It’s that time of night again, and having got used to relaxing I am having to force myself from a comfortable chair and set to cooking without a plan. The vague notion was “cauliflower cheese”. I thought I might do cauliflower steaks but it started falling apart and so I compromised by roasting two halves. It will be much the same, just not so charred and attractive. But there will be fewer irritating cauliflower bits around the place. They get everywhere!

Tree Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire – dramatic setting

Sweetcorn and baked potatoes will be the only accompaniment in what is likely to be a disappointing meal. And a small amount of cheese sauce – we seem to have used most of the cheese. My vegetable intake has gone down seriously over the last few weeks and I need to address it.  If I count the berries I had for breakfast as one portion, the cauliflower and sweetcorn only makes three and an apple will make four. That’s one short on my five a day and quite a lot short on the recommendations of many countries, and many scientists. I have let it slip badly over the last few months.

Time, next week, to start clawing my way back to eating better. The first step is planning. Sitting down to order from a list is always likely to result in better meals than pressing buttons as I try to think. That’s why we end up with sausages, pasties, pizzas and quiches so many times. Add a few beans, some potato and a tub of shop coleslaw with a few salad bits, and you are set for the week. It’s neither healthy nor nutritious, but it is filling.

Dabchick, Gibraltar Point, LincolnshireIt’s partly to do with being rushed all the time (or disorganised, as it is also known) , and partly to do with being lazy.

I also need to get back to making soup. I’ve been having far too much cheese on toast for lunch. It is fatty, calorific and lacks vegetables, even with tomato or spring onions on top. Soup is much better.

A late butterfly

Pictures are from September 2020 – post apocalypse.