Vegan Storecupboard Challenge 2024

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Some spends yesterday:

Black Grapes @£1.69 x3 - £5.07
Papaya - £6.99
Beetroot @£1.79 x2 - £3.58
Shower gel @ £2.95 - £5.90

The grapes are my current obsession - they are beautiful and I have them as snacks throughout the day!

The papaya is one of the giant ones from an ethnic shop near where dh works - I adore papaya, I haven't bought any for a while as they only had smaller ones in but they're obviously getting the decent sized ones again. I don't buy them from supermarkets as they are rarely ripe and very expensive which leads to a costly disappointment! 

Beetroot is for the burgers I'm making today - dh bought two bunches as he panicked that one wouldn't be enough - suffice to say that I pressure cooked some yesterday and will have enough to make a beetroot and apple salad too! 🙄 It's not a problem though - I'm always happy to add beetroot to meals, I just wish it was homegrown stuff but the garden does not like this weather 😔

The shower gel will last a couple of months (they are refill pouches). 


July week 2:

Fruit & veg: £15.64/£25
Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)
Laundry/toiletries: £5.90/£20 (monthly)

July week 1:

Fruit & veg: £23.99/£25
Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)
Laundry/toiletries: £0/£20 (monthly)

So, beetroot burgers tonight - I'm looking forward to them! 😁 

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Tonight's dinner was beetroot burgers, hg new potatoes, hm sauerkraut, hg broccoli sprouts, beetroot and apple 'rice', black grape and blueberry salad.
 

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£1.56 on 3 ys pomegranates today, they were originally £1.50 each so very happy with that 😁 

Dinner tonight was mushroom and walnut bolognese served with wholewheat pasta, a bit of vegan cheese and nutty parm; beetroot and apple 'rice'; sauerkraut; broccoli sprouts and steamed beetroot. 

I was going to make banana blossom bolognese but had mushrooms left over from making the beetroot burgers so decided to use them up 😁



July week 2:

Fruit & veg: £17.20/£25
Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)
Laundry/toiletries: £5.90/£20 (monthly)

July week 1:

Fruit & veg: £23.99/£25
Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)
Laundry/toiletries: £0/£20 (monthly)

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Didn't eat much on Thursday and Friday and dh ate out so plans went a bit off piste! 

I made the cauliflower, chickpea and artichoke stew which I put some hg potatoes in and we had that on Monday and Tuesday. 

Tonight we should be having ramen but I've got my grandbaby straight after school for a sleepover and have a few bits to do today so may not have the time - I'll have to make a decision later! 

Dh bought a watermelon, some ys apples and some tomatoes on Monday.

July week 3:
Fruit & veg: £7.87/£25
Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)
Laundry/toiletries: £5.90/£20 (monthly)

July week 2:

Fruit & veg: £17.20/£25

Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)

Laundry/toiletries: £5.90/£20 (monthly)

July week 1:

Fruit & veg: £23.99/£25

Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)

Laundry/toiletries: £0/£20 (monthly)

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We needed to harvest one of our chinese cabbages last night so had cabbage, red beans and rice for dinner. 



I had to go to asda yesterday to pick up some stuff for my dd and found a big bag of peppers for £3 - I chopped and roasted the red ones with basil and the green ones with red onion, hg  courgettes and black olives - we'll have those tonight with grains and chick peas. 

July week 3:
Fruit & veg: £10.87/£25
Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)
Laundry/toiletries: £5.90/£20 (monthly)

July week 2:
Fruit & veg: £17.20/£25
Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)
Laundry/toiletries: £5.90/£20 (monthly)

July week 1:
Fruit & veg: £23.99/£25
Storecupboard: £15.98/£20 (monthly)
Laundry/toiletries: £0/£20 (monthly)

leftatthetrafficlights

Last night's dinner was roasted red peppers with basil; roasted green peppers with red onion and black olives; lemon chickpeas; steamed hg broccoli; mixed grains and barberries (oats, rye, barley, short grain brown rice) cooked with lemon verbena and thyme; broccoli sprouts salad with strawberries, blueberries, black grapes and papaya. Lots of leftovers so having a repeat performance tonight 🙌 
 


Plate was pretty full!! 😂

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Tonight's dinner was a courgette and bean sauté with mixed herbs; roasted tomatoes with garlic and basil; courgette salad with lemon oil and tarragon; garlic crushed new potatoes and hm bread. Lots of leftovers so having a repeat performance tomorrow 😁

Nearly all of the veg and herbs were from the garden 🙌 (no tomatoes yet 😔 ) 
 

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Last night was mixed grains (oats, barley, rye, short grain brown rice); cannellini beans cooked in stock and herbs; the remains of the courgette, lemon oil and tarragon salad; the remaining papaya; sautéed broccoli leaves and a dijon mustard cashew cream sauce - absolutely lush! 😋 

Cherryfudge

It's looking as lush as ever, @leftatthetrafficlights. May I ask about the lemon oil? I googled and it can't be the furniture polish one. There are some for cooking and they seem to be a combination with other oils. What do you find works? I can imagine it's delicious on salads.

leftatthetrafficlights

@Cherryfudge - I literally lol'd at the furniture polish comment!! 🤣🤣🤣 My current bottle of lemon oil is from M&S - it's basically olive oil with lemon and tastes amazing!!

I did used to make my own and store it but then someone mentioned botulism and it freaked me out so my dh bought me a bottle 😳 However, if I have a few spare lemons I still make it by zesting them, chopping them up and putting the zest and flesh in a jar and covering in olive oil - I leave them for a few days then strain out the oil to use it. I never make more than I can use in couple of days now though which is why the bottle is useful for impromptu dressings 😁 its beautiful on salads, summer veg, grains, pasta etc - pretty much anything for me as I adore citrus!! 😍😁