Saturday, May 31, 2014

A Day at the Forest : Bacon Noodles

After spending Saturday morning working we decided to get out and take the kids for an adventure, before settling down for more work in the afternoon (my clever hubby illustrates for a kids magazine).

Living only 15 minutes from the Maramarua pine forests it means we have great place to explore with the kids.  Yesterday we found a really good spot.  Good parking on gravel with plenty of room to get the kids out of the car, not wade around knee deep in wet grass like we usually are.  On entering the forest we found a well used track that wound up the hill.  We soon discovered why it was so well worn, the track is used for placing bait and traps for possums.  We were glad our dog was prepared with a muzzle - for just such an thing on our adventure.  After continuing up the hill and filling up a chicken feed bag with pine cones we decided to venture over to an area of fern and eucalyptus trees - leaving our pinecones to collect on our return.  The boys found sticks and straight away starting wacking rotten logs and stomping on rotten stumps - like little boys should.  We kept following a path past the ferns and through more pine forest which eventually lead to a beutiful little sunny grove with a pond and autumn trees.  An unexpected surprise in a pine forest.  We followed the track around the pond, past a big pile of dead possoms, from a nasty looking trap that snaps their necks, and found ourselves walking up the ridge of the hill.

Following the ridge of the hill to the top took us well past our starting position, so a little bit of crashing through the bush downhill - well away from any tracks - was needed to get us back to our bag or pine cones.  By this time, nearly 2 hours since we set off, the kids could barely stand.  They were exhusted, but still happy to be exploring the bush.  So with pine cones retreved and armfuls of tired babies we set of down the trail to the car.

After such a big adventure we were all set for a big hearty dinner - I just didn't have the energy to cook one.  Something easy, tasty and satisfiy was in order.  So I whipped up bacon noodles - I say noodles but it was spaghetti, but that's what Mr 3 calls them.

Bacon 'Noodles'
Serves Four

250g Spaghetti


1T Butter
200g Bacon, Diced
1 Onion, Diced
2T Plain Flour
2C Skim Milk
Pepper
7 Dried Sage Leaves (I have some from my garden this summer)

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook spaghetti.  I added some diced carrot for a bit of vege.
Over medium heat melt the butter.  Add bacon and onion and cook till soft.  Stir in flour and cook until it starts to stick to the base of the pan.  Slowly stir in milk to make a sauce.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes longer.  Drain pasta - and any veges you've added - and stir into sauce.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Eating well with $130 per week - Week 3

This week has been a little out of the ordinary, Mr 1 has cut down his naps and I've been suffering from a toothache.  Dinners haven't been over exciting and leaving the house some days just seemed impossible.

My usual Tuesday shopping was delayed till we were forced to go out on Thursday evening, after dinner, when the green grocer was shut.  I selected the cheapest fruit and vege I could find at the supermarket - the prices are crazy!  Fruit is about 30 - 40% more expensive than the green grocer and veges twice as expensive, and not nearly as nice or as fresh as what I usually get.  I still had money pocketed from under-spending over the last 2 weeks, so no real harm done.

I also needed a few things from the bulk store in town - the budget is $30 and we spent $20, on baking soda, spelt and rye flours (to add a bit of variety to our loaves) and spices.  I highly recommend finding a bulk store, especially if you like making curries.  I get spices for a quarter of the price as the super market.



Here's the breakdown of this weeks spend:

Countdown $123
Mushrooms
Bananas
Kiwifruit
Mandarins
Apples
Pears
Onions
Carrots
Broccoli
Tinned Tomatoes
Golden Syrup
Coffee
Cheese
Nappies
Milk Powder
Mayonnaise
Yeast
Crackers
Tissues
Dishwasher Powder
Butter x 2
Bread Flour
Baking Powder
Deodorant
Crackers

I never usually by mayonnaise, I make up a jar every now and then for Pappa Bear to use on lunches, made from oil and eggs.  I've been having trouble with the mayo splitting lately though, I think it's got to do with ingredients being so cold, so I brought a back up.

Our menu this week was:

Monday: Sweet Braised Pork

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza with homemade tomato sauce, onion, mushrooms and cheese

Wednesday: Hot chips - this is the day my toothache hit, I thought I was getting sick and felt wiped out by 4pm.  A night off from cooking with a few dollars hot chips and an early night were in order.  I really need to get some meals in the freezer that we can 'heat and eat' on nights like that.

Thursday: Pasta with left over tomato sauce from pizza on Tuesday and left over pumpkin soup from lunch

Friday: Pulled Pork, Slaw and Ciabatta - I know we just had this a little while ago but I wanted to share it with my sister/brother in law for dinner


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

5 days with No Naps!

The past week has been a real eye opener.

I didn't realise how good I had it.  Mr 1 was sleeping about 3.5 hours a day and all of a sudden he has stopped.  Before now I would spend that time doing something special with Mr 3, have lunch, get a couple of chores done and maybe have a cup of tea.

This week has been very different.  Mr 3 is a little over his brother getting into all him games, Mr 1 is very tired and grumpy from midday and mumma is feeling a bit frazzled - along with being ready for bed by 8:30pm.  In the coming weeks I'm sure we'll find a new rhythm.  Our routine will change I will need to utilise the different areas of our house to set the boys up with different things to do.  My Mr 3 is a very independent little soul and thrives on sitting and doing things on his own, so I need to make sure he gets that time.

I will also have to find some more ways for the boys to play in the garden while I toil in the mud - maybe it's about time we got a hut or cubby house set up, I remember having one made of pallets when I was a kid and spending a lot of time in there - I think I see a project coming on!

Today I have been lucky enough to have some Mumma time - that is why I'm writing.  Mr 3 was offered a second day at daycare, which he has just started today, he's only gone one day a week till now.  After playtime and lunch I set up Mr 1 in the porta-cot in the sun, with some books and toys while I vacuumed and then weeded the garden for 15 minutes.  When I came in from the cold Mr 1 was ASLEEP!!

Now that I've had a cuppa and got some writing done - all be it not very entertaining - It's time to get some work done.

Here's to the next faze of being an at home Mum!

Monday, May 26, 2014

Butano Kakani : Sweet Braised Pork

I adore Japanese food.  It's simple, delicious and there's such a huge variety of meals to choose from.

A couple years ago I spent about 6 months getting my hands on every Japanese cook book I could find, trying loads of cooking methods and recipes (I lost a few kilos too, it's so healthy).  I discovered lots of easy meals that I could cook after work and some more involved meals that I could stir and add too while I potted around the house at the weekend.  We still enjoy regular Japanese inspired meals, Sushi is something we all enjoy quite regularly along with my Soba Noodle and Miso Soup.

With purchasing an entire home-kill pig we get a few cuts that I would never usually buy - like pork belly.  Roasted pork belly is nice but makes a huge mess and still retains a lot of the fat - this way of cooking belly is really good, steamed, browned then simmered in a tasty broth, a lot of the fat rendered off.  The miso paste was not in the original recipe but I find it rounds off the dish nicely.

You could steam the pork the day before and refrigerate so it's makes for a faster meal the next day.



Sweet Braised Pork : Butano Kakani
Serves 4

500g Pork Belly, Bones and Skin Removed
1cm Disk of Ginger Root, Skin on
2C Dashi Stock (or Beef Stock if you don't have seaweed and fish flakes hanging around like I do)
3T Mirin
¼C Soy Sauce
¼C Brown Sugar
1t Miso Paste, Heaped

Cut pork belly into 2.5cm cubes and steam over simmering water, covered, for 90 minutes until tender (heaps of fat comes of this way).  Heat a pan over medium heat and brown steamed belly pieces on all sides, drain off fat.  Quarter the piece of ginger and add to the pan with stock, mirin, soy sauce and sugar.  Simmer gently for 45 minutes.  Lift pork out and set aside.  Bring broth to a rolling boil and reduce by a quarter.  Remove from heat and discard ginger pieces.  Thin miso paste with a couple of tablespoons of water then stir into broth.  Return pork to broth to warm then serve with steamed rice and vegetables.  Hot mustard goes really well with this dish.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Something Different : Soft Pretzels

For Sunday lunch we had some day old rye bread and coleslaw on the menu, not too flash - I fancied something fresh and warm with the weather being so wet outside.  After considering a few things like foccacia, bagels and soda bread, I opted for a new recipe - soft pretzels.

I've never had fresh pretzels before, only the cracker-like ones from a pack.  I jumped in totally blind and was really pleased, and surprised, with the result.  They have a distinct pretzel taste, a chewy crust and perfect crumb.  I substituted about a fifth of my flour with rye flour to make them extra tasty.

I also tested one batch on conventional bake and one fan forced.  The batch cooked with conventional bake were darker and had a better crust than those cooked on fan forced, so I'll stick with conventional bake next time.



Soft Pretzels
Makes 10 'breakfast' sized pretzels

2t Brown Sugar
22g Yeast, Dried Active or Instant
375ml Water, Blood Temperature
575g Bread Flour, Plus Extra for Dusting
2t Salt, Plus Extra for Topping
¼C Baking Soda
1 Egg

Mix sugar, yeast and warm water and leave to activate for 10 minutes.  Add in flour and salt and stir till it starts to come together into a ball.  Tip out onto work surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (the dough will be quite sticky, just scrape down your hands and bench a couple of times as you go, it will come together).

Dust your work surface to keep the dough from sticking and divide into pieces (I made 10 which turned out about the size of a breakfast bagel).  Form into rounds and rest for 10 minutes.  Roll out into 30cm long sausages and twist into pretzels (I used this diagram).  Lay on a baking tray lined with baking paper and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes then refrigerate for another 30 minutes.




15 minutes before the pretzels are due out of the fridge turn oven onto 220ÂșC (425F) bake and put a medium sized pan with 1 litre of water on to boil.  When the water comes to the boil add the baking soda - a little at a time, it fizzes like crazy!  Turn water down to medium-low.

Gently remove pretzels from the tray, one at a time, and poach in the baking soda solution for a minute on each side.  Remove with a slotted spoon and return to baking tray.  When all the pretzels are poached beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush over tops of pretzels - this makes them nice and glossy.  Sprinkle with a little salt and bake for 15 minutes, swapping trays half way through if using conventional bake (which gives a much better colour).

Poached Pretzels

15 Minute Soba Noodle and Miso Soup

This meal is a favourite for us, the perfect dinner for a cold night - a dash of chilli sauce makes it extra warming.

15 Minute Soba Noodle and Miso Soup
Serves 4

3 Bundles of Soba Noodles
4 - 8 eggs (1 or 2 per person)
4T White Miso Paste
1T Soy Sauce
1T Sesame Oil

Extras
Steamed Asian Greens
Fried Shallots
Chilli Sauce
Spring Onion, Finely Sliced
Seaweed Flakes

Put a large and a medium saucepan of water onto high heat.  When small pan begins to simmer crack eggs into pan and poach for 4 minutes on low simmer, place cooked eggs into the bottom of noodle bowls.  Add soba noodles to large pot when boiling and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender.  Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.  In the large empty pot add 3 cups of cold water.  Mix miso paste with to a fourth cup of water and stir until smooth and there are no longer any lumps.  Add thinned miso pan with water and put onto medium heat.  When miso soup is at blood temperature add cooked noodles, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Continue heating till steaming hot (do not boil).  Add chilli sauce and seaweed flakes if using and stir.  Dish noodles and soup over eggs and top with any extras - greens, shallots and spring onion.

We had ours with kale.  I heated a dash of sesame oil over a medium heat.  To the oil I added a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of sesame seeds.  When the seeds started to pop I chucked in a big bunch of chopped kale, a tablespoon of soy sauce and a half cup of water and covered with a lid.  When the water had gone the kale was steamed and ready to add to soup.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

More Trackies

My boys and I have had a lovely rainy day at home.  We played with playdough for nearly 2 hours, got some drawing and scribbling done, played trains and piano.  While Mr 1 napped helpful Mr 3 was very interested in making more clothes, so we set to work (he is practically living in the one I made him at the weekend).  The pattern we have is super quick and easy so in no time at all we had another track suit made up - this time a hoodie and a set of pants, in a black jersey fleece fabric.  We chose black jersey so his pants will suit for school next winter.

Again, making the clothes myself worked out really cheap - $14 for pants and a hoodie, custom made, longer in the legs and back, just like Mr 3.

My Little Helper - Wearing his new fleece jumper again.

New Track Suit and a Little Copy-Cat

Serious Scribbles!




Chickpea and Vege Curry


Another cheap, vege packed and easy meal this evening - Chickpea and vege curry.  Chickpeas have become one of my favourites, so versatile, tasty and economical.

Chickpeas work out way cheaper if you take the time to cook them yourself.  I brought a 1kg bag for $5 last month.  It made 15 cups of chickpeas which I froze, equivalent to about 10 tins - but for a fraction of the cost.  I just soaked them over night, rinsed and simmered for about 90 minutes until they were tender, then bagged them up with some of the cooking liquid and froze.

Dinner tonight cost a little under $5 and we have left overs for lunch too.

Chickpea and Vege Curry
Serves 6


2T Oil
1T Cumin Seeds
1 Onion, Diced
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced 1T Coriander Seeds, Groud
1T Cumin, Ground
1t Cinnamon, Ground
1T Mild Curry Powder
2cm Ginger Root, Grated
1T Turmeric
1t Salt
¼C Raisin or Sultanas
2 Medium Potatoes, Diced
1 Medium Kumera, Diced
1 Large Carrot, Diced

2 Tins or 3 Cups of cooked Chickpeas, Drained
1 Tin Coconut Milk
1½C Water
1C Beans (mine were frozen from summer)

Heat oil in a pot over medium and sizzle cumin seeds till the begin to pop.  Add in onion and garlic and cook until soft.  Add in ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon, curry powder and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add in everything else except beans, bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in the beans and cook for another 5-10 minutes until they are tender.  Done!

Monday, May 19, 2014

Eating well with $130 per week - Week 2

$108 this week - with a few party supplies in the mix
This is my second post on shopping with $130 per week.  For week 2 my shopping trolley was on the expensive side (but still within budget).  With nappies, milk power, cheese and a few party things on the list I spent more than I have in a while.  Popcorn is a regular in our pantry, I can whip up a potful in 5 minutes.  A batch can last a few days for morning and afternoon teas with fruit and maybe a slice of cheese or natural yoghurt, cheap and easy, just like me, but in a good way!!

We are lucky enough to still have fiejoas in the garden which is adding to our fruit bowl and my kale and broccoli plants are still growing really well, adding greens to our plate.  Here's the breakdown of this weeks spend:

Green Grocer $21
Grapes
Cabbage
Brussel Sprouts
Mushrooms
Garlic
Onions
Mandarin
Carrots
Persimmons

Countdown $87
Toilet Paper
Tin Tomatoes
Brown Sugar
Popping Corn
Rolled Oats
Potato Chips x 2
Cocoa Powder
Sweets x 2 Bags
Sunflower Oil
Nappies
Toothpaste
High Grade Bread Flour
Cheese
Skim Milk Powder

I came home to the house smelly really good - I'd forgotten that I have beef stock bubbling away on the stove.  I got one lot of stock in the freezer yesterday and this is the second boil down today (how thrifty am I, 2 lots of stock from 1 set of bones!).  The very last bit from our home kill cow was a half bag of bones, so yesterday I roasted them and then simmered them with onion, carrot, salt and pepper for about 6 hours.  After straining off the beef stock I'm doing the same again today.  I froze 7 litres of stock yesterday and will probably get about 5 today.  Shop brought stock is about $4.50 a litre, to buy what I've made it would be over $50, I've made mine for about $5.  It's going to add flavour to soups, casseroles, rice dishes and many more recipes over the cooler months.

I've just peeped outside and the sun has appeared so it's time finish blogging and get gardening!

Roasted Beef Bones

Stock, stock and more stock - ready to freeze

Cheap, Fast and Tasty : Japanese Chicken and Sesame Carrots

Dinner was needed in a hurry last night - I had lost track of time chasing after my boys zooming up and down our drive on their bikes.

As soon as Pappa Bear got home the race for dinner was on.  Everything was ready a little after the rice cooker was done and everything disappeared in a flash.

I brought the chicken when it was on clearance (4 half chicken breasts for $17).  This meal cost us about $6 - a little more if the carrots were store brought.

Japanese Chicken and Sesame Carrots
Feeds 4

300g Medium Grain Rice (this is 2 scoops for our rice cooker)

10-12 Small Carrots (mine are Lady Fingers, straight from the garden)
2t Sesame Oil
1T Sesame Seeds

1 Chicken Breast, about 250-300g
1 Egg
1T Soy Sauce
2T Water
1C Plain Flour
Oil for Shallow Frying

Dressing
2T Each of Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar, Sugar
4T Water
2T Chilli Sauce or 1 Finely Diced Birds Eye Chilli (optional - I dish up the kids meals then add chilli)



Rinse rice and set to cook in rice cooker.

Wash carrots, cover with cold water in a small pan and set on high, with lid on.  Proceed with chicken and keep an eye on the carrots *

Slice chicken into 1cm steaks, place between 2 sheets of baking paper and bash with a rolling pin till 5mm thick.  Whisk egg, soy sauce and water in one bowl and have flour in another, ready for dredging.   Coat chicken in egg and then flour and set aside for 5 minutes so they go gooey.  In a fry pan heat 1cm of oil over med-high heat.  Shallow fry a few pieces of chicken at a time for 90 seconds on each side, drain on paper towels.

*When carrots come to the boil simmer on medium for 10 minutes until tender.  Drain and set aside (leave element on).  In the empty pan add sesame oil and seeds, return to heat until seeds begin to pop.  Return carrots to pan and put the lid on (or all your seeds will jump out of the pan).  Toss carrots with seeds over heat for 30 seconds or so, done!

Whisk dressing ingredients together - adjusting sweet, sour, salt or heat to your taste.

Serve the chicken sliced over rice drizzled with dressing, with veges on the side.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Clean, Green and on Budget

We're finding a really good way to stay on budget and away from nasty chemicals is by making our own cleaning, skin care and hair products.  Today I'll share with you the recipes I use for liquid hand soap, all purpose spray and cream cleaner.

All are super cheap to make and once you've brought things like glycerine, castile soap and essential oils they last for ages, I get my from Go Native.

Liquid Hand Soap
Fills 2 x 250ml Pumps

3T Grated Sunlight Soap or Soap Flakes
350ml Boiling Water
1ml of Essential oil (Lavender, Teatree, Grapefruit, Lemon or Eucalyptus are all good options)
2t Glycerine
2t Witch Hazel or Rose Water

Put soap and boiling water into a bowl and stir.  Leave 5 minutes to dissolve.  Mix in the remaining ingredients and pour into soap pumps immediately, with the lid off.  You need to pour into pump bottles right away or the soap with set and you won't be able to pour it.  Leave for 15 minutes or so to cool slightly then put the pump lids back on.  Give the bottle a good shake every few days to loosen up the soap for easy pumping.



All Purpose Spay
I use a 1L Spray Bottle

White Vinegar

15 Drops Each Teatree Oil, Eucalyptus Oil and Lavender Oil
1T Liquid Soap (I use organic Castile Soap but Sunlight Soap works fine too)
Water

Fill a third of your spray bottle with white vinegar.  Add in oils and liquid soap.  Fill up to the top with water and shake before spraying.  Cleans kitchen benches, stove tops, sinks, highchairs, surfaces, everything pretty much (I find spraying it immediately onto dog puke or spills on the carpet while I get warm water to mop it up helps alot).  If something is really stuck on leave the spray on for 15 minutes or so to do the work for you.  For super powered cleaning us with the Cream Cleaner.


Cream Cleaner

1C Baking Soda
2T Cream of Tartar
20 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil (or any other oil you like, peppermint is a good antiseptic)
1T Castile or Sunlight Liquid Soap
Water

In a large jar mix baking soda, cream of tartar, oil, soap and a couple of tablespoons of water.  Keep adding a little water at a time till it reaches a creamy consistency.  Shake or stir before use.  Apply to a damp cloth and scrub away.  Spray surfaces with All Purpose Spray first if dealing with something extra grimy or greasy.

I think I'm turning into a country girl

I think it's safe to say I'm turning into a country girl.
 
The reason I say this is because we made a trip up to Auckland to buy some fabric over the weekend.  It's been nearly 7 months since I went to a mall or shopping center - I'm not in a hurry to do it again.  Everyone rushing, no one smiling, full car parks, long queues, heck, even traffic lights!  A trip that I thought I would enjoy, browsing fabric and patterns to keep my boys toasty over winter, was stressful and overwhelming, next time, I'll look online first.

The rest of our weekend was really good, all I needed was a bit of a sit-down and a cup of tea to settle my nerves after our visit to town, and I was back to chilling with my boys and Pappa Bear.

Making clothes for my kids is something I think I'll try and do more of.  For $21 I made a jumper and 2 pairs of pants.  The fleece is good quality, same as the thread I used plus I made the jumper extra long in the back (just like Mr 3).  And the look on his face when I presented him with it, priceless.

A very cuffed little boy in the new snugly track suit Mumma made him
We had Sourdough pancakes one morning and Mr 3 was a very happy helper, he didn't even object when Mr 1 started pinching our creations.  I got to do a couple of hours sewing and make up a polar fleece track suit to keep Mr 3 snug as a bug as winter sets in (he's grown out of most things - he's quite tall for his age and right now he's growing too).  Mumma didn't have to cook any meals with left over pulled pork and then Pappa Bear making a bacon paella.  My babies and I went for a walk in the crisp evening air and visited Mr Pig, who lives on our street.   Then after tired babies were in bed on Sunday Pappa Bear and I whiled away the evening playing a zombie survival game - Perfect.

My happy helper

Plus a pancake tester


Friday, May 16, 2014

Chinese Pulled Pork, Asian Coleslaw on Ciabatta

I am a funny kind of cook.  One minute I'm following a recipe to the letter, the next I'm letting ingredients fly willy-nilly.

Today's recipe was a fluke - and the best yet!  I kid you not, the BEST.  I urge you next time you get a pork roast cut give this recipe a try.  I just about melted off my chair biting into my latest creation, I really did surprise myself.  The pork is the perfect combination of hot, sour, salty and sweet, then, mixed with crunchy Asian coleslaw and chewy, fresh Ciabatta - it couldn't have been better.

You'll have to forgive the state of my end shot, hungry kids and bad lighting don't mix.

Tender pork, ready for shredding

Chinese Pulled Pork
Serves 8

2.5kg of Pork Leg Roast, skin removed and trimmed of fat
1T Chinese 5 Spice, Heaped
3T Soy Sauce
3 Star Anise
1t Chilli Flakes, Heaped (more if you like things hot)
1T Sesame Oil
1T Rice Wine Vinegar
1t Szechuan Pepper, Ground
½ Mandarin Peel
1C Water
3T Brown Sugar
2 Large Onion, Peeled and cut into wedges

Heat oven to 140ÂșC bake.  In a oven proof pan, with tight fitting lid, add 5 spice powder, soy sauce, star anise, chilli flakes, sesame oil, vinegar, Szechuan pepper and mandarin peel.  Roll the pork in the mix, rubbing it in well.  Pour the water into the base of the pan, careful not to wash spices off the pork.  Cover pan with foil, making sure it dips slightly in the center.  Adding foil like this allows the moisture to drip back down onto the top of the meat, continually basting it while cooking.  Put the lid on the pan and bake for 3 hours (check every hour to make sure there is still at least 1cm of water in the pan, add a little more water if needed).  After the 3 hours the meat should easily come away from the bone.  Remove the bones then with 2 forks shred the pork, fine or chunky, what ever you prefer.  Mix in sugar, onion wedges and enough water to half submerge the pork.  Return to oven with foil and lid for another 4 hours, stirring every hour.  Serve with Asian Coleslaw and ciabatta or with steamed rice and stir-fried Asian greens.



Ciabatta

Recipe can be found here from October 2013
I did a 1 and a half batch which made 15 rolls, enough for 2 meals and a few to freeze.

Asian Coleslaw
You need a stick blender for this


¼ Cabbge, Washed and finely shreeded
1 Large Carrot, Grated
2T Sesame Seeds, Toasted in a fry-pan till golden

Dressing
1 Egg
175ml Neutral Oil
1T Sesame Oil
1T Rice Vinegar
Pinch of salt and cayenne pepper


Put cabbage, carrot and sesame seeds in a large bowl.  In a narrow, reasonably tall container (that your stick blender just fits in to) add all of the dressing ingredients.  Whizz on high and pretty much instantly you've got mayonnaise.  Add dressing to salad, as much or as little as you prefer, and mix well.

A sad shot for something so satisfying

Thursday, May 15, 2014

In Case of Emergency : Grab a Tin Opener

Days like yesterday are why I always try to have a tin of beans or homemade beans in the freezer.

The day started out great, went for a walk around town, got all the washing done and made a start on my new composting bins.  Unfortunately, Mr 3 was suffering the effects of an ear infection and Mr 2 is cutting 2 eye teeth (the worst kind), so the afternoon was filled with tears a few tantrums (Mummy may have had bit of a tantrum too).  With all that going on, plus, a visit to the doctor, me having a mild asthma attack, coming home to the dog getting into a nappy that I'd abondoned when rushing out the door, I forgot to put our roast on for dinner.  Bummer!  My lovely neighbours must have seen I was at my wits end - I must have looked pretty frazzled - I sure felt like it.  They offered me a drink while my kids played with theirs to take time out for a few minutes.

Before I knew it, it was 5:30pm and dinner time.  Luckily I have beans from my shopping trip, so in 10 minutes I had toast, beans and eggs ready for hungry tired boys.  I have only brought fish fingers once for my boys for a quick dinner - they're gross, added with extras and really expensive considering only half is fish - which has been 'joined' or glued together - ICK!  I won't even touch chicken nuggets - 26 ingredients and only 39% chicken.  I think beans are the way to go in a pinch, ideally I'd have some in the freezer, homemade with no numbered ingredients, but out of a tin 79% is beans and tomatoes, the rest is water, spices, onion, vinegar, and maize flour (corn flour) for thickening, great, and 2 vegetable gums, one of them is not so great (that's a whole other blog post).

We ended up with both boys in bed early then Pappa Bear and I flopped down in front of the telly with a movie.  We enjoyed homemade pasta from the freezer, topped with salmon (tinned) and herb white sauce with peas.  Both meals together cost about $8.50 - a little on the high end for me.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Baking Day with my Boys

A big part of sticking to $130 a week is making all of our own bread and baking.  Yesterday afternoon was spent making bread for the next week or so, I got 2 sourdough, 3 wholemeal and 3 grain loaves made and frozen.  This morning, after toast and fruit for breakfast my boys and I set to work getting baking done for daddy's lunches, along with some fruit and oat breakfast muffins for Mumma.  They are full of fruit, oats, vege with no butter and just a dash of sugar.

Yummy Sourdough bread for lunch today

My Baker Boy
 Not long into baking both boys reckoned they were hungry again - due to cake and bickie mix on display I suspect - so I fetched a cupful of popcorn for each of them, to keep snotty fingers out of the bowl (they're both sick at the moment).  We started with fruit and oat muffins which will be breakfasts with a dollop of natural yoghurt.  Next were Anzac biscuits for Daddy's lunches and finally Dutch Apple Cake - which the boys and I had a slice of for afternoon tea - it's been years since I made it - it's so easy and tastes divine.

Fruit and Oat Muffins
Fruit and Oat Muffins
Makes 12


55g Wholemeal Flour
100g Plain Flour
2T Brown Sugar
½t Baking Soda
½t Nutmeg
155g Rolled Oats
55g Raisins
3T Olive Oil
1 Egg
80ml Milk
2 Large Carrots, shredded
1 Banana or 4 Large Feijoas, mashed

Preheat oven to 190ÂșC bake and line 12 muffin tins.  Mix flours, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, oats and raisins together in a large bowl.  Add in remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.  Divide mixture between the muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.

Anzac Biscuits and Muffins all done.

Anzac Biscuits
Makes Approx 30 - to fit 2 baking trays

125g Plain Flour
130g White Sugar
100g Coconut
150g Rolled Oats
100g Butter
2T Golden Syrup
1t Baking Soda
4T Boiling Water

Preheat oven to 175ÂșC fan-bake and lightly grease 2 baking trays.  Mix together flour, sugar, coconut and oats.  Melt together butter and golden syrup until it starts to bubble, remove from heat.  Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and add to golden syrup mixture.  Pour the wet into the dry and stir to combine.  Put tablespoons full of mixture onto tray and flatten slightly.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.



Dutch Apple Cake

180g Butter
135g Sugar
Rind of ¾ Lemon
1 Large Egg
190g Flour
1½t Baking Powder
3T Milk

Topping
2 Apples, Finely Sliced (I used Rose)
2T Sugar and 1t Cinnamon, Combined

Preheat oven to 180ÂșC bake.  Cream butter and sugar together till pale and fluffy.  Add in rind and egg and beat well.  Stir in half of the dry ingredients, then the milk and then the remaining dry ingredients.  Spread into greased cake tin and cover with sliced apple.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture and bake for 45-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.  Cool in the tin.

Dinner - Jam-packed with Vege
Dinner was nice and easy tonight, vegetable soup.  I had defrosted a chicken carcass so I simmered it with pearl barley for an hour in about 2L of water.  Pulled out the bones, chucked in loads of veges, a pack of frozen haricot beans, a big tin of tomatoes and a tablespoon of mixed herbs.  It needed something extra at the end and since I'm out of savoury yeast I used a dollop of Vegemite.  Perfect for a cold Waikato evening.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Pumpkin Pilaf

This is my first recipe for eating well on $130 a week.

It's super cheap at just $2, it fed four with enough for seconds and leftovers for Pappa Bears lunch.  (70c rice, 80c vege and a generous 50c for spices, stock powder, oil and raisins and lemons free off our tree).  To make a complete vegetarian meal you could add a tin of drained chickpeas with the pumpkin to make it $5, and with steak, lets say $10 - based on supermarket prices.

It's a new favourite of mine and both my young boys devour it.  I do usually prefer it with homemade stock but I've got some powdered stock to use up, so in it went.


Pumpkin Pilaf

2T Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, Diced
2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
1/4t Each of Ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and Salt
Pinch of Pepper and Paprika
2C Rice, Medium or Long Grain
3C Stock (vege or chicken, liquid or powdered stock)
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 Large Crown Pumpkin, 1cm Dice
3T Sultanas
1T Preserved Lemon, Minced (I have some homemade, you can replace with 2t fresh lemon zest)

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-low heat.  Cook onion and garlic until soft.  Add in spices and cook for 30 seconds or so till fragrant.  Stir in rice to coat with spices.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Reduce to low and cook covered for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Eating well with $130 per week - Week 1

$87 buys this at our house for a family of four - week 1 of 4
I'm often amazed at how much people can spend on food.  I struggle to part with cash on convenience, pre-packed and down right horrible food.  The price per kilo of food, compared to homemade, is extortionate, never tastes as good and is jam-packed full of artificial ingredients, salt and sugar.

Over the next month I will show you how we eat good food on a small budget by posting details of my purchases - and then recipes will follow from what I've brought.

My weekly purchases are supplemented by beans and lentils that I buy in bulk every 8 weeks or so.  An average spend is $30 on beans, lentils, spices and baking soda, so that's about $4 a week - which is included in my budget of $130/week.  I also make use of vegetables from the garden which just about grow themselves with compost that I make with garden/lawn cuttings, kitchen scraps, newspapers and chicken poop.  I also save $14 a week to purchase home kill, half a cow and a pig, once a year.  I used to spend about $20 a week on meat when I brought it from the supermarket.

This week I spent $87 between the green grocer and the supermarket (I go to Countdown, the only option in Huntly).  My eldest is turning 4 next month so I'm slowly getting a few things to prepare, food colouring and icing sugar are 2 extras for this week.  Here's the breakdown:

Green Grocer $16
Apples, Rose and Granny Smith
Mandarins
Grapes
Carrots
HUGE Crown Pumpkin $2!!
Swedes
Onions

Countdown $71
10kg Rice
Plain Flour
Icing Sugar
Diced Tomatoes (2x800g)
Baked Beans
White Vinegar
Sultanas
Frozen Peas
Butter (4x450g @ $3.50 each - a bargain for butter)
Ecostore Dish Liquid
Food Colouring

This week I was under budget, but I will keep the money aside till next week since I didn't need to buy nappies, cheese or milk powder this week.

25 Posts in 30 Days

My husband asked me last night if I'm ready to watch the next season of Game of Thrones.  "But I haven't even finished the first book - It will spoil it for me" I say.  This is what I've been saying for nearly 2 years, I started reading the first of the 7 books that we own when I was pregnant with number 2, I'm only a quarter of the way through.

I was reminded that if there are things like reading books, sewing and painting that I want to do, I have to make time for them.  Reading has not been high on the list of things that I use my precious "Mumma Time" for though.  For now that time is spent writing my blog.  It may not reach a global audience and get thousands of hits, but that's not why I write.  I write because I enjoy it.  I'm a creative soul and since pastels, needles and paints don't mix with toddlers I am quite happy to write as they play or sleep, sometimes for only 5 minutes at a time (some posts take nearly a week to write).  But it is time I savour and enjoy.

Today I had a thought of challenging myself to a blog entry a day - but to be realistic I think I'll aim for 25 posts over the coming month, if I do 30, that's great.   This means instead of plonking down in front of the telly when the kids are in bed and the house is in order, I will spend more of my evenings doing something constructive and creative.  And hopefully by the end of the month I will be in the habit of not 'switching off' once the clock hits 7:30pm.

Perfect Playdough

After trying out a few playdough recipes this is now our favourite.  In 5 minutes you end up with smooth, glossy dough that lasts for months.  Different colours and glitter make things even more fun.  I've found a dash of glycerin makes for extra smooth and shiny dough.  I have glycerin on hand for making homemade liquid soaps and things, but more on that later.



Perfect Playdough

250g Plain Flour
1/2C Salt
2T Cream of Tartar
2T Oil
Approx 375ml Boiling Water

Optional
Few drops of food colouring
1t Glycerin
1T Glitter

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil together.  Add half the boiling water, mix and start to work into a ball.  Slowly add more water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing and kneading between additions till smooth and soft.  Add food colouring, glycerin and glitter if using and knead in well.  Playtime!

Store in an airtight container in a cool place (not the fridge).

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Live Actively - Don't just exsist

Many people are amazed we do so well with so little.

Don't get me wrong, we're not scraping by or struggling, we live on simple food and simple pleasures with a focus on our families well being.  We have made decisions, set goals, and acted on them (this is the important part) to lead the relaxed lifestyle we have.  So many people get stuck in their high pressure lives, running on auto pilot, working long, hard hours to support their high-tech, high interest and consumer driven lives.  Living with their heads down in a social media driven, virtual word never looking up, or within, taking stock of their lives, their goals, dreams or family.

Before I had children I loved my job; creative, busy, deadline driven and at times, high pressure.  For five years I happily worked hard, was payed well for my efforts and was happy for my dream of living 'The Good Life' to sit on the back burner.  After the arrival of my first little bundle and having to return to work, a niggle of resentment, rebellion and frustration began to stir. I sat dutifully at my desk as a beautiful little boy said his first words, took his first steps and began to explore our world without me beside him.  Many evenings were spent with him tired and hungry, his little body ready for bed, with dinner still not ready and a tired frustrated mumma doing the best she could with the few very short hours she had with him each day.

I was lucky enough to have my wonderful mother look after my first for 12 months until my second little boy arrived.  She would follow the guidelines of how I wanted his routine and diet, and gave him more attention, love and comfort than any daycare could provide, but his time with me was rushed and clinical.  Mornings and evenings were focused on changing in or out of PJs, getting meals ready and eaten and then putting baby in bed or depositing  him at  Nana's house to face another day of work.  I felt stressed, detached from my little boy and tired, oh so tired.

After our second baby I enjoyed 7 months at home with both of my boys.  Our days were filled with relaxed meals, midday baths after exploring in the garden, my eldest and I would play, read and a laugh in the afternoon sun while baby bear looked on or slept.  When naps were fazed out during the day dinner could be ready at 4:30pm for a 5:30pm bedtime, till little bodies adjusted to longer wake times.  This is the life I wanted for my boys.  With 8 weeks till I was due to return to work the desire to stay at home and live our family orientated lifestyle we dreamed of was overwhelming.  I had battled with post-natal depression for a little with number 2, and the stress and anxiety of returning to work made everything unbearable.  It was time for action.

First I sat and calculated.  No matter how I worked our income versus our Auckland rates, mortgage, insurance, petrol, power, water, phone we were short.  After many calculations and tears it was decided that we could not stay in our first home, we couldn't stay on the North Shore living close to our family.  It was time for a major upheaval.

We considered a few areas.  Greater Auckland were homes were more affordable but Pappa Bears daily drive would increase dramatically.  Hamilton and Tauranga were options too, Pappa Bear would need to find another job but it would need to be management to cover the mortgage payments on one income.  High stress, deadlines, KPIs and possible late nights - good for me and the boys but terrible for Pappa Bear.  Our final option, and our destination, was quiet little Te Kauwhata.  Cheaper homes, large sections, good schools and large towns (with jobs) only 30 minutes away.  Perfect.

Putting our house on the market was scary, especially with the uncertainty of auctions and not having a new home secure, but we grabbed the bull by the horns and did it.  With the market that we were selling in we could of set our reserve high and brought big on our move.  But our mentality had changed.  We didn't want our life revolving around the accumulation of money.  We crunched our numbers, poured hours of hard work into clearing and cleaning up, set the reserve low and realistic, just enough to pay lawyers, pay off the new paint job on the house, a moving van, commission and a deposit on our new home.  It paid off - the house was sold and we were lucky enough to have a real estate agent who knew someone wanting to sell.  We were able to sign papers for our Te Kauwhata home on Auckland auction day.

The next stage was Pappa Bear getting a job close to home.  Now he could of aimed for management, higher income and the stress that comes with it.  Not the ideal job when you've moved to have a relaxed lifestyle.  So we did our numbers and worked out he needed to earn to keep us comfortable.  And our calculations didn't stop there, we factored in me making and growing as much food as I could - so I could take on some of the load in supplying for our family.  It didn't take him long to find a job, with the wages and hours we wanted.

Now it was time to put everything into practice.  Some days I work harder than I ever did in Auckland but the results are so much more gratifying.  I'm not stressing out to meet deadlines to fill someone elses pockets.  Pouring my hard earned money into a huge mortgage with massive interest payments.  Wasting untold money on food packed with additives, emulsifiers and preservatives that our lack of time dictated that we buy because we didn't have time to make it ourselves.  My days are now filled with watching my boys play together while I knead up loaves of bread.  Digging together in the garden and reaping the rewards with meals full of sweet, nutritious vegetables.  My husband is home in time for dinner with our boys each night.  There is time to stay in bed with cuddles when my boys are sick, time to relax and enjoy my kids just being kids.  No deadlines, margins or others making big demands of my time.

I know not everyone has the means, desire or ability to do what we've done.  But I believe the important thing is to make active decisions on how you lead your life.  It takes practice to make decisions based on needs that don't necessarily increase or include your bank account.  Your family will not remember you for making interest payments to a bank, working long hours as replaceable cog for an employer and or by adding to the profit margin of smart-phone, MP3 player and computer brands. Regularly take stock of your situation, yourself and your family, make decisions and act on them to live the best life you can.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Croque for Kids

With dinner needing to be cooked in a hurry on a cold Autumn night Croque Madames popped into my head.  All I could kind of remember was that they have egg, white sauce of some sort with cheese on top - maybe. With no time to look for a recipe I turned on the ovenette, whipped up some sauce, bunged some left over beans into the bread cases, popped them in the oven for 20 minutes and the kids devoured them.  The extra white sauce topped the fresh garden broccoli perfectly.



Croque for Kids
Makes 6, muffin sized

Cases
6 Slices of Bread
2T Butter, melted


White Sauce
1T Butter
1T Plain Flour
1 1/2C Warm Water & 2T Milk Powder (or 1 1/2C warmed milk)
Pinch of Salt, Pepper and Mustard Powder

Fillings

1/2 Tin Baked Beans (or what ever left overs you have - chicken, ham, bacon, mince)
2 Eggs, beaten slightly


Cheese (I used Edam)

Cut the crusts of the bread and roll out each slice and thin as you can.  Brush both sides of the bread with the first measure of melted butter.  Line muffin tins with bread cases, pushing them down gently into the bottom of the tin.
To make the white sauce melt the butter over a medium heat.  Add the flour and stir over the heat until the mixture looks pale and kind of sandy.  Continue stirring and slowly add in the warm milk mixture.  It's important the liquid isn't cold or the sauce will be lumpy.  Continue stirring and add in the the salt, pepper and mustard powder.  When it's nice and thick and starts to bubble it's done.
Fill a third of the bread case with beans (or left overs), then one third with egg and then a large tablespoon of white sauce.  Using a vegetable peeler shave a thin layer of cheese over each case.  Bake for 15-20 minutes till golden.
They will be super hot on the inside, so transfer to cool on a wire rack while you steam some vege or make a salad for the side.