First entry:
I am going to be using this journal as my accountability tool, So for those who read beware. Not going to be much excitement, just day to day struggles.
However if you choose to read my journal and want to give me some feedback, tips or encouragement I am really appreciative of it.
However, I will try to give the reader a few things in return for indulging me:
1: I am a great cook, and will try to include a recipe with every post. This will not be super cheap. But cheap for the meal you are getting.
2: When I learn something, so will you.
3: I will in general share stuff I find awesome, and hopefully so will you.
This journal will probably be updated a few times a week as day to day does not hold enough content to merit writing.
Today I woke up late by a call from my cousin. I was sleeping in and the time was 09:00, I turned around in my bed thinking something to the effect of "You absolute lazy fuck, class started an hour ago!" Well, I guess I might as well get up and cook something. I did my shopping for one week on Saturday, but looking at my fridge and freezer it looks like it contains about two weeks worth of great food.
I got some breaded fish from the store on Saturday for cheap. I had some 7 months old french fries in the freezer and some frozen peas. So I naturally did not let the opportunity for fish and chips pass me by. I made two portions and put the leftovers in a baking safe dish. No need to worry about lunch tomorrow.
It is now about 11:00 and I need to start some university work, after about half an hour of important television I start finishing my assignment. I am spending the day at home so I can do laundry and sporadically clean my room in between studying. I know this is not optimal, but my ADHD brain need`s frequent breaks. (If anyone here got through university with good grades and ADHD....help)
Goals for today:
- Finishing my first assignment in accounting.
- Lay groundwork and plan the second assignment
- Read 20 pages of weapons of math destruction. (I have a goal to read 5 books this year that are not related to school)
- Half an hour run
- Meditate for 10 minutes.
- Clean my room
- Wash my clothes
- Don`t spend any money.
I am having a rough first week of only shopping once per week. I don`t miss food that much. But I am fighting the impulse to go buy food I suddendly want. I am really craving reindeer and lingonberry cream in a wrap with veggies, Nice and healthy. (Reasonably cheap at about 5,- per portion for dinner)
But I have food that will go bad if I go buy that, so it will have to wait until at least next week. So I am going to make a list of cravings at the bottom so that I can go back to check next week if I want to indulge any of them. I will also add the recipe for my reindeer wrap if anyone is interested.
Before next week I will post a weekly menu of a broke student and combine it with a shopping list and budget for that week. Today I am having my dinner for free at the salvation army. It`s not a soup kitchen, but a cooking club. So I will be enjoying great food and the company of new people. I want to meet them to see if they need help cooking for the poor people here. (I get to do my hobby and help people, now that is value!)
On Saturday me and a few friends are hosting a boys night. We are cooking artisan sour dough pizzas and having a few beers. As opposed to going out this evening will probably cost me less than 20,-.
So I will have to get back to my schoolwork, thank you for reading.
Reindeer wrap:
Meat:
- 50 grams frozen Reindeer in thin strips (Any wild game will work here)
- spices: Salt, pepper, dried time, fresh grated died garlic, chilli powder and a hint of smoked paprika. (Also use whatever you like.
)
- Butter for cooking. (Don`t get shitty margarine, real butter cost more. But the health benefit of good butter and oils are huge.)
- Mushrooms (Prefferably wild)
- Carrots
- Onions (Preffered: sharlots or red onion)
- Mild chilli
- garlic
Filling:
- Big taco wraps (Tortilla)
- Fresh salad (preferably something with decent crunch, kale is also a good option)
- Fresh time herb
Lingonberry cream:
- Lingonberry jam
- sour cream
- salt and pepper
- olive oil until thin like ranch dressing (Can also use mayonnaise, but I like oil better)
Note: Lingonberry jam may be hard to find, but is the only part that can`t be substituted. If you live somewhere it grows I highly recommend picking it. You can make the jam and sell it. If not it has a long self life and goes with anything savory as a sweet side.
Step 1: Mise en place.
To become a great chef you need to learn the most fundamental lesson of cooking, everything has a place. And everything should be in it`s place.
Finely chop Mushroom, half a carrot, half a chilli (I include the seed, they melt and give flavor) and one garlic clove.
Cook everything together in the pan with a pinch of salt so it releases water and firms up a bit. (You don`t want to much water in the wrap)
I season the mix after the meat has a bit of color and the vegetables has lost a bit of water. So I don`t burn the spices.
Step 2: Finishing step 1
While everything is cooking you prep the wrap and sauce. I take the kale of its stem, roll it up and cut it into ribbons.
Then I just mix all the ingredients for lingonberry cream and season to taste. (I have not put in amounts because I cook by feel, and so should you.)
Step 3: Assembly
Just heat the tortilla in the oven for a few minutes and start by putting lingonberry cream, then kale and finish with the mix, Enjoy it warm.
Cravings:
- Reindeer wraps (We had a food festival, and I loved it and been craving them since. They cost about 30,- to eat out, and 5,- to make at home)
- Coca cola (I have a serious addiction to soda, it has made me fat and unhappy, but now that I quit withdraw is a bitch)
- I wanna go out to eat, but I am trying to stop.
