Domestic goddess rating: 10% (total veg-out – it’s Friday, for god’s sake) Five-a-day: 1/5 (uh-oh… ) Food miles: haven’t a clue – curry fest this evening!
On the menu: Muesli & juice (breakfast); cornish pasty (lunch); curry from the take-out (supper – got friends round this evening for curry and a film, bliss!)
Wow, I made it through the first month. And I only faltered a couple of times. Actually, I’ve been kind of surprised how interesting it’s been – especially considering it’s supposed to be a difficult time of year.
The thing is, I’ve been cooking with stuff I haven’t used since I was a kid. Swede, for example – my mum used to cook that, but I don’t think I’ve ever particularly bothered. And turnips, which have been a bit of a revelation – a sweet, nutty taste that really peps up a winter stew. And I’ve also discovered I love cabbage, and we don’t eat nearly enough of it. I like the earthy taste of spring greens, and I’ve discovered brussels sprouts have a sweet, delicate flavour in comparison – I’d always thought of them as rather bitter. And then there’s kale, and sprout tops… Not boring at all. In fact, food has all of a sudden become really, really interesting.
Now, February poses a few more challenges. Fruit, for one – apples and pears both disappear off the menu this month, and I’m left with nothing but rhubarb. A couple of useful staples fall away – no more carrots from this month, and red cabbage disappears too (though I’ve got a bit tucked away in the freezer as braised red cabbage casserole). It’ll be tricky – but I’m looking forward to it this time. I’m also determined to get myself out of my comfort zone – trying a few new ways of doing vegetables, and not falling back on cheats and tinned tomatoes quite so much.
Let’s get cooking!
Filed under: Cooking, Seasonal eating | Tagged: brussels sprouts, cabbage, cheating, kale, red cabbage, rhubarb, spring greens, sprout tops, swede, tinned tomatoes, turnip, winter vegetables
