Use it up! Don't throw it in the bin!

Primrose

Have the stalks of some asparagus (tips used for something else) and some butternut squash to use up, so have chopped both into small pieces and simmered for five minutes. Will mix in with a can of red kidney beans, and some lightly fried mushrooms, red pepper and onions, to make a colourful vegetable salad for dinner tonight, possibly with a can of tuna chunks and a vinaigrette dressing. (Usually have our squashes hot and roasted, so it will be interesting to see how it works cold in a mixed salad.)

kazwookie

I am doing well on this as well, been thinking twice over food to cook and what to do with the left overs.

Thanks to everyone for the advise.

newlywed

I have to confess I have thrown a couple of things away this week (leek tops - no room in freezer), two slices of mouldy bread.

I have found that I am thinking and debating much more before I throw any food away, which is obviously a good thing

Going to do a big stirfry tomorrow to use up the kale in the fridge, and some other veg (along with the bean sprouts and mange tout I bought).

My meal plan has been "evolving" as the week has gone on too, to make sure stuff is used up. Freezer seems to be much more full than previous months (considering it's mid-way between paydays).

Ayeshalush

I have been following this thread and trying to follow the principles too.

Everybody is doing really well. Keep up the good work!

For last night's tea I cooked lamb shanks in slow cooker with just some water and a chicken stock cube. Could I have used this liquor for soup? Have to admit I poured it down sink but as I was doing so I was thinking how nice and 'lamby' it smelled and that I could have used it as stock.

What do you think?

Tashja

Alicatt wrote: »

I have been following this thread and trying to follow the principles too.

Everybody is doing really well. Keep up the good work!

For last night's tea I cooked lamb shanks in slow cooker with just some water and a chicken stock cube. Could I have used this liquor for soup? Have to admit I poured it down sink but as I was doing so I was thinking how nice and 'lamby' it smelled and that I could have used it as stock.

What do you think?

I personally would have used it as a base for a soup or stew which could also use up any left overs and older veg

Maybe next time you can save it

T xx

kippers

We have made it to the end of week 1! I am trying so hard not to waste anything.

Today we all had pasta salad in our lunch boxes to use up the left over salad and it was really nice! Tonight i'm using a swede that i've had in the fridge for a week (it was reduced to 22p when i bought it so it really needs using) and i i'll do some mash with a nice pie, yum yum.

By the way all, my DD1 is going wild over the frozen grapes...thanks all!

Keep going with the challenge everyone.

:T :T :T :T :T

Tashja

I am keeping up !!!

I am oing through my cupboards and sorting them out and using any OOD stuff that is still ok, so far we have - 12 chocolate buns from a packet mix that was OOD, 2x yoghurt cakes from a yoghurt that needed using, 6 stuffing balls from packet mix that was OOD (made up mix, made in to balls and frozen) and 12 Dalek cookies from another packet mix.

Have loads of stuff that I don't know what to do with so will have to get a list and post it here.

T xx

taurusgb

ceridwen wrote: »

I've got some celery about to go off on me - again! Thats the one thing that tends to defeat me - I buy a bunch of celery for the one or two stalks I need - maybe use a couple more in a stirfry and the rest then goes off on me.

Can I freeze celery?

Any ideas for using up besides salads - right now all I can think of is celery sticks with peanut butter in that I read about the other day - but dont want to try just at present, as I am on a diet (peanut butter - fattening)!

I freeze celery all the time - even the leaves as it is so useful to "hide" in sauces, casseroles, burgers, meatoaf etc. It loses it's crispness but not it's flavour.

I don't know if you read Thriiftlady's building blocks for the freezer thread (as usual she had a wonderful idea :j) where she grated lots of veg and froze in batches - well I took her idea on board and often make up portions of mixed grated carrot, garlic, onion and celery....it saves so much time!

Hope that helps

Ayeshalush

Tashja wrote: »

I personally would have used it as a base for a soup or stew which could also use up any left overs and older veg

Maybe next time you can save it

T xx

Thank you. That's what I thought. Just wasn't sure if lamb would be too greasy to use as a stock base.
Feel quite guilty for throwing it away. Will def attempt Scotch Broth or similar next time!

wyebird

Alicatt wrote: »

Thank you. That's what I thought. Just wasn't sure if lamb would be too grasy to use as a stock base.
Feel quite guilty for throwing it away. Will def attempt Scotch Broth or similar next time!

If I do anything with lamb gravy, then I tend to put it in the fridge for a few hours and then it is easy to take the solidified fat off the top. Why do animals that only eat grass get so fat?

Freezer broke yesterday, didn't like being moved at the weekend. Not bad though, 7 years + for £10, but being 30 years old no repair. At the weekend had given away our old one in an attempt to save electricity...typical.

Had to buy a new one though else there would have been an awful lot of waste. Has led to many ancient and wonderful things coming to the surface including some fish older than I care to mention . Fish pie me thinks, I have some elderly potatoes to make the mash and half a tub of craime fresh which still smells ok. Might put some into scallop shells for a posh starter one day..............