2023 Vegan Storecupboard Challenge

leftatthetrafficlights

MissRikkiC said:

It tried the pancakes again tonight and they still didn’t really work out! Maybe the 1:2 ratio of lentils and water is slightly off for me? 

Are they just sticking still or not rolling? Just to check - you're just blending the lentils and soak water aren't you? The reason I'm asking is that one of my friends tried to make these the other day but drained the lentils then added them and 2 cups of water to the blender - she's so used to rinsing then adding water to lentils she missed the instruction and they didn't work out! 

So, I've been carrying a major cold for the past couple of weeks so really haven't bothered much with food - I did the whole smoothie and fruit weekend which made me feel a bit better for a couple of days but then it all came back with a vengeance 🤦‍♀️ the next week or so we are just doing freezer surprise food - I really need to get both my freezers defrosted so I'll just see what I can make from whatever I pull out! 

shandyclover

I worked through covid at a supermarket delivery place - some of the hardest work of my life and I was often quite run down. 

A friend recommended a smoothie of pineapple, soya milk, ginger and turmeric, with a bit of stevia to taste. It was a brilliant pick me up and something I often go back to when I'm feeling under the weather.

leftatthetrafficlights

@shandyclover - that smoothie sounds good but unfortunately I cannot cope with anything pineapple flavoured (which is odd because I love pineapple on pizza and make a roasted pineapple, sweetcorn and chilli salsa which I also adore!!🤔😂) 

The first freezer surprise box had a casserole in it so I added a few more potatoes to it along with some leftover lentils and tomato salsa and served it with braised cabbage - it was lovely 😁 

Tonight I'm making a simple pasta sauce as I've got my grandbaby for the weekend and therefore very little time to 'rejig' anything I pull from the freezer today -  tomorrow will be a freezer surprise though as dh will be around to look after him if I need to be in the kitchen for a while! 

Sunday the kids are staying for lunch before taking the grandbaby home so I'm doing a roast - I'll need to get some veg but I have no idea what veg I'll get - I'll just see what's available and then incorporate whatever I get into next week's meals. 

I'm definitely going to do at least three freezer surprise meals next week- I'll post what we end up with! 

KajiKita

I have a week off this week and one of my targets is eating down random foods, skulling about in the freezer to make more space for some batches! 😊

KK

leftatthetrafficlights

Had 'fake' salmon yesterday from the freezer that dh had bought as a ys item - certainly wouldn't have paid full price for it!! 😳 it was okay but not an experience I would repeat and dh said it bore no resemblance to salmon 😂 

Bought a cauliflower, broccoli, mange tout, green beans, potatoes and a cabbage for the lunch today and the rest of the week - once the kids have left this afternoon I'm doing a freezer inventory and working out the menu plan for the next couple of weeks- I've given dh strict instructions not to buy anything else on ys or offer as nothing is to go into the freezers now! The main problem will be making sure I am careful not to overdo anything I cook! 🤦‍♀️😂 

I'll post the freezer inventory and menu plans either later today or tomorrow 😁

KajiKita

Made myself a vegan scotch broth yesterday with red lentils, pearl barley and various other bits from the cupboards and leeks from the garden. It was really tasty!! 😊 Three portions now tucked away in the freezer for work lunches to ring the changes a bit. 

Making mushroom stroganoff with cashew cream and parsley from the greenhouse today. 😊

I need to work my way through the drawer in the freezer in the kitchen which is just for my stuff - see what I could eat today / tomorrow and devise plans to make more space for all these batches I am producing 😊

KK

KajiKita

Vegan sausage and lentil casserole made yesterday, using up precooked farro wheat and some Christmas stuffing that had been lurking in the kitchen freezer, the scrag end of a bag of carrots  ….
Served with fried gnocchi for lunch, also from the same freezer 😊 Froze the rest as three portions in my new reusable, flattenable freezer bags 😊

KK

leftatthetrafficlights

The kids were here for longer than expected so didn't do the freezer inventory- I'll be doing it today or tomorrow though! 

Monday we had leftovers from the Sunday roast;

Tuesday I made a warm Asian salad (part steamed then quickly stirfried cavolo nero, green beans, beansprouts, purple sprouting broccoli, cashews in a hoisin/teriyaki dressing served on a bed of raw sliced daikon);

Wednesday I made a ramen - stock made from crushed lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves with spring onion and a spoonful of 'chicken' stock powder- simmered for 30 minutes then drained, noodles cooked in the strained stock then whole lot spooned into bowls filled with grated carrot, daikon, parsnip, spring onions and beansprouts then topped with sushi ginger and white miso. 

Thursday we had pittas stuffed with 'kebab meat' from the freezer and salad

Today I'm doing harissa roasted cauliflower and a spiced chickpea and potato dish (I've got a bag of cooked chickpeas in the freezer) - chopped onions and garlic sautéed, a spoonful of berebere spice mix added, some tomato puree, cook out for a few minutes then add chickpeas and some water and cook for another few minutes Part cook and cube some potatoes, add to the chickpeas cover and cook until potatoes are done adding more water if necessary. 

I'll be making all of next weeks food based on what's in the freezer - this week has not turned into the freezer surprise week I had envisioned but other than the daikon which dh bought on Monday, everything has come from using what we already have so I'm happy with that! 

leftatthetrafficlights

Freezer inventory was completed and there was a lot more of dh's stuff in there than we expected!! 🤦‍♀️ suffice to say that we will be eating separately for quite a few meals! 

Friday's food gave us enough leftovers for Saturday and yesterday we had different meals - dh made himself a casserole to start to use up some of his freezer stuff and I made hommous and got some falafel out of the freezer which I had with a leftover pitta bread. 

Tonight dh will eat more of his casserole and I'm making myself some cabbage and rice - there will probably be enough for tomorrow too. 

I have the following left in my freezer:

1 box freezer surprise
1.5 bags haggis bites
1 box smoked tofu
1 bag broccoli stalks
4 boxes butternut squash & tomato soup/sauce
5 boxes veg casserole 
0.5 bag fries
1 corn cob
4 pasties
2 bags broccoli 
3 bags smoky courgette & tomato sauce
1 bag vegan duck
2 boxes cooked chickpeas 
1 box cannellini beans 
1 box leek & potato soup
1 box red cabbage cooked with apple & balsamic 
1 box bubble & squeak 
1 box rhubarb 
2 boxes apple
Chinese pancakes

Having a quick look at what needs using I'm going to have the following over the next couple of weeks:

1) haggis bites with red cabbage, bubble & squeak and broccoli 
2) butternut squash & tomato soup with hm olive bread
3) buckwheat pancake 'lasagne' with dark speckled lentils in a smoky courgette and tomato sauce.
4) veg casserole with broccoli and herb dumplings
5) hoisin 'duck' and cucumber stuffed chinese pancakes 
6) pasties with fries and mushy peas
7) miso ramen with smoked tofu 
8) freezer surprise 
9) lentil 'shepherd's' pie (dark speckled lentils cooked in the butternut squash and tomato 'soup' topped with horseradish mash 
10) mixed veg with harissa cannellini bean puree

I'll add other stuff to the list depending on what veg is available - I'll be repeating some of the meals to clear the freezer which is a little tedious but I really want to have the freezers cleared by the end of this month so it's worth it!! 

leftatthetrafficlights

MissRikkiC said:

Hope you feel better after your fruit and veg weekend @leftatthetrafficlights could you recommend a few sites/books that you turn to often for recipe ideas? 

Sorry @MissRikkiC - I totally missed this post! 🤦‍♀️ I tend to mooch on Pinterest if I'm feeling uninspired- there are so many vegan recipes on there it's hard not to find something you like the idea of! 😉

Admittedly, I rarely use a recipe but it occasionally helps me to spark my imagination 😁 

I've had nothing outside of the food plans but still haven't got portion control figured out so I've had a lot of leftover repeat meals! The buckwheat pancake 'lasagne' was had last night and will be had again today so the haggis will be consumed tomorrow (and probably again on Tuesday! 😂) 

I'm really wanting to get on my weight loss journey but the need to defrost the freezer must come first!! 🤦‍♀️