Ok, now, I'm skint a good portion of the time, so, if I want something, I have to be sensible. As do most of us. I have certain things that I keep as 'staples' in my cupboards, that can go with anything, and make up anything in a quick meal.
Tinned Tomatoes: Chopped or whole (the whole ones can be chopped up. Sometimes, it's a few pence cheaper to buy the whole ones. It depends on the shop). I don't get anything fancy...just the shop's own brand (Sainsbury Basics, Asda Smart Price, Tesco Value). I usually have at least one, if not two, tins on hand at all times.
Tinned or Frozen Sweetcorn: I personally prefer frozen, but tinned works just as well. Again, shop's own brand. Cheap and cheerful, I think I tend to pay around 22p for a good sized tin.
Onions: I have a preference for using red onions, but will use yellow, if that's what's on hand. I know that our local Coop has a bag of yellow onions at a cheap and cheerful 50p, and there's maybe 7 or 8 onions in there.
I use a lot of herbs and spices, and, unless I'm following a specific recipe, I have a tendency to estimate, and do a lot of 'that looks like a good amount'. So, since I use a lot, I prefer to buy all of my dried herbs from the market in the city centre. I know I've been able to obtain them in both Grimsby and Lincoln, at the health and whole foods stalls. They also carry some spices, but, for those, I prefer to go to our local Chinese food shop. They tend to come in a reasonable sized bag for dirt cheap. Doing this saves you quite a bit from what you would spend at your major shops...where you're paying extortionate prices for a tiny glass jar. Buying from the Chinese shop, I have some spices that are the most amazing quality...mmmm....cinnamon....
For storage, since I don't like the tiny jars, I tend to wash and recycle other jars, and label them. Mayonaisse jars, jam jars, coffee jars...these are all used in our house. Eventually, though, I have my heart set on some sealing jars from Lakeland.
I am a huge proponant of buying local. Using your local butchers ensures that you get a lot better quality. The ones I know do some really good deals...i.e. 3 for £5, 2 for £5, etc. I tend to pick up two or three of the deals, and freeze for later use. Minced beef and chicken pieces are a common thing, that are nice to keep on hand as staples, because you can do anything with them. If you decide what you're making at the last minute, you can always defrost in the microwave.
Most butchers also carry eggs. If they don't, your local market is likely to. We always use Free Range eggs, because, then you know they've not been fed wheat, or loads of chemicals. I'm not massively on the organic kick, but I'm very anti GM, and, if I can afford free range, I will get it.
For those of you that are wheat or gluten free, as we are, if you are really fancying sausages, check with your local butchers. I know of one here in Lincoln that carries lovely Lincolnshire gluten free sausages every day (Pepperdine's, on Sincil Bank). Some butchers, if they don't carry them on a regular basis, can sometimes order them in for you.
As often as you can, buy your fruit and veg from your local market or greengrocers. You'll get a lot better quality, and, normally, a lot better value.
We do keep flour on hand, at all times. But, as we are wheat free, we are rather limited. We generally keep in Wheat and Gluten Free Plain, Self Raising, and Strong White Bread flours in, all made by Dove's Farm. These are available at most of the major supermarkets, in their Free From sections. If they don't have a special section, check with the rest of the flour...they might have it on one of the higher shelves (to avoid cross contamination). There are other types of flour that can be used, i.e. Spelt, Rice, Potato, etc., but, personally, I can't be asked. It can be a bit more complex, with having to add stuff like xanthan gum, etc. The Dove's Farm, for the most part, is ready to use, and I just use it like normal. You may just need to add a little bit more liquid, if you're using a normal recipe. It's a little bit of experimentation.
Well, if I think of anything else, I'll add to other posts :)
Brightest Blessings
Mel
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Gluten Free Post ("Where to Start", posted 11/02/09 on Alternating Kitchen Witch, Amended a little today
I reckon myself as being a fairly plain cook, that uses a few recipes (modified, sometimes heavily beyond recognition). One of the reasons behind a good portion of my modifications is because I am severely wheat intolerant, as are a few of my friends, and the Imp was reacting, but seems to have grown out of it (fingers crossed). And I'm going to be honest...a good portion of shop bought wheat free bread and pastry are horrible. They tend to be dry, stale, and flavourless. And stupidly expensive (who wants to pay almost £2 for a half loaf of stale bread?!?). There are a few bits that are ok, even downright tasty, but, the general house rule is if we want something, find some way of making it ourselves.
I'm also not a particular fan of ready meals and jar sauces. There are a couple that I do use, i.e. the sachets of oyster and spring onion sauce (Blue Dragon) that I used in my stirfry last night, but, bolognaisse sauce is not one of them...I make my own, and will put the recipe here in my blog.
If you have kids, let them help. As well as having loads of fun, they'll be spending quality time with you, and learning essential life skills that they can use as adults. If the kids are too little, hand them pots, pans, and bits that they can bang together. The Imp is a huge help, at 3 1/2, and can bring me things out of the veg cupboard and fridge, and help add things to the bowl (as well as 'cleaning the beaters). Just be sure to use common sense regarding safe handling of sharp implements, electric appliances, and hot stuff.
Most of the recipes here will be modified already to what I do for wheat free, but, they can always be modified for normal flour. Some of the sweet stuff can also be modified for diabetic friendly. If you ask, I am happy to look up and help out.
I use recipes of my own creation, as well as a lot of recipes from other online sources, whether I modify them or not. If a recipe I place on here is from another source, I will be posting the link directly to that recipe. If it is from another source, I will quote that source.
If there is something specific in a recipe, I'll name the shops where I get them, or the brands, so it makes it easier for you to find and track down. There are a couple of my recipes that use something from the States...don't panic. If you don't have friends or family that can ship it to you, there are import resources here in the UK. My favourite import company is Let's Eat, which is a cafe and shop at the Milton Keynes Centre. As I now live too far from Milton Keynes, they are on eBay, and, also have their shop online. Google is also a good resource.
My biggest rule...enjoy your cooking. It's not that hard, and it doesn't have to be a chore. Be creative...recipes are just guidelines. If you feel it needs more or less of an ingredient, play around with it, until it suits your taste. If you have a breather whilst something is baking or simmering, use that time to do up some of the dishes, so you don't have to do them later.
Now, off we go...
Brightest Blessings
Mel
I'm also not a particular fan of ready meals and jar sauces. There are a couple that I do use, i.e. the sachets of oyster and spring onion sauce (Blue Dragon) that I used in my stirfry last night, but, bolognaisse sauce is not one of them...I make my own, and will put the recipe here in my blog.
If you have kids, let them help. As well as having loads of fun, they'll be spending quality time with you, and learning essential life skills that they can use as adults. If the kids are too little, hand them pots, pans, and bits that they can bang together. The Imp is a huge help, at 3 1/2, and can bring me things out of the veg cupboard and fridge, and help add things to the bowl (as well as 'cleaning the beaters). Just be sure to use common sense regarding safe handling of sharp implements, electric appliances, and hot stuff.
Most of the recipes here will be modified already to what I do for wheat free, but, they can always be modified for normal flour. Some of the sweet stuff can also be modified for diabetic friendly. If you ask, I am happy to look up and help out.
I use recipes of my own creation, as well as a lot of recipes from other online sources, whether I modify them or not. If a recipe I place on here is from another source, I will be posting the link directly to that recipe. If it is from another source, I will quote that source.
If there is something specific in a recipe, I'll name the shops where I get them, or the brands, so it makes it easier for you to find and track down. There are a couple of my recipes that use something from the States...don't panic. If you don't have friends or family that can ship it to you, there are import resources here in the UK. My favourite import company is Let's Eat, which is a cafe and shop at the Milton Keynes Centre. As I now live too far from Milton Keynes, they are on eBay, and, also have their shop online. Google is also a good resource.
My biggest rule...enjoy your cooking. It's not that hard, and it doesn't have to be a chore. Be creative...recipes are just guidelines. If you feel it needs more or less of an ingredient, play around with it, until it suits your taste. If you have a breather whilst something is baking or simmering, use that time to do up some of the dishes, so you don't have to do them later.
Now, off we go...
Brightest Blessings
Mel
Friday, 10 June 2011
Motivation and Organisation
To my closest friends, they know that I have my moments. I seem to be super organised, with everything all prepared ahead of time. Unfortunately I'm not always like that. I constantly have plans and ideas for improvement going through my head, but it doesn't always happen, or takes forever for me to get it actioned. I fully admit that I have issues with motivation. I naturally sit on the borderline of depression, as most of us do, and when I'm having a low time I don't want to do anything. I'm just not in the mood, and I don't see the point.
Unfortunately, being disorganised on the outside, i.e. my house being a bombsite, doesn't help my mental organisation. It probably doesn't help yours, either. Not being able to find anything drives me crazy. Everything piled up on the dining table, and around it, makes me feel like everything is starting to close me in. When everything is tidy, I find myself more motivated for having people around to visit, for working on projects that have been in the pipeline, and for celebrating my deities with rituals and card readings. I've now hit the bottom of my low, and I'm ready to climb back up and get myself sorted out again. For me, a tidy home is a happy home. Or, at least it's a happier me...the Imp doesn't care as long as she can get to her cars, books, and drawing materials.
I have a plan, and I have help. I may not agree with a lot of her views or ideas, but I do have to admit that Time Warp Wife has an excellent housekeeping schedule that appeals to my levels of organisation. It breaks down everything into individual and bite-sized segments that make keeping on top of things easier. I'm getting ready to print it myself, but just to warn you, it's six to seven pages. I'm going to stick those pages on the back of the kitchen door, to keep myself motivated, and to double check what needs to be done daily. She also has printable monthly calendars, if that makes any difference to you. One of the things about housework that really puts me off is that it can seem like a huge and overwhelming task, and being a single mum, I'm the only one that can do it. Don't get me wrong, the Imp does have her tasks, but sometimes she can be a right little hindrance with creating a tornado behind what I've already completed. The last time that I hoovered, she had stuff all over the floor within ten minutes. At the moment, until the end of the school term in July, I have three hours while she's in nursery. So, that's about 2 1/2 hours of time at home that I can focus on getting sorted or working on projects.
But TWW breaks it down so it's not overwhelming. Her schedule is just focusing on basic housekeeping, not meal planning and personal care. There are specific tasks to be done every day...make your bed (seriously...this hardly takes any time), do at least one load of laundry, wash the dishes and make sure they're put away before you go to bed, tidy, dejunk, and have a journal.
For me, to make both mine and the Imp's beds takes about five minutes. That's not a big deal. Laundry, well, my biggest problem is that I need to fold and put things away. Laundry is regularly caught up, I'm just really bad about dumping it either in the dining room or my room. Dishes are another problem area for me, so I need to get that in hand. It maybe takes me twenty minutes, so when I view it that way I need to suck it up.
Tidying won't be an issue once I take the time to get it to rights in the first place. That's tied in with my dejunking. Before my parents visiting, I managed to get rid of a lot of things. I had to be quite harsh with myself. When was the last time that I fit in those trousers? Five years ago? Ok, in the lifetime that I'm that size again, they will be extremely out of fashion, so I need to get rid of them. Do I really need that item that I haven't touched in a year or two? Is it something that I really need to keep around? Does a friend have one that I might be able to briefly borrow when I actually do need it? I still have a lot that needs to be dejunked because I'm an admitted packrat. One item that I'm seriously contemplating about, at the moment, is my dining room table. I think I'm the only one of my friends that has one, and it hardly gets used. The only time that it is used is when everybody is around for a proper meal, and that doesn't happen often. I'm thinking about getting rid of the dining table because it takes up so much space and is a target for junk to pile up. The Imp and I use padded trays to eat off of in the living room, and I could feasibly get some more for when guests come around. The Imp has pretty good table manners, for a 3 1/2 year old, when we're out in public, and just the two of us sitting at a table that seats six just feels cold and impersonal. Getting rid of the table will give her more space to play, and maybe allow me to create an organised space for my craft supplies (which are currently stuffed and scattered all over the house, and I can never find what I want).
As for keeping a journal, that's why I've started this blog :P
I do try to encourage the Imp to help, but she sometimes has the attention span of a goldfish, as most three year olds do. But she has jobs that she's started on her own, and I encourage them strongly. She fills the cat food bowls when she gets home from nursery. When reminded, she puts her dirty washing in the basket in the bathroom. I have some of the clothes line strung at her height, so she pegs out all of our knickers, socks, and some of her clothes (I just don't look at it, because it's not like how I do it. She is trying, so I must keep my OCD to myself). When we've been shopping, she puts the fruit and veg away, and most of the items that go into the refrigerator. She helps me tidy her toys away. When it's time to make dinner, she helps by bringing onions, potatoes, and anything out of the fridge. It may be little things, but those little things can make a huge difference, and has helped with her communication and vocabulary skills. When she was going to speech therapy, they couldn't figure out why she wasn't using normal, kiddy basic words until they realised that she knew more cooking words than anything else...at two, she could point out mushrooms, garlic, onions, and lots of other veg. And those words were all clear. One of the speech therapists' thoughts were 'what child knows what garlic is?!?'. Well, that would happen to be my child. Being gluten free, having to cook everything from scratch, and having to have her in the kitchen so I can keep an eye on her, well, she's going to learn by example.
One of my personal tips is to make the time to plan your shopping. Most of the time, I do my main shopping for a month. Because I don't drive, I try to plan it in time to have it delivered...for the main shop that I use, Tuesday and Wednesday are their cheap delivery days, and the cost of delivery is the same as me buying a Dayrider bus ticket. I start off by making a written list of what I'm going to need for the month. I then input it into a price comparison site. My site of choice is mysupermarket.co.uk. Something that I've realised is that not all of the offers are on there, so, once it shows me which shop will be cheaper, I go to that shop's proper website to double check all of the offers and finalise my shop and delivery. It may seem convoluted and awkward, but I save anywhere from £10 to £30 by doing this. I try to do it so that over the remainder of the month I only really need to get fresh fruit and veg. Some people would say milk, but the Imp has goats milk, and we get it in the UHT boxes.
I know full well that I will feel much better once my house is back to rights, and now I've just about got the motivation to do it. Once my kitchen is back to rights, I'll be more motivated to get back to creative cooking, and making our own treats, which I haven't been in the mood for. Once I get everything else sorted, I won't feel so guilty when I stop to work on crafts or read my Kindle. I'll also be clearer to write the ritual that I desire to write for Lughnassahd, and maybe plan a feast for that and other upcoming celebrations.
Mel
Unfortunately, being disorganised on the outside, i.e. my house being a bombsite, doesn't help my mental organisation. It probably doesn't help yours, either. Not being able to find anything drives me crazy. Everything piled up on the dining table, and around it, makes me feel like everything is starting to close me in. When everything is tidy, I find myself more motivated for having people around to visit, for working on projects that have been in the pipeline, and for celebrating my deities with rituals and card readings. I've now hit the bottom of my low, and I'm ready to climb back up and get myself sorted out again. For me, a tidy home is a happy home. Or, at least it's a happier me...the Imp doesn't care as long as she can get to her cars, books, and drawing materials.
I have a plan, and I have help. I may not agree with a lot of her views or ideas, but I do have to admit that Time Warp Wife has an excellent housekeeping schedule that appeals to my levels of organisation. It breaks down everything into individual and bite-sized segments that make keeping on top of things easier. I'm getting ready to print it myself, but just to warn you, it's six to seven pages. I'm going to stick those pages on the back of the kitchen door, to keep myself motivated, and to double check what needs to be done daily. She also has printable monthly calendars, if that makes any difference to you. One of the things about housework that really puts me off is that it can seem like a huge and overwhelming task, and being a single mum, I'm the only one that can do it. Don't get me wrong, the Imp does have her tasks, but sometimes she can be a right little hindrance with creating a tornado behind what I've already completed. The last time that I hoovered, she had stuff all over the floor within ten minutes. At the moment, until the end of the school term in July, I have three hours while she's in nursery. So, that's about 2 1/2 hours of time at home that I can focus on getting sorted or working on projects.
But TWW breaks it down so it's not overwhelming. Her schedule is just focusing on basic housekeeping, not meal planning and personal care. There are specific tasks to be done every day...make your bed (seriously...this hardly takes any time), do at least one load of laundry, wash the dishes and make sure they're put away before you go to bed, tidy, dejunk, and have a journal.
For me, to make both mine and the Imp's beds takes about five minutes. That's not a big deal. Laundry, well, my biggest problem is that I need to fold and put things away. Laundry is regularly caught up, I'm just really bad about dumping it either in the dining room or my room. Dishes are another problem area for me, so I need to get that in hand. It maybe takes me twenty minutes, so when I view it that way I need to suck it up.
Tidying won't be an issue once I take the time to get it to rights in the first place. That's tied in with my dejunking. Before my parents visiting, I managed to get rid of a lot of things. I had to be quite harsh with myself. When was the last time that I fit in those trousers? Five years ago? Ok, in the lifetime that I'm that size again, they will be extremely out of fashion, so I need to get rid of them. Do I really need that item that I haven't touched in a year or two? Is it something that I really need to keep around? Does a friend have one that I might be able to briefly borrow when I actually do need it? I still have a lot that needs to be dejunked because I'm an admitted packrat. One item that I'm seriously contemplating about, at the moment, is my dining room table. I think I'm the only one of my friends that has one, and it hardly gets used. The only time that it is used is when everybody is around for a proper meal, and that doesn't happen often. I'm thinking about getting rid of the dining table because it takes up so much space and is a target for junk to pile up. The Imp and I use padded trays to eat off of in the living room, and I could feasibly get some more for when guests come around. The Imp has pretty good table manners, for a 3 1/2 year old, when we're out in public, and just the two of us sitting at a table that seats six just feels cold and impersonal. Getting rid of the table will give her more space to play, and maybe allow me to create an organised space for my craft supplies (which are currently stuffed and scattered all over the house, and I can never find what I want).
As for keeping a journal, that's why I've started this blog :P
I do try to encourage the Imp to help, but she sometimes has the attention span of a goldfish, as most three year olds do. But she has jobs that she's started on her own, and I encourage them strongly. She fills the cat food bowls when she gets home from nursery. When reminded, she puts her dirty washing in the basket in the bathroom. I have some of the clothes line strung at her height, so she pegs out all of our knickers, socks, and some of her clothes (I just don't look at it, because it's not like how I do it. She is trying, so I must keep my OCD to myself). When we've been shopping, she puts the fruit and veg away, and most of the items that go into the refrigerator. She helps me tidy her toys away. When it's time to make dinner, she helps by bringing onions, potatoes, and anything out of the fridge. It may be little things, but those little things can make a huge difference, and has helped with her communication and vocabulary skills. When she was going to speech therapy, they couldn't figure out why she wasn't using normal, kiddy basic words until they realised that she knew more cooking words than anything else...at two, she could point out mushrooms, garlic, onions, and lots of other veg. And those words were all clear. One of the speech therapists' thoughts were 'what child knows what garlic is?!?'. Well, that would happen to be my child. Being gluten free, having to cook everything from scratch, and having to have her in the kitchen so I can keep an eye on her, well, she's going to learn by example.
One of my personal tips is to make the time to plan your shopping. Most of the time, I do my main shopping for a month. Because I don't drive, I try to plan it in time to have it delivered...for the main shop that I use, Tuesday and Wednesday are their cheap delivery days, and the cost of delivery is the same as me buying a Dayrider bus ticket. I start off by making a written list of what I'm going to need for the month. I then input it into a price comparison site. My site of choice is mysupermarket.co.uk. Something that I've realised is that not all of the offers are on there, so, once it shows me which shop will be cheaper, I go to that shop's proper website to double check all of the offers and finalise my shop and delivery. It may seem convoluted and awkward, but I save anywhere from £10 to £30 by doing this. I try to do it so that over the remainder of the month I only really need to get fresh fruit and veg. Some people would say milk, but the Imp has goats milk, and we get it in the UHT boxes.
I know full well that I will feel much better once my house is back to rights, and now I've just about got the motivation to do it. Once my kitchen is back to rights, I'll be more motivated to get back to creative cooking, and making our own treats, which I haven't been in the mood for. Once I get everything else sorted, I won't feel so guilty when I stop to work on crafts or read my Kindle. I'll also be clearer to write the ritual that I desire to write for Lughnassahd, and maybe plan a feast for that and other upcoming celebrations.
Mel
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