The things we do to make us go mmmmmm!

Hello little group of wise oldies and us many fresh newbies!

Forgive me, I am sure there is a thread already about this.. so please feel free to rap my knuckles.:whoopass:

I have noticed a lot recently as I have been lurking about on the forum, all the many different, weird and wonderful and rather yummy scrummy delicious ways we are all adopting in order to make the space food a little more palatable, or to vary the textures.

I was thinking maybe we could pull them together on one thread, especially for us newbies, and draw on the experience of the inspirational oldies

It could be our own al a carte dining section. Or a All you can eat buffet of yummy.

I know dietkitty has a rather lovely idea about adding cinnamon and mirco nuking:coffee: and isis has her herbs and spices, me, I freeze half a strawberry shake, drinking the rest, to make something to nibble on (avoiding the word lick) in the evenings when my hunger pangs are the greatest...If you lovely ladies could describe it some more.

So take it away chefs and cooks xxxx

and thanking you so much in advance.

I have made a small dish off custard out of half a shake pack. You add more water than a shmuffin and nuke it for 30 seconds (depending in your microwave) I have done it with choc and banana so far and it was scrummy!

All these additives to the shakes and soups. Being a man and all I just drink them the way they are and quite enjoy all of them.

I like to feel like I am cooking, as I love cooking. It is all very psychological. But it is working and I am loving it

people on the cd diet make there soups to a paste and put blob on bake sheet and spread out to make crisps in oven, don;t know if they work but worth a try.

Well I have been a busy little dumpy one..
I have been searching the forums and having a little noisy around picking the brains of experienced vlcd-ers

Below is a mixture of ideas, mostly gleaned from the wise old owls on the cambridge forum. However I am sure with a little tweaking and mixing and trial and error we may be able to convert our very own space food packs.

I just want to say LOUD AND CLEAR I am definitely not wanting to encourage anyone else to do this! Clearly the shakes are designed to be eaten, or drunk, as shakes. But if you really don't like shakes, or the hunger pangs and the need for a different texture or solid food is overwhelming, then this may be one way of dealing with it. Please make sure you are still taking on lots of the delicious H2O.

Another CAUTION (found for Cambridge,but I am sure needs to be taken into account for us is... it is recommended that you only "cook" one food pack per day as the cooking process, even for a short time, does break down the vital vitamins and nutrients within the packs.

Note: The very lovely experienced people say.. All of these recipes take a bit of practice to perfect so don't worry if they don't turn out as you expect the first time.

And so.. here we go!!
I Got these off another forum, these are not my ideas and my thanks goes to sorus diet kitty betty boo skinny jan and fuzzys angel

First is an Exante Shmuffin Thanks sorus and diet kitty.



Put 2 dessertspoons of boiling water into a ramekin (or whatever you have - thick mug or similar) then mix the shake powder in really thoroughly. (about 2 desert spoons to begin with - you can add more later if necessary) Then microwave for one minute. It comes out like a warm, chewy, moist cake.

if it looks a bit soggy in the middle put it back for about 10 seconds or so.

A coffee one can be made by dissolving half a teaspoon of coffee granules in boiling water before adding the shake powder. You can also add a tiny bit of Splenda, or another sweetner.



Ice Cream
Put 11 ice cubes in a smoothie maker and crush the ice. Add a food pack and a small amount of water (about 2 tbsp) and liquidise for 5 mins. You end up with a big bowl of "ice cream".

Smoothie
Place 10-16 ice cubes (depending on your preference), a pint of water, and your food pack in a smoothie maker and blend for approx. 3 mins. Makes about 2 pints of delicious cold frothy whatever flavour you like.

Bar of Chocolate!
You can make chocolate out of a chocolate pack . Mix the pack with a bit of water until you have a thick paste, then spread on some tin foil and put in the freezer for an hour or more. It really tastes quite like chocolate! BUT looks a little like.. ermmm.. something less tasty!

Variation: Use half chocolate and half vanilla for a Mars bar!


Chocolate Biscuit
Put sparkling water into a chocolate pack (3tbls give and take) and then add a pinch of salt. Put this on a piece of greaseproof paper, round it into a biscuit shape and bake it in the microwave for about 2.30 minutes. The result is a crunchy chocolaty biscuit with a "dunking" texture.


Chocolate Fudge
1 packet of chocolate
1/4 cup of hot water
2 or more sweeteners
1tsp of coffee (if you like)

Mix well - it should look like a thick chocolate soup. Microwave it for 2 minutes. It comes out as a thick gooey mess, which tastes like fudge!

Lollies
Mix whatever sweet flavour pack you like with 200-300mls of sparkling water and pour into lollipop moulds and freeze overnight.

Bear in mind that to eat the whole food pack you will have to eat all the lollies!

I do this with a lot less water and only leave in a while to make a sorbet type lolly.

Cafe Latte
Mix a hot vanilla shake with a teaspoon of coffee and some sweeteners if required.

I like adding nutmeg and cinnamon thanks to Diet kitty and I think cal mentioning it tasted nice with the vanilla.


Custard: Thanks to Isis (I think I got this right?)
Dissolve a sweetener in approx 70mls hot water. Add a chocolate pack. Microwave for approximately 40secs. It makes a lovely hot custard..

Hot Chocomint
Make up some strong peppermint tea. Mix a chocolate pack with hot water and a couple of sweeteners (depending on your taste) add the tea. Microwave for approx. 20secs and stir or hand whisk.


Poppadoms
Mix a soup pack into a smooth paste, spread on a plate or greaseproof paper and microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 mins. when it starts to bubble open up and let it settle for a sec. keep opening and letting it settle until (the poppadom) starts to turn golden (don't take your eyes off it) - when it is golden brown take it out and let it cool, then peel it off and enjoy

Be careful of overcooking, as this will make them taste slightly bitter.

Crisps
Recipe as for poppadoms above but make them into tiny bite size pieces. If you wish you can shake some salt over them before they are cooked.


Biscuits
Cut up a bar into 8 - 10 pieces. Arrange on microwave plate, usually only put 3 in at a time to give them the space they need to expand.

Microwave for approx 1.30mins - or until you can see that they have stopped bubbling. Be careful as they may start burning from the inside out. Use a knife under the biscuits to prise them off the plate and turn them onto their backs (onto the bar wrapper) and leave until they have cooled and hardened.


practice to perfect so don't worry if they don't turn out as you expect the first time.


Maltesers - Chop a bar up into small pieces, roll into balls if you can :S and cook in the microwave for about 40secs, check as they will burn. Scrape these of the plate.
Next mix up a chocolate or vanilla foodpack with water until it has a thick coating consistency and coat the biscuits with chocolate.
Place on cling film and then wrap up leaving room so you dont squash them, some always double wrap with foil.
Leave in freezer for a few hours then take out and enjoy.
They really do taste like malteasers if you don't burn them.

JUST REMEMBER THAT IS TWO FOOD PACKS!

I think the main point many of the experimenters were saying is it is rather easy to burn these creations, and most take a lot of trial and error.... so maybe to try only when desperation strikes, and you have plenty of packs to see you through if disaster mocks you in the kitchen.

xxx hope this is interesting or helpful .. sorry if not

my word u have been busy, let me know if u try any shorty x

inspired by isis.. i am sat here after making a tomato and basil soup on the hob.. throwing in all the spices and peppery yummy ness I would do if making a curry. lots of chilli too and worchester sauce .. I have to say it is yummy! The tomato is in the background and it is zinging. Such a nice change to have some spice.. I would really recommend it.. usually I just use the kettle, but doing it and almost 'cooking' does make it more satisfying.

xxx

short and dumpy said:

inspired by isis.. i am sat here after making a tomato and basil soup on the hob.. throwing in all the spices and peppery yummy ness I would do if making a curry. lots of chilli too and worchester sauce .. I have to say it is yummy! The tomato is in the background and it is zinging. Such a nice change to have some spice.. I would really recommend it.. usually I just use the kettle, but doing it and almost 'cooking' does make it more satisfying.

xxx

Click to expand...

Now I've REALLY got to try this because I cannot and WILL not waste my 5 tom&basil packs, cos I hate them so much.
So tomorrow, I'm having a bar, Isis' tom&basil curry and Calli's "galaxy"...wooohooooo! How simple is that!

But I like the tomato and basil.

yuck yuck yuckity yuck! yerghhhhh yurk yeeerrghpghh! tomato and basil soup... I agree with maka


xx

LOL LOL

Just the smell of it makes me want to hurl lol. I will try the Isis method, chuck everything at it and maybe cook with a peg on my nose
I have plenty of packs now so if it goes in the bin it wont matter!

Send it all to me.

Ohhhh dietkitty you are so right! Its the smell

But but but, I had yet another tomato curry soup tonight... two nights in a row! Really enjoying them.

I have started making these ones with 350-400ml of water now though to thin them out. I dreaded the creaminess of this one flavour. With the added pepper, spices and witches brew herbs being thrown in, it doesn't make it too watery.. and goes a long way too. In honesty I was struggling to finish it tonight... the tummy is definably into submission YAY

i struggle with the thai chicken, so i think i need to make it into curry also :jelous:

Just had tomato and basil, yum.

all I can say to you lovely sir is:

yuck yuck yuckity yergghhhhity blerrghh yucky yuckity yuck

and that is my mature response
xx

LOL I have to admit - DH was meant to start on Friday with me. He is a faddy eater as it is so thought he *may* struggle. He moaned about the shake in the morning, hated his bar at work...but the Tomato & Basil soup tipped him over the edge!! He didn't even manage more than a spoonful He'll be starting a different diet in a week or so whilst I revel in the fact I will be beating him weight loss wise mwwuuahh!!

Can't decide what soup to go for tonight - just finishing homemade lasagne for the t'others so might have to throw a tiny bit of garlic in the Tomato & Herb soup along with whatever else I can find in the cupboard.

hehehhe hope you enjoy it tonight xx
you can see what my tastes are like by the fact that some flavour packets are running out, where as some are taunting me!

I think from now on it... every thing is getting the soup curry treatment xx

Tell the DH, he is a woss and to hold his nose! while he swallows heheh... in fairness though I think my taste buds have changed while doing this diet .. I find myself looking forward to some flavours and the bars... almost licking the wrappers, but when I first started I found unpleasant.

Enjoy your dinner tonight hun and enjoy knowing you are going to be a whole lot more lovely than lovely and lumpy before he is

xx