Weezl and friends Phase 2 -giving it a whirl for Shirl! Testing meal plan for a month

frugalmumof4

I have it all simmering away! i have messed up already though as i didnt have red lentils so im using green, but cooking them seperately, which isnt very economical!as they take long to cook. I have put in 700mls of liquid so far, with the fried onion, 1sp of marmite, and 1 tsp of garam masala. Only thing im a little apprenhensive about is the lack of vegetable stock? I usually find soup rather bland without it. I havent used marmite as a stock before, so maybe i should be using more? if anyone can advise, I can pop extra in now!
Im doing ok thanks! better than i have been over the last few weeks anyway, i can face cooking at last!

weezl74

frugalmumof4 wrote: »

I have it all simmering away! i have messed up already though as i didnt have red lentils so im using green, but cooking them seperately, which isnt very economical!as they take long to cook. I have put in 700mls of liquid so far, with the fried onion, 1sp of marmite, and 1 tsp of garam masala. Only thing im a little apprenhensive about is the lack of vegetable stock? I usually find soup rather bland without it. I havent used marmite as a stock before, so maybe i should be using more? if anyone can advise, I can pop extra in now!
Im doing ok thanks! better than i have been over the last few weeks anyway, i can face cooking at last!

LOL! I thought that must mean you weren't too exhausted/queasy!

Marmite-wise, maybe get to where it's all pretty near done and taste before plopping an extra teaspoon of marmite in if it's a bit bland? It'll dissolve well through the soup even if you add it last thing I reckon

frugalmumof4

Ok, I should have stayed out of the kitchen!
everything was cooked, time to pout it into the blender, im happily pouring away, then realise the tap is open to the blender! out comes half the stock all over the floor.
Anyway, blend it all up with extra water, pour it in pan, taste it, too bland, stir in an extra tsp of marmite, but its still too bland! now this could be because i have lost half the tasty stock over the floor!
Maybe someone can try it all over again, 1 litre of water, 2 tsp of marmite, 1 tsp garam masala, onion and the peas, and see what they think.
I enjoyed the pea soup that was on the recipe list which i think was only stock and peas! is that not an option?

I NOW HAVE YUMMY SOUP, SORRY IM A STOCKOHOLIC, ONE VEGETABLE STOCK CUBE CRUMBLED INTO THE ABOVE RECIPE WAS ALL IT NEEDED TO CONVERT ME, LOOKING FORWARD TO LUNCH NOW!

weezl74

oh you poor love

can you redeem the blandness with more marmite and some garlic? x

Sian_the_Green

Okay, I have just put a little linky on our electronic unofficial pinboard on the intranet at work, see if we get any traffic!

How are the stats looking now? Can you tell which recipes have been looked at most for example.
How are you feeling in yourself Weezl old chap?

weezl74

Sian_the_Green wrote: »

Okay, I have just put a little linky on our electronic unofficial pinboard on the intranet at work, see if we get any traffic!

How are the stats looking now? Can you tell which recipes have been looked at most for example.
How are you feeling in yourself Weezl old chap?

the stats are always very encouraging

45000 page hits

I worked for almost a year ( as part of my normal contract) alongside another developer to publish a set of articles for the university I work for. The uni probably spent about 15k in staff time on the project, and was fairly happy with the 5000 page hits it yielded in a whole year!

Just an illustration to help people have some idea of why the numbers are particularly exciting

In myself, lovely sian, pretty good, although I recognise my usual sensitivity to criticism is heightened by the whole new baby shennanigans.

I very much enjoy the project though, because I think it's important to keep doing something giving, and keep stretching my brain, whilst being a mummy

how're you?

r.a.i.n.b.o.w

weezl74 wrote: »

will happily include that for shirl, rainbow If succesful, would you mind trying 375g bread flour and 25g SR (so she gets exactly 4 loaves from her bag of flour)

It turned out fine:T so I'm going to make another with the same ingrediants but just less flour, I won't add SR flour unless it needs it as it mixes, and I will measure exactly how much water I use this time!

I'll report back later with results and recipe

Sian_the_Green

weezl74 wrote: »

45000 page hits

...the numbers are particularly exciting

That is pretty darned brilliant :T:T:T
Do we know how many people are looking at certain parts of the site? Or where the majority of traffic is from? e.g. how many from the facebook site?

weezl74 wrote: »

In myself, lovely sian, pretty good, although I recognise my usual sensitivity to criticism is heightened by the whole new baby shennanigans.

I very much enjoy the project though, because I think it's important to keep doing something giving, and keep stretching my brain, whilst being a mummy

how're you?

I agree, don't want to become totally cheese rind brained eh? And I love it when people are asked what they do and they have to really think about it, "well, I am a wife and mother to two boys, and I run a web design business, and [have no idea what your main job is when you are not on maternity!], and I have, in the last few months created a massively successful online recipe site which aims to revolutionise cooking and eating in Britain. What about you?" he he.
I am good thanks, all quiet on the Western front as it is half term and most of my colleagues are off. Lots of useful things to do though. I made the Calzone's yesterday and wrapped them in greaseproof and took them to the park for a picnic, they stayed quite warm in a tupperware. People were very impressed, though I think I may add a little more salt to the bechamel next time. Twas very tasty though, and would be an ideal vehicle to use up any left over pates etc, and any limp bits of veg that need finishing off (though I thought putting some sausage in would be nice, not particularly Kitty friendly!)

x

Hippeechiq

From the nutrition page of the new website:

Our team are always looking at research evidence though, and you are very welcome to send us links to professional journals if you are aware of new research which we have not yet had a chance to look at

Brilliant last sentence! Particularly the part in bold :dance:

weezl74

thanks sian and hippeeechiq

I think the bit about academic journals is important too, else people will send us links to people without any qualifications or research to back up their argument, which there is a lot of out there on the internet

hummus challenge (anyone willing?)

ok so kitty and her family have to eat a fair few meals which are essentially hummus on toast.

What I'd really like to do is make sure the flavours are as varied as possible, so I wonder if people can play a game called- take one lot of chickpeas (just buy a can of them and divide it into 3 having blitzed it with oil) then try and create 3 very dissimilar tasting spreads.

Available spices/seasonings: garlic, mustard, garam, salt, pepper, fresh ginger, dried oregano, fresh basil

other available things: peas, onion, balsamic vinegar

best of british