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Feast Your Eyes: Meatless Meatloaf Monday

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3g04430u share the meat poster
Americans! Share the meat as a wartime necessity. Poster, 1942. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g04430

The following is a  guest post for the Feast Your Eyes series by Kristen Sosinski, Processing Technician, Prints and Photographs Division.

Calling all ovo-lacto vegetarians,* this blog post is for you! I recently stumbled across a photo of a baked bean loaf. Yes, that’s right, a baked bean loaf! The catalog record informed me that the image belongs to a group of instructional photos for the 1942 “Share the Meat” campaign. This was part of the U.S. government’s effort to reduce meat consumption among civilians to ensure that the soldiers fighting in World War II would be well fed. (Unsurprisingly, you could eat as much organ meat as your heart desired!) Once I discovered this series, I couldn’t resist turning the photos and recipe text into a “how to cook” blog post:

Baked Bean Loaf:

1. For a coast to coast favorite and a vitamin-rich meatless dish, bake a bean loaf as you would a meatloaf. The ingredients are simple: three cups of cooked beans, one onion, one-half cup of milk (water or liquid from the beans can be substituted), one egg (beaten), one cup of bread crumbs, chopped celery, salt, pepper, and, if you like, herbs.

8b07636u bean loaf 1
“Share The Meat” recipes. For a coast to coast favorite and a vitamin-rich meatless dish…Photo by Ann Rosener, 1942 Oct. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8b07636

 2. Mash three cups of cooked beans, or chop them very fine. Add a chopped onion, one-half cup of milk (water or the liquid from the cooked beans may be substituted), a beaten egg and a cup of bread crumbs. A little finely chopped celery is good too. Season to taste with salt, pepper and dried herbs.

8b07637u bean loaf 2
“Share The Meat” recipes. Baked bean loaf. Mash three cups of cooked beans, or chop them very fine… Photo by Ann Rosener, 1942 Oct. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8b07637

3. Mix ingredients well and shape into a loaf. Place in shallow pan, pour a little melted fat over the top, and bake until well browned.

8b07638u bean loaf 3
“Share The Meat” recipes. Baked bean loaf. Mix ingredients well and shape into a loaf… Photo by Ann Rosener, 1942 Oct. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8b07638

4. A nourishing, healthful meat substitute, this bean loaf contains vitamins and minerals found in many meat dishes. Serve it for luncheon or supper with hot tomato sauce, pickles, or even a sliced raw onion. This bean loaf is a bland dish, and any spicy food goes well with it.

8b07639u bean loaf 4
“Share The Meat” recipes. Baked bean loaf. A nourishing, healthful meat substitute, this bean loaf contains vitamins and minerals found in many meat dishes… Photo by Ann Rosener, 1942 Oct. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8b07639

 I may not actually try out this particular recipe, especially since the recipe notes how bland it is, but be sure to let us know how it tastes if you decide to give it a try!

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*Ovo-lacto vegetarians are vegetarians who also enjoy eggs & dairy products!

Comments

  1. My favorite part of the recipe is the suggestion to pour melted fat over the top of the loaf! What a great series of photos to share how those food limitations impacted people’s daily diet.

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