Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

ceridwen

JayJay14 wrote: »

ETA - ceridwen, I just put supercook ino the mysupermarket search and it came up in Asda - 67p.

Thanks for that....

ah.ha....speaking in my "systems analyst" mindset:) - I've just gone and put in baking powder on the Asda bit of the www.mysupermarket.com website and baking powder duly came up (provided I input "Supercook baking powder" - rather than just "baking powder" on its own). My Asda price came up as 65p (compared to your 67p).

Ah....lightbulb moment...it looks like that website does indeed quote off the price in ones own locale (as a previous poster said) - and...whew..you are in an even more expensive location than I am....(you have my sympathies....:cool:).

Reet-io...looks like I'm good to go then on the carrot cake - on the basis that "old" baking powder will do and it doesnt have to be self-raising flour then (as I've got in plenty of the standard wholemeal flour that I use for breadmaking). Now its just down to whether I'm up to doing it tonight...a glass or two of wine later....

NOTE FOR OUR WEBSITE-to-BE then: I suggest we use baking powder rather than bicarbonate of soda - as that would avoid the aftertaste problem.

*****************************************

Other thoughts so far - I was investigating the buttery-type spreads in Sainsburys today and - whew - there is one heck of a difference between the type I buy and the cheapest ones.:eek:.

The cheapest amongst the type I buy was "Country Life" (at £4.78 per kg). The cheapest of all the ones available was "Sainsburys Butterlicious" at £1.96 per kg. A LARGE difference then.

There was also a LARGE difference between the quality of the two "levels" - the cheaper level (ie the Sainsburys Butterlicious) sounded much like a chemistry lesson when I looked at the ingredients list :eek:. The dearer type (ie the "Country Life" one I actually bought) had a "food type" ingredient list.

So - there was a HUGE difference between the price level on the one hand and the ingredients list on the other hand. I was quite surprised to see JUST how big it is.

My thoughts on this - well....it boils down to "pick your battles then" I guess. Sometimes the healthier product doesnt cost that much more than the cheapest product and there isnt a huge difference in quality. On the other hand - sometimes the price difference and quality difference is positively "gi-normous":eek:.

Hmmm...there are so many different "health levels" on the food we buy. It seems to range all the way through from the cheapie "butter" type spreads we buy...to the better-quality "butter" type spreads...to actual butter.....to organic butter....WHEW!

So there is certainly a huge difference between the "wince but wolf it down" School of Thought (cheapest possible - but loadsa processing and chemicals) and "yep...thats PROPER food now" School of Thought and I guess we need to create recipes that can cover the whole spectrum between those two levels (depending on peoples finances and priorities). I guess we all vary on that...my own personal take is "I've only got one body - so its got to be the highest health level possible on my food"...but I do understand that other people might have got themselves into a shedload of debt/be on the Dole/etc and might have to just "wince and buy the cheapie level" for the time being until things improve. As I said "choose your battles" and see exactly where its worth spending that bit more if the money is available.

***************************************

Apart from all that - I've coined a name for our mythical "family" - Mr and Mrs Spendless and the Frugalteenies....well...it'll do to be going on with...

Penelope_Penguin

weezl74 wrote: »

2 x ASDA Smartprice British Carrots (2Kg) 2.16


Meat, Fish & Poultry


800g ASDA Smartprice Pork Belly Slices by Weight (100g) 3.20


Frozen


2 x ASDA Fine Whole Green Beans (1Kg) 2.00
2 x ASDA Freshly Frozen Baby Carrots (1Kg) 2.44

Thinking aloud a bit here ............ I was mentioning on another thread that I like to shop locally and seasonally. The above jump out at me. My Belly Pork dish is to be served with green beans. I'm not sure where these are from, but can I have sprouts instead, please Tesco are selling them loose at £1.32/kg (or frozen at 98p/kg :j ). My farm shop will have them for less, and there'll be food metres rather than miles :T And I looooooooooooooove sprouts :happyhear

Weezl, can I ask why you've included frozen carrots, when they're more than twice the price of fresh?

I don't use much frozen veg (sweetcorn and petit pois peas only, in addition to what we grow and freeze ) so not sure of quality, provenance, etc

I'm looking at doing my belly pork with lentils, what do you think? That will streeeeeeeeeeetch the meat, and help the 5-a-day :j

SunnyGirl

I'll have a go at the chutney recipe tomorrow afternoon and tinker about with the costings etc too. You have enough on at the moment Weezl I'm thinking that I'll use some of the sweet vinegar from the red cabbage and some normal I'll play with it until I get an acceptable level IYKWIM? I'll throw in some sultanas too so there's a bit more interest to it too - otherwise it'd be like baby apple puree.

Any thoughts anyone? If I don't reply tonight it's because I'm 'encouraging' the aforementioned taster, Andrew, into doing his English homework which he thinks it's ok to leave as 'It's not due till Wednesday, Mum' I may tell him that Weezl said he's got to be up to date with all homework in order to be a tester or he can't do it :rotfl::rotfl:

Penelope_Penguin

weezl74 wrote: »

can anyone match the colour groups rule without letting pulses count more than once a day? It'd be helpful if so

I've been wondering about this; I know that pulses can only count as one portion of 5-a-day, but could you not stretch to 2 portions once or twice a week, if you;re eating 7-a-day :think:

Penelope_Penguin

SunnyGirl wrote: »

I'll have a go at the chutney recipe tomorrow afternoon and tinker about with the costings etc too. You have enough on at the moment Weezl I'm thinking that I'll use some of the sweet vinegar from the red cabbage and some normal I'll play with it until I get an acceptable level IYKWIM? I'll throw in some sultanas too so there's a bit more interest to it too - otherwise it'd be like baby apple puree.

Any thoughts anyone?

Be careful switching pickle-vinegar for vinegar in a recipe. It may have been diluted with water. Have you a recipe to start with?

misskool

ceridwen wrote: »

NOTE FOR OUR WEBSITE-to-BE then: I suggest we use baking powder rather than bicarbonate of soda - as that would avoid the aftertaste problem.

*****************************************

Other thoughts so far - I was investigating the buttery-type spreads in Sainsburys today and - whew - there is one heck of a difference between the type I buy and the cheapest ones.:eek:.

The cheapest amongst the type I buy was "Country Life" (at £4.78 per kg). The cheapest of all the ones available was "Sainsburys Butterlicious" at £1.96 per kg. A LARGE difference then.

There was also a LARGE difference between the quality of the two "levels" - the cheaper level (ie the Sainsburys Butterlicious) sounded much like a chemistry lesson when I looked at the ingredients list :eek:. The dearer type (ie the "Country Life" one I actually bought) had a "food type" ingredient list.

baking powder is bicarb and cream of tartar. There is a taste and baking difference. The bicarb here appears to be used as an extra raising agent.

as for the spread type butters, I'm never understand people who feel "comforted" by the fact that things sound chemicals. ALL FOOD IS CHEMICAL. What the name is called is all a matter of what you've been programmed to think.

The whole idea of what is dearer and better and "organic" is often a matter of PR and marketing. All food is organic, it's how it's produced that should be of concern. Although it concerned me when I found out that organic farmers sprayed massive amounts of copper to the land introducing a heavy metal to prevent blight. That really made me think doubly hard about their practises.

Sorry weezl, I'll be back on track with recipe testing soon.

weezl74

ifonlyitwaseasier wrote: »

-will make 32 once cut, no idea of the changes in price.
smells divine and will add taste results once we’ve had some J

Thanks loads IOIWE! great feedback. The less sugar more fruit will bring up the price, but I think it depends how much cake and biscuits our mythical family will need. Can anyone with an excellent geeky spreadsheety brain work out if over the month all the fresh carrot was turned into carrot cake, how much of a dent in the raisins that would make using IOIWE's ratios?

Be very impressed if you can, my brain's in meltdown after work

Lesley_Gaye wrote: »

Got better at the discipline of not eating what I don't want to eat IYSWIM, so may take mercy on him and cook it for him

We need his comments- more men! (I know you are disciplined I spotted the difference remember! )

Lesley_Gaye wrote: »

Chick Pea Crumble

Serves 4

1tbslp oil
100g onion, chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
225g potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
425g tin tomatoes
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp dried basil or marjoram
425g tin chickpeas
black pepper

Crumble
75g plain wholemeal flour
25g rolled oats
50g spread/butter
1tbsp sunflower seeds
2tbsp sesame seeds

Saute the onion, celery and potatoes for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Add the cumin and basil/marjoram. Simmer gently with lid on for 20 minutes.

Crumble – rub spread into flour and oats and stir in the seeds.

Stir the chickpeas into the tomato sauce, season with black pepper and salt to taste. Put into a greased ovenproof dish and top with the crumble.

Bake at 190C/375F/Gas 5 for about 20 minutes.


Great with either cooked green veg or a crisp salad.

The recipe is from my folder,torn out of something, completely forgotten where now as I've had it for years.

The recipe uses a tin of chickpeas but I invariably use dried. Again, I think the chickpeas can be changed to any mild bean or pulse that you have or want to use.

thanks! This is fab. Could anything already on the list swap for the celery, herbs and seeds or would this be a frugalisation too far?

shanks77

weezl74 wrote: »

sometimes the light butter is created by adding extra water which would impair the texture of the pastry I think, so you might have to either try it and see, or go for the full fat stuff...

xxx

I have used light stuff before for baking and not encountered any problems but it would prob depend on who's you use normally i use Asda stuff (really hate Mr T version) and use it for baking and cooking and not noticed a difference. Hope that helps

wyrdsister

Hi all Reporting back for my onion tart(s)

I made two smaller ones, one with no cheese in the pastry and 40g on top and the other with 20g of cheese in the pastry and 40g on top. Both were nice but I preferred the less cheesey one (but that might just be me as i only recently started eating dairy for a long time) Fed a slice of each to the OH for lunch and he said he really liked them cold and also agreed he liked the less cheesey one.

I'm going to go have a look in my veggie cookbook for the chickpea curry recipe, can post it up here if needed

JayJay14

We've just finished off the onion tart cold and the final conclusion is that is is nicer that way. It tastes cheesier cold and I'm looking forward to having the spare tart for my pack up tomorrow:D