Shadowing Practice: 5 meals I eat each week » vegan & healthy - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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What I eat in a day and in a week
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What I eat in a day and in a week
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it always varies but I've been noticing lately that there's a few recurrences in our meal choices so in today's video
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I was hoping to share with you five different meal ideas that we commonly enjoy each week.
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Two of them are breakfasts, there's one lunch and there's two dinner recipes.
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The breakdown to all of the recipes as usual can be found on the blog I'll leave those links for you in the description
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and I also wanted to take a brief moment to thank Wix for sponsoring today's video.
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Wix is the amazing platform that we used to create the Pickup Limes website.
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I'm going to speak more about them at the end, but for now let's dive in.
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In these colder fall and winter months, Robin and I go for the good old comforting and wholesome oatmeal.
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I know I've shared something like this before, so I'll keep it brief.
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It's just this is genuinely what we enjoy most days of the week.
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Now I used to be someone who didn't really like oatmeal to be honest until my cousin shared some tips with me that made all the difference.
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For example, I now cook it in plant milk instead of just water.
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It makes it more creamy and flavorful.
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I also like to add some flax seeds.
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It helps it to stick together a bit more nicely and also offers some beneficial omega-3 fats.
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And the best part I think is cutting up a banana in it while it's cooking because the banana starts to kind of caramelize and dissolve making the oatmeal naturally sweet and creamy.
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The other thing that makes this oatmeal amazing is the stewed frozen berries
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that we add to the top along with some kind of nut butter like hazelnut or almond or peanut butter and we always like to sprinkle on top some pumpkin seeds and chia seeds too.
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So like I said, this is literally our breakfast most days of the week and we also like to enjoy it with a cup of tea.
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As for the weekend, I mean what's a weekend without some pancakes, right?
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And this is a super wholesome recipe that we eat either on Saturday or Sunday morning, sometimes both.
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I like to use buckwheat flour because it's made from a seed, which also means it's a more nutrient-dense alternative to white flour.
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So how you make it is pretty simple.
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I first mash two very ripe bananas until it's as mashed as I can make it.
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And then I add about a tablespoon of ground flax seeds and three quarters of a cup of plant-based milk.
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Then I mix it all together before adding a cup of buckwheat flour, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a quarter teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, a teaspoon of baking powder, and a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
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I then mix it all together until I get this pancake batter consistency.
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and to a non-stick pan on medium heat, I add some coconut oil and then spoon on top some of the batter, using the back of my spoon to shape them into little discs.
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When the bottom is golden I give it a flip and that's pretty much it.
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For the sake of this video I did the classic good old stacking the pancakes on top of each other but in reality we just lay them flat,
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we top them with some peanut butter or some homemade vegan Nutella, I'll leave that recipe for you below as well, and we top it with some berries.
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More often we actually go for stewed berries again, it's just easier to find in these colder months.
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And if you didn't drizzle on any syrup, did you even make pancakes?
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But in all honesty, this was just for fun.
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We usually don't add any to our pancakes.
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I find it sweet enough, especially with those berries.
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But Robin likes to top his with some hoggelslach, which is a very Dutch thing.
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It's these chocolate sprinkles that some Dutch people like to have on toast for breakfast.
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Lunch is usually either leftover dinner or these sandwiches so while I make oatmeal in the morning Robin is whipping these together for us for our lunch.
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It's pretty straightforward and insanely delicious.
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It's some whole grain bread that's been toasted and then we spread on top of it some hummus either store-bought or homemade and then dice up a ripe avocado that we put on top of that.
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We also cut cherry tomatoes in half, dice up some cucumbers and also add on some pickled jalapenos that came from a jar and if we have it it on hand we'll also add some chives or green onions.
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Then we load it up on the arugula a lot and on the other slice of bread we either add some chili sauce or the store-bought vegan honey mustard and that's it.
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I've had this for lunch at least a few times each week for the last two years and I have yet to get sick of it.
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It's seriously the best.
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Some nights I make dinner and some nights Robin does so I'll start with sharing my default which is always some kind of curry.
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I find them incredibly comforting whether it's Thai or Afghan or Indian inspired curries.
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So this one is a creamy cauliflower and lentil curry.
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To start it up, I baked some cauliflower, which you can always do on a meal prep night too if you want to speed things up.
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So just break it up into little bite-sized pieces, drizzle on a bit of oil and give it a toss before adding a teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, half a teaspoon of paprika powder and a small sprinkle of salt and pepper.
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Then toss it again and bake it in the oven at 210 Celsius or 400 Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes or until it's a bit crispy and golden.
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For the curry itself, you're gonna need one yellow onion, diced, and three cloves of garlic, crushed.
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To a pot on medium heat we're gonna add a bit of oil and the onion, sauteing until the onions are lightly golden.
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Then we're gonna add the crushed garlic and a whole lot of spices, a tablespoon of curry powder, half a tablespoon each of garam masala and turmeric, and a teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon and salt.
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Then stir it until it's fragrant so about one minute and all of these spices are optional so just use whatever you have on hand.
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We'll then add a can of diced tomatoes and give it a stir and let this cook for about five minutes.
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If I have it on hand I also like to add a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes.
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It gives such a little burst of flavor when you bite into it.
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We'll also add a can of coconut milk and the roasted cauliflower.
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Stir it up before you add in some cooked lentils and finally we'll add a big handful of spinach.
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Give it a stir and let it all heat through and serve it warm with some naan or in this case some brown rice.
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It's so incredibly hearty and filling, warm and comforting.
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Of course the link to this one is going to be in the description box below but I'm also going to leave the links for some of our other curry recipes in case you're interested.
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Now on to the dinner that Robin loves to make.
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Robin is part Dutch, part Portuguese and part Indonesian and when it comes to food the Indonesian side of him always wins.
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He loves anything with rice, noodles and some form of stir-fry.
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So this recipe is his specialty and my absolute favorite.
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For this you're gonna need two red onions, diced and four cloves of garlic, thinly sliced.
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We're gonna add it to a pan on medium-high heat with some oil and let it cook for about five minutes.
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Ravan is also a fan of the mock meats, so for this he uses a plant-based soy product that resembles chicken.
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we just break it apart into smaller pieces and then add it to the onion and garlic mixture, letting it cook also for five minutes.
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Meanwhile, we're going to wash and then cut the ends off of about four big handfuls of green beans, and then we're going to cut those in half.
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It's seriously a lot of green beans, so this is wonderfully nutritious.
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When everything in the pan is nice and golden, we're going to transfer it to a bowl, set it aside, and in the same pan, we're going to add those green beans and also a cup of water.
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Place the lid on it and let it steam for about five minutes.
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Meanwhile, we're going to dice up two medium red bell peppers and add this to the pan as well, again letting it sit for another five minutes.
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Then we're going to make the peanut sauce.
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For this, you're going to need half a cup of pure peanut butter, a clove of garlic, a teaspoon of raw sugar, a tablespoon of soy sauce, and the juice from half a lime.
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Then blend it up in the food processor until it's creamy and smooth.
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And when the veggies are cooked to your liking, drain off any excess water, leaving about a tablespoon or two of liquid in the pan.
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To the pan we're then going to add back in the onion mixture and about a quarter cup of diced sun-dried tomatoes that were in oil.
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And I know this sounds like a really strange addition to a stir-fry.
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I thought so too when I first saw Robin doing it, but trust me, it's amazing.
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So add that to the pan.
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We're also gonna add two teaspoons of sambal hot sauce and a third a cup of sodium reduced soy sauce.
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Mix it all together until it's heated through and serve it on a bed of rice or noodles.
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Top it with the peanut mixture and that's it.
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Robin's version of an Indonesian gato gato so intensely full of flavors.
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I can't wait for you guys to try this one.
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So now you've gotten a bit of a glimpse into some of the meals that we enjoy each week, but because we're always also making new recipes for the blog, everything else that we eat really varies.
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But if you're ever looking for more inspiration and meal ideas, I welcome you to check out the Pickup Limes website.
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And speaking of which, I again wanted to thank Wix for partnering with us on today's video.
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Wix is the platform that we actually use to create the Pickup Limes website, and I chose to use them from the very beginning because I have no experience in web development or coding, but with Wix, you don't need any of that.
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You can create an incredibly professional looking website all on your own and you have total creative freedom So they provide these templates that you can plop your pictures and your videos into but you can also customize them However,
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you'd like and if I can be honest another reason I tried Wix is because it's completely free to try and that's something I really appreciated it as somebody that
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was new to blogging and I just didn't know what I could commit to just yet So if you've ever been interested in creating your own website that looks professional, but you don't know where to begin I definitely recommend Wix.
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Again, it's completely free to try.
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So I'm gonna leave that link for you in the description box below.
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So now I've shared a few meal ideas, things that we enjoy each week.
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Now it's your turn.
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What are two or three of your go-to meals that you enjoy?
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I'll see those in the comments.
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I'll see you guys down there.
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Thanks a lot for watching.
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Pick Up Limes signing off.
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We'll see you in the next video.
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you
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills by engaging with a cooking-themed video transcript. The focus is on understanding and repeating various meal preparations, which will enhance your vocabulary related to food and cooking. You will also get the chance to improve English pronunciation through shadowing techniques, helping you to sound more fluent. This practice is particularly useful for your IELTS speaking practice, as it mimics conversational speech patterns found in everyday discussions about meals and lifestyle choices.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Oatmeal - A common breakfast dish made from oats, often cooked with water or milk.
  • Plant milk - A dairy-free alternative to milk, made from plants such as almonds, soy, or oats.
  • Stewed - Food that has been cooked slowly in liquid until soft.
  • Wholesome - Food that is full of nutrients and good for health.
  • Curry - A flavorful dish made with a variety of spices, often containing vegetables or meat.
  • Avocado - A creamy green fruit that is healthy and often used in sandwiches and salads.
  • Hummus - A spread made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic, commonly eaten with bread or vegetables.
  • Comforting - Referring to food that provides a sense of well-being or emotional satisfaction.

Practice Tips

To effectively utilize the transcript for your shadowing practice, follow these steps:

  • Begin by listening to the video at a slow speed; this will help you catch the nuances of pronunciation and intonation.
  • Repeat phrases immediately after hearing them, focusing on mimicking the speaker's tone and rhythm. This method, known as shadowspeak, allows you to develop a natural flow in your conversation.
  • Pause the video after each key phrase and try to repeat it several times until you feel comfortable with your pronunciation.
  • Use a shadowing site or app to time your practice sessions. This will help you track your progress and maintain consistency in your practice schedule.
  • Try discussing the recipes and ingredients with a study partner to further enhance your speaking skills and gain confidence in discussing everyday topics.

By consistently practicing with this approach, you will improve your English pronunciation and conversational abilities, making you more prepared for real-life conversations and exams.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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