Eat Mach II

A lot of people are worried about what I’m eating out on the block so I thought about doing a blog post of all the recipes I cook. Then never did it. A good friend then piped up that I should do a blog post of all the recipes I cook. Nothing like a jab in the ribs to get one motivated to actually do it.

All that know me are aware that I do not like cooking. I will happily head through the drive-thru and yell at a box in order to get something for dinner. This habit caused me to gain quite a few kilos while living on the block last time around and I ended up on diet shakes (and even exercise) to drop the weight again. I haven’t been so bad this time around. At least I don’t think so.

I’ve been able to keep some veggies reasonably fresh by putting them in plastic-ware and then putting them in the esky. I usually had one to three days to consume them or the bad bits get cut off and the rest got given to the chook. Scraps now go in compost due to a lack of avians.

I search Google for inspiration or I cook things I know can be achieved with dry goods. I generally don’t follow recipes because I do my best to remember ingredients and quantities and I often go by sight when putting everything in the pan. This has bitten me in the bum when it came to a Yellow Split Pea Dahl.

Yellow Split Pea Dahl:
Yellow Split Peas
Half an onion, diced
Half a red capsicum, diced
Vegetable Stock (I use powder)
Cumin
Cayenne Pepper

Fry the onion, add the capsicum to soften. Add the split peas and the mixed vegetable stock. Stir regularly and add water as needed. When peas start to soften, add cumin and cayenne pepper. Keep stirring till the peas are cooked through. Enjoy… or not if you’ve put in a whole teaspoon roughly of cayenne pepper. In that case, pluck out and enjoy the capsicum (if you can) and throw out the rest because you’ve just burned the inside of your mouth and oesophagus.

 

Most things I cook aren’t hit and miss, such as risottos. You can’t go past risotto!

Mushroom Risotto
Three small mushrooms, sliced
Half an onion, diced
Vegetable stock (powder)
Water

Fry the onion and mushrooms. Once cooked, add the rice, water and vegetable stock. Stir regularly. Add more water when needed. Once the rice is cooked through, eat.

Milanese Risotto
Small can of peas
Half an onion, diced
Dry parmesan or dry pasta topper cheese
Vegetable stock
Water

Fry the onion. Once cooked, add the rice, water and vegetable stock. Stir regularly. Add more water when needed. When the rice is getting close to being ready, add the dry cheese and stir through well. Once the rice is cooked, drain the can of peas and stir through the rice. All done!

Rice is a pretty good staple for any pantry but especially mine so I came up with another rice dish and after a Google search I came across a name for it that suited it as the recipes online were fairly similar.

Italian Rice
Half an onion, diced
Half a small pepperoni
Rice
Vegetable stock
Water
Can of crushed tomatoes

Fry the onion and pepperoni. Add the rice, water and vegetable stock. Stir regularly and add more water when necessary. Once the rice is cooked, add the can of crushed tomatoes and stir it in.

 

If I was Italian, oh my goodness. I’d probably actually have a passion for cooking food as much as eating it. Instead, I settle for lazily cooked things like Pasta Napolitana where I boil pasta, put it aside, fry an onion, simmer it with a can of crushed tomatoes and chopped basil and then pour the sauce over the pasta. Yes, you can buy it in a jar, however, if you look at the basic ingredients, you can make it yourself just as easily and add some creative flair. Basically, if you buy it in a jar you’re being duped.

I often crave veggies and so I turn to two different medleys to satiate the need for nutrients. Veggie Medley 1 contains onion, mushroom, spinach or kale and asparagus. Veggie Medley 2 contains capsicum, onion, carrot, spinach or kale, a can of crushed tomatoes and a dash of mixed herbs.

Because I now have seasonal access and zero excuses to not use pumpkin, I love it in a good fry up. The Fry Up contains onion, mushroom, pumpkin, ham and spinach or kale. Pumpkin cooks quite quickly so only needs a dash of water to help it along.

For as long as the butane gas cartridges last, I cook. Otherwise it’s that box I yell into or salads from Woolworths that keep me fed for dinner. Lunch (if cooking) is leftovers, hence not too much meat in what I cook unless it’s a type of cured meat.

When I really want to cheat yet avoid convenience foods, I get those pre-cooked Sunrice tubs, mini cans of corn, beans and capsicum (capsicum isn’t always available) and mini cans of tuna or Tassal salmon. I mix them all up in a bowl and it’s a tasty, easy combo. You could even sprinkle in some taco seasoning if you felt like it and it could be a Mexican burrito bowl of sorts.

All this talk of food is making me hungry. Macca’s anyone?

Photo credit: expeditionaustralia.com.au