I am having a week of trying to live out of our pantry and freezer without buying anything but F&V, bread and milk.

indian curries - lamb & veg
pasta fagiole
Red Kidney Bean Curry
pumpkin soup
shepherds pie
jambalaya

gluten free bread
jam drop biccies
ginger nut biccies
carrot cakes for ryan's birthday at school
chocolate cake for ryan's birthday @ bowling

another not very interesting week of food. that's because our lives have been too interesting lately instead lol

spaghetti bol (thermomix)
burgers (made by ryan from his 'Cookbook for Boys')
thai chicken curry (thermomix)
shepherds pie
spiced carrot soup
jambalaya (yes, third week on the menu, maybe i'll actulaly make it this time lol)

Best thing about the cooler weather is being able to eat soup :)

last night i wanted to make a very quick and lazy soup for work day lunches. I had a bag full of pumpkin geoff had peeled and cut into large pieces. I put a few tspns of stock concentrate in a saucepan with the pumpkin and filled the saucepan with hot water. when the pumpkin was nearly done i added in a drained tin of cannelini beans. i decided it needed something else for flavour and found a half jar of pesto in the fridge. added that in and then used a stick blender to make it smooth. ate it today and YUMMO! the beans added just enough protein to keep me from getting hungry before getting home so perfect! (just plain vegie soups aren't enough for me these days)

definitely one to do again!

I know that this recipe is a favourite for many people (not us lol) and my friend Irene's friend Olga loves it and has worked out some great variations! she gave the OK for me to share on here with you all :)

From Olga:

I used the easy Pumpkin Risotto recipe yesterday as a basis for a risotto. Instead of pumpkin I added roasted veggies, cooked bacon, onion and garlic and it was yum. I never used to make risotto because I did not have the time to stir it on the stove top but now I make it using this one put bake in the oven method.

Thanks Olga!

any other variations out there?

spag bol
lamb roast
black eyed bean jambalaya
tmx creamy salami pasta
pasta fagiole
red lentil and vegie soup (for lunches & dinner)
pumpkin soup (for lunches & dinner)

rocky road brownies (a gift, not for us ;))

Introduction

well, not quite but I think Jayne was trying to make me blog again LOL meanie! hehe

so here is my first post :)

Introduction

March 26, 2008

crazy i know, but i decided to start another blog (like i don't spend enough time online already) - i'm hoping it might get me a bit more inspired with food.

i USED to be great with food, in the kitchen. pre-kids this was. now i just resent it (until i get in there usually). on the other hand i'm trying (TRYING) to save money by cooking as much as i can, and reducing the number of pre-prepared food we have in our lives to reduce preservatives etc etc.

we buy organic F&V, that started because i wanted them home delivered and didn't want to have to pick what i wanted (http://www.organicexpress.com.au/) and then became hooked on the taste and freshness of organic F&V. i now buy some from organic express and as many things as possible from Choku Bai Jo in North Lyneham, which is run by the same people who have a stall at the local farmers market (which is too hard for me to get to) and is super cheap. sometimes the produce has only been picked that day too!!

i try to menu plan, but get bored with it easily lol

i have a cookbook addiction which i have severely curbed - i can't afford them and i rarely use them for anything other than inspiration! last count i had nearly 70 books - have sold some since then but also acquired more *blush*

in the kitchen i love gadgets and atm my favourite is my thermomix which i talked dh into buying last year. i don't use it much for cooking whole meals (though he does) but more for preparation and i am addicted to my fruit porridge every morning which tastes like heaven with way more calories than it has LOL

i had to fill my empty freezer so during the past weekend (after i recovered from being sick last week) i made several snacks for the kids:
chocolate chip cookies with oats and rice bubbles in them (i couldn't find any recipes so just kind of invented one based on this one which i hadn't been all that excited by, and this one (cna't find it now, will add link later) which i also wasn't excited by LOL
fruit truffles based on the thermomix vitality truffles (i used almonds and added cocoa)
apple muffins

tonight i'm trying to use up what's in the fridge as we're going away for the weekend so i'm planning to make pasta with a sauce based on a weight watchers recipe - with bacon, and grated zucchinis and carrots in a tomato base:

low fat pasta sauce:
finely dice 1 onion, fresh garlic (i used 4 cloves!) & bacon with all fat removed
fry lightly in a pan
add in grated zucchini and carrot
fry lightly until softened
add in diced tomatoes (fresh or tinned) and herbs if desired. (i like a little salt too)
cook until ready LOL (depends how much time you have)
and serve over pasta eg: penne

now as for who to tag, i'm not sure a) who still reads my neglected blog and b) who wouldn't mind being tagged for a meme! (i don't usually do them myself but was feeling guilty about my neglect lol)

hmmmm
the talented miss mousey at Hickory dickory blog
kylee at the brodricks go live 365
and daph at daph-a-dills who needs some cheering up atm, hope you feel better soon daph!

actually i have no idea if these people read here and / or will do memes, oops!