Diet recipes that work

Johanna Spyri

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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.

Johanna  Heusser Spyri was the author who introduced Heidi to the world. The author grew up in a prosperous, literary family near Zurich, Switzerland, and married a school chum. He heard the stories that she invented to entertain their son and encouraged her to write them down. Her first work was a short story of domestic abuse, printed in 1880 — a long way from Heidi, published in 1881. The book tells of an orphan girl [a very popular theme in the 1800s] who is left to live with her hermit grandfather on the side of an alp. The story of her idyllic life amid the flowering meadows and the capering goats struck a real chord with readers, for the book was an instant success. I remember being charmed particularly by a dinner of melted cheese on toasted bread, served to Heidi by the Alm Uncle, her grandfather. In the midst of Spyri’s success, her husband and son died three years later. Spyri continued to write, although nothing earned the raves or income from her first book. Johanna contributed much of her money to charities. Spyri is considered a national figure in Switzerland and Heidi has joined the pantheon of beloved children in literature.

Ordinarily, we would not serve two egg dishes in one day, but the goal was to highlight these meals. Raclette is a wonderful cheese for melting — you will enjoy it if you can find it. The dinner omelette is a real treat and features Switzerland’s own Gruyere cheese.

Raclette Bake: 146 calories 8 oz fat 1.4 g fiber 10 g protein 9 g carbs 134 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF Raclette is a cheese from the Swiss/French Alps which is melted to make the eponymous dish of the region, presented with bread or potatoes. Here it is used to give a wonderful flavor to baked eggs. Wow.

one 2-oz egg ¼ slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread 1/3 oz raclette cheese, grated ¼ cup blueberries  Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Toast the bread and cut into cubes. Put the bread in a lightly-spritzed ramekin. Whisk the egg with the cheese, salt, and pepper and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Pour the beverages, portion the berries, and think about the Alps.

Souffle Omelette: 310 calories 16.5 g fat 2.5 g fiber 20 g protein 19 g carbs 222.5 mg Calcium PB GF SeriousEats provided the basic recipe, which I turned into a meal for two, with two sides. Delicious! HINT: Serves 2 [two] people. The calories are a tad high, but pair it with a 280-calorie breakfast and all will be well.

4 yolks from 2-oz eggs
pinch salt + black pepper		Beat egg yolks along with a generous pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper until well mixed.
4 whites from 2-oz eggsIn separate large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until firm, glossy peaks form.
Add half beaten egg whites to yolks and stir well until whites are thoroughly combined and soufflé base has a looser consistency.
½ oz grated Gruyere
2 Tbsp Minced fresh chives		Mix in cheese and chives. Add rest of whites, and gently fold into the soufflé base just until well combined.
Smear butter +PAMSmear butter in pan on medium heat. Scrape mixture into pan and spread into a smooth, even circle. Cover and cook until top is barely set. 
½ oz grated GruyereScatter cheese on top, cover until cheese starts to melt, ~1 min. 
Side Salad 1 oz sour-dough rye breadCarefully slide omelette from pan onto a warm serving plate, folding it over itself. Serve now.

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

1 two-oz egg + fish sauce1 two-oz egg  + garlic
garlic + scallionsscallion + mushroom
cooked spinachchicken liver pate + parsley
apple + sriracha3%-fat ham + strawberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

shrimp + carrot + scallionbroccoli + cherry tomatoes
soy sauce + cabbagechicken breast meat OR ham
spring roll wrappers3 galettes/crepes
olive oil + broccoliBechamel sauce with cheese
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Saint Ulric

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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.

Ulric was born in Kyburg [now in Switzerland] to a well-connected noble family in the year 890. He was ill as a child and was given [yes: literally given, as a gift] to a local religious house. There he was educated, proving himself to be an apt pupil. There he was also fed a diet of whole grains, vegetables, and no meat, which he thought were key to his improved health. Through family influence, Ulrich was appointed to be the Bishop of Augsburg, Bavaria [now part of Germany]. He saw his role as being a cheer-leader for the clergy, while setting an example of self-deprivation and poverty. Ulrich was also a builder of churches, repairing those damaged in wars and raising new ones so that the poor could attend more easily. His austerity was legendary: fasting often, sleeping but little, eschewing the trappings of a Prince of the Church. Ulrich’s icon is a fish. Once, while on a visit with a fellow cleric, the two men talked so far into the night that they did not eat the picnic meal that the other provided. They finally opened the basket the next day, a Friday — which was supposed to be meat-free. To their amazement, the meat [not to eat on Friday] which had been packed had turned into a fish [OK to eat on Friday]. Other legends about Ulric abound: a pregnant woman who drank from his chalice had an easy birth; earth from his grave deters mice; a touch of his staff cures rabies. At the battle of Lechfeld [near Augsburg] against the Magyars in 955, when Ulric rode unarmed into the battle to rally the troops, an angel handed him a cross which protected him. At the time of his death on July 4, 973, holy people were declared to be saints by popular opinion or by local bishops. Ulrich was the first to be named a saint by a pope, only 20 years after his death. NB: he was an ardent faster, but I do not recommend the levels to which he took it. Ulrich was dizzy and weak so frequently, that he is the Patron Saint of those with vertigo. No doubt, he should have eaten more.

For Saint Ulrich’s country of birth, a Swiss pancake breakfast. [Ulrich would have given the sausage to a poor person at his table, but you may eat it.] For dinner, a plate of fish — of course.

Cholermüs: 211 calories 14 g fat 4.3 g fiber 18 g protein 40 g carbs 380 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB  A Swiss pancake topped with fruit is a wonderful breakfast. Can be prepared ahead for a quick and special morning meal.  NB: above food values are for a 35 calorie sausage. The photo shows a 60 calorie sausage. You decide.

Sv 1 = 1 pancake6” nonstick skillet with lid**
1 two-oz egg pinch salt
¼ c fat-free milk ¼ c cottage cheese, 2%-fat
3 Tbsp white whole wheat flour 1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp canola oil		Combine these with an electric mixer or food processor until smooth.
Smear of Butter
cooking spray		Smear butter in skillet, spray with oil and heat pan to medium. Pour in batter, cover and cook until top sets. Flip and cook other side until lightly browned. The pancakes are fragile, so handle carefully.
½ c Strawberries
½ tsp butter
1 tsp maple syrup		Slice fruit and combine with other ingredients in a small pan. Heat over medium until fruit is cooked through. OR Microwave in a glass jar in short increments until berries are softened. OR Heat syrup and butter together. Put raw berries on the pancake and drizzle with syrup-butter
Put one pancake on serving dish. Top with fruit. 
1 chicken breakfast sausage mocha cafe au laitCook breakfast sausage [35-60 calories] to serve along side. Mocha cafe au lait is a perfect beverage

Pan-Fried Smelts: 276 calories 9 g fat 4 g fiber 33 g protein 14 g carb 120.6 mg Calcium  PB GF— if using GF bread  When Spring is near, the smelts swim up the rivers and into my frying pan!

5 oz smelts, trimmed & boned 1 egg white ½ slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread, ground to crumbs salt, pepper, thyme 1 tsp olive oil   your choice of sides to total 45-50 calories: 2 oz cooked beets OR ¼ cup pickled beets OR 2 oz broccoli OR 2 oz snow peas OR 2 oz green beans

Trim tails and fins from the fish and remove the backbones. Whisk the egg white until frothy. Mix the seasonings with the bread crumbs. Dip the fish in the egg whites, then in the bread crumbs. ‘Pan fry’ in oil in a non-stick skillet until lightly browned and cooked through. Prepare your vegetables and season to taste. Plate it all and enjoy the bounty of Spring. Looks and tastes like a lot of calories.

Viking Tales: Aude the Profound

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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.

Since Vikings have invaded our popular culture, with varying degrees of accuracy in the stories that are told, I thought I would share my research into the subject. When I found out that my mother’s distant French ancestors were Vikings, I wanted to get into their stories. Happily the sagas are very useful for Viking Tales. Some say that the sagas are full of mythopoeicism, while some authors vouch for their accuracy.

The Norse Vikings produced many memorable people with memorable names, and one of the more famous is Auður, the Deep-Minded, also known as Aude the Profound. The Vikings were fond of giving epithets to each other, some in praise [‘the Fair Haired’], others in derision [‘the Fart;’ ‘the Noisy’.] Was Aude philosophical? Was she well-read? Was she able to solve thorny problems? We don’t know, but we do know her life story – which is not as portrayed on “Vikings.” She was born in 830 CE in Romsdahl, Norway. Her father, Kettil ‘flatnefur’ [‘flat-nose’] Bjarnarson, was a companion of Harald Fairhair until Harald gave him the administration of the Hebrides Islands. Kettil decided that he wanted to be ruler there instead, and claimed the islands as his own. Olaf ‘the White’, Viking king of Dublin, Ireland, married Aude. His goal was to make an alliance with the northern Vikings to protect Dublin from attacks. It didn’t work and and Olaf angrily sent his wife and their infant son back to the Hebrides. The boy, Þorsteinn rauð [Thorstein ‘the Red’] grew up on the islands and married before having to flee to northern Scotland with his mother and his wife. Aude became the grandmother of seven as her son decided to go off to conquer Scotland. The Scots were against that and in 891 CE, Thorstein was killed in battle. Aude, now the matriarch of a large group of dependants, without the protection of a father, husband, or son, decides to leave. In secret, she commissions a boat to be built in the forest. With the family in tow, she captains the boat to the Orkney Islands. There, her grand-daughter Groa is married to the local leader, jarl Rognvald ‘the Wise’. Next, it is off to the Faroe Islands, where another grand-daughter finds a mate. Then to Iceland where her three siblings live. Aude settles on the west coast, claiming a large tract of land on Hvammsfijordur. She freed her enslaved people, giving them and all of her sailing companions land for farms of their own. As one of the first practicing Christians in Iceland, Aude had crosses set up on a hill [still called Krosshólar] as a place of prayer. Around 921 CE, old Aude called the family together for a feast. She dispensed advice and named her heir. Leaving the party with dignity and a firm step, although somewhat early, Aude retired to bed. The next morning, she was found dead, sitting up amid her pillows. At her request, she was buried in the sand on the beach because she “wanted the waves to wash over her grave.” Thus ended the tale of a strong, courageous, deep-minded woman who was my [very distant] ancestor.

Since Aude lived for some years in Scotland, it seems appropriate to eat some haggis at breakfast. In all the places she lived, salmon would have been a popular food. We will have a very Scandinavian meal with salmon for dinner.

Haggis ScrOmelette: 172 calories 9 g fat 1 g fiber 13 g protein 9 g carbs 50 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. GF  Haggis could be described as a Scottish lamb sausage. Some of the variety meats in the original recipe are not available, so this is a simplified version.

Three 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1½ eggs per person 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.  1½ Tbsp haggis  2 oz applesauce, unsweetened OR 2 oz pear  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]

Spritz a non-stick pan with olive oil or non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with the haggis, and salt & pepper to taste. Scramble or cook as an omelette in the pan. Plate with the applesauce and pour the optional beverage. A gateway to Scottish cuisine.

Smorrebrot with Salmon: 257 calories 8 g fat 3 g fiber 14 g protein 28.6 g carbs [~15 g Complex] 48 mg Calcium   PB  A classic summer sandwich from Scandinavia: a delicious meal without heating the kitchen.

1 slice [1½ oz] sourdough rye bread @ 110 calories [the bread should be dense, not fluffy] 1 Tbsp whipped cream cheese 2-4 large leaves of fresh spinach 1½ oz thinly-sliced tomato, slice and salt about 30 minutes earlier for best taste 1 or 1½ oz smoked salmon [you have some calorie wiggle-room] ½ hard-boiled egg, sliced 1-2 oz strawberry

Spread the bread with the cream cheese and lay the spinach leaves on top. Place the tomato slices atop that. For the next layer, put down the salmon, topped by the egg slices. Plate with the berries and enjoy a hot Summer night meal.

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

1 two-oz egg + canola oil1 two-oz eggs 
skimmed milk + 2%-fat cottage cheeseraclette cheese
white whole wheat flour + butter70-calorie whole grain bread
strawberries + maple syrup blueberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

5 oz smelts + egg white2 two-oz eggs
70-calorie whole-grain breadGruyere cheese + chives
thyme + olive oilSide Salad
choice of vegetables as sidessour-dough rye bread
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Seven Sleepers

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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.

Around 250 CE, the Roman Emperor Decius visited Ephesus [now in Turkiye] to crack down on Christianity. He interviewed seven young men about their beliefs and, finding them to be recalcitrant, he gave them a couple of days to recant. Rather than face the Emperor again, the men retreated to a cave to hide from him. Once there, they fell into a deep and lasting sleep. Either the vengeful Emperor walled up the entrance or a rock-fall blocked it, the seven men were walled up inside. 200 years [or was it 10?] later, the men woke up, thinking that they had slept only through the night. They left the cave and were amazed to find that the world had changed and that Christianity was widely accepted. The local bishop heard their story and believed it. It came just in time to settle a theological dispute as to whether or not one could rise from the dead. The men later died of natural causes and were buried in their cave. Some legends says that their remains were later taken to Marseille, France. No one knows exactly, but their story lived on and became widespread. Versions of it are told by Western and Eastern Christians and also by the Muslims. Several caves are said to be the site of the miracle sleep: in Turkiye and in Jordan.

The legend of the Seven Sleepers begins in the Eastern Mediterranean and ends in the Western area of that sea. Our breakfast is from the Levant, our dinner from the southern coast of France. Don’t be a ‘seven-sleeper’ and miss breakfast — in some European countries that is the name given to someone who oversleeps. June 27 is the Feast of the Seven Sleepers.

Felafel Bake: 142 calories 6.4 g fat 2.5 g fiber 8.5 g protein 41.4 g carbs 44.4 mg Calcium  NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages.  PB GF Here we use felafel patties which we prepared and froze earlier. Great time-saver!  Good felafel is amazing in eggs!

1 two-oz egg 1½ uncooked felafel patties, thawed 1 Tbsp tomato puree or crushed tomatoes  ¼ c blueberries or 1 oz pear Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and set the toaster oven to 350 F. Whisk together the felafel and the tomato until well blended. Whisk the egg into the felafel and turn into the ramekin. Bake about 15 minutes while you portion the berries and prepare the beverages. What a simple, delicious breakfast.

Chicken Ratatouille Galette :  267 calories 7.6 g fat 5 g fiber 24 g protein 38 g carbs 321 mg Calcium  PB  Galettes/Crepes are wonderful to have on hand for use with a variety of fillings. If you had the galettes/crepes and the filling previously-made, then the meal goes together in no time.

2 buckwheat crepes [galettes]  1.5 oz chicken breast ½ cup Mediterranean Vegetables  1 Tbsp goat cheese 1 oz mozzerella cheese herbes de Provence OR tarragon 

If making crepes/galettes from scratch now: prepare the batter and let stand 30+ minutes. If using frozen crepes, put them in a plastic bag on the counter and let them thaw. Turn on the oven to 250 F. Cut or shred the chicken into small pieces. Put into pan with the Med.Veg. and heat to warm the vegetables, to reduce the liquids, and to cook the chicken. Take off heat. Prepare the crepes/galettes: either cook them now from batter or finish the thawing process by putting them in a warm oven. Add cheeses to mixture in the pan, and stir to combine. Toss in lots of herbes de Province or fresh herbs and taste for seasoning. Arrange the crepes/galettes on a cookie sheet and divide the filling among them. Fold over, pressing down gently. Heat in the warm oven.

Action of Faial

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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.

In 1594, Spain ruled the Netherlands and England didn’t like it. This was tied up in the Wars of Religion which resulted from the Protestant Reformation. France was trying not to get involved and Portugal was allied with Spain. Spain was angry with England because England had re-established Protestantism and executed Mary Queen of Scots, a Catholic. England was angry with Spain because Spain was suppressing the Protestants in the Netherlands. Furthermore, each nation wanted to be the dominant world power, on the land and the sea. Years of saber-rattling, clandestine aid to partisans, piracy and privateering came to a head in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, at the Azores. Three English ships met up with one of the largest ships of the Portuguese fleet, the 2000 tonne, 32-gun ‘carrack‘ called Cinco Chagas. Bad weather, low food supplies, and disease had weakened the ability of the of the Portuguese crew to fight, but they out-gunned and out-numbered the English ships. In the waters off the Island of Faial, the four ships met. First, cannon volleys. Then three attempts to board the Cinco Chagas — all repulsed. At last, the English succeeded at boarding the ship, to be faced with fierce hand-to-hand combat. Somehow, the rigging of the carrack caught fire, soon out of control as British snipers prevented fire-fighting. Many Portuguese took to life boats, to be killed like sitting ducks by the English. When the fire reached the powder stores, she blew up, killing 100s of Portuguese and many English. The English salvaged everything they could, amounting to $15-20 billion of silver and gems, and returned home. 600 Portuguese were killed, 60 English were killed or wounded. In the scheme of things, was it worth it? Today, the Azores rise from the sea in isolated splendor: beautiful, peaceful, and fertile.

Azores flavors abound in our menu: from the cheese and hot sauce at breakfast, to the fish and limpets at dinner. Azorean cuisine has evolved over the years, as trade agreements were signed and battles were won and lost. The bounty of the sea and land combined on your plate.

Azorean Queso Egg:  158 calories 8.5 g fat 1 g fiber 10 g protein 10.4 g carbs [9 g Complex] 71 mg Calcium  NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF  Two of the favorite flavors of the Azores combine for this egg dish, and the passionfruit completes the triad.

1 two-oz egg 1.5 tsp Queso Fresco  1 tsp Chorizo Pate  1½ tsp Pimenta do Quejio sauce  2 oz pineapple -OR- ¼ cup blueberries -OR- 1.5 oz banana  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Cream the cheese, chorizo pate, and Pimenta sauce until smooth. Whisk in the egg, then bake in an oven-proof dish or cook in a saute pan. Slice the fruit and sip some Brazilian coffee for a delicious meal. Pass the Pimenta Sauce!

Grouper Grilled with Limpets: 271 calories 5.6 g. fat 3.3 g fiber 40 g protein 18 g carbs 26.4 mg Calcium  PB GF  Grouper is a popular sportfish in the Atlantic Ocean, from the warm Caribbean to the cooler waters of the Azores. Paired with garlic-grilled limpets and a vegetable medley, this is a meal you might find in many Azorean restaurants.

4 oz grouper or cod filet 4 limpets 1 tsp butter 1 large clove garlic 1 oz sweet potato slices 1.5 oz broccoli florets 1.5 oz carrots salt & pepper

Cut the garlic clove in half. Rub the fish on both sides with garlic, to flavor it. Press the garlic and divide into four equal portions. Cut the butter into 4 equal pieces. Put one portion of butter and one portion of garlic in each limpet. Spritz the fish on both sides with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil. Put the vegetables on to cook in simmering water. On a grill, put the grouper and cook on one side for 4 minutes. Turn the fish and arrange the limpets on the grill, putting the shells right on the grid. Cook fish and limpets 4-5 minutes longer, until the garlic butter is sizzling and the fish is done. Plate with salted, cooked veggies for a colorful plate. 

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

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
tomato puree or crushed tomatoesapplesauce or pear
1.5 falafel patty [make in advance] 1.5 Tbsp haggis [make in advance]
blueberries or melon
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

2 buckwheat crepes/galettes sourdough rye bread + fresh spinach
Mediterranean Vegetables  + mozzarellawhipped cream cheese + smoked salmon
chèvre cheese + chicken breasttomato + hard-boiled egg
Herbes de Provence or fresh herbsstrawberries
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Battle at Chalons

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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 Simply Splendid Food who is now Following.

In 450 CE, the Roman Empire was in trouble. Borders were being tested by various Germanic tribes called Goths. Ostrogoths, Visigoths — both groups mingled with the Romans along the Rhine River. Then came the Huns from the East, plundering and sacking as they advanced. This changed the equation, especially in 440 CE when Attila became leader of the Huns. Attila, though a skilled warrior, was not interested in conquest. To ensure the loyalty of his men, they needed loot from the lands they invaded. Afterward, they would return to modern-day Hungary until they wanted to raid again. As the Huns advanced, Goths were pushed further West, into Roman lands. In 451, Attila lead his Huns across the Rhine. Entering France, the Huns sacked Tournai, Amiens, and Beauvais. Legend has it that Saint Genevieve was instrumental in averting an attack on Paris. About to enter Orleans, the Huns desisted and headed northeast toward Champagne. The Roman army, assisted by the Visagoths, were hot on their trail and the armies met near Chalons. Despite his seers telling him that the outlook was not good, Attila planned an attack. On June 20, the Romans took the high ground, broke Attila’s line, and sent his troops to flight. The Visagoth leader died, and his son was proclaimed king. The next day, the Visagoths left to their home territory to crown their new leader, Attila and his army marched East to return home, and the Romans breathed a sigh of relief. The balance of power was restored; the Huns were repulsed; Attila could be defeated. Little did anyone know that this was the last victory of the Roman Empire in Europe. Historians claim that Chalons was important as the high-water-mark of the Hunnic invasion, but the victory did not signify much. The Huns wanted loot, not land. Two years later, Attila was dead and his heirs were in disarray. The Germanic tribes became stronger and the Roman empire became weaker. Chalons marked a turning point in European history, just not the one most people thought it was.

Since the invading Huns’ westward push was stopped in France, She gets the honor of providing our menus. Our breakfast is from the central coast, on the Bay of Biscay. The dinner is from France’s southern coast, the Mediterranean.

Leek & Bacon Bake: 153 calories 7 g fat 1 g fiber 8 g protein 14.5 g carbs 87 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF  Once you make this, you will want to repeat it.

One 2-oz egg ¼ cup Leek & Bacon Filling**  1½ oz applesauce, unsweetened  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water dish. 

** LEEK & BACON FILLING: makes ~1½ cups 2 oz American/streaky bacon 3 cups sliced leeks 1 clove garlic ¼ cup Gruyere cheese, shredded 2 tsp mayonnaise/plain yogurt  Saute the bacon in a large skillet, remove and slice into strips. Saute leeks and garlic in the bacon fat until limp. Off heat, stir Gruyere and yogurt/mayo into the mixture.

Combine the egg with the bacon filling. Pour into an oil-spritzed baking dish. Bake at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes. Portion the applesauce and pour the beverages. Umm-umm. And very simple too.

Salade Nicoise: 283 calories 16 g fat 3 g fiber 22.5 g protein 13 g carbs 198 mg Calcium  PB GF A Salade Nicoise is a real treat. Guests might be impressed, but you know that it is very easy to prepare. HINT: If you plan ahead a bit, this meal goes together in minutes. A few days before, eat a meal of baked or grilled salmon, served with green beans. Prepare 3 oz more salmon than you’ll need for that meal and save it for this meal. Also cook an extra bit of green beans and save them in the ‘fridge. TIP: If you won’t need the salmon for a week or more, cooked salmon freezes well. Just leave enough time to thaw it thoroughly. 

3 leaves of romaine, medium-sized 3 oz cooked salmon 3 oz green beans, cooked and cooled 2 black olives, pitted, halved ½ hard-boiled egg, quartered 5 cherry tomatoes 1 radish, sliced DRESSING: 1 tsp white wine vinegar + 1.5 tsp olive oil

Whisk the oil and vinegar in a wide shallow bowl. Add the beans and turn them to coat with dressing. Remove beans to another plate. Coarsely slice the lettuce and toss with dressing. Place the salmon in the center of the salad. Surround it with the remaining ingredients. A wonderful meal in no time flat.

World War I — 1740-1763

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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.

Those of us who are history-challenged tend to think of wars as unique events. In the last century, there were two ‘world wars’ which were named ‘One’ and ‘Two’ as if no other wars had happened before them. In 1754, a war began that involved many nations and that had battle sites all over the world. In the USA, we call it the “French & Indian War” — not because they were fighting each other, but because ‘we’, as English citizens, were fighting them. In reality, England and France were fighting for control of all of North America. In Europe, France was allied with Austria, and Sweden against Prussia and they called it the “Seven-Years War” which was a continuation of the “War of the Austrian Succession.” Fighting took place all over — in Canada; in America; battles on the sea; in India; in Germany; in Bohemia; in the Caribbean — making it a ‘world war’ indeed. This war certainly did not end war — it set the stage for the American Revolution 20 years later. On June 16, 1745, a rag-tag group of New Englanders and British forces were attacking the Fortress of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia. By hauling cannon overland, through bog and forest, they took the fortress from the unprotected land side, defeating the French — for the moment.

Since this war took place around the entire globe, a breakfast from India — not the Indians of the ‘French & Indian War.’ Dinner involves a meal with ingredients from France and England.

Tikka Masala ScrOmelette w/ Salmon: 149 calories 9 g fat 0 g fiber 12 g protein 5.6 g carbs 48 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Had a little Tikka Masala sauce [from a jar], and since we love the combo of curry in eggs, this was a sure thing. Ordinarily, we enjoy fruit with the eggs in the morning, but a curry dish is well complimented by a cool cucumber raita.

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 Tbsp Tikka Masala sauce @ 20 calories/tablespoon 2 Tbsp/1 Fluid oz plain, fat-free yogurt pinch of garlic powder pinch of ground cumin 1/8 c/0.52 oz diced cucumber ½ oz tomato, chopped 1/8 oz cooked salmon   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz Berry Lassi [89 calories] or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Stir together the yogurt, cucumber, and spices, and let sit while you prepare the eggs. Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray, and add the tomato and salmon. Warm them while you whisk the eggs with the Tikka sauce. Pour the eggs into the pan and cook to your liking. Remove eggs to the plate, fold, and top with the raita. Prepare optional beverages. This is a recipe to do again.

Pear & Bleu Cheese Salad: 277 calories 18 g fat 5 g fiber 17 g protein 22 g carbs 215 mg Calcium   PB GF  Such a delightful melange of flavors! This is one of our favorite salad meals. If walnuts disagree with you, try pecans or hazelnuts.

2½ cups mesclun [baby greens] 2 oz pear, sliced 1 oz bleu cheese, crumbled 1½ oz tomato, cubed or cherry-type ¼ oz walnuts 1 oz cannelli beans, rinsed and drained 1 tsp olive oil + ¾ tsp white Balsamic vinegar

Toast the walnuts by putting them in a heavy, dry pan and tossing/stirring over medium-high until the nuts become fragrant slightly browned. Whisk the oil and vinegar in a wide, shallow bowl. Add the white beans and the salad greens along with a pinch of finishing salt. Toss to coat with the dressing. Put into the serving plate and garnish with the remaining ingredients. Amazing.

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

1 two-oz egg + garlic1 two-oz egg + queso fresco 
leek + American streaky baconPimenta sauce
Gruyere cheese + applesaucechorizo paste
plain yogurt/mayonnaisepineapple or banana
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

romaine lettuce + cooked salmon4 oz grouper + cauliflower
green beans + black olives + olive oil4 limpets, 2″ in diameter
white wine vinegar + radishbroccoli + carrots
hard-boiled egg + cherry tomatoesgarlic + butter
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Vikings

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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.

Vikings seem to be popular these days. On Netflix you can choose from several viking titles. Same with Amazon Prime. There are books about vikings. Let’s not forget movies about vikings. Maybe Marvel’s Thor had something to do with it. How accurate are these presentations? Not exactly true to characters and timelines, but then we don’t watch Bridgerton to learn facts about Regency England, do we? The word “viking” refers to a ‘person who is a raider.’ I can’t help seeing a relationship to the Danish/Norse word ‘vik’ which means a bay/river/stream. One advantage that the ‘vikings’ had was that their knarrs [ships] could row or sail far up rivers in shallow water. To “go a-viking” meant to leave Scandinavia on a raiding trip. Why did they do that? In their time, most of the land in Norway and Denmark was already in someone’s possession: many men were Land-Lords, with an estate to feed the family and vassals to pay allegiance to them. This drove others to become Sea-Lords, who lived in coastal manors and derived their income solely from raiding. While the Swedes raided to the East, becoming the Rus, the Norse and Danes raided West, first hitting Lindesfarne, England in 793. After that, the coastal areas of Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, and France were fair game for raids. Not knowing better, the English called the raiders “Danes.” My ancestor, Bernard ‘le Danois,’ was born and raised in More, Norway — yet history calls him a Dane. The Viking Era ended in 1066, when descendants of the Norse, now living in Normandie, sailed across the English Channel in their knarrs and invaded England.

The “Danes” tended to eat only two meals a day, typical of many Europeans of the era. Porridge, vegetable stew, and meat stew were common meals. But we like a more varied diet: eggs for breakfast with a “Danish” slant. Since the Vikings sailed the Mediterranean, we will serve a popular food of that region: felafel for dinner.

Danish ScrOmelette: 140 calories 10.4 g fat 0.5 g fiber 12 g protein 5.6 g carbs [3 g Complex] 242 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  This breakfast is in honor of the “Danes,” as all Vikings were called by the rest of Europe. The taste of the sea, the Danish cheese, the mariner’s star in the apple: all evoke the Northmen.

++ 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 oz Danish bleu cheese ++++ ½ oz herring marinated in wine ++++ 1 oz apple, sliced so you can see the star inside ++++ Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Mince the herring. Crumble the bleu cheese and whisk with the eggs. Hold the apple on its side and slice it so that the star of seeds and core in the middle is revealed. Cut a slice parallel to your cut to end up with a slice that weighs 1 oz. Spray a frying pan with non-stick spray and put the minced herring in the pan. Quickly pour the egg-cheese mixture in the pan. As the egg begins to set around the edges, lift the egg with a fork or spatula and tip the pan so that uncooked egg flows underneath. Continue like that until the bottom is fully cooked and the top is set. [Flip the omelette if you dare, or put it under the broiler if you like your eggs well browned.] Slide the eggs on to the plate next to the apple, pour the beverages.

Felafel with Feta Salad:  285 calories …14 g fat… 7 g fiber… 12.5 g protein… 29 g carbs… 180 mg Calcium…  PB GF  What a healthy plate of food! When you have felafel in the freezer, this meal becomes almost instant.

++ 6 felafel patties ++++1 cups lettuce [I like to slice large leaves cross-wise into ½” strips]  ++++ 2 oz tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or cut in ½” cubes ++++ 1 oz carrots, grated ++++ 1 oz beets cut in large dice ++++ ¾ oz Feta cheese in cubes or large crumbles ++++ ¾ tsp flavored olive oil ++++ ¾ tsp white wine vinegar ++++ salt + pepper to taste ++

Thaw the felafel patties and warm them. If unbaked, heat them in a 400 F. oven for 10-15 minutes. Prepare the vegetables for the salad. Whisk the vinegar and oil, then toss the salad vegetables in the dressing. Top with the felafel and feta crumbles.

Fred Waring

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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.

There was a time, from the 1920s-1940s, that everyone knew who Fred Waring was. Now he is remembered for a small kitchen appliance, if at all. It is a fascinating tale. Fred Waring, born in Tyrone, Pennsylvania in 1900, had been musical all his life. At age 12, he lead the Boy Scout Fife and Drum Corps. In 1917, Fred and his buddies formed a quartet, playing popular music and singing at high school and college dances. The band became larger, the instruments included banjos, and the band set itself apart by playing AND singing at the same time. After three years of studying engineering at Penn State University, Waring left school to pursue music. He was a showman, introducing unusual lighting effects and choreographed dance numbers for the band. At age 23, Waring took the band to more fame and acclaim in California. There they cut a record, the first to feature group singing. Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians went on to success in films, recordings, Broadway, concerts in Europe, a popular radio show in the 1930s, then a television program from 1949 into the 1950s. By this time “The Pennsylvanians” had grown to 55 musicians and a Glee Club of singers. His music was everywhere and everyone knew his music. In 1936, an inventor wormed his way into Waring’s dressing room to tout the ’emulsifying machine’ for which he had a patent but no backers. Waring was interested and suggested some design modifications. After his band members gave demonstrations at department stores, the Waring Blender [originally ‘blendor’] became a popular kitchen and bar accessory. Waring had a lasting influence on music education, leading workshops for school music teachers for decades. Surely his musicality and showmanship has had more influence on modern musical performers than they know.

What better foods for a discussion of Fred Waring than foods prepared in a blender? “The Pennsylvanians” were once all the rage, and now various versions of the ‘Smoothie’ are in vogue. Tough to make one without a trusty Waring Blendor, or some contemporary equivalent.

Berry Lassi: This is a popular drink in India and I am pleased with how easy it is to make at home. You could drink the entire batch for a meal, or serve it three times as a breakfast beverage on the side. PB GF 1 of 1 Serving: 267 calories 2.5 g fat 3 g fiber 18 g protein 42 g carbs 769 mg Calcium 1 of 3 Servings: 89 calories 1 g fat 1 g fiber 6 g protein 14 g carbs 256 mg Calcium

300 ml/1¼ c plain fat-free yogurt 200 ml/ ¾ c almond milk ½ c frozen berry mix, unsweetened 1 tsp sugar

Put everything in a blender and wizz until smooth.

Fruit Smoothie: 88 calories 0 g fat 1 g fiber 1.5 g protein 21 g carbs 15 mg Calcium   PB GF DAIRY-FREE  This beverage has much more going for it than just plain orange juice. HINT: enough for 4 [four] 5-6 oz servings 

2 oz Rhubarb Mush or banana 20 oz/2.5 cups orange juice OR 20 oz/2.5 cups Crushed Rhubarb 2 oz fruit [all one variety or mixed; we like raspberries, strawberries, black currants, blueberries, apples]   HINT: I make the fruits up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver!  

Put the fruit in the blender with 4 oz of the orange or rhubarb juice. Run it on “High” to break up the fruit and make it all smooth. Switch setting to “Low” and add the remaining juice. Run blender to combine the liquids. Save the rest for other mornings.

Green Smoothie: 1 of 1 serving = 231 calories 1.5 g fat 5 g fiber 6 g protein 93 g carbs 93 mg Calcium 1 of 3 servings = 77 calories 0.5 g fat 1.6 g fiber 2 g protein 31 g carb 31 mg Calcium   PB GF DAIRY-FREE  Use this as a beverage with some high protein food [ex: hard-boiled egg] on a Fast Day, at breakfast or dinner. HINT: this makes enough for three 6-oz servings.

2 cups mixed greens – spinach, kale, chard – roughly chopped 2 oz banana, sliced 2 oz berries ½ apple or pear 12 oz tomato juice 10 ice cubes

Put the fruit and greens in the blender and swirl it together on ”high” just long enough to break down the fruit and greens. Set blender to “low,” add the juice and ice cubes. Process until smooth. Put what you don’t drink today into a jar in the ‘fridge. Next time you use it, shake it well. If you think it has become too thick, feel free to thin it with water or Rhubarb Juice or OJ.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs1.5 two-oz eggs + ground cumin
Danish bleu cheeseTikka Masala sauce @ 20 calories/Tablespoon
herring marinated in wine tomato + cooked salmon + garlic powder
applefat-free plain yogurt + cucumber
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

6 felafel pattiessalad greens + pear
2 servings of Side Salad walnuts/pecans + bleu cheese
Tomato + carrot cannelli beans + tomato
beets + feta cheeseolive oil + white balsamic vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Nathan Hale

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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 Garane Ibrahim who is now Following.

On June 6, 1755, the Hale family welcomed the birth of a son in Coventry, Connecticut. No one knew how famous he would become for being put to death in 1776. Young Nathan was well educated and attended Yale University. He became a school teacher and then war was declared between the American Colonies and Great Britain. Hale’s several brothers enlisted right away and saw action in Massachusetts. Nathan signed up at the end of the school year, joining George Washington‘s army as they moved to New York. Following a loss to the British on Long Island, General Washington realized the need for spies in British-held territory, in order to plan for the next attack. Hale volunteered. There was no training, no handed-down wisdom on how to run a covert operation. Spying was not considered ‘gentlemanly,’ so no one knew how to do it well. Nathan Hale did not do spying well at all. His cover story was that he was a school teacher. Complete with the correct clothing [teachers dressed a certain way back then], Hale slipped over to Long Island in September, 1775. He engaged people in conversations easily enough, but he asked questions too aggressively and acted suspiciously. After confiding his goals to a British counter-espionage agent, Hale was arrested after one week on the job. Tried in a military court in Manhattan, he was hanged the next day. Every school child knows his ‘dying words.’ When asked by a sneering British officer if he had any regrets, Hale is supposed to have said, “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” This was a quote from the play “Cato” by J. Addison, which Hale and his friends at Yale knew well. Did he really say those stirring and defiant words? Possibly not. His college buddies kept his memory alive and might have guessed that he might have said something like that. No one really knows, but eyewitnesses say that he went to his death with courage and dignity. The Nathan Hale Homestead, built over the house where he was born, is an historical site. Hale is Connecticut’s official State Hero. Don’t look at any of his statues to know what he looked like — they were all done posthumously, with no likenesses as a model. One of the statues stands on the campus of CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

A man as patriotic as Nathan Hale deserves an all-American [made with corn] patriotic breakfast such as this one. For dinner, a very New England meal.

Cornmeal Stars with Fruit Yogurt: 133 calories 3 g fat 4 g fiber 7.6 g protein 21 g carbs [8 g Complex] 46 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  Cornmeal and stars are SO American, that they fit in with any patriotic meal. Are there stars in your nation’s flag? This one is for you too.

Cornmeal Stars: 1 egg white 1 egg yolk, stirred 1 Tbsp white whole-wheat flour 3 Tbsp yellow cornmeal Whip the egg white to soft peaks. Fold in the yolk, the flour, and the meal. Put your largest [3-4”] star-shaped cookie cutter in the center of a non-stick pan. Spray the pan and the inside of the star with non-stick spray. Spoon some batter into the star, nudging it into the corners. As it starts to cook, loosen the mold from the batter and remove it. Cook the star on one side until starting to brown, then turn carefully to cook the other side. Repeat until batter is all used up. HINT: This can be done a day or so in advance, storing the stars in a plastic bag.

Per serving: 1.5 stars 2 Tbsp fat-free Vanilla yogurt 2 Tbsp blueberries 2 oz strawberries, sliced or diced [If frozen, they will need to be thawed and drained]   Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Plate the stars, slightly overlapping. Dollop the yogurt on top, then strew with fruit.

Crab Cakes: 237 calories 7 g fat 4 g fiber 18.6 g protein 17 g carbs 198 mg Calcium  PB  GF- if using GF bread  Rock and Jonah crabs abound on the coast of New England and they are grand as crab cakes. This recipe is from Todd English’s Olive’s Table cookbook.  Note: this is the full recipe and makes 8 cakes – more than you will eat at one meal. Prepare them all and cook as directed.  HINT: This will provide a few future meals.

½ pound crab meat 2 T [1 fluid oz] plain nonfat yogurt  1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp. chopped green or white onion 1 Tbsp parsley, minced one 2-oz egg 1 tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper 1 slice fresh 70-cal bread, crumbled 4 T. flour 2 tsp oil 5 oz asparagus aioli dressing: 1 tsp low-fat mayonnaise few drops of lemon juice pinch each of tumeric and garlic powder

Gently combine the first eight ingredients in a bowl. Dust a large plate with the flour. Using a ¼ c. measure as a mold, form the crab cakes and turn them out onto the flour. There should be 7-8 cakes. Dust the top of the cakes with some of the flour. Heat a non-stick skillet and add 2 tsp olive oil. Handling them carefully, cook the crab cakes until they are beginning to brown on the top and then turn them to brown on the bottom. Cook the asparagus. Prepare the aioli. Put aioli on crab cakes and asparagus. One Fast Day serving = 1-2 crab cakes. Cool the others, wrap in cling film and freeze. Reheat in a toaster oven, since the cakes will have been previously cooked.