Some interesting produce showing up at my local fruit and veg shop: small carrots in orange, white/yellow and purple. It’s hard to resist foods that are compact – it’s like they are bento-ready.
In contrast, having a larger box may be problematic considering some of the tastiest foods I like involve deep frying. I’ve rediscovered we have a supply of panko and obliged to use it in a fairly frugal croquette, but still: rather indulgent. Similarly, using pinhead oats is not new to me but it has been years since I’ve had them last (appropriately when in Scotland) – though as with most fried foods fresh is best.
Week 94
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- Lots of pink items today but they were all because of veggies, not food colouring. Beef & beetroot meatballs, carrot & celeriac namasu, grilled eggplant, garlic broccoli, tomatoes and pickled radish ‘chrysanthemum’
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- A bit of repetition here so I tried adding a suspicious bottle of piri piri to the mix. Lunch is pickled radish, broccoli & green bean namul, beef & beetroot meatballs, soft-boiled egg and tomato on a bed of namasu
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- Fresh rice strongly urged me to make rice balls. Lunch is beef & beet meatballs, soy eggplant, tomatoes, piri piri prawns and steamed green beans with onigiri (spring onion & anchovy, piri piri & anchovy and brinjal ajvar) on celeriac & carrot salad with lemon dressing
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- It’s a brightly coloured lunch with celeriac, beetroot & carrot salad, ginger soy eggplant, tomato, steamed green beens, piri piri prawns and soft-boiled egg. Pity about the oil in some of the dishes..
Week 95
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- I need a better way to divide my side dishes; not many greens will survive the frosts to come. Lunch is green bean namul, piri piri prawns, celeriac & carrot ‘slaw, soft boiled egg, bagna cauda seasoned purple & yellow carrots and a tomato
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- I was after smoked salmon but the local shop is out; so instead it’s frugal sushi. Lunch is potato croquettes, nori tamagoyaki, tomato, steamed purple & yellow carrots, steamed beans with ponzu, pickled radish and 3 types of hosomaki (tinned mackerel with spring onion, roast capsicum & piri piri, mackerel and mayo)
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- Not very inspiring today but at least it was reasonably healthy.. ish.. Lunch is bacon wrapped veg, nori tamagoyaki, steamed baby carrots, potato croquette, tomato, bean namul and pickled radish
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- Apparently it’s a traditional method for treating fish, so the chef put in a modern twist. Lunch is ginger ponzu baby carrot, potato croquette, bean & quinoa salad, spiced pinhead oat pressed herring and tomato. The salad was inspired by a store bought one a week ago; it still needs some tweaking but worth repeating
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- It’s a bit of a fridge clean out today but not enough space in the box for it all. Lunch is spiced pinhead oat pressed herring, tomatoes, pickled radish, nori tamagoyaki, and a walnut & ponzu dressed green bean salad
Week 96
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- Apparently it’s a traditional method for treating fish, so the chef put in a modern twist. Lunch is ginger ponzu baby carrot, potato croquette, bean & quinoa salad, spiced pinhead oat pressed herring and tomato. The salad was inspired by a store bought one a week ago; it still needs some tweaking but worth repeating
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- Dinner was a little late but that scored some interesting additions and sushi. Lunch is bean salad dressed with walnut & garlic sauce, roast gammon, steamed carrots, ‘Asian’ coleslaw, pickled radish and California rolls.
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- The cooler weather is making me lethargic; and put odd things in the box. Lunch is ‘Asian’ coleslaw, steamed green beans, ‘reconstructed’ chicken (chicken & veg croquette mix in chicken skin), ponzu seasoned eggplant, pickled radish and cucumber
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- Something spicy to fight the cooler weather. Lunch is Korean-style chilli squid, steamed green beans, ginger & ponzu eggplant, ‘Asian’ coleslaw, pickled radish and cucumber
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- A rather extravagant offering today: sushi & beef! Lunch is grilled flatiron steak, pickled radish, Asian coleslaw, ponzu & ginger eggplant and hosomaki (kappa, avocado & preserved lemon, crabstick & mayo)
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- During last night’s dinner prep I saved a spare ramen egg for today. Alongside 3 colour garlic carrot, ponzu eggplant, steamed green & broad beans, (Korean) chilli chicken, spring onion and sliced capsicum…
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- It’s a flavour bursting bibimbap – oh yeeeeeah!
Week 97
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- Not sure why I’m feeling tired, but definitely feeling happier after opening the week with sushi. Lunch is garlic butter’d brussels sprouts, grilled ponzu eggplant, 3 coloured steamed carrot with pickled lemon, grilled chicken thigh slices, Asian coleslaw and California rolls
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- Balls of fire! Heated the rice balls a tad too hot but it’s a welcome treat against the drastically cooler temperatures. Lunch is piri piri chicken, garlic green beans, tomato, 3 colours baby carrot with mustard/pickled lemon seasoning, broad beans and haggis onigiri
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- When I was helping out in the making of this curry I almost sliced my finger – hurray for fingernails! Lunch is red seafood curry, steamed green beans, steamed purple carrot and tomato
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- This is totally going to be repeated: chicken karaage upgraded! Lunch is piri piri seasoned karaage, tomato, green bean namul, ‘overcooked’ capsicum and steamed orange & purple carrot
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- A bit of a salt marsh for this lunch, hope that current health advice disregards the amount here. Lunch is steamed carrot (purple & orange), tomato, steamed green beans, miso stir fry veggies and spicy teriyaki chicken
