Author Topic: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons  (Read 36624 times)

middo

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1772
  • Location: Stuck in Melbourne still. Dreaming of WA
  • Learning.
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #150 on: January 24, 2019, 11:20:42 PM »
Roast chook and salad has been our go to meal this week. Heat, renovations and other issues have reduced our desire to cook.

Understandable. At this rate, I don't want to use our stove or oven until March. (microwave is tolerable because it doesn't pump out much heat into the house)

Yep. I understand.  In Geraldton we would have bbq'd outside, but I don't have one in Melbourne (yet), so outsourcing the heat seems like a good choice at the moment.

Astatine

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3676
  • Location: Australia
  • Pronouns: they/them
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #151 on: January 24, 2019, 11:22:39 PM »
Roast chook and salad has been our go to meal this week. Heat, renovations and other issues have reduced our desire to cook.

Understandable. At this rate, I don't want to use our stove or oven until March. (microwave is tolerable because it doesn't pump out much heat into the house)

Yep. I understand.  In Geraldton we would have bbq'd outside, but I don't have one in Melbourne (yet), so outsourcing the heat seems like a good choice at the moment.

We don't have a BBQ either, but even if we did, it's not dropping below 30 until close to bedtime (or after, on the bad days).

We're definitely outsourcing food prep atm. I'm hoping the temps cool down soon. It is homegrown zucchini time, which means yummy zucchini fritters, but it needs to be cool enough to cook inside.

Astatine

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3676
  • Location: Australia
  • Pronouns: they/them
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #152 on: January 24, 2019, 11:28:27 PM »
For any non-Aussies reading this thread, I've attached an image about why cooking is too much for most of us at the moment.


nnls

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1132
  • Location: Perth, AU
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #153 on: January 25, 2019, 12:20:58 AM »
For any non-Aussies reading this thread, I've attached an image about why cooking is too much for most of us at the moment.

Its weird to me that the north of WA is so red, its cooler here than normal for this time of year, was only 36 today, when last week was 46 (we did an outdoor BBQ in this heat and I felt bad for the guys cooking).

Astatine

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3676
  • Location: Australia
  • Pronouns: they/them
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #154 on: January 25, 2019, 12:23:21 AM »
For any non-Aussies reading this thread, I've attached an image about why cooking is too much for most of us at the moment.

Its weird to me that the north of WA is so red, its cooler here than normal for this time of year, was only 36 today, when last week was 46 (we did an outdoor BBQ in this heat and I felt bad for the guys cooking).

'only 36' It's bad enough where I am that saying 'only 36 in the shade' is a sensible thing to say, not just where you are! (and omfg I could not handle 46C(115F)  in the shade. I would literally melt)

Anatidae V

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7626
  • Age: 34
  • Location: Fourecks
  • Nullus Anxietas
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #155 on: January 25, 2019, 12:38:06 AM »
According to that map I think we are actually cooler in Perth right now than in Tasmania. That alone is insane, let alone the intensity of heat across the rest of Australia.

I meant ROAST capsicum, but I was typing while tired (er, which is all typing at any time of day right now) and forgot to check my spelling. Also called "roasted pepper strips" and "char grilled capsicum" on the jars in the shops. The oil makes a good addition to homemade hommus as well.

nnls

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1132
  • Location: Perth, AU
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #156 on: January 25, 2019, 12:40:52 AM »
For any non-Aussies reading this thread, I've attached an image about why cooking is too much for most of us at the moment.

Its weird to me that the north of WA is so red, its cooler here than normal for this time of year, was only 36 today, when last week was 46 (we did an outdoor BBQ in this heat and I felt bad for the guys cooking).

'only 36' It's bad enough where I am that saying 'only 36 in the shade' is a sensible thing to say, not just where you are! (and omfg I could not handle 46C(115F)  in the shade. I would literally melt)

a few summers ago we had a week over 50 it wasn't nice. But its relatively cool this week

And yeah I think its been cooler in Perth than Tassie since the beginning of the week, its very weird.

Astatine

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3676
  • Location: Australia
  • Pronouns: they/them
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #157 on: January 25, 2019, 12:56:24 AM »
I meant ROAST capsicum, but I was typing while tired (er, which is all typing at any time of day right now) and forgot to check my spelling. Also called "roasted pepper strips" and "char grilled capsicum" on the jars in the shops. The oil makes a good addition to homemade hommus as well.

ooooh. ok that makes way more sense. :)

and weird that it's cooler for you and nlss than Tassie! (but then again, my Twitter feed is full of bushifire alerts for Tassie)


deborah

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 15961
  • Age: 14
  • Location: Australia or another awesome area

limeandpepper

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4569
  • Location: Australasia
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #159 on: January 25, 2019, 01:43:40 AM »
I meant ROAST capsicum, but I was typing while tired (er, which is all typing at any time of day right now) and forgot to check my spelling. Also called "roasted pepper strips" and "char grilled capsicum" on the jars in the shops. The oil makes a good addition to homemade hommus as well.

I like the Lake Prespa fire roasted red peppers (can be found in Woolies). The capsicum is lovely, and the liquid in the jar is a nice vinegary solution, which I combine with olive oil to make salad dressing.

---

I haven't felt like cooking due to the heat, either. Fortunately also haven't been feeling particularly hungry due to the heat. I've been having quite a few smoothies, and we had a couple of nachos dinners recently, just zapped those for a few minutes on the convection setting in our microwave to melt the cheese. Not sure what I'll do tonight... was thinking about a kimchi noodle salad - just boil, rinse and drain noodles, then stir through kimchi, maybe tofu as well for protein.

Fresh Bread

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3370
  • Location: Australia
  • Insert dough/bread/crust joke
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #160 on: January 25, 2019, 01:47:00 AM »
We just ordered pizza... However yesterday we tried a new range of Korean frozen beef dumplings that were half price at Coles and they were v v yummy. The instructions don't say microwave but if you added water to a bowl and covered them it would be like steaming. I can't remember the brand but it said 'masterchef winner'. With a bit of veg it could stretch to a meal for 2. There was a divorce inciting 9 dumplings in the pack.

limeandpepper

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4569
  • Location: Australasia
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #161 on: January 25, 2019, 01:56:11 AM »
We just ordered pizza... However yesterday we tried a new range of Korean frozen beef dumplings that were half price at Coles and they were v v yummy. The instructions don't say microwave but if you added water to a bowl and covered them it would be like steaming. I can't remember the brand but it said 'masterchef winner'. With a bit of veg it could stretch to a meal for 2. There was a divorce inciting 9 dumplings in the pack.

Oh the Diana Chan ones. I also buy them when they're half-price, though we get ours from Woolies usually. I prefer the Szechuan pork and Thai chicken ones though, from memory the Korean beef is a bit sweeter than I prefer, but still not bad.

Fresh Bread

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3370
  • Location: Australia
  • Insert dough/bread/crust joke
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #162 on: January 25, 2019, 02:32:29 AM »
We just ordered pizza... However yesterday we tried a new range of Korean frozen beef dumplings that were half price at Coles and they were v v yummy. The instructions don't say microwave but if you added water to a bowl and covered them it would be like steaming. I can't remember the brand but it said 'masterchef winner'. With a bit of veg it could stretch to a meal for 2. There was a divorce inciting 9 dumplings in the pack.

Oh the Diana Chan ones. I also buy them when they're half-price, though we get ours from Woolies usually. I prefer the Szechuan pork and Thai chicken ones though, from memory the Korean beef is a bit sweeter than I prefer, but still not bad.

Yep I think they might have been in Woolies for a while, right? But new at Coles so special price. Good news about the chicken because I got them too. I pretty much only get convenience food at half price, it makes for some variety at least!

deborah

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 15961
  • Age: 14
  • Location: Australia or another awesome area
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #163 on: January 25, 2019, 02:34:41 AM »
All this talk of food is making me decide to brave the heat. It’s after 8:30pm and still an oven outside.

HappierAtHome

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8015
  • Location: Australia
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #164 on: January 25, 2019, 03:03:52 AM »
I recently tried the spinach and feta gozleme from Aldi. Pretty decent! $4 for ~700 calories; not a bad price per calorie for convenience food.

(Edited to clarify what I meant re calories, to avoid misinterpretation. I am not anti-calories. Without calories, we die.)
« Last Edit: January 25, 2019, 03:06:14 AM by HappierAtHome »

Fresh Bread

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3370
  • Location: Australia
  • Insert dough/bread/crust joke
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #165 on: January 25, 2019, 03:48:31 AM »
I recently tried the spinach and feta gozleme from Aldi. Pretty decent! $4 for ~700 calories; not a bad price per calorie for convenience food.

(Edited to clarify what I meant re calories, to avoid misinterpretation. I am not anti-calories. Without calories, we die.)

That sounds like a good buy, I'll try anything once.

marty998

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7372
  • Location: Sydney, Oz
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #166 on: January 25, 2019, 05:13:25 PM »
All this talk of food is making me decide to brave the heat. It’s after 8:30pm and still an oven outside.

8am this morning at my local Parkrun and it was 33. Managed to set a PB time at that course so I guess all good :)

Happy Australia Day lol, not going outside now when its pushing 40.

That global weather map up above is crazy ridiculous.... they basically need to add colours to the scale to account for us!

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3791
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #167 on: January 26, 2019, 08:56:17 AM »
All this talk of food is making me decide to brave the heat. It’s after 8:30pm and still an oven outside.

8am this morning at my local Parkrun and it was 33. Managed to set a PB time at that course so I guess all good :)

Happy Australia Day lol, not going outside now when its pushing 40.

That global weather map up above is crazy ridiculous.... they basically need to add colours to the scale to account for us!

I can see why it's weird to have the whole country be 35C and above, but is it that unusual in Oz for various regions of the country to regularly be that hot? 

I ask b/c where I currently live in the southern part of the U.S., it's common to have daily highs between 30 and 40C for 3 full months of the year. 

And where I went to college was considerably hotter than where I live now.   Daily highs from early May to late Sep in the southwestern U.S. were regularly between 35 and 42C, and I worked outdoors doing biological field research from dawn to dusk every summer.  Hell,  I just looked at my college town's weather yesterday (mid-winter) and it was 23C.   

I mean, I didn't do roasts in the oven from about 1 May to 1 Oct when I was in college, but it never affected whether I cooked or not in terms of sautes or other stove top cooking.

Do most of your houses not have air conditioning?

Fresh Bread

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3370
  • Location: Australia
  • Insert dough/bread/crust joke
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #168 on: January 26, 2019, 02:48:45 PM »
It's not common for the major cities to be consistently so hot, we are breaking our national records at the moment. Plus it's all relative to what you are used to - when the UK hits 30 the country practically shuts down. I would usually just skip what I'm supposed to be doing on a 35+ degree day and hide indoors.

I'm sure there's regional places that hit 35 for weeks but in Sydney it's usually 35 for only one or two days a year. Also the eastern states are very humid so it can feel hotter than the desert in the centre. Plus we are in drought which creates a bit of anxiety around bush fire - I don't think we have the resources to fight huge fires in every state at once.

We have air con in workplaces and newer build houses have air con but there's little ducted air con. My neighbours have it in their brand new house and it's been running fairly constantly whereas we didn't need it yesterday due to a cold breeze and a well insulated house. However, I put the oven on for some veg to make a roast veg & haloumi salad (delish but spoons required) and then it got hot! Building standards need to improve dramatically.

Massive diversion from thread topic!

gaja

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1681
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #169 on: January 26, 2019, 04:03:49 PM »
I can’t imagine how heat above 25C is. Hope you all survive!

This is my “the kids need to eat healthy, but I just can’t” recipe:
Take frozen skinless filets of fish. Don’t care which; salmon, trout, cod, etc. If they are wrapped in plastic; poke a few holes. If no, put in a bowl and cover with plate. Microwave until cooked.
Take cucumber and chop off some pieces.
Put fish and cucumber in a tortilla and eat. Add seasoning or sauces if you want, but it is still edible without. The cucumber can also be eaten unchopped, next to the fish and tortilla.

middo

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1772
  • Location: Stuck in Melbourne still. Dreaming of WA
  • Learning.
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #170 on: January 26, 2019, 04:15:07 PM »

...

Do most of your houses not have air conditioning?

That depends. The short answer is that most would have some airconditioning by now, usually retrofitted into the main living area.  The current house I live in was built in the 1950's, weatherboard, has no insulation at all and has an aircon unit, box type, in the main living area.  Every other room roasts.

And running airconditioning is not very mustachian.

nnls

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1132
  • Location: Perth, AU
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #171 on: January 26, 2019, 04:19:04 PM »
All this talk of food is making me decide to brave the heat. It’s after 8:30pm and still an oven outside.

8am this morning at my local Parkrun and it was 33. Managed to set a PB time at that course so I guess all good :)

Happy Australia Day lol, not going outside now when its pushing 40.

That global weather map up above is crazy ridiculous.... they basically need to add colours to the scale to account for us!

I can see why it's weird to have the whole country be 35C and above, but is it that unusual in Oz for various regions of the country to regularly be that hot? 

I ask b/c where I currently live in the southern part of the U.S., it's common to have daily highs between 30 and 40C for 3 full months of the year. 


Where I work (in the north west of Western Australia) it will be above 35C for most of summer, it is usually above 40C unless there is a cyclone near by then it will cool down to low 30s, this starts in November/ December and will start to cool down around March/April. It is also quite humid as summer is wet season.  Where as Perth is also usually hotter than a lot of Australia's capital cities but its a dry heat

deborah

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 15961
  • Age: 14
  • Location: Australia or another awesome area
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #172 on: January 26, 2019, 04:30:36 PM »
Australia is the same size and a similar shape to the contiguous US, so we have lots of climates. In the past month, an enormous number of recorded maximums have been broken all over the place. Where I live it rarely gets above 35C (maybe a couple of times a year), yet we’ve beaten our record of 3 continuous days over 40, and may do it again. Most of the figures you’re hearing about are in the cooler south rather than the tropical north.

Astatine

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3676
  • Location: Australia
  • Pronouns: they/them
Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #173 on: January 26, 2019, 04:48:38 PM »
Yep. It’s an unusually hot summer with extended heatwaves. Ducted a/c in older houses is v rare. There are some retrofitted split systems in living areas.

I have an old crappy split system a/c in the lounge room that we ran continuously for the past 48 hours (it never cycled off) with all blinds and awnings closed (and opening up the house if it got cooler outside), only a couple of small LED lights on, no appliances running except the fridge... and my 70sq m (750 sq foot) place still hit 27C, way hotter in the bedrooms. I have health issues that make me heat intolerant.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2019, 04:50:09 PM by Astatine »

wenchsenior

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3791
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #174 on: January 27, 2019, 08:09:20 AM »
Ah yes, it would be tiresome to have no central AC in an actual house, in locations where temps are hot enough to kill people on a regular basis such as the Southwestern U.S.  In the college town I was describing, we did have only a window unit for heating and cooling, but we also lived in a one room cinderblock studio so it was pretty easy to control temps.  As I said, I worked outside in that heat, but at the end  of the day I did have a temperature-controlled, air-conditioned space to eat and sleep in.

mustachepungoeshere

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2404
  • Location: Sydney, Oz
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #175 on: February 21, 2019, 02:03:52 AM »
Getting back on topic...

Last year I gave up frozen vegetables in an effort to cut down my plastic consumption.

For a while this was great - less plastic, more using the "unwanted" parts of vegetables (e.g. I keep broccoli stalks to puree into soup), and fresh veggies in season were cheaper than frozen.

Then life happened, and I had to throw out the odd vegetable.

Then I felt so guilty for wasting food, I restricted what I was buying.

End result: my vegetable consumption dropped.

I went from being someone who ate chicken and broccoli (frozen broccoli florets) for lunch at least three days a week, to scratching for things to take to work for lunch because I wouldn't let myself buy frozen broccoli.

ಠ_ಠ

This thread popped into my head today, and I've been re-reading it with relief.

And now I think that if I continue to reduce my plastic consumption, minimise food waste, wear second-hand clothes, catch public transport where possible, carry a reusable water bottle, and recycle (including soft plastics), it might be ok if I buy frozen vegetables.

Fresh Bread

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3370
  • Location: Australia
  • Insert dough/bread/crust joke
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #176 on: February 21, 2019, 03:35:06 AM »
They are great little rubbish bags for low waste household. Or poo bags for the dog owners in your life.

Anatidae V

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7626
  • Age: 34
  • Location: Fourecks
  • Nullus Anxietas
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #177 on: February 21, 2019, 06:14:06 AM »
@mustachepungoeshere I can absolutely relate to optimising something and realising it had side effects that were worse! I'm just the same with broccoli in particular, fresh is all good intentions and frozen actually results in eating green food.

I have been eating fresh spinach smothered in hommus all week, and today's was wilted a little in the frypan before I cooked some eggs.

Astatine

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3676
  • Location: Australia
  • Pronouns: they/them
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #178 on: February 21, 2019, 01:37:26 PM »
^^^ I can relate. Not to frozen broccoli in particular but optimizing to the point it wasn’t healthy for me. So I’ve eased back on that sort of thing.


Last night’s dinner was scrambled eggs, red capsicum sticks, a few cherry tomatoes and ALDI hommus. DH cooked the scrambled eggs in the microwave with one of those Tupperware jugs.

The night before was a packaged coleslaw/salad thing and a few slices of cheese.

zygote

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 493
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #179 on: February 22, 2019, 01:10:21 PM »
And now I think that if I continue to reduce my plastic consumption, minimise food waste, wear second-hand clothes, catch public transport where possible, carry a reusable water bottle, and recycle (including soft plastics), it might be ok if I buy frozen vegetables.

I struggle with this too. I want to reduce my environmental burden, but also have limited time and energy.

My mindset about plastic really shifted after I read an article about how important plastic is in reducing food waste. Freezing vegetables and wrapping them in plastic allows us to preserve a bounty of in-season vegetables at their peak so they don't go bad before they can be eaten. Plastic even helps with fresh refrigerated vegetables. For example, plastic-wrapped cucumbers last longer on the shelves. They did a study, and wrapping produce in plastic resulted in grocery stores throwing out less food at the end of the day.

Do I prefer to get fresh veggies from the farmer's market when I can? Yeah. But I don't feel guilty about getting plastic-wrapped grocery store veggies anymore either. I just try to make sure I eat all of the food I buy and recycle the plastic. These issues are really complex and there's no hard-and-fast rule about what is and isn't good. I just do the best I can overall.

Microwaving frozen brown rice, frozen mixed veggies (+ olive oil, salt, and pepper if I'm feeling fancy), and frozen falafel is now one of my favorite quick and easy dinners.

mustachepungoeshere

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2404
  • Location: Sydney, Oz
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #180 on: February 22, 2019, 04:23:22 PM »
Thanks guys, I really appreciate your perspectives.

I know this site isn't afraid to call someone out when needed, so your support means a lot.

SerenaDarrin

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 42
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #181 on: February 24, 2019, 08:24:10 PM »
Oh, yeay for no-spoons/low spoons recipes!  I love some of these!

Honestly, for my low spoons days, I just focus on eating something, and worry less about nutrition.  I can be nutritious later, when I can think straight. :D

My go to for no-spoons days is 'stuff on toast.'  It's just whatever I can find in the fridge that my brain thinks might go on toast.  This has lead to some odd meals, but, it works for me to have food.  Most recently was spinach, leftover broccoli, and cream cheese on toast.

Other things I do for low spoon days include:

-  shred a bunch of vegetables, (lettuce, peppers, easy-to-cut stuff) and throw them in a rice-paper roll with soya sauce (this requires coordination to roll the rice paper, though)
- eggs.  Throw eggs in a pot with water.  Boil.   Once they're hard-boiled, put the eggs into a bowl of cold water or ice (makes them easier to peel, or just smash the ends with a spoon).
- potatoes and other root veggies.  Throw in pot with water/stock.  Boil until soft.  This makes simple soup. (just don't fall asleep with the soup on the stove, though!)  If you can plan a little, this works really well in a crock-pot.
- oatmeal/flaked grains. put oatmeal and water in a microwave safe bowl, add dried fruit if desired, microwave.  Just make sure you leave enough headspace so the oatmeal won't explode out of the mug!

Also, on the note of plastic -- I don't object to plastic.  I do, however, object to non-reusable, non-recyclable plastic.    So, while yes, I do love our farmer's market and our local Good Food Box, sometimes it's just not practical.   (That said, sometimes those plastic packages are damn hard to open, so I appreciate that the farmer's market doesn't make me untie a Gordian Knot to get at the lettuce! :D  )

We re-use our plastic containers and bags, and recycle the rest as much as we can.  That's my compromise, anyway. :)

Astatine

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3676
  • Location: Australia
  • Pronouns: they/them
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #182 on: February 17, 2020, 01:22:20 AM »
Rebooting my ye olde thread because I’m still low on spoons. I’m trying to be less down on myself because of this, with varying degrees of success.

Anyway. Tonight’s dinner was fried mushies (precut from Aldi) on toasted WonderWhite with a slice of lemon for acidity and a few cherry toms.

I can no longer bring myself to eat capsicum or carrot sticks for dinner. Oh well. I seem to develop food aversions fairly frequently these days. Trying (and often failing) to just accept that’s how I am these days post chemo.

We often eat Youfoodz and other similar pre prepared food for weeknight dinners. Some are better than others.


mspym

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9750
  • Location: Aotearoa
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #183 on: February 17, 2020, 01:28:36 AM »
@Astatine your dinner sounds delicious.

I will say, give capsicum/carrots a few months off from the rotation and you may be able bring them back later. I end up with some serious aversions if I have been eating something too often and the longer I keep eating something the longer a break I need from it to stomach it again.

Dollar Slice

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 9613
  • Age: 46
  • Location: New York City
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #184 on: February 23, 2020, 05:27:56 PM »
I've been thinking a lot about this since you bumped the thread back up... it made me realize very vividly how much my health has improved since I've been on a long self-care sabbatical from work. I've gone from feeling like I was too low on spoons to cut vegetables to making homemade pizza and bread from scratch and making mayonnaise for fun. I'm in so much less pain when I'm not stuck at a desk all day and spending an hour commuting, and I don't have to throw 80% of my spoons away at work. It was so gradual that I don't think I realized the extent of it until seeing this thread again.

Now I just need to win the lottery so I don't have to go back to work and ruin my body all over again :-/

lazycow

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 355
  • Location: Australia
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #185 on: February 24, 2020, 02:57:16 AM »
I love smoked salmon and cream cheese on bagels or toast with cracked pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

Not sure if Aldi prawn or pork dumplings.were mentioned bit they are delicious.

Recently read about using cucumbers instead of bread - scooping out the seeds and filling with cream cheese or tuna or salmon.https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/salmon-stuffed-cucumbers-appetizers/

Rice paper rolls are quick - just need to boil up some vermicelli noodles.- 2 min - and cut/grate up raw veg (carrot optional!) and mint/basil and some dipping sauce (soy/sweet chilli/hoisin). Sometimes we add chicken or salmon if we have it.

I have been known to eat the Aldi ricotta (which  comes in the 1kg plastic mesh tub) with a spoon and call it dinner😉

ElleFiji

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4013
  • Age: -161
  • Location: Always Winter
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #186 on: May 01, 2020, 10:46:45 AM »
My current foods are cliff builder's bars and rice cakes with hummus or peanut butter. I have protein powder and a shaker is coming in the mail.

limeandpepper

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4569
  • Location: Australasia
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #187 on: May 01, 2020, 06:24:23 PM »
When a local fresh pasta manufacturer announced last month that they now do deliveries to residential addresses with the lockdown (they usually supply restaurants and other fancy food places), I bought 4kg and chucked them in the freezer. They make very convenient meals. I just boil them, then make an easy sauce to go with them, or you can use jar sauce to make it even easier.

Runrooster

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 493
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #188 on: May 04, 2020, 07:29:55 PM »
I'm not an Aussie, and I haven't read the entire thread, but I was not sure what form the low on spoons takes.  For me, I can throw together a decent meal when mentally exhausted if I don't have to look at a recipe.  If I have time to soak and cook lentils and rice, that's a pretty healthy meal.  If I'm low on time but not exhausted, I can take out a rotisserie chicken or bake some frozen fish and frozen veg.  My favorite "don't need to shop" meal used to be white rice with soy sauce and sesame seeds, though I did spend a week (poor) eating a 5 lb bag of rice with kim chi.  I'm not sure why I stopped but I used to keep a bottle of thai peanut sauce for dipping veg, pouring over rice, bagel, chicken or noodles or eating with a spoon out of the bottle.  Smoked salmon is great and freezes well but then it takes a day to defrost it.

I assuming people have listed the obvious but not too healthy: oatmeal made in the microwave, chips, salsa and tortilla chips, canned tomato (or other) soup with toast, toast and cream cheese, toast and peanut butter, avocado toast, pizza toast, saltines and jam, pasta and spaghetti sauce, frozen pasta, frozen pizza, french fries, eggs scrambled or omelet, baked samosa, ramen noodles, corn muffin from mix, pancakes from mix, popcorn, spaghetti agli olio.

Mostly I was surprised that I don't have a go-to list of low-on-spoons foods.  Partly I'm not suffering from an illness that takes spoons, partly I live with someone who cooks as well, partly I have low standards for dinner.  Mostly though my frig has perennial leftovers.  This week I made a big pot of chili 2 days ago and that will get me through tomorrow when I'll make new beans.  As long as one meal is cooked and vegetable or bean heavy, the other meal can be simpler either protein or carb based.  It also depends on how many you're feeding.  If I had to make fresh meals for a picky family every night, I'd be out of spoons too. Also, how stocked is the frig and do you have any chopped/frozen veg?  I try to chop my veg ahead of time so the cooking can be done quickly.  Pre chopped onions are a lifesaver as other things can be gathered or defrosted or opened as the onions cook.

Can I just add that I'm surprised at rice paper being listed as a low-effort food.  Just getting the water temp right for soaking is a hassle, before adding that I have to make peanut sauce with it.  I'll have to give it another chance.

lazycow

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 355
  • Location: Australia
Re: Aussie: keeping yourself fed when running low on spoons
« Reply #189 on: May 09, 2020, 12:31:29 AM »



Can I just add that I'm surprised at rice paper being listed as a low-effort food.  Just getting the water temp right for soaking is a hassle, before adding that I have to make peanut sauce with it.  I'll have to give it another chance.

Hahaha, that was my suggestion I think! I don't use peanut sauce, just bottled sweet chilli sauce, and I guess I didn't think the water temp for the rice paper was a big deal; I just run the tap till I get warm enough water:-)