From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

I got the washing in just before 3pm.  There were a few spots of rain in the wind, and I figured the washing had been out far longer than I anticipated, so I got it in, whilst i was ahead.  I put it in front of the dehu for 2 hrs, and I think it will be pretty much dry by tomorrow morning.

Tea was soup.  I made Lemony Chickpea Soup which was a new to me recipe.  I would make it again, the fam liked it.  I have to say though, i think the 'hummus-like' paste that you add in probably isn't worth the effort.  I think you would get a similar effect if you put all the ingredients in the soup and then partially blitzed at the end.  I did use my stick blender to make my paste (worked perfectly fine).  I used coconut milk, not oat milk, and I hadn't got any nooch, so used a spoon of tahini and a spoon of peanut butter.  It does make an awful lot of paste, and the recipe makes alot of soup - which I think was an observation from the vlogger who mentioned the soup, and whom I got the link from (Coco's Universe).  I would also slightly query some of the ingredients - it was neither 'curry' like, nor 'meditteranean' like.  There was turmeric and coriander and chilli (which I didn't add), at the same time as dill and oregano 🤔I get that dill and coriander are both on the 'lemony' vibe, but I think maybe one set, or the other.  However, having said all that, it is a keeper (with slight revisions) of a recipe for me.  I have to say, whether it was because I swapped in ingredients, but the chickpea paste I made 'firmed up' in the fridge, but oh, did it ever warrant getting balled up, and then rolled in some dark chocolate, ooooooooh those would have been some tasty 'truffles' - yum.  

For pudding I made a spiced blueberry steamed pudding, using THIS base recipe.  It cooked all the way through (last time I made a steamed pudding in the SC it was still liquidy in the centre 😡).  Whilst I extracted the pudding, LG portioned up some vanilla-flavoured  ice-cream for us all.  The blueberries were YS'd.  

LG had a good day at school - and everyone seems to have enjoyed their outing.  

Think that's everything MS-wise.  Ta for popping in.  

Greying X

beanielou

Glad lg enjoyed the wee trip
 

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Wet start with us ☹️  The workwear washing that I coaxed to dryness yesterday..... gone out the door this morning being worn as DH got filthy from head to toe yesterday 🙄I have now washed yesterday's clothes, as there is so much rain forecast, I can't see when would be a "good" time to try to wash/dry them.  The dehu is already on, for what will probably be several 2hr stints ☹️

I was thinking of the 'slightly higher' 'leccy bill and even if the rise was purely down to dehu use - and not connected to higher prices, or using the CH more - £6 wouldn't go far in the local launderette.  You'd probably get a couple of load of clothes, or one load of sheets/towels bone dry - at a push, as it'd buy you in the region of half an hours drying - albeit in a larger machine than a domestic dryer.  I got far more clothes/towels etc dry, over the month, so the new windows (possibly retaining more heat), and thoughtful 'flicking of switches', is helping to keep our bills at less than average, whilst we're not overtly suffering any depravation.  Thanks for allowing me the space to think these things through, and for chipping in with thoughtful sums, equations and workings out!  It's all appreciated.

I was going to go shopping to MrL in the market town across the way today.  But there's no joy in driving on the by-pass in pouring rain, so I'll give it a miss.  It's not like we need any shopping a day earlier than normal, but I could have combined one or two things into one trip.  

I'm going to write up yesterday's soup recipe.  I think I'm going to amend it to be use 1/2 a tin (or equivalent weight), of chickpeas to make the paste/glorified hummus, and put the other half of the tin actually into the soup, so 1.5 tins worth in total.  Or, if you're making it for one or two people, one tin of chickpeas (in total), would do both the paste, and the whole peas for the soup.  As it stands, the soup does make a huge vat - mmmm, might have to think about that some more 🤔  The soup doesn't use fancy ingredients, I have most of the ingredients in my pantry at any time (with the exception of nooch), and it makes a hearty soup/stew that is perfect as a meal in it's own right.  It also can be quite a frugal soup - the ingredients aren't super costly, and I cooked mine in the PrC.  I think I'll tweak it to suit our 'way of being/doing' and write it up like that.  

I've no clue what to make for tea yet.  LG mentioned yesterday that we hadn't had curry in a long time, which is true.  There might be some potential there.  

I can't think of anything overly MSE at the mo.  Ta for visiting, I greatly appreciate it.

Greying X

EssexHebridean

We were able to get washing out yesterday too - it  made a nice change! MrEH popped it on the line around 8am I think, and brought it in before dark, and things were still just damp but overnight on the airer will have sorted that. 

LOVE that LG is pointing you in he direction of curry! 

KajiKita

I am also impressed by LG suggesting curry ....

Thanks for the soup recipe - sounds like another one for me to add to my weekly work soups cycle I will adapt it in similar ways to how you describe. 

KK

themadvix

Would you be able, pretty please, to share your amendments to the recipe? I agree, it seems to have a lot of ingredients going in a variety of directions, without much coherence... but it does sound tasty and mostly has things I have in (no miso or nooch). The benefit of your experience would be much appreciated! (Don't feel you need to write it all out - just some Cliff notes on what to leave out/do otherwise would be fine, if you have time to do it at all.)

Another one here who was surprised that LG suggested curry! 

Greying_Pilgrim

KajiKita said:

I am also impressed by LG suggesting curry ....

Thanks for the soup recipe - sounds like another one for me to add to my weekly work soups cycle

KK

I think it would be absolutely your sort of dish KajiKita - my only caution would be to mentally 'cook thru'/see the ingredients in front of you (there is a pic on the recipe website) the recipe before you make it.  It makes alot of soup, and whilst it can be frozen, I just suspect making smaller quantities from the get go would be better - especially of the chickpea paste/hummus thing.  It thickened up our soup lovely, using literally half of the paste that I made.  I suppose another option would be to make the paste as per, but freeze half of it, and make a half measure of soup each time, to add the half portion of paste to, if you see what I mean.  But it's something I would make again, I'm glad I came across the recipe - albeit the u-toober who made it (cocos universe), mentioned the quantity thing too,

Greying X

edinburgher

We now have two dehumidifiers Greying (ongoing issues with mould around a large window and the challenges of a 3-storey house). They are smart or AI or magical or something. As such, they determine when to kick in, based on parameters determined by the machine and any timings we specify (for example, the upstairs one is only allowed to operate between 07:30-19:30). They definitely caused a noticeable bump in electricity use to begin with but have calmed down a little now, probably as they're better managing our overall humidity. While nobody likes a higher electricity bill, it gives us confidence re. mould risk and the amount of water coming out of the air (they are large units, emptied every 2 days or so) suggests that they are needed.

Greying_Pilgrim

I agree with you ed.  Now that we have easier to open windows, trickle vents and top lights (a little window), our home feels different most of the time.  But it's very noticeable if I've been dehu'ing to get clothes dry, how much warmer the room is a) when the dehu's on, and b) for some time after - particularly if the CH has been on, 'coz - as you know - dry air is warmer.  Your dehu's have probably worked hard initially to restore balance, and now it's a maintenance gig, so easier.

I'm on hour 3 of dehuing the workwear.  I think that will be enough - to then allow the airing and radiators to do any 'finishing off'.  At the moment it's just a few damp patches that weren't facing the sucky-sucky thrall of the dehu for long enough 😁

Greying X

greenbee

I had to change my bathroom extractors not long after moving here, and made the decision to replace them with ones with a humidistat - so they run until the humidity is back to acceptable levels, not for a specific length of time after the light switches off (they also come on automatically without the light being on). As they are always on, it probably adds a small amount to the electricity bill, but it has definitely helped keep the house drier (my bedroom windows still mist up when I have a shower, but they clear quickly even on horrid days like today) and it means I don't have to worry about other people turning the fans off/on - they just do their own thing based on how I've set them up. And the switches are hidden away so it isn't obvious how to turn them off