Sunday, 12-03-23: more-low-spend March but . . .

  Morning, everyone!

Yesterday's meals:

I should have used a bigger plate for this - waffles made with the new waffle gizmo.  It is a perfect size for the recipe I use (40h wholemeal SR, 1/4 tsp baking powder. one med egg, a dollop of yogurt and some water and flavourings) but each waffle is pretty big and, of course, square rather than round like the old ones were.  I shall have to work out how to 'dress the plate' a bit better or perhaps make two, have one for breakfast and the other later on, perhaps for evening dessert.  That's a thought!

However, they were lovely, just how I wanted them and as waffly as a recipe without butter can possibly be!

The rest of the penne arrabbiata from Prezzo and very tasty it was too - I am definitely going to make my own version of it but with less penne and more added vegetables.

The rest of the day was a tale of woe.

To make it brief, I had left the gizmo thingy (officially, it is a '4-in-1 snack maker' but that's too long winded so I think it has to be 'Gizmo') on the ceramic hob and, later on, must have accidentally brushed against the front of the oven and turned that ring on.  By the time I realised there was a problem, poor Gizmo was on fire, the bottom had burnt out and the kitchen was a bit smoky.
Thank goodness that a) I had left the door open so smelled there was something wrong and b) for extractor fans.

The oven is fine, there's just a hint of remaining smoke that will go in time but poor old Gizmo is not at all fine.  He's now in the bin and, yes, I have ordered another one, to be known as Gizmo the Second - so much for low-spend!  

I was so unsettled that I fell right into the usual trap and comfort ate.  Loads of bread, cheese and the last of the Christmas wine - yes, almost the whole bottle.  Isn't that awful?

So yesterday ended up as a bit of a write-off but it's a case of lay it down, leave it behind and move on.

(I slept like a log and I have no headache today which is a lot more than I deserve, don't you think?)

However, I am now very grateful that it wasn't a lot worse.  It could have been a disaster and I have learned a lesson.

Today's plans

B:   fruit

After yesterdays evening shenanigans, I am really not hungry so it's either fruit or nothing at all, depending on how I feel at around eleven.

SW syn free

L:  gammon, mango, chips, loadsa veg; fruit

The gammon is a Be Good To Yourself joint.  I always get them, they are so lean and really very delicious, I think.  I don't have any pineapple so I will have some mango instead, which I might just sear beforehand (I don't syn cooked fruit).

It was going to be new potatoes but I had cut the chips so will have them instead.

SW:  I believe this should all be syn free.

D:  cheese and ham toastie, side salad, coleslaw; yogurt

The ham is not a big joint but there will be leftovers to see me through a few days.

SW:  one healthy extra A for cheese, one healthy extra B, one syn for salad cream and half a syn for yogurt

Ex:  maybe a walk, depending on the weather.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one healthy extra B

one and a half 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.