Lilt and Jellytots most excellent adventure...

please-let-me-be-lucky

You can also eat frozen bananas like ice lollies too (though apparently it looks rather rude so it's best to eat them without company ) Xx

BILLIE

I was told to chuck them in the freezer in their skins! X

liltdiddylilt

OOoer all this talk of bananas

I have put bananas in the freezer! They go brown but that is ok! I tend to mash them up with soya milk and make ice lollies for jelly toodles - but in reality they don't often go overripe here. MY little monkey has a banana with breakfast every single day. I buy about 10 a week and they go way before they overripen! But then, I split them up

BILLIE the Christmas Calculator was a bit of a flop in reality. It was just a bunch of sliders of 'how much money have you got already' - 'what can you save a week from now onwards' - 'how much are you spending on family, food, friends, partner, kids.'

Then it told me I had enough money gee thanks.

Is my gold star removed if I admit to buying a takeaway tonight because I spent on shopping already? It is my only take away of the month, but am going out for a meal whilst in Nottingham. I am going on a Monday to get 25% off the bill though :rotfl:

Did not even go to Lidls in the end. I only needed Chorizo by the time I had done Iceland, Mr S & ASDA. Wasn't worth my legs.

Got some bits that weren't on the list. Mainly the stuff that Him eats for lunch when he is here Weds to Fri. Mini pizzas, more crisps than necessary. Etc.

Saw a lovely friend today. We used to be neighbours but she moved away locally then quickly moved again a bit further. She was coming to say bye.. as she is moving to Dubai with her fiance, as he has a job out there. :eek: - brave lady!! It was lovely to spend time with her.

Best shift my bum. Presents won't buy themselves. Shame the money advice service didn't invent that instead of a rubbish calculator

supersaver1000

Just calling in to see how the bladder control is going :rotfl:

17p chocolate in Lidl - I don't actually like hazelnuts in chocolate really unless its fruit and nut, however for 17p I could make an exception. Probably a good thing for my waistline I missed it - I could have had £30 worth for £25!

Right, off to wash up, mop the floor, do some homework and make a shepherd's pie. Oh, I also need to read up how many lentils you put in Shepherd's Pie to make it go further (I usually put oats in my chilli, but I think lentils are such a great protein and DD must be on a growth spurt again so will do her good).

See ya later Lilty :-)

ps Go girl you deserve a take away - its the 'Super Mum' treat you deserve :T

supersaver1000

Hmm, just had quick look and can't see quantity to add to spag bol or whether to cook first. I'm going to add about 150g to my kilo of mince and I will rinse but not cook first and will add lots more stock (as per my tarka dhal receipe). I guess I can always add a cup full of oats if its too liquidy.

Lilty, I'll be calling in later to see if you've advised any different.

xx

liltdiddylilt

No SS it won't be too liquid!! Crazy how much the lentils dry soak up. I ended up putting in an extra tin of tomatoes and more oregano etc to balance it out. 150g should be fine. I do it by eye, 500g of mince to what would probably be 3/4 of a standard mug of lentils. I don't know what that equates to in grams. I just pour from a 2kg bag til it 'looks right' HTH and good luck. Rinsing the lentils made a big difference for me. They were very dusty/starchy! xx

supersaver1000

Thanks Lilty - have you tried Tarka Dhal? I can't remember if you like spicy food, but its a very simple lentil curry. You can make it as hot or mild as you like and if you keep cooking it, it goes very mushy and almost stodgy - its a real comfort food. Served with rice, mango chutney and possibly some yoghurt with mint sauce and one of my HM nans. So cheap and soooo healthy. Great use for that 2kg bag of lentils. ps I just can't believe that I used to spend soooo much on food for the two of us and then the three of us, we are having far superior food now for just a fraction of the cost. I guess I used to equate good food with convenience, whereas now I equate it with wholesome natural goodness. (I still have 20kg of potatoes, almost a full tray of eggs and loads of lentils left which cost under £10 to buy and could feed a family for a month) (not to mention my store of bread flour for the next month or so - from MrL's courtesy of your voucher link ) xx

liltdiddylilt

Ok. I forgot I missed out on the 17p chocolate. Its a 100g bar packed full of hazelnuts, but there are nut free ones!!! It is only 39p usually! And it is delicious, but I seem to eat a bar a day when at work and bored/stressed. So not a good plan. I daren't even look at the calories... :eek: - the brand is called 'fin carre' if you want to look it up (not the calories! :rotfl:)

My takeaway was delicious. A bit of prawn toast, some egg fried rice, and mushroom chow mein. Nom. Enough for a sneaky lunch today too - refridgerated of course!

Today is feeling like a pyjama day. Jellytot is showered and dressed. She is currently dancing to songs on CBeebies.

Need to organise myself, which may mean showering and getting dressed in order to be motivated enough to clean the bathroom and vacuum and polish everywhere. Might take Jelly out later but it is FREEZING!

Off to wander diary land. x

liltdiddylilt

Awww SS I am so happy that you are finding fun and pleasure in cooking differently and better!! I am discovering the joys of one freezer drawer full of meat, the next full of my homemade soups and sauces and frozen mince/lentils ready for dinner! Still haven't figured out how to make homemade oven chips without being disappointed. But I am not a real fan of chips!!

The Tarka Dhal does sound lovely. My mum makes an amazing SW recipe which is chickpea dahl and it is lovely! Will have to try out both as have tonnes of lentils and chickpeas right now!

supersaver1000

Hi Lilty

Impressed by your freezer - mine's a little sad at the moment but hoping to change that soon.

Home made oven chips are easiest made by:
1. Heat your oven to about 220 degrees
2. chop up your potatoes - thicker works bester
3. put a spoon of oil in a bowl and add the chips, sprinkle with salt and toss them to coat
4. layer the chips on a non-stick baking sheet and bake until a nice colour

I've not figured out optimum time or temperature yet, but that will be my mission this month. Mostly they come out great and don't stick, other times most of them stick to the bottom and I have a half hot mess. However, I have discovered that if they are sticking then take them out of the oven and cover with foil for a bit, the moisture seems to loosen them from the bottom. Also when cooking keep giving them a shake so they don't get chance to stick. When they work out they are fab and for the calorie cost of only 1 spoon of oil (plus the potatoes of course). I guess more oil would mean they fry more and perhaps don't stick. I need to do some experimentation I think, but I love a gurt bowl of chips like this as I put less fat on then I would a jacket spud.

After all the frozen food people manage it (or do they use more oil?). I wonder if I could freeze my chopped up chips or would they go black?

XX SS1K XX