• Easy courgette fritters.

    Published On: July 23, 2025Categories: Healthy food, Light Meals, Vegetarian

    These courgette fritters are very similar to the courgette waffles, but cheaper as no egg is needed. I make these a couple of times a week now that courgettes are in season. They are great [...]

  • Spicy Airfried Courgette

    Published On: July 22, 2025Categories: Uncategorized

    Air fried courgettes is a fairly new way to cook courgette for me. I had seen it on a couple of videos on Youtube. Mr S loves it, and it is quick and easy. As [...]

  • Black currants a super crop

    Published On: July 14, 2025Categories: Growing Food, Snacks

    Yesterday it was Operation Black currant leathers, and making  cordial. When dehydrated I will cut and roll the leathers up in grease proof paper for a sweet treat for myself and my grandson. These last [...]

  • 2 person Greek pastie

    Published On: July 12, 2025Categories: Mains

    I had been given some out of date pastry. Friends give me their out of date food as I am always banging on about not wasting anything. However, except for fruit, I didn't have anything [...]

  • Use it up day.

    Published On: July 8, 2025Categories: saving waste

    During the 2nd World war there was a slogan in the UK to help people to save resources. "Use it up, wear it out, or do without," posters were prominent. I still live by this [...]

  • Stretch sausage and bean pie

    Published On: July 7, 2025Categories: Mains, saving waste

    It was a use up what we have in the fridge day today. I will often have half a tin of beans in the fridge and one or two of our thicked, cooked sausages. If [...]

  • Garden abundance.

    Published On: July 5, 2025Categories: Growing Food

    This is a really busy time of year, and some days I feel like I am on a production line. I often get two harvests a day. We have to make sure that the garden [...]

  • Learning to thrive

    Published On: July 1, 2025Categories: Finding Happiness, Wellbeing

    A friend asked me to help her balance her budget last night. She is worried about how she will survive all of these recent price hikes and the threat of more to come. I know [...]

  • Summer slow cooker rice pudding

    Published On: June 27, 2025Categories: Desserts

    People usually think of rice pudding as a winter dish, but I make it throughout the year. During the summer, we usually eat it cold and it makes an easy accompaniment for berries growing in [...]

  • How Rosemary is good for my purse and my health

    Published On: June 22, 2025Categories: Growing Food, Healthy food

    I have lots of big rosemary bushes in my garden, but have never bought any.  They are evergreen and last for years.  The blue flowers are so pretty. Rosemary is easy to propagate and mine [...]

  • Frozen banana bounty treats.

    Published On: June 21, 2025Categories: Snacks

    It has been really hot and sunny recently. I love a cool snack or dessert after a meal but am trying to be a bit more healthy. 😇 As usual, I am trying to save [...]

  • Finding the awe in ordinary

    Published On: June 20, 2025Categories: Living Simply, Wellbeing

    Awe is an emotion that you feel when you are amazed, full of wonder, and feels like you are witnessing something extordinary. It is seen by psychiatrists as being positive for a person's wellbeing. I [...]

  • Strawberry and lemon sorbet

    Published On: June 18, 2025Categories: Desserts

    We had a glut of strawberries which needed using up. I wanted to preserve them by making something refreshing as we are experiencing some hot, sunny days. My daughter and family are coming for a [...]

  • Courgette waffles

    Published On: June 18, 2025Categories: Healthy food, Recipes

    We like waffles. We can batch cook them, freeze them, or store them in the fridge to use during the week. We cook different kinds for different uses, but these are a new savoury one [...]

  • Healthy Magnum

    Published On: June 17, 2025Categories: Recipes, Snacks

    After a busy day in the garden I  was craving a magnum. We had finished all of the ice cream off last week. It is a no spend day today and I am saving my [...]

  • Crystallised ginger

    Published On: June 16, 2025Categories: Baking, Saving money on food

    I love crystallised ginger in my baking but it is an expensive ingredient that I can not afford to buy very often. Sometimes my daughter buys it for me to thank me for helping her [...]

  • How chick peas enhance my diet

    Published On: June 13, 2025Categories: Nutrition, Recipes

    I will hold my hands up. My first 55 years never saw a chick pea pass my lips. Now they form a large part of our monthly meal plans.  The reason is they can be [...]

  • I’m not mean I’m green!

    Published On: June 11, 2025Categories: Living Simply

    Twenty five years ago some of my frugal ways had people laughing at me. I would be called "stingy","mean", a scooge", "tight". One had to be frugal under the radar or else they were scorned [...]

  • Mindset is now survival

    Published On: June 4, 2025Categories: Living Simply

    As we are all acutely aware, there is a cost of living crisis in many countries. A large percentage of people are struggling to pay for accomodation, utilities, nutritious food, and just the basics in [...]

  • Foraging now for winter nutrition

    Published On: June 3, 2025Categories: Foraging For Food

    I always eat more healthily in Spring, summer and Autumn compared to winter. At the beginning of June my garden is already providing me with food full of vitamins, minerals, and protein. Wild food is [...]

  • Microwave egg muffins

    Published On: June 3, 2025Categories: Breakfasts, Light Meals

    We make these egg muffins as take away breakfasts, for picnics, or for lunches. They are quick and easy. They makes a few eggs go further and are tastier. Today I made them to add [...]

  • Luxury potato cakes.

    Published On: June 1, 2025Categories: Light Meals

    We have had lots of potatoes stored this year. I have therefore been making lots of luxury potato cakes. We eat them for lunch a couple of times a week as they are cheap and [...]

  • What I am harvesting in May

    Published On: May 27, 2025Categories: Growing Food

    I had a message last night asking me what I am harvesting from my garden in May. The person wanted to plan for next year and to know what to sow now as they have [...]

  • Nothing needs to be perfect.

    Published On: May 24, 2025Categories: Finding Happiness, Wellbeing

    Society taught me that life is a  competition, and that I had to strive to be the best. If I wasn't, then I was a failure. I was constantly compared to my peers as a [...]

  • Air fried Pak Choi

    Published On: May 24, 2025Categories: Recipes, Vegetarian

    On thing that I started growing about 5 years ago is Pak Choi. It has a lovely mild flavour, is easy to grow.  Pak choi is usually one of the first annuals that I harvest [...]

  • Planning our condiments and preserves.

    Published On: May 17, 2025Categories: Preserves, Saving Money

    During the year we make condiments and other useful items for the larder, depending on what we can grow, forage, or purchase for a good price. I don't make everything each year as I would [...]

  • The Importance of my Victory Garden

    Published On: May 16, 2025Categories: Growing Food

    Growing food is not a hobby for me. Just as people planted ‘victory’ gardens during the war to stay healthy and fed, I do the same now. My income is not enough for me to [...]

  • Keeping a full pantry for little money

    Published On: May 16, 2025Categories: Saving money on food

    My pantry and freezer are always full, despite my food budget being below £700 a year. I think that it is so important to have a stock of food as we never know what is [...]

  • Rhubarb, ginger and custard sundae.

    Published On: May 9, 2025Categories: Desserts, Recipes

    I needed a quick dessert when my daughter and family came for a meal. I couldn't be bothered to bake as I wanted to spend the day in the garden. I therefore made this quick [...]

  • Gluten free quiche.

    Published On: May 8, 2025Categories: Light Meals, Recipes

    We are trying not to go to the supermarket, and stretch the ingredients that we already have to last another month. I love quiche during the summer but didn't have any wraps and didn't want [...]

  • Thankful for WWll cookery knowledge

    Published On: May 8, 2025Categories: Growing Food, Saving money on food, saving waste

    Today is the 80th anniversary of VE day. Spending a lot of time with my grand parents as a child, I automatically picked up some of the war time habits and knowledge in my food [...]

  • Making meals from a half price pork joint

    Published On: April 30, 2025Categories: Saving money on food

    In the UK at Easter and Christmas time. half price joints can often be found in the supermarkets.  Sometimes I buy beef ones and sometimes I buy pork ones.  My friend said to me that [...]

  • Growing from supermarket food

    Published On: April 30, 2025Categories: Growing Food, Saving money on food

    I apologise that I have not posted for a while but I have been sent a few curve balls recently, including my lap top packing in. I am attempting to write this on my phone [...]

  • Pickie lunches and teas

    Published On: April 5, 2025Categories: Light Meals

    Pickie lunches and teas are something that we like to do to use up all of our fridge gravel and bits and pieces.  It feels really decadent and we do it if friends are coming.  [...]

  • Grow lettuce and save money

    Published On: April 3, 2025Categories: Growing Food, Saving money on food

    I don't buy lettuce. Instead I grow my own, inside in winter, and outside in summer.  I have always grown lettuce, even when I had a flat without a garden.  Lettuce seeds are so cheap [...]

  • Garlic Bread

    Published On: April 3, 2025Categories: Recipes, Saving money on food

    We were having an Italian style meal this evening.  I wanted some garlic bread but we did not have any garlic.  I therefore made it with wild garlic.  I had been lucky in that we [...]