Cooking for one (Mark Two)

[Deleted User]

very interesting post re your house PN.

This new place will be close to the doctors, shop, bus, hall etc and most important, I will be able to pop out and cycle in safety, no busy roads, only visible country lanes and wide open nature reserves. I did think of closest little town but it is touristy and far too much traffic and people. I am sure the house/bungalow will turn up one day, there are some properties but only the very old high maintenance ones, been there and done that and never again. It did cross my mind to rent but your post was sensible and I know my present house will sell quickly

Soup was lovely, seems that I am liking to make soups from that book. I had to add paprika and lemon juice as well as cumin. I would never have thought of paprika. I have decided that I like soup as a lunchtime starter, I cannot face soup at teatime. So now am pleasantly still satiated and have the two snacks to look forward to, as well as a small slice of bakewell. Oh I just realised that I hop from meal to meal. I have done some house jobs and filled the car for the tip tomorrow, so its not all about food

PasturesNew

I ate some pie and lots of mash and two carrots and gravy.
Then I had a mini cheesecake.
Next was two segments of chocolate orange.

meg72

This really made me thnk

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Ahem....yeh...right.....I'll carefully forget a lot of the posts I've been reading then....:rotfl:

I hadnt spotted that article - but I have a feeling I'd be agreeing with it.

EDIT; just had a quick glance at it - and it's a bit "short and sharp". I did read one earlier today about effects on health of leading a more chaotic type life style - eg doing things like eating and, I believe, they mentioned sleeping as well, etc on an "as and when" type basis rather than trying to have a degree of regularity to them. I was certainly nodding along in agreement with that one very much - as the people I can think of that lead chaotic lifestyles that came immediately to mind are grossly obese and distinctly unhealthy and the ones I can think of that are more "regular" in their habits are slimmer/healthier/etc in the main. That's bar the elderly age group - where I can't think of any grossly obese people over 70 at all (ie I wonder if they live over 70 or so) on the one hand, but I don't think I can think of anyone over 70 that is healthy - absolutely all of them are somewhere between somewhat unhealthy and very unhealthy indeed.

Found this really interesting as I find the exact opposite, all the over 70s I know tend to be much heather than the younger ones. I am 72 and according to my Doctor fitter than he is and LOL more than I deserve to be cos I smoke.

What I have found is that it seems to be the the more outgoing and involved people , ie community minded, like company, charity minded who seem to be more healthy and the more reclusive cba whose only conversation seems to be about their aches and pains, how hard it is to be a pensioner and on their own etc who seem to catch all the bugs going, So I think mental attitude plays a part in being generally healthy too.

I think I had the advantage of being a war baby and fed only basic healthy food cos that's all that was available and you either ate it or went without. The sheer amount of choice now is stressful in itself and stress is not good for health.

poppystar

meg72 wrote: »

This really made me thnk

Found this really interesting as I find the exact opposite, all the over 70s I know tend to be much heather than the younger ones. I am 72 and according to my Doctor fitter than he is and LOL more than I deserve to be cos I smoke.

What I have found is that it seems to be the the more outgoing and involved people , ie community minded, like company, charity minded who seem to be more healthy and the more reclusive cba whose only conversation seems to be about their aches and pains, how hard it is to be a pensioner and on their own etc who seem to catch all the bugs going, So I think mental attitude plays a part in being generally healthy too.

I think it is a bit of a vicious circle as if you start to have health issues then getting out and doing things becomes more difficult especially if you do not have a partner to transport you. No matter how much you might have enjoyed socialising the ability to do that can be taken away very quickly.

Ditto money. Especially on your own it can be very expensive to socialise if you start to need to take taxis to and from places (even the hospital). The extra costs involved in being ill, like the extra costs involved in being single, can quickly mount up and cause even the most sociable person to have to cut back on activities.

Those I know who have kept their health longest are those who have had someone around to pick up the slack when health troubles start to bite or those who have the money to pay for that support. That way they keep the sense of community that is so vital.

Also once health issues hit and the house gets a bit like the 'before' rather than 'after' on the cleaning and/or hoarding TV programmes then inviting people to come socialise with you quickly becomes scary too:eek:

Farway

Managed a nice breakfast of tea & toast, marmalade, so that was one dose of oranges

It was very warm out, with sun as well. Very pleasant for 1st Nov

Mooched into Iceland, they have offer on this week for Bonfire night. I bought a tin of Prince's chilli con carne, 392 grammes, down to 50p,over £1 in some places, not something I have ever had from a tin before, but at the price worth a try and stock up if I OK for 50p

I will use it as filling for a baked spud this week as a taster

Also bagged pack of rolls for hot dogs, again 50p down from £1. Make a change for my lunch, not with hot dogs though, don't like them due to the stuff that goes in them

Lunch was last of the rashers, BLT. I wll bust open the HD rolls tomorrow

Dinner is going to be some of the LO tinned salmon, with salad & baked spud. The spud is in the oven already, that prevents me CBA and chipping it

I have started assembling my Xmas "hoard" with a pack of mince pies from Iceland. I know I could make them, but I have an unopened jar of mincemeat still hanging about from last Xmas, which will be binned unless I actually get round to making pies

Next on my hoard list is a stollen from Lild

What was that about unhealthy eating?:D

caronc

Good afternoon everyone,
The rain has finally stopped just in time for it get dark and cold - a frost is forecast for later! Still there is a nice red sky so fingers crossed it's dry tomorrow:).
Passatta has been sieved and two tubs frozen and three portions of beef and gravy have also been popped in.
I'm a another that seems to hop from meal to meal:o

PasturesNew

The trouble is, just when you think you're scuttling home with something new and exciting, you open the fridge/freezer to be faced with the past foods that needed using up...

I've got half a pint of milk to get through. So I need to make something "milk based", but then you end up cooking something you didn't really want, just to get shot of what needs using up.

There are tomatoes goes past their best, I love tomato sandwiches, but haven't had bread for about a week or more. And, I don't fancy them. I could open the freezer door and chuck them in ... but that's filling up

Maybe I need to go and buy a loaf of bread and make a cheese/tomato bread pud... but then I'll have leftovers again .... and a loaf that needs using up, which I can't put in the freezer as I'm trying to eat what I've got in there already.

[Deleted User]

Farway wrote: »

I have started assembling my Xmas "hoard" with a pack of mince pies from Iceland. I know I could make them, but I have an unopened jar of mincemeat still hanging about from last Xmas, which will be binned unless I actually get round to making pies

Next on my hoard list is a stollen from Lild

What was that about unhealthy eating?:D

I am not buying anything remotely christmassy edible this year. I am not having a family gathering at my house this year, I am doing the travelling and will take wine and a box of roses and thats it. Every single year since the year dot, I have bought far too much `just in case` goodies and every flipping spring the pounds have been piled on. Fancy nuts, cakes, chocolates you name it, all have gone down the hatch so as not to waste them. I can`t see me putting any decs up either, I don`t see the point for me alone, I will be lighting my candles and watching films and reading and then it will be over

a speedy pasta sauce PN

Hollyharvey

kittie wrote: »

I am not buying anything remotely christmassy edible this year. I am not having a family gathering at my house this year, I am doing the travelling and will take wine and a box of roses and thats it. Every single year since the year dot, I have bought far too much `just in case` goodies and every flipping spring the pounds have been piled on. Fancy nuts, cakes, chocolates you name it, all have gone down the hatch so as not to waste them. I can`t see me putting any decs up either, I don`t see the point for me alone, I will be lighting my candles and watching films and reading and then it will be over

I do exactly the same every year, and just end up giving it all away. I don't learn from it .

I have bought a lot of boxes of biscuits, but they are to give to the doctors surgery for the receptionists/HCA/secretary to share out because I have had to go there at least once a week for the past year and they have hall been so kind.

I have already had one box of mince pies, and eaten them. I've got three boxes of stollen slices (my favourite Christmas treat) and I have two boxes of chocolates for me. I shan't buy anything else though. Having said that I will probably eat one box of chocolate biscuits and one of shortbread myself .

PasturesNew

kittie wrote: »

I can`t see me putting any decs up either, I don`t see the point for me alone, I will be lighting my candles and watching films and reading and then it will be over

I like to do it, although I've little in the way of decs. I was bought a Xmas tree, lights, baubles and a tree topper in 2013 - and since then I've spent about £5/year adding bits and bobs, so I've now got some tinsel selections, some more ornaments, quite a few of those battery operated LED lights. I do plan to do more/better next year (post the mythical extension)..... it's nice seeing twinkly bits.

I do have to go very easy on what I buy in though - there is very little "extra" one person can consume in reality - and if you make a list of "everything you fancy for Xmas" it'd be enough to feed 20, so I do keep a tight rein on it.

I expect to have my Xmas dinner, no Xmas pud, no breakfast, no booze. I'll have a bottle of Schloer. Then, for "treats", I'll have some chocs from £1land (400-500 grams or so), a 6-pack of crisps and a small box or bag of biscuits (got to decide which one of two).

Total spend for all food etc and all treats etc should come in at £15 or so. £6 for food, £5 for sweets/biscuits, £4 for things I've forgotten to mention and will remember in a bit.

kittie wrote: »

a speedy pasta sauce PN

Not really a fan and that'd only use up a bit... as I'd not be making a big quantity. The easiest way would probably be to do a giant Yorkie ... but I'm then stuck at the "what for filling" bit as I either have to nuke some of that brisket, or buy something else to go in it. I'll have to think about it. A Yorkshire's probably best/easiest.