Sunday 5 March 2023

Sunday, 05-03-23: more low-spend March

 Morning, everyone!

Tragedy!!
As I was using my waffle maker yesterday morning, a bit dropped off it (it might have been knocked in the cupboard when I was putting something else away) and some wires were exposed so I'm afraid it is now in the bin.
It never was totally satisfactory.  Yes, it made lovely waffles but it was a one job gadget and a bit tricky to clean as you couldn't remove the plates.
I know it is low-spend March but I'm afraid I went straight online and found a replacement that is more multi-function and  has the removable plates I decided were necessary.

This is the one I've got.  It's a Salter, which is a good name, and is multi function - and you can use the panini tray for other things like bacon, etc, if you want.
Anyway - it is coming on Monday

(photo borrowed from the Amazon site and here's the link to the item - not an ad, just showing you:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07P91PZX1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 )
Yesterday's meals:


Ooooh, this was lovely!  
Actually, the only think I'm sorry about is that I won't have round waffles any more - I like them round.  I won't risk electrocution either so that's a balancing positive!!



Lunch was the half of Friday night's dinner that I had no room for plus a choppy salad and some coleslaw made with cabbage, carrot, salad cream and grapes.
.
Wrapped in foil and heated up in the Ninja (using the reheat function) the pitta burger was really delicious and now I am wondering about making some more, to wrap in foil and pop in the freezer.  I don't think there's anything in it that wouldn't freeze.  It's just a thought at the moment as I am working the freezer down, of course.
I had some melon for afters.

I just wasn't 'feeling' what I had planned for dinner.  In fact, it was all quite dangerous - I even thought about getting a takeaway.  Why???  No idea.
Anyway, when I really thought about it, I decided what I wanted was bread, cheese, marmite - that sort of umami stuff - so that's what I had.  Marmite on toast with a cheesey topping and I so, so enjoyed it.  I went over healthy extras/syns, for sure, and the calories weren't great either, but it was loads better than the alternative of a takeaway, loads!  Better for me, better for my pocket and, to be honest, probably a lot more tasty too - home made always is.
And it scratched the craving itch perfectly.
Today's plans:
Straight back on it today, remembering that one meal in twenty one doth not a healthy diet break!

B:  egg, potato waffle, tomatoes, mushrooms
A nice, Sunday cooked breakfast today.
SW:  two syns for the potato waffle

L:  bacon chop, new potatoes, roasted veg, steamed veg; fruit
Not a roast dinner this week but just as nice.  The chop is one of the things that always meanders to the bottom of the freezer and gets overlooked which is why my list is so very useful.  It is just very lean bacon but cut thicker, sort of like a gammon steak.
M&S had some bags of new potatoes this week and I just thought 'ooooh, nice' and treated myself.  I have prepped all the veg and took great delight in just washing them and popping them straight in the water at the bottom of the steamer saucepan with the carrots.  Just as nice - my mint is growing and I've pinched off three little sprigs and popped them in the cooking water - lovely!
I'm still dithering about what to have with the bacon chop.  I think I will get a few chunks of pineapple out of the freezer and one tsp of wholegrain mustard would be nice too.
SW:  one tp grain mustard is half a syn and I think everything else is syn free

D:  Viking toast, baked beans; yogurt
The Viking toast is from the PoN Enjoy book an d is basically a Welsh Rarebit type thing.  I'll probably spread marmite over the toast for more umami - or, I suppose, I could turn it into a toastie.  I'll ponder that one.
The baked beans are because I really want some.  Extra carbs, I know, but also protein and I want to avoid another breakout like yesterday evening
SW:  up to two healthy extra As for cheese and one B for the bread.  The rest of the recipe seems to be syn free.  Then, half a syn for yogurt.

Ex:   I want to catch up on Lindsey's snippets this morning.

Summary:
up to two healthy extra As
one healthy extra B
three syns

What do I mean by low spend?

At the beginning of this year, as part of a de-cluttering thing, I did a detailed audit of all the food I had in cupboards, fridge and freezer and was somewhat horrified at how much stuff I had.
So I determined to make a huge effort to reduce it down and use it up with minimal waste.

January and February were no spend and low spend months respectively.  March is going to be another low spend month with just a few exceptions and, of course, all the essentials.  It has got to work with Slimming World.

'Essential' means  food such as fresh fruit, veg and dairy/eggs and other essentials including things like cleaning products and toiletries as needed.  A few other things will come up through the month but generally it is just real essentials as I see 'essential'.
Of course, all regular bills, direct debits, etc, will still be paid as usual - hey are essential.

It's really helping in these difficult times.  I am still able to save a wodge of my income (which is all pensions now) as I have done since I retired, plus a bit more.  After all, at some point, I will have to start replacing things - just not yet.


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