Somehow, I’ve gotten to be 21 and never really learned to cook. Since leaving home, my diet has totally changed – I make easy stuff like pasta, Mexican, stirfry and steak. Mum used to make a lot of Chinese (with the odd hint of Malaysian), the kind I never learned to make and is at odds with my philosophy when it comes to dinners: I want it fast and I want it now. Hence, my veggie intake has also suffered. She also used to make two or three separate dishes a meal (veges being usually separate from meat), where I go for one-pot meals.
And T is absolutely no help in this area! He really isn’t too concerned about getting 5+ a day; but his is a family where it’s okay to feed the little kids chips (and maybe sausages) for dinner. (Not that my parents did much better. My brother literally never ate a single vegetable during his formative years, and still only eats a very very select few today. You know, I can’t even remember what he DID used to eat, except that there always had to be a separate meal made for him.)
But scurvy is not a good look for anyone. Summer meant salad season, and this year I discovered the wonders that yoghurt and sour cream can do to vegetables. I’ve never been a fan of lettuce, but I’ve come to realise there are so many ways to do salads. (Although I love potato salad with a passion, I don’t really count potatoes as veggies. But I’m willling to be convinced otherwise :D)
I may start buying real veggies for stir fries and curries, because frozen packs invariably contain ingredients I don’t like (Broccoli, I’m looking at ya). I might even look up some spinach recipes, which my iron levels will no doubt thank me for.
Sadly, now it’s getting colder and vegetables are going to get expensive. What are some winter veggies? Share your favourite recipes…I want them all!
I’m much worse than you, I don’t even make stir-fries, so won’t be much of a help! I’m interested in what you do with yogurt and sour cream…
if I think of any winter vegetable-y recipes I will surely hand them over. I’ve tried making curries and they invariably turn out awful tasting.
Oh, the sour cream was so good! Think it was just cucumber, a little bit of onion, lemon juice and sour cream.
Greek/plain yoghurt as a salad dressing. Nom nom.
You mean teeth falling out from scurvy isn’t hawt right now?? =(
Squash is a delish winter veggie, Butternut squash soup is to die for!
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Your mom sounds pretty similar to my mom. She used to make at least 2 different dishes a night (like yours- meat and veggies), and I could never find the time to do that.
In school, I would cook once or twice a week (whenever my schedule would allow) and then eat it for the rest of the week. I still do that now, it’s much easier doing that because I live alone and I don’t get tired of eating the same food all week.
I make a big batch on Sunday night, and package them into tupperware for the rest of the week. Usually I run short a meal or two a week, in which case I supplement with whatever is left over in the pantry. Korean instant noodles and egg, anyone? 🙂
This winter, I ate lots of squash, yam, taro (mainly orot veggies). I also find that chinese squash that looks like a messed up pear super yummy, easy to make and cheap!
I think the consensus is that spinach is not as good for iron as has been thought in the past… http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/nutritionessentials/vitaminsandminerals/iron/.