All That I'm Eating

Recipe ideas for budget meals, everyday cooking and a little indulgence. Travel inspiration and restaurant reviews too.

Thai Vegetable Noodle Soup

By 9 Comments

I am still making an effort to have interesting lunches. Soup is perfect at this time of year as it freezes well and just needs heating through for an (almost) instant lunch. This is my Thai Vegetable Noodle Soup and I make it with plenty of chilli. I love the heat of the chilli with the creaminess of the coconut but you can make it as hot as you like.

This is a great recipe for using up any vegetables you have in the house. I like to use a few different colours if I can to brighten up the soup a little. The lime and coriander really lift the flavours and give it a zing and freshness which is just what I want from this soup. read more

Five Minute Salmon Noodles

By 14 Comments

I blinked and it is the end of January! I can’t believe this is my first post of 2021. But these five minute salmon noodles are quite an apt recipe for now. I’ve been working from home and the appeal of toast and sandwiches has worn pretty thin. However, I don’t want to be making a time consuming lunch each day. So I started to think about food I could make in a few minutes; a few basic recipes which will add variety to my working week and be a doddle to make.

I used some sweet chilli hot smoked salmon for these noodles. It was reduced and I used it for two lunches (the other of which I’ll tell you about below). A handful of fresh vegetables, dried noodles and a soy dressing made from store cupboard ingredients are all you need for a delicious lunch in minutes. read more

Chard and Kohlrabi Stir Fry

By 16 Comments

I can’t begin to tell you how many versions of this stir fry I have made over the years. This particular chard and kohlrabi stir fry was a combination of leftover veg from the veg box and a few items I had in the cupboards. It’s really a recipe where you can change pretty much any of the ingredients to suit what you have. Using a mix of different vegetables, sauces and meat (or veggie mince or tofu) means you get something completely different every time. This particular marriage of kohlrabi and chard works really well. read more

Beef and Chard Ramen

By 13 Comments

beef ramen with chard and onions

Cooking for one somehow seems more complicated than it should be. Even though it’s just a case of halving a recipe designed for two if I’m ever cooking for myself I often find myself opting for a slice of toast rather than anything more involved. But toast isn’t really that filling for dinner and no matter how much jam you spread on I’m not sure it’ll count as one of your five a day. That’s where this simple beef and chard ramen comes in. It is easy to scale up or down, you can use almost anything that you have in your kitchen and it doesn’t take much time to put together.

Ingredients

You will need (for one):

  • 250ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp white miso paste
  • 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 noodle nest
  • 3-4 stalks rainbow chard, woody ends removed (if there are any)
  • 1 small sirloin or rump steak
  • Salt and pepper
  • Oil for cooking
  • 1 small red onion, sliced

Method

Start by making the broth. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a saucepan then stir in the miso paste and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer then pour into the bowl that you will serve the finished dish in.

Return the pan to the heat and fill with water. Bring the pan to the boil.

While you wait for the water to boil season the steak on both sides. Get a frying pan on a high heat and add a little oil, fry the steak on both sides until cooked to your liking. Remove the steak and put to one side.

Return the steak pan to a medium heat then add the onion. Cook, stirring regularly until the onion is brown at the edges.

Put the chard into a steamer that will fit above the saucepan of boiling water. Add the noodles to the water and steam the chard over the top. Leave to cook/steam for 2-3 minutes.

Drain the noodles then add to the broth with the chard and fried onions. Slice up the steak and add this to finish the dish.

I love how colourful this dish is and it’s so full of flavour; a deep saltiness from the broth, comforting carbs from the noodles, richness from the meat, a fresh earthiness from the chard and sweet caramelised flavours from the onion. Cooking the onion in the steak pan really adds to the flavour of the finished dish as the onion picks up any delicious caramelised meat juices from the pan. You could easily use chicken or tofu instead of the beef and swap the chard for kale or pak choi. A sprinkle of fresh chopped chillies or coriander over the top of the dish would add another level of freshness. A bowl of vibrancy and comfort and if you make it just for yourself you can slurp away to your heart’s content.

Vegetable Singapore Noodles

By 22 Comments

Vegetable Singapore Noodles close up

The thing I like most about these vegetable Singapore noodles is that you can throw in whatever you have left in the fridge at the end of the week. Add a few simple store cupboard staples and voila, dinner in 15 minutes. I have been perfecting this recipe for a little while now to get a good balance of sweet, salt and spice and by Jove I think I’ve cracked it. No more takeaways needed! You really can play around with this recipe too; try using different noodles or rice, different vegetables and nuts.

Ingredients

You will need (for four):

  • 4 rice noodle nests £0.90
  • Small handful unsalted peanuts £0.30
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds £0.20
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce £0.30
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine £0.30
  • 1 tsp sugar £0.02
  • Black pepper £0.02
  • 8 spring onions, ends removed and sliced £0.50
  • 2 carrots, peeled and grated £0.20
  • 8 mushrooms, finely sliced £0.40
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced £0.10
  • 1 chilli, finely sliced £0.20
  • 1 small tin sweetcorn, drained £0.50
  • 2 tsp curry powder £0.15
  • Oil for frying £0.05

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    Sticky Chilli Pork and Noodles

    By 9 Comments

    Sticky Chilli Pork

    I’m not sure quite what’s happened but all of a sudden I find myself spending over £50 a week on food shopping. I know, it’s not a shocking amount and it’s certainly less than I know other people spend but it’s twice as much as I used to spend. I didn’t really notice it creeping up over time and I haven’t really changed what I eat (less meat if anything) but it irritates me nonetheless. There’s only so many beans and lentils one person can eat in a week so thrifty meals are essential to give plenty of variation. My sticky chilli pork is quick, tasty and feeds four people for less than £6.

    You will need:

    • Oil for cooking £0.02
    • 2 pork chops £2.00
    • Salt and pepper £0.02
    • 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce £0.25
    • 4 noodle nests £1.00
    • 2-3 spring onions, sliced £0.10
    • 1 tbsp sesame seeds £0.07
    • 1 small pepper, sliced £0.60

    For the dressing:

    • 2 tsp soy sauce £0.07
    • Juice 1/2 lime £0.15
    • 1 garlic clove, crushed £0.02
    • 1 small piece ginger, peeled and grated £0.05

    Total cost: £4.35

    Cut any fat off the pork chops and slice into strips. Season with salt and pepper.

    Heat a frying pan or wok and add a little oil. Add the pork strips and fry until golden.

    While the pork is cooking cook the noodles according to packet instructions.

    Mix the ingredients for the dressing together.

    When the pork is cooked through, add the sweet chilli sauce and continue to cook until the pork is coated and glossy. The sauce will thicken a bit.

    Drain the noodles and stir the dressing through to stop them sticking.

    Serve the noodles with the pepper, spring onion and sesame seeds and top with the sticky chilli pork.

    I think this is a pretty well balanced meal; veg, carbs, protein and a little bit of naughty sweet chilli sauce on the side. For something to enjoy in the week when I want something quick and simple this is the kind of thing I cook. It is also delicious with chicken and I’m yet to try it with tofu. I’ve got a few other budget meals to see here and I’m trying to grow these recipes more and more. If you’ve got anything you’d like to see thrifty, let me know!

    Pulled Duck Ramen with Gressingham Duck

    By 17 Comments

    I really like duck; usually in a pancake with plenty of spring onion, cucumber and hoisin sauce. If it’s on a menu in a restaurant I will normally order it because I love the flavour. Gressingham (the remarkable duck people) got in touch to see if I’d like to come up with a recipe with some of their duck and I thought it was a great opportunity to have a go at cooking something I enjoy eating but don’t cook that often. Ramen is something that I find both cleansing and filling and love that you can add whatever you like to it. This pulled duck ramen is a great way to use leftover duck and is really quick and easy to make. read more

    Crispy Chilli Beef Stir Fry with Purple Kale

    By 20 Comments

    You know when only a take away will do? I get that feeling sometimes and short of actually eating said take away there’s not much else that can fulfill that craving. The issue I find is the subsequent guilt after consumption because I always order too much and somehow eat it all anyway. At least that was before I made this stir fry. This has everything I want when I’m craving a take away but using my own ingredients. I’d like to think it’s healthy but I’m not entirely convinced. read more

    Seasonal Stir Fry

    By 9 Comments

    It is almost the end of the week and time to use all that is left in the fridge to make room for all next weeks new and exciting food. Trips to delicatessens and markets have been planned in.

    I found some stir fry strips lurking in the freezer that I had bought from a lovely lady from Challow Hill Meats at the farmers’ market. This meal seems somehow to always be ready at just the right time, it all comes together precisely at the end. read more

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