I wrote part one in 2022, back before North America was mired in scandals of grocery companies jacking up the cost of everything and blaming inflation while reporting record profits. So the cost of food is higher than ever, and it seems like our governments are unable or unwilling to stop it. And because food…
Author: lainey@lunchladylainey.com
Turkey Tips
I love a turkey dinner. It’s complicated, labour-intensive, and delicious. As a person whose love language is food, it’s the ultimate gesture of affection. Because my mother-in-law doesn’t love cooking as much as I do, I’ve wrested control of the Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey-making. I’ve probably made a turkey at least once a year for…
How to Save on Grocery Bills
How to Save on Grocery Bills When I was 20, I moved to a tiny (10 x 20 feet) bachelor apartment with a shared bathroom in Toronto. I was in school full-time, working at a restaurant part-time, and freelancing. Because I was no longer living under my parents’ roof, that meant no more free meals…
Sunday Morning Okonomiyaki
This has become one of my standard weekend breakfasts. It’s not much harder to make than Canadian/American style pancakes and is more reminiscent of the kind of food I grew up eating on the weekends. I used to wake up to my mom making congee or noodles. It was the best. Most importantly, okonomiyaki have…
Saving Grease
You have cooked something delicious and extremely fatty, like bacon, pork belly, or duck. You’ve managed not to burn anything, so there is liquid gold sitting at the bottom of the pan or roasting dish. What do you do? Pour it down the sink and destroy your plumbing? Soak it up with paper towels and…
Tuna and Kimchi Pancake
This is a quick, savoury dish that I like to make for lunch, and sometimes breakfast. Ingredients 1 80g can of tuna in olive oil (tuna in water is an abomination) 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 minced garlic clove 25g chopped kimchi – about 1/8 cup 1 egg 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp soy…
Sacha Chicken
For the past few months, I’ve been roasting chicken thighs a couple times a week with the standard salt, rosemary, sage, and thyme. My brain and heart just haven’t into concocting recipes. But today I decided to create something new – and also go through the many jars of sauces in my fridge. Enter sacha…
Sauteed Red Cabbage
I’ve become a bit obsessed with this vegetable. It’s sweeter and thicker than green cabbage. Plus, it tastes great cooked or raw! Here’s a quick, simple recipe that gives you a mellow and crunchy side dish. Time: 5 minutes prep, about 10-15 minutes cooking.Servings: 3-4 Ingredients: 4 cups of red cabbage, roughly chopped into square-ish…
Breakfast Congee
I get asked about this a lot, for some reason. Probably because I bring it up a lot. On weekdays, I eat congee for breakfast every day. It’s fast, easy, healthy (maybe? Brown rice has fibre, right?) and filling. I got the idea while staying at a youth hostel in Hong Kong where they offered…
Egg Tofu with Udon in Soy-Peanut Sauce
There are days that I really don’t feel like cooking. That’s why I fill my pantry with items that can easily be turned into a balanced meal with very little effort. Something I always keep around are udon noodles. You can find them in Asian grocery stores in the noodle aisle (for those who haven’t…