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

weezl74

Sian_the_Green wrote: »

Mushy peas to me scream chips or pies! lol, naughty Sianey
Peas in the onion tart? Or with the rice for the curry? In the risotto?
Pea soup is pretty yummy

yes very naughty sianey! No, well call them homemade wedges and they will have skin on for the fibre, but they will be just as nice and we shall still have chips. Evil laugh: Mwah ha ha ha!

Sian_the_Green

weezl74 wrote: »

Yes. That experiment was very sobering. People couldn't take on what Jamie was trying to teach. I think he partly pitched it a tad too cheffy, and it required social confidence to teach someone else a recipe which was clearly daunting for some of the participants. But no, you're right, it failed for a reason, and we need to be mindful of that.

Just a wee note before I go to bed. The Ministry of Food in Rotherham definitely had its successes. My workmates and I went there for a 1/2 day for a team day out and really enjoyed it. The staff there have come from totally different backgrounds and it has definitely changed their lives. The place is on a main street in the town centre and has a lot of through traffic, they have the kitchen on view really so people walk past and see people cooking and you can pop in and sign up for a course. Rotherham council has continued it though Jamie has officially gone and we liked it so much we signed up to a 10 week evening course, I love cooking but I still learned something and the recipes were simpler than you might think, we started with omelettes and pancakes
Some of the young people we work with go along for courses or one off sessions in the holidays to learn how to make things like pizza dough or fruit muffins. It definitely gives someone who wants to learn how to cook the ability to diversify in their cooking, we did chow mein, lamb rogan josh, pasta and pesto, burgers... things which someone might be tempted to get in ready meal form but easy, quick and lower in all the nasties.

There's my two pence worth anyway, it hasn't changed the world but it has changed a few lives!

weezl74

Sian_the_Green wrote: »

There's my two pence worth anyway, it hasn't changed the world but it has changed a few lives!

That's really good. I'm glad. I hope the media will make a big deal of them now even without the Jamie factor

weezl74

Breakfasts list #1 - responses please!

I know it's not as varied as the main meals, but I suspect that most of us don't vary our breakfasts that much do we? *crosses fingers*


Again assuming 31 day month beginning on a wednesday:

NB: the hash brown breakfasts are always on the weekend, so no cooking before school/work. And the pancakes although mid week could be made in advance a bit like a scotch pancake.

porridge

toast + peanut butter

porridge with raisins

weetabix + toast

porridge

toast + apple cheese

porridge with raisins

toast + marmalade

cinnamon pancakes

toast + apple cheese

porridge

hash browns beans and toast

porridge

toast + marmalade

porridge with raisins

toast + apple cheese

porridge

toast + apple cheese

porridge

cinnamon pancakes

porridge

toast + peanut butter

porridge with raisins

toast + marmalade

hash browns beans and toast

toast + apple cheese

porridge with raisins

toast + apple cheese

cinnamon pancakes

toast + peanut butter

porridge with raisins

weezl74

and lunch planner #1- again I'm guessing most people don't have more than 5-6 lunchtime options as a rule? Hoping so...

lunch, assuming a 31 day month beginning on a wednesday:

houmous sandwiches

onion bhajias and chutney

houmous sandwiches

Beans on toast

pea and ham soup

houmous sandwiches

onion bhajias and chutney

houmous sandwiches

falafels

houmous sandwiches

Beans on toast

spicy pea and apple soup

houmous sandwiches

onion bhajias and chutney

houmous sandwiches

falafels

houmous sandwiches

Beans on toast

pea and ham soup

houmous sandwiches

falafels

houmous sandwiches

onion bhajias and chutney

houmous sandwiches

falafels

Beans on toast

spicy pea and apple soup

houmous sandwiches

falafels

houmous sandwiches

onion bhajias and chutney

weezl74

testing linkie to google docs

sheet of potential monthly meal plans divided by week into Breakfast, lunch and dinner options.

Please do not follow this particular plan in this particular order, I will let you know as soon as the order is correct. Thanks for being patient with me while I continue to do the work involved I know no-one posting on here would, but I say this just in case anyone else clicks here out of interest.

weezl74

OOOOOh firefox, I see you lurking!:A:) Help, I have some nutritional questions about our planner, can you advise?

weezl74

Morning all!

I have posted a disclaimer after my link of earlier, just in case anyone begins to follow the plan in the order listed in the menu planner as it is shown there....

Penelope_Penguin

weezl74 wrote: »

In the second world war, what happened to the people like the clients you're describing Penny? Because rationing meant that people HAD to cook from scratch. What else could they do?

They got on and cooked from scratch As you say, they had no choice, as there were no "ready meals" as we know them today (though fish and chips was a frugal meal then).



BUT:

• they had been passed the skills from their parents, and could cook, raise vegetables on allotments, and many people kept a pig and/or a few chooks in their back yard. Some people have none of these skills (though many people still do).
• only one parent went out to work; usually the mother was full time housewife, and she saw her role as looking after her husband, children, and possibly extended family. She cooked evertything from scratch for her family, each and every day.
• everyone was in the same boat; there was no "keeping up with the Jones's" (apologies to our Welsh contingent ). Everyone had very little, so everyone used what they had to its best effect.
• debt wasn't so easy to come by as it is today, so people had no choice but to live within their means. The welfare state as we know it today was in its infancy. Debtors prison was a reality for some people still alive during the war (the one in the link didn't close until 1885 :eek: ). People had to live within their means, as the consequences on them and their families could be catastophic

Penelope_Penguin

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Speaking as someone who was on IB for two years (depression, stress, insomnia) I found learning about healthy eating, shopping for groceries and cooking really helped me get through the day! However I knew the basics of cooking and I did have a shared kitchen.

I realise how lucky I am having been shown the rudiments of cooking by my parents, but more importantly, the confidence that I can cook :T

Not everyone has this. As ceridwen said, some people will need the term "zesting" explaining to them. IMHO, some people will need terms like simmer, brown, grate, cook, explaining. They seem obvious to most of us, but imagine that you've never cooked before .............. Or, ask someone who has a hobby/interet/job, about which you know zilch, to tell you about it - it may well make no sense