LIVING BELOW THE LINE
Left for France on Thursday after finishing the Challenge and was brought up sharp at the first Service Station where we stopped for breakfast.
It cost us £6.69 for a coffee, tea and two slices of toast with jam!
It was nearly what we had spent on our whole week's food! It was a salutary reminder of how much we spend on food and the service industry. I should have got up half an hour earlier (even with the early start we had) and made us a picnic and donated the extra money to one of the great LBTL charities.
Monday, 9 May 2011
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Living Below the Line - Day 5
LIVING BELOW THE LINE - DAY 5
Well the 5 days are over and I am about to head off to bed. Perhaps a little disappointed that the week has not been harder but definitely more thoughtful about what I will buy in the future and probably less in the way of thinking - Oh I would like to eat that tonight, so I will buy it.
Today we ate porridge for breakfast, green pea soup for lunch and tomato and egg curry for supper.
I think the 5 have been a great challenge in many ways and perhaps it has also been exciting to put my mind to how I can make each day's food interesting. I am in that fortunate position of knowing where my next meal will come from unlike so many millions of the world's poorest people. Also how fortunate am I that by no virtue of my own I live in a land of plenty when millions go hungry every day? I do hope that this challenge will encourage people to give what they can to the Agencies working to bring about a more just world.
Well the 5 days are over and I am about to head off to bed. Perhaps a little disappointed that the week has not been harder but definitely more thoughtful about what I will buy in the future and probably less in the way of thinking - Oh I would like to eat that tonight, so I will buy it.
Today we ate porridge for breakfast, green pea soup for lunch and tomato and egg curry for supper.
I think the 5 have been a great challenge in many ways and perhaps it has also been exciting to put my mind to how I can make each day's food interesting. I am in that fortunate position of knowing where my next meal will come from unlike so many millions of the world's poorest people. Also how fortunate am I that by no virtue of my own I live in a land of plenty when millions go hungry every day? I do hope that this challenge will encourage people to give what they can to the Agencies working to bring about a more just world.
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Living Below the Line - Day 4
DAY 4 - Living Below the Line
Four days have passed now, as I am writing this on the dawn of the last day.
Yesterday I was talking to other friends who are doing the challenge and it's so interesting to see what others buy. You can see on the LBTH web site and in Think Global Teams to see the Bridges Team that I am part of. You can also donate there if you want.
Looking on other web sites and reading some blogs makes me realise how differently people view this challenge. It really is not about looking in a well stocked cupboard and making something and costing the ingredients. For me, it is about having a finite amount of basic food and doing the bestIi can with it. I have tried to use foods that would be available to a subsistance farmer and cook on only one gas ring. I am aware that my experience is nothing compared to those who struggle day by day to feed a family but I do feel I have walked a little closer to them and have definitely thought more about the issues - but no nearer a solution.
Well - now begins the last day.
Day 4 meals were as follows.
Breakfast - Some tinned tomatoes and scrambled egg to start the day.
Lunch - There was enough of last night's meal for John to reheat at lunchtime. I was out so made a snack of pancakes when I got haome and kept the rest of the mixture for the evening meal.
Supper - Tomato and Onion Curry with Pancakes
1 1/2 onions, chopped
Tin of tomatoes
Curry spice
Water, salt
These ingredients were all cooked together until soft and delicious!
Served with rice and pancakes.
Pancakes - I am getting quite proficient at these and they are something we both say we will enjoy in the future. I used the basic recipe as before and added one large spoon of cooked green peas. Then I dry fried them and they were a tasty side dish.
Four days have passed now, as I am writing this on the dawn of the last day.
Yesterday I was talking to other friends who are doing the challenge and it's so interesting to see what others buy. You can see on the LBTH web site and in Think Global Teams to see the Bridges Team that I am part of. You can also donate there if you want.
Looking on other web sites and reading some blogs makes me realise how differently people view this challenge. It really is not about looking in a well stocked cupboard and making something and costing the ingredients. For me, it is about having a finite amount of basic food and doing the bestIi can with it. I have tried to use foods that would be available to a subsistance farmer and cook on only one gas ring. I am aware that my experience is nothing compared to those who struggle day by day to feed a family but I do feel I have walked a little closer to them and have definitely thought more about the issues - but no nearer a solution.
Well - now begins the last day.
Day 4 meals were as follows.
Breakfast - Some tinned tomatoes and scrambled egg to start the day.
Lunch - There was enough of last night's meal for John to reheat at lunchtime. I was out so made a snack of pancakes when I got haome and kept the rest of the mixture for the evening meal.
Supper - Tomato and Onion Curry with Pancakes
1 1/2 onions, chopped
Tin of tomatoes
Curry spice
Water, salt
These ingredients were all cooked together until soft and delicious!
Served with rice and pancakes.
Pancakes - I am getting quite proficient at these and they are something we both say we will enjoy in the future. I used the basic recipe as before and added one large spoon of cooked green peas. Then I dry fried them and they were a tasty side dish.
Monday, 2 May 2011
Living Below the Line - Day 3
DAY 3
Two posts today - unheard of for me!
There have been lots of opportunities to talk to people about what we are doing and it does start some interesting conversations. We are missing that 'grazing' of being able to go to the fruit bowl or cupboard to nibble at something. It has made us wonder how it must be to go to a cupboard in a place of extreme poverty and see nothing to feed the family.
Breakfast was the same as Day 1 with the porridge.
Lunch Vegetable Soup and Oat Biscuits
Made some soup with a little left over cooked green peas, carrot, rice, wild garlic bulbs and onion all cooked together and then whizzed it.
Made oat biscuits with oat flour, a little oil, and some of the soup to make a dough. Then I rolled it out and dry fried it in a frying pan.
Supper Carrot and Cabbage Curry and Rice
3 large carrots, chopped
1 1/2 onions, chopped
2tbsp tomato puree
1/4 cabbage, chopped
Bunch of wild garlic greens, chopped
Oil
Salt
Curry spices
Cook onions in a little oil until soft, add tomato puree and curry spice and cook 2 mins.
Add carrots and some water, cook gently. Meanwhile cook the rice.
When rice is ready add the cabbage and wild garlic greens to the carrot curry and cook till tender. Serve with rice.
Two posts today - unheard of for me!
There have been lots of opportunities to talk to people about what we are doing and it does start some interesting conversations. We are missing that 'grazing' of being able to go to the fruit bowl or cupboard to nibble at something. It has made us wonder how it must be to go to a cupboard in a place of extreme poverty and see nothing to feed the family.
Breakfast was the same as Day 1 with the porridge.
Lunch Vegetable Soup and Oat Biscuits
Made some soup with a little left over cooked green peas, carrot, rice, wild garlic bulbs and onion all cooked together and then whizzed it.
Made oat biscuits with oat flour, a little oil, and some of the soup to make a dough. Then I rolled it out and dry fried it in a frying pan.
Supper Carrot and Cabbage Curry and Rice
3 large carrots, chopped
1 1/2 onions, chopped
2tbsp tomato puree
1/4 cabbage, chopped
Bunch of wild garlic greens, chopped
Oil
Salt
Curry spices
Cook onions in a little oil until soft, add tomato puree and curry spice and cook 2 mins.
Add carrots and some water, cook gently. Meanwhile cook the rice.
When rice is ready add the cabbage and wild garlic greens to the carrot curry and cook till tender. Serve with rice.
Living Below the Line - Day 2
We had a good first day and started Day 2 well but forgot to write it up. So here goes.
Breakfast was the left over rice which I made into egg fried rice which went down well with John. I was off to Communion so did not eat.
Lunch Nigerian Pancakes with tomato sauce
75g porridge oats (ground into flour)
60ml milk
120ml water
1 egg
3/4 onion, finely chopped
salt
1tbsp oil
Whizz all the ingredients together and fry as thin pancakes using a little more oil. Serve with sauce. ( Sauce is 1/4 onion and 1/4 tin tomatoes whizzed together.)
Supper Rice and Beans
250g rice
125g beans (green split peas, soaked)
1tbsp tomato puree
3/4 tin of tomatoes
1 large onion
salt
curry spice ( more to season than flavour)
Cook peas until nearly tender. Bring rice to boil in 2x water to rice. Brown onions and reserve a few. Cook tomato puree, tomatoes and spice for a few minutes. Add peas to the rice pot with a little of their cooking liquid. Add onions, tomato mixture and salt to the pot. return to boil, turn down low and cook till rice is done (about 10 mins). serve with reserved onions scattered on top.
Again we enjoyed all we ate but felt a need for something around cup of tea time. I had some oat flour left and mixed it with oil and a little water, made a dough and dry fried it into an oat cake which was very tasty and hit the spot. Even the hot water drunk with it tasted good. It made us reflect on how lucky we are to live in a country of clean, safe water on tap. Even the water we flush our toilets with is drinking quality.
Breakfast was the left over rice which I made into egg fried rice which went down well with John. I was off to Communion so did not eat.
Lunch Nigerian Pancakes with tomato sauce
75g porridge oats (ground into flour)
60ml milk
120ml water
1 egg
3/4 onion, finely chopped
salt
1tbsp oil
Whizz all the ingredients together and fry as thin pancakes using a little more oil. Serve with sauce. ( Sauce is 1/4 onion and 1/4 tin tomatoes whizzed together.)
Supper Rice and Beans
250g rice
125g beans (green split peas, soaked)
1tbsp tomato puree
3/4 tin of tomatoes
1 large onion
salt
curry spice ( more to season than flavour)
Cook peas until nearly tender. Bring rice to boil in 2x water to rice. Brown onions and reserve a few. Cook tomato puree, tomatoes and spice for a few minutes. Add peas to the rice pot with a little of their cooking liquid. Add onions, tomato mixture and salt to the pot. return to boil, turn down low and cook till rice is done (about 10 mins). serve with reserved onions scattered on top.
Again we enjoyed all we ate but felt a need for something around cup of tea time. I had some oat flour left and mixed it with oil and a little water, made a dough and dry fried it into an oat cake which was very tasty and hit the spot. Even the hot water drunk with it tasted good. It made us reflect on how lucky we are to live in a country of clean, safe water on tap. Even the water we flush our toilets with is drinking quality.
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Living Below the Line
I have been rubbish at posting blogs. I don't know if my FT blog was put on the Fairtrade Foundation website but at least the fortnight kept me thinking about FT issues.
Now for Living Below the Line. http://www.livebelowtheline.org.uk/
This is a challenge to see if we can live on £1 per person per day for all food and drink. This means we can spend £10 for the 5 days. It is to get a better idea of the challenges faced by those living in extreme poverty. Plus it will raise some money for anti-poverty initiatives.
Here is my shopping list for the week, for the 2 of us.
4 tins tomatoes (B&M shop) 1.00
1/4 litre oil .36
2kg rice .98
1kg porridge oats .99
1 litre UHT milk .52
Tin of tomato puree .25
500g dried yellow split peas (channa) .49
500g dried green split peas .49
cabbage .50
1.5kg onions 1.00
1.5kg carrots .57
8 small apples 1.00
8 free range eggs 1.00
curry spice, salt, cinnamon
(bought from store cupboard) .50
15g fairtrade coffee
(bought from store cupboard) .25
TOTAL £9.90
Now the meals and each serves 2 people.
Breakfast.
We began the day with porridge made with 3 parts water and 1 part milk. To serve it we added one apple cut small, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a little milk. One cup of coffee.
Lunch. Coleslaw.
1 large carrot, shredded by potato peeler
1/2 onion , chopped small
1 apple, chopped small
Chunk of cabbage, shredded
salt
1tbsp oil
This was all mixed together and tasted surprisingly good and was filling.
Supper. Channa Curry - rice - wild garlic relish
220g yellow split peas, soaked
Tin of tomatoes
1 1/2 onions
oil
curry spice
salt
rice
large bunch wild garlic
Curry -
Cook soaked peas in water
Fry onions in 1tbsp oil until softened, add curry spice, and fry 1min more, add 3/4 tin of tomatoes, add cooked channa with some liquid and continue to cook until tender.
Relish -
Wash and cut up the wild garlic, cook with 1/4 tin of tomatoes, a little water, a little oil and salt, until it is very soft and liquid is absorbed.
Cook as much rice as you want or can afford!
We found we had plenty to eat but it was a challenge not to join the cafe society in the sun whilst we were in Shrewsbury. John is missing coffee a lot.
Now for Living Below the Line. http://www.livebelowtheline.org.uk/
This is a challenge to see if we can live on £1 per person per day for all food and drink. This means we can spend £10 for the 5 days. It is to get a better idea of the challenges faced by those living in extreme poverty. Plus it will raise some money for anti-poverty initiatives.
Here is my shopping list for the week, for the 2 of us.
4 tins tomatoes (B&M shop) 1.00
1/4 litre oil .36
2kg rice .98
1kg porridge oats .99
1 litre UHT milk .52
Tin of tomato puree .25
500g dried yellow split peas (channa) .49
500g dried green split peas .49
cabbage .50
1.5kg onions 1.00
1.5kg carrots .57
8 small apples 1.00
8 free range eggs 1.00
curry spice, salt, cinnamon
(bought from store cupboard) .50
15g fairtrade coffee
(bought from store cupboard) .25
TOTAL £9.90
Now the meals and each serves 2 people.
Breakfast.
We began the day with porridge made with 3 parts water and 1 part milk. To serve it we added one apple cut small, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a little milk. One cup of coffee.
Lunch. Coleslaw.
1 large carrot, shredded by potato peeler
1/2 onion , chopped small
1 apple, chopped small
Chunk of cabbage, shredded
salt
1tbsp oil
This was all mixed together and tasted surprisingly good and was filling.
Supper. Channa Curry - rice - wild garlic relish
220g yellow split peas, soaked
Tin of tomatoes
1 1/2 onions
oil
curry spice
salt
rice
large bunch wild garlic
Curry -
Cook soaked peas in water
Fry onions in 1tbsp oil until softened, add curry spice, and fry 1min more, add 3/4 tin of tomatoes, add cooked channa with some liquid and continue to cook until tender.
Relish -
Wash and cut up the wild garlic, cook with 1/4 tin of tomatoes, a little water, a little oil and salt, until it is very soft and liquid is absorbed.
Cook as much rice as you want or can afford!
*************
We found we had plenty to eat but it was a challenge not to join the cafe society in the sun whilst we were in Shrewsbury. John is missing coffee a lot.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Fairtrade Fortnight 2
Really difficult to get internet up here in Durness so I am making one post and then will do one for the whole fortnight when we get home.
Have tried our best to be as ethical as possible up here in the northernmost village on mainland Britain with veg meals and local produce.
On the way up we have been showing off the FT label, logo and bunting.
Here is my favourite photo so far with a challenge.
This picture was taken on Faraid Head, Durness.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Fairtrade Fortnight 1
Had a fun time today at Admaston House with everyone at Pushchair People (Tuesdays 9.30-11.30am) making some decorated bunting for the Fairtrade Foundation's challenge to create the longest Fairtrade bunting in the world. It's a publicity attempt to get into the Guiness Book of Records and, more importantly, to raise awareness of the problems facing cotton farmers. If we bought more Fairtrade cotton garments we could be assured that those farmers are getting a much fairer deal. (More about that later this week).
Anyway the children and adults seemed to enjoy doing the bunting and it was definitely not a case of 'less is more' in fact the bunting, table and floor was awash with decorations, glue,felt etc!! As you can see the result was really good and soon those flags will be part of the record breaking attempt.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Angelbears
We enjoy trying out different crafts and decided also to have a project which everyone could do at any time. We decided on knitting bears for a charity called Angelbear http://www.angelbear.org.uk/ who send these bears to conflict zones and anywhere that they know a child would appreciate a bear for comfort. The knitters amongst us have knitted bears, others have stuffed them or sewn them up and we have all contributed to the cost of sending them. Since this picture we have about twice as many bears. They will be on display in Church on Mothering Sunday (3rd Apr) and then they will go on their way. It's been a good way to enjoy ourselves at the same time as being useful!
Friday, 4 February 2011
Favourite shop
I said I would tell you about my favourite shop. This shop is such fun as I have a good root around, get amazing bargains and feel virtuous and ethical all at the same time! It is a charity superstore near Cannock with fantastic prices, called the newlife trading company http://www.newlifetrading.co.uk/ . The store receives clothes, shoes, bags, etc. from companies. They are excess stock or end of lines which are new and not usually at all damaged. I have bought new men's shoes for £4.99 and dresses for under a tenner. This week the women's clothes were on offer, if the item cost £2.99 and you bough
t 2 or more they were reduced to £1.99. I got a lovely purple cashmere cardigan and a grey ribbed jumper for that price. Dressing gowns (see the photos) were only £4.99 and the children's hats and gloves were only £1 each.
t 2 or more they were reduced to £1.99. I got a lovely purple cashmere cardigan and a grey ribbed jumper for that price. Dressing gowns (see the photos) were only £4.99 and the children's hats and gloves were only £1 each.
The shop raises money for it's designated charity, the Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children http://www.newlifecharity.co.uk/ which exists as 'specialists for special children' . The charity provides a nurse service, equipment grant service, medical research and campaign & awareness. So it's a win-win situation as the companies are able to reduce their waste, materials are reused and goods that would usually be disposed of get a new life and money is raised for a fantastic charity.
I have to say it has spoilt me for High Street shopping as those prices seem so high and I get a buzz from the bargains.
So if you feel like an ethical shop and live near enough pop along and check it out. If not, they do sell some things on e-bay, so look there.
Sunday, 30 January 2011
Not a good start!
Have not done well in keeping up with this blog but have to say that the thought of it has at least made me think about my ethical score each day.
Anyway the tilapia was lovely and cooked it simply in some garlic, butter, olive oil and lemon in a frying pan and some organic rice to eat with it.
That brings me to how I am trying to food shop. I was told a way to approach ethical food shopping by using my LOAF. That means buying . . .
Local
as far as possible.
It was a good week as far as that went. I adapted a recipe I had saved from The Guardian Saturday magazine from Yotam Ottolenghi.
It is a mixture of fried onions (local), cooked green lentils (organic), basmati rice (organic) all cooked together with cumin & coriander seed, cinnamon, turmeric and sugar (Fairtrade). Served with a cucumber and yoghurt salad and a glass of rose wine. It all went down very well. Here's a picture of the finished dish.
The leftover lentils went into Thai spiced lentil rissoles which worked well and as we like vegetarian food it felt better eating more sustainable ingredients and using left-overs!
Well that's it for now.
Ethical shopping in next blog when I share news of my favourite shop with you.
Anyway the tilapia was lovely and cooked it simply in some garlic, butter, olive oil and lemon in a frying pan and some organic rice to eat with it.
That brings me to how I am trying to food shop. I was told a way to approach ethical food shopping by using my LOAF. That means buying . . .
Local
Organic
Animal Friendly
Fairtrade as far as possible.
It was a good week as far as that went. I adapted a recipe I had saved from The Guardian Saturday magazine from Yotam Ottolenghi.
It is a mixture of fried onions (local), cooked green lentils (organic), basmati rice (organic) all cooked together with cumin & coriander seed, cinnamon, turmeric and sugar (Fairtrade). Served with a cucumber and yoghurt salad and a glass of rose wine. It all went down very well. Here's a picture of the finished dish.
The leftover lentils went into Thai spiced lentil rissoles which worked well and as we like vegetarian food it felt better eating more sustainable ingredients and using left-overs!
Well that's it for now.
Ethical shopping in next blog when I share news of my favourite shop with you.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Starting Out
This is my first blog ever and I am going to keep a record of my year and my attempts to live as ethically as possible. Look at my About Me section to see what I hope to do. I am not telling you what you should do, I just want to blog about my life and the ethical decisions I make. As you will see, if you follow, I really enjoy shopping and food so a lot will be about that part of my days! It will be good to have your comments and hear your views.
This week has been good as I was at a Shropshire Fairtrade Coalition meeting where we were told that the Shrewsbury is well on the way to becoming a FT town. Then i was at a school who are getting really enthused about becoming a Fairtrade School. It's great to see how keen these primary age children are and how much they know of the issues involved.
Off now to cook some Tilapia fish which has been sustainably farmed. Let you know how it tasted in the next blog.
Thanks for reading this and hope you will return. I hope to blog a couple of times a week.
This week has been good as I was at a Shropshire Fairtrade Coalition meeting where we were told that the Shrewsbury is well on the way to becoming a FT town. Then i was at a school who are getting really enthused about becoming a Fairtrade School. It's great to see how keen these primary age children are and how much they know of the issues involved.
Off now to cook some Tilapia fish which has been sustainably farmed. Let you know how it tasted in the next blog.
Thanks for reading this and hope you will return. I hope to blog a couple of times a week.
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