How many items on a plate?

[CWS4322]

Have you thought about making a large batch of some kind of dish you prefer once a week or so and eating some of that along with what you're making for your parents? I realize that would be extra work and you're under a lot of stress, but having something you really enjoy available might help reduce some of that stress. Just a thought.

My big meal is breakfast. I make a big pot of Tex-Mex beans every week and make my breakfast salad with lots of hot sauce. I make lunch and supper for them, but I generally don't eat more than once a day. However, tonight I am making walleye and Mom and I will eat that. If she doesn't eat hers--ITS MINE!!!!!

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I'm enjoying your pics, kgirl.
... snipped ....

Mahalo, thanks Cheryl, it's hard to take a BAD photo in Hawaii.

Ah, yes, I remember now that macaroni salad is a must for the Hawaiian plate lunch -- and the white rice. IIRC, top that rice with a burger patty, a fried egg and some gravy, and you have a loco moco.

CD

Mac Salad is quintessential, but you can opt for veg and/or green salad (usually with french dressing) now-a-days, but yeah, gotta have my rice! Several joints offer 1-4 choices of proteins, YUM!!
And yes, you do recall correctly sir. Loco Moco is another type of a "plate lunch" choice, MOST ONO (aka DELICIOUS)!!! Brown or Curry gravy is another staple believe it or not in Hawaii.

Rice, macaroni, potatoes and corn - quite the carb-fest Here in the South, there would be a mess o' collards or some other cooked leaves on the plate [emoji38]

GG, the carb-heavy meals in Hawaii came from basically the same as many other immigrate cultures across America. The Non-Hawaiian population mostly came to Hawaii as labor for Sugar and Pineapple, and needed the energy to make it through those hot and humid long days in the fields (I could tell you some interesting stories about how food and culture changed over the years with the different peoples trying to work and live together). Now, as times have progressed, we are realizing that you need to sub out alot of those carbs for more healthful choices. Personally, I LOVE greens/veggies and had to convince DH that he likes them too

 

[Addie]

About 35-40 years ago I had ulcers eating away at my ulcers. Into surgery. The surgeon removed the little pouch at the bottom of my stomach. And he severed all the nerves that produce acid and the nerve (vargas nerve) that tells me when I am hungry. It took me about six months before I could live with the changes in my diet. No foods that have a skin on them or are raw. Peppers, lettuce, and a lot of other foods were on the no-no list.

Over the years I ate mostly meats and carbs that had no skin. And boy did I gain weight. I still don't ever get hunger pangs. But the only reason I do eat is because "I miss the act of chewing." Otherwise I can go days without eating any solids at all. And I have done that on more than one occasion. Since I have retired, I find that I miss cooking for a family.

I love to cook. But baking is really my passion. Being a diabetic I don't eat what I bake. Anything I make goes right out the door to any one of the residents in the building or to my daughter's home. I love veggies, but can't eat the ones I really love. No more raw celery or carrots, or a really good kitchen sink salad. Sometimes I will cook up a large mess of just the tops of broccoli. For me that is a whole meal. If I should have some protein, I cut back of the broccoli. For me a full meal consists of a spoonful of two veggies and a small piece of protein. If the protein is one that I love like Haddock fish, I will forgo the veggies and fill up on the fish.

One day I got the bright idea that I could eat some lettuce if I just let the dressing soak in until it is nice and soft and if I break it up into small pieces. Painful lesson learned. I won't be repeating that with lettuce or any other veggie I should never put in my mouth.

 

[Mad Cook]

Surely the point of a one-pot meal is that it has everything (ie protein+assorted veg+gravy/sauce) in the one pot, eg shepherd's pie, lasagne, a casserole or stew (made from scratch rather than the sort made from left-overs), etc. Saves washing up but it doesn't mean you're losing out on any nutrients if it's managed properly. By all means add bread and salad but why bother if everything you need is in the dish already.

 

[GotGarlic]

Surely the point of a one-pot meal is that it has everything (ie protein+assorted veg+gravy/sauce) in the one pot, eg shepherd's pie, lasagne, a casserole or stew (made from scratch rather than the sort made from left-overs), etc. Saves washing up but it doesn't mean you're losing out on any nutrients if it's managed properly. By all means add bread and salad but why bother if everything you need is in the dish already.

Historically, the point of a one-pot meal is ease of cooking it. Not all one-pot meals are all that healthy. With lasagna, for example, the only vegetables typically are tomatoes, onions and garlic, and there's more pasta and cheese in relation to the vegetables. Not very balanced.

When I'm thinking about dinner, I try to balance the nutritional elements well. Sometimes I get lazy, but it balances out pretty well in the end.

 

[Mad Cook]

Historically, the point of a one-pot meal is convenience of cooking it. Not all one-pot meals are all that healthy. With lasagna, for example, the only vegetables typically are tomatoes, onions and garlic, and there's more pasta and cheese in relation to the vegetables. Not very balanced.

When I'm thinking about dinner, I try to balance the nutritional elements well. Sometimes I get lazy, but it balances out pretty well in the end.

Depends on your lasagna recipe. In any case surely its up to us to use our common sense and adapt our recipes with an eye to healthy eating.

Yesterday, for breakfast I had fruit, cereal and semi-skimmed milk. for lunch I had a huge bowl of home-made veg soup with, IIRC, 7 vegetables in it. For dinner I had lasagna as it happens - two layers of lasagna sheets, with tomatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, onions, mushrooms, ground beef, chicken livers wine, home made beef stock, sauce with two sorts of cheese, bechamel sauce (semi-skimmed milk) & seasonings (my Italian neighbour's recipe). All in one pot. Didn't need or want, salad, bread or anything else with it. It all fitted in to the Slimming World plan, well within my "syns" & "healthy extras" allowances and I don't think any of it was unbalanced.

By the way, I've lost 12 pounds in the last few weeks on SW

 

[GotGarlic]

Depends on your lasagna recipe. In any case surely its up to us to use our common sense and adapt our recipes with an eye to healthy eating.

Yesterday, for breakfast I had fruit, cereal and semi-skimmed milk. for lunch I had a huge bowl of home-made veg soup with, IIRC, 7 vegetables in it. For dinner I had lasagna as it happens - two layers of lasagna sheets, with tomatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, onions, mushrooms, ground beef, chicken livers wine, home made beef stock, sauce with two sorts of cheese, bechamel sauce (semi-skimmed milk) & seasonings (my Italian neighbour's recipe). All in one pot. Didn't need or want, salad, bread or anything else with it. It all fitted in to the Slimming World plan, well within my "syns" & "healthy extras" allowances and I don't think any of it was unbalanced.

By the way, I've lost 12 pounds in the last few weeks on SW

Obviously I'm referring to the classic Italian-American lasagna recipe. Of course it's up to us, etc., etc. Some people do, some people don't. I'm just talking about what I do, which was the original question.

 

[caseydog]

MMM I used to be friends with bread. I miss bread. MMM bread.
I could, in a previous life, been, a bread-a-tarian.

I can eat fresh bread and drink good coffee for breakfast any day. It is one of the things I really enjoy in Europe.

CD

 

[caseydog]

About 35-40 years ago I had ulcers eating away at my ulcers. Into surgery. The surgeon removed the little pouch at the bottom of my stomach. And he severed all the nerves that produce acid and the nerve (vargas nerve) that tells me when I am hungry. It took me about six months before I could live with the changes in my diet. No foods that have a skin on them or are raw. Peppers, lettuce, and a lot of other foods were on the no-no list.

Over the years I ate mostly meats and carbs that had no skin. And boy did I gain weight. I still don't ever get hunger pangs. But the only reason I do eat is because "I miss the act of chewing." Otherwise I can go days without eating any solids at all. And I have done that on more than one occasion. Since I have retired, I find that I miss cooking for a family.

I love to cook. But baking is really my passion. Being a diabetic I don't eat what I bake. Anything I make goes right out the door to any one of the residents in the building or to my daughter's home. I love veggies, but can't eat the ones I really love. No more raw celery or carrots, or a really good kitchen sink salad. Sometimes I will cook up a large mess of just the tops of broccoli. For me that is a whole meal. If I should have some protein, I cut back of the broccoli. For me a full meal consists of a spoonful of two veggies and a small piece of protein. If the protein is one that I love like Haddock fish, I will forgo the veggies and fill up on the fish.

One day I got the bright idea that I could eat some lettuce if I just let the dressing soak in until it is nice and soft and if I break it up into small pieces. Painful lesson learned. I won't be repeating that with lettuce or any other veggie I should never put in my mouth.

It is a shame how ulcers used to be treated. Now, you take some pills and they heal right up. My grandfather went through multiple rounds of surgeries, my dad took pills.

CD

 

[Addie]

I never use those in stew. Neither of us likes turnips or rutabagas and when I use parsnips in addition to carrots, the result is too sweet.

I have to agree that parsnips are a very sweet veggie. It is like having a delicious and in the middle of it you are eating dessert. But I do love turnips.

My mother used to mash my taters with my turnips slices. And I still do it today. And I raised my kids on that procedure also. Carrots, turnips and 'taters all mashed together on your plate with some S&P and a big pat of butter. My husband wanted to know why I just didn't put all the three veggies in one big bowl and mash them all together. Because each kid thought I was doing it just for them. It gave each of them individual attention. Sure it was more work for me, but I didn't mind.

When I made a N.E. Boiled Dinner, it was the same veggies as the pot roast. Except the boiled dinner also had cabbage.