Saturday 4 January 2014

Carrots are good for your eyesight.........

because you don't see rabbits wearing glasses, boom boom :o))
What a grotty day it's been today, rain and more chuffin rain. I managed to get a short walk in when it eased off for an hour, other than that I've been keeping myself busy indoors. Two bags of carrots needed peeling and turning into soupy stew. I wouldn't normally peel them but the skins were a bit rough. I kept six back to eat in the next few days. 
I usually chop veg up with a knife, but I thought I would get the Kenwood out and blitz them in that. I can't remember the last time I used it.

And here we have a large pan full to the top, with a couple of onions added for flavour. Then I chuck in any spices I have. Curry powder, turmeric, wholegrain mustard, two veg stock cubes, mixed spice, and Mexican Taco spice mix.

I kept adding water until it was the right consistency, not too wet and not too dry, and simmered it for 15 minutes. Before I put it in the pots I tasted it, yum, very nice. A slight curry flavour. These are now in the freezer, and will be used to add flavour and bulk out stews, or microwaved and eaten as soup with bread. A lot of food for 22p, plus two onions.

I made a green lunch today. Chopped mangetout peas, bean salad, lettuce, and rocket. Zap it with the stick blender, add some water, and eat it straight from the jug with a long handled spoon. It was quite refreshing. I need to think of more ways to eat my greens, especially with all those sprouts and peas I have to get through, ha ha.
It's my sisters birthday tomorrow and I'm off down to the Midlands to see her. This is the card I have made her. The colours have not come out very well with the flash, I couldn't be bothered to put the scanner and the big computer on upstairs. The card is a pale lilac colour and the stitching is in pink and purple. Guess where I got the Happy 60th and the Sister bits from. Yes, I cut them from the card she gave me four and a half years ago. Good bit of recycling eh!
Right, let's see who has won the crafty giveaway. There are 83 names, I hate drawing just one out, so there will be a runner up.

And the winner is Sue G.
The runner up is Granny G.

That's a coincidence, are you related, ha ha. So sorry you can't all win. Please send me your postal address, email or in a comment which I won't publish. Well done both. Not sure what you will be getting, a surprise. I'll go and sort it now. I won't be around tomorrow, Catch you Monday. Toodle pip.

22 comments:

  1. I love home made soups and stews, taste nothing like the canned stuff!
    Oh and the long handled spoon - I bought one from a tea/ coffee suppliers a few years ago. Not for ice cream sundaes in tall glasses but, to get the dregs of stuff out of jars and the like. It is so useful, I bought my Sister and Niece one too, they think I'm crackers, don't think they ever use them!
    Have a lovely day tomorrow.

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  2. Yum! Congrats to Sue & Granny too!

    X

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  3. Like the card! it's cute!
    Congrats to your winners!
    Happy Birthday to your Sis!

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  4. have you tried slicing your sprouts very thinly with a sharp knife and stir frying them with other veg in a teaspoon of oil. Cooked this way they no longer taste like sprouts! A few slices of mushroom, pepper, whatever you find with a reduced sticker, small handful of nuts if you have them, makes a nice meal.

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    1. Hi Kath. I did do that once and it was very nice. Will have to do it again. I have a sachet of ready made stir fry sauce which a friend gave me, a good opportunity to use it.

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  5. I too have had a good soup making session today, while it rains and rains outside.
    Your card is great and I`m sure your sister will love it!

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  6. Enjoy your time with your sister. There's nothing like having a sister. I have a great relationship with mine. Ups and downs, both very different but the security and love is constant.

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  7. love carrot soup. Having lentil stew here tonight. Belated Happy New Year to you.

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  8. The Gee Gees won!!
    Sorry that was really bad...Congrats to the winners!
    Jane x

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  9. At our house, the carrot peelings go out to the barn for the pony and donkey..I hope yours got a good home!
    We were in the Weat Midlands for Christmas..Worcester was awash, but we still had a good time! I really enjoy the tales and photos of all of your trips...(from the USA )

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  10. That cards great! I was thinking of making one for my cousin who is my 'twin' by about 11 years. Trying to think of an idea to incorporate us both but on different rungs of the ladder as it were.

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    1. You could draw a ladder on the card, and put your cousin on the top rung, and mark the years down to the bottom rung where you are. You could mark the actual years you were born.

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  11. Love carrots but I've never done them with the food processor. I'll have to try it!

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  12. Yum! Do you use a deep freeze or just a little one?

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    1. Hi Katy. I have a fridge freezer in the kitchen. Bottom compartment is the freezer, three drawers, enough room for one person.

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  13. You don't see donkeys wearing glasses either. What do donkeys get for dinner?........half an hour.
    I hope you don't eat all those carrots at once, you'll turn orange and people will think you're an essex girl.
    Hope you have a good trip to the Midlands.
    Dave.

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  14. Gosh Ilona. I'm honoured to win something. Thank you.

    I'm not related to Sue G. The 'G' stand so for 'Gin' - short for Virginia.

    And, strangely, I notice you do get a lot of Virginias and Ginnys commenting on your blog.

    Anyway, my email is:


    Thanks again. As you would say - 'I'm chuffed!'

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  15. Great card! I'm sure your sister will love it. Hope you both have a great day together.

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  16. Danneke here, just catching up on blog, the weathers so bad and like you Ilona I have found other things to do in the house, decided to get my steamer filled up this morning and steam cleaned all the carpets ,bathroom floor and kitchen, one job less for tomorrow. I too have been recycling, took all the xmas cards down and sorted out those I can gets bits off for other cards that I make. Went to stock up on cat dried food yesterday and the price had gone up 50pence a bag, at this time and with the cold icy and wet weather the ferral friends are eating a lot more, I have 6 regular cats coming to eat at the back door, they are still very timid and run if I attempt to open the door, but they are not bothered if they see me in the window looking out. I wish I knew where they were sleeping , I have a lot of wooded areas
    and park land all around me and my neighbour said he sees cats there when he walks his dog. At least the ones that come to my door are not going hungry during this cold spell Enjoy your day with your sister Ilona. I have 2 sisters a lot younger than me but they do not speak to each other and I am tired of their squabbling.

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  17. If you only knew how much your carrot organising inspired me to be frugal. These kind of posts remind me it is so easy to live sensibly and to get organised and healthy. Thank you Ilona. You rock my frugal world!

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  18. Thanks for the idea to make cards out of recycled cards we receive. I've made tags for gifts from old cards but never thought about making cards as well. Adorable card you made your sister.
    Nancy from Northern California

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  19. totally love the idea of prepping and freezing carrots...now, why didn't I think of that? thanks!

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