megj's Profile

I would bring a grain and veggie salad in a jar or tupperware. It's relatively easy and quiet to eat and if you bring a good sized portion, will keep you full for a very long time. I would probably make something like quinoa with avocado, red onion and halved cherry tomatoes, dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and some big chunks of feta (for extra protein). I also really like the ideas above for hardboiled eggs. You could do a ploughman style lunch with hardboiled eggs, slices of salami/proscuitto, some cheese and a piece of fruit. I would definitely aim for a lunch with a good amount of fiber and lean(ish) protein to keep your energy level relatively steady and your stomach full so you can focus fully on the test.

In addition to whatever you bring for lunch I would definitely bring some bags of snacks too. Trail mix would be a good option for test energy because it gives you a little sugar bump right away with the chocolate and also more lasting energy from dried fruit and nuts.

i don't know what it's intended for, but I would use it is a pizza pan- the holes would allow for air circulation, making an especially crispy crust.

I do tomatoes (often shakshuka) in my new-ish cast iron dutch oven all the time, and yes, it does damage the seasoning (like ambored notes, the finish turns dull). But it tastes fine and I'm hoping that as the dutch oven gets older and i build up a better seasoning the tomato dishes will be less of a problem.

I also try to treat it really well after i do a tomato dish by drying it on the stovetop and wiping a layer of oil into the dish while it's over the heat for a little TLC.

I have an enameled steel copco tea kettle from target. I got my first one when i graduated from high school and moved into my first apartment. It lasted for 5 years (and through just as many moves) until one of my roommates accidentally boiled it dry, at which point the enamel started chipping off. I replaced it with another that's still going strong. Plus, it only cost me $15. Target doesn't seem to have the exact model I use online but this one looks similar:

http://www.target.com/p/copco-red-apple-teakettle/-/A-10808771#prodSlot=medium_1_29&term=tea+kettle

I'm also a meat eater who doesn't eat meat very often (for a combination of budget, time and health reasons, and also because i just really like most vegetables). I agree w/ cthom19. Veggie dishes that aren't trying to imitate or replace meat will be a lot more satisfying. Search for recipes that look delicious and happen to be vegetarian, rather than recipes that are specifically created as a vegetarian dish.

I'm surprised none of the comments so far have mentioned eggs. Eggs are perfect for this kind of cooking. You can put a poached or friend egg on top of almost anything and it starts to feel more like a meal. Try roasted sweet potatoes/ parsnips/ carrots/ beets on top of sauteed greens with an egg or two on top. Quiches and frittatas also make a satisfying meal, especially with some cheese mixed in and a side salad.

Indian food tends to have a lot of delicious and very satisfying meals that also happen to be vegetarian like aloo gobi, saag paneer and chana masala.

Since you both eat meat, you could also try using meat as a condiment rather than the primary dish to reduce your intake but still satisfy your boyfriend. Things like a quiche with a little ham or sausage thrown in or a pasta salad with some chopped bacon might work for both of you.

If all else fails, make a vegetarian dish for both of you, but fry up a sausage or heat up some frozen meatballs to go on top of your boyfriend's portion.

Here are some recipes that I particularly like:

http://www.themeaningofpie.com/2012/03/roasted-cauliflower-with-herb-sauce/

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/11/swiss-chard-and-sweet-potato-gratin/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/health/nutrition/30recipehealth.html?_r=0

I also make a lot of vegetarian pizza, using pre-made dough from the store, caramelized onions and whatever veggies i have on hand (often zucchini and mushrooms). I like to pile as many veggies as possible onto the pizza. Another favorite (and very transportable) meal is homemade vegetarian freezer burritos: 10 inch flour tortillas, rice, black beans, roasted veggies (sweet potatoes and onions are delicious), salsa and shredded cheese, wrap it all up in tin foil and stick it in the freezer.

Thanks so much for this question! I'm still figuring this out too. Lately I've had a little more luck, which probably has something to do with the fact that my cast iron is now a year old (pre-seasoned definitely doesn't mean fully seasoned).

I also bought one of those plastic scraping thingers- they look like a little plastic credit card with a ridge where you can grasp it and a scraping edge. I take off any stuck bits with that (kosher salt scrub if that doesn't do it) then rinse the pan out. I dry it out then put it on the stove top w/ the heat on to finish drying. Once it's dry, with the heat still on, I oil it and wipe the oil around using a paper towel held by tongs. I've found that this helps- it's like a little mini seasoning after every cleaning.

definitely the shredding disk. if you're using the regular blade (which my mom does all the time) pulse it and watch carefully so you don't get to the point where it starts clumping up- it'll be in little crumbles but it works just fine for any recipe that calls for shredded or grated cheese.

I've found that meal planning really helps. It doesn't have to be anything intricate, but sitting down before or after grocery shopping and coming up w/ a loose plan of how you intend to finish off all the ingredients is really helpful; both in terms of reducing food waste and overcoming 'why bother.'

That being said, it's important to be realistic about what you'll actually have time and energy to do. My meal planning usually means a lot of meals that are assembled rather than cooked from scratch. Frozen veggies, pre-cooked grains, and raw veggies make frequent appearances, usually alongside some protein that doesn't need a lot of intricate prepping/cooking. For example, tonight I plan to make (assemble) pre-cooked chicken sausage and marinated beans (both of which I made last night when I had some time and energy) on top of salad greens.

I like the idea of a cheese board, maybe with some honey alongside and some savory herbed shortbread?

I also think strawberry shortcake would be a great idea- you can use a biscuit recipe that isn't very sweet (I like smitten kitchen's cream biscuits) and you barely have to sweeten the strawberries, just a touch of sugar and lemon juice will get them to macerate. Top it with unsweetened whipped cream and you have treat that will satisfy anyone's dessert craving without very much sweetness.

I live on my own and I just got myself a 12inch lodge cast iron. While the 12 inch is definitely a little bit big for one person, i consider it an investment piece that I'll (hopefully) have for the rest of my life. i can also cook an entire meal in that one skillet at the same time- meat/protein on one side and veggies on the other. Or I can cook a really big batch of something that i want to freeze or save for lunches. remember to consider the size of your kitchen too. My kitchen is really small and finding space for my skillet was a challenge.