2022 Vegan Storecupboard Challenge

leftatthetrafficlights

It's been just over 10 years since the original challenge was set up so I thought it was time for a new one! 

Link to the old challenge below 😉

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3571159/vegan-store-cupboard-challenge

So, on to the new challenge! 

The plan is that I will list my food inventory - fridge, freezer, storecupboards and garden produce- and spend the next year using up as much of it as possible while minimising any additional grocery spends 😊 Obviously, the garden and fridge inventories will change throughout the year but the plan is not to add anything additional to the 'dry' stock (pulses/grains/tins etc) unless absolutely necessary! 

It's going to mean using a lot of imagination to make sure that there is plenty of variety - I'm allowing £20 per week for fresh fruit and veg but hopefully will be able to reduce this as the garden produces more. That £20 is only for fresh fruit/veg though - no sneaking in a few crafty tins of tomatoes!! 😉😂 

So, please feel free to join me - post your inventory, set your own goals and let's concentrate on reducing our food stock levels in 2022 while making yummy vegan food! 😍🙌 

 *ETA - £20 per week may seem a lot but as I'm also doing a new 'self care/healthy eating' plan, I need to be realistic- this is for 2 people 😉

leftatthetrafficlights

So, the inventory! I have not include the spices/herbs/open sauces/chutneys/jams etc as it would take forever and I still feel like death! 🙈 However, once I feel better, I'll add them to the end of the list 😉 

Dried Pulses
30kg puy/black speckled lentils
23kg red lentils 
1/2kg green lentils 
1/2kg mung beans
2kg aduki beans
2kg soya beans
1kg chickpeas 
2kg black turtle beans 
2kg cannellini beans  
2kg marrow fat peas

Grains & Pasta
30kg buckwheat 
3kg quinoa 
4kg sushi rice
3kg basmati 
1.5kg wild rice
1.5kg short grain brown rice 
4.5kg macaroni 
1/2kg farfalle 
1/2kg congiachelle
1/2kg Tagliatelle 
1 box hm pasta shapes
1pk udon noodles 

Tins
7 red kidney beans 
5 chickpeas 
6 sweetcorn 
8 chopped tomatoes 
9 cherry tomatoes 
8 jackfruit 
11 banana blossom 
7 pineapple 
1 coconut milk 
10 artichoke hearts
2 baked beans 
9 beans & sausages 

Jars & Bottles 
1 caper berries 
2 apple puree 
3 redcurrant jelly 
2 cranberry sauce 
8 capers 
6 baked beans
3 sushi ginger 
6 tomato sauce 
4 brown sauce
10 Worcestershire 
3 Asian bbq sauce
4 mirin
5 mango chutney 
18 horseradish 
1 tartare
3 hollandaise 
4 black olive 
1 large green olive 
3 roasted peppers 
1 vine leaves
3 tikka paste
10 tomato puree 

Flours
2kg teff
5kg wheat gluten
1kg gram
10kg bread
7kg pasta 
2kg semolina 

Other
4 pks nori sheets
2 pks inari 
2 cashew and cranberry roasts
4 tubes pate
3 boxes haldiki olives 
1 tub bouillon 
3 tubs nutritional yeast
2 tubs 'chicken' stock   
9 pks lemon sauce 
3 pks teriyaki sauce


Garden
Leeks
Brussel sprouts 
Savoy cabbage 
Parnips 

Freezer
1pk pitta bread
1pk crumpets 
1pk wraps
1 box tomato and basil sauce
2 boxes leek and potato soup
1 box squash and black Bean sautée
2 boxes bubble and squeak 
1 box bolognese 
1 box cannellini beans 
1 box black beans
3 corn cobs
1 bag green beans
1 bag chicken pieces 
1 bag chicken straps
1 bag haggis bites
3 boxes shwarmi kebab 
1 box greek kebab 
1 box tofu

Fridge
Potatoes 
Sweet potatoes 
Red onions
Ginger
Garlic
Carrots 
2 pks halloumi
Butter 

leftatthetrafficlights

Looking at my list I think the main thing I need to do is use buckwheat and dark speckled lentils at least once a week!! 😲😂 

I've been looking at a few recipes and really like the look of buckwheat pancakes - I'm thinking that stuffed with veg and served with a variety of sauces they'll be lovely 😊 

I'm also thinking about making lentil meatballs, lentil loaf etc - mixing and matching herbs, spices and sauces will keep things fresh! 

Right, off to dust off the recipe books and get some inspiration!! 😊

joedenise

Buckwheat pancakes are lovely.  They're a staple in Brittany where we visit quite regularly.  

CCW007

That's an impressive inventory! Bookmarked the thread and will be checking in regularly.  

leftatthetrafficlights

Think I wasn't quite with it when I completed the inventory- I've just found a few other bits that aren't on the list!! 😂 I'll revise it later - it's too early to be banging around in the kitchen! 

So, yesterday I cooked a few bags of peppers that I found in the fridge - I didn’t feel up to much last night so will eat them today - I'll either have them in a panini or just with a salad and any remnants of grains I have in the fridge 😉 

Despite it being early, I'm actually feeling relatively normal today so I'll hopefully get next week's menu plan posted later 😊

Raincoat

Unlurking (or is it delurking?) to say how much I love the predecessor to this thread! I have been mostly plant based for the last 2-3 years after more than a decade as a veggie, and all the contributions helped me be a lot more adventurous in the kitchen. My range of pulses, spices, grains etc. has expanded significantly and I absolutely love experimenting now in the kitchen. A big thank you leftatthetrafficlights (and others ) for all the posts made, they have really inspired me     

leftatthetrafficlights

@Raincoat - lovely to have you, glad the thread has helped! Feel free to contribute and post your experiments! 😊 

So, today I have made buckwheat pancakes and made a filling of an insipid tomato salsa, Chipotle chillis, tomato puree and some dark speckled lentils- clears some stuff from the fridge and tastes lovely so will have that tonight 😉 I will serve them with salad leaves and pomegranate- it's pretty hot so I'm hoping that I have some soya yoghurt somewhere in the fridge!! 😂

Also cooked some parsnips from the garden along with a couple of 'seen better days' sweet potatoes which I have mashed and made a tarragon butter to stir in - I may use a bit of it in the pancakes and use the rest with the remaining lentils....

I also cooked some savoy cabbage in 'chicken' stock - not much of that left though as was munching it as I was cooking the other stuff!! 😂

Raincoat

Now that sounds delicious!
You have reminded me I have far too many parsnips in my fridge and need to do something with them before they are only suitable for the wormery. I was thinking parsnip and potato rostis, with the idea of freezing a portion (or two) for later use. Better get my skates on.

leftatthetrafficlights

@Raincoat - rostis sound lovely! Haven't made them for years - definitely need to now! 😉 I love them topped with white beans cooked with sage and a dollop of onion marmalade 😍 They'll be on my meal plan for this week now! 😂

leftatthetrafficlights

Went shopping today and bought a cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, parsnips and salad stuff along with fruit. I've still got a few parsnips, leeks, brussel sprouts and savoy cabbage in the garden and some potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, garlic and a couple of carrots in the cupboard so plenty now probably for the next 2 weeks.  

I'm thinking that I'll steam half the broccoli and use some of the tarragon butter on that, the rest will be used in stirfry and ramen. The cauliflower I will roast half of it and split the other half between a stir fry, cauliflower rice and ramen, I'll use one of my cashew roasts which I'll serve with parsnips, savoy cabbage and carrots and I'll make rostis which I'll have with white beans and sage. Whatever is leftover from the above will be made into bubble and squeak which I'll serve with haggis 😊 

So - the menu plan: 

Roasted cauliflower with buckwheat 
Veg stir fry with noodles
Cashew roast with parsnips, cabbage, carrots, broccoli in tarragon butter and horseradish mash
Ramen
Ethiopian lentils 
Rostis, white beans with sage, onion marmalade 
Roasted peppers with cauliflower rice
Bubble and squeak with haggis