Cheap Veggie Chilli

It's down to -8 here in Spixworth and, having just been out to give the birds a top up of Asda cheapo cornflakes I was glad to stick my feet in front of the fire and have a lovely hot cup of tea.

I really need something hot and spicy for my evening meal so decided to have a veggie chilli - cheap, cheerful, hot and filling - just perfect.

All it takes is:

1 x baking potato

1 x sweet pepper

1 x onion

1/2 x chilli pepper

1/2 x clove of garlic

1/2 a large tin of tomatoes

1/2 a large tin of kidney beans

Pinch or so of Oregano and Basil (to your taste)

A couple of tablespoons of Bisto gravy granules.

Put the baking potato in a hot oven and set it cooking for around 1 hr 15 mins.

While it's cooking, soften the onion in a pan with a tablespoon of oil, add the pepper (both sweet and chilli) and continue warming through for about 5 minutes until soft.   Add the crushed garlic, kidney beans, tinned tomatoes and herbs and simmer for about 20 mins.

Now all you need to do is wait for your baked potato to cook through and then, while you're dealing with cutting the potato and adding a bit of sunflower spread or whatever you like, heat through the chilli mix.  When it starts to bubble stir in the gravy granules to thicken and add that meaty flavour but without the meat!

Tip the chilli onto the potato and enjoy!!!

Easy and Cheap Vegetable Stew

People often say to me that they won't become vegetarian as it's too expensive.  I can tell you now that it's considerably cheaper to be a vegetarian than it is an omnivore.

Last night for dinner I had a delicious vegan meal which cost me next to nothing.

It contained:

1 carrot, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
1 leak, sliced
Small portion of swede, diced
8 Brussels sprouts
Portion of chopped cabbage
Bisto gravy granules
Horseradish sauce

I placed the carrot, parsnip, swede and leak into a pan of boiling water.  I placed the Brussels sprouts and cabbage into another pan of boiling water.

I left them simmering on the hob for around 15-20 minutes.

I then drained some of the water from each of the pans into a jug, added some Bisto gravy granules (which are vegan) and half a teaspoon of horseradish sauce.

I put all the veg onto my plate poured over the gravy and enjoyed a delicious vegan meal for next to nothing.

I added the horseradish sauce to the gravy so that it gave me the feeling I had a roast beef dinner.  Sometimes I add mint sauce or a little bit of stewed apple to the gravy to give me a 'hint' of lamb or pork.

All of the vegetables are in season now in the UK so are cheap to buy.

I've cut down my carbon footprint as all the veg were grown in the UK, I had no meat - one of the major environmental factors in the world - and I was fed very cheaply

It was nutritious too.  I got loads of vitamins from the veg as well as iron from my greens.

I didn't add any protein to my meal last night but if you want to add something then try adding some beans or peas.  I sometimes add butter beans to mine.