Month: October 2011

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Weight Loss Tracker Page Updated

Finally got around to getting my weight loss tracker page up to date… Since August 2009 I’ve tried a couple of times to lose 100 lbs in a year and have started off successfully but as anyone knows, who tries to lose weight, it ain’t easy.

But at the moment I am VERY VERY motivated and am walking 6 days a week for 40 minutes.. (in addition to vegan 1940s!)

So I started again on September 23rd and to date I have lost 19 lbs.

I’ll keep a weekly log on this page http://the1940sexperiment.com/weight-loss-tracker/

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Tea Making Tips (1941)

On the 1940s Experiment’s Facebook page earlier today, Mary Duncan said

“Have you seen this little gem from 1941?”….

Well I hadn’t, and it IS a gem! Just listen to the voices…. quite wonderful!

Love it! Love it! Love it!

Thanks Mary!

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The Home Front Kitchen Radio Show

I just made my first Skype phone call! I am soooo behind the times!

Had a lovely conversation with Lynda and Shaun from the 1940s UK Radio Station http://www.1940sukradio.co.uk/  These are the kind people have given me the opportunity to talk EVEN MORE about “1940s Food” so now all I have to do is start putting it all together…

I have decided on a name…

“The Home Front Kitchen Radio Show”

I’ll let you know when things come together and the first one goes out!

You can tell I’m excited right? Weee Heee!

I THINK there has to be some live food sampling complete with sound effects…. what do you think?

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Mock Goose


This is a WEIRD recipe…  even with my eyes shut, this didn’t taste anything like goose BUT there is one element that could possibly, with some great imagination, remind you of eating stuffed goose. (the sage/bread stuffing in the middle)

I’ve seen two or three different versions of the recipe for mock goose but I chose the one without cheese and with lentils as I of course had to eat it for my lunch and as a vegan there wasn’t really a wartime alternative for cheese..

The recipe was quite nice and I’d make it again but I can’t see it being very popular with children!

Mock Goose

  • 1 cup dried split lentils
  • 2 slices of wholemeal/wholewheat bread breadcrumbs
  • 1 onion
  • sage chopped
  • a little butter (or vegan alternative)
  • some veggie or chicken stock
  • salt, pepper
  • garlic if you like
  • lemon

Method

  1. Place 1 cup of rinsed dried lentils and 3 cups of hot water into a saucepan and cook for 15 mins, drain and squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle salt and mix together
  2. Chop onion and place in a pan with a little butter and saute lightly, add a little chicken/veggie stock (about 100 mls) and continue to cook and reduce a little. Mix in breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, chopped sage and mix thoroughly
  3. Spread half of lentils in a shallow dish and press down
  4. Spread the breadcrumbs/sage mixture over the lentils and press down a little
  5. Finally cover with the remaining lentils
  6. Cook in over at about 200 C for 30 minutes or so until the top is lightly browned
(serves 2-4)
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Exciting lunch!!!

“Mock Goose”…. now cooking in the oven! Check back later!   C xxxxx

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Potato and Lentil Curry

I based this recipe on an authentic carrot curry recipe (which wasn’t very inspiring) which I have already re-created on my blog. This version however is totally awesome and I enjoyed a large plateful last night served with fresh broccoli and I have the same packed for my lunch today at work!
Lentils became popular in the UK the US and Canada during WWII and they are an excellent source of protein and fibre and are a very filling addition to soups and stews

Potato and Lentil Curry (serves 2-4)

  • 4 medium potatoes
  • handful of sliced mushrooms
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot diced small
  • 1/2 cup dry lentils
  • milk (or almond milk for vegans- coconut milk would be wonderful in a modern adaption)
  • curry powder to taste (or turmeric, cumin and chilli powder)
  • 1/2 cup of finely chopped canned tomatoes
  • salt and pepper
  • thyme
  • parsley
  • tablespoon of sweet chutney or raw sugar to add some sweetness

Method

  1. Dice washed potatoes (no need to peel), chop onion and mushrooms
  2. Put some margarine or butter in a pan (vegans can use vegan spread)
  3. Heat and add above ingredients and lightly saute
  4. Add a cup of milk (or half milk and half water), lentils, chopped canned tomatoes and mix well
  5. Add curry powder (or turmeric, cumin and chilli powder), salt and pepper, thyme, parsley and your sweet chutney.
  6. Mix well again and turn down to a low/medium heat and cook until sauce thickens and potatoes are tender to eat (about 20 minutes)
  7. Add more water or milk if you need too
  8. Add more spices etc to your own taste
I served mine with some lightly cooked fresh broccoli but you can serve with rice or anything you wish.
Serves 2-4 people
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Potato and Carrot Pancakes

I’ve been a pig tonight… I have made a recipe that feeds two and ate it all myself. Luckily the ingredients would have been readily available and are not on ration.

I couldn’t help myself… it was sooooo delicious!

Ingredients

  • 4 med/large potatoes (diced)
  • 2 med/large carrots (diced small)
  • a little margarine or butter (I used my vegan spread which is a margarine made from soy)
  • thyme and parsley (I just used dried herbs)
  • plenty of salt and pepper
  • a little butter or oil for frying (or brush with butter or margarine and put under grill)

Method

  1. Whip mashed potato to a soft creamy consistency
  2. Season well with plenty of pepper and salt and add some diced cooked carrots (I boiled and mashed them up together!)
  3. Shape the potato into a pancake shape ( 1/2 inch thick)
  4. Pan fry in just a little fat so it develops a deliciously crisp crust.
  5. It can be cooked in the oven to a good brown if preferred. (just brush pancakes with some melted margarine or butter first)

Note: I finished mine off under the grill (broiler)

Makes 2-4 depending on size of pancake

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Interesting home made documentary

I’m waiting for my potato and carrot pancakes to cook and watching this- it’s very interesting !

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Weekly weigh in

I’ll give you my update based on my scales at home as I’ve always done on my 1940s Experiment blog… it’s getting confusing though as I also weigh at work, fully clothed, wearing shoes, on Doctor’s scales and the difference in the readings are about 12 lbs!

Anyway… the good news for me is that this week I lost 4 lbs. So I started at the beginning of the blog, weighing on on my home scales at 315 lbs and now my weight is 280 lbs. Grand total is 35 lbs and 19 lbs of that is since turning vegan & walking daily (and applying myself to the task in hand with renewed vigour!)

This is really encouraging…

I did make a change this week and stopped pouring on the fat when frying veggies… now I just use a teaspoonful and add liquids so I think this is why I had a good weight-loss. Still eating roughly 2000 calories a day though!

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Eggless Fruit Cake

I made meatloaf last week and it looked like fruitcake… Yesterday I made fruitcake and it looked like meatloaf! Go figure!

Despite it looking like meatloaf this was an excellent 1940s recipe… moist and tasty and comforting and more-ish! Didn’t taste like meatloaf at all, just tasted like Autumn with a bit of Christmas thrown in for good measure!

It was a HIT with all the family.. I did eat 4 slices yesterday and two today and  yesterday it fed the girls and one visitor for dinner and still enough for their dessert today…. I think the 1940s family would have made sure it lasted a little longer!

Eggless Fruit Cake

  • 10 oz self raising flour (or plain flour with 3 teaspoons of baking powder added)
  • 1 teaspoon of mixed/all spice
  • 1 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 pint of well strained tea
  • 3 oz margarine
  • 3 oz sugar
  • 3 oz dried fruit
Grease and flour a 7 inch cake tin or a large loaf tin
Sift the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and spice together into a bowl
Pour the tea into a saucepan and add the sugar, margarine and dried fruit
Heat until the fat and sugar melt and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring
Set aside to cool a little
Pour over flour mixture and beat well and spoon into cake tin
Bake in the centre of oven at 180 C for about an hour
Remove and leave to cool for a while before removing from tin
The texture of mine was rather like a tea bread… totally lovely by itself or served sliced and buttered if you wish