Asian-inspired recipes for the Fast Diet

Star-crossed Lovers, III

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

My mother told me that there are seven basic plots in literature, and one of them is the story of the “Star-Crossed Lovers.” This plot centers around two people who are in love yet fate intervenes, in one way or another, to keep them apart. Shakespeare coined the term, implying that one’s astrology [one’s stars] controlled one’s destiny. In mythology there are star-crossed lovers, and one such famous pair is found in the 8th century Japanese story of the Princess and the Herdsman. The tale is the origin of the Tanabata or Star Festival, celebrated in Japan since the Edo Period.

Altair and Vega, separated by the Milky Way.

Orihime 織姫, the daughter of Tentei 天帝, the emperor of heaven, was a skilled weaver of silk. Her father set her to work daily, weaving fabric to clothe the other gods. She was proud of her role in the cosmic order, but she was lonely. Across the Heavenly River [the Milky Way], she could see a herdsman [of cows or sheep, according to various tellings] named Hikoboshi 彦星. He too was lonely, and one day he called to the lovely maiden. They struck up an unlikely friendship, and yearned to meet in person. Seeing that his daughter was unhappy, Tentei arranged the marriage of the pair. The happy couple spent so much time canoodling that the gods’ clothes were getting shabby and the untended animals were trampling gardens. Now the emperor was unhappy. He banished the pair to opposite sides of the River with the admonition that if they did their jobs well, they could be reunited on day each year on the 7th day of the 7th month. [Yes, that would mean July, and sometimes it is celebrated then, but with calendar reform it became 7 August.] We can see them in the sky today as the stars Altair and Vega, two parts of the shape called the Summer Triangle. And indeed, in early August, the lovers find themselves on the same side of the Milky Way, having crossed on a bridge made by sympathetic magpies. They must have done their jobs well.

The breakfast of light, airy pancakes would suit any princess. The dinner is the food of the people on the streets — or the pasture. Somen noodles are a typical food to eat during the festival, said to represent the flowing waters that divided these true Star-Crossed Lovers who really are stars.

Japanese Souffle Pancake Breakfast: 223 calories 6 g fat 1 g fiber 16 g protein 32 g carbs 132 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the pancakes and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  Here is a delightful breakfast treat. Dear Husband was most pleased. HINT: One batch serves 3 people, if each person has 3 pancakes.

3 souffle pancakes* 2 turkey breakfast sausages @ 30 calories each 1 plum [two halves], fresh or canned in light syrup  OR sliced strawberries Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Japanese Souffle Pancakes:  each of 10 pancakes: 45 calories 1 g fat 0 g fiber 3 g protein 8 g carbs 42 mg Calcium 

4 egg whites [6 Tbsp]Keep egg white refrigerated until ready to be whipped.
Set griddle to a medium-low setting – you want them to cook slowly..
2 egg yolks [2 Tbsp]
1½ Tbsp milk 4 tsp/10 g wh3
4 tsp/10 g white flour ½ tsp baking powder		Mix egg yolk in a bowl with milk. Sift the flour and baking powder into the yolk mixture and mix well.
Cooled egg whites ¼ tsp cream of tartar Take egg whites out of the ‘fridge and add cream of tartar. Whip egg white until foamy.
5 g sugar  10 g sugar 
10 g sugar [scant 2 Tbsp total]		>Add sugar to egg white, whipping until fine bubbles form.
>>Add more sugar and continue to whip.
>>>Add last sugar and whip until foam is shiny and soft peaks form.
Gently fold 1/3 of meringue into egg yolk mixture. Add another 1/3 meringue, and carefully fold. Pour yolk mixture into the meringue bowl and carefully mix it all together with a rubber scraper spatula.
Cooking spray + smear butterDrop 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter onto griddle, then top with an additional dollop on top of each pancake [to add height] and cook it for 3 mins. 
Flip them over and cook for 3 mins or until both sides are browned.
Serve as described below.

Prepare the batch of Souffle Pancakes. Cook the sausages. Cut the plum in thirds. Plate the 3 pancakes and place a piece of plum on each one. Drizzle with syrup from the can of plums. Place the sausages on the plate and enjoy the lightest, fluffiest pancakes ever – like eating a cloud.

Yakitori: 285 calories 9 g fat 4.5 g fiber 21 g protein 23 g carbs 117 mg Calcium   PB  These skewers are a popular street food in Japan, and we will serve them with buckwheat noodles. Quick and easy.

Serves 2: 5-6 skewersSoak bamboo skewers 30 mins.
¼ c. lower-sodium soy sauce
2 T. mirin or sushi vinegar**
2 T. sake or dry sherry
1½ tsp. granulated sugar**		In a small pot over med-high, bring these to a boil. Lower heat, and simmer until slightly thickened, 5-7 mins. 
**if using sushi vinegar, reduce sugar to ½ tsp
Take off heat, let cool. Save out 2 T. sauce.
½ # chicken thigh meat, cut in 1″ pieces – NEED 24 pieces
½ bunch scallion, all parts, cut in 1″ pieces – NEED 18 pieces		Fold each chicken piece in ½ and thread on a skewer. Thread on a scallion piece. Continue so each skewer has 4 meat + 3 scallion.
Vegetable oilPreheat grill 5 mins to med-high. Lightly brush grates with oil. Grill skewers, turning at whiles, 4 mins. OR BROIL
After 4 mins, begin brushing skewers with sauce after each turn. Keep grilling 4-5 mins until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken registers 165°F
Arrange skewers on a platter. Brush with more sauce.
Toasted sesame seeds Sprinkle with seeds.
sesame noodlesServe with sesame soba noodles.
Sv 2
1 oz soba buckwheat noodlesCook noodles in boiling water 4-5 mins, stirring a bit so noodles don’t clump
Drain into a sauce pan, saving the water. Rinse soba under cold water, tossing to remove starch.
1 cup cabbage — bok choy or napaFinely shred cabbage, and simmer until soft but not limp.
1.5 T soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp rice vinegar or sushi vinegar** ¾ tsp sugar**
black pepper 		In a medium bowl, whisk these together. **if using sushi rice, use only ¼ tsp sugar
Set aside.
PAM spray
2/3 c. green onion, cut in ½” lengths 		Heat a skillet over med-high, and spray with cooking spray. Add green onions. Cook, stirring, 15-30 secs.
Soy-vinegar mixtureAdd and cook 30 secs.
Cooked noodles
cooked cabbage 		Add noodles and cabbage, toss until heated.
2 T. green onion, diced
1.5 tsp Toasted sesame seeds		Toast seeds in dry pan. Add green onion and sesame to noodles in the saute pan. Toss to mix.
1.5 tsp Toasted sesame seedsGarnish with seeds, serve warm or at room temp.

Issa

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grab Bag

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

A ‘grab bag’ is a sack that contains small items of unknown identity. As a prize, one is offered the chance to reach in the bag and grab any one of the items. Teachers might do this to provide a reward for a classroom competition. Parents might offer a grab bag at a child’s birthday party. At any rate, you reach in and never know what you might get. Today’s menus are sort of a grab bag — two random recipes that haven’t been posted for a few years. AND they are winners — a real prize! Usually, the recipes have something in common, something that unites them. These are both from Asia, but the other link is that they are good to eat. Who needs more than that?

Kashmiri ScrOmelette: 157 calories 8.5 g fat 1 g fiber 14.5 g protein 5 g carbs [3.5 g Complex] 58 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  The sauce ‘Rogan Josh’ was available in jars on the supermarket shelf, so I incorporated it into these very tasty eggs.

1 ½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  1/3 oz cooked chicken, diced 1 Tbsp [15 ml] Rogan Josh sauce [Taste of India brand] 1 oz strawberries  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Whisk together the eggs, sauce and chicken. Pour into a hot non-stick or well-seasoned saute pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray or oil. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Plate with the berries, pour the optional beverages, and set your aspirations for the day as high as the Himalayas.

Pork & Green Bean Stirfry: 176 calories 3 g fat 5.4 g fiber 20.5 g protein 18 g carbs [10 g Complex] 63 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given do not include the optional serving of rice**  PB GF  This stirfry has a lot of prep work, but the result is rich in the wonderful flavors of East Asia. The recipe does not include rice, but if you read on, you’ll see amounts of rice to serve. HINT: This recipe makes enough to serve 2 [two] people. Food values above are for ONE serving.

First, make a mise en place .  Seriously — do it.
5 oz pork tenderloin
1½ tsp dark soy sauce 
½ tsp honey 
½ tsp minced garlic
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes		Slice pork into matchstick pieces. Place in a bowl with these ingredients and stir to combine.
4 tsp dark soy sauce  
½ tsp honey
1 tsp peanut butter.		Combine in a micro-wave-safe cup and briefly warm in micro-wave to soften the honey and peanut butter.
6 oz green beans, cut in 1.5” pieces
½ c matchstick carrots 		Put beans in a small pan of boiling, salted water and cook 3 minutes. Add the carrots and cook 1 minute. Drain, saving water and vegetables.
1 tsp canola oil  Heat a wok or cast iron skillet over high, then add oil. Add pork mixture and stir-fry 1 minute.
Remove cooked pork to a clean bowl and stir in the soy-honey-peanut mix. 
2 Tbsp bean-carrot water
2 oz red bell pepper, cut in strips
more bean-carrot water, as needed		Put carrot-cooking water in the dish that had the soy-honey-peanut mixture. Swirl around to get those flavors into the water. Pour flavored water into the wok and add the bell peppers. Stir-fry 1 minute – add more water to keep it sizzling. 
½ tsp garlic 
1.5 tsp minced fresh ginger		Add beans, carrots, ginger, + garlic to peppers in the wok and stir-fry 1 minute.
Return pork to the wok and stir-fry until heated, ~1 minute. 
sliced scallion 
Sriracha
optional rice**		Plate with optional rice, and top with scallion and extra Sriracha

**If using ¼ cup medium-grain white rice as a garnish, then add these food values: 50 calories 0 g fat 0.3 g fiber 1 g protein 11 g carbs [these are all simple carbs] 0 mg Calcium

**If serving with ¼ cup medium-grain brown rice, then add these food values: 54 calories 0.4 g fat 1 g fiber 1 g protein 11 g carbs [these are all Complex carbs] 5 mg Calcium

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

1.5 two-oz eggs1.5 two-oz eggs 
Hawayij spiceputtanesca sauce
deglet noor datesblueberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

ground lambmackerel filets, fresh or frozen
brown rice gooseberry jam or jelly
Gruyere cheesezucchini
Mediterranean vegetables
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Supernova!

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to holisticlifehacker and fastabsburner, who are now Following.

A ‘supernova‘ is usually the explosion of a large star, which, having run out of Hydrogen, explodes violently. Such stars are rare and they send out so much light that they can be seen many 1000s of light-years away. The first such event to be recorded by humans was seen on Dec 7, 185 by Chinese astronomers, who reported a ‘guest star.’ The Chinese did not attempt to interpret what they saw, they merely made note. In 1572, Tycho Brahe was the first European to observe a supernova, and he called it a ‘new star’ [stella nova]. Having found a new star in the presumably unchanging heavens won Tycho lasting fame. Whether guest or new, a supernova is an old star which is newly visible from far away. Often this last gasp of a star’s life lasts for months before fading out, and may be visible during the day as well.

Foo Yung ScrOmelette: 150 calories 7.6 g fat 1.5 g fiber 13 g protein 8 g carbs [6.8 g Complex] 68 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Here we take the Cantonese classic and prepare it for breakfast. Filling and nutritious.

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 ¾ 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 slices or applesauce   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

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 crab mixture in the pan, then pour half of the egg 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.”

Shrimp Egg Rolls:  238 calories 3.5 g fat 2.5 g fiber 15.6 g protein 29 g carbs 46 mg Calcium  PB I learned to make egg rolls when I worked for Jerry Willis at his ffirst restaurant. These have always been a favorite. But they are NOT deep-fat fried, which keeps their calories and fat down to permissable levels.  HINT: This recipe makes 4 rolls and one serving = 2 rolls. Put 2 in the freezer for another day or eat for lunch later in the week.

3 oz shrimp, fresh or frozen, shells removed 1 Tbsp oyster sauce 1 Tbsp soy sauce one 1/4″ slice of ginger, minced ½ garlic, sliced 2 oz carrot, sliced 1 oz onion, sliced 3 oz cabbage, sliced 4 six-inch egg roll wrappers 1 tsp canola oil 3 oz tomato slices duck sauce + hot sauce [wasabi or Sriracha]

If shrimp are frozen, thaw them in advance. Then slice in half across the body and mix with the oyster and soy sauces, the garlic and onion. Prepare the vegetables and put them all into a hot wok or wide saute pan with ¼ cup water and a squirt of Sriracha. [If the pan gets too dry, add a bit of the marinade combined with a few spoonsful of water.] Stir-fry the ingredients for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are just a little shy of done. Add the shrimp and marinade and stirfry about one minute longer – shrimp should be thoroughly cooked. Put everything from the wok into the food processor and run until coarsely chopped. [If a lot of liquid remains, cook it down some more until it is thick and add back to the ingredients.] Lay one of the wrappers on a flat surface and moisten the edge farthest from you with water. Measure out 1/3 cup of the filling and roll up the wrapper. There are usually diagrams on the back of the package to show you how. Put the oil in a clean, flat-bottomed pan and heat it. Put the egg rolls in the pan and roll them around to coat with the oil on all surfaces. Heat until the rolls are beginning to get brown and blister-y on one side, then turn to cook on the other side. You could continue in this way or you could put the pan in a 375 degree oven until they are crispy. Plate with the tomato slices and the dipping sauce.

CGE

~ 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 will be our younger son’s birthday. It is hard to think that my last ‘baby’ is now in his late 30s. As an offshoot of studying jujitsu [third degree Black Belt], he became interested in Asian cooking: Thai, Japanese, Chinese. Often he suggests recipes to us and they turn out to be good! A fine cook, he enjoys honing his knives [as a hobby, he makes his own] and knife skills in the kitchen. He is a loving son, a loyal friend, and a man of many parts: the sort of off-spring of whom his parents are proud.

The breakfast is based on the flavors of a Thai Fried Rice dinner our son prepared for us. It knocked our socks off with its taste. Great as a breakfast, too. The dinner is one he recommended, as ‘child to parent,’ and I finally tried. Glad I did. These meals are minimalist and fascinating, just like him.

Thai Bake: 133 calories 5.2 g fat 3.3 g fiber 8 g protein 14.6 g carbs 106.3 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Low in calories yet high in flavor, this delicious bake will start your morning with a bang.

1 two-oz egg ½ clove garlic 3 Tbsp scallions, sliced 1/4 cup cooked spinach ½ tsp fish sauce dash Sriracha, use more to taste 2 oz applesauce -OR- ½ cup blueberries  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]

Mince or press the garlic. Squeeze then chop the spinach. Combine the vegetables with the fish sauce and hot sauce, then whisk in the egg. Pour into a lightly-oiled baking dish and bake at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes. Serve with the sliced apples and beverages of your choice. A bit more Sriracha is a great idea.

Oyakodon (Chicken & Egg Bowl):  214 calories  5 g fat  6.5 g fiber 20 g protein 17 g carbs 38 mg Calcium  PB GF  Younger Son commended this recipe to us. That is fitting since oyakodon means ‘parent and child’, as it contains both chicken and egg. It is by Nakimo Chen from Just One Cookbook, and we found it to be easy and delicious. HINT: This recipe is designed to serve two.  If serving with ¼ c cooked sushi rice, add 75 cal 0.1 g fat 0.6 g fiber 1.3 g protein 16.5 g carbs 38 mg Calcium

2/3 cup dashi 1-½ Tbsp mirin  1-½ Tbsp sake [or dry sherry] 1-½ Tbsp soy sauce 1-½ tsp sugarCombine in a bowl or a measuring cup for liquids.  Add sugar and mix all together until sugar is dissolved. Divide the seasoning liquid into 2 equal portions and set aside. 
½ onion optional: mitsuba [Japanese parsley]Thinly slice the onion and divide into 2 equal portions. Chop mitsuba and divide into 2 equal portions
2 large eggsBeat one egg in a small bowl. Beat the other egg in a diffferent bowl
6 oz raw boneless skinless chicken or turkey thighs  Slice the meat diagonally + cut into 1.5″/4 cm pieces. Divide chicken into two equal portions
Use 2 small frying pans at the same time OR one pan used sequentially. I used two 8” cast iron pans.In each of two small frying pans, add the onion and parsley in a single layer. Add the chicken on top of the onion. Pour in the seasoning mixture. The sauce will come up to the top of the onion and chicken.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat to medium-low. Skim off any foam. Cover + cook until chicken
is no longer pink. About 5 mins
Slowly and evenly drizzle the beaten egg over the chicken and onion. Cook covered on med-low heat until the egg is done to your liking. In Japan, Oyakdon is served with almost set but runny egg.
Garnish: small bunch Mitsuba or green onion/chives  1/4 c steamed rice per servingAdd the garnish right before removing from heat. Pour the chicken and egg on top of steamed rice along with the sauce.

Ramadan

~ 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.

Many religions incorporate fasting into their customs. The Islamic faith elevates it to a different status during their observance of Ramadan. During the month-long event, fasting is strictly observed from sun-rise to sun-set. NO eating. NO drinking. The fast is in recognition of the month during which the holy book, the Qur’an, was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed in the 7th century. When one is fasting, one has time to contemplate the word of God and to re-evaluate one’s life in that context. After sundown, dinner is served. Is it possible to do a 5:2 type of Fasting during Ramadan? Sure, why not? As long as you eat your Fast breakfast before sun-up and you wait until after the sun goes down to enjoy your Fast dinner. If you are Muslim, I wish you “Ramadan Mubarak.”  If you are not Muslim [neither am I], read some of the Qur’an or Ask a Muslim a question, whether at the online site or with a colleague from work.

If you decide to Fast while fasting, here are some menus to try. The Leventine eggs are made with flavors found in the countries where Islam first took hold. The dinner is a popular meal in that area, too.

Levantine ScrOmelette: 142 calories 8 g fat 1 g fiber 10 g protein 5 g carbs [4.6 g Complex] 50.5 mg Calcium  PB GF  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  “Levantine” refers to the Eastern Mediterranean, where “the sun rises.”  These fine ingredients yield a flavorful result. The sun rising in the East will smile on you.

1 ½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  1 Tbsp mediterranian vegetables, chopped [see Sidekicks II, 4-Oct-’17] 1.5 tsp hummus 1 black olive, minced 1 oz strawberries    Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

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

Red & Green Shakshuka: 220 calories 10.6 g fat 5.3 g fiber 11.6 g protein 16.7 g carbs [15 g Complex] 207 mg Calcium   PB GF  There is Red Shakshuka and there is Green. And here we have the combination.

½ tsp oil ¼ c onion, chopped 3 Tbsp chopped celery 1 clove garlic, chopped 1/3 cup red or green sweet pepper, chopped 1.5 cups fresh spinach ½ cup mashed whole tomatoes 1/3 cup eggplant cubes cumin + paprika + oregano 1 egg 1.5 Tbsp Feta Cheese

Use a cast iron or other oven-safe skillet that has an oven-safe lid. Set the oven at 375 F. Cook the onion and celery in the oil until a bit softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the sweet pepper, tomato, and eggplant, along with the seasonings. Cook until tender. Put the spinach in the bubbling vegetables and stir/toss them until the leaves are softened but not limp. Make a slight indentation in the vegetables and crack an egg into it. Sprinkle with the Feta. Cover the skillet and bake it for 5 minutes. Check to see if egg is done to your liking. If not, recover and cook another minute or two. Serve in the skillet.  NB: You could cook two eggs on top for one person if you wanted to boost the protein. 290 calories / 15 g fat / 5.3 g fiber / 18 g protein / 17 g carbs / 235 mg Calcium

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

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
cabbage + white beanscorned beef
duck fat + leeks + porkcabbage + apple
garlic powder + cayenne cottage cheese + thyme
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

4 oz fish 2 crepes/galettes [Sidekicks I, Sept. ’17]
chickpea ragout chicken breast + mozzarella
Mediterranean Vegetables [Sidekicks II, ’17]
chèvre + herbes de Province
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Keep Calm and Curry On

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to PickCategory who is now Following.

What is ‘curry’? There is a plant called ‘curry’ [Helichrysum italicum]. But if you want to prepare a curry dish, you would not use that. There is curry seasoning powder: red, yellow, or green. There is ‘wet curry’ seasoning: red, yellow, or green. Then there are meals called curry: made for vegans; for vegetarians; for lamb lovers; for seafood eaters; for poultry eaters; for fans of beef. There are people preparing ‘authentic’ curry in India, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, England and everywhere else. Is your head spinning yet? Curry is a heady flavor, all right. So what is it? Curry originally meant a meal of meat in a flavored sauce — any meat, any sauce. As Indian cuisine interacted with various cultures, it impacted the tastes of those peoples and spread around the globe. Whether your taste goes to tikka masala; garam masala; rogan josh; or Thai curry, a curry by any other name is still a really good seasoning.

I trust you did not think that I was making light of the current world emergency with my title today. Being healthy is important and part of that is eating well. Good food, simply prepared, in sensible portions, wonderfully seasoned — that is a recipe for the path to wellness. Did you know that eating curry can actually be good for your health? Its true!

Indian Curry Powder:  This Indian curry came to us from our son. Add to eggs or use to flavor seafood/meat/rice — this is my go-to curry powder. 2-1/2 Tbsp coriander seed 2 tsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp cumin seed 2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp green chili powder ½ tsp ground allspice 1 tsp salt 1-1/2 tsp dry mustard Grind everything together in a mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder.

Goan Cafreal Masala:  Add to chicken or tofu or pork. To prepare this “wet curry” from Goa [via Xantilicious], grind together: ½ Tbsp coriander seed 1 tsp cumin seed ½ tsp cloves 1” cinnamon stick 1 tsp peppercorns Now add the ground spices to a food processor along with: 1 cup packed cilantro leaves 3 green chilis – Thai or serrano 1 Tbsp sugar ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 8 cloves garlic Run everything together in a food processor until it forms a puree. This makes 7 Tablespoons of curry paste.

Cafreal Masala Chicken:  298 calories 8.6 g fat 2.5 g fiber 22 g protein 31 g carbs 40 mg Calcium  PB GF Indo-Portuguese fusion. HINT: serves 2

6 oz raw chicken meat, cut in large chunks ½ tsp salt 1 Tbsp lime juicePut the chicken in a serving dish that can be heated over the cook-top. Toss with the salt and juice. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Half of a batch Cafreal MasalaStir in the masala and let it sit 20-30 minutes
1 Tbsp oil Add oil to the pan and cook slowly, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Continue cooking with the lid off until chicken is brown.
½ cup onions cut in thin rings cooking sprayIn a separate pan, saute the onions in cooking spray until they are soft.
Black pepper per serving: ½ cup cooked brown riceScoop the onions over the chicken, add black pepper and serve with rice.

Madama Butterfly

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to Rachel Alexandra who is now Following.

On February 17, 1904, Giacomo Puccini‘s opera Madama Butterfly debuted in Milan at La Scalla Opera House. It was loudly and soundly booed, possibly by a claque of the composer’s rivals, and the opera was withdrawn. This was a stunning blow to Puccini. Ever since he saw an American company perform a short play about an American sailor and his ill-fated affair with a Japanese girl, Puccini wanted to turn it into an opera. He learned Japanese songs from the ambassador’s wife; one of his librettists went to Japan to gain some authenticity. After the disastrous premiere, the team reworked the piece and re-staged it in May to great success. Now the poignant story of the selfish Lt Pinkerton and the trusting Cho-Cho-San [called “Butterfly”] is one of the most popular works in any company’s repertoire and the aria Un Bel Di makes you sad just to hear it, especially when you know the tragic ending.

While we ponder the tale of poor Butterfly, we will eat a very Japanese breakfast which is good tasting and easy to prepare. For dinner, a rather American meal of fish combined with ham and walnuts.

Japanese Onion Soup with Onsen Tamago Egg: 215 calories 5 g fat 2.2 g fiber 16 g protein 29 g carbs [9 g Complex] 48 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg soup and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Our Younger Son prepared this for us one morning after a lot of heavy eating and it was a revelation: light yet hearty and so delicious. “Onsen Tamago” means ‘hot spring’ and it is a very different [to me] way to cook a soft egg.  HINT: This recipe is enough for 2 servings. Very easy to save for another breakfast or lunch one or two days from now.

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

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

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

Ham-Stuffed Fish:  270 calories 3.5 g fat 23 g protein 16 g carbs 139 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF bread  Another recipe of unknown origin. Glad I saved it.

4 oz tilapia or perch 1 oz sliced ham from the deli 1 scallion 1/2 tsp soy sauce + ½ tsp sherry + 1 egg white ½ piece of whole-grain 70-calorie bread 1 Tbsp finely-chopped walnuts 1 oz carrots, julienned 1 oz celery, julienned 1 oz beets

Slice the fish so that it is in 2 pieces of equal length and thickness. Crumble the bread into the finest crumbs and blend thoroughly with walnuts. Whip the egg white until it is very frothy. Blend in the soy sauce and sherry. Make a ‘sandwich’ of the ham slice between the two pieces of fish. Dip in the egg mixture to coat, then dip in the bread/walnuts. Cook in a heavy non-stick pan, sprayed with non-stick spray, until fish is cooked – about 5 minutes per side. Cook the vegetables. Plate the fish and vegetables and sprinkle with sliced scallion.

Epiphany

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow will be the Feast of the Epiphany, aka: Three Kings’ Day or the 12th Day of Christmas [got room for those 12 Drummers Drumming?] or the start of Carnival Season. In the church, it marks the day that the three Magi arrived in Nazareth to visit the child Jesus. [Contrary to what is shown on the Christmas Cards and in most artwork, this visit occurred around two years after the nativity in Bethlehem. Jesus was then a toddler.] In a wider sense, ‘epiphany’ means ‘an awakening.’ Have you come to a new understanding of something? That was an epiphany.

The Kings are described as coming “from the Orient” which simply means anywhere East of Judea. They were most likely astronomers from Persia who had seen the planet Jupiter [a king] move into the constellation Pisces or Aries [which the Persians associated with Israel]. This celestial event lead them to the knowledge that a new king was born in Israel. In honor of the greeting card notion that one or all of them were from Cathay/China, our meals hale from the Eastern end of Asia. In the dinner, you have choices. I suggest that you limit yourself to three types of items, to remember the “Kings who traversed afar”.

Foo Yung Bake:  129 calories 5 g fat 2.4 g fiber 10 g protein 12 g carbs [11 g complex] 56.8 mg Calcium  NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages.  PB  Straight out of China, a no-fuss bake.

One 2-oz egg 2 Tbsp crab meat 1 tsp soy sauce ¼ oz mushrooms ¼ cup sprouts [I used broccoli sprouts — suit yourself] 1 Tbsp scallion, sliced across pinch ground ginger + pinch granulated garlic 2 oz pear OR 1 clementine   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]

Lightly mix the crab meat with the sprouts, scallion, and mushroom. Lightly oil or spritz an oven-proof dish. Distribute the crab mixture over the bottom of the dish. Whisk the egg with the soy sauce, ginger, and garlic powder, and pour over the sprouts and crab. Add salt and pepper if you wish. Bake at 350 F. for 12 minutes. Plate with the pear and pour the optional beverages.

Dim Sum Choices: Dining at a dim sum recipe is all about choices: the trolley arrives covered with savory dishes – how do you decide?! You can make those choices easily at home if you have a freezer that contains a little of this and a bit of that. My egg roll/Spring roll recipes prepare 5, of which we eat 4 at a meal. One left over to save for a Dim Sum Dinner. The wonton recipe makes 26, so save some for Dim Sum night. Same for the momos. Got some frozen pot stickers? Good choice. Add steamed vegetables and your own sauce and you will be all set for a fun meal. Make some choices from the following, being sure to add up to 300 or less calories, including the dipping sauce of choice and some cherry tomatoes or steamed vegetables:

1 chicken momo: 34 calories 0.2 fat 0.2 fiber 2.4 g protein 4.5 g carbs 15.7 mg Calcium 

2 Tbsp balls of chicken momo filling: 25 calories 0.2 g fat 0.2 g fiber 3.6 g protein 1.4 g carbs 8.6 mg Calcium 

1 beef egg roll: 136 calories 4.6 g fat 1 g fiber 9.4 g protein 17.5 g carbs 23 mg Calcium 

1 shrimp spring roll: 88 calories 2 g fat 1 g fiber 7 g protein 8.4 g carbs 33 mg Calcium 

1 pork wonton: 41 calories 6.6 g fat 0 g fiber 3.4 g protein 7 g carbs 0 mg Calcium 

1 purchased pork dumpling/pot sticker: read the label 

1 oz purchased Asian BBQ pork: 46 calories 1.5 g fat 0 g fiber 6.5 g protein 8.4 g carbs 0 mg Calcium

2 oz chicken + 1 tsp satay sauce: 76 calories 1 g fat 0 g fiber 13 g protein 0.7 g carbs 6 mg Calcium 

Crossroads: Indian Ocean

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to WeightLossNearMe who is now Following.                                  

Locations where the tides of history throw divers cultures together are fascinating to me.  Goa is on the West coast of India. If ever there were a place where “East meets West,” this could be it.  Petroglyphs and stone tools show that people were living there at least 10,000 years ago.  By 1400 BCE,  immigrants had arrived from Africa, Australia, and Southern India.  Then came the Buddhists, bringing their Nepalese religion and cultural ways. Many Buddhists are vegetarian/vegan, but the Goan Buddhists were not due to their contact with the Saraswat Brahmins from Northern India.  In the heyday of the Greek and Roman Empires, their ships would stop in Goa to take on food and water.  And in 1510, the Portuguese arrived, making Goa a territory of Portugal until 1961.  The languages, the religions, the culinary traditions of many peoples swirl in the daily life of Goans. Perhaps because of the well-stirred melting pot, the Hindu majority lives in harmony with the minority Christians, and Muslims.  In some instances, the same foods are prepared one way by the Catholic population, and another way by the Hindu population — but they all agree on the rich spices and flavors of one of India’s smallest provinces.  Goa is an unusual little slice of the Indian mosaic. ‘Visitors’ have been arriving for centuries and they still visit today.                                                                                                                          Due to the coastline and the influences of the “spices of Indies and the East” which lured the Portuguese, breakfast will include shrimp and mixed spices.  Dinner will be that most cross-cultural dish: pork vindaloo. 

Goan Scramble: 150 calories    7.6 g fat   1 g fiber   10.4 g protein   10 g carbs [7 g Complex]   57 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.   PB GF The mixture of spices and spicy foods called Cafreal Masala is typical of Goan cuisine. It really delivers a punch to these eggs!

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, pour half of their volume into                                                  a jar with a lid, and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                                      1.5 tsp cafreal masala [see recipe on above website]                                         ½ oz shrimp, cooked and chopped                                                                           1.5 oz mango                                                                                                                                                             Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                        Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk the eggs and pour into a hot pan that has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the shrimp on top. Drizzle the masala paste onto the eggs and swirl it into the eggs as they cook, sort of like putting the chocolate into marble cake batter. Plate with the mango and serve with your choice of optional beverages.

Vindaloo Pork & Mushrooms: 250 calories 7.2 g fat 5 g fiber 21 g protein 15 g Carbs [10 g Complex] 52.5 mg Calcium  PB GF From southern India comes the complex flavor of vindaloo. You can substitute turkey for the pork or eliminate the meat and use extra mushrooms for a meatless meal. 

¾ Tbsp vindaloo seasonings 1 clove garlic ¼ tsp ground ginger 1 tsp canola oil 1/3 cup [~1.25 oz] onion 1.5 Tbsp cider vinegar ¼ tsp sugar 2.5 oz pork OR turkey, cut in matchsticks 100 g [3.5 oz] mushrooms 1.5 oz broccoli ¼ cup brown rice or couscous

Mince the garlic and add the vindaloo spices and the ginger. Stir in vinegar and toss the meat with this marinade. Let sit for 30-60 minutes. Saute the onions in the oil until beginning to brown, adding water if necessary to prevent sticking. Add the meat and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the broccoli and cook further for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sugar and cook for one minute more. Serve with the couscous or brown rice.