So, Auckland suddenly decided to crank out the summer
weather and the heat has done a really great job of zapping me of my appetite
the last few days. I mean who wants to stand over a hot pan with 27°C sunshine blasting
through the window? Being personally cooked is also draining my brain energy a
little so the witty and coherent post I wanted to write is going to have to
wait until tomorrow, when I will be comfortably and coolly seated at my air-conditioned
desk.
The amount of time I’ve spent ducking into the freezer for ice cubes this week has encouraged me to post about how one can efficiently make use of frozen foods so, that shall be tomorrow’s read. For today, I am going to share my food diary since buying my weekly shop.
The amount of time I’ve spent ducking into the freezer for ice cubes this week has encouraged me to post about how one can efficiently make use of frozen foods so, that shall be tomorrow’s read. For today, I am going to share my food diary since buying my weekly shop.
This feels a little weird and personal but I think that it’s
the best way to show how I do what I do! I’m going to include the approximate
amount of protein eaten each day, according to calculations made with MyFitnessPal.
Proteins are essential nutrients and seem to be the first thing people panic
about when anyone changes their diet (as anyone who’s ever gone vegetarian can attest!).
According to the NZ Nutrition Foundation, the minimum RDI of protein for a
woman my age is 46g (source)
and as you will see I easily achieve that in my day to day diet. This stuff is important to know because
eating less red meat is a great way to save a few dollars, and doing so doesn’t
have to negatively impact your health.
If you have questions about any of the meals, or would like
to see recipes, please let me know and I’ll do my best to answer :)
Thursday (grocery day)
Lunch – jacket potato + tuna, 1/3 eggplant and 1 chopped tomato fried in olive oil.
The first thing I did when I got home was eat lunch. Jacket potato is a no-brainer, and this is definitely not a meal that needs a recipe attached!
Once I had refuelled, I set about making some rice porridge for the week ahead. I made this a little differently to the last recipe I posted (although the idea is the same) by using a slow cooker. I poured a cup of raw brown rice into the pot with a 2/3 can of coconut milk that needed using plus a cup and a half of cold water. I let it cook for about four hours on low and once it was creamy and the rice cooked, portioned it into four containers, cooled in the fridge and then stored in the freezer. Rice is one of those finicky ingredients when it comes to hygiene so due care is required. Don’t leave rice out on the bench for too long, whether to cool down or to defrost!
Lunch – jacket potato + tuna, 1/3 eggplant and 1 chopped tomato fried in olive oil.
The first thing I did when I got home was eat lunch. Jacket potato is a no-brainer, and this is definitely not a meal that needs a recipe attached!
Once I had refuelled, I set about making some rice porridge for the week ahead. I made this a little differently to the last recipe I posted (although the idea is the same) by using a slow cooker. I poured a cup of raw brown rice into the pot with a 2/3 can of coconut milk that needed using plus a cup and a half of cold water. I let it cook for about four hours on low and once it was creamy and the rice cooked, portioned it into four containers, cooled in the fridge and then stored in the freezer. Rice is one of those finicky ingredients when it comes to hygiene so due care is required. Don’t leave rice out on the bench for too long, whether to cool down or to defrost!
Snack – Popcorn from
kernels, handful of raw peanuts
I buy my corn kernels from the bulk foods section. It’s probably one of the cheapest snacks I can think of, and a little goes a long way (2 tablespoons kernels = 1 big bowl of popcorn). Popcorn is also naturally high in fibre and low in energy overall (source).
I buy my corn kernels from the bulk foods section. It’s probably one of the cheapest snacks I can think of, and a little goes a long way (2 tablespoons kernels = 1 big bowl of popcorn). Popcorn is also naturally high in fibre and low in energy overall (source).
Dinner – ½ the
basa fillet pan-fried, with brown rice and a cup of frozen mixed vege.
Another quick and simple meal, I place my veggies on top of the rice in a rice cooker so they can cook in the steam while I watch Netflix. I could have subbed in diced carrot and tomato or a side salad, had I not had mixed vege handy.
Another quick and simple meal, I place my veggies on top of the rice in a rice cooker so they can cook in the steam while I watch Netflix. I could have subbed in diced carrot and tomato or a side salad, had I not had mixed vege handy.
Protein for Thursday: 50g, including a banana with peanut
butter at breakfast.
Friday
Breakfast – one serve of hot rice porridge with a splash of soy milk, a handful of blueberries, a packet of sweetener and a spoonful of desiccated coconut.
Desiccated coconut is another great item to have at hand. It’s a cheap buy in the baking aisle, long-lasting in the pantry and high in healthy, filling fats. Plus it’s yummy. It’s very energy dense so proceed with caution!
Breakfast – one serve of hot rice porridge with a splash of soy milk, a handful of blueberries, a packet of sweetener and a spoonful of desiccated coconut.
Desiccated coconut is another great item to have at hand. It’s a cheap buy in the baking aisle, long-lasting in the pantry and high in healthy, filling fats. Plus it’s yummy. It’s very energy dense so proceed with caution!
Lunch – ½ the
basa fillet baked in a foil parcel with half a sliced lemon, a portion of oven
fries and a mixed salad of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber.
I remembered I had oven fries! Last week the good quality kind were the same price per kilo as potatoes, plus you don’t have to peel them! A regular potato sliced into wedges and baked would have done fine in their place.
I remembered I had oven fries! Last week the good quality kind were the same price per kilo as potatoes, plus you don’t have to peel them! A regular potato sliced into wedges and baked would have done fine in their place.
Snack – handful of
peanuts, four squares of 72% cocoa chocolate
Dinner – lamb stewed
with tomato, eggplant and olive oil with lemon-cinnamon quinoa.
Does this need a recipe? It feels cheating to write up about something that was so simple to make. I used the whole 200g lamb steak, but split the stew in half and froze one portion for later.
Does this need a recipe? It feels cheating to write up about something that was so simple to make. I used the whole 200g lamb steak, but split the stew in half and froze one portion for later.
Protein for Friday: 65g
Saturday
Breakfast – two-egg omelette with ¼ cup mixed veges, pinch of thyme, seasoned with nutritional yeast.
Breakfast – two-egg omelette with ¼ cup mixed veges, pinch of thyme, seasoned with nutritional yeast.
Lunch – Confession
time. It was hot, I was out and about. I
got hungry. I had a lime thick-shake and a tube of Fruit Pastilles for lunch. #noregrets.
This came out of my entertainment budget. I definitely don’t recommend this as
a complete meal but, hey, it’s the weekend!
Snack – blueberries
Dinner –
flatbread pizza with diced tomato, 1 sliced chorizo and handful of cheese
While out and about on Saturday I stopped in at the supermarket and picked up a mini block of cheese from the deli (it is absolutely cheaper to buy a 1kg block than the 300g block that I grabbed for about $3.50, but that depends on you having ~$9 to spare all at once, it’s up to you and your situation). I also spotted lots of packets of deli meats on half price clearance. There were a lot of options available, but I rounded out the $5 left in the budget with a two pack of chorizo since they are full of flavour. I made “pizzas” by cooking up a half batch of gluten free flatbreads (always have baking stuff around!), loading one with toppings and popping it under the grill for a minute or two.
While out and about on Saturday I stopped in at the supermarket and picked up a mini block of cheese from the deli (it is absolutely cheaper to buy a 1kg block than the 300g block that I grabbed for about $3.50, but that depends on you having ~$9 to spare all at once, it’s up to you and your situation). I also spotted lots of packets of deli meats on half price clearance. There were a lot of options available, but I rounded out the $5 left in the budget with a two pack of chorizo since they are full of flavour. I made “pizzas” by cooking up a half batch of gluten free flatbreads (always have baking stuff around!), loading one with toppings and popping it under the grill for a minute or two.
Protein for Saturday: 68g (turn out milkshakes pack a mean
protein punch!)
Ok, that’s all for now folks. For those keeping score, at
the end of Saturday, I still had all my carrots, two potatoes, salad
vegetables, one chorizo, half my lamb dish and plenty of tuna and eggs left as
well as the various odds and ends in my pantry and freezer.
Pending disaster, you’ll hear from me tomorrow! Have a great
day :)
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