Month: August 2017

Zucchini Days

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

It’s that time of year again: when you can’t leave the window down on a parked car for fear of someone leaving 10 pounds of zucchini in the back seat.  But there are so many good things for the Faster to do with zucchini! We will celebrate Zucchini Days at breakfast and dinner. Leave the car window down today.

Zucchini-Herb ScrOmelette: 293 calories   PB GF   Summer squashes were made to be combined with lots of herbs. Then add cheese: bliss! Zucchini ScrOmelette w: peach1 ½ 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.                                                                                     ¼ cup zucchini, grated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs or more!                                                                                                              2 Tbsp grated Jarlsberg cheese                                                                                                                        1.5 oz peaches                                                                                                                                                    blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpastureized apple cider

Put the zucchini and herbs into a lightly-spritzed non-stick saute pan. Cook until softened and most of the liquid is evaporated. Whisk the eggs with the cheese and pour into the pan. Sprinkle with the cheese and scramble it or cook as an omelette, hence ScrOmelette. Prepare the beverages and plate the peaches. Ahhhh. The taste of Summer.

Zucchini Quiche:   293 calories   13 g fat   1.9 g fiber   11.8 g protein   22 g carbs   118 mg Calcium   PB  My Aunt Betty introduced this recipe to our family years ago.  Since then, I have reduced the fat and increased the protein. HINT: The recipe makes 8 [eight!] servings, so it works well for entertaining. It will also freeze, so you could have 7 meals for the future! If freezer space is limited, cut the recipe and make only 1/3 of it, baking in a loaf pan. Then cut into 3 servings.Zucchini Quiche w: salad

To prepare Quiche: 3 cups zucchini, grated                                                                                                      2 Tbsp minced onion                                                                                                                                             1 clove garlic, minced – nothing wrong with more, if you wish                                                              1.5 cups ‘bisquick’ **                                                                                                                                                ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                             2 wedges Vâche qui Rit [Laughing Cow] cheese, cut into small pieces                                                     2 tsp marjoram or oregano                                                                                                                                   2 Tbsp parsley, minced                                                                                                                                      salt and pepper                                                                                                                                                             2 oz chicken/turkey breast, cooked and finely minced                                                                              ¼ cup olive oil                                                                                                                                                          3 eggs                                                                                                                                                                              2 Tbsp milk

Mix everything together and pour into a 9×13” pan which has been lined with parchment paper or spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until beginning to brown on top. Cut into 8 pieces.

**bisquick, makes 2 cups                                                                                                                                              2 cups white whole wheat flour           pinch of salt                             2 tsp baking powder                                           2 tbsp butter                     cut the butter into the dry ingredients

To prepare Meal: 1/8th of the baked quiche                                                                                                       1 cup lettuce in bite-sized pieces                                                                                                                          1 oz tomato                                                                                                                                                                ½ tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                           ½ tsp Balsamic vinegar

Whisk the oil and vinegar, toss with lettuce and tomato. Plate with the quiche. How easy was that?!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg  + lots of herbs 1.5 two-oz eggs 1 oz apple or pear
 Crushed tomatoes  1 Tbsp catsup, without cornsyrup
 Anchovy + Pear  Green pepper
 Low-fat cottage cheese  Bing cherries
 Tiny bit of cooked chicken
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 1 Hebrew National reduced-fat hot dog  1 oz ground lamb [leftover from a roast?]
 1 hard-boiled egg + yellow mustard  1 cup Mediterranean vegetables
 4-bean salad  ¼ c cooked brown rice [left-over or fresh]
 Tomato for slicing  ½ oz Gruyere cheese
 Parmesan cheese
Sparkling water Sparkling water

 

 

Chick-Chick-Chick

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How this Fast Diethttp://the fast diet.co.ukLifestyle 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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.  Start today with the help of a few pointers: http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/things-you-can-do-on-sunday-to-lose-weight-all-week.html/?a=viewall

Out in the henhouse, the chickens are laying well. The New Hampshire Red birds give us brown eggs daily and the Ameraucana birds have been giving us eggs in a lovely shade of blue. Our little flock of Meat Kings [birds to raise for eating] are growing up fast.  They are living the good life in their spacious house.  Eggs are good for the Faster, since they are high in protein and Calcium as well as being low in calories. Chicken meat also contains high-value protein, is low in fat and has no carbs.  For non-meat eaters, there is the Chickpea, another favorite source of protein, although higher in calories and carbohydrates.  With eggs, chicken meat, and chickpeas, one can Fast very well. “Here, chick-chick-chick!”

Chicken Provinçal Bake: 280 calories  5.4 g fat   3 g fiber   15 g protein   39 g carbs   221 mg Calcium   PB GF What wonderful flavors! Based on the dinner of the same name.

chicken provincal bake

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                  2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes, slightly drained                                                                                                     ½ anchovy [use canned fillets] rinsed and chopped                                                                                    1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese                                                                                                                                ¼ oz cooked chicken breast, minced                                                                                                      thyme, rosemary, pinch red pepper flakes                                                                                                                                  1 oz strawberry                                                                                                                                                        5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                        blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and set the toaster oven for 350 degrees F. Whisk together the first 6 ingredients,  and pour into the ramekin. Bake for about 15 minutes while you plate the fruit and prepare your beverages. Great way to start the day.

Chickpea Ragout with Halibut:    GF PB    A delicious way to enjoy seafood.   nb: entire batch of Chickpea Ragout has 484 calories, so divide into portions                          divided in 2: 242 calories 4.8 g fat 10.7 g fiber 11.7 g protein 40.3 g carbs 51.3 mg Calcium       divided in 4: 121 calories 2.8 g fat 5.3 g fiber 5.8 g protein 20 g carbs 26 mg Calcium

Halibut w: Chickpea Ragout

This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way. Although he doesn’t mean my kind of ‘Fast Food,’ Pepin has long been a proponent of healthy cooking. He presents this as a side dish, but for our purposes it is best prepared as a main course with seafood for more protein.              ½ tsp olive oil                ½ cup diced onions                         ½ cup scallions, chopped                               1 Tbsp garlic                       2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained                                         1 and ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned   [I like Goya brand]                                                                            ½ cup chicken stock                     ½ tsp salt + ½ tsp pepper

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Divide it in 4 portions. Keep one portion aside for today. TIP: Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.

Now add the fish and procede as directed.                                                                                                       4 oz halibut [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the tomatoes and chickpeas]  TIP: if you don’t have halibut, substitute one of the fish listed below:

4 oz swordfish [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the chickpeas]                   4 oz salmon [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the chickpeas]                        4 oz smelts [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the chickpeas]                           2 oz shad [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the tomatoes and chickpeas]

East of Suez

~ 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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

In what has to be one of the most gripping and forlorn line in his work “Mandalay,” Rudyard Kipling wrote, “Ship me somewheres East of Suez where the best is like the worst.  Where there aren’t no Ten Commandments an’ a man can raise a thirst.”  We are not here to discuss religion or your drinking habits.  Rather, today’s topic is the food of India.  If the best is like the worst, then these meals rank right up there with the best.  And the worst must be pretty good too. Here’s hoping that today’s menus help you to reach your goals, and you don’t have to ship out to foreign lands to enjoy it.

Tomato Curry ScrOmelette w: s-bs

Tomato-Curry ScrOmelette:   300 calories  8.2 g fat  4.0 g fiber  16 g protein   40 g carbs   392 mg Calcium  PB GF   This recipe was loosely inspired by Fifty Breakfasts, a book by Col. A. R. K. Herbert, detailing “dishes men like” and containing many foods redolent of his years serving the Queen in India.

1 ½ 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.                                                                                     1/2 Tbsp curry powder                                                                                                                                           2 oz fresh tomatoes, diced and drained                                                                                                       1.5 oz strawberries                                                                                                                                                   dollop of plain, fat-free yogurt                                                                                                                              optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                      optional: blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Drain the tomatoes so that they are not too juicy. Combine with the curry powder and whisk with the eggs. Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and pour in the egg mixture. Cook to your liking. Prepare the beverages and plate the fruit. Plop a dollop of plain, unsweetened yogurt on the eggs.  A rousing good start to your day.

Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken and Vegetables:   265 calories   4.8 g fat   9 g fiber   20 g protein   32.6 g carbs   99.5 mg Calcium   PB GF     TIP: You can buy jars of tandoori sauce in most supermarkets. Be sure it does not contain corn syrup or sweeteners. Aim for 70-80 calories/ quarter cup

2 oz chicken breast, cooked or raw                                                                                                                   ½ cup eggplant, cubed                                                                                                                                         2 oz broccoli                                                                                                                                                             2 oz bell peppers, cut in chunks                                                                                                                         2 oz zucchini, sliced or cubed                                                                                                                             2 oz carrots, sliced 1/4” thick or use ‘baby carrots’ cut in quarters                                                          ¼ cup brown rice, cooked    TIP: when I cook a batch of brown rice, I freeze some in 1/4 cup portions to use for recipes like this                                                                                                     ¼ c tandoori sauce:  purchased or use the recipe in the link                                                                                                                                                 2 Tbsp plain, non-fat yogurt

Cook the vegetables together in a little water until they are tender. Add the chicken and the sauce. Warm it all. If the chicken is raw, be sure to cook it through. Either stir the yogurt into the sauce or serve it atop the meal. Plate the brown rice [warm it if cold] and serve the chicken and vegetables on top. Perfect for eating on a hot night or a cold one.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 Crushed tomatoes mixed fresh herbs [to taste]
 Anchovy    +   Pear1/4 cup zucchini, raw or cooked
 Low-fat cottage cheeseJarlsberg cheese
 Tiny bit of cooked chicken peach
optional smoothieoptional hot beverage
optional hot beverageoptional smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 4 oz halibut3 cups grated zucchini + lettuce for salad
 Olive oil + chicken stock Onion + garlic
 Onion + scallions + garlic  3 eggs + lots of herbs
 2 cups diced tomatoes Whole wheat ‘bisquick’
 1.5 cups chickpeas, canned 2 oz chicken breast + Parmesan cheese
 2 wedges Laughing Cow cheese
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Nature’s Bounty

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

This time of year, Nature seems to be determined to out-do herself.  She is in high gear, producing all sorts of wild food for us to enjoy.  Apples are ripening in the hedgerows along with wild cherries; mushrooms are coming up following recent rain; grain is golden in the fields; and the fishing fleet is out in force on the Gulf. Between mushrooms in the lawn and fish at the dock, meal planning is a snap.  And all this very natural food goes along with this article which I recommend:  What You Should Be Eating If You Want to Lose Weight      http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/High-Protein-Low-Glycemic-Index-Diets-Weight-Loss-37254421 

And tomorrow, Nature puts on the Show of Shows: a total solar eclipse in North America!  “View” it if you can. Unforgettable.

Mushroom Bake:   280 calories   7 g fat  3.1 g fiber  15.2 g protein  38.5 g carbs  263 mg Calcium  PB GF   Natural goodness has everything to do with this delicious meal. Mushroom Bake w: peac1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                             1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, reduced-fat                                                                                                                                                     1 oz chantrelle or other ‘wild’ mushrooms [foraged or purchased at the supermarket]             1.5 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                           1.5 oz peaches                                                                                                                                                  nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                        6 oz green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Spritz a ramekin [for 2 people, my husband prefers to use a 4×6” oval casserole] with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350 degrees. Chop the mushrooms and cream the cheeses together with the mushrooms. Whisk the eggs into the mushroom/cheeses and pour into the container. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Once you have prepared the beverages and fruit, you are ready for a bounteous day.

Mackerel Puttenesca: 298 calories  20.3 g fat [lots of Omega 3]   3.0 g fiber  22.8 g protein  7 g carbs  34 mg Calcium  PB GF Such an easy summer meal, especially if your sauce is left-over homemade or from the supermarket shelf.  Delicious and satisfying.Mackerel Puttanesca

4 oz mackerel [I fillet and broil the fish as soon as I get it home]                                                            ¼ cup puttenesca sauce, homemade or from a jar                                                                                    2 oz green beans

Cook the green beans. Heat the sauce and mackerel together gently until warm. Plate. Done in minutes!

 

Outremer

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Outremer or ‘Overseas’ is the general term the French use for their far-flung outposts.  The Paris food-scape is lively with restaurants of the outremer cultures, which the French enjoy sampling. Similarly, the traditions of French cooking have found their way into foods of other lands.  Today we breakfast in Morocco and dine in Tahiti.  Merçi to them for their culinary contributions and for showing us that a Fasting menu knows no boundaries. Un ménu sans frontières.

Moroccan Omelette:   278 calories  8 g fat  2.9 g fiber  15.3 g protein   36 g carbs   208.7 mg Calcium   PB GF   Suggested by Number 1 Son, this is one of the easiest breakfast in the world to prepare. For the most authentic experience, serve with mint tea.Moroccan Omelette w: cherries

1 ½ 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.                                                                                                   1 tsp or more ground cumin   + salt and pepper                                                                                                                        5 Bing cherries                                                                                                                                               mint tea or blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz green or fruit smoothie

Whisk just the 1.5 eggs vigorously. Pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Turn down the heat and leave undisturbed until puffy and the top is set. Remove from skillet, season to taste with cumin, salt and pepper. Serve folded or flat. Pour the beverages and enjoy the cherries.

Chicken with Limes: 283 calories   GF   Limes, chicken, and pineapple were added to the ecosystem of Tahiti by various visitors, and were promptly incorporated into the cuisine. We served this at a dinner party and no one would guess that it was a Fasting meal. Chicken with Limes and Pineapple

Here is the one-serving method for Poulet avec Limettes.poulet avec Limettes

3 oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless, and cut in 2 pieces across the width                                               1 lime: ½ of it zested and juiced; ½ of it sliced                                                                                                         ¼ cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                               ½ tsp sugar                                                                                                                                                                1 tsp cornstarch [cornflower]                                                                                                                                  ½ oz heavy cream                                                                                                                                                   3 oz slice of pineapple, fresh or slices canned with a minimum of sugar                                            thyme, salt, pepper                                                                                                                                                    ¼ cup brown rice, cooked

Marinate the chicken in the lime juice, zest, salt, pepper, and thyme in the ‘fridge for at least 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and put 1/3 of the liquid into one small container and the remainder into a sauce pan. We grilled the chicken briefly and then removed it to a plate while the pineapple grilled. If you are not grilling today, put the pineapple under the broiler until hot all the way through. Meanwhile, add the stock and chicken to the pan with the marinade and heat it until the chicken is mostly cooked. Remove the chicken and keep warm. Cook the rice.  Bring the liquids to a boil and reduce by 1/3 of the volume. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and remaining marinade. Reduce the heat and heat until thickened. [this happens rather quickly] Return the chicken to the pan, add the cream, and stir to combine and to coat the chicken with the sauce. Plate with the rice and pineapple and lime slices for a taste of Tahiti.

Ingredients for next week:          breakfast for one person

 1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
 Brie & Parmesan cheeses  Indian curry powder
 Chantrelles or other wild mushrooms  Diced tomatoes
 raspberries  strawberries
 Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your smoothie
 Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your hot beverage

dinner for one person

 4 oz mackerel  Chicken, cooked or raw
 1/4 cup puttanesca sauce, homemade or purchased 1/4 cup = 40 calories  Eggplant + broccoli
 green beans  Bell peppers + zucchini
 carrots   +   Brown rice
 sparkling water  Plain, non-fat yogurt [a dollop]
 Tandoori sauce from supermarket, ½ cup = 140 calories.
 Sparkling water

 

Meals that begin with “L”

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Last week was Lammas-tide, so just for the ‘ell of it, we’ll have some foods that start with that Letter.  These meals are Lovely and Luscious and might Lead you to be Lithe and Lively as you lose some weight. Give some thought to what you eat on a Slow Day as you read this article: https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/dietitian-put-2-daily-meal-162000478.html

Leek & Salmon Bake:   270 calories   7 g fat  2.9 g fiber   15.2 g protein   36.4 g carbs   225.6 mg Calcium   PB GF   Simply delicious. Leek-Salmon Bake w: plum One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                  ½ oz salmon, smoked or not [could be leftover from a previous meal]                                                  1/2 oz leek, sliced thinly                                                                                                                                          1 tsp low-fat sour cream OR plain Greek Yogurt                                                                                       dill weed to taste                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1 plum                                                                                                                                                                     6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider                                          blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Spritz an oven-proof ramekin [for 2 people, my Husband likes to use a 6×4” oval casserole] with non-stick spray and set the oven for 350 degrees F. Slice the leek and put in a microwave-safe dish with a little water.  [NB: if the fish is raw, cut it into small pieces and put it in the dish, too] Cook in microwave for 30 seconds at high heat to soften the leek. Add to the ramekin. Whisk the egg with the sour cream, dill, and salt/pepper to taste. [NB: some people find dill to be a very strong flavor] Pour over the salmon/leek mixture and bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare your beverages and plate the plum. Have a wonderful breakfast and a wonderful day.

Lobster a l’Armoricaine:   272 calories  2.6 g fat   2.5 g fiber   20.5 g protein   12.2 g carbs    123 mg Calcium   PB GF     No, it isn’t a typo. This lobster dish is from the Armor coast of Brittany, therefore: Armoricain, “from the Armor.” The recipe is from Brittany Gastronomique by Kate Whiteman. Elegant yet simple.Lobster a l'Armoricaine

3 oz lobster, cooked or uncooked                                                                                                                   2 Tbsp shallot, minced                                                                                                                                       ½ clove garlic, minced                                                                                                                                                  1 oz cognac or other brandy                                                                                                                              2 oz dry white wine [not cooking wine]                                                                                                         ½ cup tomato, diced                                                                                                                                           1 tsp tomato puree [not paste]                                                                                                                         1 Tbsp half & half [blend cream in Canada]                                                                                                1 oz broccoli florets  +   1 oz carrots, in coins or batons

Remove lobster meat from shell and cut into 1” pieces. Put the shallot and garlic in a pan spritzed with oil. Saute over low heat until soft. Add the lobster meat, and cognac. Tip the pan to distribute the brandy, then, off the heat, light the contents on fire until the flames die. Put into a heat-proof dish and keep barely warm. Add the wine, tomatoes, and puree to the pan and cook until syrupy. Add the cream and heat slowly to reduce in volume a bit. Do not let if boil lest the sauce separate. TIP: You could do this the day before.  Meanwhile, cook the vegetables. Pour the sauce over the lobster and heat under the broiler or in an oven until bubbly. Plate with the vegetables.

 

 

Think Sandwiches…

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

There are many famous sandwiches: Po’ Boys from N’Orleans; Croque Monsieurs from France; Cheesesteaks from Philadelphia; Panini from Italy. Delicious! But not on a Fast Day. Today we take inspiration from two all-American sandwiches; the Cubano from Miami and the Hamburger from everywhere. Eat up without fear of a mounting calorie count.  These ‘sandwiches’ are in a safe form.

Cubano ScrOmelette: 300 calories   8.8 g fat   1 g fiber   16.8 g protein  30.8 g carbs   244 mg Calcium  GF  The famous Miami sandwich comes to the Fasting breakfast table, with every flavor intact!   NB: that’s a little piece of melon on the plate below. No calories in that.Cubano ScOmelette

1 ½ 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.                                                                              1/8 oz ham, diced                                                                                                                                                       ¼ oz Swiss cheese, diced                                                                                                                                      ¼ oz pork, diced [this could be from a previous roast or a grilled tenderloin]                                   ¼ tsp mayonnaise                                                                                                                                                       1.5 tsp dill pickle, diced                                                                                                                                                      5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                         blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Cut up the meats and combine in a small dish. Dice the pickle and whisk with the mayonnaise and the eggs. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and heat it. Put the meat mixture into the hot sauté pan to warm, then add the eggs. Scramble together [or cook like an omelette] until the way you like it. Pour your beverages and enjoy a semi-tropical start to your day.

Burger Bun Dinner: 280 calories    This makes it possible to have a hamburger in a bun and still be Fasting! Think Summer! Bison-Blue Burger w: bun & red slaw

one 4-oz bison burger                                                                                                                                           ½ oz mushrooms                                                                                                                                                      1 tsp curried catsup                                                                                                                                             one potato roll slider [90 calories] — our favorite buns are from Martin’s in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, if you are lucky enough to find them                                                                                side veg to equal 50 calories:      2 oz boiled or baked beets = 24 calories                                                              2 oz carrots = 23 calories                                                                                                                                           1/8 cup pickled beets = 19 calories                                                                                                                             2 oz broccoli =20 calories                                                                                                                                         2 oz green beans = 18 calories                                                                                                                              1 oz peas = 22 calories                                                                                                                                           ½ cup coleslaw = 50 calories

In a cast iron or other heavy, non-stick skillet, put a healthy sprinkle of salt. Heat the pan over medium-low burner and add the bison burger. Cook 3-5 mins on one side, then the other. [You could grill it, but note that slow cooking is the key to tenderness.] When red juices no longer come out, it is done. Center the burger on the slider bun, top with catsup. Plate with sides.

Ingredients for next week:          breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs 
 ½ oz salmon, cooked leftover or raw 1 tsp ground cumin
 leek  5 Bing cherries
 Dab of low-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
 Dill weed + lemon juice
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

dinner, single portion

 3 oz lobster meat, fresh, cooked or frozen  4 oz chicken breast, raw
 Shallot + garlic 2 limes
 1 oz cognac or brandy + 2 oz dry white wine  chicken stock
 Tomatoes, fresh or canned diced  heavy cream
 Tomato puree + half & half [blend cream]  oil  +  sugar  + cornstarch
 Broccoli + carrots 3 oz fresh pineapple
 sparkling water Sparkling water

 

Summer Entertaining

~ me ~ Leave a comment
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                  Welcome to M.M. who is now a follower.
Sometimes, you just have to have friends over for a summer afternoon on the terrace!  A trip to the store, and you bring home the chips, the prepared dip, the hamburgers — and you blow a hole in your diet that will take weeks to fix!  But if your party food is low in calorie and high in protein AND delicious, you can partake without fear.
Prepare any or all of these:
Zucchini Quiche [a favorite of my Mother’s for party food]: see Aug. 28, 2016              Easy to make ahead.Zucchini Quiche w: salad
Quesadillas [you can even heat them on the grill] : see August 3, 2016                                   Can be filled and shaped early in the day, wrapped in foil and refrigerated for later.chicken quesadillas w: zucc+yam
Falafel with Cucumber Raita: see March 1, 2017                                                                Make the falafel patties days ahead and freeze.Felafel w: Cuke Raita
Meze Meal [lots of bowls of meze foods mean lots of choices] :  see April 17, 2017                Instead of preparing the single-serving portions, triple or quadruple the amounts.Meze Meal w: chicken copy
Pizza [make several, cut each into 6 pieces] : see May 24, 2017

Pizza

Green Salad with homemade vinaigrette dressing: 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp vinegar/2 cups lettuce.  Add tomatoes, cooked beets, blueberries, cooked green beans, nuts
Beverages: a] make your own wine spritzers with sparkling water, white wine, and ice cubes with fresh raspberries frozen inside.    b] have lots of sparkling water on hand for after you have had your own spritzer.
What can your guests bring?  Fresh fruit, some white wine, cut vegetables.  If you trust yourself to resist, guests can bring chips or a nice artisan bread.

 

Lammas-tide

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow will be Lammas, the old Celtic celebration on their solar calendar. Originally, the multi-day festival was in honor of Lugh, the Celtic craftsman god.   Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-NAS-ah) is the Irish name for the festival.  It marks the half-way point of summer and it was the time for harvest festivals, leading to the old English origin of the name, ‘loaf-mass.’  In the modern calendar, lacking ties to our orbit around the sun or anything else in nature, people observe Lammas [sort of] by going to county fairs and getting in on back-to-school sales.  WE will honor Lammas by eating the foods of summer with meals which are easily made, if you have the right leftovers from previous summer meals. This is very circular, isn’t it: rather like the Earth’s orbit around the sun, although that is elliptical.

Pork ‘n’ Beans Scromelette:  286 calories      8 g fat       3.1 g fiber     17.4 g protein     36 g carbs 211 mg Calcium   PB  GF   As for the inspiration for this combination, I thought, ‘Well, why not?’ And it tastes good, too – like a meal while on a summer camping trip.Pork n Bean Scromlette

1 ½ 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, crack 3 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                   1 Tbsp baked beans, straight from the can                                                                                                     ¼ oz pork tenderloin, raw or cooked, left over from a previous dinner                                                 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce   +   ¼ tsp HP sauce                                                                                              1 oz strawberries, thawed or fresh                                                                                                                     5-6 oz fruit smoothie or pure apple cider                                                                                              blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

If the pork is raw, mince it and combine with the beans and a little water. Put in microwave for 45 seconds to cook the pork.                                                                                                                                       If the pork is cooked, mince it and combine with the beans. Pour pork & beans to warm into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Whisk the eggs with the two sauces and pour over the pork and beans. Scramble to taste, seasoning with salt and pepper. By now the beverage is hot, the smoothie is shaken, and the strawberries are looking wonderful. Sit, eat, enjoy your breakfast at camp.

Chicken Dinner:   284 calories     4.5 g fat     9.3 g fiber    31.6 g protein   34.2 g carbs  58.2 mg Calcium  PB  GF – if you omit the Finn Crisps.  Perfect use for left-over roasted or lemon-marinated grilled chicken breast. Instead of potatoes, enjoy the crunch of high-fiber crackers. So low in calories that you may even have some lovely fruit for dessert!chicken-dinner-w-beans-carrots

4 ounces roasted/grilled breast meat, without skin                                                                                   1/2 cup [3 0z] green beans                                                                                                                                               2 oz carrots, sliced as coins                                                                                                                                  2 pieces Finn Crisp crackers                                                                                                                              1/2 cup sliced strawberries

Cook the vegetables [fresh from your garden or the farmers’ market] and plate the chicken cold. How deliciously simple.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

On Sunday, I will discuss various items suitable for summer entertaining. 1.5 two-oz eggs
 Ham [3% fat content, from deli]
 Swiss cheese
 Cooked pork, left-over
 Mayonnaise [a dab] + dill pickle
Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 4 oz bison burger
 90 calorie slider bun
 ½ cup coleslaw
 mushrooms
 catsup
Sparkling water