The Pea's Blog

Summer porridge is just oats, milk and yoghurt in equal parts.  I use a 1/4 cup measuring spoon to ladle equal parts of the ingredients into a dish, then stir them together, before covering and placing in the fridge over night.

In the morning I have a creamy, slow-release energy, breakfast that tastes of raspberries and is easy to eat whilst drying my hair and reading my emails.  It turns out that it is 29p a portion when using value oats, own brand milk and Rachel's Organic Low Fat Raspberry Yogurt (because that's my personal favourite).

So, there was so much rhubarb at the allotment that crumble, pie and wine just wasn't enough rhubarb conversion.  We decided therefore, just as the hot weather succumbed to the grey rainy stereotype, to make rhubarb ice cream.

Using: An attachment on the time saving, multi-purpose, food processor that helps make our bread.

(But, it is possible to make ice cream without a machine: just patience and a whisk is needed.)

We added this:
To some cream, sugar, milk and lemon to make this:
At a cost of 81p for half a litre.  500ml of rhubarb ice cream is costing me the same as a loaf of bread.  True, it can't compete with the price of own brands but not bad when compared with premium ice cream; especially when the zing of fresh rhubarb hits you!

Rhubarb crumble and rhubarb pie are both highlights of the early growing season.  There comes a point though, when you wonder whether those calories wouldn't be better 'spent' on alcohol.  Having the main ingredient for rhubarb wine growing in abundance on the allotment means that this is, as we inherited it, free.  However, we only have a certain amount of beer brewing kit, so this may not work out all that cheaply in the short term.  We'll just have to make some gooseberry wine in July!  And redcurrant....

It's easy to be sanguine about exercise in the great outdoors when the temperature is finally above 10 degrees, with not a cloud in the sky.  I'm also incredibly lucky to live near beautiful, traffic free, running routes with Mr. Pea as an energetic companion.  But, having tried the gym, I really do prefer being outside.

Some kit related sums put the cost of running, cycling and strength training in my own 'gym' at £21.68 a month.  That's the first year anyway; taking into account the £100 for my cheapo mountain bike.  If I don't add anything new then I'm down to £13.35.  I quite fancy some kit options though, so I'm happy with around £20.  Obviously, if I wanted swimming I'd need to factor in a trip to the council pool, or maybe consider a sociable Zumba class, and if I fancy a sauna my only option is the plastic greenhouse amongst the tomatoes.

You can get no frills gym memberships for between £10 and £20 now, but I can't help feeling that I'm not missing out too much - my current monthly costs would end up being on top of any gym fee. I'd still need kit, my cheapo mountain bike would still exist and whilst I need to use my own shower facilities it does mean they are absolutely exclusive.

Chicken stock isn't an expensive item to buy - you can get value brands for about 15p and the organic type I like is only about 70p a packet.  But, if you've just jointed a chicken and have a lovely fresh carcass then it would be silly to waste it.

If you wanted to build a chicken out of its constituent parts, in some sort of Dr.Frankenstein inspired taxidermy episode, then it tends to cost more than just buying a chicken.  If you've bought and roasted a whole chicken then there is a lot of stuff you can do with the leftovers (I'll probably visit this theme on Sunday), but if you can joint a chicken then you have two breasts, thighs, wings, drumsticks and one fresh carcass.  That's a lot more options for a lot less money.

I followed these instructions: The ever helpful BBC show me how to joint a chicken
With a sharp knife and: A Christmas present from my Dad similar to this, but on reflection maybe not as good.
To produce this: