Making a meal out of not very much at all

I've had a day in the garden today, that's after I tidied the church grounds of rubbish. I don't like going out on a Bank Holiday so I am happy to stay at home. I've mowed the lawn, biggish lawn, trimmed some bushes, and pulled some weeds up. My garden is not perfect, I like to leave some rough spots for the frogs, and places for the hedgehogs to hide.

I'm getting a bit low on food. I've got some cans and stuff in the freezer but not the right things to make a meal with. I need to go shopping.

Good job I've got the garden. These three raised beds have spuds in them. the tops have died off but the spuds will be ok in there till I want to use them. I just have a firkle with my hand and pull a few up. Last year I had enough to last till nearly Christmas.

The carrots are doing surprisingly well. There are too many of them in this bed because I just scattered the seed and let them get on with it. I am pulling up the bigger ones to give the tiddlers a chance. The sticks over the top are to keep the cats off. I caught Mayze in it trying to catch a frog, naughty girl.

Only one courgette plant survived for some reason :o( but I am getting quite a few from it.

Not quite as many runner bean plants this year, I didn't buy any fresh seeds, just used up the ones I already had. There's still enough beans for me though.

This is something new I have tried, parsnips. I sowed them a bit late, so I have no idea if they have enough time to grow big enough to eat. We shall see.

Right, what to have for dinner tonight. Amazing that I have red and white skinned potatoes in the same bed, I can't remember planting two different varieties. A few carrots and beans. I have half a courgette in the fridge so I don't need to pick another.

The vegetables go in the steamer along with two shop bought onions from a cheap Tesco Value bag. For the sauce I used a tub of frozen carrot soup, and added turmeric, garlic powder, lemon juice, squeeze of tomato puree, and a sprinkling of mixed spice. Into the microwave for a few minutes. I tasted it and it was a bit too spicy so I put a flat teaspoon of sugar in it. That did the trick, more to my liking.

I am now sitting here with an empty plate, it was delicious. The sauce was not like a conventional packet sauce, thick and gooey. It gave just enough flavour to make the vegetables interesting, without smothering them. I hate it when you lose the taste of the vegetables under a mound of sauce.

Total cost of the meal? Oh, I don't know about 25p or thereabouts :O)