Author: me

Slow Days: Meze Luncheon

~ me ~ Leave a comment

People who are new to Fasting often pose the questions: “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?” To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’ This feature will appear sporadically. 

Now for the answers. Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight. There are many questions asked on the Fast Diet Forum which attest to that. Once in a while you can splurge, as long as it isn’t everyday. For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet. As for how we eat, an example follows.

Friends were going to drop by for a summer luncheon. We see them only once a year and don’t really know their eating preferences, so we opted for a ‘grazing meal.’ Call it Mezedakia if you are Greek, call it Tapas if you are Spanish, call it Small Bites if you are writing the restaurant appetizer menu. A meal like this offers flexibility and choices for the people around the table, and this assortment is very much in the Mediterranean Diet mode. One can eat as much or as little as one wants. My kind of meal!

Top Row, left to right: Gozleme Bread, Felafel patties Second Row, left to right: Cucumber-Tomato salad, Tzatziki [white, with spreading knife], black olives, cherry tomatoes, watermelon chunks Bottom Row, left to right: Carrots in lemon marinade, za’atar chicken chunks, White Beans with capers

This menu has many make-ahead components, so there is no scrambling at the last minute. And here are the preparation notes:

Gozleme Bread: make ahead

1¼ c white whole wheat flour ½ tsp salt Mix in a 1-Qt-sized bowl. 
¼ c water ¼ c plain yogurt Combine yogurt/water and stir into the flour until well-combined. Add a bit more water if too dry.
On a floured surface, knead ~3 mins, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let sit for a few mins on the counter OR overnight in a cool place.
Roll on a floured surface into flat breads. Divide into sizes for your recipe. Cook on an oil-sprayed skillet 3-4 mins per side until turning brown in spots.

FELAFEL: makes 25 patties  So convenient to have in the freezer for ‘instant’ meals.

2 cups canned chick peas [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them] 1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!] ¼ cup celery, minced ¼ c. scallions, sliced 1 two-oz egg 1½ tsp tahini ½ t. cumin ½ t. turmeric ¼ t. cayenne ¼ t. black pepper 1.5 t. salt

Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1½ Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later. Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be about 25 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use. 

Cucumber-Tomato Salad: make ahead What a Summer treat!

Sv 4
1 English cucumber, unpeeledTrim off ends of cuke, halve it lengthwise. Cut into ½” dice.
10 oz grape or cherry tomatoes
½ small red onion 		Dice tomatoes and red onion. Put all three veg into a bowl.
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
½ tsp Kosher or fine sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper		Whisk these together.Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to mix.
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley/dill /basilGently stir in the fresh herbs, if using. 
Serve immediately or chill in ‘frige 1-2 hrs to let the flavors meld before serving.

Tzatziki:  make ahead This is the traditional Greek condiment. Very refreshing. The recipe comes from themediterraneandish.com and

2½ cups
1 English cucumber or another variety Kosher saltGrate cucumbers whole if using English cucumbers. If using cucumbers with waxy skin, peel and cut in half before grating. Remove and discard seeds. Salt lightly.
Squeeze cucumbers in a clean cloth to remove liquid.
4-5 cloves garlic, minced  1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil		In a big bowl, combine garlic with these and mix. 
drained cucumber 2 c plain Greek yogurt 
Ground pepper + salt
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or mint 		Add drained cucumber mixture to the above bowl, then add these ingredients. Stir to combine.
Chill 30 mins -2 hrs before serving with fresh veggies and pita or chips

Carrots in lemon marinade: make ahead Prepare the marinade: In a wide bowl, whisk together 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, pinch of granulated garlic, pinch oregano. Cook small carrot sticks until tender and put them into the marinade while they are still hot. Stir at whiles, as the carrots cool on the counter.

Za’atar Chicken: make ahead or grill in front of your guests to show off your skills. Serve the chicken meat in large pieces or cut into 1-inch cubes and serve on picks.

Serves 4Serves 2
5 garlic cloves, pressed zest of 1 lemon 1/3 c yogurt ¼ c chopped fresh cilantro  
3 Tbsp EVOO
1½ Tbsp za’atar
1 Tbsp chopped oregano/marjoram   1¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper 		3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp yogurt 2 Tbsp cilantro
2 tsp EVOO 2 ½ tsp za’atar 1½ tsp marjoram 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 		MARINADE – In a large bowl or container, stir together these ingredients.
2¼# boneless, skinless chicken thighs2 thighs with legs, bonedAdd chicken and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2+ hrs or overnight.
Heat grill to medium or heat broiler with rack 3” from heat. If broiling instead of grilling, line sheet pan with foil for easier clean up. Take chicken from bowl, shaking off excess marinade, and grill/broil on one side until charred in spots, 5-8 mins. Flip, grill/broil  5-8 mins, until just cooked through.

White Beans with capers: make ahead Drain and rinse canned beans, such as navy or cannellini/white kidney. Stir in 1 Tbsp capers for every cup of beans, along with a pinch or two of salt. Let sit at room temperature to marry the flavors.

Celia Thaxter

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Teen-aged Celia.

Celia Laighton was born in Portsmouth, NH, USA on June 29, 1835. Although a mainlander by birth, her life and legacy are tied to a tiny group of islands off the coast: the Isles of Shoals. When Celia was four years old, her father was appointed Keeper of the White Island Lighthouse and the family moved there. One might think that an isolated childhood on the two-acre rock would have been horrible for Celia, Oscar, and Cedric, yet they remembered it as an enchanted time, that “filled [her] with awe and wonder.” She loved the infinitely changing ocean, the shore birds, and the vagaries of weather. Celia and her brothers were educated by their parents, and from an early age Celia read the poems of Tennyson. Her father Thomas recognized his dream of building a hotel on another island, Appledore [formerly Hog Island] which he owned with his brothers. The family moved to the larger island in 1847, and, as Celia learned to swim and row and garden, her love affair with the islands deepened. A Summer visitor and investor in the hotel, Levi Thaxter, a highly educated 20-something who had aspired to the theater, became the children’s tutor. When he was 27 and Celia was 16, they married. At first they spent Summers on the Isles and Winters in Massachusetts, near his family. After the birth of their first son, Karl, Celia could not visit her family often and Levi, who survived a terrifying ship-wreck on the islands, refused to go back. Being separated from her parents, her Isles, and the ocean was a great trial for Celia. Two more sons followed, and Celia was even more tied to her house and children. And she despaired. While cooking one day, she began to compose a poem in her head. She showed it to Levi, who secretly sent it to his friend the editor of the Atlantic Monthly. It was published as Landlocked in 1860. Thus was born Celia Thaxter’s career as an author. That was a good thing, because her husband never did settle into a vocation. By turns he was a preacher, school-master, and declaimer of poetry, but not for any length of time, nor for much income. Eventually, disagreements over raising their disabled son Karl, Levi’s health, and Celia’s longing to see her family lead to separation: Celia and Karl to Appledore Island for the Summer; Levi and the two other sons off to Florida for the Winter. Celia helped at the family’s hotel, nursed her parents as they died, and wrote poetry. Her cottage was surrounded by the flowering plants that she loved and her salon included the A-list of literature of the time, as well as of art and music. Celia turned journalist when a shocking double murder occurred on Smuttynose Island, owned by the Laightons. She became a prose writer with her essay series Among the Isles of Shoals and An Island Garden, popularized through paintings by Childe Hassam. Celia campaigned unsuccessfully against the use of actual bird feathers in women’s fashion, even while her husband shot birds to sell to museums. She died in 1895 and is buried near her cottage. The family hotel and her cottage burned down in 1914, never to be rebuilt. But Celia’s garden has been revived on her plans and may be visited. Appledore Island is owned by the Shoals Marine Lab.

Celia Laighton Thaxter probably never ate an avocado, but seafood such as lobster and oysters would have been plentiful around her beloved Isles of Shoals, so we will eat these meals in honor of her.

Avocado-Lobster Bake: 145 calories 7 g fat 2 g fiber 11 g protein 10.5 g carbs 64 mg Calcium  NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages.  PB GF  When I thought that avocado and ricotta would make a nice bake, Dear Husband had one suggestion: add lobster! Well why not?

++1 two-oz egg++ ¼ oz avocado++ ¾ Tbsp ricotta++ ¾ oz lobster meat OR crab++ 2 oz pear ++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]++  Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]++ 

Set the toaster oven to 350 F. Spritz a ramekin or other oven-proof dish with cooking spray and put the lobster meat on the bottom. Mash the avocado with the ricotta, then whisk in the egg. Pour over the lobster, season as you wish. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Slice the fruit and prepare the optional beverages. Sumptuous.

Baked Oysters: 267 calories 10 g fat 5 g fiber 14.6 g protein 31.5 g carbs 90.6 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF bread or omitting   Ordinarily, we like our oysters raw, but sometimes a change is delicious.  HINT: This preparation serves two [2] people.

++12 East Coast oysters++ 1 Finn Crisp cracker++ 2 oz chevre cheese++ ½ c cooked spinach++ Per serving: 1 oz oatmeal bread++ 1 Side Salad++

Remove one shell from each oyster and arrange on an oven-proof dish. Pulverize the cracker and sprinkle crumbs evenly on the oysters. Squeeze moisture from spinach and chop. Cream spinach with the cheese and distribute the mixture evenly over each oyster. Broil 5 minutes until starting to bubble. Serve with salad and bread. Yum.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

1 two-oz egg = US large70-calorie whole-grain bread 
mushroomsunsweetened applesauce
chicken breakfast sausage @ 33 caloriesCamembert cheese
Parmesan cheese
apple sauce, unsweetened optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

wild-caught salmongarlic + potatoes + parsnips
genuine maple syrup beef or chicken stock + egg
lima beansmarjoram + rye bread
corn kernalsSwiss cheese + butter
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Coney Island

~ 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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Coney Island is situated at the southern edge of Brooklyn, a borough of New York. It was an island when the Dutch arrived in the 1600s, and was left in isolation by the subsequent English and Americans. Fishermen, farmers, and shell-fishers who lived there in the early 1800s served cooked meals to visitors from the interior of Brooklyn who found that the sea breezes were refreshing in the Summer. In the 1820s, a bridge was built to the island and a road was constructed — ‘paved’ in crushed sea shells. By the 1830s, two hotels were in business, and the wealthy sojourned there, far from the crowds of the city. In the 1850s, the middle class began to visit, aided by the new ferry service. The aftermath of the Civil War saw railroad lines going to the peninsula. Shifting currents and developers filled in the water, making the former island part of the mainland. New hotels were built as everyone from immigrant families to the very rich flocked to Coney’s beaches. Then the Boom Times came: amusement parks, racetracks, and other attractions sprung up in profusion. Steeplechase Park, 1897; Luna Park, 1903; and Dreamland, 1904 vied to see which could sport the most electric lights. Outside the parks were the B&B Carousell [sic] with its hand-carved wooden horses and roller-coasters. The famous wooden Cyclone was open for business on June 26, 1927. Dear Husband recalls the clackety-clacking sound of the cars climbing up before a heart-stopping descent. Of course visitors needed food. Charles Feltman began selling hot dogs from a push-cart and ended up with an entire restaurant. His employee, Nathan Handwerker thought he could do better and Nathan’s Famous still exists. Fires, the automobile, and the 1964 World’s Fair caused the fortunes of Coney Island to wane. In the 1960s, Fred Trump wanted to tear down many of the old buildings to develop new residential and entertainment sites. The plan fell through. Luna Park has been re-built, the Cyclone still runs, and tourists still flock to Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach, just as they have for 160 years.

By the early 1900s, Coney Island was the playground of the young and single residents of New York — factory and shop workers who wanted to play on the weekend. Our breakfast might have been eaten by one of them before hopping on the trolley to Coney. For dinner, what else but a hot dog!

Shop Girl’s Breakfast: 231 calories 9 g fat 4.6 g fiber 14.5 g protein 27.5 g carbs 7 mg Calcium  PB  The Industrial Revolution brought young women by the thousands from the farm to the city, to work in the factories and as shop girls. Breakfast would have been served cold, made from dinner leftovers and other foods that required little preparation or refrigeration.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [not white bread on her budget] 1 two-oz hard boiled egg 1 oz chicken dinner sausage 1 oz onion, sliced 2 prunes [0.6 oz]   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea

The night or day before, slice the sausage and the onion. Place in a small pan with some water and a spritz of non-stick spray. Cook until the water has evaporated, sausage slices have browned a bit and the onions are limp. In the morning, toast the bread lightly and top with the sausage-onion mixture [rewarmed if you like]. Plate with the egg and the prunes. Only blackish coffee or tea for our shop girl – no stop at Starbucks on the way to work for a fancy brew.

Hot Dog & Beans for Summer: 263 calories 18 g fat 6 g fiber 13 g protein 21.6 g carbs 68 mg Calcium  PB GF This is what you want for a summer meal on the deck – all the flavors without the bun.  HINT: This is enough for two.

Two <110-calorie hot dogs ½ c canned baked beans 1 deviled egg* ¾ c. coleslaw**

Grill or steam the hot dogs while you warm the baked beans. Prepare the deviled egg and coleslaw. This is a good old summer-time meal.

*Deviled Egg:  80 calories 5 g fat 0 g fiber 8 g protein 1 g carbs 36.6 mg Calcium  PB GF Old favorite, updated.

One 2-oz egg, hardboiled, peeled 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese Yellow Sriracha or New Mexico green chilis in a jar paprika or sumac

Slice egg in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolk and mash on a plate with a fork. Add cheese and savory liquid, and mash until well blended. Spoon back into the divot of the egg white and sprinkle with paprika or sumac.

**COLESLAW: Makes ¾ cup From Jacques Pepin 1 cup = 81 calories 5 g fat 6.5 g fiber 2 g protein 11.4 g carbs 76 mg Calcium  ½ cup = 41 calories 2.4 g fat 3 g fiber 1 g protein 5.5 g carbs 38 mg Calcium  PB GF 1 cup chopped cabbage ½ oz carrot grated [makes ¼ cup] 1½ tsp ‘Mayo Dressing’ made with olive oil -OR- use plain yogurt  1½ tsp cider vinegar pinch celery seed

Whisk everything but the vegetables together in a wide bowl. Stir in the vegetables, add salt, pepper, or more vinegar to taste.

Fred Astaire

~ 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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

As children, my sister and I would watch old movies on TV. Our favorites were the Fred Astaire-and-Ginger Rogers hits from the 1930s. Some channels played the same film several times a day, and we would watch them until we had memorized our favorite scenes. To this day, she and I quote lines from The Gay Divorcee. Frederick Austerlitz was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1899. His father hoped his son would follow him as a brewer, his mother hoped he would get a job that would take him away from Omaha. When her husband lost his job, she moved the family to New York and enrolled her children in singing and dance classes. Soon 5-year-old Fred and 8-year-old Adele ‘Astaire’ [note the change] were performing in vaudeville. Adele was a natural dancer and her brother mimicked her well. Cute as a button, they were a hit and soon were touring around the mid-West. Little Fred was always dressed in a top-hat to hide the fact that he was shorter than his partner. When Adele had a growth-spurt, the act was put on hold until Fred grew taller. The time was spent in music and acting lessons. As adult dancers, they performed in shows on Broadway. When Adele retired to marry, Fred moved to Hollywood, hoping for a movie career without a partner. But in 1933, he was paired with veteran actress Ginger Rogers in Flying Down to Rio, and, without his sister, the dances could be more romantic. The pair romanced and danced and sang their way through the 1930s. Song writing legends wrote memorable music for the films, including Jerome Kern, the Gershwin brothers, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin — all of whom made the most of Astaire’s weak singing abilities by composing for his narrow range. But could he dance! Tap and ballroom; on the dance floor and on the ceiling. Astaire did the choreography for all his gigs, assisted by Hermes Pan, insisting that the dance should be part of the acting to further the plot. After Rogers, Astaire partnered many other dancers, then took dramatic roles in films. He died on June 22, 1987, but his elegance, grace, and talent live on in his films.

Breakfast is an echo of the Mid-West origins of Fred Austerlitz, and the dinner evokes Astaire’s California success. What a journey.

Egg-Salad Toast: 167 calories 8 g fat 4.5 g fiber 12 g protein 22 g carbs 101 mg Calcium  PB  Toast ‘n’ Egg for breakfast takes a new twist. If you must grab-and-go, this is a good choice. 

1 slice whole-grain bread [70 calories, 3 g fiber] 1 hardboiled 2-oz egg yellow Sriracha, ad lib + 1 Tbsp reduced-fat ricotta -OR- 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese 1 oz sliced tomato OR halved cherry tomatoes 2 oz strawberries -OR- 1 oz blueberries   -OR- 1 oz grapes Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Slice the tomato and salt it to develop flavor. Shell the egg and mash it with a fork on a plate. Squirt some Sriracha on it, add the ricotta, and continue to mash and squirt until you get the consistancy you like. Add salt and pepper and herbs to taste. Lightly toast the bread and spread with the egg salad. Top with the tomato and plate with the fruit. Wholesome and hearty.

Santa Barbara Salad: 280 calories 13 g fat 5.5 g fiber 16 g protein 21 g carbs 106 mg Calcium  PB GF  From a Washington Post food column, comes a salad that sings of California.  HINT: This amount serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch later in the week.

½ head Boston or butter crunch lettuce 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes ½ medium apple, cored and diced ½ cup diced chicken breast ¼ cup chickpeas 1 oz soft goat cheese 1½ tsp pine nuts 1 Medjool date ½ two-oz egg, hardboiled  per serving: 1½ tsp cinnamon dressing

First prepare the dressing and refrigerate. Next, toast the pine nuts in a small dry pan until they just begin to brown. Take off heat and set aside. Shred the lettuce and put in a bowl along with all the other ingredients. Toss with 1.5 tsp dressing per serving. Play a Beach Boys song and wear your sunglasses.

CINNAMON DRESSING:  makes 4.5 tsp   ½ shallot [¾ oz], minced 1½ tsp balsamic vinegar or raspberry vinegar 1 Tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp cinnamon Shake together in a jar. Refrigerate until needed.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

hard-cooked 2-oz egg = US large1 two-oz egg 
whole-grain 70-calorie breadavocado
prunes lobster or crab meat
chicken dinner sausagepear
onionoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

hot dogs <110 calories + yellow sriracha/green chilis 6 oysters per person
cabbage + carrot + celery seed + canned baked beansFinn Crisp cracker
2-oz hard cooked egg + 2% cottage cheese + cider vinegarchèvre cheese + cooked spinach
‘mayo dressing with olive oil’ or plain yogurtoatmeal bread + side salad
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Juneteenth

~ 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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to WhatMojo who is now Following.

What could be worse than being enslaved? Having been freed but not knowing it! That is what Juneteenth is all about. The Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves and ended slavery in the USA, was signed in January, 1863. Of course, slave owners in the American South ignored it. As the army of the Northern states conquered Confederate-held land, the proclamation was read and slaves were liberated. But news did not reach Texas so fast [or they didn’t want to hear it], and it was only in June 1865 that Federal troops entered the state. General Gordon Granger announced in Galveston that slavery was over. Thus the 19th day of June became the ‘second independence day in America,’ as the last enslaved people were freed. Ever since then, Black People all over the US have celebrated on June 19th, every way they could. On June 17, 2021, the date was accepted as a federal holiday, and in Galveston a mural to commemorate Juneteenth was dedicated the same year.

Our breakfast for Juneteenth was a great favorite in the American South, eaten by the enslaved and their captors. The dinner is easy to prepare at a traditional Juneteenth cook-out. Foods that are red are a big part of Juneteenth celebrations, signifying the struggles of the ancestors and the strength of the people. Some popular foods are linked to ‘prosperity:’ cabbage, black-eyed peas. It is also common to enjoy southern soul foods: corn bread, fried chicken.

Hoe Cakes with Fruit & Yogurt: 173 calories  1.5 g fat 4 g fiber 13 g protein 36 g carbs 75 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  Here the old Southern meal of cornmeal cakes is updated with healthy fruit and yogurt and some needed protein. HINT: recipe yields 6 hoe cakes, enough for 2 people. For Juneteenth, choose strawberries as your fruit.

3 Tbsp yellow cornmeal  2.5 Tbsp hot water Combine by stirring well to make a mush.
Let sit for 15 minutes
1 oz egg white ¼ tsp yeastStir into the warm cornmeal mush and let sit for 1-12 hours.
This makes ¼ cup/125 ml in volume
2 Tbsp cornmeal 2 Tbsp water ¼ tsp saltMix into the mush. If you take some up on a fork, it will sit on top with a little batter dribbling through. If it is not like this, add more cornmeal or more water. This was ½ cup in volume.
Using 2 Tbsp of hoe-cake batter, drop onto a hot griddle sprayed with non-stick spray. Should make 6 cakes. Cook on both sides. Best if eaten fresh.
½ cup raspberries
2 tsp honey 4 oz plain yogurt
2 slices Canandian bacon		Put the fruit and honey in a small dish and microwave for 30 seconds.
Warm the Canadian bacon on the griddle as you cook the cakes.
Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or tea or lemon in hot waterServe the Hoe Cakes with the dish of berry syrup and yogurt on the side or stir them together before slathering on the hoe cakes.

Sausage Kebabs: 282 calories 20 g fat 1.5 g fiber 17 g protein 12 g carbs 44.4 mg Calcium  PB GF  Here is a simple and satisfying meal, made with vegetables that are available all year round. You could cook this on the grill or roast it in the oven.

1 chicken sausage @ 150 calories 2.5 oz sweet bell pepper, yellow or red or orange 2.5 oz zucchini 10 sugar snap peas or 1.5 oz water melon  marinade/sauce: 2 tsp olive oil 2 tsp vinegar 1.5 tsp Worcestershire pinch sugar

Whisk the marinade ingredients together. Slice sausage in ½” chunks. Cut pepper and zucchini into chunks about the same size. Thread the meat and veggies onto skewers, alternating. Pour marinade in a shallow heat-proof dish, lay the kebabs in the sauce, turning to coat, and let sit 20 minutes. Heat a grill to med-high or the oven to 400F. Grill while basting with sauce OR roast, basting every 10 minutes. Plate with snap peas or melon.

Issa

~ 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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

You have heard of ‘Haiku,’ the three-line Japanese poetry. It was developed in the 1200s as an introduction to a longer poem. Three hundred years later, haiku became a stand-alone work. This type of poetry has three unrhymed lines with a total of 17 syllables, arranged in a 5-7-5 structure. Topics are usually drawn from nature — from tiny observations and little moments that have a Zen-like quality. One of the most famous practitioners of the art form was Kobayashi Yataro who took the pen name “Issa” [bubble in a cup of tea]. His life was not an easy one: death of his mother, a contentious step-mother, intermittent schooling. In 1792, he left a position at a poetry school, defiantly proclaiming himself to be the ‘priest of haiku poetry.’ Like his predacessor the poet Basho, Issa traveled widely. He also taught, and wrote journals filled with haikus. 20,000 of them. His father’s death brought him back to his natal village, but it was ‘home’ no more. Issa’s step-mother contested the will that would have given him the family farm, and the case went on for years. In his 50s, the poet married for the first time. But the couple’s four children died in childhood and then their mother died. Two more marriages followed, since Issa yearned for a child to survive him. He died in 1828, and his daughter was born five months later. The legions of his students made sure that the poet was not forgotten. There is a museum dedicated to Issa’s work in Takayama. His love of childish innocence and his playful wordings are a counter to the wistful adult voice of his poems. As an adult, he still mourned his mother and revered his father, yet he could skewer the rich and famous, bringing them down a few pegs. Isa’s work is the most loved of all the major haiku masters.

To honor Issa’s birthday, 15 June 1763, we will enjoy foods from Japan. Our meals today are a bit like haiku: light yet complex; simple yet rich in flavor. Try writing a haiku of your own: describe a feeling or animal; make reference to a season; be enigmatic; have fun. Here is my haiku, written in the voice of a person deciding to start Fasting.

To have less of me and yet to be much more- Oh! I shall FAST in Spring

Japanese Onion Soup with Onsen Tamago Egg: 215 calories 5 g fat 2 g fiber 16 g protein 29 g carbs 48 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg soup and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Our Younger Son prepared this for us one morning after a lot of heavy eating and it was a revelation: light yet hearty and so delicious. “Onsen Tamago” means ‘hot spring’ and it is a different [to me] way to cook a soft egg.  HINT: This recipe is enough for 2 servings. Very easy to save for another breakfast or lunch one or two days from now.

2 two-oz eggs ½ cup sweet onions 2 cups chicken broth 3 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp mirin 1 oz Japanese noodles, such as soba @ 95 calories/ounce Sriracha, to taste garnish: scallions, chopped 2 oz melon   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Onsen Tomago Egg:  HINT: The eggs can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.  2 raw eggs in shells 1 liter water 1 cup cold tap water Bring water to a boil. Once it boils, remove it from the heat, and add 1 c. of cold water. Using a slotted spoon, place eggs into the hot water and cover. Let sit for 17 minutes, then remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Serve hot or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Onion Soup: Cook noodles according to package, shock in cold water and put in serving bowls. Place sliced onions and stock into pan and bring to boil. When stock comes to boil, reduce heat to a strong simmer and cover. Cook until onions are soft (they should not be rigid when you pick them up with chopsticks). When onions are almost finished, add soy sauce, mirin, and sriracha and stir. If the liquid has reduced noticibly, add water.  When the onions are finished, pour the onion and broth over noodles. Carefully crack onsen tamago egg into broth. Garnish with green onion and serve the melon on the side. Eat with chopsticks and Japanese spoon.

Udon Shrimp Curry: 273 calories 4 g fat 4.4 g fiber 19 g protein 27.5 g carbs 85 mg Calcium PB Udon noodles and bricks of curry are staples of Japanese cooking. This meal is hearty, healthy, and satisfying. I prepared enough to serve guests — what the photo shows is what was left after 4 hungry people ate their fill! There is a lot of food for your 273 calories.

Sv 2
3 oz dried buckwheat udon noodles with yamCook udon in boiling salted water  ~2 mins. Drain, saving water, and put aside.
½ tsp sesame oil
3 oz onion, sliced thinly		Put oil in a pan over med-high. Add onion, stir 1-2 mins until slightly softened and fragrant. 
2 oz carrot, ½” batons 
1½ oz celery, ½” batons
1 ½ oz cabbage, thinly sliced		Prep vegetables and cut to size. Add to pot, and stir. 
1 tsp soy sauce or tamari
1 cup water 		Pour these in and stir. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium. Cover simmer 13 mins, until veg are just tender.
½ S&B Japanese curry brick
2 pinches sugar		Chop the curry brick. When veg are tender, add curry and sugar, and stir until broth thickens. If too thick, add water.
Par-cooked udon
1½ oz frozen spinach  
4 oz raw shrimp		Cut shrimp in half if large. Add these to broth. Cook ~4 mins, until shrimp is cooked, noodles are warmed, spinach is warm and everything is well-combined..
Divide equally among serving bowls, and eat immediately.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

the white of one 2-oz egg = US large two-oz hardboiled egg  + tomato
yellow corn meal + yeastWhole grain 70-calorie bread
plain yogurt + honeyreduce fat ricotta or 2%-fat cottage cheese
raspberries + ‘Canadian’ baconyellow sriracha + strawberries or blueberries
optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

one chicken sausage @ 150 calories + vinegarBoston lettuce + cherry tomatoes + apple
sweet bell pepper + zucchini + olive oilhard-cooked egg + cooked chicken breast
sugar snap peas ormedjool date + chick peas + soft goat cheese
Worcestershire sauce + pinch sugarpine nuts + shallot + cinnamon dressing
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Dandy Horse

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to ketodietrecipes who is now Following.

Prior to 1818, if you needed to travel, your options were limited to: horse-back, a wagon or carriage, or walking. Not surprisingly, most everyone walked. And, not surprisingly, those walkers did not usually go very far. But in Germany, two inventors tried to change that. Baron Karl Drais and Otto Schillinger came up with a wooden seat over two wheels. The rider would straddle the seat, stretch their legs to the ground, and move the vehicle forward with their feet [think: Flintstone car]. They called it the Laufmaschine, German for ‘running machine.’ To the language-challenged English speaker, it looks like ‘laugh machine.’ And people did laugh, but they also rode the machine. It was popular all over Europe despite the fact that, due to lack of adjustability, each machine had to be built to fit the owner. It was variously called the Draisienne and the derogatory Dandy Horse. An adjustable seat was developed, but it never caught on. As you will have guessed, the machine was improved in the 1860s by French inventors who added pedals and a chain drive. It was manufactured by the Michaud company and ushered in true human-powered transport. Today you will see toddlers riding a plastic version of the laufmaschine. Bicycles are making a come-back in urban centers and with the rise of E-Bikes, one can get quality exercise from childhood to old age.

People laughed at those riding a dandy horse. People who rode it no doubt laughed with glee. Our breakfast food involves laughing and our dinner will make you gleeful. Both meals are dandy. Burn a few calories today on a bike. Eat fewer calories today as you Fast.

Laughing Herb Bake: 129 calories 6.5 g fat 1 g fiber 9 g protein 6 g carbs 94 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.PB GF So rich! So creamy! So low in calories!

One 2-oz egg ½ wedge Laughing Cow low-fat cheese 2 Tbsp fresh herbs OR 1 Tbsp dried ½ Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese 3 oz melon  Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Cream the cheeses together with the herbs. Whisk in the egg and salt/pepper to taste. Pour into the ramekin and bake at 350 F. 12-15 minutes. Plate the fruit, prepare the optional beverages, and find something that makes you laugh.

Korean Seafood Pancakes “Haemul Pajean”: 266 calories 2 g fat 5.6 g fiber 33 g protein 37 g carbs 88 mg Calcium  PB What’s not to love about this pancake, plump with yummy seafood and served with a savory sauce?

¼ cup white whole wheat flour ½ cup water 1 egg white 1½ oz scallion, sliced 4½ oz cooked seafood – all one type or a mixture [ex: shrimp, chopped into ½” pieces, if large; lobster, chopped into ½” pieces or use smaller shreds; flounder, flaked] Per serving: 2 oz tomato dipping sauce** or commercially-available spicy sauce

Whisk flour, water, and egg white until well-blended. Combine the seafoods in a bowl with the scallions. Heat a non-stick pan [I found a ceramic pan to work very well] and pour in ½ of the batter. Swirl it around so that it covers the bottom. Quickly sprinkle half of the seafood/scallion mixture over the top of the pancake before it sets. Cook for 6-8 minutes, then flip and cook until beginning to brown. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Pile the cooked pancakes on top of each other and cut into wedges. Serve with tomato wedges and 2 Tbsp dipping sauce**.

**Dipping Sauce [HINT: THIS IS ENOUGH FOR 2-3 SERVINGS]   3 Tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp rice vinegar 3 Tbsp chives, chopped pinch crushed red pepper flakes pinch sugar Combine in a micro-wave-safe bowl and heat until sugar dissolves.

Slow Days: War Cake

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People who are new to Fasting often pose the questions: “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?” To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’

Now for the answers. Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight. There are many questions asked on the Fast Diet Forum which attest to that. Once in a while you can splurge, as long as it isn’t everyday. For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet. As for how we eat, an example follows.

From a war-time cookbook, World War I.

During World War 1 and World War II, the people on the home front in Great Britain, Canada, and the US shared in the war effort. They donated metal to make munitions, they saved cooking fat and sent it to use as a lubricant for machinery. And most of all, they endured years of food scarcity since food was diverted to the troops. At home, eggs, butter, sugar, cheese, and meat were rationed. Each household received a ration card which was taken to the store to determine how you could shop. Each week, the grocer would dole out the commodities needed to run a home kitchen, and it was not enough. Here was the weekly rations per adult in Canada:

  • sugar: one cup (the average Canadian eats twice that much today)
  • butter: four ounces (one-quarter pound)
  • tea: two ounces, or coffee: eight ounces (because these items came from other countries)
  • meat: 24-32 ounces (less than five ounces per day)
  • beer, spirits and wine were also rationed, the amount varying between provinces [PEI still had total Prohibition until 1947]

Cooks became creative. No butter? Lard would substitute in baked goods. No milk? Water or tea might suffice. No sugar? Try molasses. No eggs? Oh bother.

From those privations came ‘War Cake,’ a special bake to make a family celebration more festive in trying times. A housewife had to plan ahead for it, saving out a bit of sugar for weeks before baking. This recipe is from Maritime Canada, where it was often served at Christmas, and still is in some families. In the baking division at the Dundas Plowing Contest in PEI, one category is ‘war cake.’ So I tried this last year and it was a winner — literally and figuratively. It won 1st Prize and has been popular when served to friends and family.

12 servings, 1 cake Preheat oven to 325 F/165 C.  Grease and flour a tube/loaf/Bundt pan.
1 c water/herbal tea
1 c raisins + dried apricots
1/2 c light molasses
1/3 c/5 Tbsp sugar
1/3 c lard 		If using dried apricots, dice them. Or use all raisins.
Bring these to a boil in a saucepan.
Reduce heat to low, and simmer until raisins are plump, ~5 minutes.
Let cool, but not so much that the lard solidifies.
1.5 c white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp cinnamon		Whisk together in a bowl. 
Stir flour mixture into raisin mixture until well combined.
Pour into prepared baking pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, ~1 hour, less if baked in tube pan.

Serve with slices of Cheddar Cheese and a cup of tea. Splendid for breakfast, elevenses, tea time, or dessert. Enjoy a taste of the past.

Religions: Islam

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Muhammad ibn Abdullah was born into a prosperous family in Mecca in the year 570 CE. He hardly had a chance to know his family. His father had died before he was born. For his first five years, he lived with a nomadic Bedouin family in the desert. One yer after he returned to his mother, she died. Two years after that, his guardian grandfather died. Then he went to live with an uncle. There he learned to manage camel caravans that plied the trade routes — the ancient Arabian equivalent of owning a long-haul trucking firm. Muhammad became wealthy and gained a loving wife, Khadijah. She herself was rich and influential and 15 years older than her husband. As a respite from his busy life, Muhammad would visit a cave outside of town to meditate and relax for one month each year. In the year 610, when he was in the cave, Muhammad dreamed that an angel came to him, insisting that the man “Read!” Not knowing how to read, Muhammad said that he could not. Finally, the angel dictated a verse which Muhammad said became imprinted on his heart. He hurried home in a state of fear to tell his wife what happened. She comforted him and took the tale to her uncle. Uncle Waraqah was a Christian and a Hebrew scholar. He assured his niece and her husband that the angel was Gabriel and that the message was from The God [known in their language as Allah]. Muhammad began to speak his revelations to his family, and later his friends. All believed him, becoming the first adherents of Islam. His teachings that there is but one God, put him in conflict with local Quraysh tribe, those who guarded the Kaaba. Tradition said that the Kaaba was built by Abraham [patriarch of Judaism and Christianity] and his son Ismael to house a Black Stone that fell from heaven and was given to them by Gabriel. The site was holy to the Bedouin tribes and the building was decorated with statues to many gods. Muhammud and his followers were persecuted and driven from Mecca to Medina. There many more people followed the new religion of Islam, calling themselves Muslims. A treaty with the Quraysh, who had gathered 40 assassins to kill Muhammud, permitted Muslims to make their annual visit to the Kaaba. When the the bargain was broken, the Muslims attacked and gained the city. The gods of the non-believers were thrown out. Expecting death, the Meccans were astonished to be released. From 610-632 CE, Muhammad received words from Allah which he wrote down in the Quran. The final verse was received and recorded within a few weeks of the death of the Prophet on June 22, 633. Islam spread rapidly from the Arabian Peninsula, reaching from China to Spain within 90 years. It is the second largest religion in the world. At the core of their faith are the Five Pillars. Throughout the centuries, Muslims valued knowledge and became great scholars during the time that Europe was in the Dark Ages. It is a pity that the three religions that stem from Abraham cannot see eye to eye, since they preach essentially the same messages.

Islam began in the Levant, so we begin our day with a meal of Levantine ingredients. The Prophet and his initial followers were Arabs, so our dinner contains ingredients that they would have enjoyed.

Levantine ScrOmelette: 142 calories 8 g fat 1 g fiber 10 g protein 5 g carbs 50.5 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  These fine ingredients yield a flavorful result. The sun rising in the East will smile on you.

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 Tbsp mediterranian vegetables, chopped 1.5 tsp hummus** 1 black olive, minced 1 oz strawberries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk the eggs, then stir in the hummus and vegetables. Pour into a saute pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray and scramble to your taste or prepare as an omelette. Pour the optional beverages and plate with the berries.

**HUMMUS: makes 2 cups 1 Tbsp = 27 calories 1.5 g fat 0.6 g fiber 0.5 g protein 3 g carbs 1 mg Calcium ¼ c =  108 calories 6 g fat 2.4 g fiber 2 g protein  12 g carbs 4 mg Calcium PB GF  Recipe from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. 

1 can chickpeas, drained + rinsed 4 cloves garlic, smashed 1½ tsp salt 4 tsp lemon juice 5 T tahini pepper + cayenne ¼ c chopped scallions/onions

Put everything in the food processor and whizz until smooth. Taste for seasonings. Freezes well. Variation: Add a few slices of cooked beet to obtain an amazing pink color.

Arabian Spiced Chicken:  297 calories 4 g fat 5.4 g fiber 24.4 g protein 46 g carbs 35 mg Calcium  PB GF  Using ingredients originally from the region, it is possible to craft a very authentic meal that could have been enjoyed by ancient Arabs. They would have eaten by grasping the stew with the flat-bread called fatir — but on a Fast Day, we will choose a fork. TIP: This recipe makes enough for 2 [two] meals.

6 oz chicken thigh meat, boneless, skinless 2/3 cups water 1/3 cup chicken broth 1.5 tsp Hawayij spice  1/3 cup dry quick-cooking barley   Per serving: 5 oz watermelon on baby spinach leaves OR 3 deglet noor dates + 5 oz watermelon cubes

Skin and bone the chicken thigh and cut it into 1” chunks. Heat a non-stick skillet and spritz it with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the chicken with the spice and saute it until partly cooked. To the pan, add the water and heat it, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Stir in the dry barley. Put a lid on the pan and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir gently until everything is heated through. Plate with the dates and watermelon on the side. Sprinkle the stew with more Hawayij if you like. The peppery stew is fabulous with the cool, crisp melon and the sweet, musky dates. What an Arabian Delight.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

1 two-oz egg2 two-oz eggs  + sweet onion
Vache qui Rit/Laughing Cow cheesebeef or chicken stock
herbs — fresh or driedsoy sauce + mirin + scallion
ricotta cheese, lower fat + melon Japanese dried soba noodles [190 calories/2 oz]
optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

white whole wheat flour + egg white + scalliondried buckwheat Japanese noodles with yam + onion
tomato + shrimp + lobster or crab + flounder/fishsesame oil + carrot + celery + cabbage
soy sauce + rice vinegar + chivessoy sauce + spinach + raw shrimp
garlic + red pepper flakes + sugarS&B Japanese curry brick
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Eleanor Farjeon

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to legendsfeedback1233 who is now Following.

Eleanor was born to be creative: her father was an author, her mother was an actor’s daughter. Eleanor was shy and frail, so she stayed in the attic and read books. When she was 22, she decided that she could write for a living — and she had to, since her father had died. She began with children’s books and poetry, and was successful from the start. Family and family memories influenced her work throughout her life. Eleanor collaborated with her brother-the- musician to write an operetta; with her brother-the-actor on four plays. World War I saw the death of friends, and a series of letters to a soldier on the front became her most popular book Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard. Poets and theater people were among her friends as Eleanor churned out 34 books. In her 1957 collection of poems and hymns, was a little thing she had penned in 1931. In 1971, it was sung by Cat Stevens and became an international hit. Have you guessed it yet? Morning Has Broken has leapt off the pages of hymnals as a popular song and a beloved hymn to nature. By the end of the 1950s, Farjeon had received three major awards for literature, two of which were created for the occasion. She died on June 5, 1965, secure in her legacy but unaware of the torrent of fame that her little hymn would bring.

Eleanor’s greatest hit evokes scenes of simplicity and comfort and pastoral peace. Our meals today are simple and comforting and derived from wholesome, natural ingredients.

Croissant & Fig: 186 calories 8 g fat 2 g fiber 5 g protein 23.5 g carbs 37.5 mg Calcuim  PB Who would imagine that one could even think of a croissant on a Fast Day?!? How ’bout half a croissant with some figs enrobed in dried ham? Ooh-la-la! That is a good breakfast! Dear Husband loved the figs-and-ham combo.  HINT: These ingredients serve 2 [two] people.

1 plain croissant weighing 2.5 oz 4 fresh figs or 4 dried Turkish figs [total weight = 2 oz/80 g] 0.7 oz Prosciutto   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Hours before: soak dried figs in water until they are soft. [Not necessary if you have fresh figs.] Gently heat the croissant. Slice the Prosciutto into four lengthwise strips and wrap them around the figs. Cut the warm croissant in half cross-ways. Distribute the food on the plates and enjoy with a hot beverage.

Cheese Souffle:  293 calories 19.5 g fat 1.4 g fiber 20 g protein 9.5 g carbs 290.5 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF flour in Béchamel Few foods are as amazing as a good souffle, which rises to airy heights of flavor.  HINT: The recipe serves 2 [two] people.

2 egg yolks ½ cup Bechamel sauce, no cheese  2 egg whites 2 Tbsp chives/scallion green parts, snipped or sliced 2 oz Cheddar cheese, grated   per serving: 1½ oz green beans

Separate the eggs, being very careful not to get any yolk in the whites. Whisk the yolks with the bechamel, then stir in the cheese and chives, along with salt & pepper to taste. Heat the oven to 400 F. Whip the egg whites until they are stiff. Combine a half cup of the whites with the egg yolk mixture and gently whisk together. Fold remaining egg whites into the yolk mixture and pour into a 1-quart oven-safe dish. [I like to use a 1-quart glass casserole with straight sides, which fits in the toaster oven.] Being as gentle as possible, pour the souffle mixture into the ungreased/unbuttered/unoiled baking dish and smooth out the top a bit. Bake for 25 minutes. Cook the beans. Serve the souffle by scooping it out onto the plates. Some like a soft souffle, which will sink rapidly. I prefer mine to be cooked through yet still be creamy on the inside. Either way, absolutely delicious!