Sh*t creek - is now in my rear view mirror...!

MovingForwards

I've seen vegan fish in the Chinese supermarket 😁 glad to hear it made you laugh!

savingwannabe

lol. We have all been in a similar position to you Irene at some point which is why we are on this forum. It's a great place to share and be with friends and realise you are not alone. We are all moving onwards and upwards. I'm plucking up the courage to put on my jogging trousers (size 8 and I am a large 10 at the mo) and my painting shirt!!!! off I go to bravely go where no man (or woman) has gone before.... Today the fence, tomorrow the kitchen cupboards...… lol. 

Irenadler

Thank you both, you have cheered me up, felt proper sorry for myself... MF - vegan fish, hmmm, that is a mystery I will never solve, as I don't go in fish markets (think their eyes are following me in mute accusation, and never liked eating anything that was staring back up at me from my plate...)

Saving, never thought I would see the words 'large 10'. These sizes do not exist surely, they are just made up, a mere fashion myth, only accessible to child-like nymphs, or, er, basically children....? Lucky you being slender, I would be lucky to get a toe in those joggers....  Ok, maybe a foot....

Anyway, on the money saving front, I have saved £40 (tenner from last week).... 
I have done zero on checking banks out, as my eyes are sore, must be hay fever (ah-hem)...

Today I have mostly been cooking (and taste testing, and eating...) because I tackled the 'Great Vat of Veg' in an effort to use up tired looking carrots, softening peppers, slightly yellowing onions, and bendy celery. I just kept chucking stuff in e.g. tomato passata, kidney beans, lentils, spice, coconut milk, until it tasted ok. I have 9 portions of it, and most of it is now in the freezer, as a kind of spicy veg soup thing. On horrible days I can drag a portion out to defrost and whack it in the microwave, so at least some nourishment can be pushed in.

I had the idea that I could thicken it to a curry with cornflour, or, arrowroot, to serve with rice, or, add some soup mix (I have a pack of dried stuff in the cupboard) to make it an even heartier soup, or add other ingredients to it to increase protein like tofu chunks. Today I did that, added some tofu, and a bit of frozen spinach in the soup bowl (zapped in microwave) with nutrient yeast sprinkled on top... really felt like I got some proper filling, nourishing food back in me at last. I ate until it was uncomfortable... 

Hey, it's money-saving, I didn't waste any food.... 

MovingForwards

That's why we were saying what we did, less time you are down, quicker you bounce back.

Savings are good, no need to pressure yourself about finding an account. It's on your to do list which is a start 🤗

Comfort micro food is well worth having in the freezer.

I'm currently growing the base of a celery, the top is making a new one, but I've only one tiny root on it so far. When it gets proper roots it can be planted outside. You should try it next time you have one, only need the base and an inch if that!

Irenadler

Scurries off to see if the base of the celery is in the compost. Yeurgh, covered in crawly things.... I am letting the critters have it, this time... 
Yes, I definitely felt that, the downer, followed by the bounce... Yep, trying to keep that focus going, the banks aren't going anywhere. (Tempting fate or what?)

Skint_yet_Again

Well done on the batch cooking. It’s great that you have the base for different meals that you can add to. 

savingwannabe

I am jealous of all of your lovely food. You are doing so well Irene. £40 is fantastic. Onwards and Upwards. Here's hoping for a great day tomorrow.

Irenadler

Hey all
I was given a bunch of over-ripe banana's yesterday, and, in the spirit of not wasting them, I did not make banana bread... I found a recipe for instant ice cream. Basically, shove banana's in freezer as they are, in skins overnight. Next, peel and shove in food processor or blender in the morning, with frozen berries, 3 tablespoons of plant milk, a dash of vanilla essence, and whizz it. Freeze. It said add maple syrup to sweeten but I didn't have any so didn't add it.

I did have a chocolate sauce in a bottle (Swe*t Freedom chocolate shot, a shocking £3.99 in T*sco, but, £1.99 in Ald*, only 13 calories a teaspoon apparently)... so swirled a bit in. Looks like a sort of red velvet ice cream crossed with Black Forest Gateau... It worked because I taste tested it at 8.30 this morning.... purely in the cause of quality control. Took about 7 small banana's, to 250g of Black Forest mix berries, from L*dl, so I estimate cost would have been at £1.50. Filled 4 small plastic containers, flip lidded ones, so made almost 700g. Kind of like a banana split in taste without the cream. Best thing, did not buy anything additional I already had these things in, didn't actually spend, and also saved someone else wasting their fruit too. 

Irenadler

Skint_yet_Again said:

Well done on the batch cooking. It’s great that you have the base for different meals that you can add to. 

Thank you SyA, it has really helped, even though I sort of made it up as I went along, especially given I felt the nut loaf wasn't that great. It makes a good door stop though...

Irenadler

savingwannabe said:

I am jealous of all of your lovely food. You are doing so well Irene. £40 is fantastic. Onwards and Upwards. Here's hoping for a great day tomorrow.

Thank you Saving
Er, it's not all lovely food, I would post you the nut loaf, but if you drop it on your foot you might break it... 
Thankfully, I have got some more dosh, the only way is up, as the song goes!