Padding Out A Chilli

Catchy title or what?!

Not too many amazing crafty things going on here and lots of children or decorating based activities that really are not worth t'internet space. And I realised after my Jamie Oliver/Sainsbury's rant of a while ago I haven't done anything foodie for a while but I made chilli the other night and this is how I did it.

So I can stay within my food budget and still feed all five of us I pad out the mince for chilli with grated carrots. Cunning! It means I can buy a much better quality beef mince (less fat, more flavour) becasue I need less!

Brown your mince in a hot pan as you normally would;


Add the grated carrots (I use about four good sized ones);



When the carrot has cooked down it has much the same texture and aquires the same flavour as the beef so no one would ever know (except am telling you all...). I added some red kidney beans, some haricot beans (although tend to use whatever pulses are in cupboard) some diced green peppers and a carton of passata, oh and a tea spoon of chilli flakes (almost forgot);

After an hour bubbling away and becoming thick and goey I served with rice and thick slices of homemade garlic bread;

And before I go I must just say a quick thank you to Amanda at Kitschy Coo who sent me a pattern for an amazing tunic top of hers when I won her giveaway the other week. Sewing to follow....

And a thank you to Laura Donald who sent me some of her wonderful 'Dot and Pat' notecards when I won her giveaway a while ago (I really am a bad blogger at the moment!).

Hoping for the winning streak to continue (not holding breath though, just incase)!

Daisie xxx