Sunday 31 December 2017

home made jelly

Today I did what I have wanted to do for ages and used some sheet gelatin to make a jelly.

You see cheffy people using gelatin on the telly and make it look so easy but my experiences with powdered gelatin (not great) rather put me off trying.  In a rash moment a few months ago I bought some sheet gelatin and I reckon the time has come to try it out.

When I made my fruit salad for Christmas, I kept the spare juice or syrup from the tinned fruit - mango, pineapple*, lychees and mandarins.  Good, fruity flavoured (and low fat) stuff that I didn't want to throw away.

Today I did this.
I measured out what I had and made it up to 300mls with some orange juice.  I warmed it in a saucepan to about 50C (I checked)
While that was warming, I put three gelatin sheets into some cold water and swilled it around a bit.  After five minutes the sheets had gone completely soft and gooey so I squeezed out all the water, popped the soft sheets into the warm juice/syrup and stirred it until the gelatin had dissolved.

That was it!

I poured it into two plastic pots and when it was cold, popped them into the fridge to set. 

*  I know pineapple has an enzyme that prevents setting but not if it has been heated and canned pineapple has been heat treated.

As I have fruit juice left over from Christmas, I will try using that next and see what happens.



And two hours later I have two pots of the most beautiful jelly, not clear because the original liquid wasn't clear but with the most fantastic wobble.  It smells great and I am resisting temptation like crazy!

Recipe: turkey hotpot

It's a great way to use the remains of the Christmas turkey.  At other times, it makes a very frugal meal using one of those turkey drumsticks you can buy so cheaply at times and which have such a great flavour.

In our family, we have always called this 'hotpot'.  It isn't really - my understanding is that real hotpot is a layered affair with a sliced potato topping.  Mine is more like a casserole or a very chunky soup.
However, it is tasty, and warming, a real family favourite, and here's what I did.

You need:
turkey meat, white and/or brown, off the carcass
leftover ham is also nice and gives a great flavour but I've used up my Christmas ham so didn't this time around
turkey stock, ideally, although I have used a mixture of chicken stock cube and Marigold veg bouillon powder and it was jolly good.
a variety of vegetables, predominantly root veg (I tend to use carrot, shallots, parsnips, sweet potato, celery and potato)
I also add shredded sprouts, if I have them, but really you can add anything - peppers, mushrooms, etc.  I like the 'earthiness' of the root veg.
oil
herbs, seasonings -  I use bay leaves, mixed herbs and some dried mustard powder with salt and pepper
garlic - I use puree

Method
Peel the shallots.  You can slice them, I cut then into quarters
Peel the veg and cut to approximately the same size - good sized chunks.  If it's a veg that discolours, pop the chunks into water temporarily.
Peel and shred the sprouts and set aside
If necessary, cut the turkey into similar sized chunks

Heat some oil or a mixture of oil and butter in a good sized pan.  Throw in the onion, mix well, turn the heat down and let it saute for ten minutes.  Then add the ham (if using) and the rest of the root veg (but not the sprouts), mix again, cover and saute slowly for ten to fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
(If you're using veg like peas, corn, peppers, mushroom, etc, they can go in towards the end)

Tip in the turkey stock, bay leaves, garlic puree, mixed dried herbs, bit of salt, garlic, some pepper and mustard powder.  If necessary, top up with some commercial stock - I use Knorr lower salt chicken granules.
Bring to a simmer, covered, and let it bubble very gently away until all the root vegetables are soft.  Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Add the shredded sprouts and stir in (the take very little cooking).  Then carefully add the chunks of turkey and 'fold' in so that they don't break up.  The reason for adding them at the end is that you want the chunks to stay whole, not to mush.  Let the whole thing simmer for another two or three minutes and it's ready to be ladled into a bowl and eaten with crusty bread, grated cheese, croutons and/or other lovely toppings.

It freezes well.

Sunday, 31-12-17

Good morning.
Today may be New Year's Eve but it is an ordinary day for me, so here's my food plans.

B:  porridge, fruit and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  leftover kedgeree with a hard boiled egg on top
S:  apple
D:  turkey hotpot; home made jelly


From the freezer
I pushed the leftover turkey and turkey stock into the freezer on Thursday when I found I was needing to go away for a few days so some of that has come back out again
parsnips


The frugal factor
It's a real leftovers day today
The kedgeree is leftovers from yesterday's dinner
The hotpot is made from turkey leftovers and leftover Christmas veg that really does need using up as it's getting a bit wrinkly
Using leftovers, rather than chucking them, makes me happy.
The fruit salad has all been used now so I'm opening a tin of savers peach slices, I think, to have some with the porridge.

I've posted about how I made the kedgeree already and I will post the hotpot recipe later.

Last of all, I'm giving the fridge its post Christmas sort out today.

Saturday 30 December 2017

Recipe: kedgeree

http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-kedgeree-slimming-world/

I printed the above off and adapted it quite considerably.



Ingredients (made one and a half portions for me)
one small onion (I used a banana shallot, peeled and cut into thin wedges)
spray oil and a little dab of butter (can't beat the flavour)
one cardomom pod, squashed to let the flavour out
a good pinch of turmeric
one inch of cinnamon stick (I am sure powder would be fine but I have sticks that need using up)
about a level tsp of curry powder, maybe a little more, to taste (I used Mayflower)
one bay leaf (I have a bay plant so use them quite a lot)
some veg - I used a handful of peas, a handful of corn and three 'rings' of leek, separated
some basmati rice - I didn't measure, just used a couple of tbsps or so
About 250 mls of stock - I used chicken stock
a piece of smoked haddock - I had bought a fillet of undyed smoked haddock, cut it into three and froze.  This was one of the three pieces.

What I didn't use
lemon wedges (forgot)
any other seasoning - not necessary
boiled egg

Method.
Heat the spray oil and butter in a pan, add the onion, stir well, cover and gently saute until the onion is soft.  Then add the spices, mix well, re-cover and saute for another five minutes or so.

Add the rice, turn up the heat a bit and fry the rice until it turns translucent.
Add the vegetables and the stock.  Bring to a gentle simmer.
Lay the fish on top.  Cover and gently simmer for five minutes.  Then take off the fish (which is cooked) and flake it. 
Stir the rice, re-cover and let it simmer until the rice is almost cooked, then uncover, turn up the heat and let the rest of the liquid evaporate.
Add the flaked fish, stir in gently (it will reheat quickly) and serve.
(I forgot the lemon wedge and chose not to use a boiled egg.)



This made too much for me so about one third is now cooling in a small; pot and that's my lunch tomorrow, this time with a hard boiled egg on top.


Saturday, 30-12-17

Good morning.  Nearly the end of this year and the start of the next.  Are you holding a party or going to one tomorrow?  I'm afraid I can't cope with the noise and the late night and tend to shut up shop and go to bed at my usual early time.

My frugal plans for today are:
B:  porridge with fruit salad and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  ham and lentil soup
S:  apple
D:  kedgeree, maybe a side salad


From the freezer
the soup which is the one I made last week and didn't have
the fish for the kedgeree
if I load up the kedgeree with extra veg, which I may well do, I have peas, corn and leek in the freezer too

I also want to make a good pot of what we in my family call turkey hotpot.  It isn't a classic hotpot, just a veg and turkey stew, but it's ever so nice.  Some for tomorrow and some to go back in the freezer.


The frugal factor
oats for the porridge
the fruit salad is leftover from Christmas and needs to go today
the stock for the ham and lentil soup is from boiling up the Christmas ham and lentils are always a frugal choice
I have the smoked haddock for the kedgeree in the freezer, ditto a bit of smoked salmon if I choose to use some - this dish won't be cheap but it won't involve buying anything special in




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Friday 29 December 2017

Five Frugal Fings

1.   (probably 1 to 5 but let's call it 1)  The Turkey.  It was well worth the effort it takes to deal with the carcass.  I now have three pots of turkey chunks and two pots of turkey stock (apart from the stock for Christmas 2018).  I had to pot and freeze them in a hurry because of needing to go away but when I defrost each lot, I can make several things and then re-freeze.

2.   I've managed to hand on quite a lot of leftovers.  OK, so I'm not the gainer in money terms but I am in that I haven't thrown out and I have benefited someone else.

3.   When I cooked this year's Christmas ham, the resulting stock was the best I can ever remember.  It set to a jelly, it was full of flavour but not too salty.  I made two soups (one large portion of each, ham and lentil and ham and split pea) and have one more pot in the freezer, probably for another ham and lentil as I so love that.  I'm so glad I didn't just pour that stock down the plughole.

4.   I have resisted the impulse to go shopping.  I'm out of carrots but everything else is still in good supply.  The milk is past date but I know from experience that it is almost always good and sweet for ages after the date on the carton, so no problems.  The longer I can hold off, the better.

5.  I have flatly refused to go 'bargain' shopping.  There's nothing I need and you know what it's like.  You don't know you 'need' it until you see it!  So, no!

So there you go - my five frugal things for this week, mostly food related because this is primarily a frugal food blog.  I'm pleased with how it's going.

Thursday 28 December 2017

Thursday, 28-12-17

As the saying sort of goes, 'The best laid plans . . .'  I had intended to be out yesterday over lunch but the snow came and I stayed in as I really didn't want to drive.  Nasty, cold, wet and, for an hour or so, huge, huge flakes.
I could have had the ham and lentil soup but I had already frozen that so, as I had more ham stock, I made yellow split pea and ham soup instead and it was absolutely gorgeous.  And I still have the other for another day!  The patties were also very tasty,

So, today:
B:  porridge, fruit and yogurt
L:  out (snow permitting)
D:  ditto

Into the freezer
Lots of turkey chunks and some very good turkey stock


The frugal factor:
Porridge, as always.  The fruit is leftover from Christmas.



It wasn't easy to get back into pattern again yesterday.  It doesn't take long to lose those good habits, does it?  Planning helps, of course.
However, things have become a bit difficult around here so don't be surprised if I miss a few days.  I will be back!



I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!


Wednesday 27 December 2017

Recipe: leftovers patties

I had:
a couple of portions of vegetarian/gluten free stuffing
sprouts
cooked little onions that I forgot were in the microwave
mixed peas and sweetcorn
a little bit of boursin
some turkey bits, chopped
A good pinch dried mustard

I chopped everything up, chucked them in a bowl and mixed it all up into a 'mush' with added pepper - no salt as the ingredients were already seasoned.
I made patties using my hands and dusted them with plain flour.

I haven't had any yet but when I do I will either brush them over with turkey dripping or spray them with oil and then dry-fry them until golden.  They are now in the freezer.


Wednesday, 27-12-17

Good morning.
Confession time.  I oh so carefully planned and I even made my soup and my patties and then I went and pigged out on other leftover stuff that I really ought not to have and if I get away with it without discomfort, I will be a lucky bunny.  Now I am wondering how long it takes to work through to the gallbladder.

OK, moving swiftly on to today
B:  fruit salad and yogurt, maybe with muesli
L:  out at friends but I can be careful, there won't be any pressure
D:  two of the patties I made with a nice healthy salad - I hope

The patties and the soup are now in the freezer < sigh >

Hopefully, back to normal today and from here on.




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Tuesday 26 December 2017

Dealing with the turkey

There are lots of ways of dealing with the leftover turkey - I don't mean what recipes to use or what dinners to make, I mean what you actually do with that pile of skin, meat and bones.  Please, please, don't just throw it away.  That's a shocking waste of great food and, as Hugh Fearnley-Whatshisname sways, a turkey has died to give me that Christmas dinner and it is only respectful to its life to waste as little as possible.

This is what I do.

1.  Pull or slice as much meat off as you can

2.  Put the rest in a large saucepan, the bigger the better.  Put in everything - bones, skin, fatty bits and the stock and dripping that is left over from roasting, also things like onions, citrus, bay leaves and anything else that you used.  I also added a bit of gravy from a jar this time and threw in a couple more bay leaves (as I have a bay plant in the garden).

3.  Add water.  I almost cover everything but not quite as it all drops down after a while.  Bring to a simmer, covered, and let it simmer away for a good hour or so.  I don't season.

4.  Take off the heat and allow to cool a bit until it isn't too hot to handle.

5.  This is the messy part.  Place a sieve over a big bowl.  Have two more bowls, one for the bits and one for the meat.  Ladle some of the carcass and liquid into the sieve.  Using a fork and knife or even your (washed) hands, take off the meat and scrape the rest into the other bowl.  Repeat until it is all sorted.  You have three bowls.  One has meat, one has bits and one has a lovely stock.

6.  The bits still have a lot of stock/flavour clinging to them because as it cools, the stock jellifies so I put them back into the pan, add some more water and give them another good boiling up, covered.  This time strain it while it's still very hot.  What's left can go into the food recycling.

7.  Put the two stocks together, pour it all back into the pan and do one more simmer, this time with the lid off so that it condenses down into a wonderful, jelly-consistency, flavoursome stock.  Cool it thoroughly and skim off the dripping.


I know the above sounds a bit of a job but it isn't really and out of it you get lots of meat, a wonderful stock and dripping that you can use on toast or for cooking with.  As soon as you can, get it all into the fridge and use or freeze quickly.


Actually, the skin could have been used.  It is the style now to make turkey crackling by taking off the skin after roasting, popping it back in the oven and crisping it up.  I never have time or space to do that but, if you did, it would be even less waste.


Boxing Day

. . . and life resumes again after a wonderful day with my wonderful family.  I indulged, but not too much.  I even braved a bit of cheese and got away with it but I'm not taking any more risks and am back to my almost fat free eating from today.

I have leftovers but also not too much apart from turkey.  All the roasties and pigs in blankets went, all the carrots and parsnips went.  There are five sprouts left (and I did loads because I wanted leftovers) and there's a bit of peas and sweet corn left.  Oh, and a bit of vegetarian/gluten free stuffing.  Turkey patties, maybe?

I'm definitely getting better at judging amounts for more people, I think.

For a little while, meals may look more lavish, but they will be leftovers.  Some stuff will have to go in the freezer to avoid waste but, hopefully, not too much and it will all go on the What's-In-The-Freezer list.  Some will be handed around the family.

So, here's today's food plans

B:  porridge with fruit salad and yogurt (loads of fruit salad left over, three cheers)
S:  orange
L:  ham and lentil soup
S:  apple or fruit salad
D:  turkey patties with a lovely big salad and some cranberry sauce on the side.  Fruit salad.

Forget from the freezer.  It will be into the freezer over the next few days, for sure!

The frugal factor
Plenty here, if you count using up leftovers, as I most certainly do.
I shall be making the soup with stock saved from boiling the ham although I might also toss in some turkey stock as well.  It will have some shredded ham too as there's a bit left over.
The turkey patties will be concocted from turkey (obviously), some of the stuffing (instead of potato) and veg - all left over.  The salad isn't leftover as such but it's stuff I got but didn't use.  I shall brush the patties all over with turkey dripping before browning them in a dry pan.  If they work, I will post the recipe.


How did it all go for you?  How are you using up your Christmas leftovers, assuming you have leftovers?



I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Saturday 23 December 2017

Christmas Eve


It's all a bit different for the next few days.  I'm not exactly going to forget about frugality and I'm certainly not going to start pigging out.  I don't want to be ill on Christmas Day, after all.   But I'm splashing out just a bit.

B:  scrambled egg on toast
S:  clementine
L:  ham salad
S:  apple
D:  baked camembert with dippy things, cheese, ham, salad, veggie sausage rolls, mince pies, crisps, Christmas muffins, Christmas cake, etc!!!

No, I haven't gone bonkers and I won't be eating most of that but I have my son and his partner, my daughter and my grandson round and they certainly will, one way or another.  I'll probably stick to ham and salad.

From the freezer.
I'll be taking the following out of the freezer in the next few days:
Part cooked roasties and parsnips.
Cranberry sauce
Sausage rolls and veggie sausage rolls
Breads
Butter
Yarg cheese
Pigs in blankets
Stuffings
Peas
Turkey stock
Higgidy pie (for the vegetarian)


I won't be posting in here tomorrow (I wonder why not) so just to say that breakfast will be my Christmas baked oats.  After that it's traditional dinner!

Have a very happy and fun packed Christmas and see you again on Boxing Day when I will be back on the wagon and being very accountable again.



Saturday, 23-12-17

Good morning.  Two days to go till the so-called Big Day and my home is groaning with extra food.
No, actually that is just a slight exaggeration, but there's more than enough to suit vegetarian, gluten-free person and the rest of us.

My plans for today are:
B:  porridge, fruit, yogurt
S:  orange
L:  tomato and lentil soup - what I should have had yesterday but forgot
S:  apple
D:  crustless quiche, SW chips, side salad.


From the freezer
Just the chips!  Ooops.  However, as I didn't take the ham out yesterday, it has to come out today, as does the Christmas pudding.  And I need to take out a block of butter too.  So it's not all bad news.


The frugal fractor
Same as yesterday for breakfast and lunch.
I'm having quiche because I have some tinned ham left over from making the stuffing and I fancied a quiche.  Having chips with it is pure self indulgence but, hey, it's Christmas (almost)!




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Friday 22 December 2017

Five Frugal Fings

(childish - I know)

I've started this weekly thing to remind me that it's all going frugally well, even when I don't really feel it is.
OK, so this week . . .

1.  I have sorted out the tins and jars cupboard and made a list of all that's in there so that I can start using it up.  To be honest, I'm not sure why I bought some of it but there you go!  Ditto with my herbs and spices shelf.

2.  I sorted and cleaned the fridge so that it was ready for the Christmas rush.  There was some celery and some leeks that were past their best and I didn't have immediate plans for them so they are now in bags, chopped and ready for use from the freezer rather than being chucked.

3.  I suppose this is sensible rather than frugal but I've known for quite a while that my dishwasher is on the way out so I started saving.  Now I have a shiny new dishwasher all ready to be reliable over Christmas and beyond.  Now, I know that one can manage perfectly well without a dishwasher but having been used to one, it's nice to have one again.  The frugal bit is that I saved rather than borrowed with exorbitant interest.  Another frugal bonus is that it has a built in timer so I can delay the start, meaning that it can work away overnight at a cheaper rate.  At the moment, with all the prepping for Christmas, there's more than one load a day, but once that's all calmed down, I need to get into a routine with it all.  Ditto with clothes washing as well actually.

4.  I made tea loaf, bread and biscuits rather than buying, all using stuff I already had in the cupboards.  Now I am prepared for any visitors.

5.  I made Thermomix fudge for gifts.  It's gorgeous, very popular and, as with all Thermione things, is dead easy! 





Friday, 22-12-17

Morning.
Thanks to the gallstones, I may have a house full of Christmas food but I'm not really all that tempted.  Definitely a silver lining there.
(I miss cheese though)

Today's plans:
B:  muesli, fruit and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  tomato and lentil soup
S:  apple
D:  pasta bolognaise


From the freezer:
The bolognaise mixture.
The soup is yesterday's second portion to avoid freezing it.
Also, the Christmas ham comes out today to cook tomorrow.


The frugal factor:
Breakfast as always - the muesli was a gift.  You'd think I would get bored with just porridge or muesli each day but using different fruits rings the changes for me and prevents this.
Lunch is the other half of yesterday's soup*.  I find it virtually impossible to make a one portion soup.  I also find that any soup with lentils in is very filling and most soups that start off with what the Hairy Bikers call the 'trinity' - onion, carrot and celery - is going to be delicious.  Yesterday's certainly was.
The bolognaise is bulked out with added veg, lentils and oats which both make it go further and make it taste better.


*It was onion, carrot, celery, passata (from garden tomatoes so great flavour), orange lentils. Marigold veg stock powder, water, bit of salt and finished off with some milk to make it 'creamy'. 




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Thursday 21 December 2017

Recipe (sort of): left over roast dinner stirfry

I had roast beef, carrots and sprouts left over.
To them I added one banana shallot and two mushrooms that were definitely on their last legs.

For the sauce I had a little pot of tomato and red pepper sauce from the freezer (you could use a bit of chopped tomato or passata)and I added to that some Dijon mustard, tomato puree, soy sauce, lime juice and balsamic syrup, all of which I had in fridge or cupboard.

I cut the beef into matchsticks and the sprouts across into thin slices.  The carrots were already in rounds.
The onion was halved and thinly sliced, ditto with the mushrooms.

I also used some spray oil.

Method:
Spray the oil into a non-stick pan and heat it.  Add the onion and saute until it is starting to brown, then add the mushroom, then the carrot and sprouts and finally the beef.  Stir it well as it sautes and add a few more sprays of oil, if you wish.

Add the sauce with a splash of water.  When that is simmering, add the remaining ingredients.  Let it bubble and reduce slightly, stirring all the time, before serving.

That's all I did, no extra seasonings of any kind and I wasn't expecting very much, it was just a way of using leftovers, but I wish I'd taken a photo because you know what?  It was flippin' delicious!

So I thought I'd share the idea.


Thursday, 21-12-17

Today's frugal plans

B:  muesli with fruit and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  home made soup, probably tomato and lentil
S:  apple
D:  leftovers from yesterday - slices of beef, sprouts and carrots and I might bake a few SW chips too


From the freezer
Passata made with last summer's garden produce
Celery
A little pot of tomato and red pepper sauce
. . . and that's about it because dinner is leftovers.

(added later:  I've made Delia's vegetarian sausage rolls - a great favourite in my family.  I had exactly the right amount of frozen grated cheese and stale bread for breadcrumbs.  What are the chances of that, I wonder.  So two more things out of the freezer and used - although the made up sausage rolls will go into the freezer, uncooked, to use when needed)


The frugal factor
The muesli was a gift and the fruit is orange bits from a savers can.  The fruit is the main cost of my breakfasts but as the rest is so reasonable, that's OK'
The soup will be very cheap because of using garden produce.
The dinner is mostly or completely leftovers


I tackled a few more cupboards yesterday.  The herb and spice shelf was particularly dreadful and some of the contents were so old that they had no aroma whatsoever so, sadly, went in the food recycling.  I'm ashamed of that and it isn't something I recommend but they were not going to be used.  At least it is now in better order and I am more aware of, and can get at, what's theret.

I had to empty under the sink to give someone access to plumbing stuff, so that is now in better order too.  Not food related but still being frugal.

So what with the freezers, the fridge and the main cupboards all being tidy and organised, we're more or less ready for the festivities!



I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Wednesday 20 December 2017

Wednesday, 20-12-17

Morning!
My grandson is coming over to support his doddery old nan as I put up the Christmas tree so I, in return, am doing a full roast dinner for him.  He's a student living in uni accommodation so doesn't get many!  Not totally frugal but there are some frugal elements.

So my plans today are:
B:  porridge with fruit and yogurt
S:  orange
D:  slow roast beef, roasties, stuffing (I know, but he loves it), sprouts, carrots, gravy.  I might do Yorkshires, it depends.  Then mince pie and custard, if wanted.  I will have roast beef, a little bit of the other stuff as long as the old gallbladder is behaving and no dessert as I won't have any room.
S:  apple
T:  goodness knows.  There may be leftovers and I may feel like them.  Alternately, there's soup ion the freezer.


From the freezer:
Beef
Meat gravy


The frugal factor.
You wouldn't think there's much frugality once breakfast is over but actually the beef is cut from a long joint of 'roasting beef' that was on very special in Morrisons a while ago so it's not nearly as bad as it sounds.
And Al will probably take some leftovers home with him to give his mum a break!

I was very good yesterday and tackled the tins and jars cupboard.  I now have another list of Things To Use Up to go with the freezer list.  Today might be the herbs and spices shelf if I am feeling very brave!




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Tuesday 19 December 2017

Tuesday, 19-12-17

Good morning.  Here's my plans for the day.

B:  porridge with pineapple and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  butternut squash and butter bean soup
S:  apple
D:  I shall get out a pot of turkey in stock and make some sort of stew/casserole with it.  Then yogurt.


From the freezer:
The soup
The turkey in stock


The frugal factor
As always, porridge, and the fruit in it will be from a can of Morrison's Savers pineapple.  Not all of it, of course!  :-)
The soup is home made from allotment produce and butter beans I soaked and cooked from dried.
The turkey is from last Christmas' bird (so it does need using up) and that;'s always bought by my Dad, bless him.  And I have an assortment of veg in the fridge that needs using up so a hotpot type thing will be just the ticket.  Comfort food too.
I think today's food will come out very frugal indeed.





I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Monday 18 December 2017

Monday, 18-12-17

Good morning!

Today these are my plans.
B:  muesli, fruit, yogurt
S:  orange
L:  Saturday soup
S:  apple
D:  pork casserole, sprouts; yogurt


From the freezer
The Saturday soup
The pork casserole went into the freezer as leftovers on Saturday but doesn't really count as using up!


The frugal factor
The muesli was a gift
The Saturday soup is what I call the soups I make from fridge leftover veg, slightly wizened and old (veg, not me|), before going shopping to get fresh stuff.  I have no idea of the flavour but it must be OK or I wouldn't have frozen the leftovers.  When I was teaching, it used always to be made on Saturdays, hence the name.
The pork casserole didn't cost me anything!




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!


Sunday 17 December 2017

Recipe: roast chicken

Not really a recipe, just an idea.

Ingredients:
one chicken breast, skinless and boneless
two or three slices of streaky bacon
sage leaves or dried herbs
seasonings

Method
Season the chicken breast all over with pepper and herbs/spices of your choice; I don't use salt as the bacon is salty.  I like to lay over some sage leaves (from the garden).  Flatten the bacon with a knife to make it longer and thinner and wrap it round and round the breast to completely cover it.
Place in a small roasting dish, cover with foil and pop in the fridge if you're not cooking it straight away.
Roast for about 45 minutes at 200C or the equivalent, pouring off the juices and finishing off uncovered for the last ten minutes or so so that the bacon crisps up.
Leave to rest for a short time while you use the roasting juices to make a gravy (the easiest way is bisto!) and then slice across the chicken breast in thin slices to serve.

You could make up some stuffing to put inside the breast but I don't as it's a right fiddle!  You could also brown the bacon before popping the roast in the oven but ditto!

Sunday, 17-12-17

Hello, everyone.  Today is the ultimate in frugality as someone else is paying the bills but, as I am in charge of the catering, I'm still exercising restraint. 

Today's plans are:
B:  porridge with fruit and yogurt - I know I have this just about every day but oats are supposed to be good for cholesterol (or do I mean bad for it?) and anyway, I love it.  Read comfort food in this cold weather and it sets me up all morning.
S:  orange
L:  might be home made soup and might be toast
S:  apple
D:  roast chicken, roasted potatoes and parsnips, bit of stuffing; some sort of fruity dessert


From the freezer:
Just the chicken and some bacon to wrap round it.

Into the freezer:  The Christmas stuffing


The frugal factor
As always, breakfast and lunch are inexpensive.
The roast chicken isn't a whole chicken, it's a boneless and skinless breast with some streaky bacon wrapped around it.  It's very nice and makes a breast go a long way (in this case, enough for three).
The stuffing will be a bit of Paxo stuffing mix left over from making the Christmas stuffing that is now resting in the freezer until Christmas Eve.  No point wasting it and it has to be used soon now that the packet has been opened.  I will mix it with a bit of sliced ham for extra flavour.


Saturday 16 December 2017

Saturday, 16-12-17

Hello, everyone.

Here are my frugal food plans today!
B:  porridge with fruit and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  toast and marmalade
S:  apple
D:  pork casserole with mash and sprouts; stewed apple and custard

From the freezer:
The pork for the casserole and the bread for the toast

The Frugal Factor
Oats and toast as usual
The breakfast fruit is left over from last night
Dinner is on someone else so frugal for me!




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Friday 15 December 2017

Five Frugal Fings (sorry)

Several blogs have a regular Five Frugal Things thing going so, although I have no idea how to link up to them (they call it a 'linky'!), I thought I might go for something similar.

So here are my five frugal fings (REALLY sorry, I can't help myself).

1.  Sorry to go banging about it, but sorting out my freezer really HAS been a frugal win.  Now I know what and where, I have used things from it every day.  Now I am updating it weekly, I should stay in control too.

2.  You know how it goes.  In mid October (or earlier) the Christmas wrapping paper and Christmas cards appear on the shelves in the shops.  You walk past and, bang, before you know it, some have fallen in your trolley.  Not this year though as I thought I had loads left over from last year (and several years before) and, lo and behold, when I checked so I did!

3.  Another of the reasons I have so many unused cards, apart from just buying too many, is that I've started sending ecards.  There are loads of online places but I use one in particular, the Jacquie Lawson site.  It's not free, there is a yearly subscription, but a reasonable one and her cards are just so lovely it is more than worth it.  It's better for the environment and better for my bank balance.  Win-win!
Take a look.
https://www.jacquielawson.com/

3.  I had some manky bananas which I turned into two banana loaves, sliced and frozen all ready for coffee over Christmas.

4.  I've sorted out my old magazines and will be taking some over to my Mum who loves reading them too.  OK, this is being frugal for her rather than for me but I like getting more use out of things.

5.  <thinks>  Oh, yes.  The cold and damp weather plus the shorter days means that I haven't been able to dry the washing on the line recently so, rather than use the tumble dryer, I've been draping them on my drying rack.  Makes better use of the central heating rather than spending more on using the dryer and, fortunately, my house isn't a damp place.

Friday, 15-12-17

Good morning!

Today's plans are a bit vaguer than usual but never mind, I'll share them anyway.

B:  porridge with fruit (strawberry and blueberry), yogurt and maple syrup (I dearly love the smoky sweetness of maple syrup)
S:  orange
L:  toast with soft cheese and marmite (yum)
S:  apple
D:  really not sure but I know it will be something from the freezer


From the freezer
Dinner (whatever that is)
The fruit for my breakfast porridge
The bread for the toast

Since I defrosted and audited the freezer and contents, I have kept notes of what I take out and yesterday I updated the list and printed the new one out.  Despite the long list of things to use up, I feel so much more on top of things and in control now that I know exactly what's there.  It has helped a lot.

The frugal factor
Oats are cheap  :-)
The toast is home made and, while not necessarily as cheap as savers sliced bread or YS loaves, is still very good value and totally delicious!


Things do start getting more complicated as we get closer to the biggest food-fest of the year but my need to stick to very low fat food seems to be keeping me on track remarkably well (for now, anyway).
Fingers crossed.


Edited:  dinner was steak and kidney casserole with potato and cabbage.  It doesn't sound great but it was delicious.  Following that was fresh fruit salad with honey yogurt.  Mmmmmm




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Thursday 14 December 2017

Recipe: a marinade for chicken drumsticks and how to not waste it!

Ingredients:
bit of garlic puree
some honey
some Dijon mustard
some lemon juice
some soy sauce
some cinnamon
All stuff I had in.
(sorry, I didn't measure - anyway, it depends how many you are cooking for)

Method.
Mix the lot together and stir well until it's all amalgamated, more or less.

Place the chicken drumsticks in an ovenproof dish and pour over the marinade.  Cover and leave to marinate for at least two hours, longer, if possible.

Cover with foil and pop into the oven at about 200 fan.

Bake for about 20 to 25 mins until chicken is more or less cooked
Then remove the foil, baste the chicken and replace in the oven for about ten minutes so the chicken browns a bit and the marinade thickens.

Serve.

I didn't use the marinade as a sauce and overnight it had 'jellified' in the dish.  I tasted it and it was delicious so I spooned it out and am going to use it on my steak this evening.  I know it's meat-fusion but it will go really well, I can tell.  No waste = frugal!

Thursday, 14-12-17

Yesterday went fine - stuck to the food plans and didn't wander off into paths of iniquity!

Today's plans
B:  muesli, fruit and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  beans on toast (again)
S:  apple
D:  flat iron steak, small baked potato, salad


From the freezer
The flat iron steak
I'm having beans again to avoid putting them in the freezer
Bread for the toast


The frugal factor
The muesli was a gift
The beans are Savers and the bread is home made
The steak may not be frugal but when I bought it, it had just been featured on 'Eat Well for Less and was less that half the price of sirloin.  It isn't now, not now it's been 'discovered'.  Also, It's using up what I have which is another element of frugality




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Wednesday 13 December 2017

Wednesday, 13-12-17

Hi!
When I wrote yesterday's entry I had totally forgotten that I was round at a friend's for lunch which turned out to be a fully blown meal.  Absolutely delicious and filled me up for the rest of the day, so yesterday turned out to be very frugal! 
Fortunately, I hadn't taken the dinner out of the freezer.

Today's plans
B:  porridge with fruit (strawberries and blueberries) and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  beans on toast
S:  apple
D:  chicken drumsticks with salad and a few SW chips; yogurt

I want to find some sort of marinade for the chicken.  I'm thinking honey, mustard, citrus and spice of some kind, all of which I have in.

Today is likely to be a bit more expensive than usual as I am going to do the first Christmas shop.


From the freezer:
Strawberries and blueberries
I seem to have a startling number of frozen chicken drumsticks so this will reduce them by two
The bread for the toast

I might prep more chips than I need to the par boiled stage and then open freeze them, just to make life a bit easier.  More in the freezer, I know, but it will be useful and I have plenty of spuds..


The frugal factor:
The oats for the porridge - such great value.
The beans are savers ones and the bread is home made.
Chicken drumsticks are not all that costly.
I got a bag of wonky peppers (all red and yellow, no greens) so pepper will feature significantly in the salad.





I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Tuesday 12 December 2017

Tuesday, 12-12-17

Good morning!  It was an easier food day yesterday except for changing my mind about what to have for dinner.  I'm glad I did - it worked!

Here's today's plans

B:  muesli with the rest of the stewed rhubarb and strawberries (which is absolutely delicious) and natural yogurt
S:  orange
L:  beans on toast
S:  apple
D:  vegetable curry and rice, yogurt


From the freezer
The bread for toast
the vegetable curry and the rice


The frugal factor
As before, the muesli was a gift and the breakfast fruit was from allotment and garden.
The beans are savers and I add a shot of brown sauce or ketchup (I do for more expensive beans as well, it's not because they are cheaper).
The bread is home made and great value, not to mention tasting scrummy.
The curry was a frugal make when I was doing Pound a Day.

Today is one of those days that help to balance the more expensive days.  Yesterday wasn't bad either.




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Monday 11 December 2017

Recipe: mince stuffed pepper

This was a doddle.  I'm sure there are much more complicated versions but this will do for me, every time.


What to do.

Some time in the past make a batch of savoury mince and freeze it in single portions, OK?

Defrost one of the portions.
Cut a pepper in half longways: even better if it's a wonky pepper (cheap).  Carefully cut out the stalk, the seeds and the white membrane.  Place both halves in a small oven proof dish.
Spoon half of the mince into one half pepper and the rest in the other half.
Pop into a 180C oven and bake for about 20 mins.  While it's baking, finely grate some cheese.  I used not-Parmesan (savers 'hard Italian cheese').
Take the peppers out of the oven (see the trendy 'charred veg' look), sprinkle over the cheese and pop it back to bake for another ten minutes or so.

Serve with a salad (or chips!)




Monday, 11-12-17

Well, the snow yesterday played havoc with my catering plans.  My guests didn't come (ungritted roads, skating rink-like conditions, etc) so I had a lot of prepped food to deal with.

I had some of the slow roast lamb (which was absolutely delicious) and my son turned up, bless him, to see if I needed anything so he had a plateful as well.  The rest is now in the freezer in single portions - at least I can now make proper shepherd's pie.  The beany mixture is also in the freezer as is the rhubarb and strawberry crumble.  I'm sure I can use them over the Christmas period.

I had peeled all the potatoes I had so I par-boiled them, dried them out and they are now open freezing for use on Christmas day.

So my slowly emptying freezer took a bit of a battering but nothing, absolutely nothing was wasted unless you count me eating far more roast lamb than was good for me.

Moving on, today's plans are:
B:  porridge with fruit (some of the stewed rhubarb and strawberries) and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  roasted butternut squash and butterbean soup
S:  apple
D:  savoury mince, pasta**; yogurt


From the freezer
The soup
The savoury mince

The frugal factor
The fruit for the porridge was from allotments and garden
The soup is home made from home grown or cooked ingredients
The mince is a small portion and packed with healthy bulkers - oats, lentils and chopped veg - to make it go further and because it's absolutely delicious!


** Edited later.  I've changed my mind.  I have some 'wonky' peppers so I am going to use the mince to make stuffed peppers instead and have a salad on the side.



And another edit.  I am so glad I changed my dinner plan because the stuffed pepper was delicious!







I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Sunday 10 December 2017

Recipe: banana bread

This is a lovely, simple recipe that produces sheer deliciousness.

I found it on the blog of the now late Shirley Goode (remember her on Pebble Mill, decades ago?).  The recipe was in the comments which now seem to have disappeared so I feel OK about posting it here.


Ingredients: (with apologies for the old fashioned imperial measurements)
3 oz margarine (I suppose butter would do too)
3 oz caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium banana, peeled
5 oz SR flour
half tsp cinnamon
half tsp allspice
a pinch of salt

Whisk together the margarine, sugar, eggs, vanilla and banana.  Then fold in the flour, spices and salt.
Bake in a suitably sized loaf tin (the above amount works well with a 1lb loaf tin) at 180C for about 40 to 45 mins - until it's done really so check with a skewer!  I used a paper liner so there was no sticking at all.

Let it cool before slicing and serve either plain or with butter.
That's it!



I adapted it for making in my Thermomix:

Place the margarine, sugar, eggs, vanilla and banana in the bowl and zizz at speed 5-6 for about 10 seconds or so, until it is a batter.

Add the flour, spices and salt and reverse mix at speed 2-3 until the flour in incorporated.  You might need to push down the sides with the spatula.

Bake as above.

There's lots of variations: you could add chocolate or I think some crystallised, chopped ginger would go well, for example.  But it's really lovely just as it comes, very easy, very simple.  Also pretty frugal.  I used value flour and it rose fine.



Sunday, 10-12-17

It felt so good after sorting out the chest freezer, so much more in control, that yesterday I went out and sorted the front opening one too.  It wasn't a mess, does need defrosting but not urgently and now I know what's in there too.  Great.
It didn't take so long and I didn't get so cold.


Here's today's plans and I have guests for Sunday dinner
B:  muesli, fruit and yogurt
S:  orange
D:  roast lamb (and a mixed bean casserole for one of my guests), roasties, sprouts, green beans; then rhubarb and strawberry crumble with custard
T:  beans on toast


From the freezer
The lamb
For the vegetarian casserole, pulses, passata, mixed peppers
Green beans (garden produce)
Rhubarb and strawberries (allotment and garden produce)
Bread for the toast
. . . so quite good from that perspective

However, into the freezer (ooops)
Two sliced 1lb loaves (home made)
I found two manky bananas and, to avoid throwing them away, I made banana loaf.  It's very easy, pretty fool proof and delicious and I will post the recipe
Two portions of roasted butternut squash and butterbean soup which I will use up during the coming week

The frugal factor
Breakfast and tea are OK but lunch is the opposite in terms of cost.  However, I am using what I have in and haven't had to buy anything extra so that works.
I avoided throwing away two bananas and now have banana bread for Christmas teas.   Nice!  I love it when you start with something that seems only fit for the bin and end up with sheer deliciousness.



I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!




Saturday 9 December 2017

Saturday, 9-12-17

Now that I have a defrosted freezer (cheers) and a comprehensive list of what is now in there plus more or less where it is too (top, bottom, left, right), I hope I will be able to use it in a more organised way!  Certainly I will be fulfilling the first point in my post, 'What do I mean by frugal', which said:

"I mean making the very best of what I already have and not buying food for the sake of buying food - and that includes yellow sticker food.  If I don't need it, it is a waste of cash, whether it costs £10 or 10p"

It was definitely worth getting absolutely frozen for, even if it did take several hours, hot coffee, hot soup and the fan heater to feel properly warm again.

Today's plans:
B:  muesli, fruit and yogurt
S:  orange
L:  roasted butternut squash and butter bean soup
S:  apple
D:  savoury mince with butterbeans, mixed veg; stewed apple and raspberries with yogurt

From the freezer:
savoury mince with butterbeans
mixed veg
stewed apple and raspberries

The frugal factor:
The muesli was a gift (thanks, Dad)
The soup is home made (here's the recipe), made from garden/allotment produce
The butter beans have brought down the cost of the mince mixture considerably.



I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.
Fingers crossed!

Friday 8 December 2017

Recipe: Christmas baked oats

Ingredients for one
(this makes plenty for me; it's very filling)

20g oats
1 medium egg
half a pot mullerlight orange with chocolate sprinkles yogurt
pinch salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
orange and lemon zest
a heaped tsp mincemeat

Method
Heat the oven to about 170C

Mix all the ingredients together and stir well.
Pour the batter into an appropriate sized dish - I use an ovenproof round glass ramekin, a bit larger than the usual ones (Tescos, £1.50 and worth every penny).
Place on a baking tray in case of leakage.
Bake for around 40 mins until lovely and brown.
Tip or spoon out and serve straight away.

I poured the remaining half of the yogurt around it.  It's really delicious!

Not a great photo, sorry!

Next time I will also throw in a few dried cranberries too, for more colour as well as the Festive Flavour.

Friday, 8-12-17

Good morning.  I have a new super-frugal breakfast now as well as the porridge and that is some super-posh muesli that has very kindly been given to me.  It's splendid stuff, packed with nuts and fruit but with no added sugar.  It'll be nice to ring the changes and I'm sure it will help the cholesterol levels.

So - today's food plans
B:  Christmas baked oats - an experiment and rehearsal for The Day - with Christmas spices, mincemeat and orange zest.  I will let you know.
S:  orange
L:  roasted squash and butterbean soup
S:  apple
D: chicken goujons with SW chips and a side salad; yogurt


From the freezer:
Just the chicken. 
I'll have a better idea of what's in there once I have defrosted the thing.




The frugal factor:
The soup is very cheaply made with allotment produce and soaked and cooked butter beans.
Dinner isn't too expensive as there's not loads of anything.

However, the baked oats are not all that frugal what with the egg AND the yogurt!  Never mind, once a week won't break the bank.

Thursday 7 December 2017

Recipe: roasted butternut squash and butter bean soup

 . . . with hardly any added fat!


Ingredients to make three good portions (sorry, freezer)
one small (home grown) butternut squash or half of the ones you can buy in the shops
spray oil
some butter beans (see below), soaked and cooked
half a medium carrot, topped or tailed, washed and cut into chunks
two 'slices' of celery *
half a medium onion, peeled and chopped
one vegetable stock pot (or other stock of choice)
a good pinch of mixed herbs
a squidge of garlic puree
a squidge of chilli puree
some pepper
pinch of salt - not too much as you can always add more later

Method:
preheat the oven to about 170C
Cut the squash in half longways and then cut each piece in half longways again.  Scoop out the seeds.  Spray each piece with oil, place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until the flesh is soft.  Take it out and let it cool a bit.  Then scrape out all the flesh and discard the rind.
The butter beans should be more or less the same amount as the squash by volume

In a pan place the squash, the beans, the carrot, celery and onion.  Add the stock pot, herbs, garlic, pepper, salt and chilli.  Top up to about 1 litre in total with water.

Cover, bring to a gentle boil and simmer until all the veg is soft.

Then either use a stick blender or another blender and zizz it all until it is very smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings as required.  If it is too thick you can add m ore water or, for a creamier taste, some milk.

*  I don't pull off ribs of celery and then chop the rib, I keep them attached and slice right across the top as many times as needed.  Much easier!

Thursday, 7-12-17

Good morning.
I'm hoping (weather permitted) to sort out my freezer today.  Everything out, audited, anything 'unsuitable' discarded (don't think there will be much), the freezer defrosted and everything back again.  Wish me luck.


B:  porridge with fruit and natural yogurt
S:  orange
L:  squash and butterbean soup
S:  apple
D:  beef stroganoff with runner beans, yogurt


From the freezer:
loads of ice!
beef
runner beans

The frugal factor
porridge - dead cheap, even with some fruit
the butternut squash is allotment produce
the runner beans are from the garden
the butter beans are soaked and cooked, not from a tin

however, to counter balance all of this, the beef is dead expensive but once in a while is OK - it's the other half of the steak I bought last week


Edited @ around 7:30
Ooops, I went to the microwave and found yesterday's soup inside.  After the meeting I popped it in to warm up, got stuck into some emailing and then went to bed, totally forgetting about it.  So that's lunch and the other can do me another day.




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.

Wednesday 6 December 2017

Wednesday, 6-12-17

Morning, everyone!
Yesterday turned out more frugal than I though - I forgot to have breakfast (really, I just forgot, not great but there you go) and the soup I made for lunch was enough to last two days as it's very, very filling.

Today's plans:
B:  porridge, fruit and yogurt
S: orange
L:  cottage pie, runner beans
S:  apple
D:   bacon and yellow split pea soup


From the freezer:
mince for cottage pie
runner beans
(I gather it's going to be a lot colder tomorrow so I might turn out my freezer, do an audit of what's in, deal with any impossibly fatty stuff and defrost the poor thing - that would help tremendously)


The frugal factor
The fruit for the porridge is a bit old and needs eating soon or it won't be fit to eat - no waste there!
As yesterday, the mince is pre-cooked and loaded with good things to bulk it out - oats, lentils and veg
The runner beans are from the garden this year
The soup is left over from yesterday, making it twice as frugal as I thought.  I'm still getting used to using yellow split peas which seem to be a great thickening agent as well as flavoursome.

Also I've bought some more yogurt and today I shall set my yogurt maker on again.  A litre of yogurt for the cost of some long life semi-skimmed and a few spoonfuls of the previous batch (in this case, some of the bought yogurt) and it tastes twice as nice for half the price!






I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.

Monday 4 December 2017

Tuesday, 5-12-17

Another day, another menu.

Today I'm planning to have . . .
B:  Guess what.  Yes, that's right - porridge and fruit.  No yogurt as I'm out of it so it's on the shopping list.  Just a small pot as I really must start making my own again.
S:  apple or orange
L:  ham and split pea soup
S:  apple or orange
D:  spag (or pasta) bol


From the freezer:
Yesterday I got out a little pot of cooking bacon for the quiche but then Beth (daughter) came round so I doubled up amounts and skipped the bacon as she's vegetarian.  I'm using it today in the soup in lieu of ham stock, to give it a good hammy zing.
The cooked mince for the spag bol.


The frugal factor
Porridge as always - and I hope it's working wonders for my cholesterol as well as my bank balance
Split peas are as cheap as chips and the bacon also cost very little when I bought it YS quite a while ago.
The mince is packed with veg, oats and lentils which not only makes it extra tasty and full of goodness, they also bulk it out and make it a lot more frugal.  I always make my savoury mince like this (with variations, depending on what I have got in).
And I have some pasta that was given to me so the ultimate frugal!




I'm trying to use up the multitude of stuff in the freezer.
I want to make the most of my hard earned pension so am aiming for sensible frugality in my meal planning and making.
I have gall bladder problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure so am taking myself in hand with low fat, high fruit and veg, generally healthy meals but with plenty of flavour.