Two-faced foodie-ism : if you're a 'foodie', do you have loopholes?

[snigger]

This is in direct response to a thread title in chat about Dolmio/Chicken Tonight. (Before you say it, yes, judgey pants were hiked to 9.3)

I instinctively went 'Eurgh' ...... then looked at the now empty jar of pesto I'd recently smeared on some fish as a quick after-classes late meal, justifying myself with a grind of pepper, some freshly grated parmesan, and home-made pilaf.

Is that any different?

No.

Yet I brush it off and move on because it suits me hey-ho, it's only food.

I hate the thought of additives and processing and ten-steps-removed-from-actual-food, but at the same time, I have so much to do with limited resources.

What are your acceptable foodie cheats?

I do often buy ready made mash, I have a stock in the freezer for emergency meals.

I've never tried ready made mash, I always imagine it would be too smooth, I like mine to still have some texture (not lumps).

Oh I have lots of time saving things I use.

Jar of pesto defo.
Shop bought hollondaise.
Ainsley Wotsits lemon and corriander cous cous.
I have Lazy Ginger, Lazy Lemon Grass etc.

I also often buy a bag of ready chopped vegies for stir frying. (life is too short to slice water chestnuts).

Mum is visiting from Portugal (where there's no market for ready-made meals) and she's shocked with my "lazy approach" which includes "outrageous" shortcuts like passata, bottled lemon juice, ready-roasted peppers and filleted fish.

Hummus.
It's chick peas mushed up, I've never tried making it as the shop stuff tastes great (same with Guacamole).

Dried Pasta & Tinned Toms (if they're good enough for my Italian family, they're good enough for me).

I could never make a Sticky Toffee Pudding as I hate the look & texture of dates, so I fear making my own would put me off. Also there's nowt more exciting then boiling a tin of cake

AWoman I used to think that of hummus and then I made my own. Now I only ever make it.

I think it depends on your definition of foodie. I like eating food that tastes nice to me. Sometimes that means I have to buy it in, sometimes that means I have to make it myself. I don't care as long as I enjoy eating it.

Ah now, guacamole, once you've made it you'll never go back to bought and it is even easier than hummus, just mash the ingredients together with a fork.

Absolutely WhoKnows. I've never actually bought guacamole, but can't imagine that it is nicer than home made.

I just slice up a shed load of ripe avocado, squeeze lemon on it & slap it on my fahita :)

Mash up roughly a rip avocado, a bit of garlic (maybe 1/2 clove), a few chopped ripe cherry tomatoes and a good squirt of lemon juice. Even better if you leave it in the fridge to mingle overnight.

I fling a shallot and coriander in mine as well. And some worcestershire sauce too. Damn you. I want some now

Poppy your Mum and I would get along great!

Guac definitely needs coriander and also red chili...I prefer lime juice to lemon. Worcestershire sauce is an interesting addition, I'm going to try that next time!

WhoKnows if you leave it in the fridge overnight does the avocado not discolour? Or does the acid from the lemon/lime prevent that?

Who was it who said that Life is too short to stuff a mushroom?

I work on the principle that I will try to make anything once, and then usually revert to the easier alternative.

So, I have in my time made puff, shortcrust and hot water pastry, coarse and smooth pate, taramasalata, hoummous, curry, bread, tomato suace, tomato soup, gravy, guacc, pickled onions, jam etc etc etc.

But now I buy sauces and pastry and gravy granules and spend my time reading the paper instead .

Life is definitely not too short to stuff a mushroom. They are delicious

It was Shirley Conran btw.

I wasn't puzzled as to where to find tahini, just wondered if it counted as cheating. Why can you make houmous with bought tahini and call it home made?
Can whoever mentioned the cannelini bean dip please post a recipe - sounds lovely :o

It was marysbeard :)