Vegan Storecupboard Challenge 2024

leftatthetrafficlights

@Cherryfudge - I'll save some photos while I'm away for when I return! 😉 

I am leaving the digital world (and to some extent the outside world!) for a year to pursue a life lived predominantly in line with the eight limbs of yoga. I am filled with hope and a genuine belief that I can live a peaceful and mindful life -  harmonious with the universe and my own being which nurtures and supports my mental and physical health. Obviously, my vegan lifestyle and ethical purchasing is already in line with some of the Yamas and Niyamas of the eight limbs, but I want to dedicate my time to developing all of the limbs and living my most authentic life. It's not going to be an easy journey but it is one which I am undertaking with joy and gratitude so regardless of the outcome, I will benefit from it. 

Anyway, I'll be back in 2026 to catch up and see how everyone is - have a fabulous 2025!! I hope it brings you peace, joy, love and light - tread gently on the earth and treat yourselves with the care and respect that you deserve ❤️ 

Cherryfudge

Have a fulfilling year, @leftatthetrafficlights, and I look forward to your photos when you come back!

Of course if you wish to drop in briefly, we wouldn't say 'no'...  But will understand if you don't.

leftatthetrafficlights

Morning all! 😁 

Having been away from the boards so far in 2025, I have decided to return 😁 

I've done pretty well on using up my storecupboard stuff but have no idea on where I am with the inventory!! 🤦‍♀️😂

Suffice to say that I have a pretty extensive stock of food still - I have replenished supplies of grains and beans when needed along with the occasional canned goods - but haven't spent too much money on anything other than fresh fruit really...

My garden this year has been very disappointing - almost no courgettes, all the brassicas have either failed or been infested, minimal beetroot crops and lots of bolted fennel and salads. My tomatoes, potatoes, leeks and winter squash have done well though so it hasn't all been doom and gloom but we have decided to completely empty all the beds of what remains, top up with compost and put a green manure into them so that we can start fresh from next spring. 

Having little in the way of produce this year means that I won't have a massive amount in the freezer to see us through the winter so my grocery bill will definitely increase so it's important that I get myself organised again and use up what we have. 

I'm going to start a new challenge from the beginning of winter (November 7th) so I'll do another inventory at that point but for now I'm just resurrecting this thread to see me through until then 😉 

I put beans in to soak last night - butter beans, chickpeas and dark speckled lentils - I'm going to make hommous and falafel with the chickpeas, burmese tofu with the lentils (all of those to go with salads for lunches) and 
cook the butter beans in stock, lemon and mint to have with short grain brown rice, hg carrots and broccoli tonight. I'll post piccies later 😁

Cherryfudge

Welcome back @leftatthetrafficlights! I hope you feel you've benefitted from your time away?

It's been a funny year for the garden: we had a colossal crop of greengages and very little weed growth (compared to normal).

Looking forward to feasting my eyes on your foodie pictures again!

leftatthetrafficlights

Thank you @Cherryfudge! 😁 I think a lot of people have had a weird growing season this year! 🙄 Hopefully we'll see an improvement next year 🤞

My time away has been lovely; not quite what I'd expected as I've taken on some unexpected responsibilities but I've had a pretty good ten months - the digital detox has been a real blessing but I have missed being on the forum so I'm pleased to be back 😁 I'm staying away from everything else though!! 😉

I forgot to take a piccie of dinner on Tuesday - it was lovely though!! 🤦‍♀️😂 

Foodie picture today is of my lunch yesterday- I went into the city with my dd and we had lunch in a falafel place - it was very nice! 


Today we'll be having lentils and grains for dinner as I have my grandbaby for his weekly sleepover - he's a bit tricky to feed so we have to keep it simple when he's over! 

leftatthetrafficlights

Dinner tonight was dark speckled lentils, quinoa, buckwheat and millet, rocket, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and black grapes and a spoonful of hommous. Salad was dressed with a fig and date balsamic- absolutely lush!! 😍

chirpycheap

It's lovely to see your inspiring photos leftatthetrafficlights.
I'm a far plainer cook but would love to be a bit more adventurous. I'm a bit scared to try new ingredients because I'm on a tight budget and worry that they will go to waste because I'm too intimidated to use them. 
I jump in and out of wholefood plant based and more processed vegan food. I've set myself a target of trying some new recipes and ingredients to try and make my meals more interesting.
When I look at your meals they look like they are restaurant quality. I'm assuming that you really enjoy cooking? Are you a trained chef?

leftatthetrafficlights

Nice to see you @chirpycheap 😁 

It can be a bit daunting trying new ingredients - do you have a zero waste shop nearby? I use them for a variety of things but they really come into their own when trying something new as you can just buy what you need for one meal to try it out 😉 

Thank you for your lovely comments 😁 I do enjoy cooking but no, I'm not a trained chef - I just like chucking stuff together and seeing what happens! 😂 I am fortunate that I can imagine how flavours will work together (I can sort of 'taste' it in my mind) - I think the easiest thing is to try reasonably simple things and then add sauces or dressings at first - that way you can see what flavour profiles you like but not waste food as you can serve the sauce on the side 😁 If you don't like the sauce, you've still got the basics to munch and you can normally work out what ingredients don't work for you 😉

leftatthetrafficlights

Dh decided he wanted 'steak' and potatoes tonight so dinner was Juicy Marbles 'steak', potatoes from the garden, roasted tomatoes and peppers, rocket, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, a bit of horseradish sauce and some redcurrant jelly 😋

leftatthetrafficlights

Didn't feel like a proper dinner last night so I just air fried some dark speckled lentil burmese tofu that I made during the week and we snacked on that 😁 

Not sure what we're having tonight - I may do a bit of a tapas type of dinner 🤔 I have chickpeas cooked which I could make into falafel, potatoes in the garden for a patas bravas dish, plenty of olives, some roasted peppers and lots of tomatoes to harvest which I could roast...I'll decide later 😁