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.
According to the ancient calendar of northern European “pagan” culture, we are now 5/8 through the solar year. Those worthy sun observers noticed 4 major astronomical events: 2 solstices and 2 equinoxes. Those were ‘Quarter Days’ and deserving of a festival. Split those in two, and you have the 4 Cross-Quarter Day. There were calendars in most of the pre-Christian cultures, based on the sun and/or moon, marked often by the location of the sun over standing-stones. The parts of the year therefore have different names in different cultures: Thorri, Goa, Einmanudur, Harpa, in Iceland. Imbolc, Beltain, Luignasa, and Samhain to the Irish Celts. Candlemas, May Day, Lammas, and Martinmas to the Christian peoples of England. Lammas is the harvest festival, marking the gathering-in of wheat or other cereal crops. Despite its Christian associations, it is steeped in pagan traditions: baking special breads, crafting corn dollies, feasting and dancing.
Baking bread with sprouted grain is part of a Lammas festival, so we will have sprouts in our eggs at breakfast. The yield of the field will be evident in the dinner, made with fresh vegetables, wrapped in a grain-based crêpe.
Sprouted Bake: 270 calories… 5.6 g fat… 3.7 g fiber… 13.8 g protein… 36.6 g carbs… 226 mg Calcium… PB GF Time to get the sprouts out of the sandwiches and into the breakfast.
++1 two-oz egg ++++ ¼ c radish sprouts ++++1/2 oz avocado ++++1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese ++++¼ cup blueberries++++optional: blackish coffee or blackish tea ++++ optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider
Mash the avocado and mix with the cottage cheese. Heat the toaster oven to 350 degrees F. Spritz an oven-proof dish with cooking oil or spray and put the sprouts in it. Whisk the egg with the avocado mixture and pour over the sprouts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Portion the fruit and pour the beverages.
Crêpes with Chicken Ratatouille: 249 calories… 5 g fat… 6 g fiber… 27.6 g protein… 32 g carbs… 190 mg Calcium… PB Galettes/Crêpes are wonderful to have on hand for use with a variety of fillings. If you had the crêpes and the filling previously-made, then the meal goes together in no time.
+++2 buckwheat galettes** ++++ 1.5 oz chicken breast ++++ ½ cup Mediterranean Vegetables++++1/2 Tbsp goat cheese ++++ 1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese ++++ herbes de Province OR tarragon++++ 3/4 oz carrots+++
If making galettes from scratch now: prepare the batter and let stand 30+ minutes. If using frozen galettes, put them in a plastic bag on the counter and let them thaw. Turn on the oven to 250 degrees. Cut the chicken into <1/2” pieces. Put into pan with the Med.Veg. and heat enough to warm the veg, reduce the liquids, and cook the chicken. Take off heat. Prepare the crêpes: either cook them now from batter or finish the thawing process by putting them in a warm oven. Add cheeses to mixture in the pan, and stir to combine. Toss in lots of herbes de Province or fresh herbs to taste. Arrange the crêpes on a cookie sheet and divide the filling among them. Fold over, pressing down gently. Heat in the warm oven and serve with the happy crunchy carrots. **BUCKWHEAT GALETTES: 1 batch makes 20 galettes, each using 3-4 Tbsp batter each galette = 50 calories … 0.5 g fat … 1.4 g fiber… 2 g protein… 8.5 g carbs… 6 mg Calcium… TIP: Keep some cooked galettes in the freezer for ‘instant’ use.
++ 1 cup unbleached flour ++++ ¾ cup buckwheat flour ++++ scant 2 cups water ++++ 2 two-oz eggs ++++ ½ tsp sea salt ++
Whisk the flours and the water until batter is smooth. Add the salt, then the eggs one at a time. Whisk vigorously. When you lift the whisk, the batter should fall off in ‘ropes.’ Let sit for 2 hours or over night. HINT: batter could be divided into 1 cup or ½ cup portions and frozen. If using frozen batter, whisk it vigorously after it thaws, and add a bit of water. Heat an 8” cast-iron pan or ceramic saute pan. Lightly spritz with oil. Dip a ¼ cup measure into the batter and let the extra drain off. Grasp the handle of the cook pan with one hand as you slowly pour the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan quickly in a swirling pattern to let the batter form a circle roughly 6” in diameter. Don’t get hung up on perfectly round or perfectly flat. Watch the galette cook and look to see when the edges start to dry and curl a bit. Using a heat-resistant but non-scratching tool [I use my fingers], lift the galette and turn it over. Cook the other side until done. Time will vary, depending on the heat of your pan. Lift the cooked galette out, put it aside, and cook the next one. HINT: if storing them for later today or tomorrow, let them cool on a tea towel, then stack and store in a plastic bag with waxed paper between them.
Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion
| On Monday, I will discuss Fasting while | fresh, tart apple, such as Granny Smith |
| traveling if you eat at restaurants only. | smoked trout |
| Blueberries/raspberries | |
| Whatever you need for your hot beverage | |
| Whatever you need for your smoothie |
| On Monday, I will discuss Fasting while | trout fillet |
| traveling if you eat at restaurants only. | butter |
| hazelnuts [filberts] | |
| haricots or green beans | |
| Sparkling water | Sparkling water |
Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet." 