3 Ingredient Banana, Oat, and Raisin Cookies

These delicious morsels are vegan, refined sugar free, and gluten free if you use gluten free rolled oats.  Very quick and easy to bake, brilliant for children to help with too.  I make these often to beat the late afternoon energy slump, or as a short notice breakfast on the go.

The key to a good flavour is using over-ripe bananas as they provide the sweetness for the cookies, and you can use other dried fruits should you prefer such as finely chopped dried apricots or dried cranberries.  I've added chopped nuts in the past too, such as walnuts or almonds for more protein and extra flavour.  However if I am planning on putting these in school lunches I leave out the nuts as our primary school is nut-free.

The recipe is easy doubled or tripled should you want to make a large batch, they keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container.   

Banana, Oat, and Raisin Cookies

80g mashed banana, I used one medium sized over-ripe banana

70g rolled oats

50g raisins

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4.  Line an oven tray with non stick baking paper.

Peel the banana and mash with a fork until you have a smooth paste.  Add the oats and dried fruit, mix until totally combined.  Divide the mixture in half then each half into four so you have 8 small portions.

Roll the portions of mixture into balls then put onto the oven tray, leaving about an inch between them to allow for spreading. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until the cookies start turning golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the trays.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Leave a Comment Basics, Biscuits, Dairy free, Gestational Diabetes, Gluten-free, Snack, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Our 10 A Day Family Meal Plan for week of 27/02/2017 - £90

There's been coverage in the news this past week about the recommended amount of fruit and vegetable portions we should consume every day.  It's now thought that 10 portions a day is the ideal to reduce the incidence of a multitude of diseases.  This means 800g of different fruit and vegetables for adults, and 400g of different fruits and vegetables for children.  For our family made up of 2 adults, 2 teens, a tween, and a toddler, this means we would need to eat 28kg of fruit and vegetables per week as a household.

Smoothies which include two or more whole fruits or vegetables count as no more than 2 of your five a day, or alternatively a 150ml serving of fruit juice is one of your five a day.  Beans and pulses count too as one of your five a day.  A 30g portion of dried fruit, such as raisins, dates, sultanas and apricots, counts as one of your five a day as well.

Frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables count as well as fresh, and frozen will usually be cheaper and cut down on waste as you only use what you need. For more information on portions sizes for your 10 a day check out the NHS Live Well website.

I decided to devise a meal plan to see if it was possible, and viable from a cost perspective, for us to eat 10 portions of fruit and vegetables each day.  We usually manage at least our 5 a day so the task of adding in another 5 portions of vegetables or fruit to our day took a little bit of thought and tinkering, especially as they all need to be different fruits or vegetables.

Our shopping was more expensive than usual, 30% more expensive, despite me trying to cut costs by buying frozen vegetables and the cheapest fresh fruit and vegetables I could find for our online grocery shop.  The variety needed for 10 a day means that you cannot just load up on a few cheap vegetables or fruits, although I have tried to use cheap and in season produce where I can.  We will be drinking plenty of water this week too, more than usual, as we're eating quite a bit of fibre with all the extra fruit and vegetables.

You could of course get special deals at local markets, vegetable box schemes, or reduced bargains at the supermarket which would all help cut the costs of eating your 10 a day.  Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a great way of cutting costs too, many can be grown in small spaces in pots or other containers.

Meal Plan 

Monday

Overnight Oats with grated apple and sliced banana.

Vegemite and Cheese Wholemeal Swirls with piece of fresh fruit, carrot and cucumber sticks, with herbed yoghurt dip.

Chickpea, Mushroom and Spinach Curry

3 onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 peppers, finely chopped

3 Tblsp curry powder/paste, as hot or mild as you like

1/3 cup/6 Tblsp tomato paste/puree

500g mushrooms, roughly chopped

2x 400g tins chickpeas

500g spinach, I used frozen

1/3 cup/6 Tblsp natural yoghurt

In a large pan over a moderate heat, sprayed with a little oil, cook the onion, garlic and peppers until softened.  Add the curry paste or powder and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.  Add the tomato paste, mushrooms, chickpeas (including the liquid from the tin), and spinach.  Add a little hot water if the mixture looks too dry.  Cook for about 15 minutes until the mushrooms are soft.  Remove from the heat and stir through the yoghurt.  Serve over rice or with Vegetable Naan breads.

Tuesday

Pancake day breakfast. Pancakes with sliced banana, apple and berry compote, and topped with natural yoghurt.

Vegemite and Cheese Wholemeal Swirls with a piece of fruit, tomatoes and cucumber sticks.

Shepherdess Pie

2 x 400g tins lentils

3 onions, finely diced

3 peppers, finely diced

4 sticks celery, finely diced

4 carrots, finely diced

400g mushrooms, finely diced

400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce

1Tblsp Marmite/Vegemite

600g sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

Spray a large heavy based saucepan with a little oil, put over a moderate heat, and cook the onions until softened, add the celery, carrots and peppers, cooking for about 8 - 10 minutes until softened.  Add the mushrooms, lentils (including the water from the tins), and Worcestershire sauce, Marmite/Vegemite and cook for a further 20 minutes, uncovered, until the mixture has thickened and the mushrooms are cooked through.

Whilst the lentil mixture is cooking, boil the sweet potatoes until soft.  Mash with a little butter, and season to taste.  

Put the cooked lentil mixture into a large oven proof dish, top with the mashed sweet potato, then bake at 200C/Fan 180C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes.  We served ours with steamed peas and sweetcorn.

Wednesday

Wholemeal toast with peanut butter and sliced banana, an apple for afters.

Couscous and Chorizo with diced tomatoes, grated carrot and diced cucumber, with herbed yoghurt dressing and a piece of fruit.

Packed with Veg Macaroni Cheese

Cheese sauce

50g butter

50g flour

600ml milk

150g grated cheese

500g pasta

2 large leeks, finely sliced

3 peppers, finely diced

400g broccoli florets

400g frozen peas

400g frozen spinach

50g finely grated cheese, for topping

Make the cheese sauce by putting the butter, flour, and milk over a moderate heat.  Whisk constantly until the mixture boils and thickens.  Turn down the heat, boil for a minute or two, still whisking.  Take off the heat, stir in the cheese and mix until combined.

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, adding the frozen vegetables for the last 5 minutes of boiling time.  Drain well.  Soften the leeks and peppers in a frying pan, sprayed with a little oil, over a moderate heat.

Mix everything together, the cheese sauce, cooked  pasta and vegetables, then serve sprinkled with a little of the finely grated cheese.

Thursday

Overnight oats with grated apple and chopped banana

Vegemite and Cheese Wholemeal Swirls with a piece of fruit, carrot and cucumber sticks

Roast Chicken with Roast Vegetables (roast sweet potato, parsnips, potatoes) served with steamed greens, peas and sweetcorn

Friday

Wholemeal toast with toast with peanut butter and sliced banana, an apple for afters.

Roast Vegetable Wraps with chickpeas and herbed yoghurt, a piece of fruit and cucumber sticks.

Chicken Stirfry using cabbage, carrots, broccoli, mixed greens and noodles. 

Saturday

Full English Breakfast with tomatoes, baked beans, eggs, bacon and mushrooms.

Root Vegetable Soup with Hidden Goodness Rolls

Vege Chilli with peas and corn, served with wilted greens and sweet potato wedges.


Sunday

Overnight oats with grated apple and chopped banana
Chickpea, sweetcorn and pepper fritters, with tomato salsa and coleslaw

Chicken Fried Rice with broccoli, spinach, and peas.

Shopping List

46 items: £89.96

Packets and Cereals

1x   Mornflake Superfast Oats (2Kg)                                                      £2.18

1x   ASDA Smartprice Self Raising Flour (1.5Kg)                                   45p

1x   Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar (500g)                                            54p

1x   ASDA Smartprice Long Grain Rice (1Kg)                                        40p

1x   ASDA Cous Cous (1Kg)                                                                   £1.20

1x   ASDA Home Baking Easy Bake Yeast (6 per pack - 42g)               65p

1x   ASDA Brown Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                                                   £1.20

1x   Nuh’un Ankara Makaroni Vermicelli (500g)                                     78p

Tins, Jars and Cooking

1x   ASDA Baked Beans Reduced Sugar and Salt (4x410g)                 98p

2x   ASDA Chilli Beans in Chilli Sauce (290g)                                        80p

1x   Whole Earth Smooth Peanut Butter No Added Sugar (340g)          £2.00

5x   ASDA Chick Peas in Water (400g)                                                  £1.75

2x   ASDA Green Lentils in Water (400g)                                               £1.10

2x   ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (142g)                         70p

Dairy and Eggs

3x   ASDA British Semi Skimmed Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)                           £2.97

2x   ASDA British Whole Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)                                         £1.98

2x   ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g)                           90p

1x   ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight Eggs (15)                                    £2.00

2x   ASDA Smartprice Mature White Cheddar (385g)                            £3.78

Frozen

1x   ASDA Frozen for Freshness Summer Fruits (500g)                        £2.00

2x   ASDA Smartprice Sweetcorn (1Kg)                                                 £1.98

1x   ASDA Frozen for Freshness Broccoli Florets (1Kg)                        £1.10

2x   ASDA Smartprice Peas (1Kg)                                                          £1.52

1x   ASDA Scratch Cook Whole Leaf Spinach (1.3Kg)                           £1.50

Fruit and Vegetables

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Salad Tomatoes (750g)                          £4.20

27   ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas by Weight (200g)                     £3.78

1     ASDA Grower's Selection White Cabbage by Weight (1.3Kg)         £1.03

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg)                                          £1.50

3     ASDA Grower's Selection Courgettes by Weight (300g)                 £1.71

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection White Potatoes (2.5Kg)                          £1.25

6x   ASDA Grower's Selection Whole Cucumber                                   £3.30

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Celery                                                     £1.10

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Sweet Potatoes (1Kg)                            £2.85

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Sweetclems (1.4Kg)                               £6.75

2x   ASDA Grower's Selection Brown Onions (1Kg)                               £1.48

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Garlic (4)                                                95p

6x   ASDA Smartprice Apples (500g)                                                     £3.00

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection British Parsnips (500g)                           59p

3x   ASDA Smartprice Mushrooms (650g)                                              £4.20

1x   ASDA Grower's Selection Red Chillies (60g)                                   55p

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Mixed Peppers (700g)                            £3.60

3x   ASDA Grower's Selection Extra Trimmed Leeks (550g)                  £2.25

Meat, Fish and Poultry

1x   ASDA Smartprice Cooking Bacon (500g)                                        57p

1x   ASDA Extra Special Chorizo Casero Sausage (225g)                    £2.00

1     ASDA Free Range Whole Chicken by Weight (1.9Kg)                    £6.84

Drinks

1x   ASDA Italian Roast and Ground Coffee (227g)                               £2.00

Prices and special offers reflect those of the online grocery website My Supermarket, and are correct as of 25 February 2017.  Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

Our shopping was purchased online from Asda on 25/02/2017, had we shopped elsewhere our groceries would've cost:

£90.04 from Lidl

£94.96 from Tesco

£96.59 from Sainsbury's

£98.94 from Morrisons

£127.22 from Waitrose

£131.99 from Ocado

How many of your 5 or 10 a day do you usually have? What are your top tips for eating more fruit and vegetables without breaking the budget?

6 comments Budgeting Tips, Dinners, Gestational Diabetes, Lunches, Meal Plan, Meatfree Monday, Pasta, Rice, Vegetarian

Vegetable Slice

My 3 daughters do not like sandwiches in their school packed lunches, sometimes they will have wraps, but mostly they like something a little more adventurous and delicious.  I decided to make a Vegetable Slice using eggs and vegetables that needed using up before our weekly grocery delivery.

The slice went down well with all 4 of my children, toddler boy enjoyed it for lunch too.  You can vary the vegetables you use depending on what you have available.  It would be fab for a picnic or quick weeknight supper too, perhaps with some sweet potato wedges or oven baked chips on the side.

Vegetable Slice 

2 large courgettes/zucchini, grated 

2 carrots, grated

3 spring onions, white and green parts, finely sliced

2 peppers, any colour, finely diced 

5 free range eggs

150g/1 cup self-raising flour, can use gluten free 

100g/1 cup grated cheddar cheese 

125ml oil 

salt and pepper 

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/ Gas Mark 4.  Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.  Tip into a lined 25cm square baking tin and level the surface.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes until cooked through and set.  Cut into squares and serve, or keep refrigerated ready for packed lunches. 

2 comments Basics, Gestational Diabetes, Gluten-free, Lunches, Meatfree Monday, Vegetarian

Spicy Vegetable 'Noodle' Soup

As I mentioned previously, I am trying to eat healthier meals, and ensuring each meal contains extra vegetables where possible.  I picked up some spiralised sweet potato at the supermarket reduced to 20p and a pack of stir fry vegetables which were also reduced to 20p.  I decided to turn them into a delicious soup for myself and my 16yo to enjoy, perfect fuel for her exam revision.

Spicy Vegetable 'Noodle' Soup

300g spralised sweet potato, or use a vegetable peeler to create 'ribbons'
500g mixed vegetable stir fry
1 litre vegetable stock
2 onions, roughly diced
2 cloves garlic, mined
2 tsp fresh ginger, very finely grated
1 tsp turmeric powder

Spray a large saucepan with a little oil and cook the onions until softened but not coloured.  Add the turmeric, garlic and ginger then cook for a couple of minutes.  Add the stock and vegetables, simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until the sweet potato 'noodles' are tender.  Serve immediately, with a bread roll or two on the side. 

Leave a Comment Basics, Dairy free, Gestational Diabetes, Gluten-free, Lunches, Meatfree Monday, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Stuffed Mushrooms

Another delicious lunch, synfree if you are following Slimming World, that is very quick and easy to prepare.  My toddler loved this, and my 13yo asked me to make it for her as an after school snack.

I purchased the mushrooms on offer at the supermarket and was able to get 4 large flat mushrooms for 50p, and used fresh herbs from our garden, so this is a thrifty and delicious meal.  I used my very fine microplane grater to great the hard cheese, it makes a small amount of cheese go much further.

Stuffed Mushrooms - serves 2

4 large flat mushrooms

8 Tblsp quark

2 Tblsp finely chopped fresh chives

1 Tblsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, crushed/minced

30g parmesan cheese, very finely grated

Preheat your oven grill to medium.  Place the mushrooms on a lined oven tray and grill, face down/cap side up, for about 5 - 7 minutes.  Whilst the mushrooms are grilling, mix the quark, herbs and garlic together.  Take the mushrooms out of the oven, turn up the grill temperature to high and flip the mushrooms over so they are right way up.  Carefully divide the topping between the 4 mushrooms and sprinkle the grated cheese on top.  Grill for a further 5 - 7 minutes until the cheese has melted and the topping heated through.  I served these mushrooms on a bed of wilted spinach.

Leave a Comment Gestational Diabetes, Gluten-free, Lunches, Snacks, Vegetarian

Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup

It seems like we've all had the lurgy for the past couple of months, it comes and almost goes but we never feel totally well.  I've decided to try and cram as many vegetables in to our diet as possible, to try and combat the lurgy and get us all feeling better.

I cooked this soup on a blustery and windy day, it was so comforting and warming, I was glad there was plenty left to stash in the freezer as well as giving a bowl to my daughters for an after school snack.

Vegetable and Pearl Barley Soup

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, roughly diced

3 carrots, roughly diced

3 stalks celery, roughly diced

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced

1 butternut squash, peeled and roughly diced

200g pearl barley

2 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 litres of vegetable stock

salt and pepper to season

Sweat the vegetables in a little oil for a few minutes until the onion has softened.  Add the stock, dried herbs and pearl barley, then simmer for around 40 minutes until the pearl barley has swelled and is soft and the vegetables are very tender.  Serve in bowls, season to taste and top with chopped fresh parsley if you have any.  We ate ours with Hidden Goodness Rolls.

 

1 comment Basics, Dairy free, Dinners, Gestational Diabetes, Live Below the Line., Lunches, Soup, Vegan

Fruit Puree Loaf and Muffins (Vegan)

I baked this vegan loaf using left over baby food purees I had found when cleaning out our chest freezer.  I decided to bake with them and the result was a delicious loaf and muffins, refined sugar free if you want, that are quick and easy to make.

I used apple and pear puree for the loaf and added some fresh blueberries, for the muffins I used a tin of fruit salad that I drained and whizzed up in our food processor until it was smooth and more apple and pear puree.  You need 300g of fruit puree for the loaf and another 300g - 400g of fruit puree for the muffins depending on which flour you use.

Fruit Puree Loaf

300g fruit puree

1/3 cup/80ml oil

2 or 3 Tblsp sugar (optional)

1 large dollop vanilla bean paste or 2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups/225g self raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

150g blueberries (optional)

Grease and line a 1lb/900g loaf tin.  Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F.

Mix the fruit puree and oil together in a bowl, add the sugar if you are using it then mix in the remaining ingredients until everything is combined.  Don't beat the mixture or your loaf will be tough.  How easy is that?! A quick measure and mix then it's ready for the oven.  Pour the mixture into your prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until cooked though.  To check if the loaf is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of the loaf, if it comes out clean then the loaf is cooked.

Fruit Puree Muffins

300g fruit puree if using plain flour, 400g fruit puree if using wholemeal flour

1/3 cup/80ml oil

2 or 3 Tblsp sugar (optional)

1 1/2 cups/225g wholemeal or white self raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

50g sultanas
50g dried apricots 

Line a muffin tin with paper baking cases or grease the tin well.  Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F.

Mix the fruit puree and oil together in a bowl, add the sugar if you are using it then mix in the remaining ingredients until everything is combined.  Don't beat the mixture or your loaf will be tough.  Divide the mixture evenly between the holes in your prepared muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.  To check if the loaf is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of a muffin, if it comes out clean then the muffins are cooked.

Leave a Comment Basics, Bread, Breakfast, Dairy free, Gestational Diabetes, Lunches, Muffins, Snack, Snacks, Vegan

Traffic Light Quinoa Bites

These delicious and filling bites are great in lunchboxes or for an after school snack.  My 15 month old son loves them and they are great for toddlers, older children, and adults alike! You can vary the vegetables you use according to your tastes.  We have tried various combinations including: frozen peas and corn (defrosted), orange or yellow peppers, grated sweet potato and finely sliced spring onion.  

I tend to cook up a big batch of quinoa then freeze it in portions.  I discovered a microwave pouch of quinoa and brown rice on offer in the supermarket for 74p so used that this time and it was delicious, and very quick.  These are a good snack for after school, before sporting activities and clubs as they are filling but not heavy.

Traffic Light Quinoa Bites

1 ½ cups cooked quinoa, or a 200g microwave pouch of quinoa, cooked and cooled

1 courgette, grated

1 carrot, grated

1 red pepper, finely diced

60g Parmesan, grated - plus extra for sprinkling (or vegetarian hard cheese)

2 medium free range eggs

½ - 1 tsp dried mixed herbs

Ensure the cooked quinoa is room temperature.  Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4.  Grease a muffin tin using a little oil on some kitchen towel.

Squeeze excess moisture from the grated courgette, and add to a bowl with the cooked quinoa, grated carrot, prepared pepper and greated parmesan.

Add the eggs and herbs then mix until ingredients are completely combined.  Spoon into the holes in the muffin tin and sprinkle some extra grated parmesan on the top of each one.

Bake in the preheated oven for approx 20-25 mins until lightly golden and set.  Allow to cook for 10 minutes then gently ease out of the muffin tin with a spoon or palette knife.

2 comments Gestational Diabetes, Gluten-free, Lunches, Meatfree Monday, Muffins, Rice, Snack, Snacks, Vegetarian

Savoury Biscuits - Poppy Seed, and Sun-dried Tomato and Parmesan

My 15yo daughter baked these delicious morsels to practice for her GCSE Food Technology practical session.  They are very moreish and would be perfect for lunchboxes with hummus or herbed yoghurt dip, an after school snack, or with drinks at a party.  These biscuits are based on a Paul Hollywood recipe altered to suit our tastes.

Savoury Biscuits

375g plain, all purpose, flour

1 tsp salt

125g unsalted butter, softened

2 medium free range eggs

2 Tblsp poppy seeds

50g Parmesan, finely grated (or a vegetarian hard cheese)

1 Tblsp sun-dried tomato paste or tomato puree

Put the flour, salt, butter, one of the eggs and 40ml cold tap water into a bowl.  Mix to combine the ingredients then get your hands in the bowl and squish the dough together.  Turn out on to your work surface and lightly knead for a minute or two until a smooth dough forms. 

Divide the dough in half.  Put each portion of dough into a mixing bowl.  Add the poppy seeds to one portion of dough and the tomato paste and Parmesan to the other portion of dough.  Knead the flavour additions into the dough.  Mixing the flavour additions into the dough whilst the dough is in a bowl is much less messy than trying to incorporate the ingredients on a work surface.  Those poppy seeds get everywhere if you spill any!

Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.  Lightly flour your work surface and roll out each portion of dough to about 3mm thick, about the thickness of a £1 coin.  Transfer the rolled out dough to the prepared trays and cover with cling film.  Put in the fridge to rest for half an hour.  We used this time to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen.

Preheat the your oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6.  Lightly flour your work surface and transfer the rested dough from the trays to your work surface.  Using a 7cm/2¾ inch round cutter, cut biscuits from the dough.  Re-roll the dough and keep cutting out biscuits until all the dough has been used.  Put the biscuits onto the lined trays.

Bake the biscuits for 10-15 minutes until golden-brown.  Remove the biscuits from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  These biscuits are delicious with hummus or other dips, and are very moreish.

1 comment Biscuits, Gestational Diabetes, Lunches, Party, Snacks, Vegetarian

Picnic Lunch Bread Cases - Credit Crunch Munch for April

I'm delighted to be hosting Credit Crunch Munch this month.  The challenge was devised by Camilla and Helen as a way of sharing frugal, thrifty and delicious recipes each month.  Link up your scrumptious budget conscious recipes using the linky at the bottom of this post.

It is school holidays here for us and my lovely children are bottomless pit at the moment.  Keeping them fed and watered without them over eating or indulging in too many treats is a challenge.  I baked these tasty morsels for us to take to the park for lunch.  Playing at the local park is a fun, free, boredom busting school holiday activity, and a great way for them to burn off energy and get rid of grumpiness.

These tasty morsels are great for using up veg lurking in the fridge and bread that may be passed it's best.  I used diced ham leftover from a ham roast, chives from our garden and some peppers that needed using up from our veg drawer in the fridge.  I've used grated carrot and courgette in the past, the recipe is easily adapted to whatever you have in the fridge or cupboards.  You could also use tinned or frozen veg, just defrost the veg before using. 

Picnic Lunch Bread Cases

3 spring onions, finely sliced – green and white parts or some chives
4 slices of ham, diced (optional)
1 pepper, finely diced – any colour will do
handful or two of frozen vegetables (optional)
12 slices wholemeal bread, crusts removed
8 medium free range eggs
150ml milk
grated cheese for topping (optional)

Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C Fan. Spray a metal 12 hole muffin tin with non-stick baking spray.

Push the bread into the muffin tin holes then spoon in the ham and vegetables.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and some salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture evenly into the prepared bread cases. When pouring in the egg mixture into the cases, pour until it reaches the top of the muffin hole. The egg mixture will absorb into the bread a little so pour all 12 first then you can go back and add more if you have egg mixture left over.

Bake for 20 minutes. Leave to sit for 5 minutes before removing from the tin. Serve.

How to enter Credit Crunch Munch

To take part, blog about a food related money saving idea and add your post to the Linky.  Thrifty ideas include:

Dishes using cheaper ingredients – cheap cuts of meat or vegetarian

Meals using leftovers

Meals using up the ends of packets

Substitutions of cheaper ingredients

Packed lunches

Meals that use less energy to cook

Pressure cooking

Slow cooking

Faster cooking – less oven time for example

Batch cooking for the freezer

Sustainable foods

Food you have grown yourself

Meals from reduced food in the supermarket

The list is endless! 

We do do a full round up so I will be mentioning and linking back to all the recipes that are submitted in my round up at the end of the month.

There are a few rules:

Please link to the Credit Crunch Munch pages on Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food 4 All
Please link to the current host (ME!)
Please use the Credit Crunch Munch Badge above
Tweet using #creditcrunchmunch
Closing date – last day of the month – so 30th April 2015
You are welcome to link up one or two old posts, but please republish them
By entering you are agreeing to let us use an image from your entry on this site, and to pin to Pinterest
If blogging a recipe from elsewhere on the internet or a book please be mindful of copyright.
But feel free to send your entries to as many other blogging challenge events as you like, let’s help everyone save money!

Tell me about your money saving ideas on the linky below! I am also making this a blog hop, so feel free to grab the code and add to your post too. Let’s spread the money saving ideas!

We’ll be looking for guest hosts later in the year, so please mail Helen if you are interested. helen at fussfreeflavours dot com

6 comments Basics, Gestational Diabetes, Lunches, Meatfree Monday, Party, Snack, Snacks, Vegetarian

December and January Extra Veg Round Up

Apologies for the delay in posting the round up, life has been rather challenging of late.  Thank you so much to all who took part in Extra Veg, there are so many delicious recipes to help us include more vegetables in our meals.  There is a Wholefoods Vegetable Box for an entrant in the linky selected by Random.org. Winner is revealed at the end of this post.

Courgette Soup from Camilla

Make Ahead Leek and Poppy Seed Sausage Rolls from Ren Behan

Pea and Sweetcorn Side Dish from Herbs, Spices and Tradition

Aubergine, Pepper and Bean Casserole from We Don't Eat Anything With a Face

Slow Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

Beetroot Salad with Freekeh Wholegrains from Maison Cupcake

Incredible Twisted, Meatfree Leftovers from Delicieux

Stuffed Cashew Nut Roast from Gluten-free Alchemist

Makizushi Meal Kit à volonté from By The Way . . . .

Orange, Carrot and Goat Cheese Salad from Tinned Tomatoes

Courgette and Potato Soup with Pasta from My Little Italian Kitchen

Skinny Creamy Celeriac and Apple Soup from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary 

Jerulsalum Artichoke, Chestnut and Mushroom Soup from How to Cook

Quick 5 A Day Mince One Pot from Madhouse Family Reviews

Vegetable Medley in Veloute from East West Realm

Vitamix Pea Soup with Cheese and Chives from Maison Cupcake

Spicy Roots Soup from Lancashire Food

Roasty Smoky Brussels Sprouts with Chickpeas from The Taste Space

Steamed Cauliflower and Salmon "Risotto" - from Fuss Free Flavours

Vegetable Cottage Pie topped with Sweet Potato Mash from East Your Veg

Warm Spinach, Kale and Bacon Salad from Munchies and Munchkins

Sausage, Apple and  Bean Casserole from The Gluten Free Alchemist

Forgotten Veg Soup from Jo's Kitchen

Cannellini Bean Dip with Butternut Squash from Maison Cupcake

Spinach, Mint and Lemon Soup from Feeding Boys and a Firefighter

Roast Tomato and Pepper Soup from Maison Cupcake

Beetroot and Kale Soup with Kale and Almond Crumble from Ren Behan Food

Kale and Cauliflower Samosas from Bangers and Mash

Chicken Garbure from Delicieux

Spiced Lentil, Carrot and Roasted Tomato Soup from Choclette

Carrot Soup from Juggle Mum

Cucumber and Noodle Salad with Peanut Butter Dressing from Searching for Spice

Sausage and Roasted Vegetable Tray Bake from Family, Friends, Food

Mushroom Spinach and Barley Bake from Family, Friends, Food

Sausage, Roasted Pepper and Pea Frittata from Feeding Boys and a Firefighter

Baked Salmon with Spinach and Basil Pesto Pasta from Proware

The winner of the goodies from Wholefoods is:

Entrant number 13 which was Jerulsalum Artichoke, Chestnut and Mushroom Soup from Laura at How to Cook.  Congratulations Laura, we'll be in touch regarding your prize.

Do check out the current linky for March over at Elizabeth's Kitchen.

5 comments Basics, Dairy free, Gestational Diabetes, Gluten-free, Lunches, Meatfree Monday, Pasta, Rice, Salad, Snack, Snacks, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tomato and Basil Soup with Cheese Toasts

My 11yo made this soup as a practise session before her Food Technology class this week.  She devised and tested the recipe herself.  It was delicious! I'll get her to cook a double batch next time and we'll save it in portions for lunches during the week.  11yo also took photos of her finished meal, I might have some food blogger competition from her soon. 

Tomato and Basil Soup 

1 Tblsp oil - 3p
1 onion, finely diced - 7p
2 cloves garlic, finely diced - 2p
400g tin chopped tomatoes - 40p
500ml vegetable stock - 3p
1 large carrot, peeled and grated - 4p
3 Tblsp chopped fresh basil - free (growing in our garden)

Put a little oil into a large saucepan. Cook onion over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, stock and carrot. Bring to the boil. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add two tablespoons of the basil then cook for a further 5 minutes. Using a blender, blend soup until smooth. Pour into 4 bowls and serve topped with left over fresh basil.  Total cost of soup was 59p.

I've entered this soup into the Credit Crunch Munch blog challenge, created by Helen and Camilla, hosted this month by My Little Italian Kitchen.  It was a frugal but delicious lunch, especially because we used homemade bread and reduced for quick sale cheese.

I am also entering this soup into Extra Veg, the blogging challenge created by Helen and I, hosted this month by Fuss Free Living.

I'm also entering this soup into No Croutons Required, created by Jac, hosted this month by Lisa's Kitchen. 

I've entered this soup into Family Foodies, created by Eat Your Veg and Bangers & Mash, hosted by Eat Your Veg this month.  The theme is Vegetarian.

7 comments Basics, Gestational Diabetes, Lunches, Soup, Vegetarian

Wholemeal Banana Slice

I baked this slice as a lunchbox treat for my daughters and also an energy boosting snack for me to have with a cuppa. The slice is not particularly sweet, using very over-ripe bananas helps boost the sweetness and the flavour, as does adding some dried fruit.  A delicious way to use up over-ripe bananas!

Wholemeal Banana Slice

200g wholemeal plain flour

90g rolled oats

75g light soft brown sugar

75g dried fruit

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

3 over-ripe bananas, mashed

4 Tblsp/60ml milk, I used semi-skimmed but you could use soy/almond milk

2 free range eggs

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan.  Line a 23cm square cake tin with non-stick baking paper.  Mix together the flour, oats, sugar, dried fruit, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl then make a well in the centre.

In another bowl or large jug combine the mashed banana, milk and egg.  Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until completely combined.  Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and level the top.  Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.  Set aside to cool completely before cutting and serving.  

1 comment Basics, Cakes, Dairy free, Gestational Diabetes, Lunches, Snacks