carolyn ekins hyland

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The 1940’s Experiment- Four months on

August 2009 @ 315lbs - November 2009 @ 283lbs

Hello my name is Carolyn Ekins. I am a single mother of three and I have been morbidly obese for several years.

My all time heaviest was 343 lbs. Last Christmas I weighed 330 lbs.

In August 2009 I weighed in at 315 lbs and vowed to change my eating habits forever in a year long 1940s Social Experiment based on the rationed diets of everyday folk living on the home-front during World War II.  I truly believe by being as true as I can to living a year eating back to basics food, cooked from scratch and as little processed food as I can, I WILL become a healthier person. I aim to lose 100 lb in one year..

Four months into the 1940s Experiment I have lost almost 33 lbs and weighed in today at 282 lbs.

I don’t count calories, and if I am hungry I eat lots of food and my theory seems to be working- I do feel MUCH healthier from just a few months ago.

It hasn’t always been an easy journey and have slipped up a handful of times and sometimes eat way too much bread BUT I know I can make it.

100 Cooked and Photographed Wartime Recipes

100 Wartime Recipes will be recreated and photographed throughout the year of the 1940’s Experiment. I want this to be a record in photographs of a typical 1940’s rationing diet and to experience the tastes of the time using the ingredients available.

So far I have recreated nearly 30 recipes- 1 every 3 days!

Thank you for your support!

And thanks for all the support I have been getting from all the people who have read 23,000 pages of my blog since August 2009. Knowing people are reading and commenting keeps me going… it really does. I LOVE reading the comments and thoughts left on my blog!!

C xxxxxxx

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Cheese and Potato Dumplings

Here is a fabby recipe that I use quite frequently. You can add herbs and spices to your own taste. I also find these dumplings, once refrigerated, can even be used to take in to work for a midday snack in your lunch box as they firm up quite nicely!

Cheese and Potato Dumplings

  • 2 lbs of potatoes peeled (set aside the peel to bake in the oven for another delicious snack)
  • 2 reconstituted dried eggs (or 2 fresh)
  • 3 to 4 oz strong grated cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • dried herbs such as thyme (optional)

Method

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water

Set aside to drain in colander for 10 minutes

Mash potatoes, return to saucepan over low heat, add seasoning and herbs, mix well

Add eggs and half the cheese, mix well again and stir until potatoes firm up.

Once cooled a little form into 10 balls and roll in the remaining grated cheese

Place on greased baking tray and bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes or so until browned and crusty

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We are connected and 273 lb by Christmas.

No surfing- More reading!

We have lift off! These past 10 days have seemed like a life time but thanks to my ex-husband our network at home is now up and running again. Our home server crashed horribly, lost all it’s settings and went through a recovery. Everything had to be stripped down and installed again…quite the job.

I jumped on the scales this morning and things have slipped a little and I have a 3lb gain which is just horrible which isn’t a great start to trying to lose 10lbs before Christmas HOWEVER, I do not like defeat so I KNOW I can do it. So I start at 283 lb today..

And the simple changes I’ll make? Less bread (2 slices daily instead of several), smaller portions of oatmeal, more leafy veggies and lots more walking!

I’ll be back later today with my recipes updates!

Thanks for checking back- it’s great to be back

C xx

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Wartime Dripping is Yummy

1drippingyummy

So OK I hear you saying…..gross!!!!

 

But I can tell you something, after a few weeks on rations, when you realize just how little fat is in your diet from cheese & butter (rationed) and of course no longer able to consume potato chips or high fat snacks, dripping soon becomes a tasty and desirable addition to your diet..

 

A little dripping mixed in with those boiled veggies or a blob smeared and melted into your baked potato livens up those blander dinners at the end of the week when rations are running low.

 

How to collect dripping

  • Bacon dripping is the best
  • Fry bacon in pan until slightly crisp
  • Remove bacon
  • Pour left over fat into heatproof bowl (strain if you wish)
  • Place somewhere cool like in your fridge where it will harden
  • Use like butter for cooking or smearing on hot foods

I know it doesn’t seem possible that you can have dripping in your diet and lose weight but it’s true!

C xx