Wednesday 20 March 2013

Mini Make do and Mend and Lentil Fest

Hello All
A couple of small ( nay, tiny) Frugal make do and mend "projects". I have a large bin in which I keep the sweepings from the floor of an old mill. My friend in Cornwall works at this mill and any spilt flour or flour that doesn't make the grade is put in a sack. She and another chicken keeper are allowed to take this flour away. When we visit her, or she us, she gives us this flour, which we keep in a waterproof, vermin proof bin. I scoop this flour into a bucket and mix it to a paste with water and the hens love this as an afternoon treat. Well ( to the point ) the scoop has broken , so  I needed to make a new one. Anybody in Frugal, self-sufficient land knows that scoops are made from Gallon containers.  This made, I am still left with the other side of the container and feel sure that this could be put to good use. See picture below. Not a brilliant photo I know, but the scoop is to the front and the spare piece at the back.
       So Frugellers... Any Ideas??
 My second Little project is not mine, but Eldest Daughter's (ED).  Now anyone reading this who knows me will be saying "What !! Never!! Not ED!!" The reason for this is that while ED recycles ALL her rubbish, she rarely needs to consider the cost of anything and she doesn't MEND anything. However, yesterday she phoned me to say "Mother, you'll be proud of me and I reckon I should get a mention on your blog!" Prepared to be  impressed (please) .. She and Youngest Granddaughter both have long hair which they often put up in a scrunchie,  these scrunchies have become a little loose and instead of buying new ones she has bought some elastic and revitalised eight scrunchies for £1.00. She says that she thinks that that is a saving of £15 and she couldn't be prouder! So Frugellers lets hear it for little acorns! and yes I really am proud of her.
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When B. came today he gave me a stick of celery that he says they will not eat, and do I want it?
Still on my live on less than a pound a day month and today I have been Lentilling (new verb) So  today I have made  -
2 pints of lentil soup -  Lentils, carrot, onions, celery, garlic, stock cubes, salt pepper
4 lentil Burgers  - ingredients as above plus chilli
2 servings of Lentil Dahl - as above less celery and plus remainder of tomato from monday, chilli and garam masala .

Half the soup I have frozen in three servings, leaving the other three in the fridge for lunches this week.
One of the portions of Dahl was for tonight with rice and winter salad (now with added celery) on the side. the other I have frozen. ( I cooked two servings of rice, freezing the second).
I have frozen 2 lentil burgers and refrigerated the other two.
Yesterday I had Porridge for breakfast, egg and cheese cobs with winter salad (cabbage, carrot, onion) for lunch and Bacon and sausage casserole with a roll for evening meal.
I had porridge again for breakfast today, pasta and cheese for lunch ( extra pasta cooked and refrigerated) and lentil Dahl and rice and salad for evening meal.
 So far so good. I feel happier having some meals in the freezer as sometimes I might be tempted to stray from the challenge if I am particularly busy.
So Friends that's all for now, will be in touch again soon. Thanks to those who have given recipe suggestions... keep them coming!
Welcome to Hester and Ruby
Gill

6 comments:

  1. Gill do you use red lentils for your burgers? I fancy making some :-D

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    1. Yes I do. Re-reading the post I realise I didn't say I also use Porridge oats in that recipe. Do you have a recipe or should I put it on the blog?

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    2. Yes pleass Gill, time for some more "Adventures in the kitchen" :-)

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    3. I'll write it on a new post and put up the Dahl as well in case anyone is interested.

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  2. When making scoops I used a white plastic bottle ... the remaining half I cut up into little sticks for labeling seeds/seedlings ... i used a marker pen to write on them. Don't know how this would work on the clear plastic.

    Vicky x

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    1. Thanks for that. I'll try writing on it as I'm always short of labels. Will let you know

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