I expected lots of things to be a problem in lockdown. Isolation. Societal collapse. Fear. Lack of availability of basic food. There's been a bit of the latter, but now for me it's mostly through prudently not going into shops all the time. Flour's the only thing I'm seriously short of.
But what has actually been a problem to me? Lunch. I feel so betrayed. I love meal planning. But it turns out I love meal planning for 3 or 4 dinners a week (which do two meals each, so I'm covered). I've just been bored by endless lunches. Seven extra meals a week? Meh.
I don't really do lunch for myself usually. My work canteen does cheap and (mostly) tasty soup, which has been my staple for years (see #SoupTweets for a pre-lockdown twitter obsession of mine). Or I'm on the move. Coincidentally I've actually been bringing lunches into the office in recent months, based on a tupperware of something that'll do for 4 days or so. I haven't been doing that at home, partly because of lack of fridge space. Partly because I didn't think of it. And I've not been doing soup also because lack of fridge space (see previous entry re mice in my kitchen for why I'm not just leaving stuff on the hob overnight at the moment).
Bread has been more of a problem than most things, as it's never fresh when I want it. And anyway, massive sandwiches daily? Bah. Salads are no good, too bulky to store,a(nd also I hate them quite a lot).
I don't have lunch solved, but this week has been a better solution: wraps. Specifically, tlatyudas (sort of). The great thing about lunching at home of course is having access to a stove. So those boring flour tortillas can be lightly warmed and turned into something worth chewing, while still not making masses of washing up.
Tlatyudas are a sort of open-face sandwich on a wrap, which should I think really be about vegetables with minor cheese. I've been... embroidering that concept this week. Leftovers and scraps can be bundled into a wrap and appear less sad (especially handy with my sad brown guac, for example).
Recipe includes:
Tortilla wraps
Guacamole (I've ended up with Too Many Avocados, a ridiculous position for lockdown)
Sunblush tomatoes
Rocket or spinach
Grated cheese (mozzarella and cheddar mix hurrah)
Roasted spring onions
But you could add any meat scraps etc, other green leaves, whatever. And I have added leftover beetroot houmous which is all wrong but tasty. Obviously it made the thing too soggy, so it's not open-face today. But that does show I was pan-roasting some spring onions to include - that's so easy I love to do it. Just put them in when you start to warm the pan, and turn them once maybe if they are thin, a couple of times for chunkier ones. They will roast and soften in a couple of minutes and it's way nicer than putting them in raw.
What have you been doing for lunch?
But what has actually been a problem to me? Lunch. I feel so betrayed. I love meal planning. But it turns out I love meal planning for 3 or 4 dinners a week (which do two meals each, so I'm covered). I've just been bored by endless lunches. Seven extra meals a week? Meh.
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| Insufficient lemon in the guacamole yesterday. It tastes fine, but looks so sad. |
I don't really do lunch for myself usually. My work canteen does cheap and (mostly) tasty soup, which has been my staple for years (see #SoupTweets for a pre-lockdown twitter obsession of mine). Or I'm on the move. Coincidentally I've actually been bringing lunches into the office in recent months, based on a tupperware of something that'll do for 4 days or so. I haven't been doing that at home, partly because of lack of fridge space. Partly because I didn't think of it. And I've not been doing soup also because lack of fridge space (see previous entry re mice in my kitchen for why I'm not just leaving stuff on the hob overnight at the moment).
Bread has been more of a problem than most things, as it's never fresh when I want it. And anyway, massive sandwiches daily? Bah. Salads are no good, too bulky to store,a(nd also I hate them quite a lot).
I don't have lunch solved, but this week has been a better solution: wraps. Specifically, tlatyudas (sort of). The great thing about lunching at home of course is having access to a stove. So those boring flour tortillas can be lightly warmed and turned into something worth chewing, while still not making masses of washing up.
Tlatyudas are a sort of open-face sandwich on a wrap, which should I think really be about vegetables with minor cheese. I've been... embroidering that concept this week. Leftovers and scraps can be bundled into a wrap and appear less sad (especially handy with my sad brown guac, for example).
 |
| Most excellent accumulation |
Recipe includes:
Tortilla wraps
Guacamole (I've ended up with Too Many Avocados, a ridiculous position for lockdown)
Sunblush tomatoes
Rocket or spinach
Grated cheese (mozzarella and cheddar mix hurrah)
Roasted spring onions
But you could add any meat scraps etc, other green leaves, whatever. And I have added leftover beetroot houmous which is all wrong but tasty. Obviously it made the thing too soggy, so it's not open-face today. But that does show I was pan-roasting some spring onions to include - that's so easy I love to do it. Just put them in when you start to warm the pan, and turn them once maybe if they are thin, a couple of times for chunkier ones. They will roast and soften in a couple of minutes and it's way nicer than putting them in raw.
 |
| I think by now it's really a quesadilla, but who cares? Tasty. |
What have you been doing for lunch?
You can keep the avocados, but I rather like the idea of roasting spring onions. On the list for next week.
ReplyDeleteI will gladly keep the avos. But yes, do try roasting sprunions. They are very good and very quick compared with roasting most veg.
DeleteI've found since I retired that lunch has become a bit of a black hole. I used to take stuff into work, but now I either don't do anything for lunch at all, or I find myself snacking too much - today was Cream Crackers and Cheddar and some dry roasted peanuts! Your approach is considerably better...
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought I might not bother as I definitely don't need the calories, but I need the break at lunchtime, and I think the risk would be snacking excessively. I'm trying for veg, at least.
DeleteLunch is a problem. I tend to end up resorting to cereal/muesli type things, which is dull, but easy.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a problem. Quite unexpected as an issue. I'm trying to get veg in, but cereal is a good shout. I've got plenty of oats which I'm not currently breakfasting on much.
DeleteLunch takes so much tiiiiiiime suddenly. I feel like my entire lunch break is making food, eating food and washing up rather than going for a walk to buy a sandwich someone else has made and then reading while consuming it. I miss laziness.
ReplyDeleteYes, totally this. So many bits and pieces, and not enough time to read. Hmph. Such a lockdown suffering we have.
DeleteAbsolutely agree on the time-consuming-ness. I've resorted to instant noodles this week. Hoping for soup next week; but have the same issues with fridge/freezer space...
ReplyDeleteI don't much like instant noodles on their own but hmmm, could do noodle soup (cooking the noodles daily but the broth in the fridge). Intriguing.
DeleteBecause we have the space, there's soup in the fridge and freezer, and a local guy has just set up a bread delivery business so we've also had good bread recently, but I am SO bored of lunch. Dinner at least I feel I can plan and do something interesting or different but lunch I just think "Sandwich? Soup?" and then I'm out of ideas. This looks worth a go though!
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly. So bored with uninspiringness, and it's not just a lack of space. I do have some tins of beans and plenty of cheese, so cheesy beans is always an option. But then washing up. Bah.
DeleteVery very envious of your bread delivery. We're not getting anything artisanal, despite brilliant restaurant-type box options, and I don't have space for those either.
Soups or jacket potatoes, mostly. Jack Monroe's pappa pomodoro has become a big favourite.
ReplyDeleteI'm still a bit low on tinned toms, but yes, this is great. If I manage to get some fresh bread that goes stale, I think I'll make it. Especially good as it's so solid it doesn't take up much fridge space...
DeleteIt’s really very weird! As you, I usually have 4/5 dinners a week at home. Breakfasts and lunches always out. In these days thinking on 21 meals a week is too much. But as Italian one, lunch is easy: pasta! Past and what you have in fridge, tomatoes sauce, veggies, ham, eggs, cheese, fish, sausages... all you can eat.
ReplyDeleteLeftovers. Leftovers all the way.
ReplyDelete