How To Live Well For Less - Sainsbury's Back to Basics Challenge

How can you stretch the family grocery budget yet still make delicious meals for the family??   This was the challenge set to me by Sainsbury's who provided us with a £10 voucher to purchase the ingredients to do just this!

Nowadays, with the cost of living going up all the time, we simply have to stretch our budget further than ever before. Thankfully there are tips we can use to make the most of our money and not waste our hard earned pounds and pence.

• Using smart substitutions and combining fresh, packaged, canned and frozen food can help make delicious and nutritious meals and save you cash. For example, buying a bag of frozen spinach, ready prepared and in portion sized chunks works out must more cost effective than buying fresh spinach in many recipes.  Sainsbury's frozen spinach is £1.50 for a big bag and will last for ages.
• The Sainsbury's Basics range gives us the opportunity to live well for less by providing a huge range of budget essentials.  The fuss free packaging and lower prices do not mean you are compromising on quality. It is well worth giving them a try. Basics products include cheese, yogurt, pasta, rice, vegetables and much more.  They help make your more expensive ingredients go further!
• Looking out for products on special offer or reduced fresh produce that is reaching its sell-by date is a great way of getting good food for less.
• Freeze leftover meals in portion sized quantities and make your own ready meals to use at a later date or to take to work for lunch.  Dishing up one extra portion of your evening meal for freezing is also a good way to reduce your own portion size, so it's a good habit to get into.
• Bulk cooking is a great way to use up ingredients.  For example making a big batch of tomato and vegetable sauce using up all the veggies left in the fridge and freeze in plastic bags or tubs in ready to use portions. You can use this sauce as a base for different meals throughout the week: curry, chilli, pasta etc.  It saves on both waste and money!
• Look out for special meal deal offers in store that save money when you buy the ingredients for a particular meal at a multi-buy price (such as noodles, stir fry vegetables and Chinese sauce).  Tailor your weekly meal plan around what is on special offer in store.
• Get creative in the kitchen.  Find ways to incorporate economy items into meals that look and taste much more expensive than what they cost.  Being experimental with new items of food when they are on offer can introduce you to a new family favourite!

Following these simple rules allows us to have a much better lifestyle on a tight budget. Over the past few months I have cut my grocery budget down by a third, so I'm always on the look out for ways to maximize what I spend in supermarkets.

I did a shop in Sainsbury's today and purchased a selection of fresh, frozen and packaged goods with my £10 budget.  Some of the food I bought was in a meal deal, some was on multi-buy, some was on special offer and the rest was from the Basics range! 

Basic blue cheese £1.42

Basic spaghetti 30p

Basic Sponge Mix 22p

Stir Fry Meal Deal: Fresh noodles, Edamame bean stir fry and blackbean sauce £3.00

Beansprouts 80p

Basic Soft Cheese 73p

Frozen Spinach £1.50

Lemon Curd 62p

Lemon 30p

Portobello Mushrooms £1.00

The Chinese Stir Fry meal deal is an easy midweek dinner.  I'll just add something from the freezer such as Quorn pieces or a packet of Tofu, plus some extra veggies from the fridge, to make it go further.  It's quick, easy, tasty and great value!  Much cheaper than a Chinese take away!

Here are two further recipes using the other ingredients I bought along with a few store cupboard essentials.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

8-10 small Portobello Mushrooms

Half tub of Basics Cream Cheese

1 Onion chopped

75g chopped frozen Spinach (defrosted)

Half a slice of bread

100g Basics Blue Cheese

2 Garlic cloves

ground pepper

Remove stalks from mushrooms and put into food processor with the onion, bread, spinach and garlic. Blitz.

Add cream cheese and blue cheese and seasoning. Blitz.

Top mushrooms with mixture and then grate over extra cheese if required.

Cook at GM 6 for 15 minutes until bubbling!

Serve with Basics Spaghetti or Basics Rice, vegetables or salad.

Mini Lemon Drizzle Cakes

1 packet of Basics Sponge Mix

1 egg 

Water 

2 tablespoons of  Lemon Curd

Juice and zest of half a Lemon

icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 200°C.  Put 12 cake cases in tray.

Mix up the cake mix as instructed on the packet using the eggs and water. 

Stir two tablespoons of lemon curd and the zest of half a lemon into the cake batter

Pour the cake mix into the cases and bake for 8-10 minutes until the centre of the sponge springs back when pressed with your fingertips

Remove from the oven and cool

Make up a lemon icing using the juice of half a lemon with icing sugar.  Drizzle over the cakes.

                             

The ten pounds worth of shopping has gone really far.  We have had stuffed mushrooms, lemon drizzle cakes and a stir fry on the cards for tomorrow.  There is still plenty of spinach left, plus cream cheese, lemon curd and spaghetti.  It's amazing how far £10 has gone.  It goes to show that by shopping carefully we can eat well and feed our families nutritious meals.

New York Bakery Co Bagels - Spread the News

New York Bakery Co has launched its first ever crowd sourced recipe book filled with delicious and inspiring bagel recipes from fans across the UK available to download absolutely free from the New York Bakery Co Facebook page.

The bagel experts invited bagel fans across the UK to submit their favourite recipes for the chance to inspire the nation and be published in a recipe book.

The free recipe book features 20 of the most popular suggestions from Manhattan Start-Up to Rocket Man to offer an exciting and versatile range of ideas for every eating occasion.  

Feeling inspired by the recipes and having some bagels to review, I came up with our own lunchtime creation.  Melted cheddar cheese, fried eggs and ketchup on a lightly toasted plain bagel.  We called it the Free Ranger!

So why not download the free recipe book and get creative in the kitchen to come up with some lovely lunches and super snacks of your own using the very yummy and extremely versatile New York Bakery Co Bagels?  Find out more on at:

www.facebook.com/newyorkbakery

Some Delicious Muffin Recipes

Helen from The Crazy Kitchen is asking us all to show her our muffins!  Never one to shy away from Helen's requests I have collated my muffin recipes and put them together in one muffin laden post of yumminess.  

(Links to the recipe posts are in the titles as I can't work out how to link a URL to a photograph #technofail!!)

Coconut and Jam Muffins

Banoffee Muffins With Caramel 

Coffee Muffins

Tropical Sunshine Muffins

I hope you enjoy these tried and tested recipes for tasty muffin treats.  You can find other recipes by clicking through the picture below and visiting Helen's linky.  Happy baking!!

Half Term Meal With Aunt Bessie's

Brit Mums have challenged us to get creative in the kitchen to come up with a delicious meal plan using the convenience of  the Aunt Bessie's range of products.  I am a fan of their products, anything that saves me time on a busy day gets a thumbs up from me!  So I've devised a three course meal that is quick, easy and delicious and each course uses something from the range.  The meal plan serves four.

Winter Warming Soup

Bag of Aunt Bessies Carrot & Swede Mash

600ml organic vegetable stock

Add the stock to the bag of mash, bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree with a hand blender.

Cheese Topped Garlic and Herb Spanish Style Omelette

Half a bag of Aunt Bessies Mid Week Roasties with Garlic and Herbs

1 onion sliced

2 tblspns of sweetcorn

50ml virgin olive oil

6 free range eggs

2oz grated cheese
pepper to season

Cook the Mid Week Roasties for 20 minutes at GM6.

When cooked, remove from oven and cut any big ones into bite size chunks.

Slice the onion and gently fry in the oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan.

Add the potatoes.

Beat the six eggs together and pour over.

Sprinkle over sweetcorn.

Cook gently with a lid on until almost set.

Top with grated cheese and finish off under the grill.

Cut into quarters and serve with salad.

Roly Poly Mixed Fruit Cobbler

Aunt Bessie's Jam Roly Poly

Can of apple pie filling

Pack of mixed berries (fresh or frozen)

Allow the jam roly poly to defrost slightly so you can slice it into 8 slices.

Put one quarter of the apple into four individual oven proof dishes.

Top with a handful of berries.

Put two slices of roly poly on top.

Bake at GM5 for 15-20 minutes.

Serve hot with custard.

This three course meal is quick and simple to make, nutritious and extremely delicious.  It counts heavily towards your five a day with fruit and vegetables included in the menu.  I was really impressed with how versatile the Aunt Bessie products can be with a bit of imagination.  You can certainly go beyond a traditional roast dinner, which was my usual way of using Aunt Bessie's range.

My Three Course Aunt Bessie's Inspired Menu!

Show Me, Show Me - The Recipe Book Edition

This week Carolin wants to see our favourite recipe books.  Mine is the first completely vegetarian recipe book that I ever bought myself on becoming a fully fledged veggie, imaginatively entitled Vegetarian.  It's a big, glossy, fully illustrated book which has over 300 recipes.  It has a reference section at the front and I remember pouring over the facts and figures to be sure I wasn't in some way going to starve my family by deciding to go completely vegetarian.  It has had such a positive influence on my vegetarianism.  It made everything look so easy and so appetising.  It gave me a lot of confidence at a time when being a veggie was not so mainstream...back in the pre-Quorn days!  It inspired me to use different ingredients and get experimental in the kitchen, whilst at the same time holding my hand and guiding me through the transition into vegetarianism!

I love recipe books that have lots of  photos and I can sit and flick through the pages for ages just looking at the pictures of the food and salivating slightly. (There are no calories in looking!)

My most used recipes are for the easily adaptable, to use up whatever veggies are left in the fridge, Veggie Hot Pot with Cheese Triangles (a version of which I made for Valentine's Day with heart shapes on top!) ...

...and the Spicy Bean and Lentil Loaf, which is fabulous and so easy.  It's nice to find good, simple, hearty veggie recipes, so beautifully illustrated and so easy to follow.

I'm linking up at Show Me, Show Me on Mummy Alarm's Blog!

Tropical Sunshine Muffin Recipe

After being fortunate to attend the amazing event at Buxted Park with Rachel's Organic and watching Head Chef Lucy Hyder in action, I've felt inspired to get inventive in the kitchen.

After a fabulous hamper arrived from Rachel's,  I was ready to get creative using their fabulous yogurt flavours as inspiration!  (After sampling them first of course!!)  Yogurt isn't just for eating on its own, it's also an excellent ingredient for baking.

The Pineapple, Coconut and Banana Bio Live Yogurt is a taste of sunshine to brighten up a cold, damp day.  The tropical, taste explosion is like a Pina Colada in guilt free form!  Simply gorgeous and the inspiration behind my Tropical Sunshine Muffins (a recipe I have personally adapted using ideas from a Muffin Recipe Book).

Tropical Sunshine Muffins

150g SR Flour

Half Teaspn Bicarb of Soda

80g Unrefined Caster Sugar

60g Melted Butter

1 Beaten Free Range Egg

5 Tablespns Rachel's Organic Pineapple, Coconut, Banana Yogurt

1 Tablespn Orange Juice

• Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl.  
• Mix all your wet ingredients together.  
• Quickly and gently combine your wet and dry ingredients and spoon into pre-prepared muffin cases.  
• Cook for 15 minutes in a pre-heated oven at GM5.

• Decorate with glace icing made using Icing sugar and orange juice (freshly squeezed is more flavoursome!)  
• We sprinkled yellow sugar decorations on top to make them look really full of sunshine!

**Lazy Cooks Hint....if you describe your style as rustic, then you don't have to worry about uneven icing!!**


These cakes are really the lightest muffins ever with a really spongy, light texture.  The tropical flavour is fruity, enhanced by the bonus of finding pieces of pineapple and coconut inside.  Give them a go!!


Just because its cold outside, doesn't mean you can't enjoy the sunshine!!!

For more information on Rachel's go to rachelsorganic.co.uk.
The Pineapple, Coconut and Banana bio live yogurt is currently available from Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Ocado.

Ambrosia Apple Muffins Recipe

Ambrosia's Custard Coated Fruit Flakes have become quite a favourite in my house since I first reviewed them.  You can see my review here http://insidethewendyhouse.blogspot.com/2011/05/love-custard-youll-love-ambrosia-snacks.html

 The Apple Flakes are the preferred flavour so when I was sent a recipe for Ambrosia Apple Muffins to try, my children were very interested in giving them a try!  Nana and Grandad are due a visit so it was the perfect opportunity for us to get baking, using the Ambrosia Apple Flakes as an ingredient.  So together with my Tiny Testers we donned our aprons and got cooking!

Ambrosia Apple Muffins
250g wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground mixed spice
85g light muscovado sugar
100g Ambrosia Custard Coated Apple Flakes
125g tub low-fat yogurt
125ml skimmed milk
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 egg , lightly beaten

Icing

      200g icing sugar

    3 tbsps apple juice

Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

Makes:             12-14 muffins

Method

1.     Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a muffin tin with paper cases.

2.     Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and mixed spice into a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar and fruit flakes.

3.     Mix the yoghurt, milk, oil and egg together separately, then slowly add to the dry mix and gently fold in until combined.

4.     Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases (about one table spoon per case) then bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch.

5.     Once the muffins are cool, mix together the apple juice and icing sugar to ice the muffins if required. (We didn't think they needed the icing so we had them plain.)

The muffins were absolutely lovely, moist and fruity with bursts of apple inside.  I'm definitely going to be using the Ambrosia Banana Flakes as an ingredient next time I make banana muffins.  They will add a real twist to a family favourite.


Nana and Grandad were very impressed with the muffins and loved the sweet fruit pieces inside. They got a definite thumbs up from us Inside the Wendy House!

Spring into Summer with Ryvita

Ryvita has been around since 1925, producing delicious crispbread.  It has been a store cupboard staple in most homes over the years.  But now with the help of Valentine Warner, author of "What to Eat Now", you no longer need to stick to having your Ryvita with a slice of cheese and some pickle!  Using seasonal produce, Warner has come up with some ultimate seasonal toppings to compliment a variety of Ryvita.

The recipes are perfect for the long, warm days ahead.  From a zesty new potato and broad bean salad atop Original Ryvita as a lunchtime treat, to a Steak Tartare piled high on a Cracked Black Pepper Crisbread for an al fresco meal to the Ryvita Sunflower Seeds and Oats Crispbread Crumble to end a summer's eve, there is a recipe that will tantalise your tastebuds!

RYVITA SUNFLOWER SEED AND OAT CRISPBREAD CRUMBLE RECIPE

4 Ryvita Sunflower Seeds and Oats Crispbread

2 small Cox's Apples (peeled, cored and chopped small)

3 tbs dark, runny honey

1 tbs lemon juice

3 tbs sultanas

1 small thumb of ginger finely chopped

5 tbs water

6 tbs clotted cream

6 dates chopped

8 walnuts chopped

orange zest grated

Put apples in a small pan with water, ginger, honey, lemon juice and sultanas.  Simmer for about 12 minutes until stewed.  Add an extra splash of water if needed while cooking.  Allow to cool.  Chop dates and nuts.  Spread 1 1/2 tbs clotted cream on each crispbread.  Cover with a layer of warm apple.  Scatter on dates, walnuts and orange zest.  Enjoy!!

I love how versatile Ryvita is.  Valentine Warner says:
"..the endless flavour combinations and topping ideas continue to inspire me."

I have a favourite Ryvita topping.  It is my Ryvita Mexican Fiesta.  Smother a Ryvita Sweet Chilli Thin with a spoonful of warm refried beans, blob on some Discovery Hot Salsa sauce and sprinkle over grated Mexicana cheese.  Pop under a hot grill just until cheese melts.  Squirt on some Discovery Sour Cream topping.  You can pop on a couple of sliced Discovery Jalapenos if you like it extra hot!  Yummy!!

Why don't you try one of these recipes, or come up with your own idea for a healthy, tasty snack or meal using one of Ryvitas variety of crispbread!  The website has lots of ideas!

Follow Ryvita on Twitter and Facebook for more recipes, news and competitions.

Ryvita are available nationwide in supermarkets.
Original RRP 98p
Thins: Sweet Chilli, Multiseed,Cracked Black Pepper RRP £1.89
Flavoured: Cracked Black Pepper, Sweet Onion RRP £1.45
Fruit Crunch RRP £1.45
Crispbread: Original, Dark Rye RRP 88p Multi-Grain, Sesame RRP £1.15
Whole Seed Topped Crispbread: Sunflower Seeds and Oats, Pumpkin Seeds and Oats RRP £1.45
Minis: Salt and Vinegar, Cheddar and Onion, Sweet Chilli and Cream Cream and Chives RRP 48p or £1.89 for a six pack.
           

CLOSED: Jamie at Home DVDs for FREE!

Jamie Oliver is without doubt one of the most recognisable celebrity chefs in the UK today.  With his cheeky, no nonsense manner, his passion for good food and his quirky catchphrases, he has become a firm favourite in many households!

The Sun Newspaper and The Sun Buzz Magazine have an exciting offer coming up for fans of Jamie and keen cooks alike.  They are running a promotion between the 5th and the 11th of February, whereby everyday you can collect a token that is instantly redeemable in Tesco, which gives you a free cardboard sleeved DVD of two complete episodes of Jamie at Home.  Token one is in Buzz magazine, the rest will be in the newspaper.  There are six DVDs in all which gives you the entire twelve episodes of the Jamie at Home Series to enjoy.

I've been given a full set of the DVDs to review and a second set to giveaway on my blog (further details below!)

Jamie at Home is a beautifully filmed and inspirational series.  It shows Jamie in his garden throughout the year, enthusing about his home grown produce. The wonderful array of fruit and vegetables, from Summer salads to Winter vegetables, are transformed into delicious, seasonal, no-nonsense recipes.  There are hints and tips on the practicalities of gardening and he makes it look so appealing.  He cooks indoors and out and produces some wonderful food... stews, soups, pot roasts, pizzas, preserves, pies and salads.  My favourite recipe was a unique take on coleslaw using winter vegetables in a yogurt and mustard dressing.  There is something for everyone in this entertaining series.

The DVDs are approximately 50 minutes long and cover the following subjects:

Furred Game and Pastry
Leeks and Winter Veg
Eggs and Lamb
Asparagus and Peas and Beans
Strawberries and Summer Brassica
Summer Salad and Rhubarb

I am a vegetarian, but even I found plenty of ideas and inspiration, and many of the recipes can be adapted.  He makes an amazing bubble and squeak with sausages and caramelised onions...easy to make a veggie version!  And his apple pie...well, simply delicious!

I have been given a complete set of the Jamie at Home DVDs to give away to one of my readers.  To win simply leave me a comment below saying you'd like to be entered.  (Facebook followers can leave me a comment on my Facebook page if they want to be entered).
Tweet for a second entry (please tell me you've done it in a comment!)  "I've entered to win Jamie at Home DVDs from @wendymcd83 at http://tinyurl.com/66slgtu"
Make sure you leave me a way of contacting you. UK only please.  Giveaway will be drawn on the 9th February.  Good luck!

Check out @TheSun_Buzz on Twitter for celebrity gossip, TV news and fun!