John Greenleaf Whittier

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

He was a Quaker, a poet, an abolitionist, a novelist, a legislator. And he owned a parrot named Charlie. John Greenleaf Whittier was very much a man of his time. [The curious middle name is said to be a translation of the name of a Huguenot ancestor named ‘vertfeuille’.] He was born into a farming family in Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA in 1807. They were Quakers, living with many relatives in the little house built in 1688 by an ancestor. John was not a healthy child, but he did his best to help out. His parents were poor but they filled the house with affection and stories told around the fire. John’s education was limited to 12 weeks every winter at the village school, but it opened the world to him. One year, the school-master read from the poems of Robert Burns, and John was so entranced that he borrowed the book. After mastering the unusual Scots dialect, Whittier was struck by the mission of poetry: to show ordinary things in a new and different light. If that was poetry, then he wanted to do it. When he was 19 years old, his sister secretly sent one of his poems to a local newspaper, which lead to a contract and a long association with William Lloyd Garrison, the publisher. Finances permitted John to attend one year/2 semesters at Haverhill Academy, and that was it for formal education. He became an editor of one publication after another, always championing the abolition of slavery. As work took him from Boston to Hartford to Philadelphia, Whittier gained many like-minded acquaintances, expanding his influence, but he also gained pro-slavery detractors who threw stones at him and picketed his lectures. His poems concerned the evils of slavery. In the early 1830s, Whittier was into politics, serving as a delegate to the Republican national convention [in those days, Republicans were the anti-slavery party], and in the Massachusetts legislature. Whittier, at Garrison’s urging, joined the Abolitionist Party, a very unpopular move. His Quakerism and its inherent humanism lead him to challenge slavery against the opposition of mainstream religion, colleges, and the law. Whittier was a member of the Electoral College in 1860 and 1864, casting votes for Abraham Lincoln both times. By the end of the Civil War, Whittier was physically and emotionally exhausted. Most of his family had died, and he was living alone in the family home in Amesbury, Massachusetts. So he wrote Snow Bound, a Winter Idyl, a lengthy poem set in the past. It opens with a blizzard that changes everything around a farm family, just as the Civil War had changed life for so many. But the family in the story is not defeated by being snow-bound for three days. They heap wood on the fire, roast chestnuts, and take turns telling stories of long ago. Such homey scenes struck a chord with Americans tired of strife. The poem, sold as a book, made Whittier financially secure for the first time in his life, and gained him universal recognition. Throughout his life, he befriended and encouraged other writers and poets, including Celia Thaxter and Sarah Orne Jewett. He died on September 7, 1892, while visiting cousins for the summer.

Breakfast is made of home-raised and foraged ingredients, typical of subsistence farming. The dinner is typically New England.

Ham & Mushroom ScrOmelette: 151 calories… 8.5 g fat… 2 g fiber… 12 g protein… 5.4 g carbs… 56 mg Calcium…  PB GF  These flavors go together so well that it would be a shame not to enjoy them at breakfast.

Serve 1cast iron or non-stick pan
¾ oz mushrooms, chopped ++++ 1/3 oz ham [from a roast; if you use 3%-fat ham from deli, the fat will be reduced] ++++ Chop ham and mushrooms and stir together. HINT: I did this the night before.
Heat pan, spritz with oil or cooking spray. Add ham/mushroom combo, stir to heat and cook mushrooms, if raw. 
1½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip eggs, pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid. Put in ‘fridge for next week.  ++++ chopped fresh herbs Whisk eggs with herbs, and pour into pan gently to maintain distribution of ham/ mushrooms. 
Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. 
Dish up fruit¼ cup raspberries -OR- 2 oz applesauce -OR- 2 oz pear
Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Pan-Fried Smelts: 276 calories… 9 g fat.. 4 g fiber… 33 g protein …14 g carb… 120.6 mg Calcium…  PB GF if using GF bread When Spring is near, the smelts swim up the rivers and into my frying pan!

++ 5 oz smelts, cleaned & boned +++ 1 egg white +++ ½ slice 70-cal whole-grain bread, ground into crumbs +++ salt, pepper, thyme +++ 1 tsp olive oil +++ your choice of two sides to total 45-50 calories: 2 oz cooked beets ++ ¼ cup pickled beets ++2 oz broccoli ++2 oz snow peas ++ 2 oz green beans

Trim tails and fins from the fish and pull out the backbones. Whisk the egg white until frothy. Mix the seasonings with the bread crumbs. Dip the fish in the egg whites, then in the bread crumbs. ‘Pan fry’ in oil in a non-stick skillet until lightly browned and cooked through. Prepare your vegetables and season to taste. Plate it all and enjoy the bounty of Spring. Looks and tastes like a lot of calories.

Elements: Sodium

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

A characteristic of humans is that we want to understand how things work and why. The Sicilian/Greek philosopher Empedocles in the fifth century BCE proposed that all things were made of 4 Roots: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Plato later called them ‘elements’, believing that the smallest unit of matter was an element. [Later, that smallest unit was called an ‘atom’.] In the fourth century BCE, Plato’s student, the Athenian philosopher Aristotle [384-322 BCE] made careful observations of the natural world to try to figure out why things were as they were. He concluded that the natural world was composed of combinations of five basic elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether. Our modern Periodic Table of 118 elements shows that we have knowledge far beyond that of Aristotle. One of the modern elements is Sodium, and it has a history that goes back thousands of years. To chemists, Sodium is a metal, with the chemical abbreviation “Na” — derived from the latin word ‘natrium’. Happily, we seldom see this element in its pure, metallic state because Sodium is highly reactive [explosive] when in contact with water. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!! Humans have been using Sodium for millennia in the form of salt [Sodium-Chloride]. Because those two atoms are bonded together, we have oceans with salt/Sodium in them without fear of explosion. That salt sometimes evaporates in the shallows, creating salt deposits that humans use to season and preserve food. Another useful compound for ancient humans was ‘natron’, a chemical (Na2CO3) used by Egyptians to mummify their dead. Another way we encounter Sodium is in ‘baking soda’/Sodium bicarbonate [NaHCO3] which is used as a leavening in quick breads, cakes, and cookies. Sodium is an element that is important to the operation of the human brain and nerves. We get most of what we need from food, and 2-3 grams per day is all we need. If you dote on salty foods and can’t resist adding more salt before you taste the foods, then excess Sodium can cause problems such as high blood pressure or edema. Sodium has many industrial uses, from putting on icy sidewalks to cooling nuclear reactors. Use it wisely and it will serve you well.

For those of you who need to count your Sodium intake, these meals are prepared without added salt.

Breakfast Casserole:  192 calories… 6 g fat… 2 g fiber… 14 g protein… 13 g carbs… 69 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values shown are for the plated items only, not for the optional beverages.  PB GF – if using GF bread.  This is my take on strata-type breakfasts – without the layers. It is hearty, flavorful and very satisfying. HINT: This recipe makes enough for two [2] breakfasts. If serving one person, enjoy the rest of the casserole as a lunch later in the week.

++ 1¼ oz 70-cal. whole-grain rye bread, cut in ¼” dice ++++ two 2-oz egg + 1 egg white [1.5 Tbsp] ++++ ¾ oz minced 3%-fat ham ++++ 2 Tbsp Gouda cheese, grated ++++ ¼ c milk, skimmed herbs/seasonings of your choice ++++ ½ tsp mustard ++++ per person:  2 oz apple ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or  mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Spray an oven-safe dish or two ramekins with non-stick spray. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with milk, seasonings, and mustard. Stir in the bread, ham, and cheese. Stir ingredients together and pour into the dish. HINT: you should prep this the night before so that the bread will asorb the wet ingredients. Cover ramekin, and pop it in the ‘fridge for morning.Bake at 350º for 18-20 minutes. While it is baking, prep the fruit, and prepare your optional beverage.

Shrimp with Lime + Cilantro: 294 calories… 5 g fat…4 g fiber… 34 g protein… 27 g carbs… 130 mg Calcium… NB: Food values are calculated WITH the optional beans.  PB GF This is such a popular combination of flavors that there are many recipes online. This one is from Skinnytaste.com, cut down to a single-serving size and with a few additions. Wonderful flavors!

1 servingPrepare your mise en place. Non-stick saute or cast-iron pan
5 oz raw frozen shrimp, cleaned  [I used tiny cold-water shrimp] ++++ Thaw in a bowl. Once thawed, pour off liquid and save. Cut large shrimp in half.
¼ tsp ground cumin ++ black pepperToss shrimp with these.
3 cups boiling water  ++++1 oz brown rice Maifun noodles Cook noodles for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse, and reserve.
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled ++ ½ lime ++ 2+ Tbsp cilantro/ coriander leaves Crush garlic. Cut lime in half. Chop cilantro/coriander leaves.
1/3 tsp olive oil ++ drained shrimpHeat pan. Cook shrimp in oil 1-2 minutes,
Shrimp waterTurn over to cook other side. Add some of reserved water to avoid sticking. 
Reserved garlic + noodles ++ optional: 2 oz cannellini beansPut these in pan and cook 1 minute until warm.
Sliced lime ++ chopped cilantroSqueeze lime over all, add cilantro, stir well. Take off heat. 
1 large [½ oz] Romaine or Boston lettuce leaf Center lettuce leaf on plate, spoon shrimp on top.

Maria Montessori

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Is there a ‘Montessori School’ in your town? There are 5000 such schools in the United States, and 10,763 more worldwide. What is a Montessori School, anyway? Their philosophy is that children want to learn, so let them study the topics that interest them. Thus students are self-motivated, and the teacher is a mentor. Students can learn by doing, by researching, by experimenting. Because children can learn from each other, the classes are multi-age, meaning that a teacher might be responsible for 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds all at once. By working on their own time schedule, students learn time-management, self-reliance, and where their strengths lie. Does this sound like the schools you attended? Probably not. Schools like these are named after their creator, Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori. She was born on August 31, 1870, in Italy. When she was four years old, the family moved to Rome. After 10 years in public school, Maria enrolled in a technical institute with the goal of studying engineering. Her parents urged her to become a teacher, the acceptable job for a woman, but Maria decided to pursue a medical degree. Unheard of! She was refused admittance. So she studied physics at University of Rome, and was then accepted at medical school. During her studies, Montessori worked with children at any asylum and closely observed how their environment negatively affected their behavior. Meanwhile, a love affair with a fellow doctor resulted in the birth of her son, Mario. Dr Montessori was in a bind — if she married, she would have to give up her profession. If she kept her son with her, she would be unable to carry out her work. So her son was left with a family in the countryside, re-entering her life when he was a teenager. Montessori’s work with neurodivergent children lead her to read up on non-traditional educational methods. By 1900, her methods were attracting international attention, and she lectured frequently around Europe. This lead to the opening of her first Casa dei Bambini, a school for children of working-class families, in 1907. The students thrived, progressing faster than children in traditional schools, so more of Dr. Maria’s schools were opened. The rise of fascist governments in the 1930s meant the closing of many of her schools in Europe, but India invited Maria to visit. That trip kept Montessori and her son under house arrest [due to their Italian nationality] during World War II, but they still managed to train 100s of teachers to use the Montessori Method. After the war, Dr. Montessori lived in the Netherlands and continued to lecture, to write, and to promote education for all children until her death in 1952.

Our menus today are based on popular Italian foods, in honor of Maria’s home country.

Turkey Picatta ScrOmelette: 171 calories… 8 g fat… 2 g fiber… 14.5 oz protein… 10 oz carbs… 58.5 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. GF Delicious morning meal, based on a popular, delicious dinner.

++ 1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. +++ ½ oz turkey breast, cooked or raw +++ 1 tsp capers +++ ½ Tbsp shallots, minced +++ 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese +++ ½ tsp lemon juice +++ 2 oz pear +++  Optional: blackish coffee  [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] +++  Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Chop the shallot and turkey. Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and stir the shallot-meat until they are cooked. Stir in lemon juice. Whisk the eggs with cottage cheese and capers. Pour into the pan, stirring to mix with the shallots and turkey. Cook to your liking, fold and plate with the fruit. Pour your beverages of choice.

Halibut with Fruit Relish: 182 calories… 5.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 25 g protein… 6.4 g carbs… 82 mg Calcium…  PB GF  Whether you bake or broil or grill the fish, a fruit salsa — such as Rhubarb Agrodolce — makes for a splendid topping.

++ 4 oz halibut filet ++++ 4 spears asparagus OR  side salad = lettuce, carrot, tomato, beets, cucumbers, vinaigrette ++++ 2 Tbsp rhubarb agrodolce ++

Pan sear the fish in a lightly-oiled cast iron skillet 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat. In the meantime, prepare the asparagus or salad. Plate and spoon the fruit relish onto the fish. Believe me, you will eat this fish “with relish.”

Rhubarb Agrodolce:  makes 2 cups.  per fluid ounce [2 Tbsp]: 23 calories… 1 g fat… 0.6 g fiber… 0.3 g protein… 3 g carbs… 27 mg Calcium… From Chef Todd English.

1.5 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced—½ cup onion, chopped—1 pound rhubarb, chopped in ½” diceSpray a non-stick pan with cooking spray. Add the ginger and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the rhubarb and cook for 4-5 minutes.
1 Tbsp butter—¾ cup hard cider—2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar—1 tsp fresh rosemary, choppedAdd each item one at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition. Bring to a low boil and cook until reduced by half – about 10-15 minutes.
1.5 tsp brown sugarAdd sugar and stir to combine.

Hometown Heroine: Ullal

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

How does a woman without a single boat defeat the largest navy of the era? With courage and ingenuity, that’s how. On the Indian shore of the Arabian Sea, near the present city of Mangalore, there was a Princely State of Ullal. This state was ruled by a merchant-soldier family. The Prince’s niece, Abbakka Rani, was raised to be an intelligent ruler. Besides her books, she was trained in statecraft and the arts of war. The girl could ride and shoot a bow as well as any man, yet she was humble and dressed herself simply, like a village woman. In time, she inherited the throne from her uncle. There is uncertainty as to the identification of Abbakka Rani: some say that there were multiple queens named Abbakka in the region and over the years. Are the stories about her a compilation of tales of many people, told as if it were one woman? Hard to tell. In the 1500s, the Portuguese cruised into the Indian Ocean, intent on controlling the international market for silks and spices. At first, they would demand ‘protection money’ from the coastal towns. Most agreed, but Abbakka refused to pay. Although her religion was that of the non-violent Jains, Abbakka made a coalition with other rulers including Hindus and Muslims to resist the interlopers. For political advantage, she married the king of Mangalore. He sided with the Portuguese, and for that and other reasons, Abbakka divorced him. He pledged to be her ally, but he could not resist favoring the Portuguese. Finally the Portuguese sent in a fleet of ships commanded by general Joao Peixoto. He sailed into Ullal and took control of the port. Abbakka hid in a mosque, then by night she gathered 200 follower from the region for a counter-attack. Pleased with their easy victory, the Portuguese let down their guard. Drunken sailors roamed the town and danced in the streets. General Peixoto went to sleep in the palace without a care. Abbakka’s army attacked fiercely and without giving quarter. The general and many of his troops were killed. The surviving sailors ran for their ships and fled out to sea. An ignominious defeat by the humble woman who saved the day in Ullal.

Our breakfast has the flavors of Bombay which is located up the coast from Ullal. The dinner is favored by the Portuguese on their Azores Islands.

Mumbai Morning: 160 calories… 9.4 g fat… 1 g fiber… 9 g protein… 11.5 g carbs… 110 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Nik Sharma remembers an omelette from his childhood which was described in the New York Times. He called it a Bombay Fritatta, but since Bombay is now Mumbai, I changed the name and some porportions. It is yummy. Serve with tea from India or Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++ 

1 servingSet toaster oven at 350F
1 + 1/2 Tbsp red onion, minced ++++ 1 clove garlic, minced ++++ ¼ tsp canola oil + spray of cooking spray+++Cook onion and garlic in oil until transluscent. Pour into an oven-safe dish spritzed with oil.
1 two-oz egg ++++ Whisk egg.
1/4 tsp garam masala ++++ 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes ++++ pinch salt ++++ 1/8 tsp turmeric ++++Add these ingredients to egg and whisk to combine. Pour over onions and garlic in dish.
1/2 oz feta cheese ++++Sprinkle with feta, bake 12-15 mins.
3 oz melon ++++ Plate with melon.

Grouper Grilled with Limpets: 271 calories… 5.5 g. fat… 3.5 g fiber… 40 g protein… 18 g carbs… 85.4 mg Calcium…  PB GF Grouper is a popular sportfish in the Atlantic Ocean, from the warm Caribbean to the colder waters of the Azores. Paired with garlic-grilled limpets and a vegetable medley, this is a meal you might find in many Azorean restaurants.

++ 4 oz grouper or cod filet ++++ 4 limpets ++++ 1 tsp butter ++++ 1 clove garlic ++++ 1 oz sweet potato slices ++++ 1½ oz broccoli florets ++++ 1½ oz carrots ++++ salt & pepper ++

Cut the garlic clove in half. Rub the fish on both sides with garlic, to flavor it. Press the garlic and divide into four equal portions. Cut the butter into 4 equal pieces. Put one portion of butter and one portion of garlic in each limpet. Spritz the fish on both sides with cooking spray or olive oil. Put the vegetables on to cook in simmering water. On a grill, put the grouper and cook on one side for 4 minutes.

Turn the fish and arrange the limpets on the grill, putting the shells right on the grid. Cook fish and limpets 4-5 minutes longer, until the garlic butter is sizzling and the fish is done. Plate with salted, cooked veggies for a colorful plate.

Battle of Sandwich

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Are you expecting a showdown between Subway and Jersey Mike’s? That is not the battle of sandwich that we are describing today. This one occurred in 1217. As far back as that, France and England were rivals, each hoping to gain political ascendency. Let’s see how this developed. In 1066, William the Duke of Normandy France invaded England and conquered it. In 1215, the English nobles were fed up with their king, John I, and made him sign the Magna Carta, giving them more say in the government. In 1216, they were so tired of King John that they invited Crown Prince Louis of France to come over to help them get rid of John. Louis was so enticed by the idea of being king of England that he disobeyed all his advisors, including the Pope, and took an army to England. Things were going well for Louis until King John died. Then the nobles had second thoughts. The goal of getting John off the throne had been realized — and did they really want a French king? So most of the English nobles deserted Louis and declared themselves for King Henry III, who was all of nine years old. Louis however was in it to win it. He sent a message to France, asking for reinforcements. Ten big ships full of soldiers and 70 small ships with supplies were dispatched under the command of Eustace the Monk. He was not a monk, he was a pirate, thus he knew the English Channel sea lanes very well. Off the coast of Dover, Eustace’s navy was met by an English fleet of 18 big and 20 small vessels led by Hubert de Brugh. The French ships were over-crowded and they waddled heavily in the water. The English ships sailed past and around the French fleet, coming at them with the wind at their backs. Near the port of Sandwich, they engaged. The English advantage lead to a swift victory and a massacre. This was the first naval battle ever fought in the open ocean, and the first victory for an English navy. The Treaty of Lambeth ended France’s invasion of England, and Louis went home 10,000 silver marks for his troubles. From that time on, the English navy was feared and respected.

As you might have guessed, we will enjoy sandwiches at breakfast and at dinner. In case you were wondering, Subway’s BLT has 480 calories and 26 g fat. Jersey Mike’s Chicken Salad Sandwich has 950 calories and 61 g fat. If you really want to eat one of those, do so on a Slow Day.

Breakfast BLT w/ Egg: 180 calories… 8 g fat… 4 g fiber …10 g protein… 15 g carbs… 52 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values are for the meal and fruit only and do not include the optional coffee. PB  GF – if using GF bread  A Summer evening favorite is the inspiration for this filling breakfast.

++ 1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] ++++  one 2-oz egg, hardboiled [sliced] or fried ++++ 1 strip uncured bacon [the streaky American type @ 30 calories ++++1 oz tomato, sliced ++++ leaf of romaine lettuce ++++ 3 cherries ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Cook bacon and drain well. Toast bread if you wish. Slice egg and tomato. Lay the lettuce leaf on the plate and position the bread so that it covers half of the leaf. Break bacon so that it will fit within the edges of the bread and put it as the first layer. Top with tomato and a bit of salt. Top with egg. Fold the letuce leaf so it comes up and over, becoming the top layer of the sandwich. Ummmm-yummmm.

Chicken Salad Sandwich: 283 calories… 7 g fat… 7 g fiber… 26 g protein… 35 g carbs… 134 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread If you bought a chicken salad sandwich, it might ‘cost you’ 500 calories and 16 g fat. This sandwich is much less ‘expensive’ and tastes great.

++ 2½ oz cooked chicken breast ++++ 2 Tbsp part-skim ricotta cheese ++++ 1 tsp  yellow Sriracha ++++ 2 tsp chopped onion ++++ 2 tsp chopped celery ++++ 2 tsp chopped cilantro leaves ++++ salt + pepper to taste ++++ 2 slices 70-calorie whole-grain bread with seeds [such as Dave’s Killer ‘Good Seed’] ++++ lettuce ++++ 1 oz sliced tomato ++++ ½ cup Swedish Cucumber Salad ++

Shred or chop the chicken. Mix with the ricotta and flavorings, including Sriracha. Add more Sriracha if the mixture needs to be moistened. Spread on one slice of bread, lay on the lettuce and tomato. Top with the other piece of bread and plate with the Cucumber Salad. Good ‘on-the-go’ meal.

Saint Philibert

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Philibert was a builder. He was born in Gascony in 608 CE, and as was the custom in noble houses, he came of age in the court of the Frankish King Dagobert. There he met two future saints, and Philibert was granted permission to join the monastery at Rebais. In time, he became abbot. But there was dissent about the Rule the monks should follow [strict rules of behavior or not?], and Philibert left. He spent the next several years traveling from monastery to monastery, studying how the monks lived and worked. In 654, he was given land to found the Abby of Notre Dame de Jumièges in Normandy. The Rule for his monks was a mix of four schools of thought, though still mostly influenced by Benedict, and other churchmen visited often to see how it worked. About this time, Ebroin, the Mayor of the Palace, settled his dispute with St Leodegar by killing him, and Philibert objected. Philibert was imprisoned, then was exiled to the coast where he founded the monastery at Noirmoutier. Then he rebuilt Qincay Abbey, near Poitiers. When the bishop gave him more land, Philibert established  the abbey of Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu. With the Bishop of Poitiers as his patron, Philibert and his monks began work on what became the royal abbey of Saint-Michel-en-l’Herm. When he could return to Jumièges, Philibert built a nunnery at Pavilly and his last abbey at Montivilliers in 682. When he died in 684, he was buried at Noirmoutier, but two centuries later, when the Vikings came to call, the monks took Philibert’s remains inland to rebury at Tournus. That is why the saint is sometimes called Philibert of Jumièges and sometimes Philibert of Tournus.

The saint’s name is sometimes spelled ‘Filibert’, so we can see how a popular nut came to be called a ‘filbert’. The fruit of the Hazel Tree ripens in Europe around the Feast of Saint Philibert on August 19. Our menus today involve hazelnut ‘flour’ in the breakfast, and whole filberts in the dinner. On a Slow Day, you could put whole filberts and nut meal in Chocolate Chip Cookies — a delicious treat from a Parisian food shop.

Peachy Waffle Hearts: 148 calories… 3.4 g fat… 3.6 g fiber… 3.6 g protein… 29 g carbs… 59.4 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF– if using GF waffles Where is it written that hearts are reserved for Valentine’s Day? Make this breakfast to show someone that he/she/they are loved. Make it for yourself for affirmation.

++3 sections of waffle that are heart-shaped [our waffle-maker has 5 sections]++ 3 Tbsp Vanilla yogurt, low-fat++ 2 Tbsp hazelnut OR almond meal/flour ++ 3 oz peach, mashed ++ 2 oz pear ++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories] ++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or  mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++ 

Combine the yogurt with the almond meal and let it sit to thicken a bit. TIP: Can be done overnight. Mash the peach through a sieve to make a mush. Warm the waffles to take off any chill and spread with the peach mush. Pipe or spoon the yogurt around the edges of the hearts and plate with the pear. A pretty treat.

Trout with Hazelnuts: 267 calories… 18 g fat… 3 g fiber… 21 g protein… 6 g carbs… 75 mg Calcium…  PB GF From Savoie, France comes this recipe, via Anne Willem’s French Regional Cooking. Hannibal is supposed to have dined on local trout as he crossed the Alps with his elephants. Very easy to prepare [the trout, not the elephants] and absolutely delicious. 

++ 3 oz trout, boned and trimmed +++ 1 tsp butter+++ ½ oz hazelnuts, halved or coarsely chopped +++ 2 oz French green beans [haricots]+++

Start cooking the beans. Heat a heavy saute pan and spray with non-stick spray. Put in the trout and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slowly cook the trout on one side. ~3 mins. Add the butter to the pan along with the nuts. Continue cooking everything slowly until the fish is done, roughly another 3 mins. Drain and season the beans, plate them with the trout, and top the fish with the nuts in butter. Enjoy your culinary visit to the French Alps.

At Verneuil

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

It was a brutally hot day on August 17, 1424. Jean VIII d’Harcourt, Count of Aumale, and around 9,000 of his countrymen were waiting on the fields of Verneuil, Normandy. The 28-year old was no stranger to battle. Jean had survived the disastrous routs of Crecy and Agincourt, and he had lead his army to defeat the English at the Battle of La Gravelle/ Battle of la Brossinière the year before. Now he was the Senior Commander of the French forces, fighting to drive the English out of France during the Hundred Years’ War. Jean was on home territory, defending lands that his family had been given 600 years before, and with him was his cousin, Gerard d’Harcourt, Baron de Bonnetable, a member of his army. That day, the 10,000-man English army was outnumbered [as they had been at Agincourt and Crecy], facing the French plus 6,000 Scottish allies and a band mercenaries from Milan. There had been debate in the French camp as to whether they should engage the English — having learned from previous battles that being outnumbered did not mean that the English would lose. But the decision was made, and the battle began. At first, it seemed that the English and their deadly long-bows were at a disadvantage, as their arrows bounced off the Milanese armor. But the mercenaries left the field to plunder the baggage train for loot, and when they finally returned to the battle, the English were winning. The English lost 2,000 men in the fight, the French and Scots lost 6.000. Both Jean VIII and Gerard were killed. Happily, Gerard and his wife had produced two sons, one of whom was my direct ancestor. It would be another 30 years before the English were driven out of France, and that bloody war of succession was over.

Normandy borders the sea, the source of an ingredient in our breakfast. The dinner is a fine meal to prepare on a hot August 17.

Mackerel-Leek ScrOmelette: 187 calories… 10.5 g fat… 1.7 g fiber… 14 g protein… 10 g carbs… 70 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF If you can’t find fresh mackerel, substitute another high-Omega-3 fish like salmon or arctic char.  

++ 1½ eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week ++++ 2 oz cooked mackerel++++ 2 oz leeks ++++m1 tsp Dijon mustard ++++ 2 oz strawberries ++++ Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Spritz a hot saute pan with non-stick spray and stir in the leeks and mackerel, to soften the leeks and warm the fish. Whisk the eggs with the seasonings and mustard. Pour into the pan and scramble to your taste or prepare as an omelette. Pour the beverages and plate the berries. Oh my!

Mid-Summer Saute: 256 calories… 2 g fat… 4 g fiber… 18 g protein… 30.4 g carbs… 47.5 mg Calcium…  PB  GF – if pasta is GF The fresh ingredients of this lovely meal are all coming together in the markets in mid-summer. Enjoy these flavors! Enjoy beautiful summer days!

Serves 2
Cooking spray—–3 oz chicken breast meat, 1” cubesHeat a saute pan over medium, and spray with oil. Saute chicken 2 mins.
2 oz whole wheat pastaCook in boiling, salted water to al dente
1 clove garlic, minced—–1 Tbsp shallot, minced—-3 oz cep/porcini, sliced—1 cup/4 oz zucchini, in half-moonsRemove chicken, respray pan, add these, cook 3 mins, stir at whiles.If too dry, add a few tablespoons of water.
1 Tbsp cognacOff heat, add cognac and flame.
½ cup/8 fl oz meat stock—–¼ cup/4 fl oz white winePut pan back on heat, add liquids. Simmer until reduced by half.
Cooked, drained pastaStir in pasta, serve when all is warm
Chopped parsleyPlate, topped with parsley

Saint Radegund

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Radegund was still a pre-adolescent, living in the house of her father, the king of Thuringia [now in Bavaria, Germany], when the Franks attacked in 531. They overran the region, killing Radegund’s family, capturing her and her brother. The brothers who lead the Franks held a lottery for the girl, and Clothair won. He already had four wives, and recognizing her youth, he sent her to live in eastern France, where she furthered her education. After a few years, she married Clothair, King of the Franks. Radegund soon had a reputation for giving alms to the poor and for her humility. She was said to act more like a nun than a queen. When Clothair had her brother killed, Radegund ran away to a near-by church, asking to become a nun. The priest feared what the Franks would do to him, so he refused. Radegund threatened him with the wrath of God if he did not protect her, so the priest made her a deaconess. Eventually, Clothair came around to the fact that his wife would rather be a nun than to be married to him. [Perhaps he was influenced by his mother, Saint Chlotild, a very pious woman.] More than that, he donated a huge sum of money to establish the first Frankish “female monastery” as convents were called than. This was Sainte-Croix in Poitiers, built around 560 CE. Radegund had a reputation as a healer, caring for the sick herself, washing their bodies with her own hands. She also was noted for her asceticism: wearing a hair shirt under her queenly robes and fasting so much that people feared for her health. Venantius Fortunatus, a contemporary, wrote her biography, detailing the many good works she performed and recounting Radegund’s numerous miracles.

Saint Radegund was an ardent faster, plus she would eat no meat. Her idea of a meal was a bowl of lentils or beans, along with green vegetables. Both of our meals are plant-based and meatless. Fast in her honor on her Feast Day, August 13.

Oyster Mushroom ScrOmelette: 178 calories… 9.4 g fat… 2.6 g fiber… 11.5 g protein… 11.5 g carbs… 79.5 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF We are fond of oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, so naturallly we are fond of this breakfast. You can forage for them or buy them at the market.

++ 1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ 2 oz oyster mushrooms ++++ 2 oz red bell pepper ++++ 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced ++++ 1 Tbsp oyster sauce ++++ 1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated ++++ 3 oz pear  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Chop the mushrooms and pepper. Warm a non-stick saute pan, and spritz it with non-stick spray. Put the vegetables in the pan to cook and to warm while you whisk the eggs with oyster sauce, cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Pour eggs over vegetables in pan, either scramble them or cook as an omelette. Plate with the pear for a dandy meal.

Felafel with Cucumber Raita: 223 calories… 7.5 g fat… 6 g fiber… 11 g protein… 22.4 g carbs… 130 mg Calcium…  PB GF  The felafel recipe is from Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. Having some felafel patties in the freezer makes meal prep rapid.

++ 6 felafel patties ++++ 1 cup raw spinach ++++ ½ tsp olive oil ++++ large pinch ground nutmeg ++++ 4 oz plain, non-fat yogurt ++++ 1 scant cup cucumbers, cubed ++++ 1 tsp white wine vinegar ++++ 1½ tsp fresh mint, chopped or dried dill weed ++ 

Thaw out 5 of those felafel patties that you have in the freezer. Heat in toaster oven or in a non-stick pan on the stove. Do not cook them in oil. Cut the spinach into a chiffonade [make a pile of leaves and cut thinly across their width]and put into a bowl. Stir together the yogurt, vinegar, and dill or mint. Add the cucumber cubes and stir gently to combine. Toss the spinach with the olive oil and nutmeg. Plate spinach with raita on top. Eat it, and love it.

Felafel Patties 25-30 pattieseach patty= 30 cal–1 g fat — 1 g fiber –1.6 g protein –4 g carbs– 8.5 mg Calcium-
2 c canned chick peas [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them]— 1½ cloves garlic, crushed– ¼ cup celery, minced– ¼ c. scallions, sliced–one 2-oz egg–1½ tsp tahini–½ t. cumin –½ t. tumeric– ¼ t. cayenne–¼ tsp black pepper — 1½ tsp salt–Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. 
Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour.
Form into balls on a silicon mat or parchment on a cookie sheet. I used a 1½ Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties.
TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later.
Bake at 400 F, 10-15 mins. Patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. 
Use now or cool/freeze for later use.

Night Sky: The Summer Triangle

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

I hope you live where there is a minimum of ‘light pollution’. That describes the all-too modern phenomenon of there being so many lights on outside that one cannot see the stars in the night sky. What a shame to miss seeing the constellations! A ‘constellation’ is a group of stars that appear to form a picture. Modern astronomers world-wide recognize 88 constellations, each occupying a designated area in the sky. The constellations seen from the northern hemisphere are the ones that inhabit mythologies from Europe and North America. Most constellations are seen seasonally, like Orion in the Winter, while some, like the Great Bear/Ursa Major, are seen all year ’round. In some cases, stars within one constellation form an ‘asterism‘, meaning that they make a separate recognizable shape. One example of this is the Summer Triangle. It is not a constellation. It appears as three bright stats that mark the points of a huge triangle. Each of the stars is in a different constellation: Vega is in Lyra, the Lyre; Altair is in Aquilla the Eagle; Deneb is in Cygnus, the Swan. The latter two are involved in the Japanese/Chinese legend of the Princess and the Herdsman. You have to look hard to see the other stars in those constellations, but the Summer Triangle stands out bright and clear. As the name implies, one views the asterism during the Summer in the Northern Hemisphere. All season long, it glides across the sky from East to West. As the Earth moves around the sun, we get to look upon different parts of the universe, which is why the stars change season to season and appear to move from night to night. Sometimes, you can see the Milky Way running right through the Summer Triangle, which is spectacular to see.

For our foods in honor of the Summer triangle, a breakfast with only three ingredients, and a dinner cut into triangles.

Mongol Morning: 158 calories… 1 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 10 g protein… 34.5 g carbs… 229 mg Calcium…  PB The Mongols were nomadic herders and ate dairy products at all meals. This breakfast is based on dairy, ‘foraged’ plants, and a traditional bread. It is very good.

++1 Mongol flatbread** ++++ ½ c plain yogurt ++++ ¼ c blueberries/strawberries++++ ¼ c microgreens ++++   Optional: 3 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [44 calories] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee  [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Prepare the flatbread or take from ‘fridge. Plate with yogurt, berries, and greens for an excellent breakfast.

Mongol Flatbread: makes 9 breads  1 of 9 = 86 calories– 1 g fat– 1.3 g fiber– 4 g protein– 21 g carbs– 26.4 mg Calcium–  PB The recipe is from ucook.com. The result is delicious. Just great as a flatbread accompaniment with a shish kabab, but I would be willing to eat them like pancakes for breakfast.

1 c white whole wheat flour—½ c white flour—1 tsp honey–1½ tsp yeast–1 tsp saltCombine these together in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. 
½ c + 2 Tbsp milk— ½ c + 2 T water .Warm milk and water slightly Add to flour mixture and whisk vigorously, 5 mins, to make a smooth batter. 
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place 2 hours, while dough doubles and bubbles.
Whisk batter 1 minute and it’s ready to go
¼ tsp vegetable oil Put oil in a nonstick frying pan over med-low heat, then wipe out with a paper towel. Fry ¼ cup of batter at a time a few minutes on each side, until well browned. Wipe pan at whiles with the oiled paper towel.

Pizza with Vegetable Topping: 300 calories… 13 g fat… 4 g fiber… 14 g protein… 19 g carbs… 269 mg Calcium…  PB Another winner from the Fast Diet book. The pizza shells are either whole grain wraps or corn tortillas. BE CAREFUL about the calorie and fat content when shopping! I get 8″ whole wheat “fajita-style” tortillas. Each has 170 cal and 5 gm protein. Each person gets ONE of these pizzas. OR you could get 6″ yellow corn tortillas. Each of those has 65 cal and each person gets TWO and ONE HALF pizzas.

++1 whole wheat/grain tortilla at 170-cal [per person] ++++ 1-2 Tbsp tomato puree HINT: buy a can of puree and freeze in small portions ++++ 1 oz mozzerella, grated++++½ oz mushrooms, chopped or sliced ++++ 1 ½ oz red pepper, cooked and chopped++++1 oz spinach, steamed, squeezed and chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp red onion, chopped ++

Set the oven at 400F. Put tortilla on an ungreased baking sheet. Put 1 dollop of tomato purée on each tortilla and spread it around. Toss together mozzarella, mushrooms, red pepper, spinach, and onion. HINT: Sometimes I cook and chop all the veg and put them in a bag in the freezer to save time on a FAST day. Divide the mixture among the tortillas and bake 5-10 mins at 400F.

Arrival Day

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

August 6 was always a day for celebration for members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, It marked the day in 1774, that Mother Ann Lee and her small band of followers landed in New York harbor. They lived there for a few years, then moved north to Watervliet, New York, where they established the first Shaker Community in the United States — or anywhere else. As the sect grew to enormous numbers by the early 1800s, the members were always sure to celebrate the Glorious Sixth, aka: Arrival Day or Landing Day. At all 20 communities, a special meeting was held, the congregation would sing, and a Mother Ann cake was served. Today, many of the original communities are gone, except for an historical plaque, but there are eight sites where the original villages are more or less intact and visitors are welcomed. There is only one Shaker Community that exists with live Shakers, found at Sabbathday Lake, Maine. The three members there continue their religious life. According to Wikipedia, the daily schedule of a Shaker in Sabbathday Lake Village is as follows: **The day begins at 7:30 am; the Great Bell on Dwelling House rings, calling everyone to breakfast. **At 8:00 am morning prayers start. Two Psalms are read, then passages are read from elsewhere in the Bible. Following this is communal prayer and silent prayer, concluded with the singing of a Shaker hymn. **Work for the Shakers begins at 8:30. **Work stops at 11:30 for midday prayers. **Lunch begins at 12:00. This is the main meal for the Shakers. **Work continues at 1:00 pm. **At 6:00 it is supper time, the last meal of the day.

Shakers, like many agrarian people of their time, ate what they grew and grew what they ate. During the early 1800s, when the Shakers were flourishing, people were beginning to leave the land in droves to find jobs in the new factories of the cities. The Shaker way of food production and consumption was becoming a thing of the past. Our meals, taken from their repertoire, show how good simple foods can be.

Shaker Tomato Pudding: 246 calories… 14 g fat… 4 g fiber… 9.7 g protein… 23.5 g carbs… 70 mg Calcium…  PB  GF – if using GF bread Shakers grew everything that they ate. Here the tomatoes and herbs of summer are baked with an egg to bind them. The Best of Shaker Cooking, Amy Bess Miller + Persis Fuller has many recipes – from soups to desserts. This recipe is in the “Vegetable” section of the book, but I have adapted it for breakfast. The Shakers would have served it with herbal tea. Here is a happy way to begin a Summer day.

Sv 16” pie plate, sprayed with cooking spray
1 cup/5 oz tomatoes, dicedCut tomatoes and put into a sieve over a bowl overnight to expell extra liquid.
2 Tbsp onion, grated or finely minced—2 tsp brown sugar—
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped—2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped		Stir tomatoes into these.
½ oz/ 1/3 cup 70-calorie whole-grain bread—2 tsp butter, meltedCut bread in small cubes. Stir together to combine thoroughly. Fold into tomato mixture.
One 2-oz egg salt + pepperWhisk these together until frothy, stir into tomato mixture. Scrape into the small pie plate.
Bake at 350F 18-20 minutes, until set.

Asparagus Soup:  278 calories…  1.5 g fat… 5.5 g fiber… 22 g protein… 27 g carb… 277 mg Calcium…  PB  GF — if using GF crackers  This fabulous soup is from Salute to Healthy Cooking and we have been loving it for years.  Despite its rich taste, it is very low in calories and fat. I ramped up the protein to make it suitable for a main course.  HINT: the recipe makes enough for 6 one-cup servings. Freezes very well for easy meals later. I serve it here with Finn Crisp crackers covered with melted cheese. If you want to eliminate them, go ahead. With global food availability, this soup is delicious taste any time of year.

Yield: 6 cups soup
1½ pounds asparagusSnap off woody ends of asparagus and cut spears roughly in half. 
5 cups chicken stock—½ cup onion, roughly choppedPour stock into a sauce pan. Add the onion and asparagus.
4 oz raw chicken breast cut into 4 piecesPut chicken atop vegetables so it will steam/poach.
¼ cup canned white beans, rinsed and drainedAdd beans. Bring liquid to a simmer and put on a lid.
Take out cooked chicken, put it in a blender, but do not process yet.
Cooked asparagus/onions/beansWhen cooked, scoop out to put in blender, but do not process.
1 cup potato in 1“ dicePut potato in pot, cook until soft.
Add stock and potatoes to blender. Process until smooth. 
salt & pepper to tasteReturn to pan and season to taste. Cool and divide into 6 portions: one for your meal today and five for the freezer.
Optional: 1 oz slice Swiss cheese —-Optional 2 Finn Crisp crackers To serve, warm soup gently. Adjust seasonings. Cut cheese slice into 4×2” strips, put a portion on each cracker. Warm in oven until cheese melts.
Optional 1 Tbsp Boursin Light cheese Plop a dollop of Boursin in center of soup in the bowl, and stir with a fork to melt cheese and marble the soup.