The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

Cheapskate

Fuddle, I add bay leaves (remove before eating!) and cocoa powder to beef dishes. Just a little cocoa, not the sweetened stuff, seems to add richness and depth without salt, IYKWIM?

A xo

lucielle

fuddle wrote: »

I'm after a little help if you can?

I'm looking to have only one red meat dish on my weekly mealplan and figured it should be a slow cooked simple stew.'m trying to take it back to basics and not use gravy thickener/granules and only diced beef, carrots and pearl barley... how would I make the juices tasty? Just stock cubes? I bet they are full of salt and additives too though

Hi Fuddle I follow the Harcombe diet and it has made a difference to me. They talk a lot about sugar and it is amazing the things it's in. I use Keloo stockcubes and thicken gravy using cornflour. HTH
L

monnagran

I know nobody's about. Or at least I hope you are all tucked up and sleeping the sleep of the just.
I've finished the magazine!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's printing as we speak.
I'm off to get a hottie bottle and climb into bed.

Night all.

x

burtha

well done monnagran ... night

shegar

POOKY, So glad that your oh as had lots of relief from the magnesium, im feeling so good that I cant believe it , ive been able to stand on my feet now for up to 3 hours without having to sit down .........Im so pleased .......Also you are very right in what you say about drs measuring how much or how little magnesium we have in our bodies, I read all that on the puter before I even tried the tabs, I feel so good and able to walk better....:T
I was hoping that MARDATHER has been reading the posts and that she will also give it a go , cos she was the dear lady who helped me by saying on here about the sea kelp , id like to help her in return.........

MONNAGRAN. Like you say we need a miracle vitamin to lose weight....:D

NUTTY glad you had some good news with your mammogram, my sister has just been diagnosed with breast cancer, she goes into hospital Monday at 11.30 and I go into hospital same day ...!!!!, so her oh is taking both of us , obviously we wont be in the same department , but how strange 2 sisters same day ops............
LYN ....Your post was really good on what you think about the magnesium and the foods we eat, ...................

SQ.......I havent had caffeine now for 7 weeks , and im absolutely fine with it , plus its sorted my "waterwork" problem out .............

I took oh to care home yesterday for 2 weeks , so today im have a good clean throughout , and get all my jobs up to date so after the op and will be able to sit on my butt and recuperate , I cannot sit on my butt for no more that 30 m,ins then im up doing something , wish I could and would rest more , but its in my genes to keep doing....:mad:...Have a good saturday ...Sheila....

fuddle

Thank you both, I will try those stock cubes and the cornflower trick if it needs it. Also, thanks for giving me something to investigate. I will look into that diet.

I do hope you are still asleep Monna and Burtha. I was fast akip.

Weekend on and a busy one. Sun is shining. DH is taking over the childcare/housework reigns... And is still in bed supping a coffee so I guess he'll be up before 9. Chance would be a great thing!

[Deleted User]

FUDDLE I will always start a stew/casserole off with some chopped aromatic veg, onions/leeks carrots and celery, that gives you a base flavour that is very savoury. I fry them down very gently until they start to go golden round the edges, then add in the meat which I've tossed in some plain flour with salt and pepper in (I do this in a freezer bag and shake it all together to coat the meat) just a few pieces at a time and brown that off all over. Then I add in the stock and just a shake of worcester sauce with any other veg/pearl barley/beans/lentils and bring it all to simmering point. I add in a pinch of ground mixed spice, sometimes a couple of tablespoons of cooking wine some herbs (whatever I'm using to flavour the particular dish) and a couple of bay leaves from my tree outside. Then I stand the pan on a simmer mat or pop the dish in the oven on very low or pop it into the slow cooker and give it a very long slow cook for whatever is the reccomended time. If there is still too much liquid in the dish when it's cooked or it hasn't thickened to your liking you can drain off the gravy into a saucepan, leave the solids in a warm place and put the juices on the hob at a fast rolling simmer and reduce them down which will thicken them up. Add this back to your stew and reheat until it is boiling, works every time, Lyn xxx.

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Fuddle, I use almost the exact same method as Lyn for stews--I don't tend to add the worcester sauce, although I often add a tsp of wholegrain mustard which probably has a similar effect. Other times I'll deglaze the pan with the bottom of a bottle of wine or beer, depending on what is lying around.

We definitely have too much sugar in our diet, although as OH often points out we aren't as bad as a the norm. I try my best to make sure our sugar comes in the form of home-made things, although when I'm struggling more I bake less and OH brings home more. I don't think I'd want to go on a WWII ration diet--the fact that garlic and seasonings were pretty sparse puts me off! However, on our fridge we have some postcard sized war era posters---they have the breakdowns of recommended food categories, one says Eat your greens and another says to eat less wheat and meat. They're a good reminder!

I have a day of sewing and gardening planned, and looking forward to it. Hugs to any and all who need them and Congrats to Monnagran.x

mardatha

Shegar I've taken Magnesium supplements for years, didn't do me any good at all but I still take it
Sending vibes for you and your sister xxx

mummymaria

paidinchickens wrote: »

Ok now my daughter has found a two year old walking down the street. She took him to the police station at 4.30 and no one has claimed him :eek:


PiC x

Any up dates PiC ??