It's been awhile since I've written anything, but there hasn't been much to blog. Bonsoy is no longer gluten free which I didn't notice for a month. Not good. The coffee lady at my local cafe had a long discussion with me about when we think they changed the recipe because she's noticed the milk acting differently in some technical coffee making way. I love my local cafe MOKA GIGI on Sydney Rd, Brunswick. Go there for a great coffee and food (mostly gluteny) and a GF cookie! I confess to resorting to a GF melting moment for breakfast twice this week.
I've been eating a lot of pizza. Making pizza bases is amazingly quick with a mix and I'm ashamed to have been ordering it for so long! The Basco mix is great, especially when cooked in a dinner roll sized ball. It's more like a scone than a roll, but who cares when it's tasty? It loses points in having egg whites rather than whole eggs in the recipe though.
The Freeform mix from Safeway is beating Basco at the moment. I haven't made it into rolls yet because the boy has been helping me eat the pizzas which are tasty and use whole eggs which is SO much more convenient than having to use up or throw out egg yolks!
The next trial one is going to be Orgran's but I've not liked things by them before so I'm hesitant but they have a big advantage that they don't use anything but the mix and water and maybe some yeast for taste as suggested.
Today I'm talking about lunches though, not pizzas (though both the Basco and Freeform pizza bases microwave respectably). I'm lucky in my office. We actually have a convention microwave, a boiling water tap and fridge. So I could bake if I wanted to even! Not that I really feel like baking while at work usually.
I'm also very slack in the mornings. I generally give myself 2 minutes to grab food stuffs (including breakfast) before I'm at the door. Breakfast and lunch and usually eaten at my desk (just because, not because I'm busy!). I have a drawer full of snacks and lovelovelove the option of choosing a snack from my drawer full of options rather than pouting because the vending machine isn't gluten free.
Staple items for breakfasts is instant hot chocolate, tinned rice pudding and GF muesli bars.
Lunch though, lunch needs to be more substantial and a muesli bar can only sometimes be accepted.
Cooking with hot water and a fridge
Rice vermicelli is my latest brainwave. I eat it at home a lot. You just soak it in boiling water for a couple of minutes, drain, stir through (as much as possible) some sort of GF sauce and ta da! food. At work I drain it using BBQ tongs (the boys often BBQ for lunch) or with a fork if I'm feeling dangerous (much more spillage and noodles down the drain in this instance). It's also easier to soak in one bowl and transfer to another when it's done.
Rice vermicelli comes in individual serves, especially if you look in an asian grocery, and is CHEAP the 100g serves are 60 cents in my local supermarket but are even cheaper in my local asian grocer.
Sauces - I lovelovelove Sacla pasta sauces. They're found in the pasta sauce section of the supermarket next to the pestos which they sort of are, but they come in flavours other than sun dried tomato or basil. This week I had olive and tomato, but my favourite is the eggplant and mushroom. They need to be refrigerated after opening.
Add a microwave
Additions: I had an extra minute this morning so I sliced up a couple of mushroom into a container. Made my vermicelli and sauce as normal then nuked them with the mushrooms for a couple of minutes. Delicious! Add some smoked chicken or other verson of precooked meat and you've got protein as well.
Leftovers are great for lunch. I always thought that I wouldn't want to eat what I'd had the night before, but I've never once been sick of the dish. Especially when it's been lasagne. Mmmm. Reheat and you're set.
There are instant pouches of rice these days that cook in a couple of minutes in a microwave. Many are gluten free, which is great, though check thoroughly as many are not!
There are also instant microwavable indian dishes in the Indian food section of many supermarkets. Not awful! And since India is not known for it's wheat, most are gluten free. Combine with rice and dig in!
Drawback: Most of these rice pouches and indian meals do not serve only one. Bring lunch for a friend! Jazz it up with some pappadums since these are also microwavable! Easiest DIY chip like thing ever.
Dessert
Steamed puddings are pretty good and decadent for an end of week treat, particularly when someone's handing out poisonous birthday cake. They keep quite a while and don't need refrigerating. I found mine (Healtheries brand) in the healthfood section of Safeway though some places may put them in the dessert aisle with the "normal" people pudding.
Mug Cake. Yes, that is it's name, and that's what it is. It's a cake you make in a mug. The drawback is you'll need an egg. The plus side is you otherwise only need a mug, the mix and a microwave. These are great. They taste like an uber fluffy cupcake. I found them in my gluten days in an asian grocery and then my friend found them in the normal supermarket in the cake aisle, in English, with gluten free on the pack!
Rice pudding. Heinz makes a small, serves 1, flavoured rice pudding that is gluten free. I like the chocolate one, the vanilla is also good, but I have not been game to try the banana. Keeps well, doesn't need a fridge, a good dessert or an acceptable breakfast (wholegrains are okay, right?)
No comments:
Post a Comment