Away From The Madding Crowd

Humboldt

louby40 said:

I've made a plum crumble with plums from my parents plum tree. We've just eaten it with warm custard.
😋 yum 

Hi @louby40 plum crumble and warm custard - delicious. I so enjoy this seasons tasty and comforting recipes.

Shame about your friends plum tree @QuizB.

Humboldt

jaybee said:

My very favourite Bill Bryson book is The Lost Continent closely followed by Neither Here Nor There. Made me laugh out loud!

Hello and welcome @jaybee thank you for taking the time to share your Bill Bryson book recommendations.  Both books now added to my never ending to-read list. 

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Budgeting is not just for people who do not have enough money.  It is for everyone who wants to ensure that their money is enough – Rosette Mugidde Wamambe.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250. Week 1 spend for September was £75.06.

In addition to fully utilising this week’s 2-hours free electric via our energy provider, we have also been participating in ‘Power Moves’.  For those who are not familiar with the Power Move Flex, it refers to a scheme that encourages customers to shift their electricity usage away from times of high grid demand and towards times of low grid demand, thus helping to balance the grid.  With just a few tweaks, last month we earned bill credits that equated to several hours free electric.

Sale shopping – a couple of summer dresses, one reduced by 50%, the other by 70%, and a top reduced by 50%.  A T-shirt, base layer top and shirt for DH, all  reduced by 50%.

I recycled 5 items at Bo0t’s and gained 500 Adv@ntage points.  Thanks to @AliBee16 for highlighting this scheme.  You can find information regarding the Bo0ts recycling scheme online or in store. 

This week’s main menu.

Monday –  Spanish stuffed marrow (G0od Fo0d recipe). The marrow was kindly gifted from a friend.  I only used half of the chorizo in the Spanish chicken recipe last week, so will use the remainder today.  I will replace the roasted red peppers from a jar with a fresh red pepper and use cheddar instead of manchego.  To fully utilise the oven, I will also roast vegetables to make a roasted tomato soup for lunches.  Tomatoes were reduced in price.

Tuesday – Wild garlic pesto and goats cheese pizza.  The pesto is homemade and from the freezer.

Wednesday – Lamb moussaka (from one of my recipe scrap books), with a dressed salad. 

This is a meal swap from last Saturday when we had spatchcock spicy chicken, with quick ratatouille (from one of my recipe scrap books).  The chicken was reduced in price, and we had peppers and gifted vegetables that needed to be used up. 

Thursday – Ping meal (as above) – cook once eat twice – saves on time and energy costs. 

This is a meal swap from Sunday when we also had a ping meal and enjoyed the remainder of the chicken and ratatouille.

Friday – Chili con carne, with a small portion of brown rice.  I will use a small pack of 5% fat beef mince and add a tin of green lentils, which will not only save money and make the meal a little healthier.

Saturday – Stuffed peppers, with a large dressed salad.  I will stuff the peppers with leftover chilli con carne and cook them in the slow cooker.

Sunday – Sweet potato and peanut stew ( from one of my recipe scrap books), with naan bread.  Naan bread is from the freezer.  Ald! sell 2 x Bil@sh giant plain naan breads for £1.49 which are enough for two meals, and they freeze well.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 42,132.

Completed 5 free meditations last week.

Completed 3 free online workouts last week.

Simple pleasures.

DH and I have completed the pantry project.  The cupboard has been painted and the shelving installed.  Great to have more storage, and whilst it is not as grand as Nigella’s, I am really pleased with it.  I wonder if I should add some fairy lights ….

The rainbow chard seeds that I planted last week have germinated. 

A meet up with friends for a cuppa and natter.  Always good for the soul.

Now that the season has changed, the soft light at the end of the day really makes the golden oat grass shine in the garden border.

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.

 

Yorkie1

Humboldt said:

Simple pleasures.

DH and I have completed the pantry project.  The cupboard has been painted and the shelving installed.  Great to have more storage, and whilst it is not as grand as Nigella’s, I am really pleased with it.  I wonder if I should add some fairy lights ….

 

Always!

(But if you can wait until January, they'll be in the sales too ... !!)