Seasonal food for January

Since I’m continuing to focus on eating in season as much as possible I’ll be filling my shopping basket with:

• apples
• broccoli
• brussels sprouts
• carrots
• cauliflower
• leeks
• onions
• parsnips
• pears
• potatoes
• pumpkins
• swede
• turnips

I say I’ll be filling my baskets with the above but, actually, I doubt there will be any turnip or pumpkin because I’ve never found them particularly inspiring. Or swede come to that! But the rest? Yum. As usual there will be plenty of soup making which should help counteract the disasterous effect that the festive season has had on my waist line!

Plans for 2012

Is everyone thinking about New Years Resolutions? It is tempting to write a sort of wish list at the start of a new year though, as I said this time last year, I’m not quite so much about the goals as I used to be. Or, rather, about having a daunting list/setting myself up for failure. I don’t have the sort of time I used to have but I always appreciate having a bit of direction…

For 2012 I’ve decided to try setting some ‘goals’ quarterly. I find monthly ones a bit too challenging. We only need another molar to come through (oh the joys of teething) and I have to revert back to a basic survival mode of grabbing sleep where I can and trying to remember to eat and brush my teeth. And then the monthly goals go out of the window! But quarterly – quarterly I think I can manage. And thus…

January-March 2012

Financial: Save £600 into my ISA and, jointly with Husband, to save £500 into the house fund (we also have other savings funds on the go which is why it is unrealistic to try for more). Both of these figures are going to be challenging to achieve but should be possible unless a big financial monster rears its head (ie something ‘big’ breaking and needing to be replaced). Trying to keep to the £200 a month food budget for the three of us is going to be important here but I’m not going to sweat it too much. If it goes over a tiny bit sometimes it’s no big deal provided we’re still saving. I’m impressed by own laid-back bravado on this one!

Health & Fitness: I am now putting on weight for a past time. In the last month I’ve had to go out and buy a few items of clothing in the next size up (nooooooo!) because it was getting a bit critical. I am so annoyed with myself. Particularly when I’ve got so many gorgeous things I can’t wear. Grrrrr. Anyway, the goal for the first quarter is to lose a stone. I have avoided weighing myself over Christmas so I’ll do that tomorrow. Gulp.

House: As in, get it on the market. We’ve got loads to do but I’d like it to be up for sale around the end of March. I am dreading every aspect of this and am not going to bore anyone with the ‘to do’ list involved but it has to happen!

There are other things I’ve got in mind for next year that I’m not targeting. More of the direction I want things to take than conventional ‘goals’ which include:

• Giving more to charity. I’ve already signed us up to donate a small amount each month to Save The Children and I’ve started getting involved – in a very small – way with a couple of independent charities that need ‘stuff’. It doesn’t add up to much but it is a start and something I want to get into more. I’ll also continue giving my old stuff to charity shops and using my gift aid cards so they get the full benefit of the donation.
• Improving my handwriting. Odd one I know but it is really getting into the realms of demented scrawl. Attention must be paid!
• Continuing to learn about food: Cooking it, eating it, reading about it, buying it in season and as ethically as possible.
• Learning in general: Yup, back to the neglected grey matter referenced this time last year. No specifics here, just to keep the door open!
• Living on a budget: With emphasis on the living. If I can save the figures mentioned above then that is more than good enough considering our relatively low incomes. Now my gorgeous girl is a toddler it much easier to get out and about and I want 2012 to involve more of that, even if it means saving less!
• Making stuff: No specifics but I’d like to have made one or two things by the end of the year. We’ll see!

And that’s me signing out until next year/tomorrow! Thank you to everyone who stops by and particularly those of you that say hello. Happy New Year!!

Where did the time go?!

Long time, no post! I think this is the longest I’ve been without blogging since I started Shoestring Alley. What can I say? We’ve been busy! I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas. I’ve been having a look over my posts from this time last year, looking at my plans for 2011. Some goals panned out, others didn’t. Still, it’s been a hectic year. I can’t believe it was only 12 months ago that I had a 6/7 month old and was still on maternity leave! Now I have an 18 month old, toddling about the place and saying all sorts of hilarious things and seem to have settled into working part-time. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel I’ve got the balance beween home and work right (I sometimes struggle with how to make the switch between having my business head on and my more, laid-back ‘at home’ mode) but that’s an ongoing process.

Over the next few days I’ll be thinking about what I want to focus on for 2012 (I suspect it will be much the same as I said last year, though with less of a ‘to do’ feel). Between now and New Years Eve I’m planning on giving the house a good clean and tidy and a bit of a sort out where needed. I do like to go into a New Year with my house quite literally in order. I’m also planning on getting my financial plans sorted and everything else in place too.

I’ll be back…

Is it still cheaper to cook from scratch?

Is it still cheaper to cook from scratch? I mean, really? I’ve worried about this a bit recently. A month or two ago I spent longer than usual in my local supermarket having a good look around. There are certain aisles that I never go down because a) I don’t buy ready meal type stuff and b) you can’t be tempted by what you aren’t looking at! However, I thought I’d have a look to see what was available and I was amazed at some of the prices on things like pies and pizzas. They were so cheap and would be so filling that, regardless of how junky they might be, you can totally see why someone really hard-up would fill their trolley with them. Looking at some of the things available, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to make them myself for any cheaper – it would actually be more expensive. I found this pretty depressing.

However, I think that this is far from true in most cases. It does depend on how much time you are willing to put in overall to save what just seems like a few pence here and there. I was talking to someone the other day about soup. Both of us have soup for lunch most days. Mine is home-made while hers is tinned. I worked out that my substantial bowl of lentil and tomato soup had cost 14p whereas her tin of soup cost 89p – a 75p difference. My soup was very healthy and had no preservatives apart from anything you might find in a stock cube whereas I know from experience that tinned soup is very, very salty by comparison and has a long list of ingredients that I wouldn’t even be able to pronounce. If I reckon on having soup for lunch 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year then I save £195 annually by making my own soup. My friend could argue that she doesn’t have the bother of making and storing the soup which would be right. Her main point is that 89p is still a very cheap way to have lunch. This is true – particularly when you think that you could easily spend £2.50-£3 on one of those ‘meal deals’ that include sandwiches, crisps or a chocolate bar and a drink. It is also healthier, even though it is processed. And those meal deals are cheaper than going ‘out’ for lunch. And so on and so on. It is all a matter of choice and how far you are willing to cut back before you aren’t comfortable. My 14p soup is about as cheap as I can get! However, we are far from ‘perfect’. Making our own bread would be cheaper but that wouldn’t work for us. We don’t eat bread quickly enough for it not to go stale and I wouldn’t want to give up freezer space to bits and bobs of bread (on a large scale anyway). That’s why I wouldn’t dream of criticising my friend for buying tinned soup instead of making her own – she is probably more economical than me in something else she does. Making soup is easy for me because it fits in with the way I do things and the way I eat. Making my own bread doesn’t.

That said, perhaps I should put a bit more thought into what else I could save on by making from scratch!

Tasty!

I go through spates of being contacted by companies about this blog. I was asked to participate in a  Channel 4 documentary, I’ve been approached by a couple of national magazines and newspapers and I’ve lost track of the number of companies who want to link up or have me write reviews. For one reason or another I’ve always said no. Then Sainsbury’s asked if I’d like to review their Jaffa Cakes and Cumberland Sausages and I thought, why not? I’ve been going through an ‘I heart Sainsbury’s’ phase anyway (since reading up about their policies and perusing the ‘Live well for less’ section of their website for recipes and ideas) so the idea of a review seemed particularly well timed.

The own-brand jaffa cakes were gorgeous – really good. I’ve tried own-brand jaffa cakes from another supermarket in the past and they were really dry and biscuity and not at all like the real thing. Husband and I were really impressed with these - particularly considering that they are from the ‘basics’ range (Sainsbury’s do a ‘posher’ version than those that we tried so I suppose they are better still). We’d be more than happy with these any day though and at 72p for a box of 24 I’d say they are a bargain!

We also tried out the Sainsbury’s Butcher’s Choice Cumberland Pork Sausages 454g which, again, we were really impressed by. In the past I’ve used two other supermarkets when I’ve bought similar packets of 8 sausages and these beat them hands down on quality, taste and texture.

My nearest Sainsbury’s is quite a drive so I don’t go that often but I am genuinely impressed by the quality of the food (and by the info on the website I’ve already mentioned) so I’ll definitely be considering getting my shopping by home delivery (only £3 on a Wednesday evening in my neck of the woods).

And on that note I’m off for a cuppa!

What I’ve been up to

Wow – how have I not posted in so long? Things have been busy, including:

• Having a week off with my gorgeous girl which has been brilliant. I won’t even start harping on about how I wish I could be home with her every day…
• Husband spending a night in A&E after having a nasty fall and breaking his elbow and fracturing his arm – ow! Waiting to see if they are going to operate or not.
• Reading like a maniac. Mainly Philippa Gregory. I am currently reading and loving Bill Bryson’s ‘At Home’ (from the library). More on this when I’m further in.
• Booking a cheeky holiday. I know. Unplanned spending – naughty but nice! Found a great deal on a weekend in a tiny (but beautifully presented and equipped) cottage and we are off in a couple of weeks to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary (lucky for some ).
• Finishing the Christmas shopping. Just about. I need to get some photos printed, buy some chocolates and parcel up the stuff that needs to be posted long distance but other than that I am done!

Hopefully I’ll be back to regular posting soon, probably once Husband is getting some treatment one way or another and I’m back into the swing of things at work. Happy weekending everyone!

A change of routine

I’ve got some time off coming up and I have to say I cannot wait. It was only about 6 weeks ago that I had a week off and we went away for a few days. However, those were an exhausting few days (for a long list of reasons) and in some respects I don’t really feel like I’ve caught up since!

I’ve managed to make some adjustments to my diet and whatnot. I’m not there yet but I’m getting towards being on the right track. Friday will be the first day of 10 consecutive days off – Yay! Husband will still be working (Mum and Dad – the child care team – are going away) so it will just be me and Baby. I am really looking forward to having a big chunk of low-key time with her. Incidentally, I must stop referring to her as ‘Baby’ here because she is really a toddler now and not a baby but I don’t know what else to call her! Anyway, I’m thinking about using my time off and the break from the usual routine to give a bit of focused attention to the diet/food/exercise issue. It might just be thing I need to get me going in a more healthy direction!

Super simple storecupboard soup!

It’s always good to have a few tricks up your sleeve in case you haven’t had chance to go to the shops/have been snowed in/can’t be bothered. Earlier today I made a heavenly soup using:

• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 3 handfuls of red lentils
• 1 stock cube made up with 1 litre of water
• random dried herbs
• salt

That was it! I kept glancing at it suspiciously while it was cooking, thinking ‘Surely this can’t be any good. It looks horrible.’. You might remember me saying the same thing when I happened upon my Serendipity soup a while back. Well this was a goodun as well! The amount of times I’ve been disappointed with the results of a complicated recipe…

It made three, good sized portions so I’ve kept some out for tomorrow and the other one has gone into the freezer.

I’ve been trying to use my ‘winter reading’ shelf but all that happens is that I don’t read anything because I’m not in the right mood! Instead I’ve been dabbling in a guilty pleasure – historical novels. I know, I know – they’re either your cup of tea or not. I’ve got an endless facination with the Tudor court and have read many fiction and non-fiction books on the subject. A friend has just lent me some new ones so I might be sat here typing this but, in my head, I’m about 500 years in the past… 

Happy weekending!

Preparing for the day

The last couple of months have been tiring. We’ve been away on a short break and then have been embroiled in a horrendous round of teething (read: no sleep) that feels like it is never going to end! The end result is that I’ve been feeling quite drained and uninspired. I’ve mentioned that I am trying to give myself a bit of a health overhaul at the moment which is necessary for many reasons including:

• Yes, I want to lose weight (so boring, I apologise for still blogging about this!) – a stone to be precise.
• I want a greater awareness of what my body needs in terms of food and exercise long term, not just to lose weight. Basically, to fully understand and adpot a way of eating that means I can lose the weight now and then adjust it once I reach ‘target’ as a way of eating forever more. Ditto for exercise. It needs to be part of the long term plan, not just for weight loss but for keeping my body healthy and in good working order!
• Trying to look after myself better in general by drinking more water, getting more sleep etc. Also, to make my days as stress free as possible and thus more enjoyable!
• To increase energy – I need it!

I’ve had all of the above in the back of my mind for a while now but life just gets in the way sometimes, doesn’t it? Too much to do, too tired, too hungry, too whatever. The first step I’ve taken in trying to deal with this all is to write a list of things to do in the evening. If I sit down ‘for five minutes’ after I’ve put Baby to bed I just can’t get back up again and nothing gets done. To get around this I’ve made a simple list of things to do before I sit down in the evening. And here is the list:

1. Plan and prepare food for the next day: I’ll decide what I’m going to eat the next day and make myself a packed lunch, even if I’m going to be at home. This means I’m more likely to eat a proper meal – and something healthy – than if I don’t. I also make Husband a sandwich to take to work and take anything out of the freezer for Baby and for our evening meal so it is defrosted in time (I have an aversion to defrosting things in the microwave – don’t ask!).
2. Plan my exercise for the next day: Based on what I am doing the next day (going into the office/working from home/ day off/ playgroup etc) I make a plan about what exercise I am going to do and get anything ready I need to. This means I am less likely to try and get out of it! Last night I decided I was going to do a 20 minute workout on a DVD before breakfast this morning. I put the DVD in the player and put my trainers in the corner ready to be put on.
3. Tidy up: A very basic tidy up, putting all toys in the basket, clearing the table and sideboard so they are free from clutter, putting clothes/coats away, emptying the washing machine etc. It doens’t actually take more than 10 minutes but it makes such a difference.
4. Taking off make-up etc: Something that seems to have gone out of the window – it must stop!
5. Washing up before bed: I’d somehow got out of the habit. A sink and counter top full of washing up is not a good start to the day. So, just before bed I make sure all of the washing up has been done and that the counter has been wiped down. In the morning it has all dried and I just need to put it away.

I wrote this list at the weekend and it is making a big difference already. I do 1-3 before dinner and it seems to take between 20-30 minutes which is fine. 4 &5 are at the end of the evening and take 10-15 minutes. This is all very manageable. I just need to stick with it!

The breakfast issue

Breakfast is a tricky one for a lot of people, including me. For the majority of my adult life, it is the meal I have been most likely to skip. I’ve yet to see a diet that doesn’t advocate eating a good breakfast to get your metabolism going. The trouble is, I’ve never really felt hungry at breakfast time and I’m usually in a hurry. However, I did notice that when I was doing the India and Neris diet, eating bacon and eggs for breakfast really filled me up and meant I was much more likely to make it through to lunch without snacking. Can’t eat that forever though (I’ve since gone off scrambled eggs and omlettes in a big way!). However, I do know that I really ought to be eating a breakfast and have quite enjoyed sitting down with Baby in the mornings and having breakfast together. I really love oaty breakfasts – as in porridge or good museli (not those weird Oatibix things). Sadly, if I eat either of these regularly I whack weight on like there’s no tomorrow. Why?! I feel like whining ‘It’s not faaaaaaiiiir!’. Oats are supposed to healthy, right? I’ve piled on a few more pounds in the last few weeks and I’m pretty sure it is down to my oaty friends (and, yes, they are no added sugar and unprocessed). And yet I won’t give up! I love them! I know they are healthy! Let me eat oats!

Museli mixed with fat free, probiotic natural yoghurt - my current, favourite breakfast!

Seriously, I really want to be eating them regularly. At least every other day. I posted recently that I want to work towards making more healthy food choices and I really do believe that porridge and museli (the no added sugar kind) should/can be part of this. So, scales be damned, I’m eating them. Maybe I could switch to every other day though. But I think it is a really good way to start the day. 

Does anyone out there have the same problem? Or any other healthy, quick and easy breakfast suggestions?