So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

QueenJess said:

I know what you mean, work is a hindrance!

It would be so much nicer to spend all my time growing, cooking and preserving and feeling self-sufficient. But as we all know from The Good Life, the council don’t seem to want to take council tax in kind! 😂

debtfreeoneday

One of my kids said to me we should all be living like that and kids shouldn’t go to school they should be out growing food and making clothes in the fields! 🤣 

rtandon27

themadvix said:

... I'm feeling really motivated in terms of climate and health at the moment - just wish the pesky income-earning work didn't take up so much of my time! 😂...

This is so true Vix - eating healthy food and making responsible choices is far more effort than picking up a ready meal on the way home!

After spending the better part of the last 1.5 years on prescription shakes, which not only tasted horrid but did very little for my 'healthy glow' I'm now adamant that we return to healthy eating and that every meal contains nutrient dense 'real' food. I am however having a hard time getting the OH to kick his processed ham on squish bread habit which was what he defaulted to when he had to fend for himself.  It's such a shame that something so moreish is just so tasty 😂

themadvix

Afternoon all,

@rtandon27 I think it's only tasty until you think about what's in it! And ultraprocessed foods are made to be easy to consume and not fill you up - someone eating an UP diet will consume on average 500 more calories per day than someone eating real food (fact provided by Tim Spector on Michael Moseley's podcast yesterday - I don't generally carry such info around in my head!). Good luck with Mr RT!

Having finally caught up on all my work yesterday, today I am catching up with all the produce that needs dealing with. Early start as I dropped Mr MV at the station (in the hybrid - we have it back!) for 7.30. Then popped to Tesco to get rid of our large collection of soft plastics - they have a cage for them, so much easier than trying to put two bin bags worth in a small bin! I think cat client was a bit surprised to see me so early, but she still enjoyed a cuddle.

So far today I've:
* made custard for turning into ice cream - it's chilling in the fridge
* collected 15-20 bananas from Olio
* sliced and dehydrated most bananas (dehydration ongoing)
* baked a banana loaf using the manky/bruised bits of banana (still 6 in fruit bowl for eating as is)
* jarred the herbs that have been drying for 10 days
* picked some more lemon verbena to dry
* put on another (the last) batch of rhubarb and ginger vodka
* inventoried the freezer  - an interesting and fairly useless selection of stuff (stuff to action here!)
* load of washing done and on the line

This afternoon, around a Cambridge meeting, I need to:
* get to allotment and pick plums (also buy sugar so I can make syrup for them)
* sow radishes
* pick blackberries
* pick spinach
* bottle plums
* attempt to make glamorgan sausages (for dinner and freezer)
* bake a loaf for Mr MV's lunch tomorrow
* finish ice cream
* plant lettuce plants and cat nip bought yesterday
* this evening, Olio (so kitchen needs to be clear and clean by then!)

Mr MV in for dinner but apparently going for a drink with a school friend (apparently, because friend has habit of flaking, so I'll believe it when I see it).

Tomorrow, when the R'ford delivery arrives, I will strain my kefir and set some sauerkraut going. Also need to get and cook chicken for the cats and deal with any blackberries I pick. Have also enquired as to when/if I should expect my apple delivery (FIL's elderly friend gave me quite a few last year and was apparently so impressed with the apple butter that he said I could have the lot this year... some forewarning would be good!).

The contents of the freezer need some thought - there's quite a few random Olio bits that need using up and also currants that need jellying. Once that's done, I'm tempted to order a fish box or similar from somewhere, but I don't really want all the packaging that that will entail. Maybe I'll set aside the money and see what I can get from my local fishmonger instead. It would be good to have some food in there that we actually want to eat!

Have a good day all!

QueenJess

Ooh - I just looked up apple butter as I didn’t know what it was. Looks lovely. Shame all the trees around here are eating apples rather than cooking ones as I’d love to make some.

themadvix

QueenJess said:

Ooh - I just looked up apple butter as I didn’t know what it was. Looks lovely. Shame all the trees around here are eating apples rather than cooking ones as I’d love to make some.

Well it turns out my apple supply is bit happening this year - lots of blossom but no apples 😔 So I’m not sure how much I’ll be making this year!

QueenJess

themadvix said:

QueenJess said:

Ooh - I just looked up apple butter as I didn’t know what it was. Looks lovely. Shame all the trees around here are eating apples rather than cooking ones as I’d love to make some.

Well it turns out my apple supply is bit happening this year - lots of blossom but no apples 😔 So I’m not sure how much I’ll be making this year!

That’s a shame. My baby tree and the one across the road from us have both gone mental with apples. I keep picking them to thin them out a bit. The branches of my tree were on the ground because the weight of the apples on there! All eating apples, although they taste fine stewed with some cinnamon or blackberries. 

themadvix

I think the beauty of eating apples is that you can use them in place of cookers as long as you’re not relying on the pureeing factor (obviously no good for apple butter) - and you don’t have to add as much sugar! Better for turnovers 😊

themadvix

themadvix said:

This afternoon, around a Cambridge meeting, I need to:
* get to allotment and pick plums (also buy sugar so I can make syrup for them) - DONE
* sow radishes - DONE
* pick blackberries - DONE, although plenty more I will go back for
* pick spinach - DONE, although just a few leaves.
* bottle plums
* attempt to make glamorgan sausages (for dinner and freezer) - DONE, not sure I’ll bother again though, very faffy
* bake a loaf for Mr MV's lunch tomorrow -DONE
* finish ice cream - DONE
* plant lettuce plants and cat nip bought yesterday
* this evening, Olio (so kitchen needs to be clear and clean by then!)

A quick update. What’s not done now (apart from Olio) will have to wait until tomorrow. I did also pop to Costco to get chicken for the cats (another job for the morning). Currently sitting with cat client on my lap waiting for the time to get my Olio collection. Cat is super snuggly and on her own and stuck inside, so I know she appreciates this extra time (she’s purring madly).

EssexHebridean

Our small furry visitor also gets a proper purr on when you just sit and fuss her for a few minutes - it's a lovely sound and feeling! You always knew when HRH was really loving a fuss as she'd let out the occasional little "happy miaow" amongst super-loud rumblings! 

Lovely achievements on the kitchen witchery front there! Such a shame about the apples though - as pretty as the blossom is, you want a bit more than that from a tree, don't you!