September and Spring
It’s officially spring here in New Zealand. The weather is painfully gorgeous though the air is still chilly. It feels like autumn (fall) which is my favourite time of year. Auckland is known for her bi-polar schizo weather so I doubt it will last.
The start of the month also means a new edition of the monthly event Our Growing Edge. Please head over to here and here to it check it out. If you have a blog and enjoy trying new things in the kitchen, it’s a chance to share and celebrate your successes (and failures).
It’s been one of those uncertain weeks in terms of eating as we had family come to stay so ate out a few times and had some a meals at home.
We went grocery shopping without any idea what we were going to eat so now we’ve got to make something out of a bunch of seemingly random ingredients. No produce box delivery this week.
I made pulled pork (again) over the weekend so we’re enjoying pulled pork for a bunch of meals (again).
The food I’m planning on cooking this week and includes most dinners, a few lunches and some breakfasts.
This menu represents the slim pickings in our fridge this week, although when it’s all laid out like this, it’s not such slim pickings after all! It’s also good chance to use up freezer and pantry items. When I cook slim pickings recipes, I always think about cooking for an apocalyptic future…am I the only one?
Slim Pickings Menu
- Hoisin pulled pork with buttered baps, a bowl of crackling, baked cheesy cauliflower and salad
- Vintage Cheddar mac and cheese topped with pulled pork served with a side of coleslaw
- Pulled pork burritos with cheese, hot sauce, avocado, shredded cabbage, carrot and sour cream
- Toasted parmesan bagels with avocado and cream cheese
- Spaghetti and meatballs with rich wine and tomato sauce and a pinch of chilli flakes
- Smoked salmon risotto
- Smoked salmon, cream cheese, mushroom and black olive pizza
- Smoked salmon, roast cauliflower and quinoa salad
- Eye fillet served with buttered peas and sauteed cabbage
- Herb baked chicken drums
- Cream cheese and herb stuffed mushrooms
- Chinese Tea Eggs
- Bacon and egg toast cups (with onion, tomato paste and cheese)
- Scrambled eggs with buttery fried mushrooms on toast
- Mushroom and parmesan muffins
Bunny Eats Design 
I’m not a huge fan of going to the grocery store without a plan, it usually means that we end up with more unhealthy items and that’s always dangerous. Although, there is something to be said about being spontaneous and picking up the freshest and most delicious looking items.
Hi Eva, this is the first week in many that I haven’t had a produce box delivered. With a produce box I’m completely at the mercy of what is in season so it’s interesting to just buy a handful of produce items and going from there.
I make it a point not to shop when hungry. That seems to be the most dangerous thing for me.
We are on slim pickings this week too, using up all the freezer and cupboard bits. not my favourite dinner week.
Not my favourite, but it’s amazing the things that can be conjured up and sometimes being resourceful leads to interesting combinations that you might never have tried before. I enjoyed my roast cauli, smoked salmon quinoa and black olive salad for lunch today. I probably would never had made this if I had plenty of ingredients at my disposal. I also like feeling like I just ate a “free lunch”.
Missed this month’s but will get one in by the end of September. You must be thrilled that spring is arriving. The world is turning and we here in the Northern half are looking at all the fall/winter recipes.
That pulled pork sounds delicious!
it doesn’t read like slim pickings at all! i would love to have a week like that 😀