Cooking
I made a batch of Jamie Oliver’s Scuffy Aubergine Lasagne today.
This is a favourite recipe. It’s “scruffy” because you just break up the pieces of lasagne and chuck them in – no faffing about with layering or anything! It also has everything in it so it’s a really good meal just to take out of the freezer and heat up. I like all-in-one pasta dishes becaue you don’t have to cook the pasta separately on the day you want to eat the dish. I’ve veganised this recipe by omitting the cheese and substituting it with Faux Parmesan, I also add a 200 g pack of baby button mushrooms, and always serve it with a sprinkling of Faux Parmesan and some flaked almonds. Yummy.
I also made a batch of Curried Parsnip Soup. This is a very old recipe given to me many years ago by someone who used to grow the most magnificent parsnips in his garden!
Ingredients
2 onions, sliced
3 lb (1.5 kg) parsnips, peeled and sliced
4 level tsp garam masala
4 level tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground roasted cumin
Salt and pepper
4 pts veg stock
Paprika to garnish
Directions
1. Dry sauté the onion and parsnip, adding water to deglaze the pan as necessary.
2. Stir in the spices and cook a further 2 mins.
3. Add stock, season, bring to the boil, reduce heat and cover, and simmer for about 45 mins, or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Allow to cool slightly, then liquidise until smooth.
5. Serve sprinkled with paprika.
The original recipe used oil for frying initially, but this isn’t necessary. For this version I have also doubled the amount of spice because I thought it was too bland in the original recipe. This soup freezes well.
Finally today, I made a batch of Bircher Muesli for the fridge. This recipe is my own version, combining elements from various different recipes I found online.
Makes 1 Mason jar full
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
3 tabs chia seeds
1 tsp stevia (or use maple syrup)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
8 dried apricots, chopped (makes 1/3 cup)
1 dessert apple, finely chopped
1 cup apple juice
1 cup almond or soya milk
Optional topping:
A handful of almonds or other nuts, roughly chopped
Yoghurt
Granola
Directions
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, starting with the dry ingredients, then the fruit and finally the liquid.
2. Pour into a Mason jar and store in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.
3. It will keep several days in the fridge.
Bircher Muesli is absolutely delicious, and in addition to its traditional place on the breakfast table, it makes a great quick dessert – just spoon it out of the jar and add the toppings of your choice! It also makes an excellent late-night snack. I stay up into the not-so-wee small hours most nights, and by the time I go to bed it’s many hours since supper, and by about 2 a.m. the hunger pangs can begin to attack! A bowl of Bircher Muesli works a treat. There’s no added sugar and no fat – it’s just full of delicious healthy ingredients.
Tomorrow, on my “To Do” list, I’ve got Madras curry, spicy tomato sauce, and several batches of tofu.
Energy management
I am trying to get all the cooking done in the morning, so that I can rest in the afternoon or do something less energetic. Even if I feel ready to do more, I am stopping once I’ve ticked everything off the list, as I am keen to avoid the dreaded “boom and bust” of ME. Sensible pacing enables one to remain inside one’s energy envelope and be capable of doing things the following day. It’s a hard lesson to learn when you’ve always been a “doer” but essential for managing this illness and staying on an even keel. I don’t always practise what I preach, though!
Same day delivery – a prime surprise!
I ordered a couple of things on Amazon in the small hours this morning, including some Tim Holtz Collage Medium, and the parcel arrived today (double quick time). A neat little cardboard box, which I left on the floor.
Then the inevitable happened.
A bit of a tight squeeze for my Prime favourite kitty (Ruby)!
Kitties and boxes… I have yet to figure out the reason for the irresistible attraction. They simply can’t help themselves…
