Yesterday I made a nice rice salad to take out with us for a picnic. I used one of those microwaveable packets that most of the supermarkets do now, I like them because they're measured portions and now come in so many different combinations and flavours. The one I used yesterday was wholegrain basmati rice with quinoa, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, really nice. I grilled 2 back bacon rashers until crisp, then snipped them into the rice. I chopped some tomatoes (sadly shop bought, our own aren't ready yet), homegrown cucumber and radishes and added all those, along with some sweetcorn. Made a quick balsamic and oil dressing and mixed in. Packed into 2 lidded bowls in our little lunch coolbag, with 2 slices of homemade date & walnut cake and a flask of coffee, it was a lovely lunch eaten at our favourite beach.
The cake was a simple quick one - I just basically made a Victoria sandwich mix, using half white/half wholemeal flour and an extra tablespoon of flour, to give the mix a bit more strength to hold the dates and nuts so they wouldn't sink to the bottom. I used Demerara sugar and less of it than is usual for a sponge mix. I always use about a third less sugar than is called for - you really can't notice the difference in taste, and husband has certainly never mentioned it.
Today's lunch salad is going to be Panzanella, as I found some ends of sourdough bread in the freezer which need using up. Again it won't be our own homegrown tomatoes, but I managed to get some nice British vine tomatoes reduced to half price yesterday. There's a red pepper going soft in the fridge to be used up too, and I'll thickly slice one of our homegrown ridge cucumbers. I'll make a balsamic and oil dressing and whisk in a spoonful of green pesto. Think I've got some salami in the freezer, so will get that out to have with it.
Salmon fillets with our own new potatoes and salad for dinner.
I have started buying the rice pouches now and then and like you say there are so many varieties, In Home Bargains they are only 49p which is very good, saves having a pan of water boiling away and all the washing up.
ReplyDeleteI have never made a panzanella Sue, I am going to give it a go. x
Hi Sue I have changed my blog name and address, I am here now. x
DeleteI love those rice pouches so much. I'd never normally faff around to make mixes like that and, OK< they are more costly that just boiling your own rice, they're not all that expensive in the wider scheme of things.
ReplyDeleteI will look up panzanella!
xx
I bought one of those rice packs once but the texture of the grains was not at all nice - similar to the 'quick cook' rice that Uncle Ben used to do, unsatisfying is what I mean. Glad you enjoy them though! Hugs. xx
ReplyDeleteYummy , I always think about something new to eat when you post a "recipe" you have whipped up. Sounds good to me.
ReplyDelete