Lunch Log: Week 102 – 106 (January 2015)

Happy new year! It’s been an interesting ride – I had to look back when I started this lunch log that I’ve been fairly regular with entries since the start of 2013 – woo!

The start of the year was a little slow to start with; surprisingly noodles weren’t more regularly appearing despite new year significance and the batch of stock in the freezer. But onwards! Please treat me gently, 2015, I’m getting too old for melodrama!

: It’s a short but sweet week back, and about time in having a ‘traditional’ new year food: noodles! Lunch is packed with black cloud mushrooms, stir fried capsicum, bacon & chorizo, prawns, fried garlic, stir fried cabbage, spring onion…

: Topped with a ramen egg and nori and swimming in a chicken/ duck broth I don’t think I can even physically fit condiments (which is good as I didn’t pack any)

Week 103

: A successful experiment morphing stew into something a little different, and proof that black cloud fungus takes on other flavours. Lunch is gumbo-inspired lamb stroganoff, steamed prawns, Brussels sprouts with bacon, pickled jalapeños & cucumber and steamed tricolour carrots

: Damn, the ‘sprouts got bitter; looks like fresh (and hot) is best. Lunch is garlic Brussels sprouts, teriyaki salmon, pickled cucumber, steamed tricolour carrots, steamed prawn and a mandarin

: Lazily made sushi for the tired. Lunch is steamed tricolour carrot with ginger, bacon-fat fried Brussels sprouts, steamed prawns, broad beans and jalapeños, mini okonomiyaki and smoked salmon & nori chirashizushi

: Desperate for greens means imported beans. Lunch is green bean gomae-ae, fish croquettes, tomatoes, steamed tricolour carrots and a mandarin

: Desperate for greens means imported beans. Lunch is green bean gomae-ae, fish croquettes, tomatoes, steamed tricolour carrots and a mandarin

: It’s the closest to udon I can find to us in the local store but at least I’m stocked up on miso. Noodles with prawn, bacon, ramen egg, black cloud fungus, green beans & hijiki and tricoloured carrots

: A sort of udon bowl with a hearty miso broth and spring onion. I may have over done it again; it was all rather filling

Week 104

: An odd selection today to match my mood after an impromptu trip “oop norf”. Lunch is potato croquettes, tomato, green bean & quinoa salad, mandarin and prawn onigiri

: A repeat from yesterday as I’ve not supplied up at the shops. Though adding cottage cheese to the croquettes is new. Lunch is green bean & quinoa salad, potato croquettes, tomatoes and steamed prawns

: I’m starting to see the appeal of roast dinners if they produce tasty leftovers like this. Lunch is soy & honey marinated roast pork, green bean & quinoa salad, roast sweet potato & swede and tomatoes

: I know it’s bad but the touch of butter to the rice made it smell wonderful. And steak for lunch: happy days! Lunch is sliced beef steak, green bean & quinoa salad, potato croquettes and tomatoes

: A bit of a hacky lunch today, with mainly store cupboard/freezer items. Noodles Friday with tempura prawns, spring onion, salad veggies, soft boiled egg, black cloud fungus and steamed green beans

: Bowled up with nori, my miso “udon” bowl was rather filling. Hopefully that helps me avoid the cake in the kitchen..

Week 105

: Hard to tell which is the main carbs; leftovers of “paella” or croquettes. Lunch is pearl barley “paella/risotto” with leek yaki-bitashi, tomato, cucumber & smoked salmon salad and potato croquettes

: First makizushi for the year with bonus karaage: score! Lunch is steamed beans, eggplant yaki-bitashi, chicken karaage, tomato, cucumber and tricolour hosomaki (kombu no tsukudani, crabstick, kappa)

: Today it’s a simple affair since there’s some prepped items to use. Lunch is chicken karaage with Korean-style chilli sauce, steamed beans, grilled eggplant with vinegar-miso dressing, tomato and kombu no tsukudani.

: It looks like takikomi but its more like maze.. Lunch is chicken karaage, steamed beans & spring onion with sumiso dressing, tomato, tamagoyaki and “cheaters” takikomi gohan (shiitake, carrot, kombu no tsukudani, bread beans and sesame seeds)

: No matter how healthy a sumiso seasoned veggie dish is, fried food puts the health benefit back to zero. Lunch is tamagoyaki, tomato, Korean fried chicken, sumiso dressed beans and kombu no tsukudani

Week 106

: In the spirit of being Burns night last night a meal that is carb and oil heavy. Lunch is a tomato, kakiage (carrot & onion), slithers of uncooked kale, ginger eggplant & haggis, roasted neeps & tatties and kombu no tsukudani

: I’m starting to get a sense of déjà vu as there is still some haggis in the fridge from Sunday. Lunch is garlic butter kale & leek, grilled eggplant with sumiso dressing, steamed beans, herb roasted neeps & tatties and “Scottish themed sushi” (haggis roast roll and smoked salmon inside out roll)

: Not a healthy week but perhaps portion control may help fix that with today’s lunch of potato salad, kale, green bean namul, steamed tricolour carrots, breaded black pudding and onigiri (bacon and haggis)

: A celebration of leftovers, it almost is typical for summer given how similar it was to a BBQ dinner. Lunch is grilled capsicum, steamed tricolour carrots, grilled halloumi & lamb and garlic kale & leek stir fry.

: Arrr, it be a salty one for today’s bounty. Lunch is soy & ginger eggplant, steamed tricolour carrots, soy & sesame marinated lamb, miso kale & leek stir fry and kombu no tsukudani

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