It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

jackieglasgow

BB1984, why not try sprouting some of your beans? You would then get a wee bit of fresh veg in the winter, too. Thriftlady's blog has an article about sprouting beans in it, its really easy to do. I've only ever bought kits before, but Swan persuaded me to try it myself, and it has been a bit of a revelation for me.

seasalt_2

Blimey, this thread moves fast. Can't keep up!

()s and strong good wishes to anyone needing them especially lambanana and cricket. Made me feel very guilty moaning about my teens. I do know how lucky we are to have them.

I only put my late leeks in about a week ago BB1984 and still have to sow spring cabbage/kale/PSB etc - possibly too late for the PSB but I will just sow it where it is to grow rather than transplanting the seedlings as I've left it so late.

I LOVE chickpeas and butterbeans! Rose Elliot's Bean Book is great for ideas. - some good thrifty ones too. Chickpeas make great hummus (I make one with roasted aubergines - or peppers - and coriander that is heavenly - IMO) - soaked and cooked chickpeas, roasted aubergine or pepper, skins removed, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice plus ground coriander - just blitz it all together). Falafel is always popular and DD's favourite is a rice dish with tomatoes, onions, mint and parsley - a bit like a hot tabbouleh. My favourite butterbean recipe is out of RE's book - butterbeans and mushrooms with coriander - basically soak and cook BBs (gently so they don't turn to mush - nicer whole for this recipe) , then briefly fry mushrooms in olive oil with garlic and groundcoriander, then stir in BBs with some lemon juice. I like lots of black pepper and some chopped parsley or coriander leaf - makes a nice lunch with crusty bread.- and maybe a tomato salad on the side. Have also made leek and butterbean soup - like leek and tattie but with beans instead of potato.

I am taking DS and DD2 to mainland tomorrow for a couple of days to get shoes/haircuts etc before school starts on Thursday so goodness knows how many pages I'll have to catch up on when I get back! Looking forward to going round the charity shops with DD2 who is an addict like me - DS is like his Dad and won't go in them - and Lidls and farmfoods - have to carry it all back though - there is also a good little needlework shop, an art shop and the most gorgeous shop that sells hand dyed wool and all sorts of other lovely stuff - will have to keep a firm rein on my purse!

seasalt_2

Ooh yes, had forgotten about bean sprouts as I only do them in the winter. My favourite mixture is green (continental?) lentils, alfalfa and fenugreek - or just alfalfa on its own - cheaper to buy them in the wholefood shop (or an asian shop probably?) rather than in expensive packets. I do these in a tiered sprouter that I've had for years, although rinse them much more than the cup of water a day the original instructions suggested. Could equally well use a jam jar though. I have foun d that mung beans do better in a muslin lined colander with a saucer and a heavy stone on op pressing them down. Makes them fatter and crunchier - weight training exercises for bean sprouts(!) - they need a lot of rinsing too!

taplady

lindy-loo - well done on getting the freezer!:j:T

re the WM not spinning - mine is forever doing this especially if I put too much in it and also if it's in need of a good clean out and the drain needs cleaning.

JillS_2

BB1984 wrote: »

Well I've spent the morning tidying up bits and bobs in the garden, and planted out about 40 leek seedlings. (It's a bit late really, but I bought the seedlings from a man at the market a few weeks back, and haven't had anywhere to plant them - bad planning!) I hope most of them come up anyway; if they do then it was £1 well spent! Actually I only used about half the seedlings (the strongest-looking ones) - I ran out of room! Next year if the man's selling them again, I'll make sure I have a huge space ready for them, then I'll have millions of leeks, hooray! (I love leeks!)

Also checked our internet banking. Interest rates serving us well at the moment so another chunk of the mortgage (capital) paid off again this month. Hopefully we'll be in good stead when the rates start to rise again.

I must do something with the dried beans I bought about 2 months ago! They've been sat in the cupboard as I don't really know what to do with them. I've got chickpeas, butterbeans and cannelini beans I think.., vccc2wj (sorry that was my kitten running across the keyboard, LOL!) Any ideas gratefully recieved, I can only think of adding them to stews etc.

Did a bit of skip-diving this morning! Picked up some bricks that we need to build a new bit of garden wall. I did ask the bloke at the house a few days ago and he was more than happy to let me put them to good use

Bad news is I've done my back in I don't think it's serious, probably just pulled a muscle. It doesn't really hurt when I'm still, but it really hurts to move. Boo!

Right must stop procrastinating and do a couple of hours of work...

BB

Leeks - me too. I should think you'll be alright - they may not grow very big but still be useable. How big were the seedlings because that sounds like a really good price?

Beans - how about hummous?
There are several recipes on the forum. But here's the one I usually use.

4 oz chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked till soft, drained, keeping 4 fl.oz. of liquid
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp tahini
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil

Put chickpeas, liquid, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper in blender and blend to soft, creamy puree. check seasoning.

I made a version of this with butter beans earlier this week. It turned into a real storecupboard challenge recipe. I'd had the butter beans for ages without using many and for the oil I used the leftover oil from a jar of olives with whole spices, allowing some of the spices(cumin, coriander, cardamom) to go in the blender as well. The lemon was one that had developed a bit of mould which I cut off. I couldn't be bothered to get the lemon squeezer out of the cupboard so was just squeezing it round my thumb and some of the flesh fell out into the blender. I was just about to pick it out when I thought why? so just pushed the rest of the flesh in. Instead of tahini I used 2 tbsp sunflower seeds (massively overbought) and 1 tbsp sunflower oil.

It was lovely - very lemony, spicy and quite delicious. Unfortunately the half which was supposed to go in the freezer for another meal just got picked at during the afternoon until it was gone.:o So not quite as economical as I'd planned.

LannyLee

Busy day for us today up @ 5.30am & at the car boot for 6.15am :eek:
Was completely worth it, got rid of a car full of rubbish & made £60, incl managing to get a pristine cot & MaxiCosi car seat for £8 for the both!! :j
Total bargain, plus our holiday money was delivered today so 1 less thing to worry about for our honeymoon week after next, since it has taken us a year to save up don't want anything going wrong, seeing as this will be out last foreign holiday for a loooonngg time!

sb44

northwest1965 wrote: »

Have you triede turkey mince? So much cheaper. I tend to use it for cottage pie - having said that? what should I callit now, its not cottage or shepherds:rotfl:

I shaped some turkey mince into a large burger shape and cooked it on high in the microwave for about 3 mins.

It was for the dog as I had run out or chicken for her (not really spoiled just has a dodgey stomach sometimes).

I tried a bit and it was bloomin' lovely, I could easily have eaten it on a bun.

northwest1965

LannyLee wrote: »

plus our holiday money was delivered today so 1 less thing to worry about for our honeymoon week after next, since it has taken us a year to save up don't want anything going wrong, seeing as this will be out last foreign holiday for a loooonngg time!

How lovely, where are you going?

lucielle

Thanks for all the replies. A friend has managed to wash and dry her bedding and OH has cajoled the machine to work. Yay!
L

Lindy_-_Loo

taplady wrote: »

lindy-loo - well done on getting the freezer!:j:T

Its set up and plugged in onthe worktop. Im so excited! I can finally buy meat that is reduced or something on special offer and have freezer space to put it in. Its very clean and doesnt look old but it smells of fish really badly!:eek:

Our fridge freezer is great, but its a big fridge with small freezer and as time has gone on weve needed the extra space, should have looked on ebay sooner.

Were going to chester zoo tomorrow then I'm off to netto after tea for the special offers.
:rotfl: