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

Country Tastes

~ 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.

Many a diner and small restaurant has lured customers with promises of ‘country cooking.’  Many cookbooks have been written about the way people cook in the countryside of France, England, Germany…..you get the point.  For my taste, give me good tasting food made from fresh country products.  And we can enjoy it on a Fast Day, too.  Clean your plate.

Hash and eggs is a classic diner item.  But our’s is healthy and delicious with black beans and sweet potato.    From Joanne Harris’ cookbook of the French countryside, comes a recipe from the ocean and the fields. Yum! Read more about why we should do intermittent fasting in this article:  http://news.yahoo.com/does-intermittent-fasting-benefits-science-suggests-yes-173453757.html

Sweet Potato Black Bean Hash: 284 calories   5.6 g fat     7.6 g fiber      43.3 g carbs     278.3 mg Calcium      PB GF     Long-time friend and fellow bell ringer Jane Winslow inspired this recipe. She’s right: it is very good.Sweet Potato:Black Bean Bake

½ c. diced sweet potatoes [You could substitute ½ cup of diced winter squash, which lowers the calories, protein, and carbs]                                                                                              2 Tbsp yellow onion, diced                                                                                                                                ¼ red pepper, sliced                                                                                                                                              salt & pepper + ¾ tsp paprika + ¼ tsp cumin                                                                                                ½ cup spinach roughly chopped                                                                                                                         3 oz black beans = ½ c.                                                                                                                                           one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                         blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                   NB: no smoothie today

Spritz olive oil in a small cast iron pan on medium heat. Add sweet potatoes, onion, red pepper, seasonings, and a little water. Cook on medium-low for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring. Add spinach and 2 more Tbsp water, and cook for an additional five minutes. Lastly, add the black beans and stir until all ingredients are well-blended. HINT: prep this far the night before. Heat before topping with a poached or fried egg.

Mackerel stuffed with Leeks:   285 calories   15.7 g fat        1.6 g fiber     22 g protein  9.3 g carbs 46.5 mg Calcium   PB GF   This is from one of Joanne Harris’ lovely cookbooks. If you are lucky enough to get fresh mackerel, this one’s for you.Mackeral stuffed w: leeks

Two 2-oz mackeral fillets to total 4 oz per serving                                                                                       salt & pepper                                                                                                                                                             2 tsp grainy mustard, like ‘country Dijon’                                                                                            oregano                                                                                                                                                                     ¾ of an ounce of sliced leeks                                                                                                                            ground coriander                                                                                                                                                                                            3 oz tomatoes, sliced OR sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slash the skin of the fish and season the skin-side with salt and pepper. Turn the fillets over and spread each one with mustard, then sprinkle with oregano. Put one fillet skin-side down on the baking pan and pile the leeks on top of it. Sprinkle with a little coriander and more pepper, if you like. Put the other fillet on top of the leeks, with the skin-side up. Press down a little on the fish to compact it a bit. Roast for about 12 minutes, until the fish is opaque. Meanwhile, slice the vegetables.

Something Veggy

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On another day this week, eat the meals from another post.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

This post is for all the veggie-lovers and plant-based dieters who wish they could follow the Fasting Lifestyle but thought the plan couldn’t accommodate them.  This doesn’t pretend to be a posting for vegans, but there are lots of vegetables on the menu today.

Zucchini Egg Soufflé:   299 calories    7.2 g fat      1.8 g fiber     19.7 g protein    23.6 g carbs      109 mg Calcium   PB GF   When zucchini are plentiful, this is a good way to use them.Zucchini Breakfast Souffle

¼ cup zucchini, grated, steamed, patted dry                                                                                                 ¼ cup fatfree cottage cheese, strained to drain out extra liquid                                                                one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                              2 tsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                   pinch garlic powder                                                                                                                                              a few strawberries, or rasperries, or blueberries                                                                                         5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                       nearly-black coffee or tea; or lemon in hot water.

Grate the zucchini on a box grater and steam it over water or ‘saute’ it in a pan with enough water to prevent sticking. Transfer it to paper towels to dry off excess liquid. HINT: steam it the night before and let it drain in a strainer over night. Combine with the cheeses and garlic, and stir in the egg enough to break the yolk and mix all ingredients. Bake at 350 until puffed and starting to brown. Prep your beverages, add the fruit, and there you are: enjoying your veggies.

Red Beans & Rice    295 calories     1.2 g. fat    13 g. protein    57.5 g. carb   PB GF      This is the old classic recipe for the ‘perfect protein’. I used to be afraid that we wouldn’t like it, since it sounds bland, but it is good. Yeah, you’re right, the carbs are way out of control, but for a once-in-a-while this is really good. And besides, these are complex carbs, the best kind. HINT: This is enough for 4 servings! Either have a gathering or cut the recipe or freeze for later.Red Beans & Rice w: gr. beans

1 and 3/4 cups brown rice, cooked                                                                                                                                                          ½ cup celery, chopped                                                                                                                                                      ½ cup sweet yellow or other color pepper, diced                                                                                         1 cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                            2 cloves garlic, minced                                                                                                                                         ¾ cup crushed tomato                                                                                                                                              oregano +   black pepper                                                                                                                                       1 and 3/4 cups red beans, drained and rinsed [Goya brand is very good]                                      per serving:    ½ cup green beans or peas

Cook the rice. Saute the celery, pepper, and onions for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Stir in the red beans and heat through. When the rice is done, add 1 and 3/4 cups to the mixture. HINT: if there is extra rice, it freezes well. Serve with the cooked green vegetable.

 

Saint Hubert

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On another day this week, eat the meals from another post.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow, November 3rd, is the feast day of St. Hubert.  According to his legend, he was hunting deer one day in the 7th century A.D. when he espied a stag with a crucifix in his antlers.  This vision was enough to convert the young Frenchman, who went on to become a bishop and a saint.  Deer hunting is a tradition around here and sometimes we are lucky enough to be gifted with some venison, since we don’t hunt.  Mushrooms are commonly found in hunters’ food, so we’ll have some of them, too.

 

Ham & Mushroom ScrOmelette   279 calories   8.9 g fat   4.7 g fiber  17.6 g protein   21.6 g carbs   242 mg Calcium   PB  GF– if using GF bread   Ham and mushrooms are so good together that you owe yourself this treat.

ham-mushroom-scromlette

++3 two-oz eggs of which you will use 1 ½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ 1/2 oz mushrooms, chopped ++++  1/4 oz ham [from a roast; if you use 3%-fat ham from deli, the fat will be reduced] ++++  1/4 cup raspberries OR 2 oz unsweetened applesauce ++++ ¼ of an Arnold Sandwich Thin  OR 1/2 slice 70-calorie multi-grain bread ++++ blackish coffee or tea++                                                                                         

Chop the ham and mushrooms and combine. HINT: I did this the night before. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the ham/mushroom combo and stir to heat and cook the mushrooms, if raw. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan, stirring to distribute the ham/mushrooms. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Dish up the fruit, toast the sandwich bread, brew your hot beverage. What a treat!

Venison Salad: 291 cal      GF      If you have access to venison, this is a great way to celebrate St Hubert’s day.  Farm-raised venison is available on line and in some stores.

venison-salad-w-tomatoes

++3½ oz roasted venison  ++++¾ oz marinated mushrooms  ++++ 1 oz roasted red pepper without oil++++ 1 slice dried pear  ++++ 2 cups lettuce ++++1 tsp olive oil +  ½ tsp balsamic vinegar +++3 oz broccoli ++++ 2 oz tomatoes ++

Slice the roasted venison into pieces less than 1/2” thick. Whisk the olive oil and vinegar together, then toss with the lettuce and mushrooms. Place on a salad plate. Arrange the meat on the salad and arrange the red pepper and broccoli on top. Dice the pear and sprinkle over all.

New Year’s Resolutions

~ me ~ 1 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.

Let’s resolve to be healthier this year. Let’s resolve to eat better this  year.  Let’s resolve to lose some weight, and be healthier, and eat better this year.  That sure sound like following the Fasting Lifestyle.  How? prepare the following meals tomorrow.  That means eating the 300-calories-or-less breakfast. Skip lunch but drink lots of water.  Black coffee and tea are fine too. Then eat the 300-calorie-or-less dinner, again with water. Next Sunday, read the next blog in the series and Fast again. Rinse and Repeat.

Basquaise Omelette:     147 calories…    8 g fat… 2 g fiber… 10.4 g protein… 9 g carbs… 80.5 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the Omelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.   PB GF  This recipe, full of the flavors of the Basques region of SW France, comes to us from Salute to Healthy Cooking, published by the French Culinary Institute. Wonderful book from which we cook all year long. Note that this is a baked omelette, so the method is a little different. Faites bien attention.

Basquaise Omelette

3 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 and 1/2 Tbsp tomato sauce ++++  1 and 1/2 Tbsp bell pepper, chopped ++++ ½ clove garlic or big pinch granulated garlic ++++ 2 tsp parsley, chopped ++++ 1 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++++ 2 oz apple or 3 oz melon or 2 oz pear ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Heat the oven broiler. In an oven-safe skillet, put the tomato sauce, peppers, garlic, parsley, and 2 Tbsp water. Cook gently until the veg are soft and the water is evaporated. Remove from pan. Add a spritz of non-stick spray and heat the pan. Whisk the eggs with 2/3 of the tomato mixture and pour into the pan. As the eggs cook, gently lift the edge of the eggs and let uncooked egg flow underneath. Do not flip or fold the eggs. Top the eggs with the cheese and put the skillet under the broiler to finish cooking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Slide the omelette onto the plate and top it with the remaining tomato/pepper mixture. Alternately, if you prepare the omelette in an 8″ cast-iron skillet, you could serve it from there, as shown in the photo.

Pork Somen Noodles   260 calories…   6 g. fat…   11 g. protein…     28.8 g. carb… PB Found on the back of a bag of somen noodles, this recipe is quick and easy and good to eat. HINT: this is enough for TWO. Dine with a friend or enjoy for lunch another day.

pork somen noodles

2 oz somen noodles ++++ 1 qt water ++++  1 tsp oil ++++ 1- 1/2 cup cabbage, shredded OR 1 cup snow peas ++++ 1 cup carrot, shredded ++++ 2 scallions, sliced diagonally ++++ 4 oz roasted pork tenderloin,  sliced into matchsticks   HINT: this uses pork which was cooked previously.  OR you can use raw pork** ++++ 2 cloves garlic, sliced  ++++ 2 Tbsp soy sauce

Heat the water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse, and cool. Slice the pork into 1/2” rounds, then slice cross-wise into sticks. Heat a heavy frying pan or wok. Add the oil and heat it. Add the cabbage, carrots, and scallions. **If using raw pork, add it now.  Stirfry for 1 minute. Then add 1-2 Tbsp water and continue to stirfry for 1 minute more. Add the cooked pork, garlic, noodles, and soy sauce. Saute until contents are warm.

Christmas Eve

~ 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.

Just today I was asked if I would be Fasting this week of Christmas. Well, I’ll admit that I’m glad that Christmas will be on a Friday, not Thursday. Fasting can occur as usual on a special day with a little thought. plan A: If you know you must go for the whole Feast for dinner,  have a regular Fast Day until then: a 300 calorie breakfast, no lunch, lots of water, and be sensible in eating at dinner.  plan B: French toast for breakfast and seafood chowder for dinner. The chowder [first posted November 25, 2015] is what we eat on Christmas Eve every year — delicious, out of the freezer [if you made a batch before Thanksgiving in November], and something that you look forward to, instead of feeling deprived.

French Toast    300 caloriesChristmas Tree French Toast

HINT: This recipe makes 4 [four] slices of French Toast. Prepare all 4, but put the other 2 in a bag in the freezer for a really fast breakfast later.                                                                                                         4 slices 70-cal whole grain bread, with a Christmas Tree cut-out                             one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                    2 Tbsp fat-free milk                                                                                                                  2 oz strawberries, fresh or unsweetened frozen                                                                   1 and 1/2 tsp maple syrup                                                                                                         one 60-cal sausage — I like Al Fresco brand sage breakfast links                         nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                      green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whisk the egg and milk together. Cut the pieces of bread into Christmas Tree shapes, using a cookie cutter. [This step is important for the calorie count to come out right, so don’t skip it even if it seems too much like ‘crafty food.’  Feed the remaining bread to the birds or save for preparing Stuffed Clams, [Aug. 9 , 2015] Put the tree-shaped bread into a rimmed pan which is just big enough for the 4 bread pieces. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the bread, making sure it is all wetted. Let stand OVERNIGHT. Also combine the strawberries and syrup in a microwave-safe bowl.

The next morning, cook the batter-soaked bread in a hot non-stick pan with a spritz of non-stick spray. Cook until browned on both sides. Cook the sausage, too. Mash the berries a bit and add the maple syrup.   Warm the mixture a little and smear onto the plated toast. Enjoy with the sausage, hot beverage of choice, and green smoothie.

Seafood Chowder   275 calories  11 g. fat  15 g protein   16 g carb  GF This makes 10 one-cup servings. It freezes nicely, but it is great fresh! My husband found the recipe in Yankee magazine. He prepares this every year. It is wonderful. The directions look long and involved but the results are worth it.Seafood chowder on Wedgewood tile

4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced                                                                                     1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced                                                                                   1 pound baking potatoes, peeled + cut in ½” cubes                                              2 pounds steamer clams in their shells                                                                            one lobster, 1 and ½ pounds                                                                                                                                1 pound scallops                                                                                                                            1 pound shrimp, peeled                                                                                                                                      1 quart whole milk                                                                                                                   4 Tbsp butter                                                                                                                                   2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped                                                                                         ¼ tsp paprika plus salt + pepper to taste

In a medium skillet or saute pan cook the diced bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon and reserve. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp fat and add the onions. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring, until translucent [10 mins?]. Set aside with the bacon in a large bowl.

In a separate saucepan, cover cubed potatoes with salted water and boil until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the bacon/onions.

Put clams in a large pot and add 1 quart water. Heat to boiling, cover, and cook until clams open, about 3 minutes. Remove the clams but leave the liquid in the pot. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel. Remove the clams from their shells and cut them into smaller pieces if necessary. Add to the potatoes, onion, and bacon.

Put the strained clam broth back into the empty pot and bring to a boil. Add the lobster head-first into the boiling broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lobster and let cool. Crack the shell to remove the meat. Cut the meat into 1/2” chunks and add to the previous ingredients.

Heat the broth until boiling. Add the scallops and shrimp. Reduce heat to low. Simmer about 3 minutes, until the scallops + shrimp are just cooked through.

Add all the previously cooked ingredients, along with the milk, butter, parsley and seasonings. Heat until steaming but not boiling.

Cover and cool. Let the pot sit in the ‘fridge or on a cool back porch for 12-24 hours. This really enhances the flavors. When ready to serve, heat to steaming hot but do not boil. Freeze what is left over in freezer containers which are the same size as a serving.

A Different Feast

~ me ~ Leave a comment

You know that the Pilgrims did not eat roasted turkey and pumpkin pie, don’t you? Sorry to burst your bubble….  With Thanksgiving on a Thursday, you have a dilemma: to Fast or to feast.  If you are really committed to Fasting, carry on. Your health may depend on it. Here is a suggested menu for Thanksgiving Thursday.

Vegetable Omelette     283 calories     9.5 g. fat       19.5 g. protein      30 g. carb          PB  GF if you eliminate the bread or use gluten-free bread.  Take advantage of the goodness of vegetables and use up some left-overs at the same time! Win-win.Vegetable Scramble w: toast, apple

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, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                               1/2 tsp Parmesean cheese, grated                                                                                                                          2 tsp red onion, chopped                                                                                                                                            1 oz cooked summer squash/ green beans/ broccoli/ HINT: prepare extra vegetables at dinner on Wednesday or Sunday and save for this meal the following Fast Day                                                                                                              ½ slice 70-cal bread                                                                                                                                              salt, pepper, herbs of your choice                                                                                                                      1 oz apple                                                                                                                                                        blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and stir the onions until they are soft. Chop the cooked vegetables and add to the pan to warm. Whisk the eggs and pour them into the pan, stirring to mix with the vegetables. As bottom of eggs begins to set, put the cheese, salt and pepper on the eggs. Cook to your liking, fold and plate with the fruit and toasted bread. Pour your beverages and have a great day.

Seafood Chowder   275 calories   11.2 g. fat   15.2 g. protein  15.9 g. carb GF This makes 10 one-cup servings. It freezes nicely, but it is great to share! My husband found the recipe in Yankee magazine. He prepares this every year. It is wonderful. The directions look long and involved but the results are worth it. HINT: this chowder should be made the day before.Seafood chowder on Wedgewood tile

4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced                                                                                                                               1 medium Spanish [yellow or white, not sweet] onion, finely diced                                                                             1 pound baking potatoes, peeled + cut in ½ cubes                                                                                          2 pounds steamer clams in their shells                                                                                                  one lobster weighing 1 and ½ pounds                                                                                                              1 pound scallops                                                                                                                                                            1 pound shrimp, peeled                                                                                                                                                     1 quart whole milk                                                                                                                                                     4 Tbsp butter                                                                                                                                                                  2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped                                                                                                                                  ¼ tsp paprika + salt + pepper to taste

In a medium skillet or saute pan cook the diced bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon and reserve. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp fat and add the onions. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring, until translucent [10 mins?].  Set aside with the bacon in a large bowl.

In a separate saucepan, cover cubed potatoes with salted water and boil until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the bacon/onions.

Put clams in a large pot and add 1 quart water. Heat to boiling, cover, and cook until clams open, about 3 minutes. Remove the clams but leave the liquid in the pot. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel. Remove the clams from their shells and cut them into smaller pieces if necessary. Add to the potatoes, onion, and bacon.

Put the strained clam broth back into the empty pot and bring to a boil. Add the lobster head-first into the boiling broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lobster and let cool. Crack the shell to remove the meat. Cut the meat into 1/2” chunks and add to the previous ingredients.

Heat the broth until boiling. Add the scallops and shrimp. Reduce heat to low. Simmer about 3 minutes, until the scallops + shrimp are just cooked through.

Add all the previously cooked ingredients, along with the milk, butter, parsley and seasonings. Heat until steaming but not boiling.

Cover and cool. Let the pot sit in the ‘fridge or on a cool back porch for 12-24 hours. This really enhances the flavors. When ready to serve, heat to steaming hot but do not boil. Freeze what is left over in freezer containers which are the same size as a serving.

Lots of Veggies

~ 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.

Many people resist dieting because they think that diet = vegetables = privation = bland food. Not so!  The Fast Diet permits a great variety of foods, as long as the menus are full of protein and are low in fats and carbs. And we can eat our veggies in creative ways!

Vegetable Scramble    295 calories          PB          HINT: use left-over vegetables or prepare them the night before for a quicker preparation.

Vegetable Scramble w: toast, apple

½ cup chopped green pepper     ½ cup chopped zucchini  ½ cup chopped tomato          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, crack 3 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week        2-3 oz apple ½ piece of 70-calorie whole-grain bread       USE GLUTEN FREE BREAD IF YOU WISH                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Put the raw vegetables in a small saute pan with a few tablespoons of water. Simmer until vegetables are cooked and the liquid is evaporated. Pour eggs into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Before the eggs set, add the cooked vegetables. Scramble to taste. Brew your beverage and take the previously-made smoothie from ‘fridge. Plate with fruit.

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup: 1 cup = 145.5 calories 3 g fat 5 g fiber 8 g protein 27 g carbs 86.4 mg Calcium   PB  GF [if you use GF pasta] This recipe can be doubled easily. It is a fine dinner soup for a hot Summer day or in the cold of Winter. Prepare it from leftover vegetables to reduce the cooking time.  HINT: One serving = one cup, but you could go to 1 ¼ cups each. This recipe made 4 cups for me – several future meals from one recipe!

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup carrot, chopped 
½ cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped 
3 slices pepperoni, chopped 		Prepare all these ingredients and put into a sauce pan together. Cook over medium heat until onions begin to wilt. 
NB: if using left-over cooked carrot and celery, add them in the next step.
½ cup sweet potato, cubed
½ cup zucchini, diced 
½ cup mushrooms, chopped
2 cups crushed tomatoes 
¾ cup small white beans, canned
lots of sage and rosemary, chopped 1 cup water
2 cups chicken broth/stock		NB: low sodium broth is preferred
Prepare the vegetables as described. Drain and rinse the canned beans. Add these to the pan, along with the water and broth. Cook at a simmer for about 20 minutes. 
NB: if using left-over cooked sweet potato, zucchini, and other vegetables, add them to the broth after 10 minutes of cooking.
1 oz pasta, whole wheat is preferred to boost fiber [orzo/ dinetelli/broken spaghetti]Add the pasta and cook until it is soft, 5-6 minutes.
2 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated 
salt and pepper to taste		Add remaining seasonings and adjust to taste. TIP: Soup is always improved by letting it sit for several hours before reheating and serving hot.

Let’s talk about, um, er, elimination…

~ 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.

Some people find that a change of diet causes a change in their digestive health. Whether you end up too loose or too tight in your bowels, the cause is how your intestines are reacting to the addition of new food [vegetables, fiber] as well as the subtraction of other food [fatty foods, processed foods].  It turns out that the standard American diet degenerates the health of the good bacteria which live in the gut and help to digest our food.  The solution?  Re-populate those good little guys!

“How?” you may ask?  The solution we found lies in those green smoothies which we ingested during the Plant-Based Diet, about which I wrote earlier.  For breakfast we share a Fruited Green Smoothie like this:                                                                             2 cups of greens – spinach or Swiss chard or kale or a combination       1/2 of an apple or pear, seeds and stem removed                                                                  1/2 banana                                                                                                                                   1/3 to 1/2 cup berries – straw- or rasp- or blue or a combination                                      1 and 1/2 cups orange juice

This is blended on high in the Vita-Mix and tastes better than it looks! The recipe makes enough for three 8-oz servings. Put the extra in a jar in the ‘fridge for tomorrow.  We drink this every day, Fast day or Slow day and find it to be very useful for good digestive health.

Celebrating Floralia

~ 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.

My mother loved to celebrate holidays with special foods. Whether the holiday was religious, patriotic, or ethnic, she would find a recipe to go with it. The tradition continues with me.  May 1-4 is the festival of Floralia, the Roman Goddess of Springtime and Flowers. The English celebrate it with baskets of flowers and maypoles.  The French celebrate it by decorating their towns with floral displays and wearing green.  

The recipes for today were chosen because they look like or contain flowers. Celebrate the season, eat well, lose weight.

Strawberry Cottage Cheese & Pears:    164 calories  3.5 g fat     5 g fiber     10 g protein   26 g carbs  61 mg Calcium   NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB  GF    This is from the Fast Diet book. You will see some other good recipes there, too. I added the pecans to this for deeper flavor and more protein.

Strawberry Cottage Cheese with Pear

4 oz ripe pear of which Comice is the best, but at this time of year use Anjou or Bosc                                                                                       1/3 cup fat-free cottage cheese             2 ripe strawberries, chopped          ¼ tsp pecans, finely chopped                                                                                                                                                                   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water                                                                                                                                        

Section the pear into slices and remove the cores. Do not peel the pears. Fan the segments on a plate in a circle. Mix the cottage cheese with the strawberries and spoon into the center. Sprinkle with the nuts. Pour your beverage of choice. Good stuff!

Tuna-Egg-Tomato Salad    283 cal   16.5 g. fat      27.5 g. protein           29.5 g. carbs         Here we have  a Spanish-inspired meal from a cookbook called Everyday Tapas. I took out the potatoes and substituted garbanzo beans. I added the salad greens, too. Feel free to add more greens and tomatoes, there are calories to spare.  The recipe is very simple and delicious as well – perfect to dress up with pansy blossoms [they are edible] to honor a day in spring or summer.  HINT: This makes enough for two meals. Invite a friend or enjoy the left-overs as a lovely lunch the next day. Today’s lettuce will wilt by tomorrow, so plan around that.

Tapas Tuna w: egg & tomatoes

5 oz canned white-meat tuna in water                2 egg, hardboiled and cut into 1/2” dice                                                                                                           4 oz tomato, cut into 1/2” dice                          ½ cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed                                                  1 cup baby salad greens  [mesclun]          1 ½ tsp olive oil         1 tsp white wine vinegar                                                                                                                                                               fresh parsley, salt, pepper          pansy or violet flowers for garnish             per person: 1/2 slice 70-calorie bread such as Nature’s Own 100% whole grain 

Drain the tuna and flake the meat into 1” pieces. Whisk the oil and vinegar together and toss with the lettuce. Add everything else, except the flowers, and gently toss to combine with the salad dressing. Garnish with as many flowers as you wish. Serve at room temperature.

Let Me Entertain You… Dinner Version.

~ me ~ 2 Comments

What would you serve if you had to have guests for dinner on a Fast Day???  One choice would be to transfer your fasting until tomorrow. But if you have long-term visitors and you don’t want to skip the Fast, here’s what we have done. [Remember, you can always pull out the stops on the following day, since we Fast only two days a week.]

Since most of our friends know that we are proponents of the Fast Diet, I ask them if they would like to see what a fast diet is all about. Sometimes they say ‘yes’ and then they dine along with us.   We have served Steamed Mussels in wine broth [March 22]Mussels with Vegetable Plate or Shepherd’s Salad [March 15] as dinners for non-Fasting friends.  These pleasing meals are rich and flavorful and can convince people that ‘fasting’ isn’t the same as ‘starving’. Go out with them for a long walk or drive during the middle of the day and come home ready for dinner.

What if your guests do not wish to fast or have health issues which prevent it? Then serve one of your favorites, say Crab Cakes [March 1] or Greek Chicken Salad [March 25] Greek Chicken Saladand for the guests, serve some boiled parleyed potatoes or rolls on the side.  Put out a plate of cookies for dessert and leave the room while they eat them.  I did that once, explaining that I did not have the fortitude to watch the guests eat the cookies!  At lunch time, send your house guests out for lunch at a local favorite, or serve them a soup such as Cream of Asparagus asparagus soup[April 1] or Baked Bean [April 22], which you might have in the freezer. Your guests will be happy and well-fed, while you can stay true to your Fasting Lifestyle.  The best of both worlds.