I do a great beetroot risotto. You can use any basic risotto recipe if you're not familiar with them (you don't need any wine - but if you have any open bottles in the fridge it is a good way to use some up). A good chicken stock helps, but can use Bouillon power or stock cube. Cut the beetroot into piece a bit bigger than 1cm cubes and bake it in the oven while you make the risotto, then stir it in at the end. It makes the rice go pink which DD loves. I often combine this with roast butternut squash. The onions can be part of the base.
Anothe favourite is grated beetroot and carrot salad (raw). You need a bit more carrot than beetroot, otherwise it is a bit too intense. Mix with a basic salad dressing. It is improved with grated root ginger and/or green pumpkin seeds. This feels VERY healthy and makes me feel great.
We shop monthly at a wholefood co-operative, buying rice, flour, pulses, oils, tins, fruit juice, refills of washing liquid, loo roll etc there. Usually spend about £130. We then spend £20 a week on our veg and fruit boxes, and £30 every 2 weeks at Waitrose (walking distance) to get cheese and meat. So about £70 a week. A bit pricey but we seldom eat out, me and the boys need lunches, and we do like good food, almost everything is free range or organic. And we occasionally buy half an organic pig or sheep with our next door neighbours. We keep chickens so lots of eggs. I've not included the beer and wine though!
Both dh and I love cooking so we cook from scratch. The kids (age 3 and 6) are adventurous with foods as they have always eaten the same as us, no exceptions (dh just gets less spicey foods then he used to have), they eat curry, mild chilli etc, and a diverse range of greens.
I am also a casserole lover, anything in one dish, and I bulk these up with lentils or barley or 'stew mix'. I love a bit of wine in the sauce. We have lots of pasta and rice veggie dishes which are cheap.
The secret to spending less is shopping less though.
annie
[quote author=Queenie link=topic=218.msg2807#msg2807 date=1184696515]
This is what I'm trying next week, also from GH.
Lentil curry
100g green lentils, 100g red lentils, 1 med onion, 2 tins tomatoes - chopped, 300ml veg stock, 1 tsp garam masala, 2 cloves garlic - crushed, 2 tablespoons tomato puree, 1 tsp korma curry powder
Fry garlic and chopped onion, mix in lentils and add stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 mins (until lentils start to soften). Add all other ingredients and simmer for a further 20 minutes, serve with boiled rice.
Not tried this one yet though but it looks nice and cheap
Lentil Dahl - rice and home made Naan is a regular cheap and yummy tea at our house
125grams of red lentils
1 onion
30 ml oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp tumeris
1 tsp garam masala (optional - we prefer it without)
450 ml water
1 vegetable stock cub
1 tbsp lemon juice
fresh coriander to serve
1/ Rinse the lentils and soak for up to 1 hour (you can skip this if you have no time)
2/Peel and chop the onion. Put the onion, and spices in the frying pan with the oil and fry for 5 mins until the onion is soft
3/Add the lentils and the water and stock cube
4/Bring to the boil, reduce heat and then simmer for about 30 mins (you may need ot add a touch more liquid but it meant to be thick)
5/ Add the lemon juice and serve hot with the fresh coriander sprinkled on top
note: I like to add a bit of frozen spinach to the dahl - the children don't notice but I like it and adds iron
I am Alge4 and i am currently doing my GCSE Food Tech coursework for Jannuary 2009 and i am trying to put together some research over the period of the summer holidays. I was wondering whether anybody here would be willing to tell me:
How much they would deem reasonable on a decent pre-made cold desert?
How many you would wish the cold desert to serve?
What would be your favourite ingrediant used, please bare in mind that this is for a cold desert so NO Meat or Fish.
What you would most definitely no want to be used in the product?
Thank You, Yours Hopefully :-\
Alge4 8)
PS. I may ask some more questions later.
PPS. Sorry if any of my spelling is wrong.
PPPs. I hope after this edit i have made any questions that where hard to understand easier?:D
Hi Algie - not sure I understood the question correctly, but, like Queenie I would normally make desert - e.g bread and butter pudding, or a crumble or pie with fruit from the garden. If I was buying something, it would probably be an ice cream thing, or a cheesecake or meringue type desert - would expect it to serve 6, and would not really pay more than £2.50 - 3 max if it was a special occasion. I would definetely not want hazelnuts as an ingredient, as I am allergic to them.
I presume in food technology, you don't actually do any cooking then?
Thank you for answering those questions. Just so you know the question would be to buy a ready made dessert :-\ .Jacqui jsut for information i would like to tell you and anyone else who is interested that you do practicals of making the foods it is just that you have to have done the research before you make them, so you understant your aims in the product.
Meanwhile anyone who as not answered my questions above would you please do so as the more information i have the more accurate my research will be and therefore the better marks i will end up with :D :D :D :D :D :D .
Just recently i thought of another question i would like to ask so I shall put it to you now. Does the type of packaging and it's properties make a big difference? E.G. would you be more inclined to buy a product if it was in a cardbord box than if it was in a plastic container.
Hi Alge4,
well, I've never baught a ready made pudding (always make my own) but if it was for a special occasion I would spend £3-4 to serve 6 people (but it would have to be something a bit special!). The obvious to ingredient would be chocolate ;D, when I have had pre-made deserts at other people's houses the fruit ones are often bitter or tasteless.
Yes, packaging would make a difference- I but as little plastic as possible so card (or compostible plastic) would be better, and as little packaging as possible. also, clear labelling- there are several allergies in our family (nuts, uncooked egg, etc) so it is so much easier if they are clearly labelled.
Good luck, I used to really enjoy doing coursework at school, and was one of the ones whe would be finished by the first week of the hols.
Gill
