Food Before and After Photos

[GreenTealael 25,439]

8 hours ago, ms.sss said:

thanks google for telling what tarta de santiagos are, lol

i've made many an almond cake/cookie/tart with sugar substitutes. i've had the best luck with the coarser or granulated versions of Monk Fruit sweeteners.

i've also just reduced the amount of real sugar by half and replacing with ½ amount of left out sugar with of almond flour. works great...and still delicious!

I didn’t know what they were either. I just assume everyone has more foodie knowledge than me and I’m just trying to play catch up 🤣

Oh and great tips! I always have trouble with substitute flours and sugars in baked goods. This winter I may return to baking again. Thanks

Edited July 30, 2024 by GreenTealael

[GreenTealael 25,439]

20 hours ago, Tomo said:

Happy Birthday! That cake is so cool

Thank you! It was a good one 🤣

[Lilia_90 519]

Fixed myself a small bowl of sugar free belgian chocolate ice cream (it’s super good), I crushed one pistachio chocolate Protein ball on top and 3 roasted salted cashews. Had exactly 3 bites (mainly the protein ball and cashews) and started feeling sick and passed it to the hubby. I don’t even know how many calories I ate Lol.

[GreenTealael 25,439]

13 hours ago, Lilia_90 said:

Fixed myself a small bowl of sugar free belgian chocolate ice cream (it’s super good), I crushed one pistachio chocolate Protein ball on top and 3 roasted salted cashews. Had exactly 3 bites (mainly the Protein ball and cashews) and started feeling sick and passed it to the hubby. I don’t even know how many calories I ate Lol.

That’s too bad 😢

I can’t imagine it was more that 100 cals since it’s a sugar free ice cream.

[Arabesque 7,442]

Bought a slow cooker and this is its first outing: beef cheeks. Two huge 400+g (almost a pound) each cheeks. Had to cut them into quarters after a couple of hours (and they were more tender) otherwise they still would’ve been cooking today. 😉 Forgot the mushrooms so added them a couple of hours in. Supposed to blend the stock & vegetables & simmer to reduce for a gravy but I couldn’t be bothered last night when it was ready. I’ll freeze several portions for future meals.

[Spinoza 1,453]

I absolutely adore beef cheeks. The most tender meat ever, if properly cooked. I can't get them with the tough sinew pre-removed any more so have to do that myself (think - hatchet job, LOL!)

I cook them verrrrry slowly in a Bourgogne sauce - always. Favourite dinner. Yours looks lush Arabesque. 😍

[GreenTealael 25,439]

19 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Bought a slow cooker and this is its first outing: beef cheeks. Two huge 400+g (almost a pound) each cheeks. Had to cut them into quarters after a couple of hours (and they were more tender) otherwise they still would’ve been cooking today. 😉 Forgot the mushrooms so added them a couple of hours in. Supposed to blend the stock & vegetables & simmer to reduce for a gravy but I couldn’t be bothered last night when it was ready. I’ll freeze several portions for future meals.

Ooooo very nice!

When my children were young I used a large slow cooker almost daily. I would set up the meal in the morning before we left and return home to dinner being ready. It had the option for warming or auto off after the timer ran out (instead of keeping it in warm mode) That was very helpful if we were returning later than expected. It was wonderful. Now I have a tiny one that I’ve never used and probably never will 🤣.

[GreenTealael 25,439]

Turkey meat ball sub w/ basil oil

[Arabesque 7,442]

4 hours ago, Spinoza said:

I absolutely adore beef cheeks. The most tender meat ever, if properly cooked. I can't get them with the tough sinew pre-removed any more so have to do that myself (think - hatchet job, LOL!)

I cook them verrrrry slowly in a Bourgogne sauce - always. Favourite dinner. Yours looks lush Arabesque. 😍

That sinew is the worst! I started hacking at it too but gave up. After a couple of hours of cooking it cut through like butter and no sign of it since. Think it melted away. So maybe just leave it & see if it cooks out for you too.

My sauce was pretty much a Bourgogne sauce too except I did one cup red wine & 2 cups stock (1 chicken 1 beef) instead of 2 cups red wine & 1 of stock, plus carrots, onions, celery, garlic, fresh parsley, fresh chives, dried thyme & bayleaves. They were delicious. Froze four individual meals & will have the last of it as the third meal tonight.

4 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Ooooo very nice!

When my children were young I used a large slow cooker almost daily. I would set up the meal in the morning before we left and return home to dinner being ready. It had the option for warming or auto off after the timer ran out (instead of keeping it in warm mode) That was very helpful if we were returning later than expected. It was wonderful. Now I have a tiny one that I’ve never used and probably never will 🤣.

My sister-in-law puts hers on in the morning too and comes home in the late afternoon to dinner cooked. Hers is huge to feed their family of 7. They use it a lot. I bought my mum a little one probably like yours which barely fits in 2 teeny tiny lamb shanks which is why I didn’t buy myself one - too small even for just me. Happy when I found this 5.5 litre (11.6pints) in between size.

[Spinoza 1,453]

On 8/1/2024 at 4:27 AM, Arabesque said:

Happy when I found this 5.5 litre (11.6pints) in between size.

That's my size - family of 4 here though. 🤩 I have done beef cheek in various ways. Even with the pesky tough sinew in - although - TEXTURE!!!

[ms.sss 15,725]

On 7/30/2024 at 11:02 PM, Arabesque said:

Bought a slow cooker and this is its first outing: beef cheeks. Two huge 400+g (almost a pound) each cheeks. Had to cut them into quarters after a couple of hours (and they were more tender) otherwise they still would’ve been cooking today. 😉 Forgot the mushrooms so added them a couple of hours in. Supposed to blend the stock & vegetables & simmer to reduce for a gravy but I couldn’t be bothered last night when it was ready. I’ll freeze several portions for future meals.

i loove my slow cooker (and its close cousins, the instant pot and my trusty rice cooker!)

*remembers that there are ribs in the basement freezer and makes mental note to defrost them so i can make my slow cooker ribs...yummmmmm*

[Arabesque 7,442]

Made meatloaf for the first time ever. It’s not something we traditionally make in Australia but decided to, give it a go. Of course I didn’t follow the recipe exactly - do I ever 😁. Added lentils, used Tomato paste & balsamic vinegar for the glaze, added carrots & celery to the mix and used panko crumbs. Will be lots of portions to freeze!

Edited August 7, 2024 by Arabesque

[sillykitty 10,776]

These tortillas are tiny but delicious!

[GreenTealael 25,439]

On 8/18/2024 at 7:44 PM, sillykitty said:

These tortillas are tiny but delicious!

Ok I love this size! I’d rather have 3 small tortillas than cutting a large one into 3 pieces. That’s weird right?

[ms.sss 15,725]

Tonight's dinner...a little bit of something from everyone's Japanese take out order!

clockwise from top:

- sushi rice with bbq eel & unagi sauce & Japanese omelette
- chicken karate with spicy sauce
- 1 takoyaki (octopus fritter)

estimating 350 cals for the plate, i ate it all!

i also had an espresso martini (not shown) - 141 cals - beforehand!

oh, and one marzipan confection (shown below, isn't it adorable?!?!?) - 133 cals - afterwards!

so...for those keeping track, that adds up to 624 calories total