Month: August 2013

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Saturday – Food diary

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I’m off out somewhere exciting tomorrow. To the ‘On the Home-Front‘ event at Rufford Abbey!  I’ll be walking and catching a bus and taking sandwiches with me to enjoy spending 4 or 5 hours walking around with my jaw dragging along the ground…. so there won’t be a food diary tomorrow but there WILL be photos!

I’ve had a very satisfying food menu today.  As usual I started off with 2 oz (measured dry) of porridge oats made with water and sweetened with 1 teaspoon of summer berry jam (watered down with a few teaspoons of boiling water) drizzled over the top.

 

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For lunch I had one of may favourite quickies and that was two slices of bread, spread with margarine and sprinkled with a few dry herbs and salt and gently browned in a pan and served with ripe, sliced tomato

 

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I’m trying to perfect my Lord Woolton Pie recipe for the 1940s Supper Club. Not so much the recipe itself but how much I’d need to cook to feed 10 people and what could I prepare the day before and just how much washing up there will be!! Today’s pie was very tasty and I served it with a thick gravy.

 

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For pudding I had what is called ‘Coconut Cream’ and I bought some raspberries at the vegetable market this morning so sprinkled a few of those on. It was surprisingly quite delicious!

 

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FINALLY.. I made myself a t-shirt for the ‘On the Home Front’ event tomorrow. It would have been lovely to get all dressed up for the event but as I live in t-shirts and yoga pants and my only 1940s vintage style dress is still 3 sizes too small, the least I could do was wear some wartime propaganda style attire.

It was easy! A cheap black t-shirt and some t-shirt transfer paper and a quick print off of my favourite iconic image.

“WE CAN DO IT..”

Have a lovely evening. See you tomorrow

C xxxx

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Haricot Bean Croquettes – Recipe No 121

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Here is another wartime recipe that tastes pretty good but for some reason, when I make it, looks like dog poo on my plate. I do apologize!

There wasn’t much meat around during the war for civilians, it was rationed and the meat that wasn’t, could sometimes be hard to get hold of or expensive using the points system. The Ministry of Food made sure to promote recipes that used beans and pulses and oatmeal which all contain high levels of protein and did indeed ‘Keep Britain Healthy’.

Haricot Bean Croquettes

  • 1 cup mashed up cooked haricot beans (or similar)
  • Ground sage and/or thyme
  • ½oz margarine/fat
  • Milk and oatmeal
  • Celery salt

Soak haricot beans in cold water several hours and cook until they will mash easily. Drain and mash thoroughly. Heat fat in a pan, add beans, season with celery salt and a little powdered sage and thyme if liked. Shape mixture like small sausages, dip in milk (or beaten egg if available) and oatmeal. Put in well greased baking tin and bake in quick oven, or fry in fat until golden brown.

From the Daily Telegraph’s ‘Good fare’ wartime recipe book

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I’m proud of you Mummy

IMG_1191And this morning, with breakfast, I opened up my lap-top and logged in to Facebook and found this message from my eldest Hobbit…

“So proud of u mommy, i know u can do this! Seeing that show with u tonight made me get heart pains at the thought of losing u due to weight related issues on a much smaller scale though. I always want u to be around, alive and healthy. Love u momma xoxo”  – Jess

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Last night we watched a documentary together, a sad story of morbid obesity and a death of a young man. It was heartbreaking.  I know my daughter worries that if I don’t keep trying my obesity will run away with me and I’ll end up in a similar situation.

I can assure her that my journey may be long and even painful and sometimes I’ll fall down and even lie down for a while but I WILL ALWAYS get back up again and fight for my health, happiness and my beloved children.

I am their only living parent and I love them so much.

Please don’t worry Hobbits, I will keep on fighting and I will WIN

Mummy xxxxxxxxxxxx

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Thursday’s food diary

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Just a quick update.

Breakfast was once again porridge sweetened with a teaspoon of watered down jam.

Lunch was delicious and simple. Two slices of bread buttered lightly on each side and slowly browned in a pan and seasoned with salt and dried mixed herbs while cooking. Then I topped them with a nice ripe sliced tomato.

 

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Dinner was a vegetable and macaroni casserole, heaps of it.

And after I had a small slice of leftover apple pie.

I’m not sure of the calories today… my guesstimate around 1800 cals

C xxx

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Nella’s Books, The Supper Club and that woman in the Daily Mail

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A pink parcel arrived for me this morning..

I thought it maybe the ‘melt and pour’ opaque soap I had ordered so I could make lavender soap for Christmas presents but instead it was something MUCH more exciting! These books…

Nella Last’s War

Nella Last’s Peace

Supper Club – Kerstin Rodgers

A VERY kind gift from blog reader and lovely lady, Cookaholic Kate. (please check out her cooking blog- it rocks! HERE ) This is one special lady. I won’t go into details but she is and this is terribly kind of her..

Many readers have recommended Nella Last’s books

“In September 1939, Housewife and mother, Nella Last, began a regular diary that lasted for thirty years. The account that she left of life during the Second World War is moving, fascinating and unique..”

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I’m touched with the support from readers and friends with my hopes of a monthly pop-up 1940s restaurant, supper club, tea-room and the book Kate sent me from her home library will be so helpful in that respect. It’s beautifully presented and full of great information, hints and tips and recipes too

“Supper Club- For a fixed price and a bottle of wine, people all over the world are sitting down in the homes of strangers to enjoy a lovingly prepared, restaurant-quality dinner. From New York to London to Cuba, these secret supper clubs and pop-up restaurants offer an alternative dining experience for those looking for something new, fun and exciting.”

I’m thinking of having the first “1940s Supper Club” in mid- October and can seat 10 in my dining room. It will be a 1940s themed evening with authentic recipes, music, and conversation and a chance to experience some ‘on ration recipes’…

I’m located in Nottingham and if you are interested in this unique evening please message me. Suggested donation would be 25 per person for 3 courses.

FINALLY

Thank you Marina for sending me a link to this amazing glimpse into the world of “The mother of 3 living in a 1940’s time-warp”

Click here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2405363/I-funny-looks-pub-The-1940s-housewife-Christine-Edun-living-Merseyside-time-warp-Formby.html

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Wednesday’s food diary

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I’ll continue with my daily food diary for a while- I hope it is helping anyone curious to see what I’m eating.

Started the day off with porridge oats/oatmeal. 2 oz/100 g simmered with water for 2 minutes. (and that provided 11 g of protein and 8 g of fibre!) Then I took a heaped teaspoon of my summer berry jam and watered it down with a few teaspoons of water and swirled it over the top. Tasted DELICIOUS and looked beautiful in the morning sunshine!

Calories 200 cals and cost was less than 10 p including the tea!

 

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For lunch I had some baby spinach leaves and some raw sugar snap peas, a sliced tomato and two slices of bread with margarine and a dollop of pickle.

Calories 500 and cost was about 70 p.

 

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Dinner tasted good but for anything I create that is sausage shaped, it ended up looking like dog poo!!! These brown dollops were infact wartime ‘bean croquettes’ and I served them with peas and cauliflower (22 g of protein )

Calories 700 and cost about 70 p.

 

Later this evening I am having a slice of apple pie and a big mug of tea. Calories 400 and cost about 25 p

Total calories for the day 1800

Total cost of food for the day 1.75

 

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Oh and I almost forgot….

A BIG THANK YOU to Rosie. I got a letter this morning containing May’s edition of ‘Waitrose Weekend’.  “Keep Calm and Cook Like Granny” was an interesting and fun  article written by Alison Hepworth who lived on wartime rations for 1 week and how she managed to cope, in her busy life, without ready-meals.

C xxxx

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Lentil Curry – Recipe No 120

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This curry was the bomb! It’s extremely healthy boasting at least 18 grams of protein and 18 grams of fibre just in the lentils alone (based on a 292 g can of green lentils). I had to increase some of the spices above and beyond the authentic ‘Good Fare’ wartime recipe below for my own taste (as I love robust flavours). I shall definitely be making this dish OFTEN!

Lentil Curry

  • ½ lb Lentils (I used a 292 g can of green lentils- low sodium because I had one in the cupboard)
  • 1 teaspoon Flour (I used cornflour/cornstarch)
  • 1 teaspoon Fat (preferably Bacon but being vegan I used a dairy free margarine)
  • 1 teaspoon Curry Powder (I used 3 teaspoons)
  • 1 small Leek or Onion
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1 table-spoon Vinegar (I used a large spoonful of my air-raid chutney which has lots of vinegar in it)
  • 1 Apple chopped
  • 1 teacup vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons Sultanas
  • 2 tablespoons Rice
  • lots of salt and pepper

Soak lentils overnight in boiled water. Melt fat, add chopped vegetables and fry lightly. Add chopped apple, sultanas, flour, curry powder, vinegar and stock and allow to simmer. Add lentils and allow to cook steadily until soft (about ½ hour if not canned). Season and serve with hot boiled rice.

This made me two very generous portion sizes which I ate, one plate for dinner and one for supper because I needed the calories and the protein. It came to about 800 calories and the cost of making this dish was less than  £1.00.

Enjoy!

C xxx

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Tuesday’s food diary

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Had a great day food-wise..

For breakfast I was naughty, I craved sweetness so had ‘Poor Knights Fritters’ and used my ‘Summer Berry Jam’.

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For lunch I had some spinach leaf and lettuce with kidney beans and a little sauted onion and mushroom over the top (fried in a little margarine and a teaspoon of marmite)

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Dinner was so tasty (recipe coming tomorrow)… ‘Curried Lentils with rice’.  18 grams of protein and 18 grams of fibre just in the lentils!

This evening I drank hot tea and sucked a few peppermints as the Hobbits and I spent a few hours in middle-earth.

Oh Thorin Oakenshield, I WILL probably have inappropriate thoughts about you in my dreams tonight…

Today’s calories- about 1800

Oh and if anyone is interested in how much all this delicious food cost me today?

About £1.50…

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On BBC Radio Nottingham

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So September 5 @ 11:15 pm I’ve been invited in to speak to Mark Dennison for 15 minutes LIVE on the BBC radio. (yikes!)

I think they want me to share my chutney recipe, and talk about rationing and losing weight

Please not let me snort like a pig, or giggle all the time or talk about poop.

It’s the first time I’ve done anything like this!!!

PS He looks quite dishy!

Click here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p007707j

C xxxxxx

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Food diary- taking a photo of every meal

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I’ve started taking a picture of every meal I eat so I can keep a visual diary of what goes in my mouth on a daily basis. This morning I had a large bowl of porridge oats sweetened with a blob of summer berry jam and cherries.

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For lunch I had an Oslo Meal with a spinach leaf sandwich (bread spread with margarine) with cucumber and carrot slices, cherries and an apple on the side and a cup of soya milk.

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For dinner I had peas and mushrooms and two fried potato and swede cakes. And later this evening I had a slice of bread, margarine and jam

Sometimes taking photos just helps..