Diet recipes that work

Pongol

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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.

See the pot of rice overflowing as the sun comes up? See the happy cow, decked out for the celebration? Must be Pongol.

It is time for Pongol! In January, the Tamil Hindus of southern India and Sri Lanka celebrate a multi-day festival in honor of the sun. This observance traces back to 200-300 CE, and has been pretty much unchanged since then. On the first day of the festival, old belongings are burned — out with the old! On the second day, rice dishes are prepared — sweet ones and savory ones. The word ‘pongol’ implies ‘overflowing’. Rice is cooked in a pot outside, on the East side of the house, facing the sun. The pot is supposed to come to a boil and overflow as the sun rises. Rice is taken to the temple as an offering, and eaten in the family. The third day is devoted to thanking the cattle for their work on the farm, as draft animals and as suppliers of milk. On the fourth day, girls offer prayers for the continued health of their brothers and for a good harvest; food is given to the poor. This is very much an agricultural occasion, recognizing that farming is hard work and that the harvest is a cause for celebration.

In 2025, Pongol begins on January 14, and runs to Friday, January 17. Eat rice and give a lot of thought to the people who grow and harvest all the food that you eat.

Pongol Breakfast Rice: 223 calories… 6 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 6.5 g protein… 37 g carbs… 119.5 mg Calcium  PB GF Celebrate Pongol with milk-boiled rice. It is unusual and yummy. The recipe is my own adaptation of several that were found online.

Pongol, unadorned.
Pongol with raisins.

3 Tbsp dry brown rice ++++ 6 Tbsp non-fat milk ++++ 2 Tbsp dry coconut flakes, sweetened ++++ Optional: 0.2 oz cashews [add 33 more calories] or 5 raisins ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Measure rice, milk, and coconut into a small saucepan, and add 3 Tbsp water. Cover and cook over very low heat, adding water if needed, until the rice is soft and expanded, and the liquids are absorbed. Scrape into a bowl and add optional topping.

Indian Vegetables with Turkey and Naan: 299 calories… 13 g fat… 6 g fiber… 17.6 g protein… 31 g carbs… 78 mg Calcium…  PB This delicious meal needs 2 things in advance: Rogan Josh Sauce and Naan breads, both of which you can purchase, although it is fun and easy to make your own naan.

++ 1 naan flatbread, 106 or fewer calories/piece ++++ 3 Tbsp Rogan Josh Sauce ++++ ½ cup zucchini, in ½” dice ++++ ½ cup cauliflower, in ½” pieces ++++ ½ cup tomato, in ½” dice ++++ 2 oz ground turkey [I used 15% fat but would have prefered less fat] ++++ ¼ tsp Indian curry powder ++ 

Cook the vegetables and turkey in a little water until softened and turkey is fully cooked. Drain, saving the cooking water for baking or soup stock. Add the sauce to the vegetables and meat, and heat gently. Warm the naan in the oven or on a hot, dry skillet. Plate to suit your preference. W.o.w.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs = US large2 two-oz eggs 
Gruyere or Cheddar cheesefat-free milk + white whole wheat flour
apple or strawberriessugar + blueberries [fresh or frozen]
33-calorie chicken breakfast sausage
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

salad greensGrilled sirloin steak left-overs + thyme
Jarlsberg or Cheddar cheesemushrooms + red wine
olive oil + prepared mustardcreamed onions + peas
lemon juice + herbs to tastesheet of purchased puff pastry
Sparkling waterSparkling water

George Fox

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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.

George Fox was a Dissenter. After the Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1500s, they took a dim view of all who did not toe their religious line. Thus the Puritans and other groups were called Dissenters. Fox grew up in a community of Puritans in Leicester-shire, England, where his father was a prosperous weaver. From a young age, George was religious and serious. He was sent to work as a shepherd, and he enjoyed the quiet and simplicity of that life. By his late teens, George was annoyed by people who lived in wealth, far from his idea of a Christ-like life. Over the next few years, his ideas coalesced around worship without clergy, where each participant was free to hear the voice of God for him/herself. In 1652, while on Pendle Hill in Lancashire, Fox had a vision of a huge crowd of people who thought as he did, so he set out to find them. He became an itinerant preacher and gathered a group of believers who were willing to go out to preach also. Fox was an accomplished and convincing speaker, and he inspired many to join him, despite the fact that vocal Dissenters could be imprisoned or beaten due to their beliefs. He and his wife, the widow Margaret Fell, were often in jail. Nonetheless, The ideas of the Society of Friends [nicknamed ‘Quakers’] spread far and wide, many members going to the New World for religious freedom. Fox decided to visit them and he traveled extensively — Barbados, Jamaica, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania. He conversed with the powerful [Thomas Cromwell], the influential [William Penn], and the ignored [American natives], yet remained humble and true to his convictions. George Fox died on January 13, 1691, and was buried at Quaker Gardens, Islington, UK.

Our breakfast is from northern England, home of George Fox. The dinner is from Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love, founded by Quakers and influenced by them for hundreds of years.

Kipper Bake: 138 calories… 7.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 11 g protein… 5.4 g carbs… 90.4 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PG GF  Kippers and eggs are a classic combination for breakfast, and here they are in an easy bake.

One 2-oz egg ++++ ½ oz kippered herring ++++ ¼ tsp dry mustard, such as Colman’s ++++ 1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese ++++ 1 oz apple ++++ Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] 

The night before: soak the kippered herring in warm water for 1-2 hours. Remove from water, rinse, and flake or chop finely.  In the morning: Spritz a ramekin or other oven-safe dish with non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Whisk everything, except apple, together and pour into the baking dish and bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit and have a fine day.

Philly Cheesesteak en Casserole: 264 calories… 11 g fat… 1 g fiber… 33.7 g protein… 11 g carbs… 263 mg Calcium…  GF The iconic street food of Philadelphia has been made over for Fast Day. By the way, provolone is the original cheese for this dish – NOT Cheeze-Whiz.

+++ 2½ oz rare roast beef, shaved ++++ 0.8 oz Provolene cheese ++++ 1 oz onions, sliced ++++ 1½ oz broccoli florets ++++ 1 slice 70-80-calorie whole-grain bread [Martins’ is the best] +++

In a small skillet sprayed with non-stick spray, cook the onions in a little water until they are limp but not browned and set them aside. Take a slice of Martin’s potato bread and cut out a bell shape using a 3-4” cookie cutter. Lightly toast the bread. Add the beef to the pan and cook the meat while chopping at it with a metal turner. Add the onions when the beef is grey-colored and soft. Boil/steam the broccoli while the meat cooks. Lay the cheese over the meat and take the pan off the heat. The cheese will melt onto the beef. Make room in the pan for the broccoli and top with the bread bell. Enjoy your taste of Philadelphia while you hum the theme to Rocky.

Fort Sumter

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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.

Fort Sumter, December 1860. NPS photo.

Fort Sumter is on an island in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, USA. It was built after the War of 1812, to strengthen the defense of the harbor, since the town of Charleston had been a key site in the War of Independence in the 1770s. It was named after Thomas Sumter, an heroic fighter in the Revolution. But as the 1800s advanced, independence of other sorts came into question: many in the US wanted independence for the many enslaved people of the American South, and the slave owners of the South wanted the independence to do live as they pleased. As the fort neared completion in the late 1850s, the separatists in South Carolina told the US President Buchanan to remove the troops from the fort, and from nearby Fort Moultrie. He refused, and the fort was besieged. The soldiers there held out from December into January, but supplies were running low. A ship was sent from New York, with soldiers, ammunition, and food, but on January 9, 1861, as it neared the fort, it was fired upon. The ship retreated. In early April, the new President Lincoln told the South Carolinians that he would resupply the fort. The South Carolinians said that would be a declaration of war. The South began a bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12, and on April 13, the 80 soldiers on the island struck their flag, and left the fort. The American Civil War had begun.

Thomas Sumter’s name was surely based on the word ‘sumpter’. The word originally meant a pack animal, but it became an occupation. Sumpters operated traveling grocery stores around the nation during peacetime, and during wars, they often sold food and sundries to soldiers. A popular item that a sumpter would sell to soldiers was an egg — at exorbitant prices. Eggs are more available to most of us, so we will have them for breakfast. Much better for us than the local Charleston favorite — Krispy Kreme doughnuts! The dinner is made with two popular food items of the Carolinas: ham and sweet potatoes.

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

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

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

Ham Dinner: 297 calories… 8 g fat… 6 g fiber… 19 g protein… 40 g carbs… 41.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF This is a classic Easter Dinner in many homes, as well as being a popular diner order. From the succotash to the sweetened sweet potato to the pineapple garnish, this meal is a classic.

++ 3 oz ham, sliced 3/8” thick ++++ ¼ c. lima beans ++++ ¼ c corn kernels ++++ 1 oz sweet potato ++++ 1 tsp brown sugar ++++ ¼ c canned pineapple ++

Cube the sweet potato and simmer in a small pan until tender, ~10 mins. Heat the ham slice in a non-stick pan over medium, until ham begins to brown. Heat the vegetables together. When the ham is cooked and the sweet potato is tender, plate the ham and drain the potato. Put the potato in the ham’s pan, along with a bit of the potato water. Stir to incorporate the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Then stir in the brown sugar until the potato is covered with the sugar. Plate everything, putting a pinch of salt on the vegetables. Place the pinapple chunks on the ham and tuck into an all-American meal.

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

1 two-oz egg = US largeuncooked brown rice
kippered herringfat free milk
dry mustard powder + appledry, sweetened coconut flakes
reduced-fat ricotta
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

shaved rare roast beef106-calorie Naan bread + onions
provolone cheeseRogan Josh sauce + zucchini
broccoli + onionstomato + cauliflower
Martin’s potato bread or whole-grain breadIndian curry powder
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Befana

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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.

January 6 is the feast of the Epiphany,”Festa dell’Epifania” in Italian, celebrating the visit of the Wise Men to the Child Jesus. This is celebrated around the Christian world. But in Italy, it is associated with another tradition: a visit from Befana. [Some say her name is based on the local word for Epiphany.] Tradition says that she was an old woman in the Marche Region who prided herself on her clean house. As the Three Wise Men traveled to Nazareth, they stopped at her house to ask directions. She had never heard of the Baby Jesus, nor where he was to be found, but she invited the three men to stay the night. The Wise Men left the next day, and suggested that the kindly woman come with them to find the baby. But no, Befana had her housework to do. Within a few hours, she reflected that she would like to see this wonderful child and to give him a small gift. She filled a basket with sweets and toys, took up her broom, and set out to follow the trail of those Wise Men. No matter how far she wandered, Befana could not find the Christ, but she gave treats to every child that she met. Still today, she travels the length and breadth of Italy searching for the holy child and leaving gifts for good children. Thus it is that Italian children must wait until the very last day of the Christmas season to get presents — not from Saint Nicholas, who gives gifts on December 6; nor from Santa Claus, who leaves gifts on the night of December 24 — they wait until January 6th. A lesson in patience.

Our breakfast is flavored with the famous sauce of Naples in western Italy. Our dinner is from the Marche on the Adriatic coast, the source of the mussels in the meal.

Puttanesca Bake: 130 calories… 6 g fat… 0.6 g fiber… 8 g protein 10 g carbs… 78 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. —PB GF— Once you have Puttenesca Sauce in the freezer, preparing this breakfast is very easy.

++ one 2-oz egg ++++ 2 Tbsp Puttanesca sauce, drained of excess liquid ++++ ½ Tbsp Parmesan, grated ++++ ¼ cup peaches, fresh or canned in light juice ++++  Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Spritz an oven-proof ramekin or small casserole [if serving 2 or more] with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with the sauce and cheese. Pour into the baking dish and heat for 12-15 minutes. Portion the peaches and prepare the beverages. Que bella!

Moscioli Pasta:  296 calories… 10 g fat… 7.5 g fiber… 20 g protein… 37.5 g carbs… 91 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF pasta  This dish from the Marche region of Italy features the small local mussels. Traditionally, the pasta is spaghetti, but I have substituted a small penne or gemelli for ease of eating.  HINT: Serves four [4] diners.

Sv 4
1 T. EVOO +++++ 1/3 c. onion, mincedCook onion in oil until wilted
2 T tomato paste +++++ 1 T parsley, chopped ++++++++2 cups water ++++ salt & pepperAdd these to pan, stir, cook until thickened.
227 g mussel meat +++ ½ c mussel liquor or clam juiceChop mussel meat, add to sauce with mussel liquor.
8 oz whole-grain or chickpea penne/ gemelliCook and drain, add to sauce
1 T. parsley, choppedSprinkle with parsley, serve

Sci-Fi Day

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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.

Storyboard from the silent film A Trip to the Moon.

Are you a fan of Science Fiction? I have been, ever since I first read Ray Bradbury‘s short stories when I was in 6th grade. This literary genre traces back to the second century CE, to a story about extraterrestrials written by Syrian author Lucian. In the 1600s, when science emerged from the Dark Ages, Sci-Fi tales were penned by Francis Bacon, Johannes Kepler, and Cyrano de Bergerac. The first Sci-Fi movie was A Trip to the Moon by Georges Méliès in 1902. Unfamiliar with the term? ‘Fun Holiday’ states that Science Fiction “explores the effect of imaginary change through technological innovations, scientific discoveries, natural events and disasters and evolution on people and their relationships. Usually, works of science fiction (sci-fi) are set in the near or distant future…” This is a big tent: from hard-core science based on real facts to ‘space westerns’, fantasy, ‘space operas’, utopian and dystopian tales, and elements of the supernatural. In the 1920s and 30s, Sci-Fi was the poor relation of literature, offering stories of swamp monsters and aliens. After we entered the Atomic Age, there was a flowering of good writing: Fahrenheit 451, I, Robot, Starship Troopers. Then in the 1960s, the Space Race made science fact seemed as unreal as science fiction. This lead to the book Dune [1965] and the first Star Trek [1966] on television. Science Fiction Day was begun in 2012, and is held on January 2, the official birthday of Isaac Asimov, the prolific author of the 1900s.

For breakfast, have a smoothie from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, such as the one that Luke Skywalker drinks. For a hot beverage, ask for “Earl Grey, hot” as Captain Jean-Luc Picard does on Star Trek: Next Generation. For dinner, travel to the planet Dune, where the Fremen eat a stew of small animals and root vegetables. And because our’s is a curry, it contains “Spice“! Get it?

Blueberry Smoothie: 118 calories… 0 g fat… 3 g fiber… 5.5 g protein… 30 g carbs… 99 mg Calcium… — PB GF — From the people at Wild Blueberries of North America comes this excellent smoothie. Take the calories into account when you meal-plan.  HINT: Recipe makes enough for 2 servings.  The food values above are for one serving. To make a complete meal, add a protein source, such as eggs.

++ 3 oz banana ++++ ½ cup plain, fat-free yogurt ++++  ½ cup blueberries ++++ ½ cup orange juice OR  crushed rhubarb ++

Put banana, yogurt, and berries into the blender and process until smooth. Add the juice and blend on low. Wonderful berry flavor!

Japanese Curry w/ Meat: 297 calories… 12 g fat… 6 g fiber… 24 g protein…. 32.6 g carbs… 89 mg Calcium…  — PB GF —  Curry is popular in Japan. So popular, that there are many good pre-fab curry mixes available: add vegetables/meat and you’ve got a meal. This meal is no more difficult to prepare than chopping vegetables.  HINT: This recipe serves two [2] people. Good for a subsequent lunch.

2 oz parsnips, cut as coins ++ 4 oz onions, sliced ++++  3 oz carrots, cut as coins ++++  6 oz any raw meat ++++ 1 clove garlic, slicedCut vegetables and put into a bowl. If meat is raw, cut into small strips and add to vegetables.
If meat is cooked, cut into small strips and put aside to add later.
¼ cup brown rice ++++ ½ cup waterAdd rice to boiling water. When it boils again, lower heat, cover, cook 35 mins.
1 tsp sesame oil ++++ cooking spray +++++ 3-4 oz water ++++ prepared vegetables and meatWarm a wok over medium heat. When hot, add oil and a good spritz of non-stick spray. Stir-fry meat and vegetables for approximately 5 mins.
1 cup waterAdd water to wok and bring it all to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, 10-15 mins.
27 g curry sauce mixture
cooked meat, cut in strips		Take off heat, add curry ‘brick’, broken in crumbles. If meat is already cooked, add it now. Return to low heat and stir until curry is totally dissolved. Simmer 4-5 mins, stirring, adding water if needed. 
per person: ¼ c brown rice, cookedServe with rice

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1 two-oz egg, hard-cooked 
peaches canned in juice or freshsriracha + skim milk ricotta
puttanesca sauceWhole grain 70-cal bread
Parmesan cheesetomato + strawberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

olive oil ++ onion 3/8” thick slice of ham 
tomato paste ++ parsleylima beans + corn kernels, frozen or fresh
227 g mussel meat ++ clam juicesweet potato + brown sugar
whole grain or chickpea penne or gemellicanned pineapple chunks
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Religions: Judaism

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

Jews parade a Torah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

In the ancient world, people honored many dieties — the sun, thunder and wind, animals. These were the ‘pluralistic’ religions. Then in 3,500 BCE, there arose the earliest ‘monotheistic‘ religion: Judaism. Its adherents believed in only one, all-powerful diety. They say that the Creator of all things offered a proposition to Abraham: if he and his family would believe in the One God, then they would be a chosen people, entitled to special privileges. Abraham accepted and lead his family on a journey to what is now called The Holy Land. This was the birth of Judaism, as found in the Book of Genesis. The religion does not have mandatory beliefs, but there are 13 principles which describe the nature of G-d [the name of whom is not to be written or spoken]; which state that the Torah [first five books of the Bible] was given to Moses [he of the 10 Commandments]; that a “mashiach” [anointed man of G-d] will come to end evil and start a new world; that G-d will reward the good and punish the wicked. Differences in the degree of obligation to these principles has lead to various interpretations. Orthodox Jews believe that they are unchanging laws of G-d. Conservatives say they are G-d’s laws, but that they evolve over time. Whereas Reform Jews think that the principles are more like guidelines for living. The Jews’ holy day, or Shabbat, lasts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday [on the Western calendar], a time to light the candles, be with the family, and attend synagog. Sadly, over the centuries, the Jews have been persecuted by the members of the other monotheistic religions: Christians and Muslims. Even though they all claim Abraham as their patriarch, they ignore the doctrines of kindness in their religions, expressing hate for others who do not worship as they do. That is a terrible shame.

Observant Jews eat only certain foods in certain combinations, as decreed by the Kosher laws. Our meals are Kosher: the breakfast was designed to be eaten at Hanukkah, which in 2024 begins on December 25 and runs until January 2. So enjoy. The dinner is based on the menu for a Passover Seder.

Spinach-Mushroom-Feta Bake: 178 calories… 10.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 13 g protein… 8 g carbs… 214.5 mg Calcium… – PB – Miri Rotkovitz presented this recipe via thespruceeats.com and she recommends as a ‘dairy meal for Hannukka’. Her version is a dinner pie, complete with an olive oil crust. My version delivers a lot of flavor at breakfast. HINT: This recipe makes two [2] servings. The other half of it would be a terrific lunch on another day.

++ ½ tsp olive oil + non-stick spray ++++ 2 cloves garlic, chopped = 2 teaspoons ++++ 3 oz mushrooms, chopped or diced ++++ 3 oz chopped, frozen spinach ++++ 2 two-oz eggs ++++ 2 Tbsp milk ++++ 1½ teaspoons white whole wheat flour ++++ 1½ oz feta cheese, crumbled ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or   berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Thaw the spinach in a sieve, and press on it to remove extra water. Gently cook the garlic in the oils until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the water they exude evaporates. Let cool. [HINT: do this the night before] Put the feta in a bowl, top with the spinach, then the mushrooms, and stir them all together. Combine the flour and milk in a small dish and heat in the microwave. Stir together to make a roux. Whisk the roux with the eggs. Put the vegetable-cheese mixture in an oven-proof dish which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Pour the egg mixture on top and bake at 350 F for 20-23 minutes. All the flavors meld together to create a savory way to start your day.

Lamb Salad:  261 calories… 15 g fat… 3 g fiber… 21 g protein… 26 g carbs… 85 mg Calcium… – PB GF – A previous dinner could involve a leg of lamb ….yummmmm. Save a few slices to make this salad. A meal is great for sharing with a guest, it doubles well.

++ 1 cup salad greens ++++ 1 Tbsp fresh parsley ++++ 3 Tbsp celery, diced ++++ 1½ oz apple, cubed ++++ 2 oz cooked lamb, from the leg or other lean cut ++++ 4 walnut halves ++++ 1 hardboiled egg ++++ 1½ tsp horseradish dressing** ++

Chop the walnut halves into large pieces and toast in a dry skillet until fragrant. Cut egg into wedges; slice the lamb and celery; cube the apples. Toss the greens, celery, apples, and parsley with the dressing and arrange other ingredients to suit the eye.

**HORSERADISH DRESSING:  ++ 1 Tbsp mayonnaise made with olive oil OR firm, plain yogurt ++++ 1½ tsp prepared [purchased in a jar] horseradish ++++ 1 Tbsp buttermilk ++++ 1½ tsp lemon juice  Whisk all ingredients together. 

Boxing Day

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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.

It has nothing to do with pugilism, or large corporate stores, or containers made of cardboard or wood — so why is December 26 called “Boxing Day” in the United Kingdom? The term’s origin seems to be a bit of a mystery. There are three suggestions of how the day got its name. 1] In the Middle Ages, churches would gather money all year, designated as ‘alms for the poor’. The donations would be put into the ‘poor box’, and the box would be opened on Christmas Day. The day afterward, the money would be distributed to the needy: the money from the box was given on Boxing Day. 2] In the Victorian Era, servants worked day and night for their employers — including Christmas Day. But the next day was a day off for the workers, and they would go home [most lived in the neighborhood] carrying foods and gifts in a box to give to their family members: there was a box of gifts on Boxing Day. 3] On the day after Christmas, employers would give their employees gifts: a gift in a box on Boxing Day. I can help thinking that the word is a contraction of something else…but I can’t figure our what it was. It is a difficult celebration to export: of the former British possessions, Canada, Australia and New Zealand celebrate it. Boxing Day is an official holiday where it is observed and in modern times it is a day to watch football, get together with friends, and eat Christmas leftovers. And of course, it is in no way related to the Feast of Saint Stephen, which is also on December 26.

Just as Boxing Day is unique to the UK, certain foods are also associated with the UK. We will have two of them to eat on Boxing Day.

Toad in the Hole: 157 calories… 1.4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 9 g protein… 50 g carbs… 28 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. – PB – This whimsically-named meal is of old English origin – Kenneth Graham crossed with Beatrix Potter? It begins with a Yorkshire Pudding batter which you need to prepare in advance. The Yorkshire Pudd recipe is from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook. HINT: make the batter the night before to save time in the morning.

Yorkshire Pudding batter: ++ one 2-oz egg ++++ ½ cup white whole wheat flour ++++ ½ tsp salt ++++ 1 Tbsp high gluten flour ++++ 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 ¼ cup of the batter per person. HINT: The remainder can be frozen in 1 cup or ¼ cup batches for future meals. When it is time to use the batter, beat it with a rotary beater until it is frothy.

To prepare the breakfast: ++ 1 chicken breakfast sausage [@ 50 cal/link] ++++ ¼ cup Yorkshire Pudding batter, well beaten [prepare the batter the night before and refrigerate] ++++ 2 oz pear or apple ++++Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Heat the oven/toaster oven to 425F. 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 distribute it equally into each muffin hole. Beat the batter until it is foamy, adding crumbled sage. Pour the batter into the pan over the sausage bits. Pop the pan into the oven for 15 minutes. Slice the fruit, prepare optional beverage, and settle down to a quickly-prepared, fun-to-eat meal.

Cold Beef Plate: ..292 calories… 4 g fat… 5 g fiber… 28 g protein… 33 g carbs… 17.6 mg Calcium…  — PB GF —  Here’s a simple meal. Use either meat from a roast or from the deli. Sounds rather French, with the cornichons and Dijon mustard, but rosbif is as English as a Bramley apple.

++ 3 oz cold, sliced beef roast ++++ ½ cup [about 3 oz] pickled beets ++++ 4 small [0.8 oz total] cornichons ++++ 1 tsp Dijon mustard ++++ 1 oz sourdough rye bread ++

Plate to your own aesthetic taste. Do it up right, sit down to enjoy it while listening to music by Elgar.

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

2 two-oz eggs = US largebanana
olive oil + garlic blueberries
mushrooms + frozen spinachplain, fat-free yogurt
milk + flour + feta cheeseorange juice OR crushed rhubarb
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional Earl Grey tea

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

salad greens + fresh parsleyparsnips ++ onion
celery + walnut halves + applecarrot ++++ garlic ++++ sesame oil
hardboiled egg + cooked lambbrown rice ++++ turkey/chicken/pork
Horseradish dressingJapanese curry sauce 
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Little Christmas Eve

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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.

Swedish Christmas ornament

December 23, two days before Christmas, is crunch time. House guests are being welcomed, festive foods are being prepared, gifts have to be wrapped, and the air is electric with busyness and expectation. In some parts of Scandinavia it is called Little Christmas Eve. It is a day to wind up all the activities and then to catch your breath. Meals are simple, made more so by a large pot of soup simmering on the stove. What — you’re hungry? Help yourself to soup for lunch and dinner, the cook is off duty for meal preparation. In our family, most everything is done by then and we can relax in the evening and enjoy each other’s company. Play games, or watch a holiday movie, or read from A Christmas Carol, by Dickens. It might be the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, so plan to be relaxing at home with a comforting bowl of soup. That’s what Little Christmas Eve is all about.

An easy breakfast to remind us of the Solstice, and then a simple soup for supper. Perfect for late December in the Northern Hemisphere.

Winter Solstice Scramble: 152 calories… 8.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 10.4 g protein… 7.5 g carbs… 45.4 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  There is a classic pizza called “Four Seasons.” In each quadrant of the pizza is a vegetable or meat which represents one of the seasons. We take this idea to breakfast for the Solstice: cured olives represent the departing Autumn, while cured meat stands in for the arriving Winter.

++ 1½ 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. ++++ 1 slice pepperoni [ 2” diameter], chopped ++++ 1 Kalamata olive, chopped ++++ large pinch of Winter Savory ++++ salt ++++ pepper ++++ 2 oz apple or pear ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait ++++   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk the chopped meat, olive, and seasonings with the eggs. Pour into into a lightly-spritzed non-stick saute pan and scramble to your liking. Plate with the pear and pour the beverages. You now have a meal prepared in a short time to usher in the shortest day of the year.

Baked Bean Soup: 285 calories… 3.5 g fat… 8 g fiber… 11.4 g protein… 32 g carbs… 83.4 mg Calcium… — PB GF –  This classic is from Fannie Farmer cookbook and it sure hits the spot. Super easy to prepare. OK, the carb count is high, but look how low the fat is! And baked beans are good for you!  HINT: Serve 2 [two].

1 cup baked beans, canned ++++ 1/8” slice onion, chopped ++++ 1 stalk celery, chopped ++++ ¾ cup canned or stewed tomatoes ++++ 1½ cup brown stock/beef stock ++++ dash hot sauce ++++ salt & pepper ++++  optional garnish: ½ hard boiled egg, sliced ++++ optional garnish: sliced scallion + diced tomato ++++ optional garnish: lemon slices

Simmer beans, onion, celery, and tomatoes in a covered pan for 30 minutes or until celery is soft. Add brown stock, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and heat through. Run it all through the blender or food processer. Serve with a garnish of your choice. Fast, easy, inexpensive, good.

… By Proxy

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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.

Anne de Bretagne

When doing genealogical or historical research about the Middle Ages, one sometimes encounters the term “married by proxy”, along with a date. What does that mean? In the past, marriages were arranged: this duke’s third son will marry that prince’s widowed daughter. They will never have met, let alone courted, and they live in different countries. There was no thought of the groom’s family traveling to the bride’s town for a wedding, and there certainly weren’t any ‘destination weddings’. So a delegation from one family is sent to the other family to get all the contracts signed [this was a business merger, not a love match] and to ‘marry’ by proxy. The Legal Dictionary defines a proxy as one who has the authority to act for another person. A ceremony would be held, officiated by the local churchman, and a representative of the absent party would stand in for the missing member of the wedding — he/she was the proxy. Then, after this sham marriage, they would have a sham wedding night. The real bride and the fake groom [or vice versa] would get into bed — fully clothed, of course, and with witnesses. If their legs touched, that was enough to declare the marriage to be consummated and legitimate. This sounds far-fetched, but it really happened — many times. Henry IV to Joanna of Navarre, in April 2, 1402. Lorenzo de’Medici to Clarice Orsini, in 1469. Anne de Bretagne married  Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, December 19, 1490. Catherine of Aragon to Prince Arthur, in 1501. Margaret Tudor to James IV, in 1503. Mary Tudor, Queen of France, to Louis XII, in 1514. The practice dates from Roman times, and was written into Canon Law in 1215 CE. When the Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholics, they took proxy marriage with them, and the newly-formed United States continued the practice in to the 1900s. Proxy marriages fell into official disfavor after World War II, and today, only five US states allow proxy weddings.

Our meals today represent dissimilar pairs that have been ‘married’ in the kitchen. A Reuben on a matzo? Why not. A Salisbury Steak made of bison meat? Sure. Not marriages of convenience, but of inspiration.

Reuben Matzo Egg: 168 calories… 10 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 14 g protein… 18.6 g carbs… 54 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverages. —  PB —  The flavors of a Reuben but Kosher for Passover! What’s not to love? Delicious, filling breakfast. The original recipe is from Kosher in the Kitch.

++ 1½ 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. ++++ ½ matzo cracker [14 g], like Streit’s brand ++++ ¼ oz corned beef, sliced thinly and minced ++++ 2 Tbsp sauerkraut [drained] ++++ 1.5 tsp Russian Dressing** ++++ freshly- ground black pepper ++++ Optional: black coffee with 1 tsp sugar [16 calories] or blackish tea ++++  Optional: 4 oz Kosher orange juice [56 calories] ++

Whisk the eggs vigorously, then stir in most of the corned beef and sauerkraut. Pour into a non-stick pan which was spritzed with olive oil. Scramble until done to your preference. Carefully break your half of the matzo in two or three pieces. Spread most of the Russian Dressing on the matzo crackers, then top with the eggs. Garnish with remaining corned beef, a dollop of the Dressing, and black pepper.  Delish.

Bison ‘Salisbury Steak’: 260 calories Rather than my telling you what to eat with your Salisbury Steak, I’ll give you options. Use any good veg from your ‘fridge, garden or freezer.

one 4-oz bison burger = 124 calories… 2 g fat… 0 g fiber… 25 g protein… 0 g carb ++++ ½ oz mushrooms = 8 calories… 0 g fat… 0.5 g fiber… 0 g protein… 2 g carb ++++ 1 tsp curried catsup = 8 calories… 0 g fat… 0 g fiber… 0 protein… 2 g carbs…

Side vegetables: your choice to total up to 120 calories — 2 oz cooked beets: 24 calories… 0 g fat… 1.6 g fiber… 1 g protein… 5.4 g carbs… 5.4 mg Calcium……….. 2 oz carrots: 23 calories… 0.1 g fat… 1.6 g fiber… 0.6 g protein… 5.4 g carbs… 18.4 g Calcium…………. 1/3 c. baked beans: 79 calories… 0 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 4 g protein… 18 g carbs… 29 mg Calcium……….. 2 oz broccoli: 20 calories… 0 g fat… 1.4 g fiber… 1.6 g protein… 4 g carbs… 26 mg Calcium………. 2 oz green beans… 18 calories… 0 g fat… 2 g fiber… 1 g protein… 4 g carbs… 21 mg Calcium………. 2 oz peas: 44 calories… 0 g fat … 3 g fiber… 8 g protein… 8 g carbs… 13.6 mg Calcium…

Sprinkle a small, hot skillet with some Kosher salt. Put the burger on the salt and turn down the heat to medium-low. Cook one 4 oz bison burger on one side for about 3 minutes. Flip it and cook until done as well as you’d like. Put on a plate to stay warm.  Topping: Add some water to the pan and stir/ cook the mushrooms until soft. Meanwhile prepare your vegetables. To serve, put the ketchup on the burger, top with mushrooms. Arrange those colorful sides on the plate and get ready for some good American eating.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs = US large1 two-oz egg  + pear or apple
pepperonione 50-calorie chicken breakfast sausage
black oliveswhite whole wheat flour + non-fat milk
winter savory + apple or pearhigh gluten flour
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

baked beans + onionleft-over roasted beef
celery + canned/stewed tomatoespickled beets
brown stock + hot saucesourdough rye or wheat bread
optional: boiled egg/scallion/tomato/lemoncornichons/pickles + Dijon mustard
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Carol of the Bells

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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.

Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych wrote a piece of music in 1914, based on a Ukrainian folk song. He called it “The Little Swallow”, and the tune was sung in April, which was Ukraine’s New Year’s Day. Leontovych was a prolific composer who loved to put folk music into new settings for choral groups. In the song “Shchedryk“, a swallow flys into a house to sing about the bounty of the coming new year. In 1922, the year after Leontovych was murdered by an agent of the Soviet government, the Ukrainian National Chorus performed the song at Carnegie Hall in a fund-raising concert. Ukraine had recently gained its independence from the Soviet Union, and the Chorus was sent on tour to build goodwill for the new state and to raise much-needed revenue. The song was an instant success. Then Peter J. Wilhousky, a Ukrainian-American composer, put new words to the music in the 1930s. He called it “Carol of the Bells“, because the tune made him think of handbell music, and he made the words about Christmas. And then it really took off! Now people think that this is a traditional old Ukrainian Christmas carol, but that is not correct, as the original piece was never intended for Christmas. The first eight bars of notes are indeed from the folk song, but that isn’t about Christmas either. Despite all of this, it is a wonderful piece of choral music. If you love to hear it during the Christmas season, think of Ukraine and lobby your government to support the country in its fight for freedom.

Our meals are traditional foods from Ukraine.

Banush: 203 calories… 3 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 7 g protein… 35 g carbs… 91.5 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage. – PB GF – This porridge is popular in Ukraine, Romainia, and Georgia: anywhere sheep are raised and feta cheese is made. Tradition says that only the shepherds [menfolk] are permitted to perpare it… Fine. My menfolk can pitch in with the cooking anytime! Some of the ingredients in the original recipe are unavailable to most of us, so I substituted plain yogurt to get the sour flavor which is charactaristic. The pear could be swapped for apple, and if you wish, the fruit could be diced and added to the porrige as a garnish.

++ ¼ c polenta/ yellow cornmeal/ yellow grits ++++ ½ c water ++++ ¼ c plain yogurt ++++ garnish: ¼ oz feta cheese, diced ++++ ½ slice bacon, cooked and crumbled ++++ 1 oz pear or apple ++++  Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++ 

Heat the water to near boiling and stir in the polenta. Cook slowly while stirring. After the water has been absorbed by the polenta [about 15 minutes?], add the yogurt and continue to stir until the mixture is stifer. Polenta should be cooked but the consistancy should not be too stiff. Pour into a bowl and top with the cheese and bacon. Serve with the pear.

Ukranian Omelette: 276 calories… 8.6 g fat… 6.5 g fiber… 23.4 g protein… 28.4 g carbs… 121 mg Calcium…  — PB —  This dinner is based on a popular breakfast of Ukraine. With the addition of a vegetable and cooked wheat berries [Ukraine produces 4% of the world’s wheat], this makes for a fine and filling dinner.

++ 1½ 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. ++++ ¼ cup cottage cheese, reduced fat ++++ 2 Tbsp sliced mushrooms ++++ 2 Tbsp chives/scallions, minced ++++ 4 oz asparagus ++++ 1 oz wheat berries, cooked ++

8 hours before: Rinse the wheat berries and soak in water to cover.  40 minutes before: Drain the wheat berries and cook them in boiling, salted water. 15 minutes before: Put the asparagus on to cook. Warm the mushrooms in a small saute pan, add the cottage cheese then stir in the chives/scallions. Heat briefly, cover and take off heat. Spritz a non-stick pan with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. Tip the pan and lift the edge of the cooking eggs to permit uncooked egg to run underneath. When the bottom of the eggs is cooked and the top is mostly set, spoon the cheese-mushroon-chive mixture across the lower third of the eggs. Starting closest to you, roll the eggs around the cheese filling and continue until you run out of egg. Plate with the wheat berries and asparagus.