Well here are in 2023. Whatever adventures the New Year brings, we'll travel it together.
My Cookery group is meeting here at my house on Tuesday for the first time this year and I'm looking out lighter ideas, salads and healthy eating for that.
The choir I sing in restarts on the 8th, and after a month of seasonal songs, we'll probably have a few new ones to learn.
My bad knee has improved hugely after all the general strengthening and stretching I've been doing and I'm now able to stride out a lot more on my walks. Looking forward to more of those if this rain ever eases off. And of course we've reputedly a big freeze to look forward to later in January - I shan't be going anywhere during that!
The Next Painting Class
The painting for December at Paint & Sip in our local pub was this Christmas tree. I'm really quite unsure if I like it or not. One minute I'm not sure about it all, and the next, I think it's quite nice!
January's one is not one I'm drawn too, February is the Rainbow Tree which I've already done and March is a Venetian scene that doesn't particularly appeal, but I might do anyway as I really enjoy going.
Daily Mail Feature
Very disappointed that the lovely feature I'd been working on didn't make it into the paper in time for Christmas. It went online, but behind a paywall (a Facebook reader found a way for us to read it). Here are some of the lovely pictures that were taken, I really have something to aspire to now!
The reason I do these media things is that I want people to be able to find our wonderful community and benefit from all the great ideas so it was galling that it didn't make the print paper - perhaps you could help by telling your friends about Thrifty Lesley and/or our Facebook Group?
This might be even more important in 2023 with everything that's happening. There may be difficult times ahead for many.
Getting ready for Veganuary
I'm not a vegan. but I enjoy a lot of food that just happens to be vegetarian or vegan. If you are new to this way of eating, a few ideas might help. This post has lots of ideas from Thrifty Lesley. I don't aim at writing vegan recipes, but as meat and dairy are often the most expensive ingredients, dishes often end up that way.
What I've been making in previous Januarys
Parsnip, Maple Syrup and Lemon Cake
This is just like carrot cake, but instead of carrots, orange and sugar, I used parsnips, lemon and maple syrup. Totally works!
Wild Garlic Pesto
Wild garlic will be making its annual appearance soon. If you are able to gather some, try this gorgeous pesto - my daughter loves it!
Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad
If, like me, you're fancying salads now after all the feasting, this one may hit the spot. Shredded raw Brussels, dried cranberries, walnuts, and a nice dressing.
Although I'll have to buy some more sprouts to make it, we've eaten all our 19p ones!
Cabbage, Sultana & Nut Pasta Bake
There are 3 portions each of fruit and veg in this delicious bake made using humble ingredients - macaroni, cabbage, beans, cashews and Cheddar.
I published an ebook for meal plan 1 in August 2021 and am delighted that many people have thought it was worth getting. I repriced it again in June 2022 and it was still holding on, even in these scary times. Now we are in September and prices have shifted again and
I've managed to get my head around WooCommerce so I can feature it on the blog and you can find it here.
I was busy recooking, photographing and updating the recipes for Meal Plan 2 and putting them into an ebook as well. The meal plan was first written in 2013 and still prices up, which is fabulous and that is finally complete. The book is done now too, prices seem to be stable enough to do it.
I'm well into creating an e-book from the Stretch A Chicken To Last A Week series, hope it won't be long before it's finished. Got a couple of images to take, which means cooking the recipe, and 1 more recipe to write up.
Do come and say hello on the Fantastically Frugal Food Facebook group, or the Sensational Slimming Sustenance group. I'd love to see you. Lots of useful tips, recipes and ideas. The over 17,000 membership are brilliant, brimming with talent.
And don't forget Thrifty Lesley, where there are 800+ recipes of fantastically frugal food and many weekly meal plans. And Cheap Family Recipes where you can find all kinds of delicious things that don't cost much, with two family monthly meal plans.
I've also got a few YouTube videos up, not many yet, but I'm planning to do more. I've done a couple more, need to edit them now. So much to do, so little time!
With all best wishes, until next time
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