Living on next to nought - is that the key?

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

sunnyskies - golly, what a lovely compliment I'm afraid that I got the picture sizing a little wrong - it is a bit too big But at least I know what I did wrong and won't do it next time The contributions to this thread have been wonderful. I'm not sure that I would advise folk to take on such an epic task of reading over 100 pages, but it'll provide you with some laughs - notably Shovel Lad & Upsidedown Bear's take on Buddha bowls!

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

And put that measuring tape away.

Awww, but we're almost out of cucumber again..........

Yes, so can I start out by apologising for the large size of the picture last night, it won't happen again I am amazed I got anything though - hand-held yielded 1/6th second exposure and that usually = wobbly/fuzzy pictures. Blow the rain for deciding to arrive as I was dishing up :rotfl:

greenbee - how lovely to *see* you! I don't quite understand something about the sprouting. I get that I can use a jar - and I know that I have recycled several this year that would have done - particularly for mung beans But when you are rinsing the beans - particularly as they begin to sprout - do you just swill them in the jar and put a sieve over the end, or are you getting them out of the jar? I'm thinking - from germinating seeds for gardening - that this may actually damage the shoots? *confused* Also, thank you for making me think about what I could cover the end of the jar with. I had wanted to get some muslin to make labneh - I currently use a lot of kitchen towel in the process (shhh! :shhh: Don't tell Pippi - she'll slap my legs ). And was green with envy when EH mentioned the price she paid in Leeds market for metres of the stuff. Anyway, our local haberdashery shop has obviously had to buck it's ideas up in the age of the internet, and I see that (from previously wanting £5/6 pounds for the stuff) they have some for £2.60 a metre. So next pay day, I shall be in there

The other thing I need to do is research what you can actually do with the sprouts. We eat them rarely/never at the moment. The last time I had them, they were in a pre-pack of stir-fry veg. However, we don't eat stir-fry often enough to warrant the faff and I'm not keen to buy a wok as it wouldn't get used enough. However, I have already spotted a recipe for mung bean sprout hummous, that I would like to try - simply to see how much *better* it tastes

But greenbee thank you for your post - mucho appreciated. And I suspect I will try sprouting now

Beanie - hope you are feeling better today and the healing is underway.

starnac - thanks for the good luck vibes - they worked :j:D

So Saturday. We've had a lazy start. But we've admin chores to attend to today, so we'll need to go up the high street just now. We're also meeting up with our friend (who lost their partner earlier in the year) later. And I'm trying to heel in a cycle ride based picnic in between times, but the weather ain't really playing ball with that one

Dinner this evening is Jack's 9p burgers in HM baps. YUM

Right, I'd better shuffle orf.

Have a good un, whatever you are up to

Thanks for popping in, reading and commenting. I always appreciate it

See y'all later.

Greying

greenbee

You're just using the sieve to hold the beans in the jar and let the water out GP

Or you could use the toe of an old pair of tights or a popsock...

I use radish/clover/fenugreek sprouts in salads. I don't really cook with them as I prefer them raw. I think MG is going to do something on sprouting soon, so keep an eye out.

Have fun!

beanielou

Hope you dident fall off
Less shoogly today

sunnyskies2

Hi

Have also started trying the sprouting and found really good guide and recipes here http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/?s=Sprouting ...on another note and probably doubtful 'heads up' went and bought a pkt of coriander seeds :doh: to get home and realise I have a huge jar in my spices cupboard -:rotfl::rotfl:

Hope you had a lovely day:)

Sarah

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

greenbee -thanks for the explanation. You mentioned fenugreek - is that literally just the fenugreek seed you would have for cooking from your spice jar? There's not a particular variety grown for sprouting? I have plenty of fenugreek seed, and one day when I have a garden space, I want to try growing methi for cooking.

beanielou - nah, I didn't fall off - DP was, unfortunately spot on with the weather and it came to bucket it down at lunchtime, so we didn't go out on our bikes at all

sunnyskies2 - thanks for the link. I find it interesting that, after the initial soak, they don't rinse the beans on that blog, there have been several that I have seen like that, and yet everything that I remember reading in the 1970's seems to point to rinsing once, if not twice a day. Mind you, useful to see the different beans that she was soaking. I did have some moth beans, but I'm pretty sure that I used them all up, but good to know I could sprout them.

Well, where has the weekend gone? At least we've woken up to pavement splitting sunshine

We did our admin chores on Saturday, didn't go for the cycling picnic as it poured with rain. Went out late afternoon to meet with our friend and everything after that is a little bit of a blur, we stumbled home after 11pm and woke up with a hang over yesterday......... :rotfl: Not drinking very much normally, drinking real ale and losing track of how much you've drunk is not a recipe for clear-headedness!:rotfl: Just as well the weather was cold, grey and threatening rain yesterday, as we would have been limited in our abilities anyway :rotfl:Still, it was good to catch up with our friend, we were able to chat openly about the loss of their partner and they are good company. We certainly couldn't afford to do this sort of thing often, but as a one-time blow out, then we don't mind.

Again, however, it has proved to us that we are not really 'pub' people, and yet a lot of our friends seem to have descended into activities that are reliant on the pub. We've kind of moved right away from that scene. Which may well indicate the need to get some new friends - easier said than done at our stage of life Anyway, I require absolutely no sympathy from anyone - it was a wholly self-induced hangover, and we've no-one to blame but ourselves:D I'm only glad that we drank less than our companion, or else I'd still be in bed today :rotfl:

Whilst we *bust the bank* on Saturday, I can claim a NSD for yesterday. We did go out for a lovely walk in the afternoon - the bracing wind was very welcome and swung by the high street, where some free activities were going on. We stopped to talk to an old colleague of DP's and it was amazing how many people that passed I knew. Don't know if it was *one of them things* or there was something in the fact that they were mostly people I've known in the past. Dunno

We didn't have jack's 9p burgers on Saturday, so they are on the menu tonight. Last night we had a pasta dish, not very exciting;



If you're wondering about the protein of this dish, we'd had a plate of scrambled eggs for lunch

I shall be looking to claim another NSD today. Just for pride's sake really, I've already busted the budget!

Right, best get a wiggle on and get moving.

Thanks for reading, commenting and joining in. Mucho appreciated.

See y'all later.

Greying

little_sweetie

Good morning, Greying, :wave:

I hope your head feels back to normal today

Well, I didn't have a very good day on Saturday, to put it mildly. It was pouring with rain and somehow I managed to 'forget' there was a bollard next to me in the carpark and scraped the side of my car down it as I was trying to drive out. It was so STUPID of me, and totally my own fault :mad: The excess on my insurance is £300 so it was a very expensive shopping trip..grrrr....and being BH means I can't contact the garage until tomorrow either.

Anyway, the weather is brighter today so I am NOT going to dwell on my stupidity. As the kind lady who took my call to the insurance company said "everyone is allowed the odd prang" and that was most certainly odd......

Have a great day, dear GP, and friends x

greenbee

Fenugreek looks the same as the stuff in my spices but I got lots of sprouting seeds from AF a year or so ago. Try with what you've got rather than spending money but you might find old seeds don't sprout.

I rinse my seeds. Some of them can get decidedly pongy if you don't. And dry out.

Have fun!

supersaver1000

Hi Greying and all. Thanks for the updates, hope your head is better now it just has to be done from time to time :beer: :rotfl: But we are like you with regard to pubs. Totally agree.

I am loving catching up and I will have to look into some seed-sprouting which I haven't done for years.

I love the home made pizza and wedges and am going to try chickpea quiche soon.

Sorry little sweetie hit the car. It's a pain isn't it. Hope it doesn't cost too much.

Anyway just popping in to say hello and that I'm back on track.

Have a great BH Monday.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

So, I really MUST remember that it is Tuesday today

little_sweetie - arrgh - so annoying about your car Has it actually dented the bodywork? It isn't just a scratch that could be T-Cut out? Oh, but I know how you feel, you're mad with yourself, and nothing anyone can say can make it better - I'd be exactly the same. And yet I bet it is a scenario that could also happen to anyone of us. Have a (((hug)))

greenbee - Thank you. I have to say your instructions fit in with what I thought And yes, I will try the fenugreek seeds I have

supersaver1000 - lovely to see you. You are sounding very chipper - love that you are *back on track* I really hope the new job and everything works out for you

Dinner last night was Jack's 9p burgers, rainbow coleslaw and pugilese beetroot salad. Photo here;



The Jack's burgers were made in advance, and therefore constituted one of my 'Ready Meals'. You will see that we have now eaten as many ready meals as I had stashed in the freezer

I managed to snag a NSD - we didn't leave the homestead. I am embarrassed at my budget overshoot now, so NSD's are a pride thing, not an actual money-saving device! I'm going to have to review the budget. I was chatting to DP on the weekend, and it's over 2 years since I hiked the grocery budget, and prices have changed so much, and in particular, I can no longer rely on getting any good YS'd bargains. A couple of years ago, they constituted as much as a quarter of our food haul I have, however, updated my siggie figgie.

Dinner this evening is currently a mystery, as I seem to be one key ingredient short, for every dish that is on the list! :rotfl:

Well, best get a shuffle on.

Thanks for popping in, reading and commenting. I remain utterly appreciative.

See y'all later.

Greying

little_sweetie

Aw thanks for the (((hug))) Greying and for the sympathy supersaver , both much appreciated. I've just come back from the garage and the damage will be almost £2000 !!!:shocked::shocked::shocked: to repair. Because it has grazed and dented both the door and the sill they both need replacing at enormous cost. Of course, the insurance will pay assuming they think my car is worth more than the said £2000 and I will have to find the £300 excess myself. I have protected no claims bonus but I know my insurance will still rocket next year ( not until March 2015 luckily....) To compound the pain it could be up to 2 months before the parts arrive and first thing this morning, whilst shopping inside Mr M's, someone very kindly hit my wing mirror leaving lovely blue paint on my black mirror :cool: They drove away without telling me.....

I....give....up :wall:

So sorry to hijack your thread dear Greying, but I had to tell someone and I do feel a bit better now for having let rip

Last night's tea looks fab. I think I will have a go at Jack's burgers in the next day or two. They look scrumptious. Each day I show your tea piccies to OH and he makes such positive comments that I am amazed. He has now actually eaten homemade potato salad, coleslaw, and red kidney beans all of which he says he doesn't like :think: You are definitely having a positive influence on him. GO Greying! Thank you!

Hope you are having a super day x