Living on next to nought - is that the key?

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Pippi - I don't believe that you have a 'favouritist' plant - you like them ALL! Anyway, I'm glad me holiday snaps are providing 'something for everyone' :D

wishus- I couldn't eat meat I don't think now. But I can see the point of economy in making a meat meal serve 2. Mind, I bet you can provide plenty of variety with your knowledge of veggie cuisine

I hope the day has gone well for you all? I did spend some money, but it was all on the list - apart from the fact that I dropped on some YS mushrooms (chesnut) down from £1.25 to 69p for 300g, so I bought 2 punnets as a mushroom dish is on the planner for the weekend I'll have to freeze them, but they work ok from frozen.

Did you know that we have our finger on the pulse of things on this thread? I see from the TV guide that next week the BBC (Two I think) is running a 2 part series on the hive and bees

Dinner this evening was heavily influenced by a recipe out of Anna Hansen's book - The Modern Pantry. I say influenced, as I used some of the ingredients, but made it in a totally different way and added in some of my own ingredients............. however, dear Anna deserves the credit I feel

So, I made a variation of Red Pepper, cherry tomato and cardamom coconut curry - except I didn't use red peppers and I made it as a Buddha bowl........... :rotfl:Anna stuffs the tomatoes in the red pepper halves and then pours over the cardamom coconut sauce (if I remember rightly). So instead, I made up a version of the coconut cardamom sauce, added in some cooked black-eyed beans for the protein and added in chopped coriander leaves and cherry tomatoes. I cooked this together, then for the Buddha bowl, I had some cooked basmati rice, topped this with steamed French beans, poured over the beans in the coconut sauce and topped it all off with some toasted, flaked coconut. Pic here;



The flaked coconut was a little darker in reality, although I was very reluctant to toast it any longer, as I'm sure it's oil content would take it from toasty to burnt in a microsecond!

So, not too sure if it counts as a Buddha bowl, or just a curry really, but it was flavoursome, and I would make it again. It was certainly light enough to eat in warm weather, so it was an enjoyable meal. I'm sorry, but the recipe appears nowhere on the web in a full form, so I can't provide a link.

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

for inspirational chefs - I was in my element trying out a new recipe/ingredient combination. Definitely my way to unwind

that I found a YS 'bargain' - a 45% discount ain't to be sniffed at these days

that my tomato plants are still growing and ripening - despite my neglectful approach to gardening.............

Thanks for popping in, reading and joining in. I continue to appreciate it.

Right, I'd better go, a meeting of *Team Greying* has been called to debate our next attempt to move household renovations forward...........*sigh*

Greying

sunnyskies2

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Did you know that we have our finger on the pulse of things on this thread? I see from the TV guide that next week the BBC (Two I think) is running a 2 part series on the hive and bees

Hi Greying, yes I saw that too and thought the same:) it will be really interesting. When I can, I buy some very local honey, an expensive treat but a true delight:)

'Neglectful gardening' - guilty there! I've sown and bought a number of herbs and veg but never seem to get around to watering them, always seems to be something else to do ! - luckily for me my super lovely OH goes out each morning and gives them a drink, and so we may have our first ever cucumbers this year and loads of basil

Sarah

mrsinvisible

good morning from chez invis, and the sun is shining, and the grandson is wakening, ready for school.
My garden is getting back under control and phase 1 is almost complete. Phase 2 starts this week. Greenhouse is full of tomatoes peppers and courgettes and growing in crates on the patio are potatoes peas and broad and runner beans and strawberries. Soon l can start harvesting and cut down on the grocery bill, yippee.
Today should be a NSD because there is no money in the invis purse, and there's nothing l need. Wonder if l can keep this up till the weekend?

Cheery_Daff

I'm definitely a fan of neglectful gardening too - as far as I'm concerned the plants take their chances, and the ones that are strong enough to survive win :rotfl:

tunathe_cat

hi just posted and lost my post! enjoying thread great tips and photos
Also have neglected garden so no fruit - on water metre and have not watered this season. but will do next year as we have produced 4 strawberries. baker dozen of cherries 6 raspberries! failed with grapes/fig/pear/apples/plums and herbs.
But on a positive note have a new kenwood chef with ice cream bits
oh yum so yummy we licked the bowl

Shortie

Thanks Pippi for the egg tips!

Wishus I did chuckle at the word 'muffinage'

I haven't frozen any lightly whipped eggs yet as it's been a really busy week, plus I've been making boiled eggs for work which has helped to keep the volume down. Will try it over the weekend though!

Pippilongstocking

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

I'm definitely a fan of neglectful gardening too - as far as I'm concerned the plants take their chances, and the ones that are strong enough to survive win :rotfl:

I'm sure Darwin had a similar theory on that one too

Morning dear Greying and chums.

little_sweetie

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Good Morning :hello:

little_sweetie - loving hearing about your 'cutting and sticking'. I hope that your sis cherishes her hand-crafted card. mmm don't know about the trust nationale, just a feeling I get. Mind you, they wouldn't be the first to make the 'experience' the all, forget about the property, history or whatever. I speak as someone who is old enough to have visited Alton Towers to see........ the gardens How many folk would even realise there was a garden there today?

Greying

Hi Greying, mi dear, fortunately most of my rellies say they look forward to getting one of my creations (just as well really 'cos they might get one anyway :rotfl:) but several have made it into frames on the wall and my Niece & her children, now 12 and 20 have admitted to a frisson of excitement each time my padded envelope plops onto the mat I do actually sell a few to a local shop too

Re the NT debate: I too can remember going to Alton Towers for the gardens and how that has changed now. I do hope NT doesn't change to that extent 'cos I love buying a coffee in one of their lovely tearooms and watching the world go by. As Pippi says, some of them have chooks pecking away....

I'm loving the egg debate too, it never crossed my mind that you could freeze them. Useful info.....

Happy bee hunting everyone (I love them) and I hope the wasps don't cause a big problem :shocked: I'm a bit scared of wasps....

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Sorry for my absence, things have been ramped up apace, and, well, as per usual, in order to get anything done on the house, Team Greying seems to have to do 102 things in preparation before a tradesperson will even come to have a look and........... I'm fed up of it all I'm having to do 102 tasks and have to try to motivate DP to help me, and he's fedder upper than wot I am, and is doing a fine impression of E ore

Moving on.

I achieved a NSD yesterday, but not today. Mind you, today's expenditure isn't food/household related, it's for building materials, so not wholly convinced it counts...... but can't really be !!!!!d to argue with myself, so a spend day it remains....

Oh, and I see that the swear filter is on again. Mr Prudence clearly doesn't like my a r$ed

Moving on.

Food has been something that has worked in the last couple of days :j

Last night I made Aubergine Jambalaya from the book Leon: fast vegetarian. A very, very nice recipe. Easy and tasty and a keeper Other people must feel the same as I see a couple of folk have put 'pictures of me tea' on the book of face - not me I hasten to add Picture of mine here..........



If you would like the recipe, you can find it by scrolling down to the 9th recipe listed out on THIS blog post sorry about the scrolling, but at least it is in UK measurements - the alternative was a recipe in American cup measurements, which I know isn't quite everyone's bag.

Tonight's dinner was also from Leon: fast vegetarian (can you tell which book I've had outta the library yet??? :rotfl:) And it was Pineapple Curry, which I teamed with lentil dhal and basmati rice. Pic here;



If you would like the recipe for this, you can find it HERE no scrolling necessary I used tinned pineapple - though in juice, not syrup, and found it to be a thoroughly refreshing curry - another keeper of a recipe, and just right for summer.

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

for the helpful builder - who helped with advice and finding the right materials for the job when the sales bod couldn't......

for a roof over my head - even if the walls are falling orf around my ears......... :eek:

that I was able to help - when someone asked me..... about a food item and how to cook it.....................

Thank you for keeping this thread ticking over in my absence, it's nice that you've done that Thank you

See y'all later.

Greying

Busymumofthreeplusdog

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Good Evening :hello:

Sorry for my absence, things have been ramped up apace, and, well, as per usual, in order to get anything done on the house, Team Greying seems to have to do 102 things in preparation before a tradesperson will even come to have a look and........... I'm fed up of it all I'm having to do 102 tasks and have to try to motivate DP to help me, and he's fedder upper than wot I am, and is doing a fine impression of E ore

Moving on.

Greying

My mum LOVES E ore!! He's her absolute fav! Sorry that's prob not helpful dear Greying! Try carrots or acorns? . Xxx

BM