SAVOURY ULTRA CHEESE ON TOAST: frugal, easy, skinny option

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Mustard & sesame seeds turn melted cheese from ordinary to sublime...

 Ultra Cheese on Toast: classic favourite with a savoury twist
  

Cheese on toast is a classic stand-by and in these unprecedented times, comforting and familiar.  Whether eaten as a substantial snack (a sandwich, lightly fried in butter until the choose melts and oozes from the sides) or as fat cheesy slices to accompany soups, toasted cheese will rarely be turned down.  

Even those who are cholesterol-phobic will happily take an occasional punt with 30% fat-reduced cheese.  

Right now, large blocks of well-known brands* of hard cheese are good value.  They freeze well, cut into smaller blocks, wrapped in grease-proof paper then tightly cling filmed and sealed in an air-tight sandwich bag.  For best flavour, defrost overnight before using.  

Any stale bread will be good in this recipe: ciabatta is a favourite but sliced bread, rolls or baps work well.  Served with sliced toms & a bit of greenery for a healthy balance of ingredients. 

Cost:  min £1
Serves: 1-2, or 2-4 as a side

Ingred: 
1 ciabatta or equiv rolla/baps, sliced lengthwise OR 2-4 slices of bread
3-5 oz grated cheese 
wholegrain or other mustard
sesame seeds (or pumpkin or any mixed)

Method:

VEGETABLE STOCK/BROTH

Vegetable Stock/Broth: Liquid Gold for Pensioners  

1st posted 3 Mar 2015

Limited Effort, Great Rewards

original photo 8 april 20 

A Vegetable stock is a great way to get a concentrated dose of vitamins and minerals.  The vegetables pictured were bought at the beginning of a week but any leftovers lingering in the fridge will also do.  

You can swap in whatever you've got - celeriac, swede, bits of salad, quick cook veg like broccoli or green beans, sprouts (incl. bean sprouts) - anything apart from strong coloured veg like red cabbage or purple beetroot (unless you like your soup rainbow coloured!).

The great thing about this kind of stock is that the vegetables don't have to be peeled -- they will be drained through a fine-meshed sieve when the stock is ready.  Furthermore, just 10 mins of chopping, the addition of liquid and the stock cooks itself.  A couple of hours on top of the stove (or several in a Slow Cooker) produces a lovely liquid which enhances flavour in other soups.  It freezes like a dream. 

A cup of Vegetable Stock can also be enjoyed by pensioners who don't enjoy solid food, someone recovering from 'flu or colds, or even those looking for a meal substitute.  Plant or carnivore garnishes add protein.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Rose Shulman's Vegetarian Feast, published in the UK in 1979 but out of print.  

Cost : £2.50'ish

Yields: 2 pints/under a litre

Ingredients:

    2 med onions, quartered (no new to remove skins)

    2 carrots, washed & coarsely chopped

    2 stalks celery, washed & coarsely chopped

    2-3 unpeeled washed potatoes, in large chunks

    2 leeks, white only, well washed, in chunks

    4 sprigs fresh parsley or chive (dried is also fine)

    1 bay leaf

    1/2 tsp dried thyme

    1 whole bulb garlic, separated into cloves
    1x 2 inch piece peeled ginger
    4 whole black peppercorns

    1 tablespoon reduced-salt soy sauce

    2 tbsp bullion powder (opt) 

    salt & pepper to taste

    2 1/2 pints/ 1 1/3 litre cold water with or without a shot of white wine, brandy or sherry

Method:

LOVE LEFTOVERS: STUFFED POTATOES low-fat & salt, high fibre

Recipe for uncertain times: frugal, uses up leftovers, easy, filling...and very tasty!   

1st posted 14.06.16

Swap ingredients for what's in your cupboard for this tasty, filling recipe 

This healthy version of Stuffed Potato Skins are perfect for uncertain, wallet-conscious times, combining all those bits and pieces in the fridge which need using up...but producing something sassy, delicious and filling.  

These 67 versions have all the qualities of the original but half the fat and salt.  They are irresistible: crispy, overflowing with mashed potato and stuffed with gooey-gooey and crispy goodies.

They're so easy, teenagers will happily make them themselves. 

It's easy to make swaps.  Cream cheese is replaced partially or fully by Yoghurt-mayo or 100% strained fat-free Greek-style yoghurt, adding tang without cholesterol. 

Back Bacon can be replaced with cheaper (but higher fat) streaky bacon, shards of lower-fat ham, air-dried pastrami or even cold roast pork.  Or try swapping in  prawns or tofu, tossed in vegan 'bacon' bits and fried in hot oil till crispy.  Top the lot with fried egg to turn a snack into a meal.   .    

The portion per serving is half a potato.  

The first stage of preparation can be made up to two days ahead.

Cost: £2.50
Feeds: 4-8 

Ingred:
   4 baking potatoes (not ginormous ones)
   1-2 tbsp olive oil
   pepper & a little salt
   
   2-4 tbsp dairy or plant butter (opt)
   1/4 cup strained 0-fat yoghurt plus 1/4 cup fat-reduced cream cheese OR 1/2 cup yoghurt-mayo OR 1/2 cup strained 0-fat Greek yoghurt
   2 spring onions (grotty leaves & hairy base removed)  or 3-4 tbsp chives, finely chopped
   1/3-1/2 cup reduced-fat cheese, grated (67 uses M&S reduced fat Davidstow or Cathedral City) OR cheese of your choice, including a mix of leftover cheese bits
   4 slices back bacon, fat removed, baked 20 mins in a 180c/350f oven, blotted with paper towels & coarsely chopped (opt )
   4 tbsp corn niblets (opt)
   4 tbsp finely diced green or other coloured peppers 
   2 -4 tbsp dairy or plant milk   

Method:

CUTTING FOOD BILLS IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC

CUTTING FOOD BILLS: PLAN AHEAD

In these uncertain and tumultuous times, cutting food bills without damaging health or existing on boring, flavourless food is a vital tool.   

As time goes on, households are becoming aware that the struggle ahead is not just keeping the larder and freezer stocked up, but also to make stores last as long as possible.  

Turing Food into More than Fuel is the key to keeping a household well-fed and happy and kind to the wallet.  

In confusing times, we need flavour, texture, imagination and all the other good things that make food a pleasure.  And, given a choice, we'd like it to be as healthy as possible and ready for the table without too much prep.   

The UK is lucky - we currently have the highest food standards in the world (Aug 2019).  We are blessed with independent shops selling produce direct from farms, often picked on the day.  Even if you can't afford organic, some producers grow to organic standards but don't bother with  accreditation to keep prices down.  

Thanks to tv chefs, we have also learned how to - as Jaimie Oliver would put it - 'pimp up' simple ingredients with added flavours.   An everyday dish can be transformed into an unusual or exotic delight with a pinch of dried spices and herbs.  They cost cost only a pound or two and it doesn't take long to build up a 'flavour' cupboard.  

Whether you want budget or high-end products (or both) a few tips will make grocery money go further. 

• A weekly MEAL PLAN saves time and money, making the most of the weekly shop and using up leftovers.  Leave a couple of meals a week open/'spontaneous' to prevent boredom.  

• LIMIT THE FOOD SPEND. Work out how much your weekly shop should be and stick to it.  Once the money's gone, it's gone and it's baked beans on toast or pasta until the next shop.  If you can, set aside a kitty of £10 for unexpected bargains too good to resist, which can be frozen or stored for later  

• DON'T THROW AWAY FOOD. 

        Leftovers turn the ordinary into something special.
      - cold veg brightens up winter salads or purees into gorgeous soups
      - cold roasties replace chips for cheap & cheerful Tortilla Espagnol/Potato Onion & Egg Pie
        -  save peelings/tough outer leaves of vegetables for stock (wash non-organic veg in 9 parts water, 1 part vinegar)
       -  peeled broccoli stems & inner cauliflower leaves can be finely chopped and cooked in stir fries  

      - celery fronds & herb stems elevate stock   
      - stale bread becomes breadcrumbs or bread & butter puddings
      - cheese ends brighten canapés or morph into cheese straws 
      - double cream, beaten well, separates into butter and buttermilk
      - boiled eggs add protein to salads
      - over-ripe fruit turns into instant jam,  crumbles, trifles, fruit salads 
- over-ripe bananas, mashed, bake into banana bread/cupcakes/waffles and ice cream 
      - stale nuts are refreshed after 4 mins in a moderate oven; they add plant protein to veg, granolas, or treats like low sugar 'nutella'

•  INVEST IN A FREEZER 

           A decent small one costs about £100, holds more than you think and are perfect for small households.  But whatever the household size, freezers allow you to cook several meals in advance, save on fuel, use up leftovers and store supermarket specials for the future:   
    - leftover stew takes on a new life as chunky soups
    - cooked veg, pureed, adds flavour & body to soups & casseroles
    - fresh banana chunks, coated in chocolate and frozen, are a cheap healthy alternative to ice cream 
   - frozen leftover meat - raw or cooked - adds a wallet-friendly hit of protein to pasta, rice & soups

More details in FREEZER MATTERS 

• PORTION CONTROL IS VITAL.  Soup as a first course, plus a salad or cooked veg reduces demand for expensive protein.  Cut cakes into smaller portions; use smaller cupcake liners and reduce the size of cookies

•  MEAT: Try CHEAPER, MORE FLAVOURFUL cuts -- chicken wings, casserole meat, lamb or ham shanks, oxtail -- become beautifully tender after slow cooking.  Add ROOT VEG & PULSES to make meat go further.  Keep meat portions small; you don't need as much protein as you think.  50/100gm (1.7-3.5oz) per person goes a long way in soups, pasta, fried rice, frittatas, casseroles and soups.  

•  FROZEN FISH is half the price of fresh - even when sustainably fished.  Try pollock.  Coley is a firm-fleshed white fish that is very nutritious and presents well in Asian or spicy dishes.     

• BAKE YOUR OWN BREAD:  Save pounds a week by learning to make bread.  Flour and yeast cost less than 50-pence a loaf and you know exactly what goes into it.  No-knead and soda breads are a doddle; yeasted bread doughs - with practice and determination - turn into 'proper' artisan loaves with a crusty top and yielding interiors. 

• DRIED SPICES are cheaper in supermarkets' international food sections;  the packets are bigger and the brands have usually been vetted by ethnic shoppers 

• DRIED LENTILS AND PULSES are much cheaper than tinned and have better texture and flavour.  They require overnight soaking but are so worth it.  More measure-and-bag-it-yourself sections are appearing in UK supermarkets.  That means you buy only what you need when you need it; no more stumbling on opened packets of pulses years after their use-by dates!

• WONKY OR OVER/UNDER RIPE FRUIT & VEG become crowd-pleasers if  properly prepared.  Fresh pineapple baked with molasses sugar and raw ginger is ambrosial.  Bog-standard supermarket tomatoes become gourmet treats with a spritz of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and basil.  Bags of economy eating fruit provide sweetness without added sugar in crumbles, cakes and bars

• Surplus fruit like apples and pears can be peeled, sliced and cooked lightly in a bit of butter and water; turned into apple/pear sauce they can replace some sugar in cakes and cookies.  Surplus berries laid out on a ridged pan freeze well or combine with other fruits for Instant Jam/Compote

• THE ART OF STIR-FRY.  With our favourite Chinese restaurants shut, it's a good idea to learn how to stir-fry.  It may take a few goes before you get it right but the reward is seeing bits of veg and scraps of protein turned into something exotic and full of interesting flavours.  

• Share ingredients which are not used frequently with a friend - Asian produce, exotic sauces & tinned goods, Middle Eastern Herbs -  or form a Food Club 

• SLOW COOKERS & AIR FRYERS reduce fuel and food bills.   A large Slow Cooker costs just £30 and tenderises cheaper, tougher cuts of meat.  A few bones, root veg and liquid cost just pennies but provides tasty nutrient-rich stock after slow cooking overnight.  Air Fryers are more expensive but are a godsend for reducing fat in meat.  They also toast bread, reheat and bake - in minutes - lovely small cakes for 1-3 people, avoiding wastage and trimming  waistlines.  

Also:

• MAKE FULL USE OF THE OVEN.  When cooking a roast, bake a few potatoes or tomato flavour bombs at the same time. When baking, also cook a batch of Uber Granola and store in an air-tight jar
• FRESH HERBS. Wrap in a clean, damp j-cloth; store in the veg drawer - they'll keep a week.  OR freeze leaves in water or oil in ice cube trays; or freeze stems in sealable bags for flavouring stocks. OR just bung the entire packet in the freezer and break off what's needed when it's needed
• SNACKS- it's cheaper to make your own, and healthier -- no nasty additives and preservatives.  And it'll keep the family occupied during Lockdown.  Quick & Easy recipes for frozen cookie dough, cereals, crackers, pickles, popcorn, potato chips are on the NavBar of the blog 67goingon50 and on the rest of the net 
• TREATS. Include them in your food budget.  We can't/mustn't live without them but they should be limited to, say one or two a week with extra on special occasions. 

B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.