I’ve been looking at my diet after feeling ikky on the treadmill the other day. I also took time to absorb some thoughts and suggestions from kind readers of my blog and came to the conclusion that I’m not getting enough fat and my diet is devoid of refined sugars except if I cook a dessert or bake and then I tend to use my ration but share whatever I make…. without thinking I am not having my full ration of fats and sugar (although I am sure on the home-front, some of the sugar would have been saved and put by for celebrations and preserving)..

Sooooo I decided that I needed to have a good nosh on something with fat and sugar in and enjoy a treat while drinking lots of cups of tea.

I chose a wartime recipe for gingerbread men. These were DELICIOUS!

(listen for my youngest Hobbit saying…. “you are sooooo lame…” tee hee)

Gingerbread men

• 2 oz sugar or Lyle’s golden syrup
• 2 oz margarine
• 8 oz plain wholewheat/wholemeal flour
• 2 level teaspoons of ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of all spice or cinnamon
• few drops of lemon essence
• 1 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tablespoon of tepid water

Method

1. Melt the syrup (or sugar) and margarine in a pan.
2. Pour into a bowl, add some flour, the spices and lemon essence.
3. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the tepid water and add to the mixture
4. Stir in then keep adding the flour
5. Roll out the dough until about 1/8 inch thick and cut out the gingerbread men. There should be enough to make 10 small men
6. Cook in the centre of an oven at 180 C for 15 minutes
7. Cool and remove to a wire tray