salt and rosemary with pasta dishes kind of like foccacia
Lasagne/spaghetti/pasta shapes cook with sundried tomato or pesto for lunch or quick easy dinner
Couscous/rice/noodles spicy noodles or noodle soup
Dried soup mix / dried beans see mixes below
Canned: sweetcorn, mushrooms, tinned toms x 4, pinto beans, lentils, chickpeas x2, falafel burgers page 1 of the Grocery Challenge for recipe
mexican refried beans x4 (surprisingly healthy) wraps for lunch with salad
Sauces: sweet and sour, dolmio,
sundried tom sauce, pesto,use as spread for vegetable sandwiches or wraps, delicious
chilli sauce, spicy noodles
fajita sauce,
shepherds pie mix, used dired soup mix and/or lentils, dried beans and make veggie shepherds pie
sausage casserole mix (not sure if this will work with the dried sausage mix as they fall apart easily), fry/grill sausages first and make as veg casserole and add sausages before serving.
stirfry and curry sauces x5 single serves (not liked by OH) cook some noodles or rice and veg, use for lunch for work
Tinned fruit x4 (usually take this for lunches)
Salsa

Freezer:
Pizza bases use dolmio for sauce, sweetcorn
Sweet and sour sauce (much nicer than the canned!)
Pitta breads with chilli or falafel
Bolognese 1 portion stuff a pitta or top pizza for quick lunch
Chicken nuggets 2 bags ok mixed in with flavoured couscous
Tortellini pasta 1 portion use some of the dolmio
Raisin bagels x2
Meatballs 1 small portion use some dolmio and past luch/dinner for you both if one has totelinni
Quorn 'chicken' fillets x7 slice up for fajitas or tagine
Quorn 'chicken' pieces 1 bag (1 meal) sweet and sour
Veggie mince 1 large bag (2+ meals) use up some mixes from above
Veggie burgers x2 with salad and new potatoes
Sweetcorn, peas and green beans

Fridge
Eggs x6 make a big spanish omellete, can slice and take to work cold with salad
Mature cheddar 250g
Peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms, lettuce, lots of new potatoes, onions
(+ will buy milk!)


We have loads of herbs, spices, sauces, vinegars, soy sauce, oils etc, so nothing should really be a problem with that.

Any help gratefully received!

Check out the vegan thread and weezl too for great recipe ideas.

HTH Jackie. X

lightisfading

thanks jackie some great ideas

it's sosmix and similar brands (i have no idea why i have 3 packs!), at least some of them you just add water. OH doesn't mind eggs used to bind etc he just doesn't like them on their own! one of those things i tend to buy without thinking as a storecupboard standby but don't eat often! terrible i know!

jackieglasgow

We love sosmix but its' getting harder to find up here. My fave sosmix recipe (apart from sausage rolls!) is to mix it up, fry off an onion til soft and not coloured, add the sosmix and stir frequently, as it's browning, then add some chopped nuts - whatever's in the cupboard - and a drained tin of sweetcorn, season to taste. We like this with potatoes as a meat and three veg kind of dinner, it's very tasty and good to have the next day all mixed up a la bubble and squeak!

Jackie. X

ETA - meant to say, if you add the egg, and make sure the water is freezing cold, the sos mix shouldn't fall apart, and the secret is to cook it before adding to a sauce. ( can you tell we like it? )

lightisfading

actually jackie one of the packs is asda's own brand version of it which they've recently started doing, not tried it yet but mighy be easier to find.

the 'meat and 3 veg' type dinner with it sounds tasty, might have to try that!!

jackieglasgow

Thanks, I read about it on here, I don't usually go to Asda, but am amking a special trip there tomorrow just for that, and quorn bangers which are a £1 a pack just now. I added some other ideas in green to my post, it's totally inspired me, and I'm now actually getting my butt in gear and finishing my own mealplan, so thanks for that!!

Jackie X

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

You could steam courgette ribbons (made using potato peeler) and toss them in pesto. Less calories and more vitamins than using pasta. Add sundried tomato for a change. Or;

Jojo's killer tomato sauce

Simmer onion, garlic, tomato puree and tinned toms until gloopy (add a touch of sugar if it's sour).

Drop quorn/tofu in and heat. Serve with potato, rice or pasta.

Add cinnamon, coriander, cumin in at onions stage if you fancy moroccan style and serve with couscous.

Drop in tinned butter beans, or cooked carrots, or cooked butternut squash or cooked sosmix balls for different meals.

Add dab of french mustard, or balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice, or garam masala, or paprika, or ginger to the killer sauce for different tastes.

Add grated/sliced courgette/peppers/aubergines/okra/sweetcorn/peas.

Not bad for a sauce initially comprising 4 ingredients!

Oh yes, don't wear white clothes whilst eating this sauce - I suspect the DDs named it killer tomato sauce because the tomatoes inside it attack all pale clothing without mercy!