Author: me

Passing: Grey Owl

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

“Passing” means living your life as someone you are not, and getting away with it.. The term can be used for people living as a member of another race or of a different sex. Archibald Stansfeld Belaney was born on September 18, 1888, in Hastings, England. His parents left him with his grandmother and aunts at a young age, when they moved to America. Little Archie was raised as a proper English child. Perhaps it was the stories he read about ‘American Indians’ that caused him to move to Canada when he was 17 years old. While working for a fur trapper, Archie married a woman of the Ojibwa tribe and learned their language. World War I saw him enlisting in the Canadian army. Belaney told people that he was the offspring of a Scottish father and an Apache mother. And they believed him. He served as a sniper but wounds sent him to convalesce back in Hastings. Belaney married a local girl, but left her in England when he returned to Canada after the war. There Archie was befriended by an Ojibwa, who taught him woodland survival. This is when Archibald began to style himself as “Grey Owl”. He married once again — never having divorced his previous wives — this time to an Iroquois teenager called Anahareo. One winter while trapping together, Grey Owl killed a female beaver. He was about to return to camp with the skin when Anahareo heard the beaver’s babies crying in their lodge. She scolded her husband for the cruelty of killing the mother and leaving her kittens to starve. Grey Owl adopted the little beavers and he became an ardent environmentalist henceforth. He embarked on a career of writing and public speaking that took him all over North America and to England in the 1930s. People were captivated by the supposed Native American, dressed in buckskin and carrying a pet beaver. He lectured twice in his native Hastings, and no one recognized him. His book The Men of the Last Frontier, 1932, was a plea for the conservation of the natural world, and a best-seller. As the first celebrity conservationist, Grey Owl was very influential. He was employed by the Canadian Forestry Service and Parks Canada, working to reintroduce beaver colonies in national parks. After Belaney’s death at age 49, his first wife outed him and the brouhaha began. Native Americans were angry, his books were taken from circulation, and newly-engaged environmentalists were confused by his dishonesty. He might have been a fake, but he left a genuine message of a better way to interact with the wild lands of Canada and the world.

Our day begins with a breakfast from Old England, land of “Grey Owl’s” birth, and ends with a meal of ingredients typical to the First Nations people whom Belaney so admired. Eating good food has nothing to do with cultural appropriation.

Ham & Mushroom Bake: 177 calories… 8.7 g fat… 4.6 g fiber… 14 g protein… 12.4 g carbs… 87 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB  GF A hearty, flavor-packed breakfast begins with ham and mushrooms. Although these are flavors of autumn, they can be enjoyed any time, especially on a Fast Day. 

++ One 2-oz egg ++++ 1 oz mushrooms, chopped… 1 oz roast ham or 3% fat deli ham, chopped ++++ 2 Tbsp Gruyere cheese, grated ++++ ½ tsp ground sage ++++ ¼ tsp savory ++++ ½ cup raspberries ++++ 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 toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Spritz some cooking spray into a ramekin. Grate the cheese. Chop the ham and mushrooms, and put them into the ramekin. Whisk together the cheese, egg, and seasonings, and pour that in too. Bake 12-15 minutes, depending on how well set you like your eggs. It will puff up and start to brown a bit. Heat your beverage, shake the smoothie, and portion the fruit. Off to a good start.

Squash-Cupped Bison Chili: 215 calories… 3.5 g fat… 7 g fiber… 14.5 g protein… 34 g carbs… 120 mg Calcium…  PB  GF What an easy, delicious, and satisfying meal. HINT: One squash is enough for 2 servings, so invite a fellow-Faster for dinner. Save the remaining chili for another meal later.

Bison Chili: per cup- 136 calories…3 g fat.. 5 g fiber.. 13 g protein.. 14.5 g carbs.. 57 mg Calcium.. ++ 4 oz ground bison ++++ 15 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced drained in a sieve [save the juice] ++++ 1 clove garlic, chopped ++++ 1 cup red onion, chopped ++++ ½ cup green pepper, chopped ++++ ¾ cup canned red or black beans, drained and rinsed ++++ 2-4 tsp chili powder ++++ ¾ tsp salt ++++ ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin ++  Cook the venison, onion, garlic, and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the chili is hot throughout. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. makes 4 one-cup servings

For tonight’s meal: ++ 5 oz delicata squash, seeds removed ++++ 1 cup Bison Chili or use Chili Non Carne for a vegetarian version ++++ 2 oz melon, as a garnish ++++

Weigh the delicata squash whole and uncut to get a sense of how much will be 5 oz. You will be cutting off the ends of the squash and removing the seeds, to produce a hollow tube of squash: about two inches of squash that will stand up on the plate. Put the squash in the microwave oven and cook it until it can be easily pierced with a skewer. Assemble by standing the squash cup in the middle of the plate and pouring the chili in and around it. Then position the melon. Unusual! Teriffic!

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

1 two-oz egg = US large + blueberries1.5 two-oz eggs 
cooked quinoa + cooked kalebratwurst sausage + onions
cayenne + sage + garlic powderparsley + ketchup + curry powder
sage + 2%-fat cottage cheesestrawberries + prepared mustard
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

6 oz raw chicken meat + lime juicechicken breast + whole-grain noodles
Cafreal Masala marinadecarrot + green pepper + tomato
oil + onions + cooking sprayonion + mushrooms + chicken stock
black pepper + brown ricepaprika + sour cream or low-fat yogurt
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The “Beagle” Has Landed

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

After a long voyage from England, followed by the perilous journey around Cape Horn, the HMS Beagle landed in the Galapagos Islands on September 15, 1835. The ship had been sent out by the British Admiralty to perform a hydrographic survey of the ocean around South America. On board was an extra crew member, the recent university graduate, Charles Darwin. He had been invited by the captain to be his ‘science officer’, to collect plant and animal specimens to take back to England. Darwin, an enthusiastic naturalist, accepted with pleasure. The young man had been considering a vocation in the clergy, but his eyes opened to new ideas while on the voyage. He found fossils of extinct beasts. He saw the sea floor lifted up to dry land by an earthquake. And on the Galapagos, he found birds similar to those on the mainland, but which had changed over time to fit their environment. Darwin collected thousands of samples, and created volumes of notes. By the time the Beagle arrived in the Galapagos, the trip had lasted five years. On the voyage home, Darwin compiled his notes and began to doubt the scientific doctrine of the time: that no life form ever went extinct; that the Earth had been formed 4000 years before in one event and hadn’t changed since; that nature was immutable and that species never changed. Darwin went on to write his explosive book The Origin of Species, and science hasn’t been the same since. Just as the landing of the Eagle on the moon in July, 1969, opened the door to new scientific discoveries and further expeditions, the landing of the Beagle in the Galapagos lit the spark that began a revolution in scientific thought.

The breakfast represents Darwin’s ideas at the start of the voyage: conventional, very English, conservative. The dinner, innovative and modern, is a metaphor for Darwin’s ideas at the end of his analysis of his findings.

FarmWife Mushroom Casserole: 127 calories… 2 g fat… 2 g fiber… 7 g protein… 33.5 g carbs… 83.6 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. – PB– Having read of this in The Fellowship of the Ring, I searched and searched until I found an approximation: this recipe in Theodora FitzGibbon’s A Taste of England.

++ ½ oz [one strip] American/streaky bacon ++++ ¾ cup assorted mushrooms, chopped ++++ 3 Tbsp chicken stock ++++ ¾ tsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce ++++ salt & pepper ++++ ½ Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich Thin ++++ ½ 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]++

In a small pan, cook the bacon partially. Remove from the pan, blot off the fat, and cut in strips. Pour off the bacon fat but return 1 tsp to the pan. Saute the mushrooms in the fat and remove them. Pour the chicken stock and Worcestershire into the pan and sprinkle in the flour while whisking to prevent lumps as it thickens. Add pepper. Put the bacon and mushrooms into the sauce and cook over low heat, until warmed through. Pour into an oiled oven-proof dish and bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Warm or lightly toast the Sandwich Thin. Place the bread on top of the mushroom pudding prior to serving.  NB: you can serve it out of the baking dish or turn it out on the bread on a plate. Enjoy with the pear and have a hearty day, even if you are not escaping from Black Riders.

Grapefruit-Avocado Salad: 289 calories… 20 g fat… 6.4 g fiber … 18 g protein… 15 g carbs… 75.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF This is delicious, nutritious, and satisfying. Real food. Good food.

++ 1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled ++++ 2.5 oz avocado [this was half an avocado], sliced in 4 pieces ++++ 3.3 oz pink grapfruit sections [you need 4 sections] ++++ 1.75 cups lettuce, sliced/shredded ++++ 1 oz cooked chicken breast [you could substitute 4 shrimp for a meatless meal] ++++ ½ tsp white wine vinegar + ½ tsp lime-infused olive oil + ¼ tsp ground ginger ++++ lemon finishing salt ++

Whisk the oil, vinegar, and ginger in a meduim-sized bowl. Add the lettuce and toss to coat with the dressing. Remove the lettuce to a serving plate, letting some of the dressing drip back into the bowl. Spread the lettuce evenly over the plate and sprinkle with the finishing salt. Starting at the center with the egg, arrange the grapefruit and avocado around the plate. Place the chicken as you wish. Brush the remaining dressing on the grapefruit and avocado. 

John Ware

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

When most people think of a “cowboy”, they picture a white American man [think Roy Rogers or Buffalo Bill Cody]. That’s too biased. When people think “cattle rancher”, they picture a Texas white man [think Richard King of Texas]. That’s too parochial. When people think “superb horseman”, one might picture the orphan boys who rode the Pony Express. That’s too limited. If you want someone who was all three at once, think John Ware — and then remember that he was Black. And Canadian. After being freed from slavery by the US Civil War, Ware went to Texas, where he learned about ranching and became a cowhand. In those days, cattle were raised far from the stockyards of Chicago and Omaha, so the animals had to be ‘driven’ [slowly walked] from their home ranch to a train terminus, then shipped to the slaughterhouse. These were known as ‘cattle drives‘ and they were feats of logistics. A bunch of cowboys had to control hundreds of steers for weeks on end, finding forage and water for them so they would be healthy at the end of the trail, all while avoiding predators or rustlers. One of the longest cattle drives ever was headed by John Ware, driving 3000 head of cattle from Texas to Montana in 1882. From there, he drove steers to the BarU Ranch in Alberta, Canada. Once Ware was in Canada, he stayed, working for large spreads at the dawn of cattle ranching in the province, as ranchers took over Indigenous lands. Like the Native population, Ware faced racism, but he worked hard and saved to buy his own land. Along the way, Ware gained a reputation as a master horseman, who had never been thrown by a horse; as a very hard worker; as an exemplary cowboy; as a pioneering rancher. He popularized the sport of calf roping/tie-down, which is now a standard event at any rodeo. By the 1890s, Ware had a wife, five children, and a cattle ranch of his own at the Red Deer River. In a terrible irony, his horse stepped into a badger hole on September 11, 1905, falling and crushing and killing Ware. He was named a National Historic Person by Canada.

Eggs ‘n’ sausage, at home or on a cattle drive. And as the iconic TV advert intoned: “Beef. It’s what’s for dinner.” What else?!

Sausage Bake: 142 calories… 10 g fat… 0.5 g fiber… 15 g protein… 8 g carbs… 39.4 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. –PB GF– Quick and yummy, can’t beat sausage and egg.

++1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 chicken breakfast sausage [33 calories/link], cooked ++++ 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese ++++ pinch marjoram + salt + pepper ++++ 2 oz unsweetened applesauce ++++  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] ++

Whisk the cheese with the egg and seasonings. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Dice the sausage and put it into the ramekin. Pour the egg mixture on top and bake in the toaster oven at 350F 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Pour a beverage, and plate with that lovely applesauce. Nice start to your day.

Mixed Sushi: 275 calories… 11.6 g fat… 5 g fiber… 16 g protein… 28 g carbs… 39 mg Calcium…  PB GF  Our younger son introduced us to this recipe. Imagine: ‘Sushi’ without raw fish or seaweed. Good use for leftover beef and avocado. HINT: This serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch or dinner another day. Made to be served at room temp.

++ 1 cup brown rice, cooked and cooled HINT: Make the day before and refrigerate or use leftovers from a previous meal. ++++ 1 tsp rice wine vinegar ++++ 1 egg ++++ 1 tsp soy sauce. ++++ 3 oz avocado, in long slices ++++ 1 oz grilled beef, in long strips OR substitute grilled chicken ++++ 2 oz smoked salmon, in long slices ++++ 2 oz cucumber OR zucchini in long slices. ++

Combine the rice with the vinegar and let sit. Whisk the soy sauce with the egg and cook the egg as a flat omelette in a lightly-spritzed non-stick pan. Remove from the pan and cut egg into long strips. Slice the avocado, beef, salmon, and cucumber in long strips, but not longer than the diameter of the bowl in which you will serve it. Put the rice into two bowls with a wide diameter. Distribute the rice evenly over the bowl. Lay the other ingredients on top of the rice in what ever arrangement pleases you. Serve with extra soy sauce and enjoy a quick meal.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large + uncured streaky bacon1.5 two-oz eggs 
mushrooms + garlic + scallion + baking powderroast ham [11%-fat] or 3%-fat ham
dry mustard + Worcestershire sauce + Parmesanmushrooms + Gruyere cheese
white whole wheat flour+ non-fat milk + green beansraspberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

salad greens + grapefruitdelicata squash: 5 oz per person
avocado + 2-oz eggmelon
chicken + lime-flavored oilBison chili or chili non carne 
white wine vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Galveston Hurricane

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. 

The city of Galveston, Texas is located at the northern end of a chain of barrier islands on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It was settled after the Texas Revolution in 1836, and became the premier port city of the state. It proudly welcomed thousands of immigrants and in 1880, Galveston was Texas’ largest city. The city was vibrant with its electric lights, opera house, state medical center, Coast Guard station, and fine architecture. For 64 years, the residents lived smugly in the assumption that no hurricane would ever strike that far West in the Gulf. Isaac Cline was the head of the local station of the young National Weather Service. On the morning of September 8, Cline noted that sea water was rising along the coast as the air pressure went down. This is what today we call ‘storm surge’: low air pressure causing the sea level to swell up, thus inundating the land. Knowing, therefore, that a storm was coming, he rode along the waterfront on his horse, telling people to head to higher ground or to stronger buildings. In truth, there was no ‘higher ground’ since the maximum elevation of Galveston Island was nine feet above sea level, and few heeded his warning. All day long the sea and the winds rose, flooding the coastal buildings. By that night, 120-mile-per-hour winds drove ocean waves onto the island. Rows of houses parallel to the shore went down like dominoes, damaging the rows of houses behind them. Eventually, the entire island and its proud city were under water. When the next day dawned, the destruction was incomprehensible. More than half of the city’s dwellings were destroyed, 8000-10000 people were dead. Clean-up began, as bodies were recovered from their splintered houses. There were so many dead that city officials put them on barges and had them towed out into the Gulf to be “buried at sea”. However, the next high tide brought the gruesome cargo back and piled the bodies high on the shore. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 remains the greatest hurricane disaster in the USA of all time. Isaac Cline, whose wife was among the dead, then lobbied the National Weather Service to coordinate weather data to predict storm tracks and provide warning to people in the path of potential disaster. This is why you will hear weather alerts on your phone, TV, or radio before a strong storm or tornado comes your way. Thank goodness for a well-staffed and well-funded National Weather Service! An engrossing book about the event is Isaac’s Storm, by Erik Larson, which I recommend to your attention.

Fresh fruits and lots of seafood — you must be in Galvaston!

Citrus Breakfast: 149 calories… 1.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 15.5 g protein… 19 g carbs… 118 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF Is this the breakfast you imagine when you think ‘go on a diet’? Does it look like starvation rations? Banish those thoughts! Delicious, nutritious, and filling because of the protein, this is a great breakfast for anyone, anyday. And it has tons of Vitamin C and A and D.

++ ½ cup 2%-fat cottage cheese ++++ 2 Tbsp fat-free plain or fat-free Vanilla yogurt++++  1 clementine, peeled and sectioned ++++ 2 Tbsp black currants -OR- blueberries ++++ 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] ++ 

Combine all the dairy and scoop it onto the plate. Pour fruit on top. If you plan for a busy morning, combine everything the night before and refrigerate it. Great for a grab-and-go meal. It is a vitamin-blast.

Fish Tacos: 266 calories… 2.6 g fat… 3.6 g fiber… 23 g protein… 37 g carbs… 118 mg Calcium…  PB The food truck staple is now available for a Fast Day. Add more spices to suit your taste.

++ two 6” corn tortillas ++++ 3 oz cooked fish 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 ++++ 1 Tbsp lime juice or salsa verde ++++ pinch chili powder + pinch cumin ++++ 1½ Tbsp plain 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!

Craig Claiborne

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

How did a boy from the Mississippi Delta town of Sunflower rise to international recognition as a culinary figure? Here is the story. Raymond Craig Claiborne was born on September 4, 1920, into a family in the throes of reduced circumstances. A genteel lady could run a boarding house when things got tough, so his mother did that while his father tended the kitchen garden and a flock of chickens. Young Craig spent many hours in the kitchen escaping bullying by his peers while learning to cook from his mother and the Black help. His graduation from University of Missouri with a journalism degree coincided with the US’s entry into WW2, so Claiborne enlisted in the navy. While serving in Morocco, he was introduced to French cuisine and his own homosexuality. After the war, Claiborne worked in Chicago until the lure of Paris became too strong. When he ran out of money there, he enlisted for the Korean War. The GI Bill would pay for post-secondary education, so Raymond chose to attend  l’École hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland. With that under his belt, he went to New York City, first to work for Gourmet magazine. In 1957, he won the prize: the job as food editor at the New York Times. Claiborne brought about several ‘firsts’: he was the first male to be a food editor of a major newspaper; he introduced the ‘Four Star’ rating system for restaurants; he promoted world cuisines in a conservative food scene. His cookbooks were legendary and he lived a life of gustatory excess until the late 1970s when he was told to loose weight, curtail his salt intake, and lower his cholesterol. Fearing a ‘culinary straitjacket’, the cookbook author teamed up with his favorite collaborator Pierre Franey to develop recipes which appeared in Craig Claiborne’s Gourmet Diet. Another best-seller among his 20+ cookbooks! How can you lose with a foodie who wrote, “Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love.”

Like Craig Claiborne, our menus will start in the American South with Cajun flavors. By the time of his death in 2000, he was noted for his international recipes, such as our curry dinner.

Cajun ScrOmelette: 142 calories… 7.6 g fat… 2 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 10 g carbs… 73 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The hallmark of Cajun cooking is the sofrito of bell pepper, celery, and onion. Here they are along with the iconic Cajun Seasoning and Tabasco sauce. Cue the Zydeco music.

Chop and combine the vegetables with the seasonings. Put in a hot saute pan spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Cook until softened. Whisk the eggs with the Tabasco and Cajun seasonings, and scramble to prefection. Pour the beverages, slice the oranges, and pass the Tabasco sauce.

Chicken or Turkey Curry: 277 calories… 4.5 g fat… 6.4 g fiber… 17 protein… 37.4 g carbs… 81 mg Calcium… – PB GF –  Curry is always a favorite and Craig Claiborne made it safe for the health-conscious in his book Gourmet Diet. If you substitute the lentils for the chicken, you will have a vegetarian version.

++ ¾ cup curry sauce** ++++ 1½ oz carrot rounds ++++ ½ cup cauliflower florets ++++ 1½ oz cooked chicken breast, cut in ½” dice or smaller ++++ 3 Tbsp peas ++++ ¼ cup boiled yellow lentils ++++ ¼ cup diced cucumber ++++ ¼ cup diced tomatoes ++ 

Steam or boil the carrots and cauliflower. Boil the lentils or warm the naan. Warm the sauce, add the chicken, peas, cooked carrots and cauliflower and heat. Taste for seasonings. Plate with the lentils, top with cucumbers and tomatoes.

**CURRY SAUCE: makes 1½ cups  … ½ cup onion, chopped … 1 clove garlic, minced … ¼ cup celery, chopped … ½ cup apple, peeled, and diced … 1 Tablespoons curry powder … ½ tsp dry mustard … 1 bay leaf … 1½ cups chicken stock OR water … ¼ cup water… Spritz a sauce pan twice with cooking oil and add 2 Tbsp water. Saute the onion, garlic, celery, and apple until soft. Sprinkle the curry and mustard on top. Stir in the bay leaf, stock, and water. Let cook until it measures 1½ cups. 

Naan***  Recipe by Aarti Sequeira 10 breads, each: 110 calories.. 3 g fat.. 2.4 g fiber.. 3.6 g protein.. 19 g carbs.. 9 mg Calcium..—12 breads, each 92 calories 2.6 g fat.. 2 g fiber.. 3 g protein.. 16 g carbs.. 8 mg Calcium..

1 tsp dry yeast—-1 tsp sugar—3/4 c 110 F waterIn a large glass, combine the yeast, sugar and water. Let stand until foamy, 5-10 mins.
2 c white whole wheat flour**—1 tsp salt—1 tsp sugar—1/8 tsp baking powderSift these into a large, deep bowl.Whisk to blend. 
3 Tbsp plain yogurt—2 Tbsp vegetable oilOnce the yeast is frothy, pour these into the glass of yeast water, and stir to combine.
**If you want to go gluten-free, you can substitute 2¼ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour mix for regular flour, plus 1¼ tsp xanthum gum.Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and gently mix with a fork. When dough is about to come together, mix with hands. It will feel as if there isn’t enough flour at first, but keep going until it turns into a soft, slightly sticky, pliable dough. As soon as it comes together, stop kneading.
Cover dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let it sit in a warm, draft-free place for 2-4 hours.
Have two bowls near-by: one with flour in it, + one with water. Dough will be extremely soft and sticky — the way it should be! Divide dough into 8 or 10 or 12 equal portions and lightly roll each portion in the bowl of flour to prevent sticking to each other.
++if using gluten-free flour, pat the naans into shape with your hands and fingers.Roll out each dough ball on a lightly floured surface. Form each into a tear-drop shape about 4-6“ in diameter and ¼” thick. Lift up by one end and wiggle it — the dough’s own weight will make it stretch a bit. Repeat with remaining dough.
Have: Cast iron skillet + lid to fit the skilletWarm skillet over high until it’s nearly smoking. Dampen your hands in the bowl of water and pick up one of your naans. Patty-cake it from one hand to the other to dampen it slightly.
Gently lay each naan in skillet + set timer for 1 min. Dough should start to bubble. Flip the naan. It should be blistered + a little blackened, don’t worry – that’s typical! Cover skillet with lid and cook 30-60 secs. Cook all dough.

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

2%-fat cottage cheese1 two-oz egg + unsweetened applesauce 
clementinetwo 33-calorie chicken breakfast sausage
nonfat vanilla yogurt2-% fat cottage cheese
black currants or blueberriesmarjoram
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

two 6″ corn tortillas + lime juicebrown rice + one 2-oz egg
3 oz white fish + plain yogurtsoy sauce + rice vinegar
red onion + tomatocucumber or zucchini + avocado
chili powder + cumingrilled beef + smoked salmon
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Hometown Heroine: Ancona

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

The people of Ancona were in dire straits. For months their coastal city had been besieged by the combined forces of their enemies, the Republic of Venice and the Holy Roman Empire. The plucky little Republic of Ancona had the temerity to challenge Venice over trade rights in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, and they had chosen to ally themselves with the Byzantine Empire rather than the Holy Romans. Warfare ensued, leading to the Siege of Ancona. The people of the city were in need of a break, of a morale boost in this war of attrition. On September 1, 1173, while the siege engines ringed the walls, a band of defenders rolled a barrel of pitch through a hole in the wall. The plan was to set it alight, to destroy some war machines, and gain a respite from the relentless attacks. The problem was that the pitch was very flammable and potentially explosive — the act of lighting it on fire might be deadly. It had to be done, but how? And by whom? While the men stood about dithering, the Widow Stamina stepped forward. With an axe in hand, she went to the barrel and broke it open. She lit the pitch and the resulting fire consumed the siege engines. She died of course. Stamina’s action allowed the city of Ancona to hold out until October, when allies arrived to end the siege. In the 1800s, during the efforts to unify Italy, Stamina was hailed as a true “Italian” heroine, although she had never heard of a nation by that name. She was memorialized in art, history books, and a novel. “Facts” about her were invented, to flesh out her biography. All we really know about her is her last name [sometimes written as ‘Stamura’], and that “the Sacrifice of Stamina” truly saved the day at the Siege of Ancona.

Prosciutto & Melon Plate:  215 calories… 10 g fat… 3 g fiber… 24 g protein… 23 g carbs… 228 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF Once again the Inn at Saint Peter’s inspired a breakfast! Nothing beats the salty-sweet flavor combination of this meal.  HINT: I plated everything the night before and stored the plates in zipper bags in the refrigerator.

++ 5 oz canteloupe melon [Charentais melon would be fabulous!] ++++ 1 oz thinly-sliced prosciutto ++++ ¼ cup red onion pickle ++++ 0.2 oz shavings of Parmesan cheese ++++ fresh basil or mint leaves OR crumbled dried basil ++++ ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt ++++ ¼ cup blackberries plus drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction, optional ++++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] ++ 

Cut the melon into bite-sized cubes [8 pieces look well on the plate]. Cut the prosciutto into 8 long strips [mine were 1”x4”]. Place a ramekin with yogurt, berries, and balsamic vinegar in the center of a plate. Arrange the red onion around it, then the melon and ham in a circle on the outside of the plate. Shave off curls of Parmesan and place them on top. If using fresh herb leaves, tuck them in here and there. If using dried herbs, rub the leaves in your palms to crumble over the plate. Serve with your chosen beverage. Wonderful flavors, however you combine them on your fork.

Turkey Picatta: 257 calories… 5 g fat… 1.3 g fiber… 31 g protein… 21 g carbs… 28 mg Calcium… GF Rush Hour Cooking provided this recipe which is one of our all-time favorites. Quick and delicious.

++ 4 oz uncooked turkey breast ++++ salt & pepper ++++ ½ tsp olive oil 1 Tbsp white wine ++++ 1/3 cup chicken stock ++++ 1.5 tsp lemon juice ++++ 2 Tbsp shallots, minced ++++ pinch garlic powder ++++ 2 tsp capers ++++ 3 oz tomatoes, sliced ++++ ¼ cup brown rice, optional++

Combine the wine, stock and lemon juice. Pound the turkey meat, if needed, to even out the thickness. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the turkey on both sides until cooked through, adding a little of the stock mixture if needed. Remove turkey to a plate and keep warm. Add the stock mixture and shallots to the pan along with the garlic powder, stirring up the brown bits on the pan. Cook down until only 3-4 tablespoons of sauce remain. Lastly add the capers. Warm the rice [if using cooked left-over rice] and slice the tomatoes. Plate the rice, drizzling 1 Tbsp sauce over it. Plate the turkey, pouring the remaining sauce on it. Plate the tomatoes.

Saint Augustine

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

There is Saint Augustine, a city in Florida; there is the Saint Augustine of Canterbury, England; and there is Saint Augustine of Hippo. The latter lived in Algeria. son of a middle-class ethnically Berber family. Born in 354 CE, Augustine was a citizen of the Roman Empire, yet was not from Europe. As assimilated Romans, his family spoke only latin, and the Afro-Roman nature of Augustine’s life influenced his philosophy. His mother [Saint Monnica] was a fervent Christian, his father not so much. Augustine was given a good Classical education, even though his parents really couldn’t afford it. While a student in Carthage, Augustine took a mistress [his mother objected], to whom he was loyal for 14 years. He flirted with being a Manichaean, a Persian-African Christianity, later declared heretical [his mother objected]. In Carthage, Augustine became a teacher of rhetoric, but disliked his unruly students. He moved to Rome to set up a school, but disliked his students’ apathy. A move to Milan to teach was a turning point in his life. He met Saint Ambrose, was baptized into Christianity [his mother approved], put aside his mistress, and became engaged to a young heiress whom he never married. Augustine returned to Africa and was pressured to become first a priest, then Bishop of Hippo [now Annaba, Algeria]. In that role, the rising ecclesiastical star preached and debated against heretical sects, and in so doing, refined his philosophy. Only bishops delivered sermons, and Augustine is reputed to have spoken 6000-10000 of them in his lifetime. They were written down by a stenographer at the time, and 600 sermons survive. Augustine was a fluent author. In addition to his sermons, 300 letters, and 100 books [two most popular: Confessions, City of God] leave no doubt as to his ideas. Augustine was against slavery, thought women were here to procreate and help their husbands, and promoted the idea of original sin. His way of uniting Christian, Roman, and Greek/Platonic traditions made his ideas accessible to a wide range of believers. In later centuries, Augustine influenced Luther, Calvin, and many secular thinkers. He died of old age during the sack of Hippo by the Gothic tribe called Vandals. His shrine is in Pavia, Italy.

For the Feast of Augustine, August 28th, our meals reflect the culinary traditions of Berber lands of Algeria and Morocco.

Chlada Felfel [Algerian Salad]: 175 calories… 15 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 8 g protein… 8 g carbs… 47.5 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods only, not the optional beverages. PB GF This Algerian favorite is often served as a side dish with lunch or dinner. But why not invite it to breakfast? While you are at it, invite a friend since this recipe serves 2 [two] persons. Coffee or tea would be appropriate for this meal, since both are popular in Northern Africa.

Serves 2, 1¼ c per breakfast
2½ oz/½ cup sweet pepper —— 3 oz/½ cup tomato, diced —— 2”/ ½ cup cucumber, diced——2 oz/½ c small onion —— 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves—–3 anchovy fillets——6 cured black olives—–Seed peppers and chop finely. Cut tomatoes into ½” dice. Dice or thinly slice cucumber. Slice onion thinly. Chop cilantro and anchocy fillets. Pit olives and cut in half or chop.
2 tsp olive oil——2 tsp vinegar——¼ teaspoon salt—–¼ teaspoon pepper—-Place all ingredients in a salad bowl, then toss gently. Divide between bowls.
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped——Distribute egg bits over top.

Moroccan Tuna: 278 calories… 1.4 g fat… 7 g fiber… 34 g protein… 20.4 g carbs…  PB GF  Morrocan spice blend can really add zest to a simple meal. 

++ 4 oz tuna steak [When I see frozen tuna steaks at the supermarket, I get a few] ++++ Moroccan spices or ground cumin or mint +++ 1/3 cup white beans, rinsed and drained ++++ 1 slice preserved lemon OR 1 slice fresh lemon ++++ vegetable choices, choose ONE: 1/3 cup peas with mint OR ½ cup broccoli florets sprinkled with cumin OR 1/3 cup green beans sprinkled with cilantro ++++ 1.3 oz/½ clementine OR ++ 1.5 oz orange

Rub tuna generously on both sides with Moroccan spices. Chop the lemon and stir into the beans. Bake the tuna on a cast iron skillet for 4-5 minutes per side in a 400F oven. When the vegetable is cooked, drain and stir in the seasoning. Plate it all artistically.

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

melon cubes + Parmesan cheese1.5 two-oz eggs 
prosciutto + red onion picklecelery + onion
plain Greek yogurtgreen bell pepper
blackberries + Balsamic VinegarTabasco sauce + Cajun seasoning
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

turkey breast + cooked brown ricecurry sauce  + peas + cucumber
shallots + olive oil + lemon juicecarrot + Naan bread, 92-calorie
capers + tomatoes + white winecauliflower florets + tomato
chicken stock + garlic powdercooked chicken/turkey meat
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Ragweed

~ me ~ Leave a comment

Do you get itchy eyes and a runny nose from mid-August to October? Did you think it was ‘hay fever‘? Most likely, you are allergic to Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia. This innocuous-looking plant grows widely in North America. With its green leaves and its small green flowers, no one notices it, unless you are looking for it. If you do see a plant like the one shown at left, pull it out, especially if you can get it before it blooms. Along the roadsides, in sidewalk gardens, in public parks — yank it all up and leave it there to wither, put it in the trash, or feed it to your chickens. A small victory! Like all flowers, ragweed produces pollen — LOTS of pollen, and the wind-carried pollen causes the allergy. Around mid-August, the flowers are in peak production, when each plant can release about a billion grains of pollen before they are killed by frost. For centuries, people looked for a reason for their seasonal rhinitis, so they blamed plants that were visible at the same time. Hence, ‘hay fever’, since ragweed bloom coincided with the hay harvest. Or local prohibitions on Goldenrod plants, thinking that the showy flowers had to be the culprit. My introduction to a ragweed allergy came when I returned from a summer in Europe, landing in the US on August 15. Wham! Sneezing. Stuffed up nose. Itchy, painful eyes. Couldn’t put in my contact lenses for weeks. The eye doctor said the problem was due to ragweed. From that year on, every August the allergy returned, and no over-the-counter remedy made a difference. Believe me: I am on a crusade against ragweed! Professional allergists can help. I sure hope ragweed is not a problem for you. Even if it isn’t, do the rest of us a favor and minimize its growth in your area. Thank you.

Ragweed originated in the South-Western states of the United States. Oddly, people with respiratory problems used to go to those states to breathe the clean, healthy air! Our menus for today originated in New Mexico, but unlike Ambrosia artemisiifolia, the food is good for you.

Breakfast Burrito:  225 calories… 12 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 12 g protein… 29 g carbs… 108 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values shown are for the tortilla, egg filling, and the fruit, not for the optional coffee.  PB GF– if tortillas are all corn Inspired by breakfasts enjoyed at the Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque, N.M., this has all the tastes of the Southwest – right down to the mocha coffee — in a filling yet low-calorie meal.

++ one 6” corn tortilla, MUST be 65 calories per tortilla ++++ one 2-oz egg ++++ 1 oz roasted green chiles, available canned or in jars ++++1 Tbsp carne adovada — this is pork shoulder with hot spices. [Make a batch and freeze it in small amounts or see if you can find it at a Mexican market.] ++++ Large pinch oregano, Mexican oregano if you can find it. ++++ 1 tsp cheddar cheese, finely grated ++++ 1 oz apple ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or  mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] 

Whisk the egg with the chiles and carne. Heat a dry, well-seasoned cast iron pan and heat the tortilla until it is warm, soft, and just beginning to brown. Remove to a plate. Scramble the egg to your preference in a spritz of oil on your pan. Put the egg on top of the tortilla, then add the carne. Sprinkle cheese on top, and put it all in the toaster oven for about a minute. Douse with hot sauce if you wish, serve with the apple and hot beverage of your choice. To eat, roll it up and eat with your hands or use knife and fork. You choose.

 Green Chili-Chicken Posole: 207 calories… 4 g fat… 4 g fiber… 17.5 b protein… 24 g carbs… 35 mg Calcium…  PB GF  Friend Cheryl shared this recipe out of the blue one day and it turned out to be a real winner. Despite the low calorie count, it is filling. Did I add, delicious?

Makes 3 cups = 3 Servings
6.4 oz chicken breast meat—½ tsp thyme—–
 salt + pepper		Shred or cube the chicken breast meat. Season with thyme, salt, & pepper, stir to combine and set aside.
2 tsp canola oil—–½ cup onion—-½ jalapeno, more if you wish—-1 clove garlicChop onion, pepper, and garlic. Heat oil over medium heat in saucepan. Add vegetables and cook ~ 4 mins, until soft. Cool a little bit.
6-7 oz New Mexico roasted green chilies—-½ tsp thymeScrape cooked vegetables into a food processor. Add green chilis + thyme. Process until smooth.
Pour vegetables/chilis into saucepan. Cook, stirring, on med heat ~5 mins as sauce thickens. 
1 cup chicken broth—-15 oz can of posole, drainedAdd chicken and these to saucepan. Simmer until chicken is tender + cooked, ~10 mins. 
Mexican oregano—–6 oz zucchini, sliced, cookedServe in bowls, topped with Mexican oregano. Plate zucchini, drizzled w/ some of the sauce

Religions: Woman of the Wilderness

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. 

Woman in the Wilderness, by Alphonse Mucha

“Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” — Revelation, 12:6.

Johannes Kelpius was a mystic from Transylvania. At university, he had been under the influence of Jacob Zimmerman‘s “Chapter of Perfection”. Zimmerman was an astronomer, mathematician, and defrocked [due to his heretical views] Lutheran pastor. In 1694, he foresaw that the world would end and the heavenly kingdom would come in 1700. Zimmerman and his followers were set to travel to the newly-minted Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to find a suitable place to await the End Times, but their mentor died. Young Kelpius became their leader, and they settled in the wilderness of the Wissahickon Creek gorge, outside [now in] present day Philadelphia. With his 40 monks, Kelpius built a community on the 40th parallel. Despite wishing to be alone, Kelpius and his friends were often visited by other settlers in the region due to their knowledge of healing herbs and their ability to make fine musical instruments. Indeed, they set themselves up as teachers to the young and as lawyers and arbiters for the adults. The sect members wished to remain free from spiritual blemish, abstaining from sex and studying the night sky for signs and portents [their’s was the first telescope observatory in America]. In addition to thinking that only they could predict the apocalypse, the group had another quirk: they thought that the act of defecating was so disgusting that it must be sinful, therefore they did what they could to avoid the act. The year 1700 came and went, Kelpius died in 1708, and adherents began to drift away. They are remembered today by a plaque in Wissahickon Creek Park, part of Fairmount Park in Northwest Philadelphia.

Members of the sect, to avoid defecating, must have opted for foods low in fiber, like our proposed breakfast and dinner.

Fore Street Bake: 147 calories… 8 g fat… 1.6 g fiber… 9.6 g protein… 8.5 g carbs… 95 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF One of our favorite restaurants in Portland, Maine is Fore Street. First time there, I ate a pizza from their wood-fired oven and we have loved that particular combination of flavors ever since. Here’s that marvelous mixture in baked eggs.

++1 two-oz egg ++++ 1/3 oz blue cheese++++ ¾ oz leeks ++++++ ½ oz mushrooms ++++ 1 oz strawberries ++++  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] ++++

Slice the leeks and chop the mushrooms. Put into a Pyrex custard cup with a little water and cook in the microwave for 45 seconds. Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and add the cooked leeks and mushrooms. Whisk the cheese with the egg, then pour into the ramekin. Bake at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes. Portion the berries and pour the beverages and settle in for a taste of Portland. 

Chicken BBQ Sliders:  281 calories…    4 g fat…    5.3 g fiber …      27 g protein…  35 g carbs…  166 mg Calcium…   PB Such a simple meal to prepare.  Such a fun meal to eat.  HINT: This recipe makes 2 [two] servings.  Invite a friend or save the rest for lunch another day. 

++ 3 whole wheat slider buns @ 90 calories each [we prefer Martin’s brand]   ++++     5 oz cooked chicken breast, sliced ++++ 2 Tbsp Corky’s BBQ Sauce per serving ++++ 1/2 cup coleslaw OR 2 oz cherry tomatoes  +  ¾ oz carrot sticks++

Warm the chicken and the sauce together over low heat.  Open the slider buns and toast them lightly on a heavy skillet.  Spoon the filling into the slider buns and cut each one in half.  One serving = 3 halves.  Plate with the vegetables for an absurdly easy dinner.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled  + bell pepper
carne adovada + Cheddar cheesetomato + cucumber + onion
roasted green chiliscilantro + anchovy filets + cider vinegar
1 corn tortilla, 65 calories oil-cured black olives + olive oil
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

chicken breast + thyme + canola oiltuna steak + Moroccan spice 
onion + jalapeno + garlic peas or broccoli or green beans
canned pozole + Mexican oreganowhite beans + clementine or orange
zucchini + chicken brothpreserved or fresh lemon
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Would-Be Gardener

~ 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Have you been gardening this season? Herbs in a window box; container-grown tomatoes; beds of perennial flowers; a kitchen garden, large or small — these are the domaine of Saint Fiacre, the patron saint of gardeners. He was born in Ireland in the late 500s and became a monk. In that vocation, he learned about medicinal herbs. After a few years, Fiacre decided that communal life was not for him, and he asked permission to be a hermit. Permission granted, he removed to a small ‘cell’ to live alone. Not so fast! People flocked to him to seek medical advice and to get his blessing. So Fiacre moved again, this time to France. [I’m amazed how fluidly people in the Middle Ages traveled from Ireland and England to North-western France and back again!] The Bishop of Meaux, Faro by name, a fellow Irishman, agreed to give Fiacre some land [a miracle involving plowing with a walking stick ensued] where he could live alone. Fiacre had a vegetable garden and an herb garden, and he settled down for a life of solitude, fasting, and manual labor. But no! Again people sought out the would-be gardener. He could heal by laying on his hands as well as with herbal potions. Fiacre gave in to the constant stream of visitors, and he built a hostel and a shrine to the Virgin. The town of St Fiacre-sur-Marne grew up around him. After his death, miracles abounded and the gardening saint became very popular. Skip to 1645, on the Rue St Martin in central Paris. An entrepreneurial innkeeper, Nicholas Sauvage, went into the business of renting large horse-drawn carriages. Since the business address was at Hotel St Fiacre, those carriages eventually came to be known as ‘fiacres’ which were still in use for transportation in European cities in the 1800s. Thus the saint became the patron of taxi drivers. Enjoy your garden and spend extra time enjoying it on August 31, Feast Day of St Fiacre.

Saint Fiacre was a healer and one of his most successful medical feats was curing hemorrhoids — so much so that hemorrhoids were nick-named “Fiacre’s Figs”. [Hope that doesn’t spoil your breakfast.] Our breakfast features leafy vegetables from the garden and — ahem — figs. Dinner is an Irish soup made from wild herbs. I’m sure that Fiacre would approve.

Fig & Chevre Plate: 153 calories… 8.4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 7.5 g protein… 13.4 g carbs… 163 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values shown are for the plated foods only, not for the optional beverages. PB GF  Simple, elegant, and more filling than it looks.

++ ½ hard-boiled egg++++ 1 dried fig = 0.65 oz = 16 g ++++ 1 oz chevre cheese ++++ ¼ oz baby spinach++++ 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] ++

Rehydrate the dried fig by covering with water and microwaving or heating for 1 minute. Let the fig sit in the water for another few minutes, then cut in half. Arrange the spinach leaves in an oval. Dab the leaves with crumbles of the goat cheese. Plate the egg half and the fig halves.  HINT: I composed the plate the night before, covered it with a plastic bag, and kept it cool until breakfast. Instant breakfast!

Forager’s Soup:  271 calories…  17 g fat…   6 g fiber…   13 g protein…  29 g carbs…  250 mg Calcium…   PB  GF  Here is an Irish soup made with summer greens.  Did you say ‘weeds’?  A weed is a plant in the wrong place. The cook-pot is the right place, where they are splendid. The recipe is one of Darina Allen’s from Reclaiming Ireland’s Culinary Heritage, One Roast Lamb Or Sponge Cake At A Time.  HINT: The recipe makes 3 cups, enough for 3 servings.

2 tsp butter ———-½ c onion ————————
½ potato = 4 oz ————– salt + pepper		Melt butter in pot over medium-high. When it foams, add vegetables, and stir to coat. Season. Turn down to very low, put parchment paper atop vegetables, to trap steam. Put on lid and cook gently 10 mins, until vegetables are soft but not brown.
1 c chicken stock ——— ½ c + 1/3 c whole milkHeat stock and milk in a separate saucepan to simmering. Remove parchment from vegetables and add hot liquid. Simmer 5-10 mins to cook vegetables fully.
4 oz by weight = 2 c. wild greens: dandelion leaves; garlic mustard leaves; sorrel; chives —————–
¼ c ricotta		Add greens + simmer uncovered 2-3 mins until greens are just cooked through (do not cover pot or overcook, or else bright green color will be lost.)  Add ricotta. Purée until smooth. Taste for seasoning.
1 oz chorizo/ bacon per personSlice chorizo and cook on low in a skillet until fat is rendered and meat is crisp, 5-10 mins. Drain on paper towels. 
Edible flowers —–2 Finn Crisp per servingAt serving time, warm soup over medium-low heat, uncovered. Scatter chorizo/bacon bits on each bowl, and garnish with flowers.