Following the Fast Diet Lifestyle

Road to Emmaus

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

Religious faith is not a single event, it is a journey. Parts of that journey might be joyous, parts might bring grief — it is all part of the process. One such journey occurred on the day after the ‘First Easter’. Around 33 CE, on the first full day of Passover, Jesus of Nazareth was killed by the Romans as a political prisoner. Jesus’ devoted male and female [everyone remembers the 12 disciples but no one thinks about the many women who were part of his retinue, believers all] followers buried him and then went into hiding. In modern terms, they had survivor guilt and in time they would have had PTSD. They hid from society and daily life because they were depressed and because they feared arrest for having associated with Jesus. On the Sunday following his death, three female followers found that Jesus’ tomb was empty except for an angel [!], and one of them reported having seen him alive. What could this mean?? Surely a man who had died before their eyes could not have risen from the dead…?! The next day, two of his friends, identified as Cleopas and his wife Mary, left Jerusalem headed for Emmaus, their home town seven miles away [a two hour walk] or maybe 19 miles away [a six hour walk]. They were on a physical journey as well as a mental and emotional journey of grief and confusion. On the road to Emmaus, the two were met by another man, and they fell into conversation. Mary and Cleopas were amazed that the man seemed to know nothing of the death of Jesus, and as they walked, the three discussed the event and how scriptures had foretold it. When they reached Emmaus, they all dined together. The stranger reached for the bread, and blessed it and broke it — and Cleopas and Mary suddenly recognized that this ‘stranger’ was in fact their friend Jesus, truly alive and well! The minute they knew him, he disappeared — but they knew what they had seen and experienced. They retraced their steps to Jerusalem to tell their friends what had happened. Their journey had only just begun. Easter Monday is a holiday in many nations around the world.

Our meals contain popular ingredients from the Levant, that may have been eaten by Mary and Cleopas. There is even bread to break together.

Za’atar Bake: 176 calories… 10 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 11 g carbs… 58 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.PB GF Za’atar and hummus were made for each other, so combine them with eggs for breakfast. Yummy.

++one 2-oz egg ++++ 2 Tbsp hummus ++++ 1 tsp za’atar ++++ 2 oz pear/apple ++++ Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Whisk the egg, then add the hummus and za’atar. Spritz an oven-safe dish or ramekin with non-stick spray and pour in the egg mixture. Bake at 350F. For 12-15 minutes – it should puff and be starting to brown. Prep beverages, plate eggs with fruit. That’s an easy preparation for a fine breakfast.

Veal with Dried Fruit: 289 calories… 4.5 g fat… 4.6 g fiber… 27 g protein… 28.5 g carbs… 80 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if not serving the bread All the ingredients [except the tomato paste, which you could eliminate] are mentioned in the Bible. Is this the dinner that was cooked when the ‘fatted calf’ was killed? It seems celebratory to me. It is based on a recipe from lacucinaitaliana.com.

Serves 2 
½ c. carrots——-½ c. onion——-½ tsp olive oil———
1 bay leaf —– 1 sprig rosemary		Chop vegetables. Brown in a saute pan with oil, bay leaf and rosemary. Cook 5 mins.Season with salt + pepper.
1/3 cup hot water —–2 dried apricot —– 1 dried fig ——- 2 datesCut fruits in half. Add water and fruit to pan. Cover pan and simmer over low heat ~30 mins. 20MINS??
6 oz lean veal filetsPound meat to thin it if fillets are more than ½” thick.
1/3 c.white wine—–1 tsp. tomato pasteAdd these, with veal, to pan. Cover partially and simmer on low until meat is cooked and sauce has thickened.
3 oz cucumber per person [13 calories]—–1.6 oz gozleme bread [26 calories]Divide meat, fruit and sauce between 2 plates. Serve with sliced cucumbers and gozleme bread.

Who Dunit? Who Ate It? Chapter X

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

Dear Husband and I love to read ‘whodunits.’ Crime literature written in English harks back to Edgar Allen Poe’s Murders on Rue Morgue in 1841. As the genre took off, a sub-genre developed: culinary crime. These books are read as much for the procedural as for the vicarious thrills of the meals that are described along the way. There are many authors who tantalize our tastebuds while they challenge our little grey cells and today, I will feature foods from two widely different sources.

Nancy Drew is many a girl’s introduction to ‘crime fiction’, and my sister was a huge fan. The plucky young heroine solved mysteries in a series of books that first appeared in 1930. With her gal chums Bess and George, Nancy appeared in 56 books which have sold 70 million copies world-wide. Author Mildred Wirt Benson wrote 23 of the original 30 books under the nom de plume “Carolyn Keene”. She was the first in a series of authors using the same pen name. In The Mystery of the 99 Steps, Hannah Gruen, the Drew family’s housekeeper, serves French Toast for breakfast.

French Toast: 187 calories… 6 g fat… 2.6 g fiber … 12.6 g protein… 15 g carbs … 95 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. HINT: This recipe makes French Toast for 2 people or two breakfasts. If serving one, prepare all the toast, but put the remainder in a bag in the freezer for a really fast breakfast later.

++4 slices 70-cal whole grain bread +++ one 2-oz egg +++ 2 Tbsp fat-free milk +++ per person: 1 oz strawberries, fresh or unsweetened frozen +++ 1½ tsp maple syrup +++one 60-cal chicken sausage +++  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]

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whisk the egg and milk together. Cut the pieces of bread using a large 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.’ The bread that is left over can be fed to the birds or saved to make Stuffed Clams] Put the bread into a dish with a rim which is just big enough for the bread pieces. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the bread, making sure it is all wetted. Let stand OVERNIGHT. Also mash the strawberries and stir into the syrup. NEXT MORNING, cook the batter-soaked bread in a hot non-stick pan with a spritz of non-stick spray until browned on both sides. NOW PUT ½ OF THE PIECES ASIDE TO COOL. PUT INTO A BAG AND FREEZE THEM FOR A LATER DATE. Cook the sausage, too. Warm the mixture a little and smear onto the plated toast. Enjoy with the sausage and beverage of choice.

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is hero of Louise Penny’s ‘Three Pines Series‘. In The Gray Wolf, he must revisit the monastery of St Gilbert Entre-Les-Loups in northern Quebec Province. The monks serve a vegetarian casserole made of their home-grown produce, and even Jean-Guy Beauvoir, Armand’s carnivore right-hand man [and son-in-law] enjoyed it.

Ratatouille-Feta Casserole: 266 calories…12 g fat… 6.5 g fiber… 11 g protein… 33.5 g carbs. 152.6 mg Calcium… 371 mg Sodium…  PB GF – if using GF bread  This meal was described in a Louise Penny book, and I decided to try it. Some recipes have you serve it on bread, but I incorporated the bread into the casserole for heft and portion control.

Serves 3
++5 oz eggplant+++5 oz zucchini+++ 5 oz red or yellow sweet pepper+++ 5 oz roma tomatoes+++ Leave vegetables unpeeled and cut them all into ½” cubes. Put into large saucepan.
5 oz red onion, sliced ¼” thick+++2 cloves garlic, sliced+++ lots of thyme and rosemary+++ crushed red pepper+++ salt & pepper to taste++Peel onion and garlic, slice.Add these to saucepan with ½ cup water. Put on lid, simmer until soft but not mushy.
4 oz whole wheat baguette, cut in ¼” cubesAdd to vegetables, mix well. Pour into 6×10” baking pan.
3 oz good feta cheese, crumbledDistribute on top of vegetables.
Bake at 375 until getting a bit charred. Serve hot.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
hummus2%-fat cottage cheese
za’atarmushrooms
pear or applechives or scallions
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Carrot + onion + veal + dried apricotscaraway seed + collard or other large-leaf greens
olive oil + rosemary + dried Turkish figchicken sausage with apple @ 110 calories
bay leaf + dates + cucumberapplesauce, unsweetened + garlic powder
white wine + tomato paste + gozleme breadonions + sauerkraut
Sparkling waterSparkling water

6 7

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

Numerals are symbolic representations of amounts of things. Numerals can also take different meanings. Take 6 and 7, which have had a long and varied pairing history. Riddle: Why was 6 afraid of 7? Answer: Because Seven Eight Nine. [it makes sense if you hear it said out loud and allow for a change the spelling.] Then there is an old expression, “to be at sixes and sevens”. The usage goes back to Chaucer in 1374, when it was said as “on sixes and sevens” and it meant taking a risk, as in a game of dice. By 1535, it was “at six and seven”, and the meaning was confusion and disarray. Since 1601, the phrase is “to be at sixes and sevens”, and it still refers to disorder. You want disorder? How about the way that adolescents love to annoy adults — it has been that way for centuries. The way they dress, the music they like, and especially the way they talk, all are intended to set them as far apart from their parents as possible. In the 1920s, a flapper [modern young woman] might be heard saying that “Mrs Grundy [any prudish/older woman] gave her the heebee-jeebees [made her uneasy]”. In the 1960s, a youth might turn down an offer saying, “I don’t dig it, Man — it ain’t my bag”. Guaranteed to incense an adult! Nowadays, it is “6 7”. For a while in 2025, children of all ages and in all places would say it, accompanied by hand gestures. It either began with a song in late 2024 called Doot Doot (6 7) or it had to do with a basketball player whose height was 6’7″. Whatever. The phrase and gesture have been around the world on TikTok, spreading it at the speed of light. And kids are delighted by the way it drives adults CRAZY. Adults want to know what it means, and you know what? It doesn’t mean a thing! Now that it has been in use for about a year, it will die out, so by June 7th, it should be gone. What will they come up with next???

Our breakfast has six ingredients, our dinner has seven. What more could you want?

Parthian Scramble: 179 calories… 8 g fat … 2.4 g fiber … 11.5 g protein … 16 g carbs… 56 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The flavors in this breakfast were favored by the Parthians, as recorded by the Roman historian Apicus. The sweet dates are a fine foil to the salty eggs: very modern tastes in an ancient recipe.  HINT: this recipe is enough to serve two [2].

++ 1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week ++++ ¼ c chickpeas ++++ 1½ tsp fishsauce ++++ ¼ tsp ginger powder ++++ 1 Tbsp fennel frond, chopped ++++  per person: 2 deglet noor dates ++++Optional:  blackish coffee  [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Mash the chickpeas with the fish sauce, ginger, and fennel. Whisk into the eggs and cook to your liking. Plate with the dates. If you want more flavor, put a dash of fish sauce on the finished eggs.

Ham Flan [Rigodon]: 284 calories.. 9 g fat… 3 g fiber… 27 g protein… 25 g carbs… 231.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF flour In Burgundy, France, they like their ham. Here it stars in the glorious ‘rigodon’ or ham flan. Easy to prepare and splendid to eat. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two].

++ 3 oz ham, preferably 97% fat free ++++ 1 cup skimmed milk ++++ 4 two-oz eggs ++++ 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++ big pinch allspice ++++ big pinch thyme ++++ Side Salad OR 2 oz green beans ++

Dice the ham and put it on the bottom of a glass or ceramic pie plate which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Bring the milk slowly to a boil. Whisk the eggs and flour until well combined. Take the milk off the heat and add to the eggs in a thin stream while whisking quickly so the eggs don’t cook. Stir in the seasonings and pour it all into the baking dish. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, until set and golden brown. Serve cold or at room temperature/

Night Sky: Leo the Lion

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. Welcome to Rachelreid who is now Following.

Earth’s orbit around the sun every year takes us sweeping through a wide swath of space in the Inner Solar system. Thus throughout the year we are able to view a changing panoply of stars and constellations. “Constellations” are groups of stars that form recognizable shapes, often of animals. Humans around the world see these shapes in the sky and for millennia they have made up stories to explain their position in the sky. One such constellation is Leo the Lion. In March, Leo appears in the South-Eastern sky, as if emerging from behind a curtain. First we see Leo’s head, which looks like a sickle. Indeed, The Sickle qualifies as an ‘asterism’ — a shape within a constellation that has its own name. It resembles a backwards question mark, and is very easy to identify. Once you find the Sickle, look to the left to see the other stars of Leo. I used to describe to my students that the lion was lying on the grass with his legs tucked under him, looking to the viewer’s right. Leo figured in Greek mythology as the Nemean Lion which was killed by Hercules in the first of his Twelve Labors. It was mentioned as a constellation by the Babylonians in 400 BCE. In some cultures, their New Year began when the constellation Leo appeared in the sky. Certainly in the Northern hemisphere Leo shows up just before the Vernal Equinox, the day that Spring begins. The brightest star in Leo [called Alpha Leo] is Regulus [meaning Heart of the Lion], found at the end of the Sickle’s handle. Beta Leo, the second brightest star, is Denebola [meaning Lion’s Tail], which is the star farthest to the left. That star is only 36 Light Years away, which means you are seeing it as it was 36 years ago, the light having taken that long to reach your eyes. Regulus is even further, 79 Light years away. Since it is on the ecliptic, Leo is one of the 12 Zodiac constellations. People born between July 24 and August 23 are said to be born under the sign of Leo. They are also said to be creative, self-confident, and having dominant personalities. Grab a friend who was born in that time span and go Leo-looking this Spring.

From the Greeks and Babylonians, meals for Leo-lookers. I hope the sky is clear and dark enough where you live that you have the delight of observing the stars at night. They can be spectacular! Turn off the TV and the porch light, and go outside to have a look.

Greek ScrOmelette: 152 calories … 9 g fat… 0.6 g fiber … 12.6 g protein… 4 g carbs… 88.5 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Feta cheese is such a lovely ingredient for eggs. 

++ 1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs, pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid, and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ 0.4 g = 3/8 oz feta cheese, reduced fat ++++ 1 Tbsp tomato puree [not tomato paste] ++++ large pinch of cinnamon + of oregano ++++ 1 Tbsp pomegranate seeds –OR– 1½ oz applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon ++++ 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] ++

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

Babylonian Fish & Barley: 278 calories…2.6 g fat… 5.4 g fiber… 26 g protein… 40 g carbs… 50 mg Calcium… PB GF These ingredients, used in the cuisine of the ancient Babylonians, have been interpreted by me for an easy and filling meal.

++ 4 oz tilapia or other fresh water fish ++++ 2/3 cup pearled barley, cooked ++++ ½ cup onion, chopped ++++ ½ c cucumbers, diced ++++ 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped ++

Cook barley. Season fish with salt and pepper, cook with a spritz of cooking spray in a non-stick pan ~ four minutes per side. Chop onions, cukes, and cilantro. Stir into warm barley, season with salt and pepper. Plate fish in the center of the plate, surround it with barley mixture.

Ice

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

[You will be glad to know that this blog post is not about an over-reaching government agency. It is about frozen water.] In 100 BCE, the Chinese figured that if they cut ice from frozen rivers in the winter, they could use it to preserve food. Wealthy Romans were said to have snow delivered to make frozen desserts. The idea of maybe using winter’s ice for summer’s use really took off when Frederic Tudor [born 1783] entered the scene. Tudor’s family was rich, having made their money in the law. Frederic was interested in business from an early age, and opted out of going to Harvard to pursue commerce. His family had a large pond at their home in Saugus, Massachusetts, USA, where they would cut ice in the winter to store in an underground ‘ice house’. This system provided cooling for foods, as well as ice for beverages and ice cream into early summer. One of Frederic’s brothers joked one day about how people in hot climes would probably love to have ice in their drinks on a warm day — and that was all Frederic needed. In 1806, he cut and stored lots of ice [free] and packed it in sawdust [free], and bought a boat [expensive]. Then he sailed his ice to Havana, Cuba and waited to get rich. New Englanders thought that this was an hilariously foolish idea. The flaws in the plan soon appeared: much of the ice melted on the one month voyage south, and the Cubanos didn’t want ice because they didn’t know what to do with it. Those who did buy it were very annoyed that it melted soon afterwards. Bit by bit, Tudor built a market for his ice, and by 1810 he was making a profit. However, his debts were such that during 1812-1813, he was in debtor’s prison. In 1825, Tudor met Nathanial Wyeth, an ice harvester with an inventive genius. Wyeth devised a horse-drawn ‘plow’ that would score the ice into evenly-sized pieces. This permitted the product to be stacked more efficiently, minimizing melting. In the port cities to which the ice was shipped, Tudor built insulated ‘ice houses’ to store his product before sale. Hot weather cities in the USA and throughout the Caribbean were steady customers, proving Tudor’s business plan. By 1833, Tudor was dubbed the “Ice King” and his singular product was delivered as far away as India, where he had ice houses in three cities. In the 1840s, Queen Victoria bought ice from Frederic Tudor of Massachusetts. The invention of methods to make ice artificially in 1851, was the death knell of the world-wide ice trade. Tudor died in 1864. Could he have sold ice cubes to Eskimos? Probably not, but he was willing to pursue his idea and it paid off, changing forever how we store food and how we eat. Think about him when you walk through the frozen food section of the supermarket. [if you Google ‘ice in Havana’, guess what you’ll get — the other ICE.]

One of the first places where Tudor tried to sell ice was in Cuba. Our breakfast’s inspiration was a Cuban-inspired sandwich that was an instant hit when it was invented in America. After a cold day of protesting or ice-skating, nothing warms like a hot bowl of soup. The baked beans, of course, are native to the Boston area.

Cubano Bake: 167 calories… 7.6 g fat… 0.5 g fiber… 11.4 g protein…  6.6 g carbs… 90 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF  The famous Miami sandwich flavors combine with eggs to make a yummy breakfast. 

You are right — that is NOT 3 oz of melon. Oops.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ ¼ oz ham ++++ 1/3 oz Swiss cheese ++++ ¼ oz pork ++++ ¼ tsp mayonnaise ++++ ¼ tsp mustard ++++ 1 Tbsp chopped pickle ++++ 3 oz melon++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] 

Chop the ham, cheese, and pork. Combine them with the chopped pickle and put into an oven-safe dish which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Whisk the egg with the mayo and mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over the other items in the dish and bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the melon.

Baked Bean Soup: 285 calories… 3.5 g fat… 8 g fiber… 11.4 g protein… 32 g carbs … 83.4 mg Calcium … PB GF This new England classic is from Fannie Farmer’s cookbook and it sure hits the spot. Super easy to prepare. OK, the carb count is high, but look how low the fat is! And baked beans are good for you!  HINT: Serves 2 [two].

++ 1 cup baked beans, canned ++++ 1/8” slice onion, chopped ++++ 1 stalk celery, chopped ++++ ¾ cup canned or stewed tomatoes ++++ 1½ cup brown stock/beef stock++++ 2 dashes hot sauce ++++ salt & pepper ++++ optional garnish: ½ hard boiled egg, chopped 

Simmer beans, onion, celery, and tomatoes in a covered pan 30 mins, until celery is soft. Add stock, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and heat through. Run it all through the blender or food processor. Garnish with chopped egg. Fast, easy, inexpensive, good.

Girl Scouts

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

Juliet Low with two scouts in 1912.

In 1911. three years after the Boy Scouts were founded, a woman from Savannah, Georgia, USA met Lord Baden-Powell in London. Juliet Gordon Lowe was inspired by his efforts to get boys to enjoy the out-of-doors, and she saw that girls would benefit from the same type of organization. In 1912, on March 12, Mrs Low invited 18 girls from the Savannah area to be the first Girl Scouts in America. [At first, they were called Girl Guides, but the name was soon changed.] Although Juliet and her friends were wealthy women, with high social standing, the first Scouts were from different classes, cultures, and ethnic groups. This was important to Mrs Low, as she believed that ALL sorts of girls would work together and be improved by the experience. Juliet, called Daisy by family and friends, devoted the rest of her life to leading, recruiting, and fundraising to the end of promoting her project. Unfortunately, her goal of all sorts of girls training together did not last long, and troops became segregated: racially and ethnically. But in the 1950s, the Girl Scouts of America began a concerted effort to promote troops that were more diverse and inclusive, to emphasize equality. Scouting for girls was a huge success. Girls wanted to hike and camp and learn nature lore, even in a time when they couldn’t vote or have their own bank account. Fifty million women in America have spent some time as Girl Scouts. My mother was one, so were my sister and I. Scouting’s mission is to “build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place”. And you thought that they just sold cookies.

Scouting teaches girls to cook over an open fire — and it goes beyond eating hot dogs. At the sleep-away camp that I attended, Camp Francis in Kent, Connecticut, there was always a day when the evening meal was cooked and eaten at our unit [tent encampment], rather than in the communal Mess Hall. Our breakfast and our dinner could be cooked in a pan over the coals or on your kitchen cook-top.

10-Grain Pudding: 175 calories… 1 g fat… 5.4 g fiber … 7.5 g protein… 35 g carbs… 39 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB Here is delicious hot cereal for any day of the week. The applesauce and maple syrup give just the right sweetness.

++ ¼ cup uncooked Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal ++++1½ Tbsp cottage cheese ++++ 1 tsp maple syrup ++++ 1 Tbsp applesauce ++++ pinch of nutmeg + pinch of cinnamon ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait[65 calories] ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or [88 calories] berry-yogurt smoothie ++

Put the cereal in ¾ cup of boiling water, turn down to a simmer and cook, covered, 8 minutes. HINT: Do this the night before. Cool cereal, then mix in cottage cheese, maple syrup, applesauce and spices until well-combined. Put into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 30-45 seconds until hot through. Pour the beverages and you will have a warm, filling start to your day.

Eshkeneh – Persian Onion Soup: 198 calories… 9 g fat… 2 g fiber… 12 g protein… 16.4 g carbs … 70 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread  This recipe is from Azlin Bloor who says that it is the modern version of an ancient Parthian soup. HINT: The recipe makes 2 one-cup servings. Doubles easily. As always, preparing the soup a day before helps to develop the flavor.

Sv 2
1 tsp virgin olive oil—-½ tsp butter——1 c onion slicesCut onion in half and slice it thinly. Heat oil and butter in a medium saucepan, and sauté onions gently for 2 mins.
1 clove garlic Add garlic, fry 30 secs. 
1 bay leaf—–½ tsp turmericAdd bay leaf and turmeric, and fry for another 30 secs.
½ c potato Cut potato in small dice. Add to pan and stir to coat.
fenugreek leaves OR ½ tsp dried fenugreek seedFinely chop leaves, stopping 2” from stem ends. OR crush seeds in a mortar. Add, stir, turn heat to lowest setting, cook 2 mins.
2 c meat stock——½ tsp saltAdd stock and salt, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and cook 8-10 mins until potatoes are tender.
½ Tbsp verjus OR ½ Tbsp lemon juiceAdd juices, stir and taste. Add a touch of salt if needed. Remove bay leaf.
2 two-oz eggsLightly beat eggs, pour into soup, over low heat. Immediately swirl in eggs with fork for a few seconds.
Black pepper—-2 gozleme bread OR 1 Mongol flat-breadServe soup topped with pepper, with bread.
2 gozleme bread = 52 calories .. 0 g fat .. 2 g fiber.. 3 g protein .. 10 g carbs.. 40 mg Calcium..1 Mongol bread = 86 calories .. 1 g fat .. 1.5 g fiber .. 4 g protein .. 21 g carbs .. 26.4 mg Calcium..

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
dill pickle + 3%-fat hamapplesauce [unsweetened] or pear
roasted pork + Swiss cheesehaggis, purchased or home-made: lamb liver and meat
mayonnaise + mustard + melononion + coriander +pepper + rolled oats
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

canned baked beans + onionyellow cornmeal + 200 g ground turkey
celery + canned stewed tomatoescanola oil + onions
beef stock or brown stockcarrot + tomatoes
hot sauce + hard-boiled egg400 g spinach
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Crabs

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

The Phylum Arthropoda contains animals without bones that have jointed legs. Within that Phylum are crustaceans: animals with an external shell made of chitin. Some of those crustaceans have 10 legs, and thus are called decapods. These are the animals that we call ‘crabs’. They live in waters all over the world — from brackish coastal environments to the deepest depths: from the equator to the arctic. There are 4,500 species of crabs in all sizes. Curiously, 850 species of crabs live on land or in fresh water. While crustaceans have been around since at least the Silurian Period of Geologic Time, crabs as we know them seem to have appeared on Earth during the Jurassic Period 200 million years ago. Many varieties of crabs are edible: King Crabs, Stone Crabs, Blue Crabs, Jonah Crabs. Not only is crabmeat delicious, but it is low in calories and high in protein. Eating crab meat will provide you with Vitamin B12, magnesium, copper, zinc, and phosphorous. Unfortunately, crabs are also high in Sodium and cholesterol — but the good out-weighs the bad. Crabs are a major player in ocean ecology, as both prey and predator. Crabs have figured in ancient mythology, as seen in the constellation Cancer the Crab. Today, 1.5 million tonnes of crabs are caught annually for food.

Crab meat is a versatile food which can be enjoyed at breakfast with eggs or at dinner in a classic crab cake. March 9th is National Crabmeat Day in th USA, so get out there and enjoy some!

Chili-Crab ScrOmelette: 155 calories… 7.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 17.5 g protein… 8 g carbs… 56.4 mg Calcium..  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The inspiration for this breakfast is a popular street food of Singapore and Malaysia. When I read the ingredients, I was inspired to add those flavors to eggs. Marvelous!!

++ 1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++  1 Tbsp catsup ++++ ¾ tsp Thai red chili paste ++++ 1.5 tsp soy sauce ++++ ½ oz crab meat ++++ pinch granulated garlic ++++ 1.5 oz strawberries ++++   Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Combine the catsup, chili paste, soy sauce, crab, and garlic, stirring well to mix thoroughly. Heat a non-stick pan and spritz with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with the seasonings and pour quickly into the pan. Put a lid on the pan and cook undisturbed until the eggs are cooked and set. Fold the eggs as you plate them with the berries. The beverages of your choice will round out the meal.

Crab Cake Dinner: 237 calories… 7 g fat … 4 g fiber… 18.6 g protein… 17 g carbs… 198 mg Calcium…  PB GF- if using GF bread First you prepare the crab cakes, then you settle in for a splendid dinner.

++ 2 crab cakes** ++++ 5 oz asparagus OR 2 oz green beans ++++ aioli dressing :1 tsp low-fat mayonnaise + few drops of lemon juice + pinch each of turmeric and garlic powder ++ 

Cook the vegetable. Prepare the aioli. Put aioli on crab cakes, plate with vegetable.

**Crab Cakes: 1 of 8 crab cakes:  94 calories —2 g fat —0.5 g fiber — 8 g protein — 6 g carbs — 82 mg Calcium — PB GF – if using GF bread Rock and Jonah crabs abound on the coast of New England and they are grand as crab cakes. This recipe is from Todd English’s Olive’s Tablecookbook.  Note: this is the full recipe and makes 8 cakes – more than you will eat at one meal. Prepare them all and cook as directed. HINT: This will provide a few future meals.

8 crab cakes
2 T = 1 fl oz plain nonfat yogurt—-1 tsp Dijon mustard–
2 Tbsp. chopped green or white onion—1 T. parsley, minced—one 2-oz egg—–1 tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper—1 slice fresh 70-cal bread, crumbled		Stir these ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
½ pound crab meat Fold in gently
Flour for dustingDust a large plate with flour. Using a ¼ c. measure as a mold, form crab cakes and turn them out onto plate.
Flour for dusting——2 tsp oilDust tops of the cakes with some of the flour. Heat a non-stick skillet and add oil
Handling them carefully, cook crab cakes until beginning to brown, then turn to brown on other side.
Cool, wrap, and freeze cakes that are not eaten tonight. Reheat in toaster oven

Boston Massacre

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

Armed forces from a domineering government are in your streets. They harass the citizens and break into houses searching for contraband. They impose harsh taxes on imported goods, and force people to house soldiers in their own homes. What can the average citizen do in the face of such government over-reach??? Resist! Demonstrate! The year is 1770, the place is Boston in the Colony of Massachusetts. For years the British government has been making life more difficult for the Americans. Sensing a wish for more rights as British Citizens, the British had been taking over the government and squeezing the populace by raising taxes. The soldiers in the streets brought things to a tipping point. On March 5, a lowly soldier on guard duty was hassled by a young citizen. The soldier cuffed the lad in the head with his gun, and their argument drew a crowd. The soldier felt threatened. He sent for help, and soon an officer and armed soldiers arrived. The officer ‘read the Riot Act‘, insisting that the crowd disperse. Instead, they threw iceballs at the troops. The officer ordered his troops to stay calm and not to over-react. Instead they shot into the crowd. When the smoke cleared, three colonists were dead, two were mortally wounded. The incident was dubbed the “Boston Massacre” and became another grievance in a growing list that lead to the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. In a subsequent trial, two soldiers were found guilty, while the four arrested colonists were acquitted. Governments should be fair, law-abiding, and accountable for their actions. Then as now.

Our foods for March 5th would have been familiar to people of 1770: Boston Brown Bread at breakfast and cod cheeks at dinner. Both meals have a dairy component, remembering that Boston Common was once a pasture for the city’s cows. The herbal tea remembers the Boston Tea Party, when English tea was thrown into Boston Harbor to protest the high tax on tea. After that, patriots drank herbal tea — and they didn’t like it.

Boston Breakfast: 259 calories… 6.6 g fat… 2.6 g fiber… 13 g protein… 6 g carbs… 194.5 mg Calcium…  PB In Boston, a steamed bread is very traditionally served with baked beans for dinner. Here, it is welcome at breakfast. To drink with breakfast, an herbal tea – called “Indian Tea” by Colonials who preferred it due to the Tea Tax imposed by England.

++ 2 oz Boston Brown Bread, without raisins, purchased or homemade ++++ ½ c plain Greek-style yogurt, 5% fat ++++ 1 oz strawberries ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or herbal tea ++

Warm or lightly toast the bread, combine the berries with the yogurt, and settle in for a colonial era meal.

Cod Cheeks in Cream Sauce: 227 calories… 12 g fat… 2 g fiber… 24.6 g protein… 6 g carbs… 66 mg Calcium…  PB GF  The cheeks of cod and halibut are considered a delicacy among fisherfolk, but skate cheeks will do as well. This simple recipe is SO delicious and very special. 

This recipe serves two [2]Prepare a mise-en-place because this cooks quickly.  Start rice 40 mins before mise-en-place. NB: start preparing the asparagus or salad now.
300 g fish cheeks + salt + white pepperPat fish cheeks dry, and season with salt and pepper
2 tsp olive oilPut oil in a skillet over med-high heat. When very hot, add cheeks, cook 1 min on each side, until almost cooked through. Put on a plate.
¼ c white wine + 1 sm clove garlicMince garlic. Pour excess oil from skillet. Add wine and garlic and cook until wine is reduced by half.
1-2 oz creamAdd cream. Simmer and reduce until it lightly thickens.
1 Tbsp grainy Dijon ++ 2 tsp chives/scallionMix in these. Season sauce w/ salt + pepper.
Return fish to skillet and heat it in sauce until cooked through, ~2 mins. Divide cheeks equally between plates, top with sauce.
¼ c cooked brown rice/person, optionalWarm rice and plate it. Add one portion to each plate. Adds 55 calories, 0.4 oz fat, 0.9 g fiber, 1 g protein, 11.5 g carbs, 5 mg Calcium
7 spears asparagus OR  side salad with beets + blueberriesPlate cooked asparagus, topped with a smear of the sauce OR a side salad with beets and blueberries.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs = US largeBob’s 10-grain cereal  + cinnamon
Thai red chili paste + soy sauce
crab meat + catsupmaple syrup + apple sauce
garlic powder + strawberries2%-fat cottage cheese + nutmeg
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

1/2-pound Jonah or Rock Crab meat + scallions + oilonion + garlic + butter + verjus OR lemon juice
Plain not-fat yogurt + Dijon mustard + garlic powderolive oil + bay leaf + turmeric + potato
parsley + low-fat mayonnaise + 2-oz egg + lemon juiceFennugreek leaves or seeds  + meat stock
asparagus or green beans + 60-70 calorie whole breadeggs + gozleme bread OR Mongol bread
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Joel Poinsett

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. Welcome to Hannes who is now Following.

Does that name sound familiar? Yes! You are thinking of the popular potted plant of Christmas the one with the red flowers. Except that they aren’t flowers at all. Do you know how they got their common name? Here is the story…. Joel Roberts Poinsett was born on March 2, 1779, in Charleston, South Carolina. His wealthy family gave Joel all the advantages of education and social standing. Elisha Poinsett wanted his son to be a lawyer, but Joel wished to join the army. So the young Poinsett was packed off to Europe, for touring and study. From 1801 to 1803, he traveled the continent, meeting the famous and trekking the wilds. Until he had word of his father’s death, whereupon he returned home. In quick succession his sister died, leaving Joel the heir to an enormous fortune. Travel seemed to be in his blood, for in 1806, Poinsett was in Russia, at the court of Czar Alexander. When talk got around to cotton-growing in South Carolina, an invitation was given to visit cotton mills in Russia and to see the countryside. So he set out, accompanied by an English friend and seven others. For most of the year 1807, the group traveled through the southern Russian Empire, endangered by rough terrain and tribal factions. So harrowing and arduous was the journey that only three of the nine men survived. Back in the US, President James Madison appointed Poinsett as the Consul General to Chile and Argentina. In truth, he was a secret agent, trying to find out more about the rebellious groups that wanted freedom from Spain. Poinsett stirred up tensions between Chile and Peru, and encouraged the formation of an independent Chile. Returning to South Carolina in 1815, the intrepid voyager set out on a tour of the Western United States. When he was again back home, Poinsett served in the South Carolina legislature, and then in the US Congress. Appointed Secretary of War [as it was known then], he oversaw the forced removal of First Nations people from South Carolina to Oklahoma, an ignominious relocation known as the Trail of Tears. President Monroe appointed Poinsett as Minister to Mexico, where the diplomat again meddled in the country’s affairs, making himself unpopular. On a visit south of Mexico City, Poinsett saw the indigenous plant which the Jesuits had named Flor de Nochebuena,the Flower of Christmas Eve. Since he had a keen interest in botany, he sent some cuttings to friends in North Carolina. Since then, it was called a Poinsettia in the United States. The plant has green leaves, and it produces striking red bracts when the days shorten in Winter. The red bracts surround a tiny cluster of yellow-green flowers. Thus, Joel Poinsett forever changed how we decorate at Christmas.

Foods from two of the nations visited by Poinsett in his far-ranging travels: breakfast from Russia, and dinner from Mexico.

Syrniki: 229 calories… 5 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 22.4 g protein… 59 g carbs… 149 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF flour  This unusual Russian pancake from CookingThe Globemakes for a delicious breakfast. HINT: Recipe yields 8 pancakes, enough to serve 4 [four] at breakfast. Freeze what you don’t use today. Optional: If you drink black tea/black coffee or no beverages at breakfast, then add 1 ounce of ham @ 31 calories.. 1 g fat.. 0 g fiber.. 5 g protein.. 0.7 g carbs.. 2.6 mg Calcium..

8 pancakes, if using a 2.5 Tbsp scoopnon-stick skillet
1/3 c Golden Flour/white whole wheat—¼ cup all-purpose flour—¼ t baking powder—1/8 teaspoon saltSift together into a bowl. Set aside.
½#/225g 2%-fat cottage cheese—1 egg—2 Tbsp sugar—
¼ teaspoon almond/vanilla extract		Drain cottage cheese through a sieve. Put ingredients into food processor, blend until almost smooth.
Flour mixtureAdd flour mixture. Stir with rubber scraper until combined. Mixture should be sticky.
1 Tbsp butter/oil + PAMHeat butter/oil in skillet over low-med heat. Spray with PAM. Be sure oil is hot before cooking.
¼ cup Golden flour [I had 3 Tbsp left over after rolling]Put into shallow plate. With a 2.5 Tbsp cookie scoop, put a ball of dough into flour. Roll it around to coat. Repeat with remaining dough. 
With floured hands, gently pat dough balls from one hand to another to remove extra flour. Flatten with palm, put in skillet. Cook on low-med heat until both sides are golden and surface is firm. When done, drain on paper towels. NB: I did this the night before. Next morning, I heated pancakes in the toaster oven before serving.
4 oz pear—–2 oz apple—–1 lime, zested + juiced——-
1 Tbsp honey		Cut apple and pear into small cubes. Cook these ingredients over high heat, constantly stirring, until fruit are softened. Makes ¾ cup = 12 Tbsp. 1 Tbsp per pancake
Per serving: 1 T Light sour cream/plain yogurtTop each pancake with ½ Tbsp dairy topping and 1 Tbsp fruit topping.

Enchiladas Suizas: 293 calories.. 10 g fat… 11 g fiber… 31.6 g protein… 43.4 g carbs… 261.7 mg Calcium…  PB GF Rick Bayless relates this recipe in his book Mexico One Plate At A Time. Delicious and easy to prepare. NB: Avoid assembling too far in advance, lest it turn to mush.

++ 2 six-inch corn tortillas [50 calories each] ++++ 2 oz [½ cup] shredded cooked chicken breast ++++ ½ cup enchilada sauce** ++++ ¼ cup grated Cheddar or Monterey jack + dollop of plain, fat-free yogurt ++++ 1 oz broccoli florets + 1 oz cauliflower florets + ½ oz carrot ++

Heat oven to 350 F. On an ungreased heavy skillet, place the tortillas and cook them until they begin to brown on one side. Flip in the pan and continue until each tortilla is pliable and slightly fragrant. Remove to a cutting board or baking sheet. Stir the yogurt into the chicken. Distribute the chicken between the tortillas, then roll them up, and put each in an oven-proof dish, seam-side down. Spoon the sauce over and around and between the enchiladas.  NB: you don’t have to use all of the sauce. Extra could be added to eggs or soup. Sprinkle with cheese and put into oven. Cook the vegetables, drain and dress with salt and a splash of red wine vinegar. So good!

**ENCHILADA SAUCE  1 cup = 75 calories

½ cup = .. 38 calories.. 3.4 g fat.. 6.4 g fiber.. 5 g protein.. 18.6 g carbs.. 148 mg Calcium ..  This is Rick Bayless’s recipe. It is easy and good.

2 jalapeno peppers Roast in a dry skillet over medium ~5 mins until splotchy with black areas.
two 28-oz cans whole tomatoes Put in a blender with tomatoes and whirr until smooth. 
3 tsp vegetable oil [canola] —- 1 cup chopped onionCook in oil until golden, ~ 7 mins
Raise heat and add pureed tomato. 
Cook 10-15 mins until thick as tomato paste. 
2 cups chicken brothAdd broth, cover partially, simmer 15 mins until slightly soupy.
Add salt.½ tsp salt

Elements: Rare Earths

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. Welcome to Hike Stars on Earth who is now Following.

A characteristic of humans is that we want to understand how things work and why. The Sicilian/Greek philosopher Empedocles in the fifth century BCE proposed that all things were made of 4 Roots: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Plato later called them ‘elements’, believing that the smallest unit of matter was an element. [Later, that smallest unit was called an ‘atom’.] In the fourth century BCE, the Athenian philosopher Aristotle [384-322 BCE] made careful observations of the natural world to try to figure out why things were as they were. He concluded that the natural world was composed of combinations of five basic elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether. Our modern Periodic Table of elements shows that we have knowledge far beyond that of Aristotle. Gadolinium, Praseodymium, Cerium, Samarium, Lanthanum, and Neodymium are not common names. These and 11 others are classified as Rare Earth Elements [REEs] and it is common knowledge that they have been in the news lately. REEs are important in the development of technology products and they have military applications. From batteries and chemical catalysts to health care and personal electronics, Rare Earth Elements touch almost every aspect of our modern lives. Because of this, industry-sponsored research and government negotiations are underway to find more domestic sources, in addition to signing trade deals to acquire them. Most REEs are made into magnets that are used in cell phones, televisions, computers, automobiles, MRI machines, and jet aircraft. Despite their name, many of the elements are not particularly rare — but they are chemically bonded with other elements and it is difficult to separate them. Some REEs are tied up in clays, some in sand deposits, some are in metal alloys. Methods of extracting them are of great interest: from using fungus to extract the elements to harvesting elements from mine waste. “Mining” might take on a new meaning as we try to slake our thirst for products that power our 21st century life-style.

China mines and processes the majority of Rare Earth elements on the planet. Our meals are both from the cuisines of China.

Jian Bing ‘Chinese Pancakes’: 154 calories… 5 g fat… 1.4 g fiber… 9 g protein… 19 g carbs… 32.5 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB This delicious treat is a popular Chinese street-food. And now it is popular in our household. Quick to cook and fun to eat. The crisp tart apple slices are a nice foil to the salty-spicy food. HINT: this recipe makes 4 pancakes, of which 2 will do for the breakfast. Save the remaining 2 to eat cold for lunch tomorrow.

++ 1/3 cup all-purpose flour ++++ 1½ Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 1 Tbsp semolina flour ++++ 2 two-oz eggs ++++ ½ cup water++++ ¼ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts ++++ kosher salt ++++ 2 tsp Sriracha sauce + 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce ++++ per person: 1 oz apple ++++ 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] ++

Whisk together the flours, water, and one egg until lumps are gone.  Hint: this can be combined the night before. Whisk again in the morning. In a separate bowl, beat the other egg thoroughly. In a custard cup, combine the hot sauce and soy sauce. Using a good non-stick pan, add 2 brief puffs of non-stick spray, then wipe with a paper towel. [Keep the paper towel handy.] Heat the pan and add 3-4 Tbsp of egg-flour batter, swirling the pan quickly to distribute the batter evenly to make a thin pancake that coats the bottom of the pan. Let cook for a minute or 2, then spoon some of the egg on top and smear it around. Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and one tablespoon of the scallions. Cook until the egg on top is a bit set, then flip the pancake over. Brush the hot sauce mixture on top. Cook for 30 seconds, fold the pancake in 4ths with the hot sauce inside, and plate. Use the paper towel to wipe the pan and repeat the cooking process until all the batter and scallions are gone.  NB: I had whisked egg left over. If your hot beverage is brewed, your apples are sliced, and the smoothie is ready, then you are set for a real good start to a new day.

Shrimp Spring Rolls: Each roll = 88 calories.. 2 g fat.. 1 g fiber.. 7 g protein.. 8.4 g carbs.. 33 mg Calcium.. PB  Spring rolls are always a treat for Chinese New Year, representing luck. The Spring Roll wrappers look like 8” disks of opaque plastic, but after soaking for 10-15 seconds in water, they become clear and very pliable. If you are not accustomed to wrapping spring rolls or egg rolls, you might want to practice using wonton wrappers which are easier to manipulate.  TIP: This recipe makes six [6] spring rolls. One serving could be 2 or 3 rolls.

++ 6 oz raw shrimp, cut in half across the body ++++ 4 oz carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins or cut as julienne ++++ 4 oz green cabbage ++++ 1 oz chopped green onion ++++ 1 Tbsp soy sauce ++++ 1 tsp olive oil ++++ 6 eight-inch Spring Roll wrappers ++++ per person: 2 oz broccoli, steamed ++++ Sriracha ++

Chop and prepare all the ingredients and put them in small dishes near the stove-top. Heat a cast iron skillet or wok until hot and add the oil. When it is hot, add the carrot and cabbage. Stirfry for 3 minutes on heat high enough to keep the vegetables sizzling. If the pan becomes dry, add some water.  This is supposed to be a no-no in stir-frying, but we are cutting down on oil, OK? Add the shrimp and stir-fry about 1 minute, until it is cooked. Add the scallion and soy sauce. Stir-fry a bit longer until all is mixed and warm. Take off the heat. Remove the cooked mixture to a bowl. [if you want to, run it briefly through the food processor. This step is optional but it can make the mixture easier to roll.] Wipe out the pan and put a mere film of oil on it. Turn on the heat to medium-low. Put a pie plate of warm water on the counter. Add one of the spring roll wrappers. When it is clear [no longer than 20 seconds], remove it and lay it flat on a dish towel. Spoon 1/6 of the mixture onto the wrapper. Roll up a bit, then fold in the sides, then finish rolling. Put the roll in the warm pan. Repeat with the other rolls. In the pan, turn the rolls until they are warm and slightly browned. Stirfry or steam the broccoli separately. Serve with a dollop of hot sauce for dipping.