Author: me

Pooh’s Father

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow marks the birthday of A. A. Milne in 1882. He was, of course, the actual father of Christopher Robin and the literary father of Winnie the Pooh.  After an education at most of the right schools, Milne became a writer for the popular magazine Punch.  WWI saw him serving on the Somme and returning with PTSD.  Following the war, Milne enjoyed long rambles with his son and the teddy bear which of course became the duo made famous in the books; much to the rue of the son and the father who were both over-shadowed by their association with a stuffed toy.                                                                   The appeal of the Pooh books is the depiction of a simple time and place, where toys can talk and life is idyllic.  Pooh did struggle with his weight.  “A bear, however hard he tries, grows chubby without exercise…”  Bearing this in mind, we will continue the Fasting Lifestyle with foods suitable for a comfortable cottage in the 100-Acre Wood.  No Hunny.

Cottage Breakfast:   278 calories  3.8 g fat  4.8 g fiber  10.2 g protein  24.2 g carbs   181 mg Calcium  PB   I wanted a breakfast that evoked a cottage in the English country-side, so here it is. The pan muffins are very good.cottage bfast

1 pan muffin **                                                                                                                                                               ½ c. raspberries                                                                                                                                                         1 Applegate sausage [or a 33 calorie equivelent]                                                                                                       5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                   blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water

HINT: I prepared 8 griddlecakes from the 10-grain mufffin batter, cooked them, and froze them. I made the rest into muffins to eat on Slow Days. Take one griddlecake from the freezer the night before and let it thaw. Cook the sausage in the microwave or warm it in a non-stick pan along with the griddlecake. Dish the berries, brew the hot beverage, pour the smoothie. What a sweet and easy meal.

**10-Grain Muffin Batter: 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal mix                                                       1 and 1/4 cup buttermilk [combine cereal + milk and let sit while preparing other ingredients.                     1/3 cup butter           7 Tbsp sugar           1 cup unbleached flour                                                                       1 tsp salt         1 tsp baking powder         1 tsp baking soda

Cream the butter and sugar; mix in the egg. Add the dry ingredients and the cereal/milk mixture.                Stir until just combined. Use 2 Tbsp batter for each griddlecake                                                                     [use 4 Tbsp batter to make each muffin for Slow Day breakfasts]

Steak & Mushroom Pie:  277 calories  4.8 g fat   6.9 g fiber   27 g protein   25.6 g carbs   34 mg Calcium     Two very compatible flavors together again, topped [not encased] in puff pastry. Similar to a meal enjoyed at The Sign of the Angel in Lacock, Wiltshire, England. A real treat.  HINT: recipe serves 2 [TWO], photo shows one serving.Steak & Mushroom Pie

4 oz grilled sirloin steak [leftover from a previous meal, restaurant or home-based]                                                                      1.5 cups mushrooms, chopped it very large                                                                                                    1 Tbsp red wine                                                                                                                                                        ¼ cup creamed onions                                                                                                                                         ½ tsp thyme + salt & pepper to taste                                                                                                               1/6 sheet puff pastry [Pepperidge Farm frozen sheets are easy to find and use]                                             per person: 1/3 cup peas

Thaw the frozen puff pastry for 40 minutes on the counter. Remove one of the sheets, unroll it carefully, and cut the sheet into 6 squares. Return the other sheet, wrapped, to the freezer. [TIP: stack the remaining 5 pieces with waxed paper or cling wrap between the layers. Pop into a zipper bag and freeze for later use.] Cut the steak into 1/2”-1” cubes. Combine the meat with the mushrooms, wine, onions, seasonings in an oven-proof dish just large enough to hold the meat mixture yet large enough to be topped with the puff pastry. Heat the meat mixture until it is warm. Lay the puff pastry on top, decoratively slitting the crust. Bake at 400° F. about 15 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned. Cook the peas and imagine that you are in what Americans imagine as an English pub.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1 two-oz egg
 Cheddar cheese Tattie Scone:  mashed potato, milk, egg white, white whole wheat flour, baking powder
 low-fat ricotta cheese
 apple
 raspberries  1 oz apple or pear
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 4 oz white fish or salmon  lamb liver
 olive oil  +  chicken stock  ground lamb
 onion  +  scallions  + garlic  onions  +  coriander
 diced tomatoes  rolled oats
 can of chick peas  6″ spring roll wrappers
 lettuce  + vinaigrette dressing
Sparkling water Sparkling water

B is for Baked

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                              Welcome to Arch’t. Michael who is now Following.

Baking is an ancient way to prepare food, with ovens being used in ancient Egypt. Continuing our A-B-Cs of Fasting meals, we’ll enjoy baked eggs and baked beans tomorrow. We find baked eggs to be a wonderful choice for a Fast breakfast: easy to prepare, delicious, and infinite in their variety.  And while we are having food that is easy to prepare, few meals go together as quickly as baked beans with hot dogs.  It’s “easy a A-B-C.”

Bleu Cheese Bake:  292 calories  7.3 g fat  2.3 g fiber  14.3 g protein  37 g carbs  250.7 mg Calcium   PB GF  You’ll go ga-ga over these flavors!Bleu Cheese Bake w: R-b applesauce:yog

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                             ¼ oz bleu cheese, crumbly rather than creamy                                                                                                 1 Tbsp fatfree cottage cheese, drained                                                                                                                   2 oz applesauce, unsweetened, with 2-3 raspberries mixed into it                                                         5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                  Black-ish coffee, black-ish tea, or lemon in hot water

Mash the cheeses together with a fork and whisk in the egg. Bake in a lightly-spritzed ramekin at 350° F. until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Dish up the applesauce, pour the smoothie, pour your beverage.

Beanie Wienies:  300 calories   4.3 g fat  8.6 g fiber  14.3 g protein  43 g carbs  74 mg Calcium PB GF My husband grew up eating this with his childhood chums. What could be simpler? And the carb count is due to the good fiber of beans and carrots. So complex.

1 reduced fat hot dog [we like Hebrew National all beef franks]                                                            ¾ cup canned baked beans                                                                                                                                  1 oz carrots, cooked or raw

Put the baked beans in a small sauce pan. Cut the hotdogs into 1” pieces [on the diagonal, my husband would say] and add to the pan. Warm thoroughly. Plate with the carrots.

Hamilton!

~ me ~ 2 Comments

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the birthday of the Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Yes, that Hamilton: the one on the $10 bill; the first Secretary of the Treasury; founder of the; the one who was shot by Aaron Burr; and the one currently made famous by Lin Manuel Miranda’s hit musical.  He was born in Charlestown, Nevis [West Indies] in 1755/57, raised in St Croix, and educated in New York City. Hamilton had a meteoric rise through the ranks of the Continental Army, being a brilliant artillery officer, he was named George Washington’s aide-de-camp at age 20.

A convincing writer, he penned most of the “Federalist Papers” and went on to form the Federalist Party. His political work earned him the animosity of Vice President Burr, ending in their fateful duel in 1804.

Our meals today reflect Alexander Hamilton’s life: part Caribbean, part Colonial America. What else would you expect from this complex, influential man?

Welsh Rabbit ScrOmelette:  300 calories    10 g fat   2.5 g fiber   16.8 g protein   32 g carbs 258.7 mg Calcium  PB GF   The origional version of this recipe is served in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia at Chownings Tavern. We love Welsh Rabbit/Rarebit for a homey supper, just as people did in Colonial Days.  And here are the same flavors in breakfast form.

Welsh Rabbit ScrOmelette w: pear

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                                                                                                   ¼ oz Cheddar cheese                                                                                                                                               1 tsp Worcestershire sauce                                                                                                                                  ½ tsp dry mustard                                                                                                                                                   1 oz pear or strawberries                                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                       5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Grate the cheese and stir in the Worcestershire and mustard. Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and heat over medium-high. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. Add the cheese mixture and scramble or let cook then fold as an omelette. Prep the fruit and the beverages and ponder the rebellious days of Colonial America.

St Kitts Fish Stew: 307 calories     2.5 g fat      4.4 g fiber       42 g protein       31 g carbs           279 mg Calcium  PB    This typical Caribbean recipe is made with salted fish. No doubt it was food of the enslaved African population. Plan ahead to leave time for soaking the fish overnight.St Kitts Fish Stew

2 oz yellow bell pepper, cut as 1/2”x2” pieces                                                                                                          1 oz scallion, sliced in 1/2” pieces                                                                                                                                                   1 clove garlic                                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup onion, coarsly chopped                                                                                                                           2 oz salt cod                                                                                                                                                                                              3 oz tomatoes [cherry or slicing-type], cut in chunks                                                                                   1/3 cup fish stock +/or water                                                                                                                                      1 dumpling**                                                                                                                                                          

** Dumpling                                                                                                                                                             2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour   +  3 Tbsp flour   [or 5 T. flour]                                                               2/3 tsp baking powder                  pinch salt                                                                                                pinch sugar                          7 tsp milk nutmeg                                                                                       Combine all the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk with a fork.                                                   The batter should be stiff but not dry. [add a little water if needed]

Soak fish overight in water. Next day, drain and cut into pieces 1”x2”. Prepare the batter for the dumpling**.  Put the broth/water, bell pepper, scalion, garlic, and onion in a saute pan and bring to a simmer. Place the dumpling on the vegetables so that it is not sitting in the broth. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Then put the fish around the dumpling and top the fish with the tomatoes. Cover the pan and keep at a simmer for 10 minutes. The dumpling should be firm to the touch when it is fully cooked. Check to see if it is done. Taste the dish to see if it needs salt [!!]. Different, delicious, and very pretty.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1 two-oz egg
 bleu cheese  chicken sausage
 fat-free cottage cheese  pan muffin [10-grain cereal, buttermilk, butter, baking powder, sugar, unbleached flour]
 applesauce + raspberries
 raspberries
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 1 hot dog [Hebrew National reduced fat]  grilled sirloin steak [4 oz for 2 servings]
 canned baked beans  mushrooms      +   red wine
 carrots, raw or cooked  creamed onions
 peas
 puff pastry [part of a frozen sheet]
 thyme
Sparkling water Sparkling water

A is for Apple …

~ me ~ 2 Comments

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                             Welcome to sanoncpa who is now Following.

…and that is as American as apple pie. Mary Azarian‘s primer A Farmer’s Almanac depicts life in Northern New England via woodcuts.  “A” is of course for “Apple” and this year we had a bumper crop.  Today, our recipes begin with “A” and they illustrate how easy and delicious it is to follow the Fasting Lifestyle, starting with apples in the breakfast.

Apple-Bacon Bake:   270 calories  6.3 g fat  3.5 g fiber  14 g protein  37 g carbs  220.5 mg Calcium  PB GF   What a perfect taste for Autumn or any time of year.Apple-Bacon Bake w: pears

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               ¾ oz apple, peeled, cored, sliced thinly                                                                                                          1/8 oz bacon, diced                                                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, drained if too liquid                                                                                                         ¼ tsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                                 ¼ tsp prepared mustard                                                                                                                                                                      pinch of sage                                                                                                                                                                 ¾ oz pear                                                                                                                                                           blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with cooking spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F.  In a saute pan, cook the bacon until done. Drain away the fat and blot the bacon in paper towel. Chop the bacon. In the same pan, saute the apple slices  until softened but not mushy. Put apple and bacon in the ramekin. TIP: This can be done the night before to save time and effort in the morning.  Whisk the egg, ricotta, Parmesan, mustard, and sage together, and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and the pear. How pleasant.

Antipasto with Tuna: 282 calories  10.6 g fat  8.7 g fiber  20 g protein  23.7 g carbs 250 mg Calcium  PB GF  This one is a keeper: simple, off the shelf, pretty on the plate, good to eat. The photo shows enough for 2 people. Invite a guest who is Fasting, too.  The amounts shown in the recipe are for ONE person.Amtipasto w: herbs

1 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them]                                        1 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy blocks of mozzerells for slicing]                                                         2 0z tuna, packed in water, drained and broken into large chunks                                                              2.5 oz tomato slices                                                                                                                                               1.5 oz whole green beans, steamed, drained                                                                                                                       3/4 oz marinated mushrooms                                                                                                                                3 Tbsp garbanzo beans, drained if canned                                                                                                        2 black olives, pitted and sliced                                                                                                                          1.5 slices pepperoni, chopped                                                                                                                                1/2 tsp flavored oil  [optional]                                                                                                                               salt +  chopped fresh herbs to taste

Prepare the ingredients and keep separate. On a platter, arrange the ingredients in rows as shown in the photo. Suit your own artistic nature as to what goes where. Be liberal with the fresh herbs.

Stocking Up

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

During the Back-to-the-Land movement in the 1960s and ’70s, one of the ‘bibles’ of the people was Stocking Up, published by Rodale Press. It instructed the nascent homesteaders in the ancient arts of preserving food: canning, freezing, drying.  The goal was to save the harvest for times when food was not so available. When dieting, it is a good idea to have some meals in the freezer or foods in the pantry so that you are not caught short on a Fast Day wondering what to eat.  So here are some foods to make in multi-meal batches: prep once, eat often. It pays to stock up.

Seafood Chowder:  275 calories  11 g fat  15 g protein   16 g carbs  GF This makes 10 [TEN!] one-cup servings. It freezes nicely, or it can feed the family.  My husband found the recipe in Yankee magazine. He prepares this every year. It is wonderful. The directions look long and involved but the results are worth it.

Seafood chowder on Wedgewood tile

4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced        1 medium Spanish onion, diced                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1 pound baking potatoes, peeled + cut in ½” cubes                                                                                            2 pounds steamer clams in their shells                                                                                                       one lobster, weighing 1.5 pounds                1 pound scallops                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1 pound shrimp, peeled         1 quart whole milk       4 Tbsp butter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped     ¼ tsp paprika + salt + pepper                                                                                                                         

In a medium skillet or saute pan cook bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon and reserve. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp fat and add the onions. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring, until translucent [10 mins?]. Set aside with the bacon in a large bowl.

In a separate saucepan, cover cubed potatoes with salted water and boil until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the bacon/onions. Put clams in a large pot and add 1 quart water. Heat to boiling, cover, and cook until clams open, about 3 minutes. Remove the clams but leave the liquid in the pot. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel. Remove the clams from their shells and cut them into smaller pieces if necessary. Add to the potatoes, onion, and bacon.

Put the strained clam broth back into the empty pot and bring to a boil. Add the lobster head-first into the boiling broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lobster and let cool. Crack the shell to remove the meat. Cut the meat into 1/2” chunks and add to the potatoes. Heat the broth until boiling. Add the scallops and shrimp. Reduce heat to low. Simmer about 3 minutes, until the scallops + shrimp are just cooked through. Add all the previously cooked ingredients, along with the milk, butter, parsley and seasonings. Heat until steaming but not boiling.

Cover and cool. Let the pot sit in the ‘fridge or on a cool back porch for 12-24 hours. This really enhances the flavors. When ready to serve, heat to steaming hot but do not boil. Freeze what is left over in freezer containers which are the same size as a serving.

Felafel:    1 batch = 648 cal  25.4 g fat  21 g fiber  32.5 g protein    72 g carbs    214 mg Ca                   each patty = 30 cal 1 g fat 1 g fiber 1.6 g protein 4 g carbs 8.5 mg Calcium      GF PB From the good old Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen, these are easy to prepare and, since it makes 26 patties, you will be set up for several future meals.

Felafel w: Cuke Raita

2 cups canned chick peas — [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to cook them]                                                     1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!]                                                                                 ¼ cup celery, minced      ¼ c. scallions, sliced        1 egg                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1.5 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 1 and 1/2 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 400 degrees 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.

pantry shelf

Next, stock the pantry.  Here are some things I always keep on hand:       garbanzo [chickpeas] beans, red kidney beans,  large white beans [Cannellini /Alubias], diced tomatoes, canned tuna, chicken stock With these ingredients, you are on your way to a bowl of chili or a plate of antipasto.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 reduced fat ricotta cheddar cheese
 Parmesan cheese Worcestershire sauce
 apple    +  bacon dry mustard
 sage  + prepared mustard 1 oz strawberries or pear
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 roasted red pepper salt cod
 pepperoni   + black olives bell pepper
 garbanzo beans  + green beans  scallion  +  garlic  + onion
 mozzarella tomato
 tomato   +  canned white tuna dumpling: flour, milk, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg
 marinated mushrooms 
Sparkling waterSparkling water

A Fresh Start

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                             Welcome to BeBlogger who is now Following.

This blog is about Fasting, aka: 5:2 Diet; IF.  “I’m not giving up eating!” you sneer. “Fasting is for ascetics who don’t enjoy life.”  If you really think that, then I want you to understand that this Lifestyle does involve eating [some really good food] and that there are many benefits beyond weight loss.  While on this Lifestyle [WOL], my husband and I have enjoyed lots of delicious food while losing a combined total of 50 pounds.  This Lifestyle is sustainable: you can do it week after week, year after year and not feel deprived.                                                                                                                                         What do you eat on the Slow [non-Fast] Days? What you want — WITHIN REASON.  Pigging out is not approved, but we go to restaurants and eat all sorts of foods. The key is learning the number of calories that you can ingest [TDEE] to get to the weight you want to achieve. This diet is not about counting calories, but you need to get a realistic sense of how much you are eating daily.  Weight loss comes with less food taken in over time and a resulting decrease in appetite.

WHY FAST?                                                                                                                                             “We all know how you are supposed to lose weight: eat low-fat foods, exercise more… and never, ever skip meals. This has been standard dietary advice for decades and though it may work for some people, levels of obesity continue to soar. So is there an alternative? We think there is. Intermittent fasting. Based on the work of leading scientists from around the world, this is an exciting new alternative to standard dieting.

“Intermittent Fasting does not mean stopping eating entirely. It means reducing the amount you eat, but only for quite short periods of time.

“In The Fast Diet book I outline my experiences of trying different forms of intermittent fasting, before settling on what I called a 5:2 regime. With 5:2 intermittent fasting you eat normally five days a week and diet two days a week, cutting your calorie intake for those two days to a ¼ of their normal level. This means that on, say, a Monday and a Thursday you will eat 500 calories if you are a woman, 600 if you are a man.

“If you stick to this plan then you should lose around 1lb (0.46kg) a week if you are a woman, slightly more for a man. Success also depends on not over-eating on your normal days.

“You should not only lose weight but also enjoy a wide range of health benefits. Studies of intermittent fasting show that not only do people see improvements in blood pressure and their cholesterol levels, but also in their insulin sensitivity.

“As one of the medical experts I interviewed put it: ‘There is nothing else you can do to your body that is as powerful as fasting.’

“Welcome to The Fast Diet and to the community on this site. We will keep you up to date with the latest in this exciting new field. You can read how others are managing this way of life and pick up lots of helpful tips. We hope it works for you.”                                              — Michael Mosley, originator of the Fast Diet

This blog is about recipes to eat on Fast Days.  Some of them appear in our regular diet on Slow Days because they are so yummy. Throughout 2018, I will be posting recipes which I hope will make following the Fasting Lifestyle as easy as A-B-C. There will also be tips for how to stock your freezer and your pantry to make it convenient to prepare the healthy, home-made food that we eat every week.

If you want to improve your health and lose weight, I recommend that you follow the Fasting Lifestyle. The New Year is a time for a fresh start.  Try Fasting.

Completely Different

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

It’s been a merry round of holiday eating, so let’s have something completely different!  Eggs Foo Yung for breakfast?  Why not! Liver & Onions while dieting?!?  Yes!  Bet you’d be happier if you weighed less on Friday — eat these menus on Thursday and see what happens.

Foo Yung ScrOmelette:   283 calories  8 g fat  2.5 g fiber   18 g protein  38 g carbs  241.4 mg Calcium  PB GF  Here we take the Cantonese classic and prepare it for breakfast. Filling and nutritious.Fu Yung ScrOmelette

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                       2 Tbsp crab meat                                                                                                                                                            3/4 tsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                                          ¼ c mung bean sprouts                                                                                                                                        ¼ oz mushrooms                                                                                                                                                            green parts of one scallion, sliced                                                                                                                                 ¼ tsp ground ginger                                                                                                                                          splash of hot sauce                                                                                                                                                       1 oz pear or applesauce                                                                                                                                            blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie

The night before, combine the crab, soy, sprouts, mushrooms, scallion, ginger and hot sauce in a small bowl. Next morning, spritz a non-stick saute pan with oil or non-stick spray and briefly cook the crab mixture to heat it thoroughly. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour into the pan, scrambling to incorporate the crab mixture. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. [Alternately, cook like pancakes: put half of the egg in the pan, then distribute half of the crab mixture on top. When done on the bottom, turn to cook the top. Repeat with other half of ingredents.] Dish up the fruit, brew your hot beverage, and prep the smoothie. And your fortune cookie says: “You will lose weight.”

Liver & Onions:  273 calories  10.4 g fat  2.9 g fiber  25 g protein  20 g carbs  43.5 mg Calcium When my father was away on business, my mother would serve us liver and onions which we came to regard as a special treat. Still a favorite on diner menus, still full of protein and Iron.  Liver & onions                                                                                                                                                                                     4 oz beef liver                                                                                                                                                                 2 tsp flour + salt + pepper                                                                                                                                          ½ cup onion, sliced                                                                                                                                               ½ tsp butter                                                                                                                                                              ½ cup green beans

Cook the onions in a non-stick saute pan with a little water to prevent scorching. Set the onions aside. Blot the liver on paper towels. Put 2 tsp flour on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge the liver in the flour, and shake off any extra. Melt the butter in the pan the onions were in and cook the liver over low heat until done. If the pan gets too dry, spray it with non-stick spray. Meanwhile, cook the beans and salt them. Just before the liver is done, add the onions to the pan to reheat.

Newton

~ 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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow marks the birth of one of science’s giants: Isaac Newton, born Christmas Day 1642, in Wollsthorp, Lincolnshire, England.  His mother had been widowed a few months earlier and her baby was premature — a dismal start for any child. Despite a difficult childhood — his mother gave him away to her parents to raise when she remarried — Isaac somehow grew up to be a mathematics prodigy.  He invented the Calculus; wrote the three Laws of Motion; determined why the moon stays in orbit around the Earth; developed the concept of gravity — all before his 24th birthday. Newton served as the Director of the National Mint, in charge of stamping coins and also countering counterfeiting. He demonstrated that light from the sun is actually made of seven different wavelengths which we see as colors. Newton was typical of his age in that science was the hobby of a gentleman. He had a prickly personality, being scornful of those who did not understand his new ideas, but he was elected a member of the Royal Society and became its influential president. Newton was one of the leading lights of the Age of Enlightenment, able to ‘see’ farther than other scientists and academics because he “stood on the shoulders of giants.”

We will observe his natal day and the birth of modern physics with some very English meals: Toad in the Hole and Pork with Apples.  ‘Apples.’  Get it? Newton saw an apple falling from his tree [it did NOT hit him on the head] and intuited the effect of gravity on all things. Whew.

Toad in the Hole:  298 calories   1.7 g fat  3.9 g fiber  14.5 g protein   79 g carbs  190 mg Calcium This whimsically-named meal is of old English origin – shades of Kenneth Graham and Beatrix Potter. The recipe is from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. It begins with a Yorkshire Pudding batter which you need to prepare in advance. The Yorkshire Pudding recipe is from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook. HINT: make the batter the night before to save time in the morning.

Toad in the Hole w: Apples

Yorkshire Pudding Batter:       one 2-oz egg      ½ tsp salt           1/2 cup unbleached flour                                                            ½ cup white whole wheat flour         ½ cup water         ½ cup fat-free milk                         Mix all the ingredients together and let the batter stand at room temp for 30-60 minutes or in ‘fridge overnight. You will need 1/4 cup of the batter per person. HINT: The remainder can be frozen in 1 cup or 1/4 cup batches for future meals. When it is time to use the batter, beat it with a rotary beater until it is frothy.

For the breakfast:                 1 breakfast sausage [chicken sausage @ 50 cal/link]                               1/4 cup Yorkshire Pudding batter, well beaten                         pinch of crumbled sage                                                                                                                                         2 oz pear or apple       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]

Heat the oven/toaster oven to 425°F.  Cook the sausage, using a bit of water in the bottom of the pan since the sausage will render no fat. Pour out any remaining water from cooking the sausage. Spritz 5 holes of a mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray. Dice the sausage or slice into 20 pieces, and put the sausage in the mini-muffin pan. Beat the batter until it is foamy, adding crumbled sage. Pour the batter over the sausage bits in the pan. Pop the pan into the oven for 15 minutes. Slice the fruit, shake your smoothie, brew your beverage, and settle down to a quickly-prepared, fun-to-eat meal.

Pork with Apples:  273 calories   8.1 g fat   4 g fiber  22.7g protein   18.8 g carbs   84 mg Calcium  PB   Long a favorite combination in lands where apples grow; where local meats and local fruits are blended in hearty meals, the flavor of pork with apples is a winner.

Pork & Apples

3 oz pork tenderloin, raw or cooked                                   2 oz round slices of apple, unpeeled                                                                                                               ½ oz cubed apples, unpeeled                                1/4 cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                           4 Tbsp Béchamel sauce, no cheese                 thyme/sage salt + pepper to taste                                                                                                                       1 oz broccoli florets            1 oz cauliflower florets                         1 oz carrots 

Poach the apple slices in the stock until they are tender. TIP: if cooking for 2, this may require poaching in 2 batches. Remove slices and reserve. Slice the pork into rounds about 1/4” thick. If pork is raw, braise it briefly in the hot stock, and remove from stock. Put 1 Tbsp stock in the oven-proof pan in which you will cook the dinner. Combine diced apples, Béchamel, seasonings, and remaining stock in the sauce pan, stirring until apples are soft and sauce is medium-thick. Adjust seasonings. Arrange alternating slices of pork and apple in the baking pan. Nap with the sauce and bake at 350 until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Steam the vegetables and enjoy a hearty winter meal.

Solstice

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Every December the sun stands still.  HUH?? Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the days have been getting shorter and the sun is lower and lower in the sky at noon.  Then the sun stops going lower and becomes higher in the sky every day. The time at which this occurs is called a “Solstice‘ from the latin words for ‘sun stands.’  In ancient times, people feared the winter darkness and rejoiced with feasting and fires on the day of the Solstice.  How did they know when it would occur? That’s what solar calendars like Stonehenge are for.  Light a fire if you wish, and then celebrate by eating quiches that look like little suns and a dinner from sunny Senegal.  And now the days get longer.

Breakfast Quiche:  281 calories   7.7 g fat   3.3 g fiber   15 g protein  37.6 g carbs   350 mg Calcium PB GF This versital recipe can be prepared for breakfast, as shown here; can be used at dinner; or can be tripled [to make 12 mini-quiches] to serve as part of a brunch. TIP: Each quiche clocks in at 68 calories, so one serving is two quiches.quiche w: melon-Bbs

1 two-oz egg    +   1 Tbsp ricotta, drained if too liquid                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2/3 oz mozzerella cheese, grated   +   2/3 oz Jarlsburg cheese, grated                                                                                                                      1/3 oz onion      +  1 oz broccoli                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 herbs, salt, pepper to taste                                                                                                                                           1.5 oz melon, cubed  +   2 Tbsp blueberries                                                                                                                     optional:  black coffee or black tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                             optional:  5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie

Get out your mini-muffin pan and spray 2 holes with non-stick spray. If the vegetables are raw, chop them and put into a microwave-safe dish with some water. Cook on high for 45 seconds or until tender. Drain water and put vegetables into the muffin pans. Top with grated cheeses. Whisk the egg with the ricotta and seasonings. Pour into the muffin pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. Prepare the beverages and fruits. So pretty.

Senegal Tuna-Avocado Salad:   264 calories   14.6 g fat   6.4 g fiber   13 g protein  18 g carbs   30 mg Calcium  PB GF   This is my version of Avocat Creole which I enjoyed at Bissap Baobab, an excellent Senegalese restaurant in Oakland, CA, now closed. Senegalese Tuna:Avocado Salad2.5 oz white/Albacore tuna       +   2 Tbsp celery, minced                                                                                                                                       pinch or 2 ground ginger   +   ½ tsp lime juice    + Sriracha sauce                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ¾ oz apple, diced  +     1/2 tsp mayonnaise made with olive oil      +   4 oz cherry tomatoes                                                                                                              2 oz avocado   +   2 Tbsp radish or alfalfa sprouts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ¼ oz [½ cup] baby spinach leaves      aioli:  1 tsp mayonnaise made with olive oil + Sriracha

Lightly combine the tuna with the celery, ginger, dash of Sriracha, lime juice, apple, and ½ tsp mayonnaise. Arrange the spinach leaves in the center of the plate and mound the tuna on top. Slice the avocado and layer on top of the tuna.  For aioli:  mix mayonnaise with Sriracha to taste and drizzle the aioli over the avocado. If the cherry tomatoes are not bite-sized, cut in half. Place tomatoes around the edge of the plate and sprinkle with sprouts. A fine meal when you want a taste of lands where the sun shines brightly.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs         1 oz apple or pear
  pear or apple  crab meat
Yorkshire Pudding [white + whole wheat flours] soy sauce   +  hot sauce +scallion   +  ginger 
50-calorie chicken breakfast sausage  Mushrooms
 mung bean sprouts
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 pork tenderloin, raw or cooked  4 oz beef or calf liver
 apples  green beans
 chicken stock  onion
 Béchamel sauce [Sidekicks I, 17 Sept 2017]  butter
 broccoli
 carrot
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Land of the Long White Cloud

~ me ~ Leave a comment
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                       Welcome to Soul On Rice, who is now Following.
Tomorrow will be the 375th anniversary of Abel Tasman‘s first sighting of the Maori people of New Zealand in 1642.  Aotearoa, as the local Maori call the country, means the Land of the Long White Cloud. Sailing along the coast of New Zealand, the Dutch ship and her crew met the locals in a tense encounter, to be followed in later days by rock-throwing and shouting as the newcomers were repulsed by the indigenous population.  Our meals today reflect the modern residents of New Zealand, who style themselves as “Kiwis,” a nod to the flightless national bird.  We will eat kiwi fruit at breakfast and dinner as we look at photos of a distant land of Hobbits and Haka.

Parmesan-Chive Bake:  279 calories  7.5 g fat  3.7 g fiber   15 g protein  30 g carbs   275 mg Calcium   PB GF  While I was away for 10 days, Dear Husband invented this breakfast to take advantage of the fresh chives in the garden. Clever man.Parmesa-Chive Bake w: kiwi

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                                  1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped   OR use the green part of a scallion                                                                   1.5 tsp reduced-fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                           1 oz kiwi fruit                                                                                                                                                              5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

First set the toaster oven to 350° F.  My Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Whisk the egg with the cheeses and chives and pour into the ramekin. Bake in the toaster oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Prepare the kiwi fruit, pour the beverages and have an easy day.

Strawberry-Chicken Salad:  200 calories   8.3 g fat   4.8 g fiber   16.7 g protein  16 g carbs   110 mg Calcium   PB GF   Sometimes you go through the recipe drawer and look at all the clippings and photocopies, and wonder, “Where did these come from?” This is one of those recipes, but I think it might be from Eating Well.   It is as delicious as it is lovely to look at.Strawberry-Chicken Salad

2 oz [½ cup] cubed cooked chicken breast                                                                                                       ½ cup sliced strawberries                                                                                                                                                ¼ cup kiwi, peeled and sliced                                                                                                                                                               1.5 cups fresh spinach                                                                                                                                                 1 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted                                                                                                                                1.5 tsp poppy seed dressing*** OR a red wine vinegar dressing with poppy seeds + a pinch of dried mustard added

***Poppy Seed Dressing – 2 tsp red wine vinegar   +     1 Tbsp olive oil   +    pinch salt    +    ½ tsp dried mustard   +    1 tsp poppy seeds                    Whisk together vigorously.

Toss 1 and a half tsp of dressing with the spinach. Toast the almonds in a heavy dry skillet on the stove-top until just starting to brown. Plate the greens and arrange the chicken and fruit on top. Sprinkle with the nuts. A real hit in our family.