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

FrankieM

I've made my veggie burgers. I actually got 10 quite chunky looking burgers out of my ingredients so you could probably drop the amount of potatoes. I'm not sure what to...maybe 200g each?
Anyway, I'll take a before and after cooking photo weezl and send it to you.

Is there an up to date evening meal plan so I can see what else Bob and Shirley are going to be eating for the month? If there isn't one, then that's fine

weezl74

Hopefully, subject to Lesley and I thrashing out the intricacies on me spreadsheet, fingers crossed this is the months meal plan for dinners

Dinners:

delia tart x 2
sweetcorn fritters and HM wedges x 3
cauliflower cheese x 2
HM pizza x3
pasta carbonara x 3
risi e bisi x 3
cottage pie x 2
chilli x 2
spanish omelette x 2
tomato pasta bake x 1
veggie burgers x 1
bacon and onion suet pudding x1
spicey bean curry x 4
chicken and sweetcorn pie x 1
ROAST CHICKEN!!!!!!!!! x 1 :):):):):):):):):):):):):)

shanks77

I know these were dropped from the menu but have made them anyway here is the recipe and costings (for 2) will report verdict later.

225g pork mince 0.97
1/2 apple 0.05
1/2 onion finely chopped 0.06
S&P 0.01
Pinch herbs 0.02
50g oats 0.10

Total cost £1.21 or 0.15 each

I made 8 large sausage shapes with them and serving with HM wedges and beans report later with opinion (bearing in mind meat and fruit together....goes away shuddering in disgust......)

FrankieM

Sounds yum!

Do you have a recipe for Spicy Bean Curry? I was thinking of doing that tomorrow night.

ceridwen

SusanC wrote: »

Simplified summary:
- Big business has forced less healthy foods (eg. hydrogenated fats) into the accepted healthy diet replacing more traditional foods which are better nutritionally.
- Whole foods are better.
- Sugar is bad (because it has been refined removing all the vitamins) but more natural less refined alternatives (e.g. honey, date syrup, rapadura) are okay in moderation.
- Naturally saturated fats are good (e.g. butter, coconut oil...), unatural hydrogenated fats are bad.
- Pasteurisation and homogenisation of milk does funny things to it.
- Cultured products are good for you (e.g. kefir, yoghurt, buttermilk, lacto-fermantation).
- The less processed a food is the better.
- Grains/legumes should be soaked to counter the effects of phytic acid on absorption of nutrients.
- Animal products are important as they are more nutrient dense than plant products (and it is important to use all parts e.g. by making stock from bones etc.).
- Organic food is better in terms of nutrition/health.
- It's best to make things yourself to avoid all the "funny" stuff they put in pre-made things.
I might have forgotten the odd thing but that's the rough gist of it.

Sounds like a very good summary of what constitutes healthy eating to me - I just miss out the meat......errr....and there is the little matter of coffee and the odd glass of wine or two <cough>.:D

Lesley_Gaye

weezl74 wrote: »

Hopefully, subject to Lesley and I thrashing out the intricacies on me spreadsheet, fingers crossed this is the months meal plan for dinners

Dinners:

delia tart x 2
sweetcorn fritters and HM wedges x 3
cauliflower cheese x 2
HM pizza x3
pasta carbonara x 3
risi e bisi x 3
cottage pie x 2
chilli x 2
spanish omelette x 2
tomato pasta bake x 1
veggie burgers x 1
bacon and onion suet pudding x1
spicey bean curry x 4
chicken and sweetcorn pie x 1
ROAST CHICKEN!!!!!!!!! x 1 :):):):):):):):):):):):):)

am signing off for the eve, off to have my dinner.

feeling tired now and brain not working very well as had a cappucino yesterday and the caffeine kept me awake until 4am am trying to stay awake until it is bedtime, if I sleep on the sofa, I won't be able to sleep later

let me know when you would like to go through spreadsheets Weezl, looking forward to it, sad git that I am

have been working out a few more of our typical meals and things that I have thought of as pretty frugal, sound v. exp after being on here and I am re-thinking

shanks77

Ok they went down very well ex gave them a 8/10 me 7/10 would have them again would prob reduce the oats a little but very filling and tasty. Took pictures but unable to download them not sure what i am doing wrong but never mind

ceridwen

Just one point (okays - two then) re further frugalising.

I wonder why we are using canned beans/chickpeas/etc - when there are dried versions available? Dried pulses are noticeably cheaper than canned ones/healthier/better for the environment - whats not to like?:D

I've been using the canned ones - but I'm thinking about it...and recall back in the 1970s I always used dried ones and then cooked them up in the pressure cooker I had then.

I've got a different pressure cooker now - and...errr....confession time I'm still looking at it nervously...as its a different style to the one I had back then....:o:o

However - I think I'm correct in thinking I could just revert to dried pulses and the soaking them overnight before cooking them - BUT cook them in my slowcooker/crockpot instead of my pressure cooker??

I would imagine I could just do that soaking, then bring them to a boil in a saucepan and just transfer them to my slowcooker and cook them on high for 3-4? hours and bingo....OR maybe on low for 7-8? hours and also bingo.

Am I right in thinking this?

I'd like to try this for myself - at the rate I'm going...it could take some time yet before I try out my modern-style pressure cooker...but I could "get in there" and try a slowcooker method of cooking them within days.

I'm thinking that - if this works - then I dont reckon it would be too much faff for Shirley....:)

weezl74

weezl74 wrote: »

Baked Bean Curry adapted from netmums recipe

• 1 can tomatoes 33
  
• 2 tins of baked beans 58
• half tsp chilli
• 2 tsp mustard
  
• 2 tsp garam masala
  
• 320g onion, sliced 13p
  
• 2 tsp garlic paste

Put onions, garlic, chillis, and spices in a pan with a drop of oil, and cook til soft.
Add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes, until reduced down to a thicker sauce.
Add baked beans and cook for a few more minutes til all cooked, hot throughout and well mixed.
Season to taste.
Serve with rice

NEEDS A TESTER OR TWO

It's had 3 favourable reviews so far, but one tester thought it needed a bit of green so served with green beans also. All have declared it very filling

ceridwen

FrankieM wrote: »

weezl Thanks for the chicken info. I'll be doing it on Sunday so will take pics and let you know how it goes.

I've made my veggie burger mix:
1kg potatoes
100g diced onion
100g grated carrot
1 tin value baked beans
oil for frying

Boiled potatoes in skins, drained and mash lightly. Fried onions in oil until slightly translucent ( hoping this will still keep some crunch), then added grated carrot. Fried for another minute or so then mixed into potatoes. Added tin of baked beans.

at the moment the mixture looks a little wet so I've put it in the fridge. I'll give it a couple of hours and then make into burgers.
My DH is the bread maker so I shall be using reduced buns to serve.

Do you think these could be frozen? I was thinking that perhaps that would help Shirley out a little?

That sounds a possible one for the veggie mealplanner too. I think I might try that one (errr...using my organic sugarfree baked beans.......<cough>) and I think a good addition to these would be - Ye Famous Garam Masala/salt/pepper.