dieting

John Greenleaf Whittier

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

He was a Quaker, a poet, an abolitionist, a novelist, a legislator. And he owned a parrot named Charlie. John Greenleaf Whittier was very much a man of his time. [The curious middle name is said to be a translation of the name of a Huguenot ancestor named ‘vertfeuille’.] He was born into a farming family in Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA in 1807. They were Quakers, living with many relatives in the little house built in 1688 by an ancestor. John was not a healthy child, but he did his best to help out. His parents were poor but they filled the house with affection and stories told around the fire. John’s education was limited to 12 weeks every winter at the village school, but it opened the world to him. One year, the school-master read from the poems of Robert Burns, and John was so entranced that he borrowed the book. After mastering the unusual Scots dialect, Whittier was struck by the mission of poetry: to show ordinary things in a new and different light. If that was poetry, then he wanted to do it. When he was 19 years old, his sister secretly sent one of his poems to a local newspaper, which lead to a contract and a long association with William Lloyd Garrison, the publisher. Finances permitted John to attend one year/2 semesters at Haverhill Academy, and that was it for formal education. He became an editor of one publication after another, always championing the abolition of slavery. As work took him from Boston to Hartford to Philadelphia, Whittier gained many like-minded acquaintances, expanding his influence, but he also gained pro-slavery detractors who threw stones at him and picketed his lectures. His poems concerned the evils of slavery. In the early 1830s, Whittier was into politics, serving as a delegate to the Republican national convention [in those days, Republicans were the anti-slavery party], and in the Massachusetts legislature. Whittier, at Garrison’s urging, joined the Abolitionist Party, a very unpopular move. His Quakerism and its inherent humanism lead him to challenge slavery against the opposition of mainstream religion, colleges, and the law. Whittier was a member of the Electoral College in 1860 and 1864, casting votes for Abraham Lincoln both times. By the end of the Civil War, Whittier was physically and emotionally exhausted. Most of his family had died, and he was living alone in the family home in Amesbury, Massachusetts. So he wrote Snow Bound, a Winter Idyl, a lengthy poem set in the past. It opens with a blizzard that changes everything around a farm family, just as the Civil War had changed life for so many. But the family in the story is not defeated by being snow-bound for three days. They heap wood on the fire, roast chestnuts, and take turns telling stories of long ago. Such homey scenes struck a chord with Americans tired of strife. The poem, sold as a book, made Whittier financially secure for the first time in his life, and gained him universal recognition. Throughout his life, he befriended and encouraged other writers and poets, including Celia Thaxter and Sarah Orne Jewett. He died on September 7, 1892, while visiting cousins for the summer.

Breakfast is made of home-raised and foraged ingredients, typical of subsistence farming. The dinner is typically New England.

Ham & Mushroom ScrOmelette: 151 calories… 8.5 g fat… 2 g fiber… 12 g protein… 5.4 g carbs… 56 mg Calcium…  PB GF  These flavors go together so well that it would be a shame not to enjoy them at breakfast.

Serve 1cast iron or non-stick pan
¾ oz mushrooms, chopped ++++ 1/3 oz ham [from a roast; if you use 3%-fat ham from deli, the fat will be reduced] ++++ Chop ham and mushrooms and stir together. HINT: I did this the night before.
Heat pan, spritz with oil or cooking spray. Add ham/mushroom combo, stir to heat and cook mushrooms, if raw. 
1½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip eggs, pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid. Put in ‘fridge for next week.  ++++ chopped fresh herbs Whisk eggs with herbs, and pour into pan gently to maintain distribution of ham/ mushrooms. 
Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. 
Dish up fruit¼ cup raspberries -OR- 2 oz applesauce -OR- 2 oz pear
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] ++

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

Trim tails and fins from the fish and pull out 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.

Maria Montessori

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Is there a ‘Montessori School’ in your town? There are 5000 such schools in the United States, and 10,763 more worldwide. What is a Montessori School, anyway? Their philosophy is that children want to learn, so let them study the topics that interest them. Thus students are self-motivated, and the teacher is a mentor. Students can learn by doing, by researching, by experimenting. Because children can learn from each other, the classes are multi-age, meaning that a teacher might be responsible for 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds all at once. By working on their own time schedule, students learn time-management, self-reliance, and where their strengths lie. Does this sound like the schools you attended? Probably not. Schools like these are named after their creator, Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori. She was born on August 31, 1870, in Italy. When she was four years old, the family moved to Rome. After 10 years in public school, Maria enrolled in a technical institute with the goal of studying engineering. Her parents urged her to become a teacher, the acceptable job for a woman, but Maria decided to pursue a medical degree. Unheard of! She was refused admittance. So she studied physics at University of Rome, and was then accepted at medical school. During her studies, Montessori worked with children at any asylum and closely observed how their environment negatively affected their behavior. Meanwhile, a love affair with a fellow doctor resulted in the birth of her son, Mario. Dr Montessori was in a bind — if she married, she would have to give up her profession. If she kept her son with her, she would be unable to carry out her work. So her son was left with a family in the countryside, re-entering her life when he was a teenager. Montessori’s work with neurodivergent children lead her to read up on non-traditional educational methods. By 1900, her methods were attracting international attention, and she lectured frequently around Europe. This lead to the opening of her first Casa dei Bambini, a school for children of working-class families, in 1907. The students thrived, progressing faster than children in traditional schools, so more of Dr. Maria’s schools were opened. The rise of fascist governments in the 1930s meant the closing of many of her schools in Europe, but India invited Maria to visit. That trip kept Montessori and her son under house arrest [due to their Italian nationality] during World War II, but they still managed to train 100s of teachers to use the Montessori Method. After the war, Dr. Montessori lived in the Netherlands and continued to lecture, to write, and to promote education for all children until her death in 1952.

Our menus today are based on popular Italian foods, in honor of Maria’s home country.

Turkey Picatta ScrOmelette: 171 calories… 8 g fat… 2 g fiber… 14.5 oz protein… 10 oz carbs… 58.5 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. GF Delicious morning meal, based on a popular, delicious 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. +++ ½ oz turkey breast, cooked or raw +++ 1 tsp capers +++ ½ Tbsp shallots, minced +++ 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese +++ ½ tsp lemon juice +++ 2 oz pear +++  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] ++

Chop the shallot and turkey. Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and stir the shallot-meat until they are cooked. Stir in lemon juice. Whisk the eggs with cottage cheese and capers. Pour into the pan, stirring to mix with the shallots and turkey. Cook to your liking, fold and plate with the fruit. Pour your beverages of choice.

Halibut with Fruit Relish: 182 calories… 5.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 25 g protein… 6.4 g carbs… 82 mg Calcium…  PB GF  Whether you bake or broil or grill the fish, a fruit salsa — such as Rhubarb Agrodolce — makes for a splendid topping.

++ 4 oz halibut filet ++++ 4 spears asparagus OR  side salad = lettuce, carrot, tomato, beets, cucumbers, vinaigrette ++++ 2 Tbsp rhubarb agrodolce ++

Pan sear the fish in a lightly-oiled cast iron skillet 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat. In the meantime, prepare the asparagus or salad. Plate and spoon the fruit relish onto the fish. Believe me, you will eat this fish “with relish.”

Rhubarb Agrodolce:  makes 2 cups.  per fluid ounce [2 Tbsp]: 23 calories… 1 g fat… 0.6 g fiber… 0.3 g protein… 3 g carbs… 27 mg Calcium… From Chef Todd English.

1.5 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced—½ cup onion, chopped—1 pound rhubarb, chopped in ½” diceSpray a non-stick pan with cooking spray. Add the ginger and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the rhubarb and cook for 4-5 minutes.
1 Tbsp butter—¾ cup hard cider—2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar—1 tsp fresh rosemary, choppedAdd each item one at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition. Bring to a low boil and cook until reduced by half – about 10-15 minutes.
1.5 tsp brown sugarAdd sugar and stir to combine.

Bobby Peel & His Men

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

A Group of Peelers, circa 1870. (Photo by Past Pix/SSPL/Getty Images)

What accomplishments make for a good life’s work? Consider this CV: chief secretary of Ireland; Home Secretary; twice Prime Minister of England; the passage of the Factory Act and the Mines Act, regulating work hours — especially for women and children. Such was the political life of Robert Peel, born February 5, 1788, in Lancashire. His father had become rich by owning a cotton mill, and young Robert was sent to the best schools. Peel was elected to Parliament in 1809. While Home Secretary, he oversaw reform of prisons and criminal law. In 1829, Peel made his most noticeable contribution to life in England: he created the Metropolitan Police. This replaced the old system of neighborhood watchmen, called “Hew and Cry”, which did not co-ordinate their work and frequently were corruptible. Peel’s 1000 constables were soon seen all around town in their distinctive uniforms, and people were unsure what to expect. Londoners fondly called them ‘Bobbies’, after their boss, Sir Robert, and when they didn’t like them, called them ‘Peelers’. Peel set out rules of conduct and a chain of command, which won over the populace. Soon, other cities mandated the formation of police forces. Peel understood that for the force to be effective, the people had to trust it, and agree to be governed by it. An observation attributed to Peel states: “The degree of cooperation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity to use physical force.” Law enforcement around the world would do well to follow that advice. It is as appropriate today as it was almost 200 years ago. How could we have ever had “Prime Suspect“, “Midsomer Murders“, or “Inspector Morse” without Robert Peel and his Men?

Our menus are typical of the North of England, the sort of food that Sir Robert might have eaten while he was growing up.

Lancashire Spread: 253 calories… 14 g fat… 4 g fiber… 9.6 g protein… 22.4 g carbs… 233.7 mg Calcium… PB GF — if using GF bread Since Elizabethian times, people in England have been spreading various mixtures on bread. Sometimes meat, later cooked eggs and anchovies. Cheese toasts were favored in Lancashire. This recipe from England’s North is from Elisabeth Aynton’s English Provincial Cooking.

++ 3 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated or purchased as a spread ++++ 2 Tbsp minced onion ++++ 1 slice bacon ++++ 1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread ++ 1 oz pear ++

Cook bacon until crispy, remove from pan to drain, then cut/crumble into bits. Off heat, add onion to bacon drippings and stir until fragrant. Drain through a sieve to remove drippings. Cream the cheese, onion, bacon bits together.  TIP: This can be done the night before and left on the counter at room temperature. Toast bread very lightly. Turn on broiler. Spread bread with cheese mixture. Put under broiler about 3 minutes — watch it carefully, lest it burn. Plate with pear. Awfully good!

“Pickled” Salmon: 279 calories… 9 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 25.5 g protein… 18 g carbs… 34.3 mg Calcium… PB GF In this old recipe, ‘pickled’ means ‘flavored by putting in a marinade’. This is an easy meal to make ahead, as well as being delicious. This recipe from England’s North is from Elisabeth Aynton’s English Provincial Cooking. HINT: This recipe serves three [3].

++ 12 ounces wild salmon +++ ¼ c dry white wine ++++ 3 cloves ++++ 6 peppercorns ++++ ½ tsp salt ++++ ½ Tbsp black currants ++++ ½ tsp mace ++++ ½ tsp ginger powder ++++ per serving: ¼ c cooked pearled barley ++++ 1 oz carrots, diced + 1 oz English peas ++

Put fish in a saucepan or saute pan with the salt and enough cold water to cover it barely. Bring slowly to a boil, then cover and simmer 20 minutes. Carefully lift out fish, and put into a 2”-deep container with a tight cover. Let cool. Add wine, currants, and all the spices to hot water in which the fish was cooked. Stir to mix, let cool. Pour marinade over fish, put lid on container, put container in the ‘fridge for 12-24 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, remove fish from marinade. Strain marinade, plucking out the currants, and cook it down to less than half. Return fish to reduced sauce, slowly heat, simmering, until heated through. Serve topped with a bit of sauce and the currents, along with the barley and vegetables.

Cookbooks: Mrs Beeton

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Dear Husband and I have a thing about cookbooks — such variety! such cuisines! We don’t own thousands of them, but through our life together we have amassed several shelves-worth. We especially like the ones with a narrative along with the recipes. During the Pandemic, we read aloud from cookbooks to each other, since dining out was not an option. I am drawn to old books, so I am always on the look-out for older volumes of cookery. Today we will look at one of the English classics: Beeton’s Book of Household Management. Isabella Beeton first published her book in 24 monthly installments, from 1859-1861. The individual chapters were gathered into one volume in 1861. Thinking that “there is no more fruitful source of family discontent than a house-wife’s badly-cooked dinners and untidy ways”, Beeton provides seven chapters on running a household and bringing up children, as well as managing the servants, medical problems, and legal matters. The remaining 17 chapters are broken into food categories and recipes for them. Although she was only 25 years old when the book came out, Beeton wrote with an assurance that gave confidence to homemakers, young and old. The book was a runaway success, selling 60,000 copies in the first year. When reading David Copperfield, published 1849, one thinks that David’s wife, Dora, would benefit from copy of the book! Anyone reading Mrs Beeton’s work would know everything one needed to know about being the mistress of a household. Today, some topics are a quaint insight into life 140 years ago, but some of her ideas still ring true. For quick reference, all her topics are numbered, from #1, likening the housewife to the commander of an army, to #2751, about witnesses signing for a testator. In between we find #2149-2150: Bill of Fare for a Picnic of 40 Persons, and #118, a recipe for Cabbage Soup with a sidebar about the introduction of vegetables to England under the reign of Henry VIII.

Recipe #1338 is for Rhubarb Pudding. Mrs Beeton makes it with a lard crust and boils it. This one is easier, and suitable for breakfast. #1456 is a recipe for a plain omelette. We will improve upon that by adding morel mushrooms.

Rhubarb Pudding: 161 calories… 4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 14.5 g protein… 20.6 g carbs… 155 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF – if using GF flour Hayden Pearson has a wonderful dessert call “Blanche’s Super Rhubarb Pudding” in his iconic Country Flavor Cook Book. This is a scaled-down version that is fit for breakfast: slightly tangy, lightly sweet.

++6 Tbsp cooked, mashed rhubarb ++++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 egg white ++++ 1½ Tbsp sugar ++++ 2 Tbsp flour OR 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 2 Tbsp milk++++½ tsp baking powder ++++ per person: 1 slice Canadian Bacon [= ½ oz back bacon] ++++ 1 oz strawberries, sliced ++++ Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or  berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]++

Cut up 1 cup rhubarb and stew it in a little water. Drain thoroughly and mash. Measure the 6 Tbsp you need and save the remainder for another use. [Add to a smoothie; serve with yogurt] Whisk the egg and white, then add all the other ingredients [but not the bacon!] Spoon into a baking dish which has been sprayed with non-stick spray. HINT: I did all this the night before. A real time-saver. Bake at 350 F until the batter is firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. While the pudding bakes, cook the bacon and prepare the optional beverages. Plate topped with strawberries. Delicious.

Morel Mushroom Omelette: 269 calories… 18 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 18 g protein… 10 g carbs… 180 mg Calcium  PB GF  A mushroom omelette with bacon is a delicious treat. Morel mushrooms kick it up a few notches. You can use fresh morels or dried mushrooms that have been soaked in warm water until soft, then blotted dry.  HINT: This recipe serves two [2], but you could cut it if you wish, or double it to serve four [4]. 

4 two-oz eggs —-½ oz/3 Tbsp Parmesan-Reggiano cheese Whisk eggs, just to blend in the yolks. Grate cheese and stir it in.
1 c/2.3 oz morelsSlice morels lenthwise.
2 slices uncured bacon [30 cal/slice], cut into ½” pieces Cook in a non-stick pan until ‘lightly golden’, 2-3 minutes. Drain off all but ½-1 Tbsp fat.
1 scallion [1 oz], thinly sliced———-sliced morelsSaute scallions and morels in fat until softened and warm. Distribute evenly within the pan.
Egg-cheese mixture—————cooked baconPour in eggs without disturbing the other ingredients. Sprinkle with chopped bacon.
Cook until top is done to your liking. Fold and plate. 
2 oz zucchini OR Side salad with 2 Tbsp blueberriesToss the salad and plate with the omelette.

Earthquakes

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Ever since there have been humans, we have been fearful of and confused by earthquakes. The Chinese thought that the world was balanced on the back of a turtle. When the turtle moved, the earth shook. The Romans called the ground they walked on ‘terra firma‘ or ‘solid ground’, and they thought that earthquakes were caused by the anger of the gods. But the ground is anything but solid. The earth’s crust, which is from two to 20 miles thick in places, is broken into many pieces called Tectonic Plates. The largest pieces are either Oceanic or Continental Plates, their names explaining where they are found. Despite their thickness, the plates are floating on molten rock below them in the Asthenosphere. As that molten rock flows, it pulls the plates, moving them toward each other, away from each other, or sliding past each other — as seen in the illustration above. When the plates move, earthquakes happen: small ones when plates diverge, much stronger ones when plates converge or slide past. The strength of an earthquake can be measured on the Richter Scale or on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale [MMI]. It seems odd when some similar events occur on similar dates in history. One such coincidence had to do with plate motion. On January 26, 1531, Lisboa, Portugal was rocked by a massive earthquake, a number IX on the MMI. Hundreds died, many more were injured, up to 1500 buildings were destroyed, and ships in the harbor were damaged by a tsunami. The cause given for the disaster? The wrath of God. In 1700, on the same day, people in the First Nations villages along Vancouver Island, British Columbia were just going to sleep when the largest earthquake in North America struck. The quake most likely had an MMI of X, based on the destruction of entire villages due to the shaking, the landslides, and the 50-foot tsunami. The tsunami traveled across the Pacific to Japan, where there was more structure damage and loss of life. Earthquakes are fascinating geological events. Where they happened once, they can reoccur. Given modern population densities, strong earthquakes in those same areas today would cause enormous damage.

Our menus today honor the regions struck by those major quakes on January 26th. In the 1700s, the Russians dominated the Pacific North-West of North America, as they exploited fur-bearing animals along the coast. For them, blini at breakfast. The Lisbon earthquake had its epicenter in the estuary of the Targus River, thus a Portuguese fish recipe seems appropriate.

Buckwheat Blini Breakfast: 213 calories… 5 g fat… 3 g fiber… 9 g protein… 31 g carbs… 67.6 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values shown are for the plated items only, not for the optional beverages. Blini are associated with Russia and caviar. Here they appear in more common company at breakfast. Sour Cherry Syrup is just the thing to top them, though cherry jelly thinned with water would be good too.

++2 buckwheat blini** ++++ 1 oz ham ++++ 1 Tbsp/ ½ fl oz Sour Cherry Syrup ++++ Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++ 

If previously-made, warm the blini and roll them. Warm and roll the ham, too. Plate them all and lash with the syrup. A simple and tasty meal.

BUCKWHEAT BLINI: one batch yields 16 six-inch pancakes, ~1 oz each each = 72 calories —- 2 g fat —- 1.6 g fiber —- 2 g protein —- 10 g carbs —- 30 mg Calcium — ++1¼ c skim milk ++++ ½ c all-purpose flour ++++ ½ c white whole wheat flour ++++ ½ c buckwheat flour ++++ ¾ tsp dry yeast ++++ 1 tsp salt ++++ 2 two-oz eggs ++++ 2 Tbsp butter ++++ 3-4 Tbsp water ++

Heat milk until warm to the touch. Whisk together flours, yeast, and salt. Melt butter and let cool a bit. Mix with the warm milk, then whisk in the eggs. Combine wet and dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Let rest 90 minutes on the counter or 12 hrs in a cool place. After the resting, stir the batter and heat a well-seasoned or non-stick skillet. Spritz with non-stick spray, then wipe with a bit of paper towel. To make 6” diameter blini, I used a 3 Tbsp scoop. The batter is thicker than crepe-batter, but thinner than most pancake-batter. It begins to cook as soon as it hits the pan, so tip/rotate the pan with one hand as you add batter with the other. Then use a scraper to nudge the batter over to the edges. Cook on one side, as holes form on the top. Then turn and cook on the other side. TIP: they freeze well

Portugese Fish & Chips: 260 calories… 6 g fat… 5 g fiber… 24 g protein… 28 g carbs… 60 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF flour From our favorite dinner place in Souris, PEI, 21 Breakwater, comes this house specialty from the chef’s native cuisine. The batter is so light that it lets the lime-infused fish shine through. The recipe takes little time to accomplish. I have described it in detail so you can be successful.

++ 3 oz tilapia or hake ++++ 1 fl. oz lime juice or lemon juice ++++ 1 egg white + 1 egg yolk ++++ 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++  3 oz sweet potato, peeled ++++ ½ tsp canola oil ++++ ½ tsp granulated garlic++++ ¼ tsp paprika ++++ black pepper ++++ 2 oz asparagus ++

Marinate the fish in the lime juice with a pinch of salt and pepper for up to 30 minutes. Set the oven to 425 F. Peel the sweet potato and cut lengthwise into ¼” slices. Cut each slice into ¼” sticks. Put the oil in the non-stick pan that you will use to cook the fish. Add the potato sticks to the pan and toss about to coat with oil. Combine the granulated garlic, paprika, and pepper, and sprinkle on the potato sticks. Toss to distribute the seasonings. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil with the dull side up. Spray liberally with non-stick spray. HINT: You could do this 1-2 hours in advance. Distribute the potatoes on the pan so they do not touch. Put in oven for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, put the asparagus on to cook. Take the fish from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge lightly with flour. Whip the egg white into soft peaks. Fold in the egg yolk and remaining flour from dredging the fish. Heat the non-stick pan and spray with non-stick spray. Remove the fries from the oven and turn them over. Return to oven for 10 minutes more. Dip the fish in the egg batter so that it is coated on all sides. Cook the fish on one side over medium heat for 6 minutes, then on the other side for 6 minutes or until fork tender. When fries are done, turn off oven, open the door, and leave the fries in there for up to 5 more minutes. Plate all that good food and live it up, Portuguese style.

Scoville & His Units

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Do you like it hot? We are talking about spicy foods today. I’m one of those people who will have a sneezing/coughing fit if there is too much black pepper in my food. Other people want food so spicy that they break out in a sweat. The spiciness of food is measured in Scoville Units, and today we will celebrate their deviser. Wilbur Lincoln Scoville was born on January 22, 1865. At age 14, he worked in a pharmacy, then went on to earn a Graduate of Pharmacy (PhG) degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. Three years later, Wilbur was on the faculty of his alma mater, where he wrote a seminal reference book, The Art of Compounding. After 15 years of teaching, Scoville was hired by Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals. At that time, capsaicin — the toxin in chili peppers that causes them to taste ‘hot’ — was used in a cream to alleviate arthritis and muscle pain. Scoville wanted to standardize the heat of the cream, so he set out to calibrate the hotness of peppers. Using green bell peppers as the baseline, volunteers were subjected to various dilutions of the spicy oils in a solution of sugar water — the Scoville Organoleptic Test. Based on how many drops of sugar water it took to neutralize a pepper’s heat, the Scoville Scale was created in 1912. You might not have heard of the man, but his legacy lives on as thrill-seekers want to try ever hotter chilis. As far as I am concerned, a little goes a long way. Scoville died in 1942 — not from eating peppers.


 Both of our meals today are flavored with spice blends — one from Arabia, one from India. When you prepare each blend, feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your taste for spicy heat.

Arabian Eggs: 153 calories… 7.5 g fat… 2 g fiber … 10 g protein… 12.5 g carbs… 58 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the eggs and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  Hawayij spice is widely-used in the cuisine of Saudi Arabia. And it clearly shows trade links to countries further East. Coffee [Coffea arabica is a native plant] and dates round out the flavors of the country. The sweet dates are a wonderful counter-point to the spicy eggs.

++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 to store in the ‘fridge for next week. ++ 1-1½ tsp Hawayij spice ++++ 2 deglet noor dates  ++++ 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] ++

Whisk the eggs with the spice mixture and pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Turn down the heat. Leave the eggs undisturbed until puffy and the top is set. Remove from skillet, and serve folded or flat. Pour the beverages and enjoy the fruit/spice combination.

Curried Scallops: 244 calories… 8.4 g fat… 5 g fiber… 21.4 g protein… 12 g carbs… 109 mg Calcium…  PB GF Our son used make his own Indian curry powder, which is fabulous-tasting. He has moved on to Thai curries, but we still cook with his original powder. These scallops are delicious and filling. It is Dear Husband’s method.

++ ¼ pound sea scallops ++++ 2 Tbsp Indian curry powder** ++++ ½ Tbsp butter ++++ 1 Tbsp white wine ++++ 3-4 oz broccoli ++

Trim the scallops of the white tissue which may be on the side. Slice the scallops around the equator, so that each disk is half its thickness. Pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle a plate with the curry powder and dredge the scallops in the powder, coating on both sides. Choose a heavy saute pan which is just large enough to hold the scallops in one layer. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the butter and spray well with non-stick spray. Put scallops in the melted butter and cook on one side. Turn over and cook further, adding some more non-stick spray if pan seems too dry. When the scallops are done [this takes very little time], remove to your plate. Turn down heat and add the white wine to the pan to deglaze it, scraping up brown bits. Pour over scallops and plate the broccoli. A very easy and special meal.

**CGE Indian Curry Powder: Add to eggs or use to flavor seafood before sauteing. 2½ Tbsp corriander seed —- 2 tsp garlic powder —-1 Tbsp cumin seed—-2 tsp turmeric powder —-1 tsp ground ginger —-1 tsp green chili powder—- ½ tsp ground allspice—- 1 tsp salt —-1½ tsp dry mustard Grind everything together in a mortar + pestle or electric spice grinder.

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

buckwheat flour + skim milk + plain flour 1 two-oz egg + 1 egg white 
white whole wheat flour + dry yeast + buttersugar + white whole wheat flour
2 two-oz eggs + 3%-fat hamrhubarb + baking powder
sour Cherry syrup milk + Canadian bacon/back bacon
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

tilapia or other firm-fleshed white fish + egg4 two-oz eggs [serves 2] + Parmesan-Reggiono
white whole wheat flour + asparagus + paprikamorel mushrooms, fresh or dried
sweet potato + canola oilAmerican streaky bacon + scallion
garlic powder + lime juiceSide salad with 2 Tbsp blueberries
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Passing: Charley Parkhurst

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Parkhurst ferries a slightly apprehensive passenger.

 “Passing” means living your life as someone you are not, and getting away with it. The term can be used for people living as a member of another race or of a different sex. Charley Parkhurst was a rip-snortin’, rough-ridin’, rootin’-tootin’, six-gun-shootin’ stagecoach driver of the Old West. Being a stage coach driver, or ‘Whip’, was the job for only the strongest, bravest, most daring of men. They were highly respected, and little boys wanted to be just like them. Parkhurst was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire in 1812. Orphaned as a child, there were some hard years spent in an orphanage. Charley escaped and went to Rhode Island, getting employment at a livery stable. The boss took a shine to Parkhurst, teaching the youth about horses and coach-driving. When gold was discovered in California, Charley headed there and on the way, acquaintance was made with a man who owned a carting business. He hired the 37-year-old to drive delivery carts. Shortly after arriving in the Gold Fields, Parkhurst was kicked in the face by a horse, losing the use of one eye and earning the sobriquet “Cockeyed Charley”. Parkhurst reconnected with his old boss from Rhode Island, who ran a stagecoach line. Thus, Charley became a Whip. The other drivers soon recognized that, despite short stature and small hands, Charley was one of the best. Roads were muddy and rocky, steep and twisty through the mountains. Other dangers included bandits who wanted the bank strong-boxes that the coaches carried, plus bears, and mountain lions. Despite bad weather, floods, and washed-out bridges, Charley’s coaches were always on time, cargo and passengers intact. In 1868, Parkhurst registered to vote and participated in the election. Eventually, railroads took over the transport of people and goods, so Charley retired to a small property, farming in the summer and logging in the winter. When arthritis made motion less easy, Charley down-sized to the cabin where death finally overcame the famous coachman on December 28, 18–. Friends and neighbors had encouraged Parkhurst to see a doctor for his tongue cancer symptoms, but he refused. They found out why when they found him dead and began to prepare Charley for burial — Charley Parkhurst, who had been born “Charlotte”, was in fact a woman. Many of his friends refused to believe it. Parkhurst was so well-known, and the revelation so amazing, that newspapers across the country carried the obituary. Would Charley be considered a trans man today, or was Charley astonishingly adept at concealing his sex? [Before you try to correct me, ‘sex’ is determined by your chromosomes, while ‘gender’ is how you present yourself. Charlotte Parkhurst had the sex of a woman, but presented herself in the gender of a man.] Whatever. Does it matter? Charley showed that a woman can indeed do a “man’s job”, and that they can vote, too.

What did Charlie Parkhurst eat? Most likely simple, hearty foods found at a post stop while the horses were being changed, or meals prepared at home.

Ham ScrOmelette:  150 calories… 7.6 g fat… 1 g fiber… 12.4 g protein… 7 g carb… 45 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB  GF Here’s another classic of the breakfast table.

++ 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. ++++ ½ oz ground or chopped 3%-fat ham ++++ 2 oz melon or apple ++++ herbs to taste ++++ 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] ++

Chop the ham, slice the fruit, prep your beverage. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. When the bottom begins to set, distribute the ham over half of the eggs. {OR warm the ham briefly in the hot pan, pour in the whisked eggs and scramble together until cooked.] Fold the omelette and cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Pour your beverages, and you are off to a good start to your day.

Chicken/Turkey Dinner: 284 calories… 4.5 g fat… 9 g fiber… 31.6 g protein… 34 g carbs… 58 mg Calcium…  PB Perfect use for left-over roasted or lemon-marinated grilled chicken breast. Instead of potatoes, enjoy the crunch of high-fiber crackers. So low in calories that you may even have some lovely fruit for dessert!

++4 ounces roasted breast meat, without skin ++++ ½ cup/3 o z green beans ++++ 2 oz carrots, sliced as coins ++++ 2 pieces Finn Crisp crackers ++++ ½ cup sliced strawberries ++

Warm the cooked meat or not, according to your taste. Cook the vegetables and plate with the meat and crackers. Enjoy those strawberries as a sweet conclusion to the meal.

The Grange

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Have you heard of The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry? Probably not, but you might recognize its common name: The Grange. The name is from the French word for “barn”, a necessary outbuilding on every farm. The Grange was formed following a tour of the American South by a commissioner tasked by President Andrew Johnson to look into agricultural practices on small farms. Oliver Kelley visited farms in the former Confederate States and also in the territories and new states of the Midwest. He was horrified by farmers’ lack of knowledge about ‘progressive agriculture’. Kelley thought that if there were a national organization of farmers, that they could trade information and best practices to improve farm output and profits. Through the work of likeminded people, Grange #1 was established in Fredonia, New York on December 4, 1867. The group went national in 1873, setting up an office in the nation’s capital. From its start, the Grange was egalitarian, recognizing the work of women and teenagers on the farm. Every Grange was required to have at least four women among its elected officials, and teenaged boys ‘old enough to push a plow’ were permitted to join. Grange members not only promoted modern farming, they were a major part of the social fabric of the town. They sponsored patriotic celebrations, summer lawn parties, community suppers, and theatrical performances. Eventually, as forms of entertainment became more available and family farms became fewer, the Grange was no longer the sole way to meet people or to spend leisure time and membership dwindled. Today there are still around 2100 Granges in 37 states. We will always need farmers.

Our meals are from the garden and the hen house, just the right food for a Grange member.

Leek & Tomato ScrOmelette: 153 calories… 7.4 g fat… 3 g fiber… 10.4 g protein… 12 g carbs… 73 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Eggs taste great — leeks and tomatoes always make them even better.

++1½ 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 oz tomato++++ 0.35 oz leeks, sliced and cooked++++ pinch garlic powder++++ 2 pinches basil++++ 1 clementine OR 2 oz apple++++ 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]++

Dice the tomatoes and put them in a pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Add salt and the basil, and cook until warm. Add the cooked leeks along with the garlic powder. Whisk the eggs and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Cook to your liking: as a scramble or as an omelette. Plate with the fruit, serve the beverages of your choice, and enjoy a fine day.

Gazpacho: 171 calories… 6.5 g fat… 2.4 g fiber… 14 g protein… 14.6 g carbs… 57.6 mg Calcium…  PB GF– if using GF croutons This is from Craig Claibourne’s Gourmet Diet cookbook from 1980. We used to make this, then it fell out of the repetoire. Time to re-embrace this classic Summer soup.  HINT: Serves 3 [three]. Makes a fine follow-up lunch. 


++1 pound red ripe tomatoes ++++ 1 tsp minced garlic ++++ ½ cup diced onion++++½ cup green or red pepper in ½” dice ++++ ½ cup cucumber, diced ++++ 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar ++++ 1 Tbsp olive oil ++++ ¼ cup tomato juice ++++ generous grinds of black pepper + pinch piment d’Esplette OR Aleppo pepper OR cayenne pepper ++++  garnish per serving: 2 oz shrimp, peeled, cooked, cut in ½“ pieces ++++ ¼ oz whole-grain croutons ++


Core and dice the tomatoes. Put them into a blender. Add the next seven ingredients in order. Put the spices on top and turn the blender on to medium speed. When you are finished, all the ingredients should be mixed throughout but there should still be chunks of vegetables. Measure 1 cup of the soup into each bowl and top with the garnishes and a pinch of finishing salt. Just what we need in the Summer.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs  + Parmesan cheese
applesauce + chives/scallionstomato sauce + bell pepper
3%-fat ham + sagegarlic + parsley
part-skim ricotta + Dijon mustardpiment d’Esplette + apple or pear
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

3 oz rabbit meat + portobello mushroomsBay scallops + sun-dried tomatoes — not in oil
ham + onions + carrotparsley or basil + butter
chicken stock + herb savory + thymeolive oil + garlic
Arnold Sandwich Thin  or slice 70-calorie breadred lentil pasta + lemon juice
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Hoaxes, Regency Style

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. 

People like to play tricks on each other, and for many different reasons. For amusement [as one does on April Fool’s Day]; for fame [like the Piltdown Man hoax]; to make a point [like the Cardiff Giant hoax]. During the Regency Period of the United Kingdom, there was a very curious sort of hoax that was perpetrated again and again by different people. On November 26, 1810, deliveries began to arrive at the house at 54 Berners Street, the home of Mrs. Tottenham/Tottingham. England at the time was the most powerful nation on earth, and London was its mercantile hub. Any sort of good or service was available to the consumer in Greater London, and this was evident when many hundreds of purveyors converged on Berners Street. Barbers and bakers. Fish mongers and felters. Costermongers and colliers. Each had received a letter, purportedly from the wealthy widow Tottenham, requesting a delivery to her house. The street was blocked for hours and the vendors were vexed when they were turned away at the door. The police were called to restore order, but no one knew who had perpetrated the hoax. Years later it was revealed/hinted that a young man named Theodore Hook — a bon vivant and prankster — had pulled it off. Oddly, the situation was not unique. Similar events took place in 1809, in London; in 1810, in Edinburg and London; in 1812, in London. Today’s equivalent is ordering dozens of pizzas to be delivered to someone you don’t like. This is why fast food places now get phone verification before filling the order. Fun for some, but not for all. I do not recommend this sort of prank!

Our meals today have an elegance that is fitting for the Regency Period.

Powder Mill Scramble: 155 calories… 9 g fat… 1 g fiber… 12.6 g protein… 6.7 g carb… 52.4 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF This recipe is straight out of Jerry Willis’ “Powder Mill Pond Restaurant” where it was a favorite. Alas, that restaurant is not more, but you can enjoy this at home.

++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 ++ 1oz smoked salmon++ ½ oz/ 2 Tbsp sliced scallion greens ++ 2 oz melon OR 2 oz strawberries++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]++

Whisk the eggs [salt and pepper may not be needed depending on the seasoning of your salmon]. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Before the eggs set, add the salmon and scallions. Scramble to taste. Prepare your optional beverage. Plate with fruit of choice.

Langostino with Garlic:  264 calories… 3.4 g fat… 9 g fiber… 26 g protein… 35 g carb… 120 mg Calcium…  PB GF I wish I knew the source of this recipe, because I really like it. ‘Langoustine’ is either a large shrimp or the tail of a Norway lobster, according to LaRousse. Sometimes you find them frozen and when I see them, I buy them. HINT: the amounts shown serve TWO people. This is a good meal to share and more difficult to cut down for one serving. If you are into leftovers, make the whole thing and enjoy it for lunch or even dinner on a Slow Day.

++1 tsp olive oil+++ 2 clove garlic, chopped ++ pinch of hot pepper flakes+++ 5 oz langostino chunks or 4½ oz cleaned shrimp++++ 5 oz broccoli florets or asparagus, cut into 2” pieces ++++ 1 cup cabbage, sliced [3 oz]+++ 2 Tbsp dry white wine+++ salt & pepper ++++ 15 oz tomatoes, coarsely chopped or canned diced tomatoes ++++ ¾ c white beans, rinsed and drained++++ ½ cup fish stock++

Pour the tomatoes through a sieve, saving the juice that drains out. Heat the oil in a saute pan or wok. Add the garlic and hot peppers to the pan and stir for 10 seconds or less – you don’t want to burn the garlic. Add the broccoli [or asparagus] and cabbage. Saute for 3-4 minutes. If the pan gets too dry [ie: no sound of cooking], add some reserved tomato juices and/or some of the fish stock. Pour in the wine, then sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Cook to reduce the wine to almost gone. Add the beans, tomatoes, and fish stock. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add the langostine/shrimp/prawns and cook to thicken the broth. The prep is fussy, the cooking is quick, the result is delicious. If you wish, serve with a side salad of 1 cup baby greens, sprinkled with a quality vinegar and herbs. Or stir the greens into the saute pan at the last minute to wilt a bit.

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

Next week, I will be mentioning recipes for Advent.1.5 two-oz eggs 
Choose a new favorite breakfast from Archives.leek + tomato
garlic powder
basil + clementine or apple
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Next week, I will be mentioning recipes for Advent.tomatoes + garlic + onion + croutons
Choose a new favorite dinner from Archives.bell pepper + cucumber + red wine vinegar
olive oil + tomato juice + shrimp
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Anne de Bretagne

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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.

Brittany/Bretagne has long been a land apart. In the Neolithic, people constructed menhirs and the remarkable field of Standing Stones at Carnac. Once, it was called Armorica — a name that shows up in the North-Central coast being called “Cotes d’Armor.” Despite the 56 BCE Roman invasion, the native people still clung to their local language. Next came Celtic people from England, displaced by the incoming Angles and Saxons from Germany. This solidified the affinity between the Bretons and their neighbors across the English Channel in Cornwall — some place-names and the languages are similar. The Frankish Empire rolled over the land, creating the early nation of France, but as the centuries turned, Bretons had their own government, language, coinage, and were exempted from the onerous Salt Tax because they harvested that precious commodity near Guerande. Perhaps this is why the Bretons prefer their butter to be salted. Brittany was a [mostly] independent Duchy from the 900s, governed by an hereditary nobility. Until 1514. The only heir to Duke Francois II was his daughter Anne de Bretagne. She had been engaged many times, but now the duchy was in the hands of a 14-year-old girl, making her a pawn in the game of thrones. The prior King of France had declared during negotiations with her father that the French king should have a say in whom Anne married. So King Charles VIII married her himself in 1491, when she was 15 and he was 20. They were happy together, but had no surviving children at the time of his death in 1498. Anne, age 22, returned to Brittany as Duchess, but of course she had to marry again. The next king of France was her cousin-in-law, Louis XII, which made Anne Queen of France for the second time. Their’s was also a happy union, producing two daughters. Anne was an accomplished administrator, patroness of the arts, and an avid reader. She scribed and read official documents to her unlettered husbands. Had she lived past the complication of her last childbirth in 1514, who knows what mark she would have made in history. Upon her death, her daughter Claude married the future king, Francois I, forever joining Brittany to the nation of France.

Every Breton will tell you that the ‘crepe’ began in Brittany — a fact hotly disputed in Normandy. In Brittany itself, there is discord about the name: in the North and West of the region, they are called ‘galettes,’ while everywhere else they are ‘crepes.’ I use galette to designate the savory ones made of buckwheat, whereas I call the sweet dessert ones ‘crepes.’ Both our breakfast and our dinner today involve galettes. Not at all difficult to prepare at home.

Egg-Mushroom Galette/Crepe: 153 calories 6 g fat 2 g fiber 9 g protein 17 g carbs [11.3 g Complex] 39 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg crepe and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB  This is yummy and very filling. The eggs are creamy, the mushrooms are earthy, and the crepe is nutty. 

1 galette/savory crepe   one 2-oz egg  1 oz mushrooms, chopped  1 Tbsp chives, chopped 1 tsp thyme generous dash of granulated garlic 1 oz raspberry OR strawberry  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Warm the crepe. Spritz the non-stick saute pan with oil or spray and gently cook the mushrooms. Put the chives, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in with the egg and beat it up. Scramble lightly with the mushrooms, keeping the eggs moist. Turn eggs out on the crepe and fold the galette over the egg. Plate the fruit. Sip your beverages and have a very fine day.

Leek & Bacon Galettes: 260 calories 5.5 g fat 4.6 g fiber 10 g protein 37 g carbs 114 mg Calcium   PB  Joanne Harris writes in her French Market cookbook about buying these at a market stall in France. Now you can make them at home.  NB: It is easier/quicker if you prepare the galettes/crepes in advance.

This is really yummy!

2 buckwheat galettes/crepes   ½ cup Leek & Bacon Filling ** 2 oz fresh tomato, diced and seasoned with basil or thyme + salt

**Leek & Bacon Filling:  Makes 1½ cups  Excellent in galettes and mixed with eggs. 2 oz American streaky bacon, uncured 3 cups leeks, cleaned and sliced cross-ways 1 clove garlic, chopped ¼ c Gruyere 2 tsp mayonnaise Saute the bacon until it is almost crisp. Remove from the pan, blot, and slice cross-ways. Saute the leek and garlic in the pan with the bacon fat until the leeks are limp. Take off heat and immediately stir in the cheese and mayonnaise. Ready to use

Gently warm the galettes and place them on a baking sheet. Warm the Leek&Bacon filling and divide it between the crepes, spreading it on one half of each. Fold the crepes in half, then in half again, placing them on the baking sheet so that the filled part is upper-most [this prevents unfolding in the oven]. Cut and season the tomato. Warm the galettes/crepes thoroughly in the oven. Delicious!

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

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
pear OR appleBasquaise Sauce
Yorkshire Pudding batterblueberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

5 oz cod filletchicken breast meat + zucchini + eggplant
fresh beetsbroccoli + bell peppers + carrots
carrotplain yogurt + brown rice
garbanzo beans tandoori sauce, purchased: 1/2 cup = 140 calories
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