Frugal tips

Frugal living, I think, doesn't mean stinting yourself in everything. It means just to use things wisely and get the benefits of that. Now we are all looking forward to winter celebrations, adding the cost of presents, decorations and extra food to our everyday spendings. So, maybe it's just the right moment to start thinking of how to spend less and get more.
Here are some pieces of advice I use. They really work and help me to save money. At first, let's look into a fridge, cupboards and shelves with food.

1. Use remains to the end. There may be enough pastry for one more pancake in a bowl, or one more portion of ketchup in a pack while you decided to throw it into a bin. Some expired products may also be used. For example, dry some pieces of stale bread in an oven and make breadcrumbs for coating or stuffing. Soured soya milk may be used for a cake - like this one:
http://whitebirchtree.blogspot.ru/2012/11/chocolate-and-dates-cake.html

2. Grow your own. In winter you can grow herbs indoor. Seeds of parcley or dill cost much less than a single bunch of fresh green in a supermarket but you will get much more than a bunch. For how to grow herbs on your windowsill get to http://ourohio.org/home-gardens/gardening-basics/winter/windowsill-herbs/
The information is quite complete. My shoots do their best )

4. Use empty plastic bottles as pots for plants. You may decorate them with pictures from magazins, cards, chocolate wrappings and all the stuff you like. Here's a pot I made of a plastic bottle, foil and OGGI catalog)

3. Use natural ingredients as cosmetics. E.g. coffee grounds as face scrub (the effect is amazingly soft skin!), a drop of olive oil for hands (the same). It will reduce your spendings in a cosmetics shop.

4. Cereal and tea boxes are good as gift wrapping. Decorated with coloured paper and glittering glue they are as beautiful as ones from shops. And, of course, mind homemade Christmas decorations of salt dough, paper and natural materials such as pine cones and nuts. They are not only cheap but also organic and exclusive. Children will be happy making them too.

So, be creative, use different possibilities and bless you )

November lights

The sun is rising later and later and it's getting dark more and more early. But the darker around, the brighter lights are. Not only street lamps at nights but also the hawthorn in the daytime. Its berries are burning and shining red against the background of the gloomy grey sky.

November hawthorn

Lamp in the darkness

Chocolate and dates cake

This morning I found that remains of soya milk in my fridge got soured. So I decided to make this sponge cake with them. It turned out very well. Just for gloomy autumn day.

I took:

White flour - 250g
sour soya milk - about 150ml. If you're lucky and your milk is fresh, add 1\2 tea sp. of vinegar to it )
sugar - 2,5 tb.sp.
dates, destoned and chopped - a handful
cocoa-powder - 2,5 tea sp.
baking powder - 1,5 tea sp.
salt - a pinch
water - to make your pastry a bit fluid

Preheat an oven, 180C is enough
Mix all the ingredients together, add water to dilute. Mash until smooth.
Lay out into a greased baking forrm.
Bake until a picking match is dry, around 30 min (depends on your oven, though)

You can add some more cocoa if you like - to make it darker and more chocolate.

White Halloween!

Have you ever seen snow on Halloween??
It has been snowing all night and snowdrifts emerged! Nature goes mad... Here are today's pictures.

      

It's not Christmas - it's Halloween!                                                                                                     

                     In the park

And here is a pumpkin, I made it at http://pumpkin.dollskingdom.com/

Happy Halloween.......booooooooo!!!

Vegan hot breakfast sandwiches

The recepie I like very much. It's so suitable for cool autumn mornings!

For 2 persons you need:
white bread, 8 slices
soya milk, about 1 1\2 cups
firm tofu, 200g
any oil or vegan margarine
salt (if you like)

Fill a bowl with milk and deep bread pieces in it (one by one or all together). Let them get soaked well.
Heat an oiled pan. Lay it with 4 bread pieces.
Slice the tofu. Put some slices on each heated piece of bread.
Cover the sandwiches with another 4 bits of bread.
Lid the pan, cook for 5 min.

The sandwiches are very soft and delicious...mmm!

The first snow

It was snowing yesterday night and this morning snow was still on paths and grass. Winter is coming - can it really be true? The air is so clear and chilly!  I like the weather, it's not too cold and no sleet at the same time. And it brings the thoughts of Xmas and New Year)
 I took some pictures of snow.

 

Griboedov's Channel Embankment in St.Petersburg

Animals around

It seems, animals love all kinds of flowers and green. These places are their favorite in our smoked cities. This cat is playing and  jumping around at the lawn and flowers border in the center of St.Petersburg, just below the St. Isaacs Cathedral.
And this dog has found a cozy flower bed (in another place) to hide in it and get asleep!