Oatmeal

The Ministry of Food's Miracle Food 4 was Oatmeal, to give energy, protect from illness and make strong bones and healthy blood. And during the war, it had the virtue of being home grown on British soil. With a government subsidy, it cost less than 3 1/2 pence a pound to grow. Housewives were urged to use oatmeal to bulk out other foods, mixing it with flour for cakes and pastry, thickening soups with it and adding it to savoury puddings and pies to make the precious meat ration go further.

I was a post-war baby (known as a baby-boomer), and I can still remember my mother singing World War 11 songs as she worked in the kitchen. One of her favourite songs was "Mares Eat Oats" -  "Mairzy Doats"! 
  
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey.
A kiddley divey too. Wouldn’t you? Yes!
Mairzydoats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey.
A kiddley divey too. Wouldn’t you?
If the words sound queer, and funny to your ear, a little bit jumbled and jivey.
Sing: “Mares eat oats and does eat oats, and little lambs eat ivy” Oh!
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey.
A kiddley divey too. Wouldn’t you — oo?
A kiddley divey too. Wouldn’t you?

HOW CAN I APPLY THIS TO MY LIFE?

Porridge for breakfast will continue to be my healthy breakfast choice in our Australian winter, 

whole rolled oats, and not the "instant oats".   Cooked in a saucepan with water (1 cup water to 1/3 cup oats), then adding a little salt, and stirring in some milk and a dribble of honey or golden syrup.  

I will most certainly start to make Flapjacks as a snack:

55 g/2 oz butter or margarine, plus extra for greasing; 115 g/4 oz golden syrup; 55 g/2 oz demerara sugar, 225 g/8 oz rolled oats

*Preheat oven to 180 degrees C; Grease 8 inch square, shallow cake tin.
*Melt butter, syrup and sugar in a saucepan
*Stir in the oats and turn the mixture into the cake tin, spreading it evenly.
*Bake 30 -35 mins in a preheated oven.
*Take out of the oven and cut into square or rectangular pieces immediately, leaving in the tin until completely cold before removing.

I might even consider setting aside a patch of our suburban garden to try growing some oats, just for fun! 

But one thing that I really should do is a bit more singing while I potter around the house!