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Toads + Clams

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“Toads” of course are the delightful Toad-in-the-hole. And “Clams” stands for the stuffed clams which I just love.  These meals are so fun and filling that you won’t believe that you are dieting! And yet they are right in line with the Fast Lifestyle which I have been espousing. You can eat like this and still get in shape! Come on! Join me!

Toad in the Hole 293 calories      12 g. proteinToad in the Hole w: berries & Gr Smoothie

This whimsically-named meal is of old English origin – shades of Kenneth Graham and Beatrix Potter. The recipe is from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook.

It begins with a Yorkshire Pudding batter which you need to prepare in advance. The Yorkshire Pudd recipe is from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook.

Yorkshire Pudding batter:         one 2-oz egg                  1 cup flour             ½ tsp salt                                   ½ cup water                     ½ cup fat-free milk

Mix all the ingredients together and let the batter stand at room temp for 30-60 minutes or in ‘fridge overnight. You will need 1/3 cup of the batter per person. HINT: The remainder can be frozen in 1 cup or 2/3 cup or 1/3 cup batches for future meals. When it is time to use the batter, thaw it and beat it with a rotary beater until it is frothy.

To prepare the breakfast:                                                                                                                               1 breakfast sausage      I like the Al Fresco brand chicken with sage @ 50 cal/link                                                                                                                                1/3 cup Yorkshire Pudding batter, well beaten                                                                                      1/4 cup berries or ½ of a pear                                                                                                                        5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                      nearly-black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water.

Heat the oven/toaster oven to 425. Cook the sausage, using a tiny bit of oil in the bottom of the pan since the sausage will render no fat. Cut the cooked sausage into a dice. Beat the batter until it is foamy. Spritz an 8-oz Pyrex custard cup with non-stick spray. Pour the frothy batter into the custard cup and mix the diced sausage in with it. Pop it into the oven for 15 minutes. Slice the pear, shake your smoothie [if saved from last meal], brew your beverage, and feast.

Stuffed Clams:    262 calories       7.4 g fat           26.1 g protein         12.4 g carbs                 There is so much food in this meal, you might wonder if you can finish it all. If you served this to guests they would not consider themselves to be ill-used.stufed clams:broc+carrot

1/2 c [2 oz] clams, diced                                                                                                                                      ½ slice 70-cal bread, diced                                                                                                                             2 1/2 oz [½ medium] tomato, diced                                                                                                               1 oz red bell pepper                                                                                                                                           1 ½ turkey meatballs, diced                                                                                                                           1 ½ Tbsp plain non-fat yogurt                                                                                                              garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper                                                                                                                ½ Tbsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                1 ½ oz broccoli florets                                                                                                                                       1 ½ oz carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

Cook the red pepper briefly in the water you will use for the vegetables later. Chop the pepper, dice the tomato, dice the meatballs. Prep the broccoli and carrots. Combine the first 7 ingredients and gently stir to combine. Heap into oven-proof dishes which have been lightly sprayed with cooking oil. Bake at 350 for 10 mins while the veg are cooking. Sprinkle the cheese on the stuffed clams in the last minutes of baking.

Summer Greens

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Momday, 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.

I hope you have access to lots of fresh herbs and greens and vegetables this summer.  So nice to incorporate them into delicious meals. But a Fasting Lifestyle isn’t about eating ‘rabbit food,’ as some people might think when dreading the thought of dieting. There are many good things to eat without a steady diet of salads.  Dinner is based on salad — but what about all the delicious things on those greens? Wonderful!

Green Eggs & Ham   295 calories   8.8 fat   15.9 pro     25.1 carb                 GF        PBgreen eggs & ham w: apple

three 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1 ½ eggs per person 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 oz. ground or chopped ham                                                                                                                         1 green onion, chopped white and green parts or use fresh chives                                                    1 1/2 oz apple or ½ cup berries NB: Northern fruits are more healthy than tropicals. Andrew Weil said so.                                                                                                                            blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon with hot water                                                                     5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper to taste. Put the white part of the onion into a hot pan sprayed with cooking oil. Stir around for a few seconds. Add the eggs. When bottom of eggs begin to set, sprinkle the ham & green scallions over the eggs, scramble to taste, and plate. Brew the beverage, pour the smoothie or cider, prep the fruit, and “Eat them! Eat them, here they are!”

Shepherds’ Salad        275 cal      15 g. fat      13.2 g protein          23.6 g carbs GFshepherd's salad

This delightful meal is from Lynne Rosetto Kaspar’s The Italian Country Table. I have included a version of the original cooked salad dressing, but you may use a simple herbed vinaigrette made with 1 tsp oil and ½ tsp red wine vinegar.

½ oz salami                                                                                                                                                       ½ c white beans                                                                                                                                              2.5 cups [3 oz] lettuce                                                                                                                                             1 oz mozzerella                                                                                                                                                    1 radish, thinly sliced                                                                                                                                      2” celery, thinly sliced on diagonal                                                                                                              2 cherry tomatoes or 2 large chunks of tomato                                                                                      2 tsp of boiled dressing

For the dressing: put 3 Tbsp olive oil, 4” rosemary, and 6 sage leaves in a pan and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add 4 smashed cloves garlic and a pinch of hot pepper flakes. Stir for a few seconds. Add ½ cup red wine vinegar and boil down the whole recipe to 1/3 cup. Strain and cool. For this dinner, you will need 2 tsp/ serving. Put the remainder in a jar and store to use anytime.

Prep your toppings: slice the salami rounds into matchsticks; shred the lettuce; cut the cheese into strips about 1/4” square; slice the radish and celery. Measure 2 tsp dressing into a serving/salad bowl and add the lettuce. Toss to coat with the dressing. Arrange the meat, beans, cheese, and radishes in decorative groupings. Place the tomatoes on top. Hearty and delicious.

Cool Food

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It is time for some food that requires a minimum of cooking. Yes, you could grill something, but even that is a hot activity and barbecue sauce is often loaded  with calories. We’re on a Fasting Lifestyle, remember? Today requires calorie restriction, low fat, low carbohydrates, lots of water, and foods which are delicious.

Cottage Cheese & Pears      290 K                                                PB              GFCottage Cheese & Pear

This is from the Fast Diet book. You can see some other good recipes there, too. I added the pecans to this for deeper flavor and more protein.

1 ripe pear                                                                                                                                                          ½ cup fatfree cottage cheese                                                                                                                       ¼ c. blueberries                                                                                                                                                   1 ¼ tsp pecans, finely chopped                                                                                                                   5-6 oz fruit smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                 blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water

Section the pear into 12 slices and remove the cores. Do not peel the pears. Fan the segments on a plate in a circle. Place the cottage cheese in the center, sprinkle with the berries and nuts. Pour the smoothie and hot beverage of choice. Good stuff!

Tuna-Egg-Tomato Salad       248 cal        15.8 g. fat           23.4 g. protein           13.5 g. carbs                              PB                            GF [omit the bread, add more tuna or greens]Tapas Tuna w: egg & tomatoes

This is a Spanish-inspired meal from a cookbook called Everyday Tapas. I took out the potatoes that were called for and substituted garbanzo beans. The recipe is very simple and delicious as well – perfect to dress up with pansy blossoms [they are edible] to enjoy on a day in summer.  HINT: This makes enough for two meals. Invite a friend or enjoy it as a lovely lunch the next day. Today’s lettuce will wilt by tomorrow, so plan around that.

5 oz canned white-meat tuna in water                                                                                                           2 eggs, hardboiled and cut into 1/2” dice                                                                                                     4 oz tomato, cut into 1/2” dice                                                                                                                       ½ cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                         1 cup baby salad greens                                                                                                                                   1 ½ tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                   1 tsp white wine vinegar                                                                                                                          fresh parsley, salt, pepper                                                                                                                             pansy or violet flowers for garnish                                                                                                                    1/2 piece of 70-calorie whole grain bread, lightly toasted

Drain the tuna and flake the meat into 1” pieces. Whisk the oil and vinegar together and toss with the lettuce. Add everything else, except the flowers, and gently toss to combine with the salad dressing. Garnish with as many flowers as you wish. Serve at room temperature with the toast.

Hot Stuff!

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In the winter, I often want food from warm climates, like a bowl of chili or an Indian curry.  But in the summer, why not take a cue from people who endure hot weather more often than we.  These meals are not hot to heat, nor are they too spicy. I figure if people in southern France and Texas eat these foods in their climates, then there must be a good reason to eat them wherever you are. Our Fasting Lifestyle doesn’t mean we have to eat sawdust!

Provincal Omelette    294 cal.     9.5 fat          12.5 pro          15.7 carb                          I asked my husband for a new omelette idea, and he suggested these flavors.Provincal omelette

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 oz bell pepper, steamed and diced                                                                                            2 black olives, pitted and chopped                                                                                               ¼ oz feta cheese, diced                                                                                                                                        2 oz grapes  [about 6-8, depending on size]                                                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                              5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasteurized apple cider

Whisk the eggs [salt and pepper may not be needed due to saltiness of olives and feta]. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. When the bottom of the eggs have set, add the vegetables and cheese. Fold over, and plate. Brew your beverage and take the previously-made smoothie from ‘fridge.

Quesadillas with Chicken:   305 calorieschicken quesadillas w: zucc+yam

two 6” corn tortillas – I like Ole brand                                                                                                      ¾ oz Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, about 1/3 cup shredded                                                      2 Tbsp non-fat cottage cheese                                                                                                                  2 Tbsp tomato salsa                                                                                                                                   large pinch Mexican oregano                                                                                                                       1 oz chicken breast, cooked and shredded, scant ½ cup                                                                            1/3 cup zucchini + a few slices of sweet potato, steamed OR 2 oz melon OR steamed broccoli

Combine the cheeses, salsa and oregano in a small bowl. On a griddle or large cast iron pan, heat the tortillas until they are warm, pliable, and beginning to brown. Remove from griddle, but leave the heat on. Spread the cheese mixture on half of each tortilla. Top with the chicken. Fold in half and put back on the hot griddle to get warm and melty. Turn them over after a few minutes to warm the other side.  Plate with the cool melon or healthy fresh vegetables. SO yummy.

Hot Times!

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End of July…hot weather.  You probably know that spicy foods are eaten in hot climates.  Why? Because when you ingest hot spices, the skin reacts by flushing with heat. After that, your skin cools down and you feel cooler. Here are two of my favorite spicy Fast Lifestyle meals. They might make you feel cooler.

Baked Eggs Flamenco     286 calories                                                                                                         From Everyday Tapas, this recipe shows how a meal can go from being a dinner to being a breakfast. Similarly, any breakfast could also be a dinner.Flamenco Eggs 1 Tbsp tomato puree or 1/2 oz tomato, chopped                                                                                     1 ½ tsp parsley, chopped                                                                                                                                 1 1/2 Tbsp onion, chopped [1 oz]                                                                                                                   1 ½ Tbsp bell pepper, chopped [1 oz]                                                                                                      salt & pinch cayenne                                                                                                                                   one 2-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                           ½ slice 70 cal bread [I like Nature’s Own multigrain]  OR one slice of 35 calorie bread                            2 oz melon or 2 oz grapes or 3 oz apple                                                                                            blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                            5-6 oz fruit or green smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Spritz a small ramekin with cooking spray or olive oil. Put the tomato, parsley, onion in the ramekin. Microwave for 4-5 minutes to cook the onion. Add the pepper and seasonings, and microwave for another 4 minutes. [Alternatively, saute the above ingredients as described, instead of microwaving]. HINT: you can do this the night before. Remove from microwave and make a ‘nest’ in the cooked vegetables. Crack the egg into the nest. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Toast the bread, brew your hot beverage, prep the fruit. Prepare the smoothie, or take the previously-prepared jar of smoothie from the fridge and shake it well before serving.

Seafood Tacos: 270 calories 2.1 g. fat 23 g. protein 36.4 g. carbs

seafood tacos w: slaw & salsatwo 6” corn tortillas  [I like Ole brand]                                                                                                       3 oz cooked fish at room temperature.  Hint: next time you grill or broil fish, cook an extra 3 oz for this recipe. Wrap it and label and store in freezer until needed.                                                                                                     ½ cup tomato, cubed                                                                                                                                     ½ cup cabbage, chopped                                                                                                                                 1 oz red onion, sliced thinly or chopped                                                                                                     1 Tbsp lime juice or salsa verde [Herdez brand is good]                                                               pinch [or more] chili powder                                                                                                                pinch [or more] cumin                                                                                                                                   1.5 Tbsp plain non-fat yogurt

Combine the cabbage, tomato, and onion in a bowl with the lime juice and spices. Heat a large griddle or cast iron pan and put the tortillas in it until they are warm, pliable, and beginning to brown. Remove to your plate. Spread the tortillas with the yogurt. Divide the fish between the tortillas and add a splash of lime juice or salsa verde. Top with the vegetable slaw. If there is too much slaw to fit into the tortillas, serve it on the side. What a simple summer dish!

Summer Meals

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In Summer we should eat off the land — lots of fresh vegetables! We also want meals which are easy to prepare and don’t heat the kitchen. Look no further!

Ratatouille Breakfast   292 calories                                         PBRatatouille Egg-toast

                                                                                                                                                                                    1 piece 70-calorie bread                                                                                                                                         one 2-0z egg                                                                                                                                                                1/4 cup Mediterranean vegetables [from July 15]                                                                                                 5-6 oz smoothie, green or fruit                                                                                                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Fry the egg in a lightly-spritzed non-stick pan. Toast the bread. Warm the vegetables and spoon onto the toast.  Top with egg.  Pour your smoothie and warm beverage. Voila — quick, easy, healthful, pretty.

Greek Chicken Salad         285 cal                                        PB     GF

IMG_0084This recipe was clipped from a magazine and stored in the recipe file. When I saw it, I recognized that if most of the olive oil were removed, it would make a smashing Fast meal. We like this one a lot.

1 1/2 oz chicken, roasted and shredded                                                                                                        1 1/2 c. shredded romaine or 3 oz salad greens                                                                                       1/4 c garbanzo or small white beans, drained and rinsed                                                                        2 1/2 oz tomato chunks or 1 c cucumbers, cubed                                                                                    3 black olives, pitted & sliced                                                                                                                             1 oz feta cheese, crumbled                                                                                                                                1/2 tsp lemon juice                                                                                                                                           1/2 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                 1/2 tsp mint, oregano, parsley

Prep the meat, greens, tomatoes, and olives. Measure the lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs into a salad bowl. Whisk together. Add the greens and toss to combine. Add the chicken, beans, tomato/cukes and toss gently. Top with the olives and feta. So good!

Foreign Trade

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What do you say we trade the food you were going to eat on Monday for some meals that are delicious and will help you to become  healthier?  Both of these meals are from other countries, so the ‘foreign trade gap’ will result only in a loss of weight. Come on.  Try fasting with me!

Dutch Breakfast       308 calories           6 g fat            10.7 g protein          22 g carbs
Dutch b-fast, h-b eggThis meal is inspired by a breakfast I enjoyed in Amsterdam in 1969.  How can I remember a meal from 46 years ago??  Because it was so good. Husband’s opinion? “This is my favorite Fast breakfast.”

one 2-oz egg, hard-boiled or coddled HINT: hardboiled egg can be made days before                                       ½ oz ham, preferably 97% fat free                                                                                                          ½ of an Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich Thin [50 cal] OR ½ slice 70-cal bread [35 cal] OR one “Holland Rusk” [35 cal] OR one 2” round of bread from Buttermilk Baked Egg [20 cal]                                                                                                                                                                   1/8 oz [1/2” cube] cheese if you used less bread, you could have more cheese                          2 oz melon or apple or pear                                                                                                                          5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider                                  blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Warm the ham in a skillet, toast the bread, brew your beverage, slice the fruit, cube the cheese. Prepare the smoothie or take the other half of the smoothie recipe from ‘fridge and shake it to mix.

Langostino with Garlic: 281 calorieslobster:garlic:tomatoes:spinach

I wish I knew the source of this recipe, because I really like it. Langoustine is either a large shrimp or the tail of a Norway lobster, according to LaRousse. Sometimes you find them frozen and when I see them, I buy them. HINT: the amounts shown serve TWO people. This is a good meal to share because it is more difficult to cut down for one serving. If you are into leftovers, make the whole thing and enjoy it for lunch on a Slow Day.

1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                    1 clove garlic, chopped                                                                                                         pinch of hot pepper flakes        salt & pepper                                                                                                     5 oz langustino chunks or 4.5 oz cleaned shrimp                                                                     5 oz asparagus , cut into 2” pieces                                                                                            2 Tbsp dry white wine                                                                                                                 15 oz tomatoes, coarsley chopped                                                                                                ¾ c white beans                                                                                                                             1/3 cup fish stock                                                                                                                         1 cup cabbage, sliced [3 oz]                                                                                                     1 oz spinach

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the garlic and hot peppers and stir for 15 seconds. Add the asparagus and saute for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, then sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Cook to reduce the wine to almost gone. Add the beans, tomatoes, cabbage, and fish stock. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add the langostine and cook further to thicken the broth. In another pan, blanch the spinach. OR add the spinach with the langostine, in which case the spinach will cook and mix with the broth. The prep is fussy, the cooking is quick, the result is delicious.

Saint Swithen’s Day

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Saint Swithen was an English Abbot in the Middle Ages. He loved being outside in all weathers.  I can imagine him working in the garden in the sun or foraging for wild mushrooms after a summer rain. For his feast day, July 15, we will celebrate with some meals from nature’s bounty. We will also remember the ditty: ‘If on St. Swithen’s it should rain, for 40 days it will remain.  If on St. Swithen’s it be fair, for 40 days shall rain no mair.” Have fun observing the weather.

Egg-Mushroom Toast 290 calories              This is yummy. The eggs are creamy and the mushrooms lend a mysterious layer of flavor. I like this better than poached eggs.mushroom-egg toast w: apples & gr smoo

1 piece 35-cal bread OR 1/2 piece 70-cal bread                                                                                    one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                    1 oz mushrooms, chopped                                                                                                                              1 Tbsp chives, chopped                                                                                                                                      1 ½ oz of apple                                                                                                                                           blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water                                                                           5-6 oz green smoothie or natural apple cider

Toast the bread. Spritz the non-stick saute pan with oil or spray and gently cook the mushrooms. Put the chives, salt, and pepper in with the egg and beat it up. Scramble lightly with the mushrooms, keeping the eggs moist. Turn out over the toast and plate the fruit. Sip your beverages and have a good day.

Mediterranean Vegetables w/ couscous       289 calories       8.7 g. fat         15.2 g. protein    44 g. carbs   PB            HINT: This makes enough vegetables for two [2] meals or save the rest for a following dinner or for a Ratatouille Breakfast.Mediterranian Meal

2 cups eggplant, peeled and cubed OR 1 and 1/2 cup bell peppers, cubed                                                 2 cups tomato, cubed                                                                                                                                            2 cups zucchini, cubed                                                                                                                                        2 cloves garlic                                                                                                                                                        1 and 1/2 tsp oregano                                                                                                                                                   ½ cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained                                                                                                      per serving: 1 oz mozzerella, shredded          ½ cup brown rice couscous, cooked

Prepare all the veg., and put them in a saucepan. Simmer, covered, until cooked through. Add oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and the chickpeas. Prepare the brown rice couscous and place it on one side of the plate. Spoon 2 cups of the vegetables next to the couscous. Top with cheese and tuck into it!

Where Are We Now?

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If you hae followed this blog for a few months, you might think that I have been jumping around a bit with my ideas. It is true that since January I have told you about the Fast Diet, a gluten-free diet, and a plant-based diet. Grasping at straws, you ask. Not really.

The goal is to live a health-promoting life-style which is sustainable. What do we mean by that? We want to be slim. We want to have low cholesterol. We want to hike, swim, and garden. We want to live a long time. We want to be as mentally and physically healthy as we can be into old age. We want to eat a variety of delicious, interesting food.  We want to have a life-style that we can keep up day after day for years.

Where are we now? Having tried all these things, here is the choice: The Fast Diet.

We have been following the Fast Lifestyle for more than 2 years now. We like it and find it to be easy to use. We like the food and the variety of foods which we can eat. The gluten-free and plant-based diet [and even the FodMap diet] were all recommended by a physician at various times. We continue to drink the Green Smoothies from the plant-based diet, and will work some of its tenents into our over-all eating.

For the most part the other diets were so limited that it made them hard to follow more than the 4-6 weeks that were recommended to us. But if you had to employ one of these diets to master your eating/digestive issues, let me assure you that each of them can be used in conjunction with the Fast Diet!!

It is true that you couldn’t use all of the recipes which I have posted on each of these diets. But many of my recipes are Gluten Free GF or Plant-Based PB or even FodMap FM. If you must use one of these diets, please don’t give up on the Fast Lifestyle. For weight loss, lower cholesterol, lower risk of diabetes and certain cancers, the Fast Lifestyle can’t be beat! I will code recipes using the above initials to help you to find the recipes that will work best for you.

There’s nothing like being healthy! Join us on Mondays and Thursdays for some good eating.

Thank you for following Fastingme.

Let Me Entertain You….for Breakfast.

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What if you were in the position where you had to entertain guests for breakfast on a Fast Day?  Well, you could move the Fasting to the next day. Or you could trot out some of your favorites and still maintain your Fasting Lifestyle. Your guests can eat as much as they like and be none the wiser. When having a breakfast party, I like to have a variety of things on the table so that guests can have variety. But I also plan it so that the items served can be made ahead with minimum last-minute hostess involvement.

So I suggest any of the baked egg recipes                                                                             Flamenco Eggs [July 5]       or Shirred Eggs  [June 14]  

Put out all the components of a Dutch Breakfast [Feb 22] and let people help themselves. Plates of ham slices and cheese chunks and bread are enticing, along with a basket of freshly-boiled eggs.

The little Herb Popovers [Apr 5] would be a nice addition to the table or what about a bowl of Oatmeal Pudding [Apr 26]?

Feeling more ‘brunchy’?  What about mini Crab Cakes [Mar 1, but form them smaller, almost bite-sized]  or Mushroom Egg Toasts [May 27].

Have fun, eat well, continue your Fasting Lifestyle, be famous for good food.