Baldwin’s Readers

January 29, 2020June 29, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

My mother made sure to stock the bookshelf in my childhood bedroom with books. Good books by good authors: Beatrix Potter, Margaret Wise Brown, and 3 books by the American Publishing Company who’s publication dates made them older than she was. The Baldwin Reader [1895], Fifty Famous Stories Retold [1895], and Old Greek Stories [1895] were among my favorite books. They were the work of James Baldwin [not the later James Baldwin, the author from the Harlem Renaissance], born 1841 in Indiana. At age 11, he decided that he wanted to be a writer, so he sent his story “Two Soldiers” to Forrester’s Boys and Girls Magazine and never looked back. Although he had not much formal education, he taught school and organized the school systems in Noblesville and Huntington, Indiana. One of his educational goals was to promote a love of good literature. To that end, he published Introduction to English Literature in 1882. His reward was an honorary doctorate from DePauw University and later a job offer from Harper and Brothers Publishing in their education department. There, he authored several series of books for school use. From 1894 to 1924, he was an editor at American Book Company where he wrote books used in half the schools in America. Baldwin’s books were well-written, interesting, and a bit preachy. I still have those three books. 125 years later, the beloved stories are still good reading.

In honor of Baldwin’s Old Greek Stories, we will enjoy Greek flavors in our breakfast. One of the Fifty Famous Stories was the tale of William Tell shooting the apple from his son’s head. Because of that, we will dine on Swiss Steak.

Greek ScrOmelette: 152 calories 9.3 g fat 0.6 g fiber 12.6 g protein 4 g carbs [3 g Complex] 88.5 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Feta cheese is such a lovely ingredient. Enjoy it often.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs, pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid, and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 0.37 [3/8] oz feta cheese, reduced fat 1 Tbsp tomato puree [not tomato paste] 2 large pinches cinnamon 2 large pinches oregano 1 Tbsp pomegranate seeds –OR– 1-1/4 oz applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon 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]

Cream the tomato puree with the feta cheese and seasonings, then whisk in the eggs. OR Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. As soon as the bottom of the eggs sets, spread the cheesse-tomato-seasonings on top of the egg. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Prepare the optional beverages and spoon out the pomegranate/apple for a real taste of Greece.

Swiss Steak: 226 calories 7 g fat 4.5 g fiber 27 g protein 14.5 g carbs [14 g Complex] 58 mg Calcium This is a recipe from Fannie Farmer’s cookbook which I fondly remember from my childhood. HINT: This recipe makes enough for two [2], so save half of it for a future lunch or dinner.

½ pound chuck steak, cut 1 to 1.5” thick 1 Tbsp white whole wheat [or GF] flour salt + pepper 1 cup crushed tomatoes, canned are OK ¼ cup minced green bell peppers ¼ cup minced onion herbs to taste per serving: 1/4 cup cut green beans + 1/4 cup carrots, diced

Leave the meat in one piece or cut into two parts. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper and dredge the meat in it. If you wish, pound the meat with a tenderizing tool or the edge of a sturdy plate. Combine the tomatoes with the vegetables and herbs. Heat a heavy skillet with a lid and spray it well with oil or cooking spray. Brown the meat on both sides and pour the tomatoes over it. Cover and cook very slowly for 2 hours until the meat is very tender, adding water if the tomatoes are in danger of sticking. This can be cooked on the cooktop at low or in the oven at 325 F. Steam or boil the beans and carrots to serve along-side the beef with its sauce.

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

1 two-oz egg	This will be a discussion of
ricotta cheese + cottage cheese	‘marvelous mixtures’ —
flour + sugar	for dinner meals or for
banana + molasses	breakfasts
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

6-9 two-oz eggs	This will be a discussion of
Swiss chard or spinach, fresh	‘marvelous mixtures’ —
olive oil + Parmesan cheese	suitable for dinners or
granulated garlic + paprika	for breakfasts
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

I. F.

January 26, 2020June 29, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

I.F. could describe the “Laconic answer”. [Back Story: The Greek city-state of Laconia, famous for the citizens’ terseness of speech, was besieged by an invading army. Their general sent a message: “If we take your city, we will kill every man, woman, and child. You had better surrender now.” Answered the head man of the city: “IF.” Laconia was not defeated.] Or, in this modern era, it could stand for “Intermittent Fasting.” What is that, you ask…. There are several ways to answer that. Over-all, intermittent fasting is a way to become more healthy by losing weight and giving your body time to restore itself in a sort of resting phase that occurs during a time of limited calorie intake. Version 1: You abstain from all eating, but are free to consume all the water you want, for two to four days each and every month. Sometimes an electrolyte liquid is consumed during the fast. Version 2: You abstain from all eating, but are free to consume all the water/broth/black coffee/black tea you want for one full day — from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep again. This is done once or twice within a week. Version 3: You do all of your eating within an 8-hour window — say, 8 am to 4 pm. For the other 16 hours of a day, you may consume only water. This is called 16:8 Fasting. Version 4: Every other day, you consume a limited number of calories — from 500 to 1000 — while on the alternate days you eat as you please. Also called “Alternative Day Fasting.” Version 5: Two days each week, you consume 500-600 calories, eating as you please [but wisely] on the other days. Also called “5:2 Diet,” as developed by Dr. Michael Mosley. This is the eating plan that Dear Husband and I have followed for 6+ years with very good results.

Whichever method you choose, the goal is to train yourself to eat more moderately. If you never learn that, you will go off any diet and your weight will zoom up again. What’s the point of that?? People who do not get a handle on their over-eating are doomed to diet-and-gain over and over again. We view our eating plan as a Lifestyle, something that fits into the way we live and that we are happy to continue every week for the rest of our lives. Following are some of the meals we eat on a Fast Day.

B-T-O Bake: 127 calories 6 g fat 1 g fiber 9 g protein 8.6 g carbs [7.5 g Complex] 66 mg Calcium NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF This bake has flavor and to spare. Delicious way to use left-over broccoli.

1 two-oz egg 1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese 1 oz diced tomato, drained ¾ tsp Parmesan cheese ½ oz cooked broccoli 1 Kalamata olive 1 plum OR 4 cherries OR 4 oz strawberries 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]

Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Dice the broccoli and the olive. Stir the cheeses together. Spritz an oven-safe container with non-stick spray. Whisk the egg, then whisk in the cheeses. Distribute the tomato, olive, and broccoli over the bottom of the baking dish. Whisk the eggs once more and pour into the baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Portion the fruit and prepare the beverages of your choice. Now that’s a breakfast!

Tortellini w/ Black Kale: 209 calories 9 g fat 3.5 g fiber 10 g protein 24 g carbs [7.4 g Complex] 231 mg Calcium PB Packaged, dried tortellini is a handy item to have in the pantry. It makes for a fine Tuscan meal when pared with Black Kale. The recipe is from ‘thekitchn‘ NB: I used the recipe below for the kale as two servings, when paired with the pasta. But the calories are so low that you could use it as one serving.

27 g dried cheese/spinach tortellini [Barilla brand is good] 3 oz diced tomato 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese PLUS ingredients shown below for the kale.

For the Kale:

3 oz black kale	Use your hands to pull the kale leaves from their stems. Coarsely chop the leaves. Rinse them, but do not dry.
1 tsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic pinch red pepper flakes	Heat the oil in large, wide, high-sided sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not let the garlic brown).
¼ tsp kosher salt pinch ground pepper	Add the kale, stirring as it starts to wilt. Stir in the salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is just tender, about 5 minutes.
2 tsp Lemon juice	Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and serve.

For the meal: Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 9-11 minutes, then drain. Combine with the diced tomatoes and Parmesan. Plate the pasta surrounded by the kale.

Start With Breakfast

January 22, 2020November 26, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

On January 1st, I suggested that you ease into the Fasting Lifestyle by eating a Fast Dinner two days each week, to see how you liked it and if you lost any weight. How did that go for you? You might be brave enough now to start to add breakfast to your regimen. So here are two possibilities.

Some people don’t eat breakfast: either they aren’t hungry when they wake up or they find that once they start eating, they want to continue to eat. OK. Breakfast is not the ‘most important meal of the day’, despite what the cereal-makers tell you. So for those who want to have their first meal later, this Czech breakfast is fabulous — it is more like a lunch! Whether you eat it at 7 am or at noon it is delicious and satisfying. It would be an easy meal to pack to eat at work.

Czech Breakfast: 233 calories 5 g fat 3.8 g fiber 11.7 g protein 37 g carbs [18 g complex] 65.6 mg Calcium NB: The food values are for the meal and fruit only and do not include the optional coffee. I’m told that the majority of citizens of the Czech Republic eat this for breakfast daily. Join them.

1-1.6 g sourdough rye bread 1 oz sliced ham, 3% fat ½ oz Hermelin cheese, or substitute Camembert 2 yellow plums Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] NO Smoothie today

Whether you pile everything on the bread and eat it that way, or sample each item separtly, this is a hearty way to start the day. For those of you who start your day with lunch, this is for you.

If you are the hot-food-at-breakfast type, then try this meal. The protein in the eggs staves off hunger, while the fiber in the spinach makes it extra filling. The cheese just makes it taste even better. With pre-preparation and packaging, this meal could be taken to work to eat later in the morning — if you have access to a toaster oven. Nothing says the eggs must be eaten at dawn.

Chevre & Spinach Bake: 132 calories 7 g fat 2 g fiber 9 g protein 9 g carbs [8.7 g Complex] 57 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF This one is really delicious.

1 two-oz egg 2 tsp creamy chevre cheese 2 Tbsp cooked spinach, drained/squeezed and chopped [frozen works well, just be sure to thaw and drain it the night before] lemon-dill seasoning + salt + pepper 2 oz pear OR 2 oz apple OR applesauce 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]

Combine the spinach, cheese, and seasonings. Whisk in the egg and pour into a lightly-oiled or spritzed ramekin. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the beverages of your choice and plate the fruit. What a nice way to start the day.

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

1 two-oz egg + Parmesan cheese	1.5 two-oz eggs
tomato + black olive [kalamata]	feta cheese + cinnamon
cottage cheese, low-fat + broccoli	oregano + tomato puree
plum OR cherries OR strawberries	pomegranate seeds or applesauce
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

purchased, dried cheese tortellini	beef chuck steak + green pepper
garlic + tomato + lemon juice	white whole wheat flour + onion
black kale + olive oil	stewed tomatoes
Parmesan cheese + red pepper flakes	carrots + green beans
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Tropic of Capricorn

January 19, 2020June 29, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The Earth tilts as it spins on its axis. Currently [and this is subject to change], the tilt is 23 degrees, 27 minutes from vertical. As the Earth orbits the sun, the tilt causes the sun to shine more directly on some places and less directly on others. This is the cause of our seasons. On a map of the world, you will see the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere. It is at 23 degrees South of the Equator. That is the point over which the sun shines most directly during the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. The same day marks the Winter Solstice for those in the Northern Hemisphere, which has winter due to the lack of direct sunlight. This line gets it name from the fact that the Sun was moving through the constellation of Capricorn on the December solstice day when the line was first named around 2000 years ago. The line marks the southern limit of the warm areas called ‘the tropics’ aka: the Torrid Zone. Now you know.

Today’s meals were chosen because they are eaten in countries through which the Tropic of Capricorn passes. As I write this, they are having Summer. Breakfast is my adaptation of food from Chile and dinner is a well-liked soup from Australia.

Pumpkin Sopaipilla Breakfast: 202 calories 4 g fat 2.5 g fiber 7.5 g protein 74 g carbs [12 g Complex] 45 mg Calcium PB This breakfast is based on Chile’s favorite snack, a deep-fried street-food concoction. Our’s are the same recipe, but lower in calorie, served for breakfast with some yummy sides. The recipe comes from hispanickitchen.com.

3 pumpkin sopaipillas+++ 1 Tbsp jelly sauce** 1 clementine + 1 Tbsp fat-free vanilla yogurt 1 or 2 slice Canadian Bacon [back bacon, 20 calories/slice] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Prepare the sopaipillas, which I did the night before so that I could bake them in the morning. Prepare the jelly sauce. Peel and section the clementine and stir in the yogurt. When ready to serve, heat the sopaipillas at 350 F for 5 minutes, Heat the jelly sauce for about 15 seconds in the microwave. Cook the Canadian bacon. Plate the bacon, fruit, and sopaipillas. Sprinkle the latter with confectioners sugar and spoon the syrup over them. Putting cocoa in the coffee gives you another taste of the Americas, the source of both squashes and cocoa.

+++Pumpkin Sopaipillas yields 10-11 two-inch rounds ½ cup flour 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt ½ cup pumpkin puree, canned 1 Tbsp melted butter Combine into a smooth dough. Let sit 20 minutes, then roll out on a floured surface. Cut into 2″ rounds with a cookie cutter or the top of a glass.

**Jelly Sauce yields 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp water 1 tsp fruit jelly [grape, raspberry, strawberry] Stir together in a custard cup and heat in the microwave until the jelly dissolves.

Australian Chicken-Corn Soup: 198 calories 3 g fat 1 g fiber 12 g protein 20 g carbs [6.5 g Complex] 9 mg Calcium PB GF This remarkable version of a Chinese soup is found in the “Australian Women’s Weekly’s” Chinese Cooking Class book. From such an easy preparation comes a wonderful, complex flavor. HINT: this recipe makes four cups of soup. One serving = one cup.

1 liter water 1 pound raw chick – meat and bones 1.25 cm piece [small knob] ginger ½ onion, peeled and quartered 2 peppercorns 2 sprigs parsley ½ tsp salt –OR-3.5 cups chicken stock ginger knob salt + pepper	Put chicken or chicken pieces into saucepan and add water, peppercorns, peeled and sliced ginger, onion, parsley and salt. Bring to boil over medium heat and skim well to remove any scum. Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, for one and a half hours. Remove any scum from top of stock. Strain and reserve three and a half cups of the stock. -OR- Simmer pre-made stock, ginger knob, salt and pepper covered for 30 mins. Strain.
3.5 cups stock 240 g creamed corn, canned 1 stock cube= 1 tsp dry bouillon grains ¼ tsp dry ginger powder 2.5 chopped fresh scallions ground pepper ½ tsp sesame oil	Combine in a large saucepan the reserved chicken stock, creamed corn, crumbled stock cubes, ginger, scallions, pepper and sesame oil. Bring to boil. Take off heat and taste for salt.
2 Tbsp cornstarch/cornflour 2 Tbsp water	Mix cornflour to smooth paste with water; add to soup while stirring. Put back on heat and stir until soup boils and thickens. Reduce heat, simmer for 1 min.
1 egg white 1 Tbsp water 2 tsp soy sauce	Beat egg white and water lightly and add to soup in a thin stream, stirring well. Add soy sauce. Taste for seasoning.
1 slice ham =1 oz, thinly sliced ½ cup chicken, shredded chopped scallion/chives/spinach leaves	Remove meat from bones, shred finely. Add meats to soup, heat gently. Top with extra chopped scallions or chives or baby spinach leaves.

me-me-me-me

January 15, 2020November 26, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Tomorrow will be my birthday, and this blog is all about ME. I know a woman who describes people who are vain or show-offy as ‘Opera Singers’ – – all ‘me-me-me’. So this will be my opera singer day as I talk about some of my food favorites. There are people who say, “I couldn’t diet because I love food too much. You who diet obviously don’t like food.” What I don’t like is eating when I’m not hungry. What’s the point? No food tastes as delicious as when you are hungry! I like foods that are savory; and foods that are sweet; and foods that are easy to prepare; and foods that take some finagling. One of the reasons that Dear Husband and I look forward to Fast Days is that the food will be varied and delicious. [Yes, I’m bragging again.]

Fasting works. It is a break from high-on-the-hog eating and a chance to re-set the bathroom scale to a more reasonable number. What foods would I choose if my natal day fell on a Fast Day? A strawberry-filled crepe at breakfast seems so elegant, yet is simple to pull off. The fish and vegetables for dinner is a meal SOOOO easy and yet really delicious. Through Fasting, I have maintained my average weight at my Target for over 4 years. If you can say the same, good for you! If you are not where you want your weight to be, try Fasting.

Strawberry Crepe: 193 calories 7.5 g fat 2 g fiber 9.5 g protein 23 g carbs [8 g Complex] 211 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB Isn’t it a treat to enjoy ‘Strawberries & Cream’ once in a while? If you haven’t made the crepes already, this is a good reason to try them. Mine were ready in the freezer.

1 sweet crepe*** 2 Tbsp ricotta cheese 3 Tbsp vanilla low-fat yogurt 3 oz strawberries, sliced and put in a sieve over a bowl, especially if frozen 1 slice uncured bacon or 1 slice ‘Canadian’ bacon Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] NO SMOOTHIE

Stir the ricotta and yogurt together. Add most of the berries, saving some for garnish. If there is a lot of juice, cook it down slowly to make a little syrup. Cook the bacon. Place the crepe on the plate and spoon the cream filling onto it. Fold over the crepe and top with the extra berries and syrup. Plate with the bacon and prepare your hot beverage of choice.

***CREPES, SWEET: makes 16 eight-inch crepes each = 55 calories 0.7 g fat 0.2 g fiber 2.7 g protein 9 g carbs [0 g Complex] 39 mg Calcium 154 g all-purpose flour 14 fl oz milk [416 g] 2 tsp vanilla sugar 2 two-oz eggs

Whisk the flour and sugar together. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Add the eggs one at a time. Whisk vigorously until the batter runs off the whisk in ropes. The batter can rest for up to an hour. Heat a small cast-iron pan or ceramic saute pan. Lightly spritz with oil, then wipe out the pan. Dip a ¼ cup measure into the batter and let the extra drain off. Grasp the handle of the cook pan with one hand as you slowly pour the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan in a swirling pattern to let the batter form a circle roughly 6” in diameter. Don’t get hung up on perfectly round or perfectly flat. Watch the crepe cook and look to see when the edges start to dry and curl a bit. Using a heat-resistant but non-scratching tool [I use my fingers], lift the crepe and turn it over. Cook the other side until done. Time will vary, depending on the heat of your pan. Lift out the cooked crepe, put it aside, and cook the next one. HINT: if storing them for later today or tomorrow, let them cool on a tea towel, then stack and freeze in a plastic bag.

Arctic Char with Peas, 3 ways: Arctic Char is a member of the Salmon Family which can be both sustainably fished in the wild and farm-raised. It is delicious, too. There are three presentations given: two are ridiculously easy, the other slightly more complex. All are great.

Version I: 263 calories 8 g fat 3 g fiber 28 g protein 10 g carbs [10 g Complex] 25 mg Calcium PB GF 4 oz arctic char fillets ½ cup green ‘English’ peas, fresh or frozen Salt and pepper the fish and bake at 400 F. for 10 minutes/inch of thickness or grill for 4 minutes/side. Cook the peas and serve over/around the fish.

Version II: 247 calories 8.5 g fat 2 g fiber 26.5 g protein 7.3 g carbs [5.5 g Complex] 74.7 mg Calcium PB GF 4 oz arctic char fillets ¼ cup watercress sauce [see SIDEKICKS II oct 4, 2017 ] 1 cup snow peas, stems and strings removed Salt and pepper the fish. Bake at 400 F. for 10 minutes/ inch of thickness or grill for 4 minutes/side. Warm the watercress sauce and serve over the fish. Cook the peas and plate.

Version III: 274 calories 7.4 g fat 8 g fiber 25 g protein 16.4 g carbs [all Complex] 54.5 mg Calcium PB GF 3 oz arctic char ¼ cup edamame [soy beans] ¼ cup ‘English’ peas ½ cup snow peas Remove the stems and strings from the snow peas. Salt and pepper the fish and bake at 400 F. for 10 minutes/ inch of thickness or grill for 4 minutes/side. Meanwhile, cook the peas and edamame according to package directions. Plate the fish and surround it with beautiful green peas.

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

1.5 two-oz egg	TWO BREAKFAST MENUS:
anchovies	3%-fat ham + sourdough rye bread
tomato	Hermelin or Camembert cheese
melon or mango	yellow plums
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

chicken meat + stock + stock cubes [bouillion cubes]	THIS IS A BREAKFAST MENU
canned creamed corn + scallions	1 two-oz egg + chèvre cheese
sesame oil + corn starch + ginger	spinach, frozen or pre-cooked
egg white + 1 oz ham slice	lemon-dill seasoning + apple/pear
Sparkling water	optional beverages

Hilaritas

January 12, 2020June 29, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Do you like to laugh? Think about it: how often do you laugh out loud? Laughing is good for you, you know. The name Hilary, whether for a man or a woman, is based on the name of a Roman goddess “Hilaritas,” meaning ‘cheerfulness’. [Bet you can see where the word “hilarious” came from.] Tomorrow is the feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers, France, and it seems to me that it should be a good day for finding reasons to laugh. Look up a good joke on the internet and share it with friends, family, colleagues. Be open to finding the humor in a situation. Wear clothes that make you smile. Be with people who make you glad. Have fun.

Foods for St Hilary will have as an ingredient the cheese called “Vache Qui Rit” [the Laughing Cow]: in the eggs at breakfast and in a sauce at dinner. Even the picture of the cow logo should coax a smile.

Laughing Herb Bake: 129 calories 6.5 g fat 0.9 g fiber 8.8 g protein 6.2 g carbs [5 g Complex] 94 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF So rich! So creamy! So low in calories!

One 2-oz egg ½ wedge Laughing Cow low-fat cheese 2 Tbsp fresh herbs OR 1 Tbsp dried ½ Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese 3 oz melon 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]

Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Cream the cheeses together with the herbs. Whisk in the egg and salt/pepper to taste. Pour into the ramekin and bake at 350 F. 12-15 minutes. Plate the fruit, prepare the beverages, and find something that makes you laugh.

Seafood Galettes: 269 calories 7 g fat 3 g fiber 18 g protein 19 g carbs [9.5 g Complex] 142 mg Calcium PB This is very easy to prepare [IF you have prepared the galettes in advance. I had previously prepared the Bechamel as well.] and very easy to eat. Advance preparation is a key ingredient. HINT: This recipe makes enough to serve 2 [two] people.

7 oz Ahi tuna fillet OR mixed seafood, cooked and cut in 1/2” bits 2 galettes 1 wedge Laughing Cow [Vache Qui Rit] cheese 6 Tbsp Bechamel sauce without cheese 2-3 Tbsp fish stock 1.5 oz cauliflower florets 1 oz carrot ‘coins’ 2 oz zucchini slices

If your tuna isn’t cooked, poach it gently in fish stock – enough to come half-way up the fillet. Reserve the stock as you will use some of it later. Cut the fish into small chunks. Gently heat and whisk the bechamel with 2 Tbsp fish stock and the cheese until the cheese melts. Add the fish/seafood to the sauce, adding more stock if you wish. Prepare the vegetables and begin to cook them. Warm the galettes, wrapped in a tea towel, in the microwave. When the fish and sauce are warm and the vegetables are cooked, plate the vegetables and place the galette on the plate too. Divide the fish and sauce between the two galettes and serve. Delicious!

Slow Days: Holiday Eating

January 10, 2020January 10, 2020 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

People who are new to Fasting often pose the questions: “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?” To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’ This feature will appear sporadically.

Now for the answers. Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day ? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight. There are many questions asked on the FastDiet Forum which attest to that. Once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t everyday. For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet. As for how we eat, an example follows.

I know what you are thinking: what does this woman eat over the holidays and what does that do to her weight? Here’s the ‘skinny’ [or not-so-skinny] on our eating during Christmas and the results of that. Now I’ll do the Bridget Jones thing: In early December, my weight was at my Target Weight.

Our Christmas Season begins on December 6 with St Nicholas Day. Dinner that day is always Gulyas, followed by some early cookies. See **St Nick** for recipe and food values.

Next, we celebrate Saint Lucy’s Day, which involves trimming the Tree while dining. I wrote about that as a **Slow Day post on December 13 of 2019**.

That morning, weight was below Target by one pound. All the while, throughout December, we observe two Fast Days each week.

On December 22, we always eat my **Sister’s Christmas Pasta** which I wrote about in a Slow Day blog. With a salad and good bread, it is a treat we look forward to. If you want to know about that wine, visit Dear Husband’s wine pairing blog: **peterspicksblog**

On December 23, we observe Little Christmas Eve, beginning at breakfast with a tree-shaped bread fashioned from Lussekatter dough. For dinner, our take on Smorrebrod: canapé-sized open-faced sandwiches with varied and colorful toppings on dense rye bread.

We begin Christmas Eve morning with my mother’s recipe for Cinnamon Buns. And end it with the **Seafood Chowder** seen below, prepared by Dear Husband and Wonderful Sons.

**Christmas Day**: Stollen for breakfast, then a long walk in the snow. Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding star at dinner, accompanied by green beens, Brussel sprouts, and creamed onions. And then there is Buche de Noel for dessert.

What is the result of all this good eating? Did my weight go up? Yes it did. But then it came down again. Exactly one month later, I am 0.3 [3/10] of a pound over my Target Weight. Not too bad, I’d say. Do I eat like this every Slow Day? NO. This is Festival Food. But the fact that I could eat like that and still keep my weight down says something about the benefits of the 5:2 Diet. Join me in Fasting in 2020. Eat well on Slow Days, Fast on the Fast Days — lose weight and keep it off.

The Man Who Invented Robots

January 8, 2020June 29, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The word ‘robot’ was invented in 1920, by Karel Capek. He wrote a dystopian science fiction play called R.U.R. which stands for “Rossum’s Universal Robots”. The play imagines the industrialist Rossum, who invents humanoid automatons, dubbed ‘robots‘, which can replace humans in any occupation. One would think this is to eliminate boring, mind-killing work — but really it was to make money. Of course, humans use the robots to wage wars and eventually the robots rebel, wiping out all but one human: a technician who can help them to create more robots.

Karel Capek was born in what is now the Czech Republic on January 9 in 1890. A sickly child, he turned to literature as an adult in the form of journalism and play-writing. His work ran him afoul of the Gestapo, since Capek was an ardent anti-Fascist and anti-Communist. Others praised his work and he was nominated several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Capek died of influenza/pneumonia in 1938.

For Capek’s birthday, we start with a meal so simple that even a human can prepare it. “Rosey” the Jetson’s robot housekeeper can take the morning off. The dinner is a soup that the author might well have eaten, especially since garlic is supposed to fight colds.

Parmesan-Chive Scramble: 159 calories 9.7 g fat 1 g fiber 12.7 g protein 5.2 g carbs [4.3 g Complex] 139 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the Scramble and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF This is the Scramble version of my Dear Husband’s ‘Bake’ of the same ingredients. Still wonderful!

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week 1.5 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 1.5 Tbsp minced fresh chives 1 oz kiwi fruit Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk together the chives, cheese, and eggs. Turn into a hot pan spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Scramble to perfection and plate with the fruit. Pour your choice of beverages and dig into a bright breakfast, even on a grey day.

Czech Garlic Soup: 194 calories 4.7 g fat 4.3 g fiber 9 g protein 27 g carbs [18.4 g Complex] 84 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF rye bread What could be better on a cold winter’s night than a cozy bowl of soup? This is a classic, but feel free to make it your own. The calorie count is so low that you could add other vegetables or some low-fat meat. Flavor!!!

1 Tbsp unsalted butter OR bacon fat 7 cloves garlic	Chop garlic and saute in butter/fat in a stock pot.
7 cups water OR Chicken Broth OR Beef Broth 1 1/2 tsp salt 3 cups cubed potatoes 3 cups cubed parsnips	Peel potatoes and parsnips and cut in cubes. Add to broth and salt in a large pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are just under-done. Remove ½ cup soup stock and cool.
1 egg 1 tsp marjoram	Whisk the egg, then whisk in the reserved ½ cup of soup stock. Return to the stockpot, stirring, and add marjoram. Taste for seasoning. Let sit 8-24 hours.
per serving: 1/2 oz sourdough rye bread, cubed 1/4 oz Swiss cheese, grated	Toast the cubes of bread. Grate the cheese over them while hot. Use to garnish the reheated soup.

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

1 two-oz egg	sweet crepe + uncured bacon
Vache Qui Rit [Laughing Cow] cheese	low-fat ricotta cheese
lots of herbs + ricotta cheese	low-fat yogurt
melon	strawberries
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

galette + fish stock	Arctic char, 4 oz
3.5 oz tuna/mixed seafood + cauliflower + zucchini	green peas, edamame, snow peas– one type or a combination
bechamel sauce + carrot	optional: watercress sauce
Laughing Cow cheese
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Epiphany

January 5, 2020January 1, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Tomorrow will be the Feast of the Epiphany, aka: Three Kings’ Day or the 12th Day of Christmas [got room for those 12 Drummers Drumming?] or the start of Carnival Season. In the church, it marks the day that the three Magi arrived in Nazareth to visit the child Jesus. [Contrary to what is shown on the Christmas Cards and in most artwork, this visit occurred around two years after the nativity in Bethlehem. Jesus was then a toddler.] In a wider sense, ‘epiphany’ means ‘an awakening.’ Have you come to a new understanding of something? That was an epiphany. The Kings are described as coming “from the Orient” which simply means anywhere East of Judea. They were most likely astronomers from Persia who had seen the planet Jupiter [a king] move into the constellation Pisces or Aries [which the Persians associated with Israel]. This celestial event lead them to the knowledge that a new king was born in Israel. In honor of the greeting card notion that one or all of them were from Cathay/China, our meals hale from the Eastern end of Asia. In the dinner, you have choices. I suggest that you limit yourself to three types of items, to remember the “Kings who traversed afar”.

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

One 2-oz egg 2 Tbsp crab meat 1 tsp soy sauce ¼ oz mushrooms ¼ cup sprouts [I used broccoli sprouts — suit yourself] 1 Tbsp scallion, sliced across pinch ground ginger + pinch granulated garlic 2 oz pear OR 1 clementine Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 purchased pork dumpling/pot sticker: read the label

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

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

NOW!

January 1, 2020December 31, 2019 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

We are one day into the new year. The resolution-making game is fraught with dilemmas: which resolutions to make? what if I can’t keep them? does that mean I’m a failure? Since the new year seems to be a good time for new beginnings, people make wild pie-in-the-sky promises to themselves which are impossible to keep. Some suggestions: make the resolution concrete [I will lose 10 pounds.]; make the resolution achievable [I will clean the kitchen and do the dishes right after dinner]; make the resolution something you really want to do for you [I will take a one-hour walk once a week to savor nature by myself]. Drinking water, reading more, moving more in a day — all are good resolutions.

Now is the time to lose weight/get healthier and I am here to help you. Re-read the paragraph at the top of the page. Does that sound too simple? Brain scientists say people think that the more rules a diet has, the better it must be! Nope — those are fad diets. This one is easy and it works. How to begin? Start small — if you think you can’t possibly exist on 600 calories per day, then begin with dinner. One day this week, eat a meal of 300 calories for dinner. Then do not eat until the next day at breakfast, but you may drink as much water/ sparkling water/plain tea/herbal tea/coffee/decaf coffee as you want. You will find that the dinner was satisfying enough to carry you through ’til morning. Do that one day per week, then try two nights in a week. Weigh yourself once a week and see if there is a change for the better. Here are two suggestions for dinners under 300 calories:

Green Split Pea Soup: 262 calories 1.6 g fat 19 g fiber 20 g protein 46 g carbs [46 g Complex] 30 mg Calcium PB GF For years we have loved this soup from Picardy, France which comes to us via Anne Willen’s French Regional Cooking. The easiest recipe in the world! HINT: Makes 6 [six] one-cup servings. What you don’t use today, freeze in serving-sized portions.

Very hearty. Very satisfying. And the recipe makes 6 servings!

16 oz bag dry green split peas [Goya is excellent] 1 quart water 2 slices bacon 2 stems of thyme salt + pepper to taste

Put the dry peas in a bowl and add water to cover them by 2”. Let them sit and soften for 1.5 hours. Drain. [TIP: you will not need the water for the soup, but use it to water the houseplants] Put the peas, bacon, thyme, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 1.25 hours. NB: Not all the liquid will be used up. That’s fine. Remove the bacon and the thyme stems. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion wand, puree the soup. There should be 6 cups. Soup should be loose enough to run off a spoon, but not too thin. Add water, if necessary, to adjust thickness. Taste for seasonings. Cook the bacon in a saute pan until it is crisp. Crumble it and add to the soup.

Fajitas with Chicken + Vegetables: 286 calories 5 g fat 3.9 g fiber 24 g protein 35 g carbs 183 mg calcium PB TIP: This recipe serves 2 [two] people. It is quick, delicious, and a good way to put vegetables into dinner.

Great for using odds and ends in the refrigerator — and it tastes great.

1 tsp oil + 3 tsp water 6 oz chicken breast 2 cups veg, including: >3 oz sweet pepper + 4 oz zucchini + >1 oz red onion + 1.25 oz broccoli 1 tsp chili powder + sprinkle Adobo	Cut the meat into strips. Cut the vegetables into strips or other edible sizes. Heat oil in wok, stir-fry meat, veg, and seasonings for ~ 7 minutes or until cooked and vegetables begin to brown
4 five-inch corn tortillas	Wrap in damp kitchen towel. Nuke 30-45 seconds. -OR- Warm on a griddle/ dry skillet until pliable and starting to brown.
¼ c plain nonfat yogurt [1 Tbsp per tortilla]	Divide the meat/veg among the tortillas and top with yogurt.
1 lime + ¼ c cilantro leaves	Serve as garnish

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

1 two-oz egg + pear	1.5 two-oz eggs
sprouts + crab meat	fresh chives
soy sauce + ginger	Parmesan cheese
garlic powder + scallions	kiwi fruit
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Assorted Asian foods for Dim Sum — examples:	7 cloves garlic + butter
beef egg roll or shrimp spring roll	beef or chicken stock
chicken momo or chicken momo filling	potatoes + parsnips + egg + marjoram
pork wonton + broccoli + Sriracha	rye bread + Swiss cheese
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

	me on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Mya on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Peter Eppig on Robert Gould Shaw
	me on 10 Years of FASTing
	Karen Loudon on 10 Years of FASTing

Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet."

Join me in following the Fasting Lifestyle, with recipes & tips

Eating well with creative recipes to follow Michael Mosley’s Fast Diet

Baldwin’s Readers

I. F.

Start With Breakfast

Tropic of Capricorn

me-me-me-me

Hilaritas

Slow Days: Holiday Eating

The Man Who Invented Robots

Epiphany

NOW!

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