Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Comforting foods

Getting home after being away, even if just for 4 days, is rather comforting. Familiar surroundings, a proper kitchen, and a full cupboard of clothes are nice perks of home-based living, amongst other things.

Sunday was spent doing washing, visiting the supermarket, visiting my parents, going for a walk, and generally enjoying being home and hearing what Mr Bite had been up to whilst I was gone.

In the spirit of familiarity and comfort, I thought I would share some of my recent favourite foods and food combinations. Some of these are rather basic, but I enjoy them hugely nonetheless.

Puffed Kamut. Especially with berries and almond butter.



Kamut is a variety of wheat (sometimes referred to as 'ancient wheat') that is often tolerated by those who aren't suited to regular wheat. It has 20 - 40% more protein than regular wheat, and includes more vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

I like it plain and with toppings, for breakfast and for snacking.


Flavoured rice crackers with various sides for weekend lunches.

Lemon pepper wholegrain rice crackers with a drizzle of almond butter, a mandarin, and side salad

 

Mediterranean flavoured rice crackers, carrot, Special K fruit & nut blend (new!) with strawberries

I'm conscious these may not be the most balanced lunches, but my weekend breakfasts are often late - and come lunch time I want variety more than substance. The satisfying crunch of rice crackers pleases me greatly, even if the salt content of some flavours does not.


Fruit. This is always a favourite, but strawberries, apples (I'm a Pink Lady fan) and pears seem particularly good at the moment.






Sweet potato. Done just about anyway at all.



Carob. I like adding carob powder to yoghurt or oats, and enjoy the Lewis carob blocks as an alternative to chocolate.

 




What are your current favourites stand-by foods? Or the things you miss the most when away from home?

I also updated my Books page on Sunday, with the following additions: Inverted World (Christopher Priest), Revelation (S. J. Sansom), and The Lady Elizabeth (Alison Weir). All were good!

24 comments:

  1. Hi Kari! Your healthy snacks give me good ideas and renewed resolve to stop eating all the crap I snack on! Is almond butter very soft? Sweet or savory?

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  2. Welcome home! There's nothing quite like the feeling of that first night in your own bed, is there? :-)

    I adore Pink Lady apples too. Sliced PLs with natural yoghurt to dip into is one of my fave snacks.

    Oh, and I've never heard of kamut! I'll have to try it. Do you get it at health food stores?

    x

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  3. Comfort foods are tough for me, being a diabetic. Peanut butter, thankfully, is low carb enough to eat and easy to take on any travels!

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  4. This is the first time I've heard of Kamut - sounds so good and will have to give it a try. I adore sweet potatoes just now, too. Too difficult your question: still in holiday mode and so the brain isn't in gear, I'm afraid. I honestly didn't miss ANYTHING for once. Well, yes, except my bed in the end.

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  5. Ooh - I love that feeling of arriving home and settling in. Welcome back!

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  6. @Mrs Bok - The Bok Flock
    Oh don't worry, plenty of less healthy foods feature too ;)

    Almond butter is quite soft - softer than peanut butter I find. And it sits right at the interface of sweet and savoury! It pairs well with foods in either category (and is quite delicious on its own...)

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  7. @Brooke
    Thank you :)

    I actually find the kamut at my local supermarket (Coles), albeit in their health food section. It's the Abundant Earth brand, and they do a variety of puffed things - I suspect health food stores would stock it too?

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  8. @Carolyn
    And has the added advantage of being well-suited to just about any scenario :)

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  9. @Jill Colonna
    That sounds like the perfect holiday - if you only missed your bed, it must have been a dream trip. I hope the settling back in doesn't prove too painful!

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  10. Getting home after a break is the best. I love to walk around barefoot, somehow it just feels better than walking barefoot in a place that is not your own.

    I'm right there with you on pink lady apples (I've got one to have with lunch) and strawberries, they are great at the moment.

    I've been going through a porridge phase while the weather is cold, it has been a lovely start to the day, but as the weather warms up I'm returning to the old faithful weetbix.

    Other than that I have a current obsession with apricot delight. I know it is packed with sugar but I just can't get enough at the moment.

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  11. I'm loving carob myself at the moment, and almond butter is always a winner! I would also liek to add "a familiar shower" to your list of "nice to return home to" items :)

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  12. Welcome back to the comfort of your home. I've never tired kamut puffed or otherwise, and i am so envious at the choice of rice crackers you have there.

    You make me so guilty with you 'healthy eats'. I need to incorporate this more into my diet, but when its feeling nippy, its the last thing the crosses my mind :( yet I know it would do the world of good for me :)

    PS the sweet potatoes will be on the menu soon thought.

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  13. @Lisa
    Weetbix will always have a place in my heart :) As will oats for that matter.

    I am a sucker for sweet fruit things actually. I don't like lollies, but apricot delight-type products are winners!

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  14. @Hannah
    How could I forget the shower?! Especially after getting off a plane, when I feel about as disgusting as one can feel. There is definitely something about one's own bathroom that is comforting :)

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  15. @Shaheen
    I think I've come across as healthier than intended in this post! I should have included chocolate too :)

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  16. I love puffed rice as well as kamut, but I think I tend to go for cereal like things as a comfort food! Bring on the carbs!

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  17. I love that photo of the rice crackers and mandarins - just gorgeous - and I am a bit fan of rice crackers - though am going through a corn cruskits phase right now - and I am with you on the fruit - though I don't always eat as much as I intend but have been big on apples and pears lately

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  18. oooh I am loving quinoa as a stape at the moment!

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  19. Knowing the heat, the pressure, who's been doing what in it... :P

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  20. @Johanna GGG
    Thank you - I wish I could manage to time all my photos with that sort of lighting :) I'm a fan of cruskits too, although I find they go stale a bit quickly if I'm not careful (I guess that's a good reason to eat them quickly though...).

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  21. @Hannah
    Miss Hannah! :D This comment really made me laugh when it popped up in my inbox!

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