From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

lucielle

I used to like jezza but find him annoying. Love Sara Cox. 

L

Greying_Pilgrim

beanielou said:

Faints. How can anyone not like Ken Bruce?! 

I followed him to GHR but still listen to R2 at the weekend on a Sunday. 

Sorry beanie - he's just a bit too 'cup half empty' for me.  I know sometimes he's hamming up that grouchiness, but I'm afraid I used to switch off come 9.30, and not put R2 back on until after 2pm.  I prefer VK, but don't listen to him religiously - but do enjoy it when ooooooh Gary sits in 😁

I was proved right with the weather.  We've had some luverly drying breezes today.  But intermittent showers.  The drain cover stayed wet - and there were about 3 showers (and multiple rainbows), when I was out walking.  

To be fair, the bulghar wheat has started expanding, so tea doesn't look as 'wet' as it did.  It may yet be OK 🤞

*Edit* - lucielle - I missed you comment.  I heartily agree.  I *may* have done the "3,2,1, countdown  - IT'S THE WEEKEND" for some random all-request Friday, pre-c'vid..... #claimtofame 😁

Greying X

northwalesd

beanielou said:

Faints. How can anyone not like Ken Bruce?! 

I followed him to GHR but still listen to R2 at the weekend on a Sunday. 

I've done that too beanielou.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

So I've made the effort to keep to my commitment to make at least one of our meals in the SC this week.  I made Spice Trail beans and bulghur wheat.  I am now pretty sure that I have made this dish before but as a PC version - as I actually found the instructions - on the same website - to make it either way.  I like this recipe, it's a keeper.  It can be customised with any type of veg, any type of beans.  I only put 1 cup of bulghar wheat in - and that made plenty.  My version wasn't as 'soupy' as the recipe picture, but I only put one tin of chopped tommies in.  Next time I think I would either put two in, or put one tin chopped tomatoes and a pot of HM tommie sauce, would be good. I didn't use brown sugar in the recipe - I didn't have any, and whilst I appreciate tinned tommies can be acidic, I wouldn't use as much sugar as that.  Instead I used a spoonful of treacle, not sugar free, but at least there are some trace nutrients in a slightly less processed product (yes, I'm straw clutching).   I served it with 2 slices of smoked tofu each and some tahini, yoghurt drizzle with some all but t'bagel seasoning.    Yum.  Good use of stuff I had in.  Endlessly adaptable (I think B-E Beans would be good).  And not time-consuming nor too complicated to make either.  



Someone at DH's workplace brought in some besan laddu, and DH brought one home for us to try.   (I think they are - by a process goggling, knowing they were made with chickpeas).  Anyway, we all appreciated the taste of something new/different.

I don't think I've done anything moneysavingly spiffy today.  But I am pleased at having discovered another useable SC recipe, and that I had everything in to make it.  There was also a pot and a half of chickpeas that have gone in the freezer, and a pot of the bean and grain mix is leftover for lunch tomorrow.  

LG had a reasonable day at school.  Yay.  

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

KajiKita

That’s a cracking day - a good evening meal, a recipe to return to and LG had a good day too ❤️
Excellent 😊

KK

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

No special plans (at the mo) for the day.  I'm pretty sure we've intermittent rain forecast for the day, so a workwear laundry catch-up is unlikely - gotta keep the faith that it will come good......

I looked up the calories in besan laddu - not too sure what size, but.. gulp.  Thank heavens it was shared.  I don't know much about sweet making in asian cuisine, but should imagine these may fall into the deep fried, and soaked in a sweet syrup category.

At the mo, I'm thinking soup 'n pud night.  But a suitable pudding isn't jumping out at me - we're not over-run with ingredients.   But, it's not like we're going to starve/do without, so it's a solvable problem!

We're at that bit of the month where the bills are all paid or are at the end of the month, so I haven't much MSE to report.  

Greying X

teapot2

My Asian sweet of choice when I lived in the big city used to be Gulab Jamun which was certainly deep fried and soaked in a very sweet and sticky syrup.  Don't have such a sweet tooth now so not sure I could cope these days

EssexHebridean

I think the whole point of things like that in the Asian culture is that they are a "treat" thing not an everyday foodstuff, isn't it - so the calories are an irrelevance. I just looked up both of those sweets mentioned - the Besan laddu sound amazing, I'm not so keen on the sound of Gulab Jamun as it references rosewater and a food flavour I absolutely can't cope with is anything floral! 

Greying_Pilgrim

Yep, def. treat territory.  Very pleased to have been gifted the opportunity to try 'a piece'.  EH - I'm assuming that was what they were (they look like the images online anyway - and Besan flour is chickpea flour, and DH mentioned chickpeas).  

So I cracked and went to MrAl, and hB. I really don't like our MrAl, well, some of the staff spoil the shopping experience, lets just leave it at that, as today was no exception 🙄 However, LG does quite like a couple of items from MrAl, that make it into lunchboxes, so I gird my loins occasionally, and bulk buy for the half-term or term.  I have to say, the little town centre MrAl in the market town across the way is completely different, the staff are lovely there.  However, today I got everything that I wanted - and I did buy some YS'd bread, but MrAl's price labels confuse me I'm sure the bread was on special offer, with 30% off that - but it didn't go through the self-serve as that so - lesson learnt 🙄And YS'd things don't go through the self-serve, you have to have an attendant do it..... who was busy chatting to their mate......

I then went to hB, which (thankfully) had had a restock since Sunday, and I was able to pick up our preference in yoghurt and some apples.  I also stocked up on toiletries, as the troops informed me (!)  they'd taken the last X, Y and Z from the toiletries box - I'm learning 'em...... slowly 🤣

Total expenditure was an eye-watering £24.03 on food and food-like substances, and £8.82 on wishy-washy saponin-type things.  At least all today's food purchases will last (most of them) for the rest of this month, and/or school term.  Plus, MrAl did have celery in the S6, so I did get a couple of packs, plus they had their tofu on special offer (only a couple of pence cheaper, but still), and they stock 'wonky' carrots which are 79p for 1.5kg.  They looked OK today, so I picked up a bag.  

I shall amend my siggie figgies - I'm going to put it all in this month's expenditure -(it will get complicated if I start winkling out February's consumption) and potter off to do something else.  Thinking about it - just - I was updating the calendar this morning, and February for us contains half-term.  DH isn't off for any of it, but it is always a more expensive time, so I need to budget, and 'use-up' this month, with that in mind.  Right - focused potter!

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

I followed the link from MSE and got a free digital NT family pass.  It will give us options (perhaps) for things to do in HT.

I made Winter Lentil Soup for tea, a recipe I got from Adele McConnell's The Vegan Cookbook.  I don't seem to be able to find her recipe online anywhere, but there are plenty of recipes for lentil soup (specifically made with either green or brown lentils), available.  It makes a very hearty soup, and in addition, I made dumplings to go with.  I cooked them slightly differently to how I had been doing them - more in line with how Jellytotts suggested, and I managed to get them light and floofy and not burnt the lentils on the bottom of the pan (as is my wont 🙄) WIN!  I don't stock veggie suet, so just substituted with olive spread instead.  Clean plates all round and there is another portion left for another day.  

We had yoghurt and a square of 85% chocolate for pud (LG bought me a bar for Christmas, and clearly thinks it's time for the chocolate to be scoffed!  They have graciously let me know that the last piece is "for me" to enjoy tomorrow........ 🤣).

I can't think of anything else MSE relevant to add.  Ta for popping in.  Greying X