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.

I am fascinated by similarities among diverse cuisines from around the world.  In geology, a layer of sedimentary rock can stretch for hundreds of miles. The source material was the same, but as it was deposited, small variations creep in so that in some cases the further you follow that stratum, the more it looks like a completely different rock. Around the world there are meals made of food in wrappers.  All with different fillings, all with different seasonings, all with different wrappings: yet all those ancient cooks had a similar inspiration: let’s take this and wrap it in an edible envelope! Today, we will look at four of these, involving corn tortillas, buckwheat crêpes, dumplings, and egg roll wrappers.

Enchiladas Suizas:   293 calories  10 g fat   11.2 g fiber   31.6 g protein  43.4 g carbs  261.7 mg Calcium PB GF  Rick Bayless relates this recipe in his book Mexico One Plate At A Time.   Avoid assembling too far in advance, lest it turn to mush                                                     2 six-inch corn tortillas [50 cal/each]                                                                2 0z [½ cup] shredded cooked chicken breast                                               ½ cup enchilada sauce: see SPICY II 12 Sept 2018                                                ¼ cup grated Cheddar or Monterey jack                                                                                1 oz broccoli florets    +     1 oz cauliflower florets    +    ½ oz carrot                                                                                  The full recipe was posted on 31-oct-2018

Crêpes w/ Ham & Cheese, Street Version:  272 calories  9 g fat  2.4 g fiber  21 g protein  25 g carbs   212 mg Calcium NB: The photo shows a meal for 2 [TWO]. Or dinner today, lunch tomorrow. This is the familiar street-vendor lunch in Paris, except that the food values will not break the bank on a Fast Day. Very quick and easy to prepare if you had made the crêpe batter before and have it thawed out. HINT: can be prepared in advance and rewarmed later. Good for traveling or planning ahead.                                                                                                       2 crêpes [see Sidekicks I, 17 Sep-2017]                                                                                   2 oz sliced deli ham  +    1/2 oz deli sliced Swiss cheese                                                       1 wedge “Laughing Cow” [Vache Qui Rit] cheese at room temperature                                                     2 oz tomatoes                                                                                                                                                          See full recipe posted on 21-May-2017

Beef Egg Rolls:  per roll — 111 calories  1.7 g fat   1.2 g fiber   7.8 g protein   14.4 g carb   23 mg Calcium   PB   Easier than you think to prepare.                                                      2 oz lean beef steak, cut in strips                                                        1 Tbsp soy sauce   + 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce                                                                                                             1 tsp. cornstarch                                                               1 clove garlic + 1 tsp ginger root                                                                                                                                         1 cup cabbage, chopped                                                       1/2 cup carrot, sliced in  1/4” thick rounds                                                                 1 scallion     +   1/2 cup sliced onion                                                                                                                               5 egg roll wrappers      + 1 tsp oil                                  3/4 cup broccoli                                                                                                                                                                               dipping sauce:  Sriracha sauce  +   soy sauce     see full recipe posted on  17-May-2017                                       

Pork Dumplings Steamed with Bok Choy:   215 calories   8.5 g fat   2.3 g fiber   12.5 g protein 28 g carbs   190 mg Calcium   PB   Our older son suggested this ‘starter recipe’ to encourage us to prepare Asian meals. NB: the dumplings were purchased at an Asian market and were very low in calories.  You will need to have or to improvise a steamer to cook this.  NB: This recipe serves two. I ate 2 dumplings, Dear Husband ate 3.

5 pork dumplings  [84 calories each]  see above note for serving sizes                                                                                                                                                3-4 oz bok choy                                                                                                                                                            1 Tbsp hoisin sauce, thinned to drizzling consistency with water                                                          dipping sauce: 2 oz black vinegar** + 2 oz soy sauce                                                                                    ** in lieu of black vinegar, combine equal amounts of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water.

Set up the steamer [mine is a bamboo version which is used with a wok]. Trim the bok choy to remove the largest parts of the center vein, and arrange the leaves on the platforms of the steamer. Put the frozen dumplings on the leaves. Close up the steamer and position it in a dry wok. Add water to the wok so that it rises over the bottom edge of the steamer but not so much that the water level comes up to the bottom tray of the steamer. Bring the water to a simmer. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Mix the hoisin sauce with some water to thin it. Combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce. Remove the bok choy to the plate and drizzle the hoisin sauce over it. Place the dumplings on the plate and serve with the dipping sauce. Despite the low calorie count, this meal is very satisfying. Other vegetables could be added, as long as their steaming time is the same as the other ingredients.                

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion for Monday: single portion for Thursday:

Dinner, single portion for Monday: single portion for Thursday: