The Sunny Corner

potatoes - check

frozen peas - check

oil - check

onion - check

cummin seed, mustard seed, grated ginger and tumeric - check

fresh coriander - check (from the garden)

salt, chilli powder, garam masala and lemon juice - check

hot water - check check check

So I suppose tonight’s dinner was not so hard at all if I am going to only cook things from what I have in my cupboards. As my own personal challenge goes on I might find that I will have to be more creative. Looking forward to it. Thinking that whatever I save over the next 7 days I will donate to the Oaktree foundation, or a homeless person. Let’s see how we go!

xo for now, I wonder what will be on the menu tomorrow?! will have to get thinking…

Hi there,

I have been thinking more and more about the need for me to spend less money in my everyday. I talk about it almost everyday now but I can’t quite seem to kick some of my terrible money-spending habits. It is like my mind is thinking about it but I can’t quite get there. I am pathetic!

I have been reading Arabella Forge’s “Frugavore - how to grow your own, buy local, waste nothing and eat well” book and also looking through Delia Smith’s classic cookbook “Frugal Food”. This week I have also been looking into a challenge by the OakTree Foundation called “Living below the line” which is a campaign to address extreme poverty in young people. Looking through my expenses I cannot believe how much I overspend and waste in a week. The challenge looks at how people are living on about $2 a day for their food and drink. This would equal about $10 a week to buy all of your food - which when you think about it would mean skipping a few meals or just eating oats or rice all day.

I don’t really know where to begin such a challenge for myself. I already have food in my pantry and cupboards so perhaps I could spend the next week only eating from my pantry and make meals from what I have. In fact, I could do that until I use up every item in my pantry. That way I could use some things from my garden and I would not waste any of the items that are just sitting in my cupboard.

Having a veggie garden is fantastic, but it is also quite hard work especially. if I am busy with work and other commitments. I haven’t quite got the hang of succession planting yet, I usually just plant a whole lot of seeds and then when they have matured I think, “damn, I wish I had planted a few seeds each day!” - but time just gets away.

Hmm so things to think about for now, I will let you know if I decide to go ahead with the Living below the line challenge or not. Please let me know if you are living frugal and loving it?!

xxoo

Hi all,

Some things that are going well in the garden at the moment are the sweet corn, the Eggplant (or Aubergine for UK readers) plant, Mizuna, rocket, radish, carrots, Rattle Snake beans and borlotti beans. Have taken some new photos so will put them up in a second.

Speak soon,

• Radish
• Rocket
• Sweet Corn
• Pak Choi
• Coriander
• Mini Cabbages
• Rattle Snake Beans
• Snow Pea sprouts
• Fenugreek sprouts
• Watercress
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes