I’m getting to the dregs of my weekly rations in my fridge. but it’s amazing what you can make out of nothing so I made 4 small oatmeal dumplings to add some substance to YET ANOTHER vegetable stew.
A quick post today. I’m so behind with so, so much but managed to take a few photos with my phone and thought you’d like to see my lunch. My stew was just a mixture of potatoes, leek, cabbage, carrot and celery and some vegetable stock, salt and pepper. It’s filled my tummy, that’s the main thing.
My clothes feel looser today. I will be REALLY interested to see what I weigh in another 2 weeks or so. I have really, really tried to live these past two weeks as authentically as possible regarding rationing. The only boo boo I made was buying apples, I completely forgot that British apples probably wouldn’t have been available during WW2 until the beginning of September.
C xxxxx
Here is the recipe. I halved the ingredients and made 4 small dumplings.
The 1940's Experiment 
These look so yummy! And I totally hear you about yet ANOTHER vegetable stew! I haven’t been nearly as faithful as you, but I find myself expecting root veg, oatmeal, a bit of cheese, and tiny bit of meat for flavoring. I’m American, so I don’t usually eat much cabbage or parsnips, and you can’t find rutabagas/swede in the store here. But anything else feels extravagant now! Oh how they suffered on thehomefront in the war. And I’m not suffering. Just slightly hungry.
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Hi Maggie, firstly eat more veg ! On the subject of the availability of parsnips, rutabagas and swedes, just about any root vegetable can be used – or grow your own. You could use extra spuds, carrots and celery or do try the thick stems of cabbage or cauliflower chopped up as a substitute – did you know that rutabagas are a turnip/cabbage cross ? Substitution is the ‘make do and mend’ attitude of WW2.
This goes for the dumplings too, you don’t even need fat to make dumplings lighter in texture (plain flour should only be used if also using baking powder) but you can add one of the following which will make them lighter in texture
Breadcrumbs or crushed savoury crackers soaked in water
or
Use self raising flour and sparkling water
or
Use self raising flour and souring agent such as lemon, yogurt, etc
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I have been after a dumpling recipe that uses oats for AGES! Thank you.
I’m not even vegetarian but I don’t normally eat as much meat I have been doing during this experiment. I too have been trying to be as authentic as possible, but it’s almost impossible and it’s not for want of trying. I have just had to compromise as best I can.
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Hi Su, try toasting your rolled oats first – even yummier taste ! Just dry fry in a frying pan, stirring till just to your taste but do remove them onto a cold plate as soon as they are done or they will keep browning. Also use chilled sparkling water as it activates the rising agent resulting in fluffy dumplings.
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Do you have suet? I don’t know where I would find “suet or another hard fat.” ?? Just wondering… Thank you, love these posts! Maggie
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Hi there, any hard fat would be fine I think. I used a plant-based butter, you could also use any butter or hard margarine or block of hard cooking fat xxxxx
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Thank you! I always substitute as needed, but the suet had me stumped. Butter or plant-based margarine are easy. Thanks again for your helpful posts and recipes. 💜
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Its no problem and I do have a vegan suet in my store cupboard and they did have regular suet during the war (they must have as there are quite a few wartime recipes that use it).
C xxxx
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You could apparently have half a pound of suet ‘when available’, so I am presuming not very often!
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Substitutes for suet (animal hard fat) are Crisco (mainly made from cotton seed oil), Copha (made form hydrogenated coconut oil) or Trex (made from refined vegetable oils) – In Australasia it’s mainly Copha that’s on offer, it was Trex in the UK.
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