OS Summer Cooking

kathie1101

Thanks everyone Zippy Chick & Justamum those threads are exactly what I was looking for, now why couldn't I find them - will bookmark them now!

MaggieBaking, those recipes from the Good Food website look delish, I like the look of the one with the broccoli and cashew nuts, quite fancy that now (but with quorn) but I am yet to find anywhere that sells cashews cheaply - they just seem so damn expensive, but they are lovely and I believe quite good for you.

Gizmo, thanks for your menu, that has given me some ideas too, even when they are meat they can usually be adapted for me.

Allegra, I have actually toyed with the idea of growing some veg/salad stuff, but I haven't got a clue about that sort of stuff (I know I could learn) but as I have so many health problems I know that I would find it difficult tending to them etc, but the money saving side is very inviting I can grow more herbs in pots though, that's not a problem.

Thanks everyone, I shall have to go make a start on the new menus now...now what shall we have today? BBQ again??:rotfl::rotfl:

ALIBOBSY

Defo go with growing your own more if you can. Cut and come again salad leaves take up hardly any space and you can grow right through summer. Was enjoying ours from the trough out the back until one of the chickens got into the veg patch and they became eat and come again for her-chickens seriously love lettuce lol.
Not all our kids like salads so I tend to do a selection of stuff and let them help themselves. so a bowl of traditional type salad, maybe some cous cous salad-lemon and coriander is yummy or a cold pasta salad or bean salad or grilled/roasted veggies then some kind of protein say chicken keivs,nuggets other chicken dish,burger,chilli (veggy/meat),cheese,fish of some kind and finaaly some kind of potato ie wedges/boiled baby spuds etc. My eldest won't really touch much of the salad, so we need to have some kind of potato or pasta for him.

The good thing is we nearly always have some kind of leftovers for the next days lunch for me and OH.
We also have a gas BBQ so usually try to have one BBQ a week if the weather is nice (may have to have a bit of flexibility in your plan for this-although we have BBQ'd under the open garage door and eaten inside. Just do some salad and a few homemade wedges and let Oh wack a few things on the grill.
You can even do summery stews, make them lighter with summer veggies such as corgettes, and broad beans and have lighter sauces, olive oil,pestos,tomato based sauces rather than gravy or cream based sauces.

Ali x

Stick an extra pot or 3 next to your herbs and use cut and come again seeds. Sow one and after a couple of weeks sow the next one, you start eating the first lot whilst the second grows and if you have room sow a 3rd. Once the first seems to stop growing back again resow some more seeds. Keep rotating. Easy peasy.

MaggieBaking

kathie1101 wrote: »

MaggieBaking, those recipes from the Good Food website look delish, I like the look of the one with the broccoli and cashew nuts, quite fancy that now (but with quorn) but I am yet to find anywhere that sells cashews cheaply - they just seem so damn expensive, but they are lovely and I believe quite good for you.

I bought a bag from Tescos for £1.99 and I think the bag will last me (for 2 people) 7-10 lots of chicken & broccoli depending on how generous I'm feeling per serving

carlamarie_2

What sort of food do you typically eat in summer?

I love roasts, casseroles etc but find I don't want too eat them when it's too hot and want something lighter.

Im just trying to come up with ideas as our food is very boring in the warmer months, tends to be salad or something with salad (chicken burger and chips and the like)
Need something more interesting!

lucylema

We pretty much eat what we want whatever the weather. What about sandwiches with wedges, Pasta Salads, Indian Snacks, Pizza, Mozerella Sticks, fish with rice/couscous, Noodles?

JodyBPM

We eat quite a few salads - greek salad, nicoise salad, goats cheese salad, caesar salad etc.

We eat more fish and seafood in the summer, because it barbeques nicely.

We have a outdoor paella burner, so we often have paella in the garden.

I make quite a few quiches and omelettes, served with salad and new potatoes. If I cook a whole chicken, I will usually serve it cold with salad in the summer, rather than hot, the same for a gammon.

We also quite often have picky bits like crudites and dip, olives, fresh bread, salami, cheese etc.

Obviously a lot of the British summer, the weather is miserable, so its back to spag bols etc! But we definitely eat lighter in the heat.

Steve059

Pasta, rice, casseroles and soups are always cheap. The weather isn't always summery.

WantToBeSE

Cold meats, salad, bread, cold pasta salads, fruits.

But also omelettes, jacket potatoes, quiche.

meritaten

yeah it can be a bit of a struggle cant it? tonight I am making griddled salmon fillets (will put a bit of honey on them for a taste variation) will chuck some asparagus on the griddle too and boil up some lovely Cornish new potatoes. hardly hard work! but substantial enough for a hardworking bloke and light enough for me

carlamarie_2

Thanks for all your ideas