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

weezl74

aless02 wrote: »

weezl, i'm having major bread issues. U used to make ur recipe with wholemeal, right? The past 2 tries i've used half,half wholemeal white and my loaves aren't rising properly (using allinson's yeast, 2tbsp in water). They'll peak above the tins after about 1hr rise time but then shrink and dense up during cooking. Honestly i think i need to absndon ur no knead recipe n go back to my ol' reliable as i never had rising probs before. Is wasteful as the slices come out so small that i have to give dh 2 sandwiches for lunch

I think you're right to stop Aless, wasted bread is very non-mse. I'm sorry.

It's disappointing too at a bob and shirley level... if they similarly find it fails them.

I did used to make it with Asda's own wholemeal...

Is that the one you've been halving it with?

How strange.

What's your old faithful?

Perhaps if it's the same price we can offer it as a shirley alternative?

Either way, really sorry you've had some wasted pounds there.

Murrell

weezl74 wrote: »

murrell/Lesley, any thoughts on a veganisation of the chickpea crumble?

xxx

Hi,
Not sure about veganising it, but I did made the chickpea crumble with ground almonds instead of cheese/nuts and used sunflower seeds. Ground almonds are probably more expensive than cheese, so not frugal.. I also used vitalite margarine as lesley did as this margarine is vegan. This is what I used below and it was very tasty. The only other thing I changed is the oats, I upped it to 75g, I guess this would put the price up a lot. It just felt greasy, as this just seemed to improve it. I am willing to try again with the correct oats amount and try rapeseed oil if you want. Would I be am allowed to use ground almonds. I guess i could used ground peanuts or whatever is the cheapest nut, as a alternative and are we trying to add in any instant oats? Oh forgot I also added 1/2 a can of baked beans as they needed using up. Can do it without next time.

What I used for lesleys chickpea crumble
2 large potatoes (about 230g)
1/2 large onion, I think it was 110g
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 can chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp cumin
1tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
1 can chickpeas (I cooked mine from dried, but filled up the tomato tin to about 80% full)
1/2 can baked beans
black pepper
50g vitalite margarine
75g plain white flour
75g oats
25g ground almonds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

I will try again with this recipe later in the week and buy some canned chickpeas, so I know I am using the right amount. Just not sure how much oil to use instead of margarine, any ideas?

Sandra
x

aless02

sorry didn't mean to sound like i'm blaming u! I do experiments at my own risk just odd as i have no idea what's going wrong. Will post my fav bread recipe later, am on my phone at the mo.

I've never understood no knead recipes tbh but thought i'd give it a chance

eta: is here, http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/freshlybakedbread_92265.shtml but I do the last proving in the loaf tins - the salt water really makes a lovely chewy crust. I knead by hand, of course .

artybear

I can easily do that weezl-just not too sure what exactly is on the month planner now. If you could point me in the right direction i will categorise each months meals togetherxxx

Sian_the_Green

So, 2 onion tarts on the way.
One is in the oven, onions, oil and a little sugar topped with a scone base with a little ready brek in (we shall see!)
Other one has the onions cooking on the hob (in my Christmas present Le Creuset, makes me feel like a grown up woman!) in balsamic and the vegan pastry is chilling in the fridge to go on the top

My housemate needs to use my laptop so am signing off, may be back later!

weezl74

Murrell wrote: »

Hi,
Not sure about veganising it, but I did made the chickpea crumble with ground almonds instead of cheese/nuts and used sunflower seeds. Ground almonds are probably more expensive than cheese, so not frugal.. I also used vitalite margarine as lesley did as this margarine is vegan. This is what I used below and it was very tasty. The only other thing I changed is the oats, I upped it to 75g, I guess this would put the price up a lot. It just felt greasy, as this just seemed to improve it. I am willing to try again with the correct oats amount and try rapeseed oil if you want. Would I be am allowed to use ground almonds. I guess i could used ground peanuts or whatever is the cheapest nut, as a alternative and are we trying to add in any instant oats? Oh forgot I also added 1/2 a can of baked beans as they needed using up. Can do it without next time.

What I used for lesleys chickpea crumble
2 large potatoes (about 230g)
1/2 large onion, I think it was 110g
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 can chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp cumin
1tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
1 can chickpeas (I cooked mine from dried, but filled up the tomato tin to about 80% full)
1/2 can baked beans
black pepper
50g vitalite margarine
75g plain white flour
75g oats
25g ground almonds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

I will try again with this recipe later in the week and buy some canned chickpeas, so I know I am using the right amount. Just not sure how much oil to use instead of margarine, any ideas?

Sandra
x

thank you that looks splendid purple ivy and I had both read that 80% of oil subbed for a solid spread was usually recommended. That seems to have worked out, but ariarnia did find she then needed to compensate with quite a bit extra flour so I hope that doesn't happen to you.

Guys can I just say again because I'm aware this happens a bit, that I am very grateful you are all taking risks here with your food, time and money.

Sometimes life is such that that's fun and ok, and even a bit of a challenge, but I know too that I have days where that would royally hack me off.

So what I'm really hoping is that people will feel free to say: 'weezl I'm pausing on this and doing my tried and tested things' (like aless has rightly done on the bread).

Either that or we'll all apply for funding from martin to have ingredients to play with and no-one will get annoyed :rotfl:

I'm so lucky really, DH is such a daddy dustbin. He managed to eat his way through 200grams of sweet spicy cormeal mush that just wouldn't become a biscuit or pancake I think I get away with blue murder at a culinary level sometimes:o

He just ate it out of the pan bless him

Murrell

Lesley_Gaye wrote: »

BTW bought some mung dal at the ethnic shop in Tun Wells and was cross to see it a lot cheaper in Asda

It is actually cheaper than red lentils at 16.7p/100g as against 19.7p/100g and currently on offer, so even cheaper, although we couldn't use the cheaper price for the planner. Could it be a swap for the red lentils to save 60p for the vegan planner?

the nutrition compares at
red lentils - protein 24.2g, carbs 61.1g, fat 1.6g, fibre 4.7g
mung dal - protein 30.3g, carbs 45g, fat 1.5g, fibre 7.5g

If its the yellow split mung dal, they won't sprout. The mung beans are green with there skin on and yellow when shelled and halved and then called mung dal, if I am not mistaken. I used mung dal to make kitchari, cooking with spices and basmati rice and serving with vegetables. Very tasty and cheap too. The green mung beans I also buy to sprout only and they sprout in a couple of day after soaking for 1 day.

Sandra
x

weezl74

weezl74 wrote: »

1 Roast chicken
1 chicken and onion pie
2 onion tart
2 spanish omelette
3 veggie burgers/rissoles
3 bean curry
3 HM pizza
3 risi e bisi
3 sweetcorn fritters
2 cottage pie
1 chilli
3 pasta alfredo
2 bacon and onion 'suet' pudding
2 tomatoey pasta

arty how many of these are already on the index? I'll then work to get a more definitive version of the missing ones and that will be month one evenings signed off, hopefully

shanks77

Couldnt wait so went and made it as per recipe in the other place:D turned out really nice and so simple to make. Personally i would add a little more chilli next time but i like things to be quite spicy but impressed and will def do again.

weezl74

aless02 wrote: »

sorry didn't mean to sound like i'm blaming u! I do experiments at my own risk just odd as i have no idea what's going wrong. Will post my fav bread recipe later, am on my phone at the mo.

I've never understood no knead recipes tbh but thought i'd give it a chance

eta: is here, http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/freshlybakedbread_92265.shtml but I do the last proving in the loaf tins - the salt water really makes a lovely chewy crust. I knead by hand, of course .

you didn't sound blamey! I'm just really aware of everyone's sacrifices, and so impressed with you all. But knowing myself, if I was perpetually binning food because of some crazy head in Cardiff it would start to grate a little on the old nerves :rotfl:

I'll cost up your recipe .. thanks loads