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

Morning to Night: Felafel

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                           Welcome to Trinity L. who is now Following.

Felafel is a ubiquitous street food in the Eastern Mediterranean and it should be healthy. But too often it is deep-fried, adding needless calories and fat. On a Fast Day good felafel can take you from morning to night with some delicious and satisfying meals. The origin of felafel goes back to the lands now called Palestine and Israel, but once called Sameria, Judea, Idumaea.  Let’s not get bogged down on who invented it — let’s celebrate how good it is and how easy it is to eat in a variety of forms. Felafel in eggs and a felafel-topped salad are fine forms of feasting. I’ll give you the basic recipe, then you can decide how to use it.

Felafel:       1 batch = 648 cal 25.4 g fat 21 g fiber 32.5 g protein 72 g carbs 214 mg Calcium  each patty= 30 cal 1.2 g fat 0.8 g fiber 1.6 g protein 4 g carbs 8.5 mg Calcium    GF PB  V  From the good old Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen, these are easy to prepare and set you up for several servings of future meals.                                                                                                                                  2 cups canned chick peas     [I like Goya brand  TIP:  if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them]                                                            1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!]                                                                                 ¼ cup celery, minced                                                                                                                                           ¼ c. scallions, sliced                                                                                                                                                    1 raw egg                                                                                                                                                                                            1.5 tsp tahini                                                                                                                                                                 ½ t. cumin    +   ½ t. tumeric   +   ¼ t. cayenne  + ¼ t. black pepper     +  1.5 t. salt                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Combine everything in food processor until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1  Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties slightly. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be about 25 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use.

Felafel Bake:  271 calories   6.6 g fat   3.1 g fiber   15.2 g protein  40 g carbs   198 mg Calcium   PB GF   Here we use 1 of the felafel patties which we prepared and froze earlier. Great time-saver! Amazing in eggs!Felafel Bake w: blueberries

1 two-oz egg one felafel patty, thawed [see Stocking Up I-4-’18]                                                                            1 Tbsp tomato puree or crushed tomatoes                                                                                                            ¼ c blueberries                                                                                                                                                                     blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water                                                                                   5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider

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

Felafel with Mixed Salad: 295 calories   13.6 g fat   7.3 g fiber   15.5 g protein  29 g carbs [28 Complex]   174 mg Calcium   PB   GF   V    What a healthy plate of food! When you have felafel in the freezer, a quick meal like this is almost instant. If you prep the vegetables in advance, this would be a good ‘make-ahead’ meal for the end of a busy day.felafel w: mixed salad

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

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

Second Fiddles

~ 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.

What does it mean ‘to play or to be a second fiddle‘?  It means to be the assistant to the leader or boss, which is a good role but it means that you may not get your full share of the glory or fame from what is accomplished. Originally, it referred to seating in an orchestra: the head honcho is the Conductor, of course.  The next most important person is the First Violin [the one who plays the ‘1st Fiddle’], and below that is the Second Violin.  That’s the 2nd Fiddle: close to the fame with important work to do, but often over-looked. Tomorrow will be the birthday of an over-looked man: Roy Disney.  He was co-founder and partner in the Disney organization, playing second fiddle to his younger brother, Walt the cartoonist and media visionary. Despite the fact that Roy was a financial wizard  who brought Disney World into fulfillment and put Orlando, Florida on the map, the only human who comes to mind when you say “Disney’ is Walt.                                                                                                  Side dishes play second fiddle to the main meal. That’s too bad as they can tend to be an after-thought: boil up some peas for something green on the plate. Let’s up our game and serve some side dishes that really add some zest to the meal.

Lamb Kabobs w: corn relish

CORN-TOMATO SALSA          makes 1.5 cups 87 calories per 3/4 cup serving                                                    1 cup corn kernels                                                                                                                                                       1 cup diced tomato                                                                                                                                                  2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper                                                                                                                           2 Tbsp diced red onion                                                                                                                                         2 Tbsp cider vinegar                                                                                                                                                1/4 tsp dry mustard                                                                                                                                                 1/8 tsp tumeric                                                                                                                                                          ¼ tsp sugar                                                                                                                                                                    2 dashes ground cumin

Felafel w: Cuke Raita

CUCUMBER RAITA               use as a side dish or in wraps                                                                                             1 cup non-fat yogurt                                                                                                                                                 1 Tbsp lime juice                                                                                                                                                      1 clove garlic, pressed                                                                                                                                              1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced                                                                                                                   ½ tsp ground cumin                                                      ¼ tsp salt                                                                          ¼ tsp ground pepper                                                                                       1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped                                Combine all ingredients and use immediately or chill up to 30 minutes.

Fish Kabobs w: fresh Polenta

FRESH POLENTA          1 serving = 1/3 cup = 80 calories                                                                                                          1.25 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen                                                                                                                      1 tsp unsalted butter                                                                                                                                         freshly-ground pepper + salt                                                                                                                                      Puree the corn in a blender until smoother in texture [it won’t be like whipped cream, but you shouldn’t see whole kernels]. Put butter in a warm pan, then add the corn, pepper and salt. Cook about 30 seconds or until it becomes thicker. From Jacques Pepin, this is excellent served with a simply prepared fish.

Haggis Spring Rolls

SIDE SALAD        Serves 1 = 36 calories, easily doubles or triples                                                                                           1 cup lettuce, slice into <1/2” strips if leaves are large                                                                                 ½ oz grated carrots                                                                                                                                                   1 oz tomato                                                                                                                                                               ½ tsp olive oil, plain or flavor-infused [ex: lime]                                                                                            ½ tsp flavorful vinegar                                                   salt and pepper to taste                                                                                                                                 optional: 1/2 oz boiled, cubed beets [adds 6 calories]  

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
1 felafel patty [Stocking Up 4-I-2018]salami, thinly-sliced
tomato puree or crushed tomatoespear
blueberries
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

6 felafel pattiespork tenderloin + honey  + garlic
lettuce  + tomatoesfresh green beans  + red bell pepper
carrot  +  beets  +  feta cheesefresh ginger  + soy sauce + canola oil
white wine vinegar + flavored olive oilcrushed red pepper +   scallion
Sparkling waterSparkling water

                                                                                                                                        

Fannie Farmer

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

On the shelf in the kitchen is a cookbook that used to have a gold-colored cover. The book’s binding is reinforced with packing tape and the pages are stained with the splatters of cooking. This is the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 11th edition published in 1965.  On January 6, 1896, the first edition was issued under the title The Boston Cooking-School Cookbook.  Miss Fannie Merritt Farmer, a woman with a disability who did not attend cooking school until the age of 30, had written a book which explained the chemistry of cooking and which established uniform measurement of ingredients that everyone could use. She became a media mogul and culinary icon, the Julia Child or Martha Stewart of her day. The book was an instant success and became the classic of  the American kitchen.  My mother used it faithfully [I have her copy] and gave me my own when I became engaged. So many good recipes! My adaptations of several of them have already appeared in this blog, some recipes used as-is.                                                                                                               The breakfast for this anniversary is an old favorite of our’s, Shirred Egg [p 103 in my copy] and for dinner the thrifty housewife’s go-to: Swiss Steak [p 163]

Shirred Egg:   271 calories  8.5 g fat  3.3 g fiber   15.8 g protein  38.8 g. carb  275 mg Calcium  PB GF– if using GF bread       I learned to prepare this dish when working on my Girl Scout ‘Cooking’ badge. We still eat it because it tastes so good. Easy to serve to guests, too.Shirred Egg

One 2-oz egg                                1 Tbsp half&half   [Blend Cream, 10% milk fat]                                                                                         salt & pepper to taste         1/2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese       half a slice of 70-calorie bread, toasted                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       2 oz apple slices or 2 oz strawberries                 blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                               5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Heat the toaster oven to 325° F. Spritz a 1-cup ramekin with cooking oil or spray. Break the egg into the cup, and pour the half&half on top. Sprinkle with cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then let sit 2-3 mins while you toast the bread. Plate with the toast and fruit. Serve with your choice of beverages.

Swiss Steak:  267 calories  6.5 g fat    6.5 g fiber   28 g protein  27.5 g carbs   104.8 mg Calcium   PB GF — if using GF flour    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                   1.5 Tbsp white whole wheat flour + salt + pepper                                                                                         8 oz stewed tomatoes                 ¼ cup minced green bell peppers                   ¼ cup minced onion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              herbs to taste, such as rosemary or parsley                                                                                                                                      per serving: ½ cup cut green beans + ½ cup carrots sliced as coins

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.

Tolkien

~ me ~ 2 Comments

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.

J.R.R. Tolkien did not set out to be a world-famous fantasy writer. Born in South Africa on January 2, 1892, he became a professor of linguistics at Oxford. There he dabbled in writing with a group called The Inklings. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis traded ideas and critiqued each other’s work. [This is why both their fantasy series feature talking trees, elves, and Christian allegory.] At heart, Tolkien was a lover of the linguistic roots of modern English and of old myths.  He wanted to create an English mythology and produced The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Silmarillion, as well as many songs, poems, and short stories. Tolkien’s works are beloved the world over for their universal human insights set in a fantasy landscape.  The Quest and Coming of Age themes are compelling and the characters are memorable. The works may not be the history of England and its language, but they are worth reading at any age.                                                                                                                          

Since Tolkien was such a devoted chronicler of all things English, today’s meals would please him as well as making sure that no Hobbits become fatter.  The mushroom breakfast is based on the casserole given to Frodo by Farmer Maggot’s wife, and the dinner is a classic English meal from the 1700s.

FarmWife Mushroom Pudding: 127 calories 2 g fat 2 g fiber 7 g protein 33.5 g carbs 83.6 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB  Having heard this described in The Fellowship of the Ring, I searched and searched until I found an approximation: this recipe in Theodora FitzGibbon’s A Taste of England.

½ oz [around one strip] American/streaky bacon + ¾ cup assorted mushrooms, chopped 3 Tbsp chicken stock + 1 tsp white whole wheat flour + 1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce + salt & pepper ½ Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich Thin  + ½ 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]

Cook the bacon partially, blot off the fat, and cut in strips. Pour off the bacon fat but return 1 tsp to the pan. Saute the mushrooms in the fat with a pinch of salt, and remove them. Pour some of the chicken stock into the pan and sprinkle in the flour while whisking to prevent lumps as it thickens. Add the remaining stock and some pepper. Put the bacon and mushrooms into the sauce and cook over low heat. Pour into an oiled oven-proof dish and bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Warm or lightly toast the Sandwich Thin. Place the bread on top of the mushroom pudding prior to serving.  NB: you can serve it out of the baking dish or turn it out on the bread on a plate.  Enjoy with the pear and have a hearty day, even if you are not escaping from Black Riders.

Pheasant Casserole: 250 calories   9.5 g fat   5.4 g fiber   22.5 g protein  21.6 g carbs   86 mg Calcium  PB   This recipe is based on one from English Provincial Cooking by Elisabeth Ayrton and it dates back to the 18thcentury. Whole partridges were stewed with onion, carrot, and cabbage for 2.5 hours and served on thick slices of bread. Well, this is a modified version and it is delicious. Using left-over cooked pheasant meat, this recipe works well as a quick and nourishing meal.

Pheansant Casserole

2-1/2 oz cabbage, sliced 1-1.5” thick                                                                     1.5 oz baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise                                                                                                            ¼ oz onion rings [which I forgot to put on the top]                                                       2 Tbsp chicken or pheasant gravy                                                                                                                      2 oz pheasant meat, cooked and taken off the bone                                             ½ Arnold Multi-Grain Sandwich Thin

Prepare the carrots, cabbage, and onion and steam them for 25 minutes until the carrots are tender. If the cabbage is not yet done, leave it in the steamer with the lid on but off the heat until needed. Warm the pheasant in the gravy + 2 tsp of the water from the steaming liquid. Warm the Arnold Thins in the toaster oven. Plate the bread. Spoon a tablespoon of gravy on top. Place the meat atop the bread. Stir the warm vegetables into the warm gravy and plate them. Put the onion rings on top and pour any remaining gravy over the meat.

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

one 2-oz egg                           +            apple or strawberriesNext week I will provide some favorite side dishes for Fast Days
whole-grain bread, 70 calories 
blend cream/half&half 
parmesan cheeseFind a new favorite in the Archives
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

Beef chuck steak +  green pepper 
stewed tomatoes   + onion 
white whole wheat flour 
green beans   +  carrotsFind a new favorite in the Archives
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New Year’s Eve

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Will you be entertaining for New Year’s Eve? Or will you be the guest at someone else’s party? Will you be over-indulging on December 31?  Or are you wondering how to celebrate 2019 without spoiling your progress as a Faster?   Lots of questions — here is some help with the answers.                                                                                                                                                     1] If it is your party, make sure that all the foods you serve are healthy.  That way you can have a serving and not feel guilty. How about a big pot of Red Beans and Rice [posted November 6, 2016] or

Jambalaya: 275 calories  5 g fat  4 g fiber  14.8 g protein  39 g carbs  81 mg Calcium  PB GF  What else would you eat for New Year’s? Or any other time you want delicious Cajun comfort food: jambalaya, of course. For a party, triple or quadruple the recipe. Just make sure that you limit yourself to one serving = one cup.

Jambalaya w: broc

2/3 cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                           2 cloves garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                           2 tsp cajun seasoning                                                                                                                                               ½ cup green pepper, chopped                                                                                                                           1/3 cup celery, chopped                                                                                                                                           2 oz andouille sausage [or sweet Italian], sliced                                                                                                 3 oz chicken breast, cubed                                                                                                                                    2 oz [½ cup] ham, cubed                                                                                                                                        12 oz crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                                         1/3 tsp crushed red pepper +  1/3 tsp black pepper  + 2/3 tsp salt                                                                      ½ tsp Tabasco sauce   +  1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce                                                                                 ¾ tsp file powder                                                                                                                                                       ¾ cup brown rice                                                                                                                                                    1.5 cups chicken broth                                                                                                                                                   Per serving:  2 oz broccoli

Cook the onion in a little water and a dash of olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cajun seasoning and cook until fragrant. Stir in the green pepper and celery and then add the meats. Pour in the tomatoes, seasonings and sauces, the rice, and broth. Cover and simmer for 25-40 minutes, stirring every once in a while to prevent sticking. The mixture will not be soupy, as the rice will have absorbed the liquids. Cook uncovered if too much liquid remains. Prepare the broccoli and plate.

Each of the above-mentioned meals are less than 300 calories/serving.                                                          2] Alcohol has lots of calories, but some are lower than others. Go to the party with a small bottle of sparkling wine, such as Spanish Cava or Italian Prosecco, and a large bottle of sparkling water.  Start off with a glass of the water, then a glass of the wine.  Then some more water. Finish the last bit of wine at midnight, then drink some more water. You will feel much better the next morning and you will avoid dehydration. Also the water will help to fill you up.                                                                                                                       3] Put off having breakfast as long as you can and then eat a meal high in protein but low in carbs, like eggs.                                                                                                                                     4] If you are not hosting, find something on the buffet that is low in calories, carbs, and fat.  Shrimp would be a great choice, as are fruit and raw vegetables.  Fill up on them and there won’t be room for lousier options.                                                                                               5] Make some sensible resolutions for 2019.  Not “I wanna lose weight” because that is too general.  Not “I wanna loose 50 pounds by February” because that is too unrealistic.  Try: “I will eat 600-800 calories of high-quality food on two days each week for 2 months.”  This goal is specific and achievable.  It limits you to 2 months and then you can see if you want to continue. No pressure. You could do that.                                                     Happy New Year.

Johannes Kepler

~ 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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Although there is a space telescope named after him, most people would be hard pressed to recognize the name of Johannes Kepler.  Yet he revolutionized how we view the solar system and brought us out of the Middle Ages of astronomy once and for all.  He was the assistant to the famous Tycho Brahe [cf 13 December 2017] in Bohemia and inherited the detailed written observations of his mentor.  By applying his superior mathematical skills, Kepler developed his 3 Laws of Planetary Motion. Today’s breakfast illustrates those theories.  1]  Planets move in elliptical [egg-shaped] paths around the sun. [In his time, the 1500-year old ideas of Ptolemy said that orbits were perfect circles.]   2]  When planets reach the point of their orbit where they are farthest from the sun, they travel slower, but go faster closer to the sun.  The two figs mark places where a planet would go faster or slower in its orbit.  3]  The time it takes a planet to orbit the sun [many scientists in the 1500s held that the Earth was in the center of the Solar System] is proportional to its distance from the sun. In the photo, the ‘orbital path’ of the spinach leaves would be shorter if it were closer to the egg yolk [egg yolk = sun.]  These ideas were huge in their day and yet they made few ripples in the scientific community, with no scandal of excommunication.  The time was almost right for recognizing that the old ideas were based on opinion and that scientists could prove, by observation and calculation, that their theories were correct.                                                                                                                            

Since Kepler’s side hustle was as an astrologer [the magic side of star-gazing], dinner gives a nod to the recent Winter Solstice, a time of dread and disruption in the ancient Solar Calendar.  Kepler’s birthday is tomorrow. He was a Capricorn.

Fig & Chèvre Plate:    294 calories  8.7 g fat  5.7 g fiber  17 g protein  43 g carbs [33 g Complex]   325 mg Calcium   PB GF  Simple, elegant, and much more filling than it looks.

Fig + Chevre Plate, black

½ hard-boiled egg                  1 dried fig, mass = 0.65 oz or 16 g         1 oz chèvre cheese        ¼ oz baby spinach   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]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Rehydrate the dried fig by covering with water and microwaving or heating for 1 minute. Let the fig sit in the water for another few minutes, then cut in half. Arrange the spinach leaves in an oval. Dab the leaves with crumbles of the goat cheese. Plate the egg half and the fig halves. HINT: I composed the plate the night before, covered it with a plastic bag, and kept it cool until breakfast. Instant breakfast!

Winter Solstice Pizza: 281 calories   10 g fat  2.8 g fiber  16 g protein  15.6 g carbs [7.8 g Complex]  223.4 mg Calcium PB   On the solstice, we like to prepare a pizza with elements of the season past [mushrooms represent Fall] and of the season to come [cured meats stand in for Winter]. Fabulous flavors!

Winter Solstice Pizza

1 whole wheat tortilla [ex: Herdez 8” Fajita-style Tortilla], must be 170 calories or less                                                                                                                         1.5 Tbsp crushed tomatoes + pinch granulated garlic            1 oz mozzerella cheese, grated       1 oz mushrooms, chopped                        1/3 oz prosciutto               1 Tbsp onion, chopped                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      generous sprinkling of Italian Herbs + crushed red peppers to taste                                                                                                                                     

Heat the oven to 400 F. Spread the tortilla with the crushed tomato sauce and garlic. Chop the prosciutto roughly and combine it with the mushrooms, onion, and cheese. Distribute over the pizza shell. Sprinkle with herbs, crushed red pepper, or other seasonings to taste. Bake for 5-10 minutes. Light some candles and enjoy pizza on the longest night of the year.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion

Next week I will discuss options for American bacon   +  mushrooms
      New Year’s Eve entertainingCheddar cheese   + chicken stock
choose a favorite from the Archives for breakfast Yorkshire Pudding Batter [..Not by Bread…18-Feb-2018  OR Arnold Sandwich Thin [100 calories]
       white whole wheat flour
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

Next week I will discuss options for cooked pheasant meat
           New Year’s Eve entertainingcarrots  +  cabbage  + onion
 choose a favorite from the Archivespheasant or chicken gravy
         for dinnerArnold Sandwich Thin [100 calories]
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Smooth as…

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                      Welcome to Frieda P.F. who is now Following.

“Smooth as butter” is a pilot’s term for a good airplane landing. Did you ever hear that the Earth is as “Smooth as a billiard ball“?   How about ‘Smooth as a smoothie”?  Ever since the 1960s, smoothies have seen increased popularity. But not all smoothies are created equal: some are good for you and some might as well be a glass of sugar water. Today we’ll dive into the blender for an investigation of smoothies.

Smoothie benefits: Juice alone has lots of sugar. It is like drinking a soda-pop!  Next time you see an article about the ‘benefits of the juice diet,’ run the other way.  But when you add fiber, whether from fruit or vegetable, it changes the sugar’s effect on your body. In other words, a smoothie made from whole fruit is good for you. Plus, the added fruit and/or vegetables give you a much-needed serving of the same. When drinking a green smoothie, by pureeing the greens, you are making them into their most digestible form. This means that all the micro-flora in your gut will thank you and that your lower intestines will be healthier and will work better.

Fruit Smoothie, chez nous

Breakfast Smoothies:                                                                                                                                 Fruit Smoothie:  88 calories  0 g fat  0.8 g fiber    1.5 g protein   21.2 g carbs   15.2 mg Calcium   PB   GF  HINT: enough for 4                                                                                       [four] 5-6 oz servings                                                                                 2 oz banana                                                                       2 oz fruit [all one variety or mixed; we like raspberries, strawberries, black currants, blueberries]                                                                      20 oz [2.5 cups] orange juice                                  HINT: I make the fruits up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver!                                                                                     Put the fruit in the blender with 4 0z of the orange juice. Run it on “High” to break up the fruit and make it all smooth. Switch setting to “Low” and add the remaining juice. Run blender to combine the liquids. Save the rest for other mornings.

Berry-Yogurt Smoothie

Berry-Yogurt Smoothie:  88 calories  0 g fat  0.9 g fiber  2.8 g protein  18 g carbs  91.5 mg Calcium PB GF     Dear Husband was inspired to create this, in an effort to get more Calcium and less orange juice into our diet. HINT: Makes 4 [four] servings                                                                          1 cup yogurt, plain and low-fat                                                                                        2 oz banana                                                                               2 oz mixed berries                                                                             4 oz fruit juice with solids in it                                                         8 oz orange juice HINT: I combine the fruits and put those in the freezer as ‘kits.’   Put the                                        yogurt, fruit, and fruit juice in the blender/VitaMix/container for using immersion wand. Whiz it on HIGH until everything is blended and no bits of berry are seen. Add orange juice and blend on low. Put what you don’t use today into the ‘fridge for another day.

reen Milk

Lunch/Meal Smoothies                                                                                                                         Green Milk:   136 calories   0.6 g fat   1.5 g fiber  10 g protein  24 g carbs   337 mg Calcium    PB GF  I drink this for lunch daily to ‘keep the trains running.’ On Fast Days, I eliminate the dates.                                                  8 oz low-fat milk                                                     ½ oz dates                                                                   1 oz spinach, fresh or frozen                                   Put everything in the blender/VitaMix or container suitable for using with an immersion wand. Whirl on low speed at first, to break up the ingredients, then at the speed that will pulverize everything to a lovely shade of green.

Banana Tofu Smoothie:  182 calories  2 g fat  1.5 g fiber  9 g protein   32 g carbs  250 mg Calcium PB GF    This is what I always took for lunch when I was teaching. Kept me going all afternoon.    HINT: This serves two.                                                                                                                                                                 1.25 cups fat-free milk                                                                                                                                            ½ cup firm tofu                                                                                                                                                         6” banana                                                                                                                                                                   2 Tbsp sugar                                                                                                                                                           4 ice cubes                                                                                                                                                          grated nutmeg                                                                                                                                                         Put everything in the blender and whizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth. Top with grated nutmeg.

“C” is for Comfort

~ 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.                                                                          Welcome to Kristen who is now Following.

This is a continuation of the posts which show, I hope, that Fasting meals are as easy a A-B-C.  How to begin the Fasting Lifestyle?  From this blog site, choose your favorite 2 breakfast menus: have one on Monday, one the following Thursday.  Then find your favorite 2 dinner menus: plan on one for Monday, one for Thursday.  Repeat the following week, or choose a different breakfast and dinner.  Plan 1st, then eat.  Then weigh and repeat. Soon Fasting will become your new comfort zone.

Cheesy-Bake:   144 calories   7.8 g fat   1 g fiber   12 g protein   7.3 g carbs [5.7 g Complex]  183 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  This is the baked version of a cheese omelette that thinks that it is a cheese souffle! Delicious.

cheesy-bake-w-apples-r-bs

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                           ¼ oz cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                                                                1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                             ¼ c raspberries, fresh or frozen [When I use frozen fruit, I portion it into its dish the night before, so it will be thawed by morning]                                                                                                        ½ oz apple, sliced                                                                                                                                 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]

Spritz a ramekin with olive oil or non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Stir the two cheeses together with a fork until blended and whisk with the egg. Without waiting, pour into the ramekin and bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed and beginning to brown. Prepare the fruit and optional beverages, and enjoy a cheesy start to your day.

Chickpea Ragout with Cod:   213 calories   3.6 g fat  5.3 g fiber  25.8 g protein  20 g carbs  44 mg Calcium  GF PB   This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way. Although he doesn’t mean my kind of ‘Fast Food,’ Pepin has long been a proponent of healthy cooking. He presents this as a side dish, but for our purposes it is best prepared as a main course with seafood for more protein. 

Halibut w: Chickpea Ragout

½ tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                            ½ cup diced onions                                                                                                                                                 ½ cup scallions, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 Tbsp garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                           2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained                                                                                                  1 and ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned                                                                                                  ½ cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                        ½ tsp salt   +   ½ tsp pepper                                                                                                                                 4 oz cod** fillet. fresh or frozen

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Divide it in 4 portions, each about 3/4 cup. Keep one portion aside for today. TIP: Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.

** If you can’t get cod, use one of these:    4 oz swordfish               4 oz salmon           4 oz halibut            4 oz smelts         2 oz shad     4 oz haddock         4 oz tilapia          4 oz flounder

Newton

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Tomorrow marks the birth of one of science’s giants: Isaac Newton, born Christmas Day 1642, in Wollsthorp, Lincolnshire, England.  His mother had been widowed a few months earlier and her baby was premature — a dismal start for any child. But Isaac somehow grew up to be a mathematics prodigy.  He invented the Calculus; wrote the three Laws of Motion; determined why the moon stays in orbit around the Earth; developed the concept of gravity; all before his 24th birthday.  

We will observe his natal day and the birth of modern physics with some very English meals: Toad in the Hole and Pork with Apples.  ‘Apples.’  Get it? Newton saw an apple falling from his tree and intuited the effect of gravity on all things. Whew.

Toad in the Hole:  298 calories   1.7 g fat  3.9 g fiber  14.5 g protein   79 g carbs  190 mg Calcium This whimsically-named meal is of old English origin – shades of Kenneth Graham and Beatrix Potter. The recipe is from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. It begins with a Yorkshire Pudding batter which you need to prepare in advance. The Yorkshire Pudding recipe is from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook. HINT: make the batter the night before to save time in the morning.

Toad in the Hole w: Apples

Yorkshire Pudding Batter:       one 2-oz egg      ½ tsp salt           1/2 cup unbleached flour                                                            ½ cup white whole wheat flour         ½ cup water         ½ cup fat-free milk                         Mix all the ingredients together and let the batter stand at room temp for 30-60 minutes or in ‘fridge overnight. You will need 1/4 cup of the batter per person. HINT: The remainder can be frozen in 1 cup or 1/4 cup batches for future meals. When it is time to use the batter, beat it with a rotary beater until it is frothy.

For the breakfast:                 1 breakfast sausage [chicken sausage @ 50 cal/link]                               1/4 cup Yorkshire Pudding batter, well beaten                         pinch of crumbled sage                                                                                                                                         2 oz pear or apple       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]

Heat the oven/toaster oven to 425°F.  Cook the sausage, using a bit of water in the bottom of the pan since the sausage will render no fat. Pour out any remaining water from cooking the sausage. Spritz 5 holes of a mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray. Dice the sausage or slice into 20 pieces, and put the sausage in the mini-muffin pan. Beat the batter until it is foamy, adding crumbled sage. Pour the batter over the sausage bits in the pan. Pop the pan into the oven for 15 minutes. Slice the fruit, shake your smoothie, brew your beverage, and settle down to a quickly-prepared, fun-to-eat meal.

Pork with Apples:  273 calories   8.1 g fat   4 g fiber  22.7g protein   18.8 g carbs   84 mg Calcium  PB   Long a favorite combination in lands where apples grow; where local meats and local fruits are blended in hearty meals, the flavor of pork with apples is a winner.

Pork & Apples

3 oz pork tenderloin, raw or cooked                                   2 oz round slices of apple, unpeeled                                                                                                               ½ oz cubed apples, unpeeled                                1/4 cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                           4 Tbsp Béchamel sauce, no cheese                 thyme/sage salt + pepper to taste                                                                                                                       1 oz broccoli florets            1 oz cauliflower florets                         1 oz carrots 

Poach the apple slices in the stock until they are tender. TIP: if cooking for 2, this may require poaching in 2 batches. Remove slices and reserve. Slice the pork into rounds about 1/4” thick. If pork is raw, braise it briefly in the hot stock, and remove from stock. Put 1 Tbsp stock in the oven-proof pan in which you will cook the dinner. Combine diced apples, Béchamel, seasonings, and remaining stock in the sauce pan, stirring until apples are soft and sauce is medium-thick. Adjust seasonings. Arrange alternating slices of pork and apple in the baking pan. Nap with the sauce and bake at 350 until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Steam the vegetables and enjoy a hearty winter meal.

Summer Entertaining

~ me ~ Leave a comment
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                  Welcome to M.M. who is now a follower.
Sometimes, you just have to have friends over for a summer afternoon on the terrace!  A trip to the store, and you bring home the chips, the prepared dip, the hamburgers — and you blow a hole in your diet that will take weeks to fix!  But if your party food is low in calorie and high in protein AND delicious, you can partake without fear.
Prepare any or all of these:
Zucchini Quiche [a favorite of my Mother’s for party food]: see Aug. 28, 2016              Easy to make ahead.Zucchini Quiche w: salad
Quesadillas [you can even heat them on the grill] : see August 3, 2016                                   Can be filled and shaped early in the day, wrapped in foil and refrigerated for later.chicken quesadillas w: zucc+yam
Falafel with Cucumber Raita: see March 1, 2017                                                                Make the falafel patties days ahead and freeze.Felafel w: Cuke Raita
Meze Meal [lots of bowls of meze foods mean lots of choices] :  see April 17, 2017                Instead of preparing the single-serving portions, triple or quadruple the amounts.Meze Meal w: chicken copy
Pizza [make several, cut each into 6 pieces] : see May 24, 2017

Pizza

Green Salad with homemade vinaigrette dressing: 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp vinegar/2 cups lettuce.  Add tomatoes, cooked beets, blueberries, cooked green beans, nuts
Beverages: a] make your own wine spritzers with sparkling water, white wine, and ice cubes with fresh raspberries frozen inside.    b] have lots of sparkling water on hand for after you have had your own spritzer.
What can your guests bring?  Fresh fruit, some white wine, cut vegetables.  If you trust yourself to resist, guests can bring chips or a nice artisan bread.