Food pics and ideas #33 - YouLookFab Forum

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Food pics and ideas #33

Runcarla

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High summer means more salads and things cooked on the bar-b-que. All the lettuce from my little 4x4 veg garden has been consumed and I’ve sown seeds for a late summer/fall crop. Peas are done, and we had beans from the garden for the first time last night. Tomato plants are 4ft tall and weighted down with green balls. Fingers crossed they will ripen before the chipmunks discover them. Basil has been made into pesto, with extra frozen into cubes for use at a later date. I’’m going to make another batch later this week.

Though I make bread on the regular, I’ve never made pizza dough (though DS#1 has done so!) I was in an experimental mood and tried my hand at it. Even made a ‘stuffed crust’ for DS#2. It was easier than I thought and turned out just fine!

What are you eating these days? Have you changed things up with the change of the season and change in temps? Eating from your garden yet? Are your grocery stores stocked up? Interesting take-away? Any restaurant experiences? Post your food pics!

PS: A big thank you to folks who are contributing to the food threads! I’ve been inspired by the pics and recipes to try new things and keep my kitchen game going.

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20 replies

Latest reply was from anne

ChristelJ

Veteran

Great-looking pizza!

I am in heaven now because our little raised bed is producing chard, my favorite green. I do stir-fry with the leaves and the chopped stems and onion and garlic and home-grown hot peppers. Also a favorite is hot green sauce with serrano peppers and cilantro and lime, garlic and olive oil.

Bonnie

Veteran

I haven't planted a garden but we have been getting a weekly mixed box of fruits and vegetable from a company that packs and sells for local farmers. We get what is in season and it's been a great silver lining during this pandemic. Lately, nectarines, pluots, strawberries, and blackberries are included. We have a mixed vegetable salad with dinner each evening and ratatouille and risottos for lunch made with whatever veggies are in the box. We've tried new recipes and produce that we probably wouldn't have thought to try and it's been lovely.

rachylou

Veteran

I’ve been eating snow peas from the garden, stir fried with ramen. It’s addictive. Also cucumbers - these aren’t in the best spot this year in the garden. Something has eaten all my Italian parsley. It was deer first round, but now it’s something else eating it Waiting on corn, green beans, tomatoes and potatoes.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Looks yummy!
we ve been eating well from our “victory “garden.Mange touts,French beans,courgettes,lettuce and from the green house cucumbers,carrots and tomatoes.Its been a great growing season here so far.Trust me when I say that is not always the case such is the fickleness if the British weather but we have been blessed this year so far.Still to come ,potatoes,corn,beetroot and squashes.
I am cooking everything at home no takeaways or eating out although we have risked a takeaway coffee and cake but interestingly decided we could do better and cheaper at home.I can’t see us going back to restaurants any time soon.I usually cook daily but with more time on my hands have been more willing to experiment.

Minaminu

Veteran

Good effort on the pizza! It is intetsting to see how the sizes differs from country to country! I tend to prepare a big batch of pizza dough and freeze it, the unfreeze it and let it develop in the fridge for a couple of days and it's a nice way to have a light dough and avoid tummy aches.

I have an allotment and it has been a godsend during the lockdown! The majority of fruits/herbs and veggies have grown brilliantly: tomatoes, basil, parsley, potatoes are fab (already collecting the first early!), fennel, kale, lettuce, chard, pak choy, endive, asparagus (finished a few weeks ago, same for artichoques.). Some others are not doing well, like cucumber, courgettes, beans, aubergines and broccoli. Pumpkins are growing well :).
Mr Minu is slightly upset as all his favourite veggies seems to be on holt! I'd love to cook a ratatouille, but lots of the key ingredients are missing for now!

I usually cook daily and can't remember the last time that we ordered a take away, maybe two or three years ago. Restaurants visits have always been done on special occasion and we still haven't been to a restaurant yet. We'll certainly go to celebrate once I get a job!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Carla, Cardiff Girl and Minaminu! Your garden produce sounds impressive, fun, rewarding, and awfully satisfying. I'm wowed! I bet you enjoy it immensely too. Great to hear, and good job.

Carla, your pizza looks beautifully rustic and cozy. Well done, and Farm House Chic

I cook a lot. And from scratch - although I don't have a veggie patch! Live in a loft by the water. We are still not eating at restaurants, but have ventured into ordering some carefully chosen take-out from time to time so that I get a break.

A few Summery homemade meals over the course of the week. My big thing is, zero food waste. And it's high time I made another cake. My birthday cake is gone!

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cjh

(website)

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I don’t have a garden, but love hearing about them! I do buy lots of fresh produce every grocery trip, and am quite diligent about using every item in salads, side dishes and snacks. I also appreciate the inspiration in your food posts, Carla. Thank you!

Some recent meals: ground turkey and two-potato “shepherd’s pie” - gloppy but yummy and healthy. Pickled beets.
Egg salad on sour dough bread.
Pizza bread (choice when I’m too lazy to make the crust), pepper strips, cranberry sauce.
Chicken tender wraps, grapes, blueberries, etc. Lunch on paper plates for grandkids. Their mom and dad had to go to a funeral, so we kept them for a day. They’ve grown up a lot in the past few months that we’ve only seen them a couple of times.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/re.....nch-wraps/

Banana bread with walnuts and chocolate chips, also made for grandkids.
Bonus pic: a little quilted drawstring bag I made that I’ve been using to store my face masks on the guest room dresser.

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Stagiaire Fash

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RHUBARB

I used to live it, could never find it fresh in Tampa & still don’t know when it’s in season in Florida (or if it even grows there).

But I got in on it here! The season is short, and I’m reacting against gluten these days so I looked up new ways of using it before buying. When I asked the produce stock clerk where it was, she said it was gone for the year. Sadness!! But the stand out front still had some. Yay! As I was bringing it home, a woman caught up to me to return a piece that had fallen out of my bag and warn me that more were poking through the mesh. Saved again!

Pix are strawberry rhubarb crumble, with oatmeal, rhubarb compote, and strawberry schaumtorte, a Wisconsin specialty.

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Minaminu

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Angie, that cake looks amazing! Baking is not my forte, need to work on it! You don't need a veggie patch, tomatoes, herbs or chillis can happily grow indoor

On the plus side, I finally learnt to do pita bread! I have attached some pictures of pita bread, hummus, aubergine and pea curry and dhal (all cooked from scratch!)

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Anonymous

Angie - I’m impressed and inspired by your no-waste commitment . Something I would like to be better at myself .

Runcarla

Veteran

OMG! I want invites to dinner! When this Covid thing is over, I’ll hit the road and visit everyone - and you must feed me!

anne

Veteran

FashIntern I love rhubarb too!! Glad you mentioned it because while it's a luxury item - 6 dollars a bunch - it's luxury I can afford once or twice a season and I've now put on in the shopping list. I kept forgetting to get it.

anne

Veteran

Just made this lemon yoghurt pasta tonight https://showmetheyummy.com/lig.....mon-pasta/

Quick easy and so few ingredients.

I added some chicken but don't think I'll bother to next time. (I served with roast strips of zucchini and microwaved kent pumpkin which needed to be used up, pace Angie)

Bonnie

Veteran

This week we are reveling in fresh fruit from local farmers and farm stands; raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, nectarines, pluots, and apriums.

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rachylou

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My latest is desserts made with toast... I cheat to make them faster

https://www.foodandwine.com/co.....t?amp=true

MsMary

Veteran

Angie, every time I see your lovely food pics, I'm reminded of the time you did an April Fool's blog post pretending you were switching to food blogging! Little did we know...

Runcarla

Veteran

@MsMary - I had just signed up to YLF, and was taken completely by surprise! Fell for that one - hook, line, and sinker!

Echo

Veteran

While I did not start a garden this year, we have been buying from a produce stand that sets up on a corner near us. Dh and I have been trying to get healthier, and the produce available is amazing. Sweet and spicy roasted brussels sprouts are tops on my list right now, but grilled patty pan squash, taco/Mexican flavored roasted cauliflower and Asian inspired zoodles are also right up there. I've been meaning to try grilling eggplant, too.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Minaminu, your food looks delicious and pretty! The type of food I like to eat

Mary and Carla, I'm a foodie, love to cook, had a little catering company with friends when we lived in France, and think of switching careers every so often. But I won't. I'm not professional. I'll just continue having a bit fun on instagram.

Lisa P, Greg and I take zero food waste very seriously, and I do a bad job of documenting how I go to great creative lengths to accomplish that on Instagram. It's a lot more thought out and planned irl. I could easily start another blog about the topic.

Anne, I have made a similar pasta!

anne

Veteran

Angie, BTW I tried Nigella's lemon linguine (the recipe with egg yolks and cream) and liked it WAY less than the lemon yogurt one, which surprised me.

Here's what I'm cooking tonight
https://foodwithfeeling.com/bl.....-potatoes/ a newish family favourite. I'll use yogurt instead of cashew cream since we aren't vegan and I have it on hand (I make my own)

I have to say that I do find managing food waste quite hard with a family of five (3 kids at high school) when most restrictions are lifted so it's hard to predict when they'll be home. So while I meal plan, and do things like making breadcrumbs from stale bread and cooking up the apples that get overlooked because they are a bit bruised, there are tendencies for them to not finish a meal, or cup of tea, or glass of milk - then stick it into the fridge for later and not get back to it in time. It's rather annoying to my frugal spirit! And then there's windfall from other's fruit trees (e.g lemons and lime atm) that are great to have on hand but sometimes I don't use in time.