Fed up of making the same meals !

It’s the desire to claim something that makes me laugh. Maybe they should start and market omnivore recipes and meals.
Or maybe vegan names which don’t match the original meaning should be changed to something else.
So oat or almond liquid or vegan squeeze instead of cheese. Or even, as I saw the other day
Potato Cheezz is plant-based food, made from 100% fresh potatoes

I’ve never liked cooking much, so now I am a widow, I quite enjoy doing as little as possible in the kitchen. I usually have fish and a salad. Sea bass, sea bream, sardines, salmon, tuna. Other days I might have egg salad or turkey steak with salad. The only thing I really like making now is soup, which I do in the winter. I’d rather read a book or go for a walk than faff about with spices, herbs and obscure vegetables!

On the recommendation of an OP on here a few weeks ago I bought a supply of curries, vegetarian, meat and vegan, from Chef Akila. They arrived in very good insulated packaging, still as hard as a rock so went straight into my freezer. A really good range of dishes, the lemon rice is fabulous and the portions are very generous too. They are truly as good, if not better, than you can make at home. No additives, no dubious chemicals, just good food. I'm a fan so will be ordering more, particularly for Xmas.

I'm glad you liked them buffyfly9 I know there were at least two of us that like them on Gransnet.

They make good gifts too - if people like curries.

But, why make the same meals again and again?

There are loads and loads of recipes on line.

NotSpaghetti

I'm glad you liked them buffyfly9 I know there were at least two of us that like them on Gransnet.

They make good gifts too - if people like curries.

Was it you that recommended them NotSpaghetti? If so, thank you very much, I've usually bought M&S or Waitrose curries for a treat but these from Chef Akila are very good indeed.

Yes I do feel the same! I think a lot of people just have a few meals they're used to cooking all the time. It saves time and money too if you have more of a fixed weekly menu.
I find that supermarket recipes are good and a source of inspiration to try new things.

kittylester

But, why make the same meals again and again?

There are loads and loads of recipes on line.

I think kitty there are a number of reasons.
Some people eat to live, they have little pleasure in the whole process, particularly if they’re on their own.
Some have a tight budget, so they make and eat what they know is affordable, others physically for various reasons can only eat certain things, bad teeth is one example.
Others are just not adventurous, like predictability and routine. There may well be others, but not everyone is of the same mould as others.

Steelygran

Yes I do feel the same! I think a lot of people just have a few meals they're used to cooking all the time. It saves time and money too if you have more of a fixed weekly menu.
I find that supermarket recipes are good and a source of inspiration to try new things.

I am not sure that having a few meals that you cook all the time does save you either time or money. You may well find recipes that use less expensive ingredieants or enable you to make the most of yellow stickered items or seasonal gluts of certain fruit and vegetables.

To the question. Try this, cheap, fast, easy, delicious.

olive oil -- to cook onion and garlic
1 onion
3 clove garlic

3-4" pieces ginger --add this (and all below) cook half hour
1 T curry powder
3/4 c orange/pink/red lentils
1 tin tomatoes
3 c water
salt
pepper
1/2 c fresh coriander
1 tin coconut milk

Serve, fresh chopped coriander on top (serves 4)

That sounds good, and easy Norah.

I might give that a go.

MissAdventure

That sounds good, and easy Norah.

I might give that a go.

It is an easy recipe. Freezes well, lovely re-heated.

Perhaps I should add I blender blitz tomatoes prior to adding. Or use passata. Sorry I hurried and didn't write directions out.

Thank you.
It'll be on my to-do list.

I used to love cooking but DH is not very well and in some ways seems to have regressed to childhood but with rose coloured specs. He mentioned mince which I loathe . He forgets that his mother produced boiled mince as when we were first married he said could we have mince . I asked his mother how she did it and answer was put it ina pan and boil it. I made a different version with herbs and spices etc and his brother and sister were eating with us and went home asking why they couldn’t have mince like that. The relationship went downhill . I still loathe the texture of mince but as he bought some at our farm shop I’ll make it for him . I have very little freezer space so it has to be eaten at a fairly rapid pace. I too am tired of shopping and cooking and am thinking about trying hello fresh or gousto. I get in a rut of cooking a chicken every Sunday and following up with curry or pie. End of week now autumn is slow cooker stew. One thing for slow cooker I learnt from mumsnet was a gammon on a layer of dark brown sugar and it makes its own sauce.

Every meal time in this house is a battle ground, and it wears me down.

Whatever I cook is at the wrong time, on the wrong day, too early or too late.
It's all such a hassle.

Sorry to hear that MissAdventure, everything changes the good & the bad, hold on in there. 😊❤👍

I shall.
I will keep dishing up my errrrm... wonderful offerings.

I could have written your post Miss Adventure! When I've been busy all day and feel too tired to cook anything the OH comes in from the garden and says " it's 6.00pm, WE should pack up earlier and have our meal at a sensible time". I respond by asking if, after 55 years of cooking I deserve a rest and perhaps he would like to get it ready??. His response is well I could if I had to.

55 years?!
You deserve a medal, as well as a rest.
Maybe slink off an hour earlier, to plan what you're going to make (and have a cup of tea, or whatever your tipple is)

It is frustrating, plus we don't really eat the same kind of dinners, anymore, since veg is totally off the menu for him these days.

So, Monica, are you saying that a dish can only be called vegan, if only bona fide vegans are going to be eating it?
Otherwise it’s just ‘purely plants’?
Sorry, but that does seem a bit nit-picky to me, semantically speaking.

Jaxjacky

kittylester

But, why make the same meals again and again?

There are loads and loads of recipes on line.

I think kitty there are a number of reasons.
Some people eat to live, they have little pleasure in the whole process, particularly if they’re on their own.
Some have a tight budget, so they make and eat what they know is affordable, others physically for various reasons can only eat certain things, bad teeth is one example.
Others are just not adventurous, like predictability and routine. There may well be others, but not everyone is of the same mould as others.

Good answer Jaxjacky👍🏻

Ilovedogs22

Sorry to hear that MissAdventure, everything changes the good & the bad, hold on in there. 😊❤👍

Tell him he’s lucky to have you making food for him at all a d you simply won’t put yourself through a battle every day.
If he won’t eat veg then he won’t, he can just have some meat or fish with spuds or rice and do the veg or salad just for yourself.

It's not just the veg; it's food.
We're on the edge of a precipice, I think.

My ex-DH was horrendous and had limited tastes and refused all veg except potatoes and onions. But would eat Branston Pickle which has all manner of veg in it! Nor would he eat anything with garlic but would eat a pepperoni pizza which is loaded with the stuff!! Just plain awkward and it made mealtimes hard work as our kids were learning to be as difficult as him. Thankfully now as AC's they both eat pretty much anything and DS loves cooking and has a wide repertoire which DH and I enjoy on our visits to see them and GDD.
DH is will happily eat anything I put in front of him and doesn't complain if I make a huge pot of stew which we will eat for two or three days and ring the changes with crusty bread or different styles of side veg. As he is diabetic we do have to watch what he eats but it is far easier to manage when you cook from scratch as many prepared foods have sugar added. We do limit pasta and rice accordingly but there isn't much that is off limits.
Many years ago, my DM used to help out an elderly couple on a voluntary basis with their midday meal. Every single day they had boiled bacon, boiled potatoes and peas! They never changed it - ever!! They had been married over 40 years.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve begun to make more mistakes in my cooking and baking. Yesterday i was in a hurry and I forgot to add an egg to a cookie recipe. Surprisingly, they turned out ok, at least my DH said so. I’ve even forgotten to put the chicken in chicken soup! Didn’t realize it until after I delivered it to my daughter. I really need to take my time and concentrate!