What's cooking this weekend (non-diet edition)

Cajun weekend for half this thread apparently, love it. I'm down about 29 and my plan is a big batch of red beans, which honestly freezes great when my appetite randomly disappears mid-week. Small bowl and extra broth is exactly how I handle stuff like this too.

Gumbo with extra broth sounds perfect, and honestly the small bowl approach has kept me sane at 17 lbs down too. I've got a slow braised pork shoulder going this weekend, mostly for the smell of the house as much as anything. Cold pan roux trick is new to me, going to look it up before my next red beans.

Gumbo in a Phoenix summer, respect. Down 53 here and the freezer trick is what saved my cooking joy too -- I portion everything into little containers the day I make it, so when appetite vanishes for two days nothing goes to waste and I still get to eat the good stuff eventually.Gumbo in a Phoenix summer, respect. Down 53 here and the freezer trick is what saved my cooking joy too -- I portion everything into little containers the day I make it, so when appetite vanishes for two days nothing goes to waste and I still get to eat the good stuff eventually.

The small bowl thing is real, I'm down about 15 and gumbo-style brothy meals have been my trick too. I'm doing a shrimp and corn chowder this weekend since the pot kind of cooks itself and leftovers reheat well when the appetite dips. Congrats on keeping the cooking joy alive, that's half the battle.

The habit of reaching for the app before remembering you don't need it is so real, I did the exact same thing making gumbo last weekend. Fifteen down is great, and yeah, this place makes the whole thing feel less like a solo project.

Only 2 lbs in myself but this thread is already giving me weekend plans, that shrimp and corn chowder sounds perfect for exactly the same reason. I made a big batch of white bean and sausage soup last week and honestly the leftovers carried me through a whole day where food just didn't appeal. Gumbo next on my list.

Love that cooking without the math is becoming a theme here. I made chili last night and halfway through realized I never once weighed anything, just seasoned it till it tasted right. Six months ago that would have stressed me out.

The gumbo plan sounds perfect, and honestly a small bowl with extra broth is exactly how I handle stuff like that at 26 lbs down. Made a big pot of jambalaya last month and two spoonfuls in I was done, but the leftovers were gold. Enjoy the cooking-for-fun part, it counts for something too.

Made gumbo on Saturday without opening a tracker once and honestly forgot I was even on this med until I got full way sooner than expected. The one-pot thread energy is real. Appreciation posts like yours are half the reason this place works.

Twenty-one lbs down here and the leftovers thing is so real -- my weekend project is a slow-braised beef ragu, and half the fun is knowing it'll feed me three days straight since portions shrunk way down. Making actual food instead of "safe" food feels like part of the progress too.

17 lbs down and gumbo still wins here too, though mine leaned heavy on the shrimp and broth so a small bowl actually satisfied. The ragu leftovers point hits home, since smaller portions mean one big cook basically covers half my week now. Keep the joy in the kitchen, that part of this has been the surprise for me.

23 lbs down and I'm with you on the broth-heavy approach -- I did a chicken and sausage version last month and the smaller portion still felt like a real meal. My weekend cook is a batch of white bean and kale soup, mostly because one pot keeps stretching across days now. Glad you're not giving up gumbo, that would be a sad trade.

Roux still counts as a food group in my house, no regrets. I'm down 21 lbs and my weekend plan is a smothered pork chop with cabbage -- the small-portion trick means I get the flavor without the food coma. A little bowl of that gumbo sounds like the right kind of weekend.

Still early in my journey but down a few lbs, and this thread is exactly why I didn't want to start the med -- glad the food joy survives. I'm doing a smoked brisket chili this weekend, small bowl with extra broth for me too. That small portion trick keeps making one pot go further than I expected.

52 lbs down and I still make my grandma's jambalaya now and then, just way more rice on the side for the family and a shallower scoop for me. The dark roux is worth every stir, and honestly the smaller portions make me actually taste it instead of rushing through a giant plate. Enjoy that gumbo, sounds like the perfect weekend project.

The dark roux stirring alone makes it worth it, mine takes forty five minutes and a cold drink to babysit it. Down 33 lbs myself and same deal here, small bowl, savor slow, no rabbit food required. Gumbo smells amazing simmering all afternoon so your whole place wins too.