I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

Lynsey

Morning all, a bit chilly here!!

No further spends yesterday, but I need a few things over the next few days. Nothing major though.

Toast for breakfast and pork casserole half made for later.
Possibly a pizza to use up tomorrow?? Need to use up some apple pie or sticky toffee pudding. Some pate will come out for pate on toast for Friday and possibly a pasta bake then also if I get some cheese.
I might pop into Lidl today as they have 300g mature cheddar on @ £1.49.

Lynsey

ms_night_ryder

Very quiet on here.

Lipstick how was the interview?

Bought a half lamb shoulder today £1.75 reduced and got my crisps, only 2 freebies left, had a smoothie for breakfast been.snacking, having meatballs pasta and veg for dinner, put meatballs and sauce in the freezer along with the lamb.

Have taken out a sirloin steak for tomorrow's dinner, will take out some.ready cooked rice as well, so not much cooking tomorrow.

Kirri

Lip_stick - still recovering from the interview?! or out celebrating?

Nothing out the freezer again but did ok using some bits up from the fridge. Had a slight sort out in the cupboard too.

Breakfast - toast and cheese.

Lunch - toast and fried egg, fried some onion and tomatoes as thought I was having omelette so that was a bit strange with an egg.

Dinner - used up a celeriac that had been in the fridge a couple of weeks, with a carrot and potato, made a gratin with a mustard powder, garlic and soya cream sauce topped with crumb coating, cheddar and herbs. But I wasn't mega keen on it after all that cooking! Would have been better with all potatoes, I didn't like the celeriac in it for some reason.

Feel like a large slice of cake or something now but I don't have one!

Lynsey

Evening all and yes it is quiet.

NSD and will get by with half a pint of milk until tomorrow.

Finally had my "whoop whoop" moment today as I cleared the garage freezer.
Cooked vol au vent cases for birds, took out a fruit loaf for the next few days for toast and had apple pie tonight. Managed to squeeze the few other bits into the other freezer ........................ which is pretty packed. Some space will appear over the next few days with using bread and pizza etc.

So ............................. :dance: :dance: :dance:

Took a long time to get there and also switched off garage fridge.

Top tip for emptying a freezer: Every time you get an empty freezer drawer, take it out and DON'T put it back until all are emptied!! (obviously not a chest freezer I suppose).

I'll give them both a good clean tomorrow - bless them.

So it can be done ......................... just takes ages. lol

Lynsey

Kirri

:T:beer::j

Well done, Lynsey, only 1 1/4 years since the thread started! Beat me by AGES.

Moral of the story, don't stockpile, people

Lynsey

Morning all, cold and damp here!!
Birds enjoying the vol au vents it seems.

Kirri - thank you and it was an 'epic' challenge when it shouldn't have been. Hard to resist "whoopsies" at 70%+ off. lol
Just sobered up after popping open that Champagne last night.

Toasted Warburton's fruit loaf for breakfast and we are having a pizza later with maybe h/m wedgers.
That Warburton's fruit loaf with a taste of orange is nice and very filling. I would buy again .......................... reduced.

I need milk today and Sainsbury's have the PURE (dairy free) spread on offer for £1, so will try that. I missed the cheese yesterday, so need a small decent offer. I need some more veg, but just a few bits to get by.
This is going to be a cheap week and a cheap month.

Lynsey

Kirri

Slight cheat on feeding the birds vol au vents lol, they must wonder what they will get each day How are your cupboards, do you have loads of tinned/dried goods?

The Pure sunflower is very good in cakes, makes a nice light sponge. Can't say I liked it on toast though, it's bearable but not enjoyable (compared to butter). Have also tried the soya but that is not so widely available.

I've put my order in for Friday's delivery, largely fruit, veg and salad but added in tofu, eggs, and hoisin sauce to try (and a sneaky pack of biscuits.. weak moment) worked out a rough meal plan just to make sure the veg is all used and will just pick what meal I fancy each day from the list, but is based on stir fry, risotto and pasta, using up stocks from the cupboard, some of which are out of date, and maybe will make a pizza at the weekend as have some olives to use up from the freezer.

Apart from my electrics and ceilings missing they now want to take down my kitchen wall :mad: so am very limited on finding easy to cook meals and not doing much/any baking Mind you, my weight has dropped 3lbs in a week lol. I don't need to lose weight but just shows how much cake/biscuits/choc I eat in a week normally.. I mostly eat smaller meal portions to allow for the sweet stuff but I should probably change that around! Hmm dreading the glucose and cholesterol test results!!

Lynsey

Kirri - my cupboards are too bad really, still well stocked on a few things, but will go over a few months. I do give stuff to the foodbank from "stash". A few Wright's bread mixes need using along with some Green's stuff. But in control ................. I think.

Those vol au vents were not nice, tasted like frozen sausage rolls. lol
The pastry tasted "fatty". More cheating also as the birds normally get some bread!!
But not really that much I need "rid of" now, some kidneys and to reduce pork!! The rest is acceptable and "normal" in fact.

Good luck with the tests and we've cut right back on "junk".

Lynsey

Kirri

Kidneys - vile things, never could eat them as a meat eater.

I think it will be another 6 months before I gain full control over my cupboards, there's not much in them really but it's made me realise how slowly I use things so I don't really need to have so many different types of rice or flour etc. I really crave space in my kitchen!

I may well be cutting back too given what they say next week!! I mainly have home made organic junk though, makes me feel slightly better about eating it

Jelly_Biactol

Lavender, Lemon & Honey Cake

Taken from LOVE BAKE NOURISH by Amber Rose
http://www.kylebooks.com/pid/page/newsletter_recipe_9



"During the summer of 2010 I was visiting my friend Will in Ibiza. The garden had an amazing border of long-stemmed lavender with deep-purple flower heads and an intoxicating scent. It was the same variety that is used to make lavender bags and oils because of its scent and colour. On my eternal quest for something sweet, I thought lavender would be a fantastic addition to a simple lemon and almond cake, as a way of using ingredients that were local to the island and very much in season during the heat of those heavenly days of the Spanish summer. This is what we shared as the sun went down after one of Will’s fantastic dinners."

Makes 10-12

4 heads of fresh or dried
unsprayed lavender
100g unrefined golden caster sugar
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g finely ground almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large free-range eggs
Grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
and juice of ½
75g honey
110g polenta
½ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and flour a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Finely chop the lavender and add to the sugar.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer until fluffy and pale in colour. Stir in the ground almonds and vanilla extract until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the lemon zest and juice, honey, polenta, baking powder and salt.

Scrape into the prepared tin, level the surface with the back of a spoon or a palette knife and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until the centre springs back to the touch.

This cake is fantastic on its own, perhaps dusted with a little icing sugar, or served with Greek-style natural yogurt or crème fraîche.