Month: September 2018

Lunch

As Foodie Philip was heading home a little earlier than expected, a stop at Popeye’s became an option for lunch.

• An 11 piece pack is $14.99 and we had two pieces each, or $2.73 per serve
• Large red beans and rice is $3.99 or $2.00 per serve.

We always enjoy this meal for $4.73 per serve.

Dinner

Since we had enjoyed the lamb loin chops last time we decided to continue to take advantage of the low price (likely caused by herd reduction in drought stricken New Zealand) and had them grilled again.

We served with a salad of radicchio, olives and feta (instead of parmesan) with a balsamic drizzle, which was also very good.

• The lamb chops were $12.06 or $6.03 per serve
• The radicchio was $1.50 or 75c per serve
• Olives were $2.42 or $1.21 per serve
• Feta adds abut 25c per serve as we used a leftover piece
• Add 20c for the balsamic.

A really good meal for $8.44 per serve.

 

Lunch

For lunch we had the final two serves of Côte d’Azur with a fresh-from-the-oven rustic bread roll. Even though we were both feeling fine by today, the soup is just plain delicious.

• The soup is $4.01 per serve without ‘croutons’
• A par baked bread roll is 63c.

Lunch today was excellent for $4.64 per serve.

Dinner

We’ve had Southwest Beans and Rice quite a lot, but tonight we went further back in food history to a Pinto Bean & Andouille Sausage Stew, which is likely an ancestor to the Southwest Beans and Rice.

We followed the recipe fairly closely although we substituted a can of fire roasted tomatoes for the fresh in the recipe. We kept it moderately spicy. The recipe makes at least eight serves.

• The pinto beans were $1.19 or 15c per serve
• The pepper was $1.12 or 14c per serve
• The Bell pepper was 99c or 12c per serve
• The fire roasted tomatoes were $1.29 or 16c per serve
• The bacon was $7.99 but we used ⅜ or 38c per serve
• The sausage was $5.99 or 75c per serve
• Add 15c per serve for spices and seasoning
• Add 33c for brown rice.

This dish spans the space between a stew and a chili; served with rice, but dressed like a chili. We think it works best without the rice as there’s sufficient starch in the pinto beans, which is what we’ll do with future serves. Despite only half a sausage in each serve (and less bacon) it has a great meaty taste for $2.18 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we tried a new bread – Dave’s Killer Organic 21 Grains – that we like although a little sweet for our taste. The goal is to find a tasty bread that doesn’t need toasting and this one works.

Filled with Trader Joe’s Egg Salad and Sweet Clover Shoots, this was a pretty good sandwich, and not toasted was a nice change.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is $4.99 for the loaf of 16 slices, or 63c per serve
• Egg Salad is $3.69 for 8 oz and we had 2 oz each, or 93c per serve
• The shoots cost $2.99 and we shared ¼, or 38c per serve.

A good sandwich for $1.84 per serve.

Dinner

When you can get a pound of lamb loin chops for $11.49, there’s no excuse not to buy and grill them. We grew up with lamb chops and these from New Zealand are likely a result of herd downsizing due to drought, which drives the price down.

We paired with a salad of balsamic maserated strawberries, cucumber and feta with dolmas on the side to bulk out the meal a little.

• Lamb chops were $12.18 or $6.09 per serve
• Cucumber was 31c or 16c per serve
• Strawberries were $3.49 but we shared half, or 88c per serve
•  The tin of dolma’s is $2.49 or 55c per serve
• The Valpresso feta was $9.99 for the tin, but we used half of a 1/6 portion, or 42c per serve
• Add 50c per serve for the balsamic and seasonings.

We used the remaining strawberry balsamic mix for a dressing on the lamb chops, which were a perfect medium rare and very tasty. A simple, but great meal for $8.60 per serve.

Lunch

Back home and back into routine, we did toasted sandwiches again. First was a mustard, liverwurst and shallot, while the other was Sweet & Spicy Tuna, Swiss Cheese and shallots.

• Liverwurst works out at 40c per serve
• Shallot and mustard/aioli add 25c per serve
• The tuna was $2.00 or $1.00 per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 33c per serve
• Add 45c for butter and mayo.

Two sandwiches shared between us cost $2.75 per serve.

Dinner

With one of the Foodies a little under the weather from a bug picked up at the end of the conference trip, Foodie Greg decided on Côte d’Azur: the cure all soup!

Garlic and chicken stock thickened with egg yolks it tastes a lot more interesting than the picture above. The recipe made at least four serves and we served with Trader Joe’s Cheese Bites as croutons (not pictured).

• Six pastured brown eggs are $3.30 or 83c per serve
• A whole head of garlic went into the soup: 50c  or 13c per serve
• Organic chicken bone broth was $3.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Parmesan cost $5.49 and we used 3/5, or $1.65 per serve.
• Add 40c for herbs, oil  and seasonings
• Cheese bites cost $2.49 and we used about half, or 32c per serve.

This is an amazingly delicious soup and seems to have done it’s job as Foodie Philip is dramatically improved the morning after. Cheaper than a trip to the doctor for $4.33 per serve.

 

Lunch

As we had a day between trade show and trip home, we decided to go to the seaside at Sandvort, Netherlands. While it was a little too windy to truly enjoy, we had a good meal at Meijer, one of the many, many restaurants on the beach.

The Foodies each had a fillet steak with peppercorn/Baernaise sauces, while our friend had a club sandwich. All were good, without being outstanding, for €17.16 (US$20.25) per serve.

Dinner

Since we arrived our friend has been craving Indonesian Rijsttafel (rice table). We found a nearby restaurant that specializes in them, and tonight was the only night we could get there.

It was a generous feast of a variety of Indonesian/Sumatran dishes served with rice. We started with beef satay with a sweet soy dressing and chicken sate in a peanut sauce. The other dishes were sea bass, chicken, beef curry and stir fried vegetable.

Our friend paid for the meal.

Lunch

Shortly before the trip we ran across an article of “50 Things to Do in Amsterdam” that include de Kas restaurant, which we’d not heard about before. After determining whether the other person sharing our rented accommodation that she didn’t want to join us, we tried to book for dinner.

There were no booking left for dinner in September but we were able to get in for lunch. The restaurant is in the former Municipal Greenhouse, which has been meticulously restored.

The meal started with two, off menu, Amuse-bouche: little bites to set the tone, and they were wonderful.

The on to the main meal.

It’s rather exciting to be eating vegetables and herbs grown on the premises (or in a greenhouse nearby).

The meal was excellent. Every bit was full of flavor and well balanced. A great meal for €32.50 (US$38.35) per person.

Dinner

For a complete change of pace we went to a local (to our rented apartment) “hummus” restaurant recommended by our host. D&A Hummus also did not disappoint.

The three of us shared some hummus (of course), baked eggplant, falafel and Sinija, which is ground lamb and beef on a roasted tomato, sliced eggplant and a crispy pita zaa’ta topped with tahini and pickled onion.

A good meal for €59.50 (US$70.21) or $23.40 per person.