From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

The Danish Wholegrain Revolution - I think it was a Graudian article Cherryfudge, but it is available in several forms (pr3ssreader being one). - I actually read it on msn news.  

Greying X

Paspatur

Thanks GP. Brought back fond memories of working in our Copengahen office for 3 months pre retirement, Lunch in the staff canteen was fantastic, so tasty and so healthy. First time I ever had red rice and years later I still only eat red rice x

Greying_Pilgrim

Paspatur I'm not sure I've ever eaten red rice - is it the one that is grown in the Camargue region of France?  

Greying X

Paspatur

GP mine was always from Tesco but they don't seem to have it anymore
It says 'grown in paddy fields'
Produce of more than one country
My packet is best before Nov 24
Can't find it in any supermarkets now except Waitr*se which I don't have
I don't eat much rice so will survive without it

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

Saladu Nebbe (Senegalese Black-Eye bean Salad)

Beetroot and carrot salad

Ginger Vinagrette

I made a salad plate for tea.  In addition to the two salad recipes listed, I boiled up some green speckled lentils and some brown rice.  When they were cooked, I cooled them and combined them and then poured some ginger vinagrette over. That isn't the recipe I used (although it is very similar), mine was originally from a cookbook by Maria Elias - but I've never been able to link any of the recipes on the internet.    I had to improvise, as - for example - I only had vine tomatoes, and no cherry tomatoes, and only had frozen mixed peppers, and not a red bell pepper, or any red onions (I just did a quick pickle of some diced brown onion to take the zing out of it). I also used ordinary dried dates, and not medjool.  I topped the lentil/rice mix with a one egg omlette.  I did try to slice the omlettes into bite-size chunks, but made a bit of a hash of it tbh.  Tasted OK though.  I chopped up a few almonds for the carrot salad, as I hadn't got any flaked almonds, and topped the whole dish with some toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds to use up the last of my (open) seeds stash.

The wins were that we had something 'weather appropriate' to eat, using up what we had.  LG declared the lentil/rice mix delish - I was a bit worried about the ginger dressing, but I gave LG a little to taste first.  And also, LG ate beetroot, without comment or complaint!  Last year they refused to eat anything with beetroot in it.  This is progress YAY!



No money spent today.  LG had an OK day at school and is doing well with some learning goals the class have been set.  Can't think of anything else to add.  Thanks for popping in. 

Greying X

rtandon27

Salad plate looks fabulous GP!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Just back from shopping.  I didn't do the full shop - but we are running out of milk, and it wouldn't have lasted beyond breakfast tomorrow (which is what I needed it to do).  So I decided to spend my remaining 95p on milk - i ended up buying our normal container, which is £1.55, but as it'll last into May, I figured I would split the cost and get the bigger carton, than buy a smaller carton "just" to keep in April budget.  

That is the only thing that I bought that we "might" consume in April, so I'm calling my April budget as £250 on the nose, as I haven't bought anything else that we will consume today.  

I did buy some bits and pieces though, as I was in the area and the n*ctar prices seemed to run out today (not sure why they have gone out of whack with the n*ctar points).  So I have spent some of May's budget today ☹️  However, it was a "spave" opportunity, so here goes;  I bought yoghurt and apples in hB - the yoghurt saved me 18p, even though the brand was on my smartyshop prices.  £3.98 spent.  Then I went to MrS.  No boxes ☹️.  I bought the milk (£1.55 less 95p = 60p), the tv mag and 4 bags of pasta that were on my smarty shop at 57p rather than 75p.  It was a slightly interesting shape, and works for salad or hot dishes, so I bought 4 bags to at least (and hopefully more) cover the month of May.  18p per bag saving is not to be sniffed at, so I didn't.  Total spend in MrS was £3.70 (allowing for discounted milk).  So in total I have (already) spent £7.68 of May's total - which is shocking, as I think the total budget for May is going to be in the region of £159/£160 😬

Never mind, It is a hard challenge, and I've at least managed to save just over £100 on March and April's shopping budgets (took £50 off April's budget from the start, and had just over £50 of March's left)), so even if I don't manage a squeaky tight May, I've demonstrated that I can save pennies that will, ultimately divert into the windows and now the car replacement fund.  It is worth trying.  

I used up the last of the brown rice last night - most for tea and there was a portion put in the freezer.  In emptying that jar, I discovered we have a wee bit of bulghar wheat left.  I don't think it will be sufficient for 3 'main' portions (difficult to tell when it's raw), but it could certainly add to another salad plate.  I will have a think about what I've got - I think it will be OK to do another salad tonight, I don't think the troops will revolt straight away 😁

Right, better go and get my siggie straight - Start May on a true line, even if I'm already in deficit 😭

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

Cherryfudge

Thanks for the link, @Greying_Pilgrim! And your meal looks great for this warm weather.

Of to investigate Danish food... 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MSE'rs

Cherryfudge - I ended up listening to the R4 programme Food Programme from several weeks ago today, and it too was investigating Danish food - the move (as a nation) to Organic/Vegetarian and Vegan though.  Very interesting, and interesting that the intake on the newly devised 'Green Chef' (vegetarian and vegan) course were predominately older students and had a background in Environmental academia.  

Tea has been made and sort of munched.  LG decided that they didn't like beetroot today, and after saying that they liked the miso cauliflower when I gave them some to try, decided that they didn't when I'd made more and put it out on our plates.  I've just been listening to them negotiating with DH to leave bits and bobs 🤣  Even I would admit that the miso cauliflower was a bit too heavy on the miso, and if I'd thought about it better, I would have added less miso, but cut it with tahini. Not too sure if I'll have the option to make it again though....... 🤣

I made Roasted Miso Cauliflower (I just roasted it in a dry pan on the stove top), 'dirty' bulghar, Lobi Aghstan (white bean salad) and Tereotuli Pancar Salatasi (beetroot with dill).  The bulghar was just the cooked grain with onion, peppers, celery, garlic, tomato puree and parsley run through it.  The Beetroot salad and the white bean salad were both from the Arto Der Haroutunian Vegetarian middle eastern cookery book, and I can't find recipes for them on the internet.  I topped each plate with chopped up walnuts. 

I used up the last of the bulghar, the last 3 qu0rn filets, the last tomato, the last beetroot (LG will be pleased), and half of the cauliflower I got from MrAl last week.  

We've been fed, used stuff up and 'notionally' stayed out the shops, so I'll count it as a win.



I may have a go at making baked potatoes in the SC tomorrow.  I'll think on, as it's likely to be very hot tomorrow and we're all going to be eating at different times because of club.

Ta for popping in.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Despite setting out early to go shopping, I've not long got back 🙄

There were several green boxes in MrL today, but the contents were dire/of no great use.  Had it been a waste food free box initiative, I may have taken a punt, but it was a waste of £1.50 for our household, so i left them where they were.  £9.36 spent on food and food-like items in MrL.  I've decided that for May's budget, I won't count in any alcohol spends.  We don't buy masses, but it does make a difference to the bill each week, and it would wreck the budget before the month end.  We don't have a 'going out/entertainment/socialising' budget, because normally we just 'don't'.  But for this month, groceries will just mean food.

I then went to MrS.  Wasn't much on my list and there was no point in doing a smarty shop.  So I got my stuff (no boxes), and went to the staffed till.  They were all heaving, so I settled in to wait behind someone loading a F.U.L.L. trolley onto the conveyor belt.  To be fair, I was offered to move to the self-scan, but I was happy to wait.  The person in front of me had literally just placed the last thing on the belt, and was stretching for the divider.......... and an overly bossy till captain started flapping their arms around me and barked that I was to follow X as they were going to open a till 3 bays down 🙄  I didn't really want to go, as - as happened - I prefer to load up my shopping onto the conveyor belt in the order I wish to pack it. Naturally the till operator started putting stuff through straight away 🙄  Anyhoo, we got to where we needed to be, other folks started loading up their shopping.  My n*ctar card was recognised......... and then the till stopped working 🙄 Frantic 'hokey-cokeying' with the payment card made no difference.  The till operator swiped it, wiped it on their shirt (😬), wiped it some more..... but no avail.  Computer still said 'no'.  Called the overly bossy till captain over - they did the same (no shirt wiping this time), but still the computer said no.  By this time, if 'cyber attack' had been mentioned once, it'd been mentioned 100 times by the growing throng of waiting customers.......  So everyone had to move off this till - and fortuitously another member of staff turned up to open the till next door and I got moved to another till - which worked (YAY!).  £16.39 spent in MrS.  It was no-one's fault the till didn't work - and the poor till operative was most apologetic, but I can't help thinking that sometimes I should stick to my guns and not get 'shooed' into something that I didn't want to do in the first place, and ended up inconveniencing me more than had I been left to wait happily where I was.  

Shopping total spent today is £25.75.

Baked potatoes are on in the SC - I haven't wrapped them individually in foil, but I have put a teatowel under the lid to stop the moisture dripping.  

Ta for popping by.  Greying X