Meal Plans Week 74

I’m going to ban myself from talking about the weather at the start of these posts. Have I already failed by announcing that? Oh well, from here on out anyway! This week I’m feeling seafood and greens. I’m going a little lighter on the noodles as I really got obsessed last week! Not abandoning them completely thoguh because I am who I am.

I had a really interesting conversation with a friend this week about how we value different types of food, it started off as us talking about Ugly Delicious (watch it on Netflix) and then discussing how fascinating it is how many similarities there is in food across cultures. Noodles are definitely one of these foods. You can eat a type of noodles in almost every cuisine in the world. Please comment below or tag me on Instagram in the noodles you eat in your own culture! I could never choose a favourite. I guess if we’re talking about cultures and backgrounds here I should mention that my background is predominantly Scottish, with a little Irish, English and German rolled in the mix. And I’ve just realised I have no awareness of a traditionally British noodle, is there one?! The German’s have spatzle which I LOVE, but I can’t think of a noodle for the other three…

The other food we were discussing was dumplings and how so many cultures have their own version of dumplings: tortellini, Xiaolongbao, wonton, ravioli, pierogi, dimsim, momo, gyoza, samosa I could keep going. However, we don’t value all of these equally. So much time effort and precision goes into perfecting something like a xiaolongbao but we’re not willing to pay the same price for it in a restaurant as we are for ravioli. Why do we thing of some dumplings as cheap and others as a luxury despite the equal time, precision, skill and effort that goes into making them? We’re a weird bunch when it comes to food. So many of our preferences are ingrained in us and learnt over a long period of time, and they can be hard to shake.

This week, try and challenge one of the preconceived notions you have about food. Maybe try something you think you don’t like, another cultures version of a perennial favourite, or cook something you’ve never cooked before.

And now I feel like dumplings… time for these meal plans!

Plan A

Day 1: Creamy Pumpkin and Parmesan Pasta, this is the noodle this week!

Day 2: Chicken Prawn and Cabbage Dumplings. I couldn’t write a paragraph about dumplings and not include dumplings.

Day 3: Broccoli, Kale and Walnut Chopped Salad – add some eggs and a 1/3 cup of quinoa per person and you’ve got a delicious dinner.

Day 4: Eye Fillet Rainbow Rice Bowls – these bowls are such a favourite of mine! feel free to swa the eye fillet for your preferred protein:)

Day 5: Saffron, Leek and Scallop Risotto, this is so delicious but if scallops make it prohibitively expensive use prawns or a fillet of your favourite white fish instead.