Banana & Date Smoothie

This smoothie is rather thick and yummy, and can be enjoyed as a breakfast on its own, or maybe as an afternoon snack. It is both filling and full of energy, so should keep you going for a little while. And it is easy to make as well!

2 bananas
5 dates
3 tablespoons soya yoghurt
a pinch of ground cardamom
a pinch of ground cinnamon

Peel the bananas, take the pips out of the dates, and add all ingredients to a food processor or smoothie maker. Whizz until you have a smooth mixture. Pour into a glass, and enjoy!

Shaved Courgette Salad

As it has been very hot here recently, I fancied something quite light and refreshing for my lunch today. And it had to be something that was simple to assemble, as I was far too warm to have any energy for complicated cooking. A look in the fridge revealed that I had the ingredients for a salad, and a few minutes later I was ready to go back out into the sun with my plate of tempting greens.

Serves 1 as a main salad or 2 as a starter / side salad

a handful of spinach leaves

1 medium sized courgette
1/2 red pepper
a handful of tomberries or cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon of pine nuts
the zest of ¼ lime
the juice of ¼ lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Place the washed spinach leaves on a plate or in a bowl. Use a mandolin slicer or similar device to finely slice the courgette lengthways and place the strips on top of the spinach leaves. Finely chop the red pepper, and scatter the pieces on top of the courgette. Add the tomberries, or slice a few cherry tomatoes in half and add these. Finally scatter a few pine nuts on top.

Zest a quarter of a lime, and also juice this quarter. Add to a small jar along with the olive oil and maple syrup. Shake well, and pour over your salad.

Cherry Chocolate Brownie Cake

This is one of those cakes that doesn't look like much, but is deliciously moorish once you start eating it. It's fairly straightforward to make, and can be made in advance and stored in the freezer until you need it. The recipe is taken from the Swedish TV programme 'Go' Kvall'

For the cake

150g butter

150g caster sugar

150g dark chocolate

4 eggs

For the glaze

150g butter

90g icing sugar

150g dark chocolate

4 eggs

30g icing sugar

For decoration

a handful of cherries 

some chocolate sticks

100ml whipping cream

Pre heat your oven to 150 C.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sugar. Remove from the heat. Finely chop the chocolate, and add this to the melted butter. Mix until it is smooth and all the chocolate has melted. Split the eggs, and add the egg yolks to the mixture. Leave the mixture to cool a little bit. 

Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff and carefully fold into the chocolate mix. It's a good idea to add a little egg white at a time, as that makes it easier not to beat out all the air you have worked to get into them. 

Grease a 24 cm cake tin and pour the mixture into it. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes until baked. Take the cake out of the tin and leave it to cool down. It will sink a little bit in the middle. 

Make the chocolate glazing while the cake cools down. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add 90g icing sugar. Finely chop the chocolate and add to the melted sugar mix. Remove from the heat, and mix well until all the chocolate has melted. Split the eggs, and add the egg yolks to the chocolate mixture. Stir well. Leave the mixture to cool for a little while, then whisk the egg whites and add the remaining icing sugar into them when they are starting to get stiff. This should turn into a soft meringue, and it should hold soft peaks when you hold the whisk up. Carefully fold the meringue into the chocolate mixture.  

To decorate; whip the cream and place in the middle of the cake. Add a handful of putted cherries, and finally add the chocolate decorations. 

Pour the chocolate glazing over the cake, and place in the freezer until you need it. It will keep for 8 weeks in the freezer and 4 to 5 days in the fridge after you have defrosted it. Allow 4 hour to defrost after removing from the freezer. Decorate while it is defrosting. 

Green Quiche

Fast food anyone? This quiche only took me about 15 minutes to make, and then it stayed in the oven for 40 minutes while I sat outside reading my book. Not much more effort than calling for a take-away.

You can make two individual quiches like I've done here, or you can make one larger one, it depends on what oven-proof dishes you have handy.

I was lazy today and used ready made (shop-bought) gluten free pastry, but you can make your own instead if you prefer.

This quiche is lovely served with a small side salad.

Serves 2

100g petit pois peas (frozen)
100g broadbeans (frozen)
50g samphire
400g shortcrust pastry
1 tablespoon oil for greasing the dish
1 egg
100ml double cream
250g mozzarella cheese
a large pinch of dried mixed herbs
a pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Turn the oven on to 180^oC and let it pre-heat while you make the quiche.

Bring water to the boil and add the peas and broadbeans. Let them simmer for 5 minutes before adding the samphire, then simmer for another 4 minutes. Drain.

Grease your oven-proof dish(es) and place the pastry in it. I'm lazy and tend to just press it out into the dish, but you could do it properly and use a rolling pin to roll it flat then add it. Up to you. Make sure the corners don't get too thick and clumpy.

Tear the mozzarella cheese into small pieces and scatter on the base. Grate some black pepper over it, and then add the boiled greens.

Mix the egg and the double cream in a bowl, and add a large pinch of dried mixed herbs. Pour this mixture over the quiches.

Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes until the egg and cream mixture has set.

Purple Potato Salad

You don't necessarily need purple potatoes for this recipe, but I just couldn't resist them last time I went shopping. They are so beautiful and inviting, and so vibrant when you cut into them. Of course they lose a lot of their colour when boiled, but you still end up with thrillingly blue tatties.

I think a potato salad goes with most things; Sunday roast, boiled greens, juicy salad, barbecue, ... and the list goes on. I had mine with boiled asparagus and a salad, and it was delicious.

Serves 2

4 medium size potatoes
2 handfuls of broadbeans (frozen)
2 eggs
4 spring onions
2 tablespoons of sour cream
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
a pinch of freshly ground pepper
a pinch of freshly ground sea salt

Wash your potatoes and cut them into bite size pieces (you're going to chop them up anyway, so you might as well save on cooking time by chopping them before boiling). Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to the boil. Add the frozen broadbeans, and let the water get back to boiling. Boil until the potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

While the potatoes and broadbeans boil, also boil your eggs until they are hard-boiled but not green, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Finely chop the spring onions, and place with the rest of the cold ingredients in a bowl. Drain the boiled veg. and the egg, and shell the egg. Chop the egg into pieces, and mix all the ingredients together.

Asparagus & Samphire Salad

A warming salad can be just the thing to round off a warm summers day. It's light and delicate, easy and quick to make, and gently warms you while the temperature drops and the evening draws in. There are unlimited possibilities for ideas, but here's one which contains samphire, a salty march vegetable that's both tasty and nutritious. And being quite salty, it's perfect for a warm day when you need to replenish some of the salt you lost during the day.

Serves 2

20 cherry tomatoes
2 eggs
200g broadbeans (frozen)
2 bunches asparagus
80g samphire
a few salad leaves
4 stalks of spring onion

Turn your oven on to 180^oC  and slice the tomatoes in half. Place them on a baking tray and roast for about 15 to 20 minutes then remove from the oven.

While the tomatoes are roasting, boil the egg to your preference. I like them hard-boiled but not green, so I boil them for 6 to 7 minutes. Shell your egg and leave it in hand-warm water until you need it.

At the same time as you start boiling the eggs, also bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the broadbeans and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the asparagus, leave to boil for 4 minutes, and finally add the samphire and cook for a further 4 minutes. (If you are using tinned broadbeans, drain them, and add them last when the sampire has only got one more minute to cook.)

Tear the salad leaves into pieces, and place on plates. Finely chop the spring onion and scatter then over the salad leaves. Drain the greens and add to your plates. Then divide the tomatoes evenly, and finally slice the eggs lengthways and place round the edge of the plates.

If you want you could add a little drizzle of olive oil, or even a vinaigrette. The Lemon and Maple syrup vinaigrette goes quite well.

Lemon & Maple Syrup Vinaigrette

The simplest things are often the nicest, so also with vinaigrettes. You can buy expensive bottles containing a long list of ingredients; or you can make your own, much simpler, versions. This particular vinaigrette is a sweet and sour one, perfect with salads containing something bitter, and also perfect with roast vegetables.

Serves 2

15 ml lemon juice (the juice of half a lemon)
5 ml olive oil
10 ml maple syrup

Measure the ingredients and add to a small jar, and mix thoroughly before serving. There is no need to be too worried about exact measurements, as long as you get the proportions more or less right.

Strawberry Jam Fairycakes

I made these fairycakes a little while ago when some friends requested cake to feed their helpers when moving house. The only specification was that it should be gluten and nut free, and also fruity. So I did some thinking, and came up with the idea for these. And from the comments I got they seemed to work.

Makes about 20 small fairycakes

For the cake
130g butter
150g granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 pear
1 apple
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon glycerine
200g flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g strawberry jam

For the icing
125g butter
150g cream cheese
500g icing sugar
2 tablespoons strawberry jam

Chocolate pieces for decoration


Preheat the oven to 180^oC.

Whisk the butter and sugar until it's white and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well. Grate the pear and apple and add to the mixture, and also add the vanilla extract and glycerine. Sift in the flour and baking powder and carefully mix until you've got an even mixture. Finally add the strawberry jam. Stir until you have a marbled effect.
Place muffin cases in a cupcake baking tray and scoop the mixture into the cases. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until done. Remove from oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack.

For the icing; mix the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar until you have an even mixture. Split the mixture in 2, and add strawberry jam to one half. Use piping bags to add to the top of the fairycakes. Add chocolate buttons for decoration.

Eat & Drink for £1 a day (£7 a week) - 28 Day Challenge - Lessons Learnt

It's now over a week since the end of the challenge, and I've enjoyed the freedom of choice and flavour every day. So what, if anything, did I learn from my challenge? Well, for a starter I'm glad I don't have to permanently live below the poverty line. It is seriously pants.

I did have enough food, but the weekly shopping had to be done carefully to make sure there was both enough to eat and also some variety in vitamins and proteins, while staying within budget. And once I had done the weekly shopping there was no adding to it for another seven days even if I got a craving or ran out of something.

There were some days when I went to bed hungry, not because there wasn't enough food, but because I couldn't be bothered with eating the food I had in the house.

There were things I had to go without, such as my lovely herbs, spices, oils and tea. Over the years I have built up an extensive stock of spices, oils and vinegars that I use in my cooking. They are replaced as and when needed and most weeks I don't have to spend any money on them, but during the challenge I couldn't use them at all, and I really missed them. I also have a good selection of herbal teas, none of which could be used during the challenge and were much missed.

Being gluten intolerant I couldn't afford bread, flour or pasta, because the gluten free stuff is really expensive, so pasta was one of the first things I had after the challenge ended. I've also done some baking since the end of the challenge, just because I could.

You'd think that on a restricted diet like this I would have lost a lot of weight, but no. Apart from the restrictions in variety, this diet wasn't radically different to what I normally eat, with plenty calories, proteins and carbohydrates.

I'm not sure yet what sort of lasting effect this challenge will have on my eating habits. I may be more imaginative when shopping and planning my meals, I've certainly been more reluctant to spend lots of money on food this last week since the end of the challenge.

I've seen that it is possible to live on a very cheap diet, but it is not something I would wish on anyone. While you can survive perfectly well, there is no room for spontaneity or little treats. There's no extra money for meeting your friends for a coffee in town, or a bag of crisps if you get hungry while out and about. Everything has to be planned and prepared for in advance.

Please help by sponsoring the clean water project for the orphanage Kithoka in Meru, Kenya, http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day (£7 a week) - 28 Day Challenge - The Day After

I've been waiting for this day for a while now. Looking back over the last four weeks it doesn't feel like I've suffered at all, and the boredom is already forgotten. But I have to admit that I have enjoyed today. What I've eaten wasn't radically different from the challenge-food, but there were some small but significant differences. The food today had Flavours. I had a simple pasta dish for dinner, but there were fresh herbs, good quality olive oil, chilli, freshly ground black pepper, olives, and more. And it's those little things that I've missed while being on this challenge.

I had a mug of hot chocolate this afternoon as well, the first one in four weeks, and it was heavenly. I have to admit that there was almost as much Baileys as hot chocolate, but who's counting. It certainly was delicious.

Please help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day (£7 a week) - 28 Day Challenge - Day 28

Last day! Finally, the day I've been waiting for for 4 weeks is here. You'd think that would make the day harder, but actually it's been the easiest day so far, probably because I know the challenge is now nearly over.

I started the day with a small portion of the stew that was left from the other day, and then throughout the day, while I was out and about, I had three apples.

My dinner was similar to yesterday's; boiled rice with green peas, borlotti beans, courgette, a clove of garlic and half an onion, all boiled together in water with bouillon powder and dried mixed herbs.

Now all I have to do is go to bed, and then when I wake up I'm free to eat whatever I want!

Please help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya,   http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 27

Today has been just as deliciously lazy as yesterday. I started the day with a mug of hot bouillon and a DVD, and then a bit later on I had an apple. In between reading my book and playing with the kittens I also managed to have lunch, very conveniently I had made enough stew the day before yesterday to last me for another few days. It could have done with some fresh chopped chilli, but that might be added once this challenge is over if there is still some of it left.

Dinner today was very similar to yesterdays as well, boiled rice with the remaining sweetcorn and half the remaining green peas. I also added some bouillon powder, half the borlotti beans, the rest of the red pepper, some courgette and the rest of the tomato purée.

Please help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya,   http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 26

Today's been a really lazy day, and I've done nothing useful at all. I've just read my book and watched DVDs - a perfect Saturday. I started it with an apple, and then a bit later on I had some leftovers from yesterday.

In the afternoon I had an orange, and then for dinner I had rice boiled with a teaspoon of bouillon powder, some green peas, sweetcorn and a bulb of garlic. When it was done I added a pinch of dried mixed herbs and a squirt of tomato purée. Very simple, but still nice.

Please help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya,   http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 25

Only three more days to go after today, and I'm already fantasising about what I'm going to indulge in once this challenge is over. I think it will probably be pasta. And olives. And probably more too. But that's not yet. Today was another day on the challenge, and it started with a mug of hot bouillon, followed by an apple. Then there was lunch, which consisted of two baked potatoes.

Dinner was a warming stew made from 2 onions, 2 carrots (last ones), the remaining cabbage, half the remaining swede, a small handful of red split lentils, a tin of chopped tomatoes, half the remaining sweetcorn, and a generous helping of green peas. I added enough water to almost cover it all, a teaspoon of bouillon powder and some dried mixed herbs, and let it simmer for about half an hour. Then I added half a tin of pinto beans, and a tin of sliced mushrooms, left it all to simmer for another 15 minutes, and served it up with a squish of fresh lemon juice. It may not have been very exciting, but it was very nice and filling. And there should be enough for another couple of meals.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 24

Not feeling very inspired today I opted for simple eating solutions. There was an orange for my breakfast, a cup of bouillon mid-morning, and then a mouth-watering tin of baked beans for lunch. Ok, maybe not mouth-watering, but definitely nice. And easy to prepare.

Dinner was similarly easy today. I boiled some rice and added some chopped courgette and red pepper, and half a tin of pinto beans. Very simple, but both tasty and filling.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 23

For some reason I've been hungry all day today. Not only did I have both an apple and an orange for breakfast, but I also had a huge lunch of leftovers from two days ago. There was a bit more than a portion left, but I had it all, and shortly afterwards I was hungry again.

I managed to resist eating anything until dinner time, when I had two portions (all that was left) of the stew I made yesterday. I squirted a little fresh lemon juice over it, and also had the last avocado with it. And I'm still hungry. It's going to be a long evening, I'll have to get my knitting out to distract myself.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 22

First day of the last week. That's today. It's not like I'm suffering, but I'm getting  a little bit bored. There's enough food, and it's healthy, but there just isn't much in the way of choice. And I can't just spontaneously make a cake or pancakes or some other exciting thing, because my budget didn't cover those ingredients. Normally I would use some of the things I keep stocked in my larder as well as what my shopping brought in that week, but not these last few weeks.

I'll stop moaning now, because it is a new week, and that means a new shopping basket, and so at least there is a little bit of variation from last week. This week's shopping came to a total of £6.99, 1 penny under budget. What I got was:

1 bag of onions (1kg)
1 bag of potatoes (750g)
1 bag of frozen peas (900g)
3 tins of chopped tomatoes (400g)
1 tin of sliced mushrooms (290g)
4 oranges
7 apples
1 lemon
1 small swede
½ white cabbage
1 tin of borlotti beans (300g)
1 tin of  pinto beans (300g)
1 tin of baked beans (410g)

I wasn't very hungry this morning, so subsisted on water until I had an early lunch of leftovers from yesterday.  There's enough for another portion left, so that takes care of lunch tomorrow as well. In the afternoon I had an apple, before it was dinner time and I had a lovely stew served with rice and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice. I even had a starter today; half an avocado, some courgette and some tomatoes with a squirt of fresh lemon juice. Delicious.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 21

I haven't really done much today, apart from sleep and eat, and read my book for a little while. I had a delicious salad for breakfast/lunch; the remaining spinach leaves, some red pepper, tomatoes, courgette, and a whole avocado. I may have had an after-breakfast nap before heading out to feed my friend's cats - two beautiful and gentle little boys.

Having arrived home I played with my own kittens, a proper cat-day today. Then it was dinner time, and I rustled up a hearty vegetable soup with the rest of my onion, the rest of the frozen broccoli and cauliflower from week 1, some frozen sweetcorn (also from week 1), 4 carrots, a courgette, a red pepper, the rest of my swede, 2 tablespoons tomato purée, 2 teaspoons bouillon, a handful of dry red split lentils, and enough water to submerge it all. I brought it all to the boil, and then let it simmer for about 40 minutes until it was soft. And the best thing - there's enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

I can't believe today is the end of week three, which means that I've already completed three quarters of the challenge! Only one more week to go and I can eat whatever I'd like!

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Days 19 & 20

Days 19 and 20 were spent mostly fighting with a cold which threatened to become a chest infection. There was a lot of sleep and not a lot else. Normally when poorly I just sleep and drink water, and that's what I did this time as well. There were moments when I felt a little better, and during those times I managed to eat the remaining two bananas and an apple.

Presently, I can breathe again - which is good, so hopefully day 21 will be a better day.

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 18

Today has been a day of sleep and not much else. I've only been awake now and again to drink some water. But finally I'm up and out of bed, and I've had a lovely salad of spinach, green peas (the last bit), onion, tomatoes, red pepper, courgette, and avocado.

I'm going to have a mug of hot bouillon before going back to bed, and maybe a banana just to get some more energy.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 17

Another day of feeling rubbish and with no appetite. I managed to eat an apple, a banana and three carrots throughout the day, like yesterday, and like yesterday they tasted of absolutely nothing. When I got home from work I fell asleep while changing into comfortable clothes, and had a lovely unscheduled snooze for a few hours. I really didn't want to get up again when I woke up, but knowing that I don't do well if I've had several days with hardly any food I realised I had to.

After clambering down the stairs I made a lovely salad, (spinach, avocado, tomatoes, red pepper & onion) and I can feel it doing me good already - but I'm still straight back to bed with a mug of hot water. Hopefully some more sleep and a few days off from work will do me good.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 16

Still battling with my cold I had absolutely no appetite. Since there was no smell or taste to anything I didn't feel like eating, and all I wanted to do all day was to go back to bed.

So that is what I did as soon as I had completed my chores for the day. Throughout the day I managed to eat an apple, a banana and the remaining carrots from last week, but even that was more than I fancied.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 15

I have to admit that I'm getting a little bored now with having not much of a free choice of food. But I said I'd do it for 4 weeks, and I'm a day past half-way, so I'd better keep going.

I've done my shopping for the next week, and this week I've gone for fresh food only. All in all it cost me £7.12, the 12 pence coming from my leftover funds of 20 pence from the first week. What I got was:

2 red peppers
1 pack of cherry tomatoes (400g)
3 courgettes
6 bananas
6 apples
4 small avocados
1 pack of carrots (400g)
1 pack of dried mixed herbs (18g)

Hopefully this will be enough to last me the week. I've also got some leftover food from the previous two weeks:

4 potatoes
2 carrots
a small piece of swede
some frozen vegetables
some frozen sweetcorn
half a pack of rice
a handful of red split lentils
a small handful of yellow split peas
a quarter of a tin of green peas
1 onion
most of a bulb of garlic
half a box of bouillon
a third of a tube of tomato purée
a third of a bag of spinach leaves

I reckon I should be ok with this.

Today started with a juicy apple, I've been dreaming about apples for the past two weeks, and today I finally had one. Luckily I was at work and had only brought the one, or I could have eaten the whole lot. Lunch was the rest of yesterday's leftover lunch (rice and lentils with spinach and tomatoes), and then I also had an afternoon snack; a banana.

Dinner today was a warm and cold mixed salad. I used two handfuls of spinach, some of a red pepper, half an avocado and three tomatoes. I also boiled two potatoes and some lentils which I mixed with the cold ingredients once they were cooked. It was both filling and tasty, and all I lacked was some olive oil to drizzle over (far too expensive) and a glass of wine to go with it (completely out of the question on my current budget).

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 14

Day 14 was one of those days where I was running around trying to get everything done at once. I got up a bit late, so didn't really have time to sit down for breakfast, instead I snacked on carrots throughout the morning until it was lunchtime. Luckily I had thought to prepare lunch the evening before, when I had boiled rice and lentils. There were some leftover cooked swede as well, and along with the remaining tomatoes this made a perfect, and quite large, lunch. I didn't manage to eat it all, so the remainder went in the fridge for the next day.

By the time I got home I was feeling quite rough, the sore throat Id been nursing for the last couple of days was getting so bad it felt like sandpaper, and I could feel a proper cold coming on, so I did what I normally do when I feel like I'm getting ill; I had a warm bath and then went to bed early and got a long night's sleep.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 13

What a lovely relaxing day this has been. I've done absolutely nothing useful at all, just read my book all day long, while grazing on leftovers from yesterday.

Dinner was eaten quite late, there having been quite a bit of leftovers to get through. Also I wasn't really paying attention to the clock. But eventually I made my way into the kitchen where inspiration struck and I made quite a colourful dish.

I used half an onion - sweated in a little water, 1 teaspoon bouillon, 3 tablespoons tomato purée, and a handful of tomatoes. This was simmered in a frying pan until it was all cooked through and soft, and while I cooked a few slices of swede in some water, and reheated a ball of the lentil&pea mixture I still had left from yesterday. It was quite tasty, and may be replicated on another day.

I also had a bit of a treat today; a tin of mandarin segments. It was absolutely delicious, and just what I needed at the end of the week.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 12

Day 12! I'm amazed I've made it this far! Only two more days and I've made it to two weeks, and half-way in my challenge.

So far today I've been stuck by my computer, and feel like I haven't really achieved anything. All I've done is munch my way through a handful of carrots and a mug of bouillon, plus a whole thermos-flask full of hot water. But now I'm finally about to make my dinner....

...and what a lovely dinner it was. I boiled 200g rice, enough for there to be leftovers for lunch tomorrow. In another saucepan I  boiled a handful each of yellow split peas and red split lentils. And finally I also cooked a pan full of carrots (two of them), half an onion, and a tin of green peas. I simmered these in some water until they were all soft. I assembled it all by laying out some spinach leaves, placing some rice in a small bowl and turning it out onto the leaves. Then I placed a tomato on top for decoration. The carrot-mix was then scooped up and placed along the other side of the plate, and three quenelles of the pea-mixture added. I don't think it looks too bad? And it certainly tasted good.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 11

Day 11 started in the usual way, with a mug of hot bouillon. By mid morning I was feeling quite hungry, but luckily I had brought a few carrots with me to work, in case of snackage needs. I munched my way through three carrots, and then finally it was lunchtime. It was a freezing cold day, and somehow the office never got warm, even though the heating was on full. The stew I had brought with me was deliciously warm and filling though, and warmed me up much more than the mugs of hot water I had been drinking throughout the morning. Sadly this was the last of the stew I made the other day, so no more ready-made meals.

When I got home I was running a bit late; work was busy and I couldn't leave as early as I had planned. The reason I needed some time was that I had promised to make cake for a friend who needed it the day after, and I was supposed to deliver it by 8pm. So there was nothing else to do than to rush into the kitchen and start baking. I grabbed three potatoes and baked them in the microwave, and ate them while baking. Not ideal, but necessary in the circumstances.

Finally the cake was ready, prettily decorated and securely packed, and off I went to deliver it to my friend's house. There I was warmly greeted and the cake taken off my hands. Of course I was then roped into looking at some faulty plumbing, so it was quite late by the time I finally got home and could dive into bed.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 10

Day 10 was a very busy day, and it went by like a whirlwind. For breakfast I had my usual mug of hot bouillon, and then at mid morning I had a little snack; a carrot. It was delicious and fresh, and gave me lots of renewed energy.

For lunch I had leftovers from day 9's dinner, and it was perhaps even better tasting than the night before. Rushing around all afternoon I stopped for five minutes to have another snack (carrot), it was one of those days where I just craved snacks and carrots are perfect for it, sweet in taste and full of energy.

My dinner was, I'm afraid to say, the same as my lunch. I was completely exhausted after such a busy day, and so it was a relief to find a ready made meal in the fridge.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 9

Having slept in today, it being my day off, I skipped breakfast and instead had lunch when I got up. It was a delicious rice salad made from rice that I cooked yesterday along with some spinach leaves, three tomatoes, and some green peas.

This evening I went to a lecture at one of the private schools in York, and I have to admit that while I was there I had a glass of apple juice (it was free, as was the lecture). The lecture, about telescopes looking into space, was very interesting and well delivered, and I really enjoyed it. But when I came out I was very very hungry. So I hurried home and made some stew.

I used 1 onion, 2 teaspoons bouillon, 2 cloves of garlic, nearly half of my swede, 4 carrots, 2 potatoes, 4 tablespoons tomato purée, 100g red split lentils, and what I had left of ready boiled yellow peas from an earlier day. I sweated the onion in some water, added the chopped garlic, then when it was soft I added more water, and sliced carrots and swede. The I added the rest of the ingredients and let it simmer for about half an hour until everything was soft. It was delicious, warming and filling - just what you want from a late night dinner. And there is enough left for my lunches tomorrow and Friday.

If you would like to help by sponsoring the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 8

Today was the first day of the second week of my challenge. That meant a new shopping basket, something that I was more than ready for. I did my shopping last night in preparation for today, and I have to admit that it was really hard not to dive into it straight away, but I resisted.

Somehow the money seemed to stretch farther this week than the last, maybe because I didn't spend two days worth of money on one item like last week (bouillon), or maybe it was because I had more of a realistic idea of how much things cost and was able to prepare better, I don't know. What I got was:

1 swede
1 bag of carrots (1kg)
3 onions
1 garlic
2 tins of peas (300g)
1 bag of rice (1kg)
1 bag of dry red lentils (500g)
1 bag of spinach leaves (200g)
1 pack of baby plum tomatoes (325g)
1 tin of mandarin segments (312g)

And it came to £7 exactly, which means I still have those 20 pence from last week to play with, or save for a rainy day. Sadly no apples, but maybe next week.

I started the day in my usual way with a mug of hot bouillon. I actually quite like that, and may continue to do so even after this challenge is over. For lunch I had a baked potato (left over from last week) with some spinach leaves and 3 baby tomatoes. It was delicious! And such a change from last week. My dinner was also lovely; boiled rice with a few spinach leaves, 3 tomatoes, and about one third of a tin of peas. Yum!

Am already looking forward to tomorrow's lunch, as I boiled some extra rice which is now in the fridge waiting for me to return.

To sponsor the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, please go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 7

Today I woke up with two kittens sat on me, purring. And it has been a lovely day since then too. I started of with a mug of hot bouillon, and then set about doing things that had been on my list to do for a while. And then I had an early dinner; vegetable soup made from a bowl-full of mixed frozen vegetables and sweetcorn, enough water to cover, a teaspoon of bouillon, a tablespoon of tomato purée and two tablespoons of ready boiled yellow peas. I boiled a batch of peas yesterday, enough to last me another couple of days.

I've now completed a week of my fundraising challenge, only three more weeks to go. It's been an interesting week, with day three definitely the hardest one. What I had thought I'd miss the most was my herbal tea with I normally drink gallons of, but in fact it has been fresh apples. And I had been a little worried that there might not be enough food, but as it turns out I have still got some food leftover, and a new week starts tomorrow, so quantity-wise I've been fine. It has been a little boring though, so I'm looking forward to a new shopping basket tomorrow, hopefully some new flavours.

To sponsor the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 6

After sleeping in and then reading my book in bed for a while, I finally got up in the early afternoon. Having had such a relaxing morning I wasn't really hungry, so I decided to just have a mug of hot bouillon at that point, and do the eating later. The rest of the day was spent reading and playing with my kittens, and before I knew it it was early evening.

I've felt that the last few days' food has been quite bland-looking, so I tried to make it look a bit more exciting today. It still contains my few staple ingredients, but at least I've managed to make it look a little bit more inviting than before.

I used 1 potato, 2 broccoli florets, 5 bits of carrots, and a tablespoon of boiled yellow peas. There's also a squirt of tomato purée mixed with a little water, which the broccoli rest on. The potato was sliced julienne style and baked in the oven to make it a bit different from previous days. The tips got a little brown, but were perfectly edible. What the whole thing could have done with was some gravy, but alas that was not to be had today.

To sponsor the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 5

Because I got out of bed a bit late today, and I was meeting a friend in town; I decided to have my breakfast on the go. I do realise that some people may think I'm slightly loopy, but it seemed like a good idea, and it also seemed to work quite well; I microwaved a potato while getting my boots and jacket on, then stuck the burning hot potato in my mitten, and set off for town (had lovely warm hands while walking). It's only a 20 minute walk, so by the time I got there the potato was just the right temperature for eating. And as it happened I arrived before my friend did, so I had time to start munching my potato while waiting for him to arrive. Of course when he arrived he looked at me as if I was completely crazy, standing there munching away at my potato, but never mind....

When I got home I was quite cold and a bit tired, so decided to have a little nap. And lovely it was too. Upon waking I had a huge mug of steaming hot bouillon and a couple of baked potatoes - not much variety in my food today, but will do better tomorrow.

To sponsor the clean water project in Meru, Kenya, go to  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=stopcocks

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 4

Today was definitely a better day than yesterday. Not sure why, but it was just so much easier to stick to the plan. I managed to resist temptation yesterday as well, but it was really hard work. 

This morning flew by, I had a few glasses of water, and I was intending to have some bouillon, but all of a sudden it was nearly 2pm and I decided to have my lunch instead. Lunch was a bowl of warm sweetcorn and ready-boiled yellow peas, with a tablespoon of tomato purée for taste. It was tasty and filling, but looked pretty much like most of the other meals I've had so far these last few days, which is to say - bland.

Again the afternoon was so busy I didn't have time to miss having a snack. 

My dinner will be some broccoli and cauliflower from the freezer, boiled in water with some bouillon. 

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 3

I have to admit that I've struggled a bit today. It's been one of those miserable days when nothing has been achieved, I've felt horrible, the weather turned bad again, and to top it all off a bird fell down my chimney and traumatised both me and my kittens. Not sure that poor bird had such a good day either. Normally I would have made myself a cup of hot chocolate to comfort myself, but that was not an option today. Although I have to say I was sorely tempted. But I was good and I resisted. Instead I microwaved a potato (I figured I was allowed since I hadn't had my lunch yet, and my only refreshment had been a mug of bouillon earlier in the morning) and gnawed my way though it while watching a film.I felt a bit better after having my potato, and watching a film that was really a bit too scary for my whimpish self, and I got on with the day for a while, until I realised it was dinnertime.

I enjoyed a bowl of baked potatoes topped with a tablespoon of tomato purée and a good helping of ready cooked yellow peas for my dinner. Not very exciting, I know, but still tasty and filling. I have to say that that tomato purée has proved to be a saviour so far. Not sure the food would have been very satisfactory without it.

Now all I have to do is manage until bedtime without caving in and having chocolate. (There's a petrol station very (un)conveniently located across the street.)

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 2

Day two of my fundraising challenge was decidedly easier than the first one. Not that yesterday was bad, but  I did have time to reflect on my lack of afternoon snack yesterday, something that did not happen today. Work was so busy I only just had time for lunch, (vegetable soup, same as on day 1 but with the addition of 2 tablespoons of ready cooked yellow peas) and the afternoon flew by. When I finally got to sit down I realised I was absolutely starving, and I hurried home.

I had intended to bake my potatoes in the oven, but being very very hungry I microwaved them instead, and had instant food, which I was very grateful for. I added a couple of tablespoons each of ready cooked yellow peas and of sweetcorn, and a tablespoon of tomato purée for colour. It was delicious. The topping went in the microwave for the last minute with my 3 potatoes. 

I now feel quite content and sleepy, will just have a mug of hot water before bedtime. Hopefully tomorrow will be just as easy. 

Eat & Drink for £1 a day - 28 Day Challenge - Day 1

Right. So the day is finally here. I’d been racking my brains for a challenge I could do to help raise money for the clean water project in Meru, and was very relieved when I finally thought of something. I’ve read a few accounts of people doing this sort of challenge lately, although most people seem to do it for a week only. But I thought I might as well do it for a while, to make it more of a challenge. We’ll see how it goes. 

I started preparing yesterday by going shopping. Armed with my £7 and a calculator, I headed for the local supermarket. I did have a shopping list, but soon realised that this had been written with just too much optimism. You really don’t get a lot for £7. It felt like I was there for absolute ages, adding an item, taking one away because I was over my quota, then adding another because I had money left, swapping around to make better use of the money…. Finally I had something that resembled a decent selection of food, and it was even within the limits of my budget! 
 

What I got for my money was:

1kg bag og frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower and broccoli)
907g bag of frozen sweet-corn
200g tube of tomato purée
150g (1 box) vegetable bouillon
2,5kg Potatoes
500g bag of dried yellow split peas

The total cost of my shopping basket was £6.80, which means that I have 20 pence extra to play with next week. YAY!! Sadly I couldn’t afford any teabags this week, so it will be a very boring week drinks-wise, but maybe I’ll manage to get some next week. The bouillon was quite expensive, so I’m hoping it will last me a couple of weeks, but I felt that I would need something that would serve both as a drink and to enhance the taste of my food. 

This morning, before setting off for work I measured out my frozen veg ration for breakfast and lunch, and also took with me the box of bouillon. As soon as I got to the office I made myself a cup of bouillon, which I enjoyed while reading through the emails that had accumulated over the weekend. And I have to admit that this was a nice start to the day. I didn’t feel the need for any more fodder right then, so saved my sweet-corn ration (100g frozen sweet-corn heated in the microwave) for later on in the day and had it as an afternoon snack instead. 

For lunch I had vegetable soup, which was tastier than I had dared hope for; 

200g mixed vegetables
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 teaspoon bouillon
Water (enough to cover the vegetables)

I heated it on full power in the microwave oven for 5 minutes, stirred it, and then waited for it to cool down a bit before tasting it. For something so simple it was surprisingly nice – and it made me wonder why I haven’t done this as a quick alternative for lunch before. Although I do think that maybe I overcooked it a little. Will try again tomorrow. 

The afternoon was spent wistfully longing for a snack, until 3.30pm when I gave in and had the sweet-corn that should have been my breakfast. And it was a life-saver. I think I will have to arrange my food in such a way that there is something to eat in the afternoon, otherwise I’ll be just too hungry before it’s even near dinner time.

When I got home I boiled some peas ready for tomorrow, and baked 3 of my potatoes for my dinner. So far I'm doing ok, but we'll see how long it lasts.