January 2020 Grocery Challenge

miss_empty_piggy

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

We had a delivery yesterday of £37.10; included a bamboo toothbrush and a menstrual cup. Went shopping today; £16.66 spent. Together they total £53.76.

£186.63/£240.
£53.37 left.

I LOVE my menstrual cup - it takes a bit of getting used to but I would never go back now. xx

elsiepac

I had a pack of L1nda McCartney Red Onion & Rosemary Stuffing Balls in the fridge along with a pack of Sainsbobs Chorizo Shroomdogs which I hadn't tried before... both needed using by 16th and 17th this week so I made a version of Jambalaya - totally forgot about this recipe and it's such a great one that I used to make all the time... It's based off one from a cookbook (One Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson) but I've always adapted it slightly as follows:

Jamabalaya

• 1 pack vegan sausages (I usually use the Linda M Red Onion & Rosemary frozen ones but as per above I used the balls plus the chorizo ones last night)
• 1 large or 2 small white or brown onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2-4 sticks celery
• 1-2 green peppers
• 3 tbsps tomato puree
• 1 tin kidney beans (you could use 2 to bulk it out further if you like)
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes or a carton of passata
• 1 stock cube/pot
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 4 tbsp fresh parsley or 2 tbsps dried
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1-2tsp Tabasco sauce

1. Pop the sausages on a baking tray and get them cooking whilst you make the rest
2. Chop and saute the onion, garlic, celery and pepper for about 5 mins until soft - you could use water or olive oil depending on preference
3. Add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, thyme, parsley, stock cube, water and rice
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the rice is cooked - cover if it starts to dry out (which it shouldn't) and DO STIR IT every now and then
5. When the sausages are done chop them into bite size pieces and add to the rest of the Jambalaya
6. When the rice is cooked and most of the liquid is gone, stir in the Tabasco to taste
7. Serve up with more fresh parsley on top if you have it, or coriander is good too, and a lime wedge if you have some!

thriftwizard

elsiepac, that looks delicious! I'd make it tonight if we weren't still eating up baked potatoes with leftovers & things that have been in the freezer for too long...

£3 spent yesterday on a large baker's loaf; I was baking myself, but had too many other things a-cooking, proving or in the oven to do bread as well. Last night's dinner was fish pie, made from previously-frozen scraps and chunks from packets found in the bottom of the freezer when I defrosted it, plus a handful of prawns from a similarly-long-forgotten packet. The topping was grated cheese from the last pack bought before Christmas (in case we ran out of the Good Stuff) and a handful of breadcrumbs from a bag I keep in the little indoor freezer & top up whenever I have more stale bread than The Girls (i.e. the chickens) can handle. Which doesn't happen often, but there's no sense wasting it when it does!

In other news, it appears we may have a guest for a couple of weeks next month; my mother. My brother & SiL who live near her & handle most of her care are in need of a good holiday - they've both been knocked sideways by the recent 'flu bug, and are exhausted by caring for both Mum and their grandchildren - and we're the only others with the "facilities" to care for her - i.e. a downstairs bedroom! This will be interesting; lovely to have her, but my SiL has put her onto a milk & gluten-free diet. Bearing in mind we already have two different diets going on in the household - 2 omni, 2 pescatarian - that adds another level of complexity & nut milks & gluten-free things don't come cheap or from my usual suppliers. Obviously she will pay her way, but my logistical skills will be mightily challenged!

elsiepac

Thanks thriftwizard, I definitely recommend it! You can of course chuck in whichever sausages you like and make it your own!

Regards your mum coming and the new diet she's on, I forget if you are near an Ald1 or L1dl... as they both have a good range of plant milks significantly cheaper than the supermarkets and certainly some gluten free products, though whether those are free of milk is another thing! Also, the cheapest plant milk you could try making at home is oat milk I reckon if that helps...

candygirl

Just ordered another Morrison's shop, which has come to £28, food wise.So my total so far is £68/150.The best bit, is that I have a ,shiny new fridge freezer, to put it all in :j Thrills n spills :rotfl:

Islandmaid

Spent £60 today,

£40 at Asda, includes £20 of tinned cat food, which will last a month.
£20 at Aldi, including £7 of builder biscuits and coffee.

Goat cheese and beetroot tarts tonight, with jacket potatoes and salad cheese, beetroot and pastry from Christmas stocks

boultdj

Another £9.30 to add to the total, got 2 lovely cauli's reduced, nothing wrong with 'em, so will alter the meal plan and do a vegetable cheese bake for tomorrow.

lantanna

£3.60 today on lunch on the run after a funeral. Monday starts a new month for me so think I can get there on a minimal few more spends.

Thinking I’m going to give doing a big shop a Miss next week and continue using up what’s in the freezer.

Pixie_Fairydust

£5.97

Had to get my son to pop into our local shop for emergency cat food and lemonade, only thing I can fancy to drink at the moment!

Will update my total.

Still feeling knocked out with the chest infection, hope meds kick in soon!

Pix :hello:
Xx

Saver.The.Taste

Small little top up again for a cheap loaf and a stock up on veg for my soup, good old YS helping me there! £5.36 spent taking me to 51.41 for the month. Halfway through my month and only a third spent with a very healthy fridge and freezer. Couldn't be happier!!