Nervous of my own challenge - reduce or stop spending!

Long_tall_sally

LilacLillie - your sweet potato, chick peas and spinach curry sounds lovely - could you post the recipe please? And good luck on your challenge by the way, I know I couldn't do it but so far you have!

LilacLillie

I found the recipe here on this site, it really was lovely and very simple to cook.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Sweet-Potato-Curry-With-Spinach-and-Chickpeas-84474

LL

zippychick

That's great you have Caterina to help with meal plans etc :j

Really glad the spinach was yum - that recipe sounds lovely! :j
How is today going Lillie?!:D x

taplady

Another great thread! good luck lilac!:Tand belated happy birthday!

I'm doing a similar one this month with food shopping mainly - this is down to necessity as DH is ill on SSP for about a month and we're skint. I did my last shopping last Saturday(30th) and so far havent spent a penny. Like Zippy said I'm trying to see how long I can go without spending anything on food.Luckily we had a fair bit in to start with.
Anyone got any suggestions for using up pearl barley as its been in the cupboars for ages and I'm not really sure what to do with it! also frozen spinach. I've used this in a veggie lasagne and put a bit ina curry but dont know how else to use it.

Long_tall_sally

taplady - your pearl barley would be good in soups, I think or maybe even stews?

ubamother

I haven't tried it personally, but I have read that you can make a kind of risotto using pearl barley instead of arborio rice

zarazara

and its delicious! just simmer some pearl barley in a little stock [chicken or veggie] sprinkle in a few herbs eg oregano. add whatever you like,----peas,sweetcorn,chopped red pepper,pre cooked chicken , chopped pre-cooked carrot.
serve in a little mountain shape, mop up juices with crusty bread, preferably HM.
The pearl barley takes about 20 mins to cook and you dont have to stand over it so much as with the rice.

Purpleclutterbuck

Bit impressed with this task that you've set yourself ! Don't worry about the quilter's class lot - it's like a run of no spending days (nsd) all in one month ! err... there's actually only a few days left and look how well you've done so far:T
The advice already given is brill and I think just stopping and focusing on the goal (zippychick's idea) every time you feel in danger of giving in is very important and keep chatting and putting your thought's down on the thread will keep it all in perspective.:D
There's no need to be nervous of this challenge because come'on, you know you can do it - pcb

taplady

zarazara wrote: »

and its delicious! just simmer some pearl barley in a little stock [chicken or veggie] sprinkle in a few herbs eg oregano. add whatever you like,----peas,sweetcorn,chopped red pepper,pre cooked chicken , chopped pre-cooked carrot.
serve in a little mountain shape, mop up juices with crusty bread, preferably HM.
The pearl barley takes about 20 mins to cook and you dont have to stand over it so much as with the rice.

thankyou for that! :TI love risotto!I dont eat meat but have some quorn chicken pieces in the freezer that might do just as well! will also give it a go in soup too:)

zippychick

taplady wrote: »

thankyou for that! :TI love risotto!I dont eat meat but have some quorn chicken pieces in the freezer that might do just as well! will also give it a go in soup too:)

Is great in an irish broth - carrots parsley leeks potato chicken and what we call soup mix - which is a mix of lentils, barley - in fact, this . Pink has a slide show of how to make it from a carcass - I can hoke that out for you if you need .

The geek in me had to go find it. Clicky. Good work Pink

Edit - you're a veggie i know, but it's more the technique of the soup in case you've not made broth? Ok, i'll shut up.....