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Flavorful Thursday

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Dieting and calorie restriction do not mean subsisting on salads and bland food. These 2 recipes are full of flavor for a Winter’s day.

mushroom omelette, applesMushroom Omelette:  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. For this morning’s breakfast, chop or slice ½ oz mushrooms and saute with a little water in a skillet. Remove and set aside. Now whisk the 1.5 eggs with seasonings to taste. Pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook, tipping the pan and lifting the cooked eggs until the bottom is set but the top is still moist. Top with the mushrooms and ½ tsp grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with 1.5 oz apple [or 2.25 oz melon or 1.2 oz grapes], plus your beverage and Fast Smoothie. You are off to a good start.      295 calories

Chicken Curry: Based on Craig Claiborne’s ‘Anything Curry’ from his Gourmet Diet book, this meal takes a bit of preparation. But maybe the snow has kept you inside and you have more time to cook. Start with the curry sauce: Chop 1 c. onions, 1 clove garlic, and ½ c. celery and 1 c. apple. Cook until wilted in 2 sprays of cooking oil and 2 Tbsp water. Strew 1-2 TbChicken Curry w: tomatoessp curry powder [more if you wish] and 3/4 tsp dry mustard over the vegetables and stir to combine. Add a bay leaf and 2½ c. chicken stock. Cook down until the mixture measures 2½ cups. If you are serving one person, you will use 10 fluid oz. of the sauce; double that if serving 2 people.  HINT: Freeze the remaining sauce, either in 10 oz portions or 1¼ c. portions. To continue. Steam 1 oz carrot slices and ½ c. cauliflower florets. Boil ¼ c. yellow lentils until cooked. [You will need ¼  c. cooked lentils for this dish, so use any leftover another day.] Add the cooked vegetables to the curry sauce along with 2 Tbsp green peas. Add ¾ oz cooked chicken and heat the sauce to warm all the parts. Serve with the lentils on the side and a garnish of ¼c. diced tomato or diced cucumber.       288 Calories

Some Treats for a Thursday.

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Now is the time. You have looked at the photos, read the recipes, thought how nice it would be to lose those extra pounds… So Do It!  Start tomorrow and use the Fast Diet for one day. Weigh yourself in the morning, cook and eat the foods shown, and see how it goes for the day. Distract yourself if you feel peckish, feel free to drink lots of hot tea, black coffee, or water. Eat only what is printed below. Then see what you weigh on Friday!  You might want to join me again for Monday’s menu.

Ham ScrOmelette:  302 calories   10 g fat  2 g fiber  21.6 g protein   35.2 g carb  219 mg Calcium GF  A delicious way to start any day, with lots of protein to keep you going.Ham ScrOmelette

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.                                                                   1/2 oz. ground or chopped ham                                                                                                                            2 oz of melon or 1.5 oz apple  or 1.5 oz apple sauce                                                                                                                               blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water                                                                                              5-6 oz green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Chop the ham, slice the fruit, brew your hot beverage. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. When the bottom begins to set, distribute the ham over half of the eggs. {OR warm the ham briefly in the hot pan, pour in the whisked eggs and scramble together until cooked.] Fold the omelette and cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Shake up the smoothie, pour your beverages, and you are off to a good start to your day.

Quesadillas : 295 cal   9 g. fat   2.7 g fiber   18.8 g protein   31.4 g carb   211.5 mg Calcium   GF These are great. And you can prepare them ahead, wrap in foil, and grill them later. Thanks to S.M. for that tip.chicken quesadillas w: zucc+yam

2 six-inch corn tortillas HINT: Read the package! Make sure that each tortillas is 65 calories each or less.                                                                                                                                                ¾ oz monterey jack cheese, grated                                                                                                                        2 Tbsp non-fat cottage cheese, drained                                                                                                            2 Tbsp tomato salsa – drain it if it is very liquid                                                                                           large pinch Mexican oregano                                                                                                                                 1 oz [¼ cup] cooked shredded chicken breast                                                                                                  1 oz diced sweet potato + 1 oz zucchini  OR  2 oz broccoli, steamed OR 1 cup salad tossed with the drained liquid from the salsa and cottage cheese

Heat a cast iron skillet and warm the tortillas on both sides until they are warm, pliant, and beginning to brown in spots. Remove and keep warm in a tea towel. Combine the cheeses, salsa, and oregano. Spoon half of the cheese mixture on each tortilla, then top with shredded cheese. Cook the vegetables. Fold over the tortillas and cook on both sides in the hot skillet until hot and toasty and melty. TIP: I sometimes need to put something on top of the folded tortillas to keep them folded as they begin to cook. No problem after they are flipped.

 

 

Why We Do This.

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Remember that this isn’t just about losing weight — that’s the part that shows.  Following this faithfully will lower your cholesterol. And if studies are to be believed, calorie restriction will help you to live longer and grow new brain cells. [See ‘About this Blog’ for links to the original TV show about Fast Dieting.]  Those are good reasons, as far as I’m concerned, to follow this lifestyle and stick to it. What is there to eat on Monday?

Coddled Egg Breakfast: 280 calories  These eggs can be prepared in an ‘egg coddler’  or in a custard cup. If using an official coddler, fill a pan with enough water to cover the coddler by an inch. If using a custard cup, put enough water in the pan to come half-way up the cup. Spray the cup with nCoddled Eggson-stick spray and break one 2-oz egg into the container. Add 1½ tsp grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, herbs, and screw on the lid. Lower the coddler into barely-boiling water and simmer 4 minutes. Turn off heat and leave the eggs in the water 1-2 minutes longer, depending on how you like your eggs. Meanwhile toast ½ slice of 70-cal bread. Mix ¼ c. blueberries with 1 Tbsp yogurt and serve on the side. Coffee or tea. Fruit smoothie [Blog Post #1] or 6 oz apple cider.

soba:shrimp quickfryShrimp Stir-fry with Soba Noodles: 275 calories Cook 1 oz of dry soba [or udon] noodles in a quart of water about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, shell 3 oz raw shrimp and cut in half across the body.  Peel 2 oz carrot and slice into coins. Slice 1½ oz green cabbage and 1 oz onion. Measure 1.5 tsp soy sauce. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a cast iron pan or wok. Add the carrot, cabbage, and onion and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and any liquid and cook one minute more. Toss the cooked noodles into the pan and mix to warm them. Add 1 oz chopped green onion [or a Tbsp steamed chopped broccoli], salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Toss to mix ingredients.  If you think this sounds complicated and long, I did it in 25 minutes and that included peeling carrots and cleaning shrimp. Satisfying and good to eat.  If you don’t like shrimp, substitute just under 2 oz sliced chicken breast.

Let’s Keep it Simple

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People tell me, “This is easy for you — you are retired! When do I have time to prepare meals like this?” OK, this one’s for you this Thursday. In a previous breakfast, we put 1.5 eggs in a jar and made the smoothie and put ½ of it in the fridge too. Ahead of the game already!   Thursday menu:       290 calories for breakfast            282 calories for dinner.

Cheese Omelette: Remember how last week we divided 3 small eggs into two equal parts and put one part in a jar in the ‘fridge? Get that jar and whisk the eggs with seasoning to taste.  HINT: Fresh or dried herbs add no calories, but they add lots of flavor.  Pour eggs into the heated pan with a spritz of cooking spray and cook untCheese Omelette w: toastil the bottom is set but the top is still moist.  Sprinkle on ¼ oz grated cheese — we like Gruyère or Cheddar. Fold and plate. Meanwhile toast ½ piece of the 70-calorie bread, pour the smoothie out of the jar where you stored it since last time, and sit down to enjoy this with your nearly [or totally black] tea or coffee.  If you don’t want the toast, serve with 2 oz apple slices.  If you don’t make the smoothie, then make this omelette with 2 entire eggs. It will come out to the same calorie count.

Beans and Franks: It doesn’t get more simple than this! Find hot dogs which are no more than 100 calories and are low in fat. Hebrew National reduced fat are perfect. Pan-fry 1 ½ franks in a dry pan over Beans & Frankslow heat. Remove hot dogs and add 1/3 cup baked beans from a can. Is this not fast and easy? Heat the beans in the pan where the franks cooked to get all their flavor. Meanwhile slice 1 c. zucchini or summer squash and heat in a little water until soft. In the photo you see bits of red pepper in there too. Add a dab of relish [10 more calories] and 5 celery or carrot sticks [not enough calories to mention] and there you are.  If that took longer than 15 minutes, I’d be amazed.

It can be done and YOU can do it.

You want it…

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When you are hungry, ask yourself: “Do I need to eat that or do I simply want to eat it?” It took me years to understand the difference between those questions. People say that they can’t diet because they “like food too much.” That means you’ll eat anything any time simply because it tastes good. And the fat piles on.  You know when food really tastes good? When you are hungry. Food on Tuesday tastes better because you Fasted on Monday.  Try it.

Monday Menu: 290 calories for breakfast           272 calories for dinner Cottage Cheese & Fruit: Some of you don’t like eggs, so here’s a breakfast everyone will enjoy. Around the center of the plate, arrange slices of pear in a circle.  On top, put ½ cup no-fat cottage cheese. Spread ¼ cCottage Cheese & Pearup blueberries or strawberries over it all and sprinkle with 1¼ tsp chopped pecans.  Serve with tea or coffee, nearly black. By now you know that I like a smoothie with this, but you could substitute 2 more Tbsp of cottage cheese instead.   I think of this as the Spa Breakfast!

Salade Niçoise: OK, the egg shows up here, but you could omit it. Whisk together ¾ tsp olive oil and½ tsp wine vinegar [white or red] in the serving bowl. Add 3 leaves of romaine lettuce or 1 cup baby greens. Toss to coat with the dressing. Add some salt and pepper.  In the center of the bowl, put 3 oz. cooked salmon.  HINT: If you cooked Salade Nicoisesalmon for a prior meal, say a few Friday’s ago, save out 3 oz, wrap in plastic and freeze to have this meal later.  Cook and cool 2½ oz of green beans. Slice or quarter a hard-cooked egg   [HINT: use half today and make the other half part of tomorrow’s lunch] and cut 3 black olives in half.   Arrange the beans, egg half, olives, and 5 cherry tomatoes over and around the fish. A few slices of radish make a pretty garnish.  Another Spa Meal! Do try these sometime soon — they are delicious, attractive, filling, and packed with protein.

A Fasting Thursday

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Thursday is the 2nd Fast Day of the week. If you gained back a little weight, this menu will put you right. The dinner is so good, we look forward to a Fast day so we can eat it!

Thursday menu:       294 calories for breakfast            280 calories for dinner.                                                                                                         Herb Scrambled Eggs:  This calls for 1 1/2 eggs for each person. Tough to do for one serving, so read the HINT first. Break 3 smallish [2 oz each] eggs into a small mixing Herb Scrambled Eggsbowl and whisk with favorite herbs, salt, and pepper to taste. HINT: IF YOU ARE SERVING ONE PERSON: Beat eggs up with a rotary beater and pour into a measuring cup. Pour half of the beaten eggs into a small jar, put a lid on it, and refrigerate it for next week.  Pour the eggs into a heated skillet which has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Serve with 1/2 piece of 70 calorie toast [unbuttered, of course] plus 1 oz grapes or  2 oz melon or 2 oz apple.  I enjoy this with the smoothie described in the 1st blog and with almost-black coffee.  If you don’t want the smoothie, add the other half of the bread and double up on the fruit.      HINT: you could use that extra portion of fruit later in the day.

Bison Burger Dinner: Sprinkle a small, hot skillet with Kosher salt.  Cook one 4 oz bison burger [not beef. Venison is a good substitute if you have it]  on one side for about 3 minutes. Flip it and cook until done as well as you’d like.  Put on a plate to stay wBison Burger, cole slawarm.         Sides: Add some water to the pan, stir in 1 oz sliced mushrooms, and cook until soft.  Meanwhile cook  2 Tbsp of diced parsnip until almost soft, then add 1/4 c. green peas and cook until done.  Combine 1/2 cup chopped cabbage with 2″ of carrot, grated. Toss with 1.5 tsp low-fat mayonnaise and 1 tsp cider vinegar.  To serve, put 1.5 tsp of catsup on the burger, top with mushrooms. Arrange those colorful sides on the plate and get ready for some good eating.  I enjoy sparkling water with Fast dinners. [On Slow days, I enjoy wine.] HINT: Cabbage, parsnips, and carrots will keep a long time in the ‘fridge, so don’t worry about having lots left over.          Eat, enjoy, get fitter, live a healthier life.

Still With ME?

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If you read ‘About this Blog’ on my first posting, you might have followed the links to Dr. Mosley and his Fast Diet. If you have, then you will see why I’m so excited about this lifestyle change. This has been very successful for us and it should work for you, too. Monday would be a good day to start Fasting…. try it on Monday and see how you like it.

Monday menu:       286 calories for breakfast         293 calories for dinner. 

Flamenco EggsBaked Eggs Flamenco:  Spray a small ramekin with non-stick spray. Put 1 Tbsp. chopped tomato or 1 Tbsp tomato puree into the cup along with 1.5 tsp parsley, 1.5 Tbsp onion, and 1.5 Tbsp bell pepper.  Stir in salt and a large pinch cayenne pepper. Microwave for 2 mins. Add one egg and bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes, depending on how well you like your egg cooked. Toast either 1/2 slice of whole-grain 70 calorie bread [ex: Nature’s Own at Shaw’s or Demster’s Thins at Sobey’s] or bread that has 70 cals for 2 slices, which is shown. On the side are 2 oz  melon or 2 oz apple or 1 oz grapes.  I enjoy this with the smoothie described in the 1st blog and with almost-black coffee.  If you don’t want the smoothie, add the other half of the bread and double up on the fruit.      HINT: you could use that extra portion of fruit later in the day if the hungries hit.

Chicken Noodle Soup:  Usually we have a seafood meal on Mondays because we like fish and it is so good for you. But its been cold and this soup hits the spot.              HINT: This recipe makes enough for 2 servings. Invite a friend or freeze the rest for a meal in a hurry.   Heat 3 cups low-fat chicken stock and add 1.5Chicken Noodle Soup oz  [that’s 3″ at 1″ diameter] diced carrot. Cook until the carrot is almost soft. Add 2 oz chicken or turkey white meat, 1 oz broken spaghetti noodles, 1/4 cup canned white beans, 1.5 oz [1/3 c.] green beans and 1/2 oz [1.5″ x 3″] cubed Canadian bacon [back bacon for friends in Canada]. Simmer until the noodles are cooked, adding water if the soup looks too thick.  10.1 g Fat;  19.9 g Protein; 28.3 g Carbs

Start your Fast Diet on Monday and join me for a menu for Thursday, too.

Its about time, isn’t it?

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January 10th…  you’ve made some resolutions and probably broken a few already. But isn’t it time you worked on that dreaded weight loss issue? Yeah, you’ve thought about it… you’ve tried it once or twice… and then you gave up. Time to start again, but this time I’ll help you use the Fast Diet  which isn’t so much of a diet as it is a lifestyle change. And it worked for me and my husband, so it ought to work for you, too.  I’ll make it easy by giving you menus to use, with photos and recipes, too. And handy tips. And encouragement to get through it.

Let’s start with how this works. On Monday and Thursday, you will eat a total of 600 calories. That’s called calorie restriction. You may think that will kill you, but it won’t. The rest of the week, you eat a normal menu.  The amazing thing about this way of life is that you are not depriving yourself of your favorite foods day after day. If on a FAST Day you have a hankering for something that’s not on the menu, you can always have it tomorrow! And the weight will come off. ‘Well, yeah,’ says you, ‘I will have starved to death by then — I’ll never stick to that!”    Hold on, take one day at a time! Start this Monday:

Shirred Egg: 147 calories… 8.5 g fat… 2 g fiber… 10 g protein 10 g carb 106 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF – if using GF bread I learned to prepare this dish when working on my Girl Scout ‘Cooking’ badge. I still eat it because it tastes so good. Easy to serve to guests, as well.

++ One 2-oz egg ++++ 1 Tbsp half&half/whole milk ++++ salt & pepper to taste ++++ 1½ tsp Parmesan cheese ++++ half a slice of 70-calorie whole-grain bread, toasted ++++ 1 oz melon ++++ Optional: blackish coffee  [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Heat the toaster oven to 325 F. Spritz a 1-cup ramekin with cooking oil or spray. Break the egg into the cup, and pour the half&half on top. Sprinkle with cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then let sit 2-3 mins. Plate with the toast and fruit. Serve with your choice of beverages.

Recipe for Breakfast Smoothie:     THIS IS ENOUGH FOR 2 SMOOTHIES                                         Put 6″ of banana [3.5 oz], 1/2 cup plain yogurt, and 2 oz. [1/2 cup] sliced strawberries or raspberries or blueberries in a blender with 7-8 ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Drink half today.  HINT: freeze the rest for Thursday.  Don’t want the smoothie? Then double up on the fruit and have  a full slice of bread.

HINT: How to survive until dinner? Drink water; drink your favorite tea; distract yourself.  If you are used to a snack at a particular time of day, go for a walk or get involved in a project that will keep you busy until the urge to nibble passes.  You could eat a little raw fruit, but that might make you hungrier! You have some calories available to eat some apple slices or grapes if you need to.

Fish baked with Cheese

White Fish Baked with cheese: 145 calories… 6 g fat… 0 g fiber 33 g protein… 0.2 g carb… 129 mg Calcium … PB GF Another winner from the Fast Diet book. There are those who say that one never serves fish with cheese….and this recipe proves them to be wrong.

++ 6 oz firm white fish fillets such as haddock or cod ++++ ½ oz cheddar cheese, grated ++++  Your choice of vegetables to add up to 125 calories: ½ cup pickled beets [74 cal]—- 3 oz green beans [26 cal] —- ½ cup peas [62 calories] —- ½ cup carrot coins [12 cal] —- 3 oz broccoli florets [30 cal] —- 2 oz parsnip, sliced as coins [42 cal] —- 1 cups salad greens + ½ tsp lemon juice + 1 tsp olive oil [48 cal] —- 3 oz tomatoes [15 cal]—-

Heat oven to 400 F. Put fish in an oven-proof dish which has been lightly smeared with olive oil. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables of your choice. How easy it is to be healthy!

I sure hope you’ll try this.  Otherwise,  what will you eat on Monday?