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latest Tips & Recipes March 2021

Here you'll find the latest tips added to the Tip Store & Recipe File during March.

​Save My Butter

​As both hubby and I are on the aged pension, we continually have to find out what we can do without, substitute for something less expensive, or sadly cannot afford anymore. Everyday we have a roll or sandwich for lunch. My hint is that we butter only one piece of the bread or roll, then, as we have pickle, chutney or mustard as well, we put this on the other side of bread or roll. Using only half the amount of butter, marg or whatever your dairy spread is. Even without the pickle etc., the meal tastes the same. We are just so accustomed to buttering both sides. It might be a small saving, but it all adds up.
Contributed by Anna Crerar

​Save My Cheese 

​If you use plain label slice cheese, because of its convenience or the inability to cut your block cheese thin enough because of hand problems. If you like toast with cheese on top for breakfast. I slice the cheese slice into four pieces. Three pieces are ample for taste on the bread slice. A wee space between and leaves that extra slice for another day. If you zap in the microwave for a nice winter warmer breakfast, all the cheese melts together anyway. Not too good at math but I an thinking this would be a 1/4 saving giving you lots of extra slices out of that one packet.
Contributed by Anna Crerar

​A MOO Fabric Softener

​I don't use fabric softener, ever. It's a Cath thing - I don't like the cost, I don't like the fake smells, and I don't like the way they glug up the washing machine. But lots of folk do, for whatever reason, and that's OK.

Here are two really simple fabric softeners - both work, one is fragranced, one isn't.

The first option is really, really simple: add 1/2 cup white vinegar to the final rinse of each load. Vinegar is great for ensuring all the washing powder is eliminated from the washing, leaving it soft and clean.

But if you like a scented fabric softener, try this recipe.

Pour into a 2 litre bottle:
3 cups water
1-1/2 cups white vinegar
1 cup hair conditioner - choose the fragrance you like.

Put the lid on the bottle and shake, shake, shake so that it is well combined. 

To use, add 1/4 cup to the final rinse of each load of laundry.

Pumpkin Zucchini Cheesy Muffins

​Ingredients
200g pumpkin, grated
200g zucchini, grated
250g whole meal self raising flour (or regular self raising flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
100g grated tasty cheese
130g melted and cooled butter
1 tsp vegeta stock OR pinch of salt and pepper
3 large eggs
200ml milk

Method
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Mix together pumpkin, zucchini, cheese, butter, seasoning, eggs and milk in a large bowl till combined. Sift flour and baking powder in 3 parts and gently fold mixture together. Line a muffin tray with muffin cases. Divide mixture evenly into cases 2/3s full. Bake for 35mins or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes.You could also sprinkle some grated cheese on top before you put them in the oven
Contributed by Ann

Farmer's Pantry Cake

​A work mate who has a farm with her husband gave me this recipe recently. It's great because it uses basic ingredients from her pantry and whatever fruit or veg she has on hand. I've made it a few times now and each time it's a bit different but always yummy.

Beat together for a couple of minutes:
4 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 tsp mixed spice

Add to the mix
2 cups of grated/mashed zucchini, carrot, apple, banana, berries - whatever you have and 1 cup of nuts and/or choc bits.

Add 2 cups SR flour and beat in until all combined.
Bake 30-40 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
Contributed by Ange

​Going Gluten Free

​I have been gluten free for over 25 years. 
Many want or need to go gluten free and here's what I tell them now.
1. Look at what you already eat gluten free and keep eating that. Fruit and veg, meat, rice, rice cakes, etc. are all gluten free and cost no more than for anyone else. 
2. Substitute rice for pasta.
3. Always check the ingredients. I have seen bottled sauce marked as gluten free with the third ingredient being wheat flour!
4. Make what you can. Gluten free flour mixes are pretty good today and you can substitute one for one in recipes. You do have to cook at a slightly lower temperature (10 degrees lower) and for a little longer (probably 10 minutes more).
5. You don't have to buy the special stuff, look at what you have that is gluten free and find recipes that work with those things. For example many salad dressings are gluten free (think balsamic vinegar), so you don't need to buy special food.
6. Go back to basics and eat as close to nature as possible. Remember good old meat and three veg? That's gluten free, except maybe for the gravy!
7. Join an Australian gluten free group on Facebook - they provide lots of great information. Even after all this time, I learn things from others.
Contributed by Karen Lane

Chia Breakfast Puddings

​Ingredients:
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 cups almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

Method:
Mix ingredients together in large bowl. Stir well. Stir again occasionally over next couple hours. Cover with plastic.
Refrigerate overnight. In morning decant puddings in 4 bowls. Cover with plastic and breakfast is sorted for 4 days. 
Add few blueberries in mornings. 
Contributed by Cheryl Hawkey

Have a Meal Out for a Treat

​I know Cheapskates promotes healthy MOO eating, but occasionally you may want to go out to eat. Don't pay full price! Use different promotions to get a discount like THEFORK.com.au which lets you book and get up to 50% off your food bill, you can also pre-buy a meal using SCOOPON.com.au, GROUPON.com.au, CUDO.com.au or Shopadocket.com.au (or back of your dockets). Our family has had some amazing meals and tried different cuisines using this method. You save almost 50%. 
Contributed by Vaz Deacs

Margarine for Baking Made Tastier

​When using margarine (rather than butter) in baking, I add a couple of heaped tablespoons of custard powder to boost the flavour. Just leave an equal quantity of flour out of the mix or dough to keep the proportions of moist and dry balanced.
Contributed by Delaney Avenel

​SAVE TIME AND MONEY BY ORGANISING YOUR CAMPING ITEMS

I have plastic storage boxes with a laminated list velcroed to the lid. I have a box/list for kitchen items, toiletries, safety items, food, so on and so forth. Each list is printed and as I pack an item I mark it as packed, I then clean it off once all is packed. If it's a consumable item I mark when it's gone and needs replacing.  This way when repacking to come home I know where each item belongs and if it needs replacing I can put it on my shopping list to get on special before our next trip. This saves me money buying items at the last minute or leaving needed items home ... therefore costly expenses once camping. It also saves time as I know exactly what I need instead of trying to remember what I need each time. .. and also time when packing to come home as each item has a place instead of trying to shove things everywhere to fit.
Contributed by Elissa Dinnison

TEA BAGS... NOT A TIP BUT AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT YOU GET...

Leaf tea is better than tea bags because it's actual tea leaf, cut & dried. Tea bags are made from the remnants (left overs from cutting & drying the leaf) and the tea dust & floor sweeps (real dust) so there is no wastage. It's not additionally processed (common misconception) but you pay a premium for dust, and a tea bag that is no longer 100% biodegradable. So it's cheaper to buy leaf tea. It tastes better and you control how much leaf you want to use. Also kinder to environment, no plasticized bits in the bin or landfill.
Contributed by Sara Dwyer

TEA COMPOST

Hubby doesn't like strong tea and I do so we share a tea bag. I save the used tea bags in an empty yoghurt container which sits near the kettle; the tea bags go in there, lid goes on and when it is full I dig them into the garden. 
Contributed by Irene Wilkinson

FEEDING THE GARDEN WITH EGG SHELLS

Egg shells are kept in the oven on a oven tray. When they are dried out, I crush them finely in my small blender, pop them in another yogurt container with the lid on. When I have enough I spread the egg shells around my plants. The plants get the good calcium from the crushed eggs shells. Egg shell halves are also good to pop in a little soil, seeds and watch them grow, then plant the whole thing. Seedlings are good to do to as well. I don't have a compost bin but I save all my vegie scraps, mix them up and add them to my soil. 
Contributed by Irene Wilkinson

PREPPING FRUIT AND VEG SAVES MONEY, TIME AND ENERGY

​When I get home from shopping. I fill the sink with cold water, add about half a cup of vinegar and pop in my fruit, then let them drain. Then add the veggies, let them drain and cut everything up and pop into containers, then they are ready to go when needed.
Contributed by Irene Wilkinson