Reverse Meal Planning

EssexHebridean

Re lettuce in any state other than raw...."LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOUUUUUUU!"

I've got veg box envy - ours is now cancelled until the second weekend in January! 

The couscous with veg etc is a real staple in our house - ideal for nights when we're eating separately for whatever reason too as it can just as well be eaten cold as hot. I do all sorts of variations but the standard ingredients are the couscous, chickpeas and some toasted seeds for over the top. Protein gets added via either halloumi or leftover roast lamb, and the veg can be whatever we have. It sometimes gets things like pomegranate seeds or chopped dried apricots thrown in, too. It's just so easy, and makes a really lovely looking plateful too - which is nice! 

ruby_eskimo

Sounds really good @EssexHebridean, will have to get more cous cous in the new year!

More lentil soup for lunch today and dinner is carbonara with salad; simple and straightforward!

joedenise

The only way I've ever eaten cooked lettuce is a la Francais - which is braised in stock with spring onions and frozen peas - lovely!

Bought some stew veg back from France with us yesterday so today I have been doing some batch cooking using some beef from the freezer - 6 portions of beef stew - 2 for dinner tomorrow and 4 in the freezer.  Had some carrots which were a bit worse for wear which were turned into a couple of portions for lunch sometime so that's also gone into the freezer.

There were a couple of leeks over as well which were made into leek and potato soup for lunch today.

Dinner tonight was some savoury mince from the freezer served with crushed potatoes and cabbage.

middlewife

We had quorn chilli, garlic bread and nachos. Then tangerines from odd box which were very ripe. DS1 appalled at lack of Baileys so making emergency trip to local t*sco.

rtandon27

Lunch today was our now ubiquitous toasties & soup after a full morning of work and booster straight after lunch.  Used up the ends of a bag of grated cheese from the freezer & the last of a pack of wraps.

For dinner, OH made a lovely chicken/pepper/onion/carrot stir-fry which we had with jasmine rice.  Neither of us have a big appetite at the moment so we have lovely leftovers for another meal.  We both love a cook once, eat twice meal, even when it's unintentional! We may have also broken into a box of Christmas chocolates that came in a care package from across the pond

Suffolk_lass

We had oxtail curry last night and there is enough for another meal (possibly tomorrow). I added rice that was frozen (discarded the remainder before DH took seconds). I had made one veg curry as a side but after DH had seconds (I did not have the heart to say no!) I had to make a second similar vegetable curry to take to my cousin's for Boxing Day.

I have collected our Christmas meat order from the butcher at 0600 😳 this morning, - that was something of a body-shock after nearly 3 years of not getting up at a set time!

We will have lambs liver this evening, with mash, cabbage and beans, accompanied by slightly overcooked onions and possibly a rasher of bacon. 

I am hoping I am almost done for this year, with just a milk bill next week to go. The veg drawer (of open packages) is about half empty and the cheese drawer will be raided for a bit of stilton (it may be left over from 18 months ago. I can't remember. It is fuller as there are three bags of crushed ice in there (!) (cocktails leftovers) together with three takeaway boxes of lemon and orange slices, and a few lime wedges... 🍸🍸

EssexHebridean

You're all set up for Christmas G&T's then SL!  RT I read your stir fry as chicken & pepperoni for a moment....! 

Last nights stew was even more delicious than it was on Sunday I'm pleased to say. This evening will be the planned sausage and mushroom pasta but I'm going to use frozen mushrooms rather than the ones I roasted as those will go better on pizza tomorrow evening. Tonight will also use up the last onion. 

I need to prep the carrots in the fridge this evening too - I think I'll slice and blanch the lot then I can open freeze what's not needed for Christmas dinner (which won't be much as only Mum and I eat a regular portion - my Dad and MrEH both have to eat a single one in order to prove they're not fussy with food - family tradition since I had to do the same with a sprout as a child - my Dad didn't see the day coming when I'd be serving up the christmas dinner when he made THAT rule, did he!   Damn - also remembered that MrEH needs to sort out the beetroot too - otherwise I'm just going to roast and freeze those, as well. 

ruby_eskimo

My parents always made me eat a single sprout on Christmas too @EssexHebridean, glad I wasn't the only one made to experience the pain!  We usually see them on Boxing day and they still make me eat one even now, all these years later - although I can drown the taste with a lot of wine now!  

2 more portions of lentil soup in the fridge so that's lunch sorted for the next few days.  No idea what I'm having for dinner tonight - will probably be a jacket potato or something similar because we don't have a lot of "extra" food in the fridge due to not being here for 2 days after Christmas and knowing we'll have copious amounts of leftovers to work through.  Plus we usually have a Chinese on Christmas Eve so definitely not a lot of food in the house right now 😆

EssexHebridean

I don't mind them at all  now Ruby - I think it's true what people say that they were a lot more bitter years ago, plus my dislike mainly came from getting a rotten one on a Christmas day when I was quite small I think - it was only little so it went in whole and I bit into it....bleurgh!  I'll cheerfully now buy them from time to time but usually do them stir fried, we'll get some over the holidays and they'll get done with chestnuts and bacon - yum! 

My work lunch today is sorted for me as we're having pizza - neither Mr Boss nor I fancied going out for a meal allowing for plague rates in London right now, so Domin0's will come to the rescue! 

joedenise

I think all parents are the same!  I hated Brussels as a chid but love them now.  I still make my kids (both in their 40s, LOL!) have one if they come to me for Christmas, and the grandchildren!  Won't be having any this year though as going to DD1s for dinner and she's already told me she's not buying any!

I think you're right EH that they were more bitter years ago.

Enjoy your pizza for lunch today!