Wednesday, 25-01-23: Low spend/no spend January

Morning, everyone!

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I was pretty disappointed in Iceland's beef stir fry strips (way too chewy for a stir fry) and intended using them for a slow cooked casserole.  I got that started yesterday evening and this morning the house smells wonderful!

This was the recipe I used, a basic casserole recipe although I didn't really weigh out things.  It's come out absolutely delicious, the only slight thing being as the beef was thin strips to start with, there aren't any big chunks of meat, just lots of little ones.  However, it is lovely and tender, just what I hoped and, with added vegetables, makes a perfect SW dish.  

It made three portions at two syns per portion as I used a tbsp oil.

They're going in the freezer as soon as they are cold - I know I'm trying to use up freezer stuff but this takes the beef one step closer to being used and I wouldn't use it in stir fry so that's OK.

Yesterday's meals:

Good old boiled eggs for breakfast and very yummy they were too.

I'd already had a banana before Groove class and I had a couple of easy peelers around midday.

I didn't need any more cheese on the risotto; it was very nice just as it was.

This was the SW peanut butter chicken pasta dish and, like pretty much all SW recipes, it made a large portion. I have around a third left for lunch today.

I had a yogurt to finish off the day.

Today's plans

B:  fruit and yogurt

SW:  syn free

L:  leftover pasta from last night, salad; fruit

I was going to have a toastie but I have leftovers instead.  I can live with that!

SW:  half a syn for the peanut butter powder in the pasta sauce

D:  butterbean and feta burgers (no roll), chips, veg; yogurt

This is another recipe from Cookidoo to make in Thermione.  I don't think it is accessible but here's the link in case it is.
https://cookidoo.co.uk/created-recipes/en-GB/01GQ71WZWK4QT9YP66KGNYNG8T

I have some burger sauce left over from a few days ago so I will use that up.  If it doesn't go with the burgers, it will be nice with the chips.

SW:  one and a half syns for breadcrumbs, half a healthy extra A for some feta, half a syn for flour, one syn for mayo in coleslaw, two syns for the burger sauce and  half a syn for yogurt

Ex:  A snippet and personal training

Summary:

half a healthy extra A

no healthy extra B

six syns

What is low spend, no spend?

All I will buy through January is essentials - and by that I mean food such as fresh fruit, veg and dairy/eggs.  All other foods will come out of my existing supplies and, to be honest, that may not be much of a challenge.  Also included in any low spend essentials are cleaning products and toiletries although I think I am fine for the latter.  
Also anything else essential that I won't think of until it lands!
That is the low spend part.

Everything else, unless it is either a regular bill/payment/commitment, will not happen.  No sneaky little Amazon purchases, no 'bargains' from the supermarket, certainly no clothes . . .
That's the no spend part.