Kitten Scratch

My husband is a Hobbit

2008-10-15T23:08:43+02:00

Well he thinks he is anyway. Have you ever had a spouse become addicted to video games? Listen, I like escapism, I am a master escapist. Give me a long weekend in some foreign city, no dishes to wash or meals to cook, interesting things to do, some decadent chocolate, I'm there. But my husband disappears for hours on end, responding to my questions with a grunt or a "damn". I guess I shouldn't complain really, he's not into footie, doesn't spend hours with his mates at the pub. But he's hogging the computer!! Damn.

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Can we still eat healthily despite the credit crunch?

2008-10-13T22:39:07+02:00

The economy is in a such a shambles that we are having to bail out banks (let's not get me started on that topic). How in the world are normal, hard working people expected to eat healthily? Groceries have skyrocketed, so we must be creative and plan meals in advance. Lucky for me, my mom taught me this valuable skill early in life. She used to give me $30 a week to buy groceries for 3 people, so at 16 years old I had to plan all our meals for the week and shop for them all. I did so begrudgingly, being a typical teenager, I had better things to do with my time. But now it all comes full circle, as I am now back to doing exactly that. So how exactly do you buy food for your family on a tight budget?

First and foremost, skip the ready meals. Full of fat, salt, and sugar, these are not your friends. Having 3 or more convenience meals a week can take it's toll on your health, and that of your loved ones. That being said I suppose 1 take away or ready meal a week is okay. Buy meat from your local butcher if you have one. Chances are they source their meat from local farms (not import it from god knows where) and our butcher only buys from ethical producers. You can buy fresh chicken breasts and freeze them, stew meat or a cheaper cut that you can slow cook. It helps support these guys as well, and that may mean the difference between them having a livelihood or not. Also if you have a good fishmonger you can get some really inexpensive meals. A small piece of fish, one portion of veg, and some bread can make a healthy inexpensive meal. Try chopping mushrooms, onions, peppers, or tomatoes and putting them over the fish. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 20 minutes. A whole meal in one go (this also works great for sausages, which are about 2 quid a pack).

Here's a good idea, turkey mince. It's less fattening than beef mince and makes tasty burgers. Top the burgers with camembert or brie (you can get decent soft cheese for about £1.50, or use cheddar if you like) and cranberry sauce. Want to make it special? Put in on a rustic bun with a side of oven baked chips and you have a really nice dinner. Pasta is another great filling meal that you can do cheaply. Aldi does amazing pesto for 99 pence a jar, and they have like 4 or 5 flavours so you can change it up a bit. You can also buy frozen chicken breast strips for a couple of quid there. Cook the chicken, boil some pasta, toss together with pesto, chopped baby plum tomatoes, black olives or mushrooms, and a tiny bit of grated cheese. It is a very tasty and filling treat that the whole family will love!

Puff pastry is a good staple to have, it makes a great topping for a savory pie, a fabulous base for a pizza or tart. For kids, you can roll the pastry out, cut into small circles (use a saucer) and they can top them with what they like, not too heavy with the toppings as it is lighter than normal pizza crust. Omelettes are quick and easy, all you need are eggs, a bit of cheese, and whatever you like, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, or just some fresh herbs.

I'm no Nigella, but I can whip up a chicken noodle soup from scratch and bake a loaf of fresh bread in my bread machine. We try not to waste anything in our house, so if I buy a whole chicken we will have a meal from the breasts, then sandwiches, then my cats (all 4 of them) get the meat we don't like. The bones all go in a big pot to make stock, which can be frozen by the way. It's not always easy to eat well, but with a little forethought and planning, you can use your food budget to feed your family the best tasting food for the least money.

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Why oh why are people still dieting?

2008-10-07T17:16:10+02:00

Have we learned nothing from the last 100 years of dieting? Come on people, common sense should tell you fad diets do not work! And when did we lose our last shred of sanity that healthy looking people are suddenly fat? Is this what we are all aspiring to?

I can't tell you how many diets I tried when I was younger, it started in my pre-teens when one of my friends called me chubby. Maybe I was, I don't know, but I started dieting around that time. I took diet pills, yuck, I starved myself, I exercised a lot (never took laxatives though, that is so not what they are intended for). Some diets worked, but inevitably the weight ALWAYS came back, and then some.

As an adult, I decided to forget all this rubbish and just change the way I eat. I no longer eat fried foods, or drink fizzy drinks. I walk lots now, but no power workouts or protein shakes. It's not fast, but a few changes have meant I don't drool when walking by patisseries! No need to starve yourself, just eat a healthy and balanced diet and treat yourself to something naughty occasionally. It's so simple really, all these fad diets are just ways to get your money and make you feel horrible about yourself in the process. If everyone would just think about being fit and healthy and not worry so much about looking like a skeleton with skin, maybe they would be happier. Just a thought.

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The Power of Words

2008-10-05T11:23:01+02:00

I've always been a huge fan of words. Where would we be without them? Still drawing pictures on cave walls? Although cave art is fascinating, imaging how powerful it would have been with a few punchy words to help us understand. Simple things like "escaped from tiger today, missing half a leg" would evoke such imagery surrounding the life of early man (and early tiger). And of course cave women who were probably so similar to today's modern women without all the mod cons could have expressed their sentiments with something like "raining, horrible hair day, not leaving cave" would have endeared us to them. My love of words started very early in life, like most children living in the late sixties, a sense of escapism was needed. Children's stories were frighteningly fun fantasies and rollicking adventures that helped us to develop vivid imaginations (that would later spark a creative fire). My friends and I weren't simply playing in a nearby field, we were fierce warriors, when we weren't looking for gnomes and fairies that is. Words tended to take on a more monotonous and serious tone in my teen years, in the form of learning. Although admittedly I did enjoy some of the stories from history, I found many of my teachers were lackluster in their chosen subjects. Did they not realise the power they wielded, and that learning could be stimulating? Poor dears, I'm sure most of them are retired now. Still, I held on to reading and writing and the fascination. We'll see where it goes from here, but as I get older, I find it more enjoyable to be on the writing side than the reading.

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