Tuesday 23 September 2014

Using Things Up - No Spend/Low Spend September

 
It's still going on, this No Spend/Low Spend September!!
 
I haven't posted too much about it because I have just been plodding away.  There has been some spending, using up vouchers before their date was up, but buying things that will sit happily in the freezer while I slowly and steadily plow my way through the contents of the fridge.  After I had done this I was a bit miffed with myself,  mainly because I had been tempted to spend by vouchers, but £15 in total of free food was just not to be sniffed at (3 x £5 M&S vouchers) and Lovely Hubby told me to just go for it.

 
Now although the freezer is looking full, the fridge is looking a bit sparser, and when I put some just purchased salady things in the bottom drawer I found half a white cabbage, I dread to think how old it was, but slicing off the cut edge revealed it was absolutely perfect.  So a couple of carrots and a single onion pushed through the food processor with it turned it into a big bowl of coleslaw mix.

 
The chickens got the scraps, so no wastage at all - something I love.

 
And it was all tipped into a bowl onto a piece of kitchen roll, which absorbs the moisture and then feeds it back to the cut veggies as they need it.  Once covered with a piece of clingfilm it went back into the fridge and over the course of the next three days provided a salady crunch to all our meals.  Sometimes served mixed into some mayonnaise with a sprinkle of salted peanuts and a couple of slices of apple, and sometimes with some french dressing.

 
I do the same with bought bags of salad leaves, after opening I tuck in a piece of slightly dampened kitchen roll (just wet your hand under the cold tap and flick the drops water onto the paper) and make sure you exclude all the air from the bag before you put it back into your salad drawer.  This bag of leaves is still in use a week after opening and are still nice and firm.

 
Lunch yesterday.  Homemade Cheesy Coleslaw on a bed of Iceberg Lettuce and Mixed Leaves, with a couple of cherry tomatoes for a pop of colour.
 
 
Some of my bargain purchases, the veggies and salmon are all tucked into the freezer.  I have another plan for October that includes virtually NO spending in housekeeping AT ALL so they will be needed then.
 
I'll be back tomorrow to show you what we did on Sunday of our busy weekend, I thought you would want a breather from our working weekend list of jobs, hence the foody post .... I know I do :-)
 
Sue xx

9 comments:

  1. Mmm looks very tasty :) I have just eaten some crustless quiches for breakfast - yum :)

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  2. I do the piece of kitchen roll thing with shop bought mushrooms, prolongs their life and saves me money!

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  3. I forgot to mention that, I also make my own mayo, using your recipe/technique. With Aldis' light olive oil (also used in bread making,roasting veg etc), and when they are laying (2 of 3 hens are in moult at the moment, so not laying often), a fresh egg. Must make some soon, have 2 eggs!

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  4. I do the kitchen roll thing with lettuce, the difference it makes Is amazing. I love seeing photos of fresh veggies, homemade coleslaw is a firm favourite here and its so simple to make. Your lunch looks delicious! x

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  5. I've started putting a cloth napkin underneath my lettuce in a sealable tub. It works quite well but the lettuce isn't in there for more than two days at the moment. I must experiment to see how long I can get it to last.

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  6. I am so glad you took time from your busy work outside to eat something!

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  7. I love your food clip - I just use clothes pegs! Home made coleslaw is delicious. I also add grated apple but must try the peanuts x

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    1. We bought a job lot of them off Ebay a few years ago and made a huge profit selling them for 50p each at car boot sales. We kept a dozen for ourselves, they've been brilliant.

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  8. I love your tip about pre-packed salad - will definitely try it as I generally end up with a half a bag of slime!

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