Following the Fast Diet Lifestyle

Protein!!

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It makes me cringe when I see salads recommended for dieters.  Either the dressing is very high in fat or the meal is woefully low in protein.  We need protein: especially on a Fast Day. Protein builds muscle.  When we lose fat from under our skin, the skin sags.  Build up your muscles to replace the space under the skin. Stay strong! Maintain and build muscle.  Get exercise and eat protein.  Today’s meals should help, supplying 40 grams of protein.

Improper English   265 cal       4.3 g. fat          17.2 g. protein         47.5 g. carb          A “proper English” is the full Victorian breakfast, serving every conceivable food you can imagine. This version leaves out the eggs and kippers [how improper!], but keeps the protein-rich baked beans along with the rest of the usual stand-bys.Improper English

¼ cup canned baked beans                                                                                                                                    one 50-60 calorie sausage, patty or link      Al Fresco and Applegate are our favorites.                                                                                                             ½ piece of 70-cal toast                                                                                                                                                                                 ½ a 2.5” diameter tomato                                                                                                                                       1 oz mushrooms                                                                                                                                                       a few grapes                                                                                                                                                             5-6 oz fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider                                                                               blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Cut the tomato around its equator and put one half away for later. Salt the tomato and put under the broiler until it softens. Cook the sausage and mushrooms in the same pan to heat through. Heat the beans – perhaps in the microwave. Toast the bread and brew the hot beverage. Pour the smoothie and plate everything. Cheerio!

Seafood Tacos:      270 calories       2.1 g. fat      23 g. protein       36.4 g. carbs    GF  PBseafood tacos w: slaw & salsa

two 6” corn tortillas        I like Ole brand                                                                                                               3 oz cooked fish HINT: next time you grill or broil fish, cook an extra 3 oz for this recipe. Wrap it and label and store in freezer until needed.                                                                              ½ cup tomato, cubed and drained                                                                                                                   ½ cup cabbage, chopped                                                                                                                                      1 oz red onion, sliced                                                                                                                                                        1 Tbsp lime juice or salsa verde [Herdez brand is good]                                                                                                  pinch chili powder  +   pinch cumin                                                                                                              1.5 Tbsp plain yogurt, drained

Combine the cabbage, tomato, and onion in a bowl with the lime juice and spices. Heat a large griddle or cast iron pan and put the tortillas in it until they are warm, pliable, and beginning to brown. Remove to your plate. Spread the tortillas with the yogurt. Divide the fish between the tortillas and add a splash of lime juice or salsa verde. Top with the vegetable slaw. If there is too much slaw to fit into the tortillas, serve it on the side. What a simple summer dish!

READ THIS:  Dieting Secrets Revealed By Men Who Are In Shape   http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/8-dieting-secrets-revealed-by-men-who-are-in-shape.html/2/

 

Simple. Yummy.

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Simple foods are often the best: easy to prepare yet good to eat. Today we serve some meals which fill the bill. We can have good food and eat it too!  Got a craving for something else?  Eat it tomorrow. With the Fasting Lifestyle it all works to our benefit.

Green Eggs & Ham    295 calories      8.8 fat     15.9 pro      25.1 carb        GFgreen eggs & ham w: apple

three 2-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 oz. ground or chopped ham                                                                                                                            1 green onion, chopped white and green parts or use fresh chives                                                             1 and 1/2 oz apple or ½ cup berries NB: Northern fruits are more healthy than tropicals. Andrew Weil said so.                                                                                                                                 blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water                                                                                           5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper to taste. Put the white part of the onion into a hot pan sprayed with cooking oil. Stir around for a few seconds. Add the eggs. When bottom of eggs begin to set, sprinkle the ham & green scallions over the eggs, scramble to taste, and plate. Brew the beverage, pour the smoothie or cider, prep the fruit, and “Eat them! Eat them, here they are!”

Beet & Bleu Cheese Salad   288 cal    11 g fat   5.3 g fiber   13.7 g protein       39 g carb  424 mg Calcium    GF  PB     This recipe takes me back to a little restaurant 2 blocks north of Notre Dame in Paris. Dinner at Au Bougnat was a treat and this meal evokes fond memories.Beet & Bleu Cheese Salad

2.5 oz beets, cooked, skinned, sliced or cubed, cooled                                                                            1 and 1/4 oz bleu cheese, cubed or crumbled                                                                                                      1.5 oz tomato, sliced or cubed                                                                                                                             3.5 walnut halves [or use slivered almonds if you don’t eat walnuts]                                                     1 oz white beans, rinsed and drained if using canned                                                                                2.5 c. salad greens                                                                                                                                                    3/4 tsp olive oil + 3/4 tsp balsamic vinegar                                                                                       garnishes: pansy, chive, or nastursum flowers; scallions

Assemble and prep all vegetable ingredients. Whisk oil and vinegar in a wide bowl. Put greens in the bowl and toss. Place in serving bowl and arrange the other ingredients on top. Add a few garnishes. Voila! A beautiful meal.

1776

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The Glorious Fourth! Summer has hit with full force, so a cooling breakfast and a hot off the grill dinner will keep us in the celebratory mood and help to stay in the Fasting Lifestyle.  To those of you in other countries, you don’t have to honor the 4th of July, but you can still Fast along with us!

Red White and Blue     295 calories        1.4 g fat         3.8 g fiber       20 g protein     45 g carbs     504 mg Calcium PG GF if using GF bread             Ricotta is higher in protein and Calcium than cottage cheese, but you could substitute that if you wish.Red White & blue

½ cup fat-free ricotta                                                                                                                                              ¼ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen [if frozen, keep frozen until ready to use]                                     ½ cup sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen [after slicing, put into a strainer to drain]                                                                                       1 slice of 70-calorie multi-grain bread [Nature’s Own] cut into a star with the largest cookie cutter that will fit the bread                                                                                                                             2 small pinch of cinnamon sugar                                                                                                                blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut your slice of bread with the star cookie cutter, freezing the scraps for use in Crab Cakes or Stuffed Clams. Sprinkle the bread with a small pinch of cinnamon sugar and toast it. Measure the ricotta onto your plate. Put the fruit on top. [I do not recommend stirring the fruit into the cheese, since it will ‘stain’ the cheese.] Top with a small pinch of cinnamon sugar and plate with the toast. Pour the hot beverage and the smoothie. Huzzah!

Bison Burgers with Coleslaw 305 calories   11.4 g fat    35.4 g protein   11.1 g carbs    23 mg CalciumBison Burger, slaw, peas

one 4-oz bison patty [not beef. Venison is a good substitute if you have it]                                  1/2 oz sliced mushrooms                                                                                                                3/4 tsp of catsup                                                                                                                                  1/4 cup peas, fresh at this time of year or frozen                                                                                                1/2 cup homemade coleslaw**  

**coleslaw:  1 cup chopped cabbage            1″ of carrot, grated         1.5  tsp mayonnaise made with olive oil    1 tsp cider vinegar   salt     pepper   Enough for two

HINT: Prepare the coleslaw at least an hour beforehand, and refrigerate.  Sprinkle a small, hot skillet with Kosher salt.  Cook one 4 oz bison burger  on one side for about 3 minutes. Flip it and cook until done as well as you’d like.  Put on a plate to stay warm. Sides: Add some water to the same  pan and stir/ cook the mushrooms until soft.  Meanwhile cook the peas.  Whisk the mayonnaise with the vinegar. Toss with the cabbage and carrot, the salt and the pepper.  To serve, put the ketchup on the burger, top with mushrooms. Arrange those colorful sides on the plate and get ready for some good eating. HINT: Cabbage and carrots will keep a long time in the ‘fridge, so don’t worry about having lots left over.   

Here’s To You, Lillian!

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Our friend Lillian is a wonderful cook: dinners at her house are legendary.  But when it comes to Fasting, she wants to keep it very simple. Here are some menus for the easiest to prepare meals for a Fasting Lifestyle for Lillian and Stephen. Just in time for Canada Day.

Monday Breakfast:  220 calories                                      total calories for the day = 591                                                                            2 eggs, hard-boiled                                                                                                                                             2 oz apple                                                                                                                                                               1/2 slice bread   I recommend Dempster’s multi-grain thin-sliced                                                                             lemon in hot water or big glass of water

Monday Lunch:  92 calories                                                                                                                                2 oz 3% fat ham = 2 slices                                                                                                                                1/2 slice bread                                                                                                                                                     big glass of water

Monday Dinner:  279 calories                                                                                                                          5 oz baked cod                                                                                                                                                       1 oz beets                                                                                                                                                                  2 oz carrot                                                                                                                                                              2/3 cup canned garbanzo beans [chick peas] drained and rinsed, topped with a generous pinch of savory or rosemary                                                                                                                         big glass of water

Thursday Breakfast: 160 calories                                total calories for the day = 579                                                                                                                1 egg, hard-boiled                                                                                                                                                 1 slice bread                                                                                                                                                            1/2 cup sliced strawberries                                                                                                                          lemon in hot water or a big glass of water

Thursday Lunch:    137 calories                                                                                                                    1/2 cup vegetable soup, made with white beans but not noodles                                                            1/2 slice bread                                                                                                                                                      big glass of water

Thursday Dinner: 282 calories                                                                                                                      4 oz baked chicken breast                                                                                                                                 2 oz beets, boiled                                                                                                                                                    2 oz carrots, sliced and boiled                                                                                                                           1/2 cup baked beans, without added molasses or sugar                                                                         big glass of water

Street Food

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

Whether its hot dogs on Coney Island, soft pretzels with mustard in Philadelphia, or something you’ve never before eaten in Singapore, street food is fun, tasty, and easy to eat.  I present today’s menu as an homage to Fast food which could be street food: in Santa Fe or in Baltimore.

Breakfast Burrito   291 calories    11.9 g. fat   4.7 g fiber   18.7 g. protein    38 g. carbs  79.4 mg Calcium  GF    Inspired by breakfasts enjoyed at the Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque, N.M., this has all the tastes of the Southwest in a filling yet low-calorie meal.breakfast burrito

one 6” corn tortilla, MUST be 65 calories per tortilla                                                                                               one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               1 Tbsp roasted green chiles, available canned under the ‘Hatch’ brand                                              1 Tbsp carne adovada – this is boiled pork shoulder with hot spices. Make a batch and freeze it in small amounts or see if you can find it at a Mexican market.                                            Large pinch oregano, Mexican oregano if you can find it.                                                                   [Hot sauce to taste]                                                                                                                                                    1 tsp cheddar cheese, finely grated                                                                                                                   2 ¼ oz of apple                                                                                                                                                                             5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider.                                                        Black-ish coffee, black-ish tea, lemon in hot water

Whisk the egg with the chiles and carne. Heat a dry, well-seasoned cast iron pan and heat the tortilla until it is warm, soft, and just beginning to brown. Remove to a plate. Scramble the egg to your preference in a spritz of oil on your pan. Put the egg on top of the tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese on the egg and put it all in the toaster oven for about a minute. Douse with hot sauce if you wish, serve with the apple, smoothie, and hot beverage of your choice.

Crab Cakes:   275 cal     7.2 g fat   4.2 g fiber     27 g protein    19.7 g carbs  231 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 Table cookbook. Note: this is the full recipe and makes 5 cakes – more than you will eat at one meal. Prepare them all and cook as directed. HINT: This will provide a few future meals.crab cakes w: asparagus

½ pound crab meat                                                                                                                                                 2 T [1 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                                                                                                                  4 T. flour, for dredging                                                                                                                                            2 tsp oil                                                                                                                                                                       5 oz asparagus                                                                                                                                                          1 tsp low-fat mayonnaise + few drops of lemon juice + pinch each of tumeric and garlic powder [this is your aioli dressing]

Gently combine 1st 8 ingredients in a bowl. Dust a large plate with the flour. Using a 1/3 c. measure as a mold, form the crab cakes and turn them out onto the flour. There should be 5 cakes. Dust the top of the cakes with some of the flour. Heat a non-stick skillet and add 2 tsp olive oil. Handling them carefully, cook the crab cakes until they are beginning to brown on the top and bottom. Cook the asparagus. Put aioli on crab cakes and asparagus.

One Fast Day serving = 1.5 crab cakes. Cool the others, wrap in cling wrap and freeze. Reheat in a toaster oven, since the cakes will have been previously cooked.

Flavorful Plants

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Everything is growing and blooming and looking wonderful outside, so let’s eat some meals made with plants.  Don’t get nervous, this food is full of flavor. The Fasting Lifestyle can be delicious for meat-eaters and plant-eaters alike.

Zucchini Nests w/ Egg   302 calories    8.9 g fat      3.9 g fiber      14.4 g protein     19.2 g carbs         228.7 mg Calcium       PB GF [if using GF bread]                           Found this recipe online [allaboutfitnesssite.wordpress.com], then I changed it to fit our calorie restriction requirements. Note that the egg used for the photo is a pullet egg, which weighs in a 1.5 oz instead of the 2 oz eggs we usually use. If you can find them, pullet eggs can be useful as they give you the egg flavor but with reduced fat and calories. Pullets, as you know, are merely young hens which lay small eggs until they grow up enough to lay larger eggs. HINT: This recipe makes enough for 2 nests which serve 2 people.Zucchini Nests w: Egg

1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                           ¼ cup diced onion                                                                                                                                                  2 tsp fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage, chopped                                                                                                  1 clove garlic, minced or pressed                                                                                                                  large pinch hot pepper flakes or 1 jalepeno, chopped                                                                                  1 c. zuchinni, grated on the coarse side of the box grater                                                                               2 tsp cider vinegar                                                                                                                                                   1 oz roasted red pepper                                                                                                                                parsley, chopped                                                                                                                                              salt and black pepper                                                                                                                                             per person:     1 egg [2-oz or pullet]                                                                                                                                             1/2 slice multi-grain 70-calorie bread                                                                                                     blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                  5 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie

In a non-stick pan, spritz lightly with olive oil or add 1 tsp.   Cook the onions until lightly browned, 4-6 minutes. Add the sage, garlic, and hot pepper and stir for 30 seconds. Add vinegar, zucchini, some black pepper, and ¾ tsp salt. Cover and cook about 6 minutes longer. Add roasted pepper and parsley. Cook 6 minutes longer ‘until zucchini is light brown.’ Mine never looked light brown, but it looked done to me! HINT: Do this part the night before to save time in the morning.

Next morning: Divide cooked vegetables into two heaps [scant ½ cup each].  Put one portion in storage, for another breakfast later in the week.  Put the other portion  in the saute pan and make an indentation in the top to form the nest. Cover and heat for 1 minute. Uncover and break egg into the ‘nest.’ Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then cover and cook on the stove top for 4-5 minutes longer or until the egg is cooked to your liking. Plate with the toast, pour your hot beverage and smoothie. Now that’s something different!

Felafel with Cucumber Raita 256 calories   10.2 g. fat   16 g. protein    33.5 g. carbs PB   GF        SORRY, NO PHOTO AT THIS TIME

5 felafel patties [see Because It’s June! June 1, 2016                                                                                              1 cup raw spinach                                                                                                                                                   1/2 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                       large pinch ground nutmeg                                                                                                                                4 oz plain, non-fat yogurt                                                                                                                                      1 scant cup cucumbers, cubed                                                                                                                                      1 tsp white wine vinegar                                                                                                                                    1 and  ½ tsp fresh mint, chopped or dried dill weed

Thaw out 5 of those felafel patties what we prepared on Sept. 9. Heat them in the toaster oven or in a non-stick pan on the stove. Do not cook them in oil. Cut the spinach into a chiffonade [make a pile of leaves and cut thinly across their width]and put into a bowl. Cube the cucumbers. Stir together the yogurt, vinegar, and dill or mint. Add the cucumber cubes and stir gently to combine. Toss the spinach with the olive oil and nutmeg. Plate it and love it.

Fasting While Traveling

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Traveling is when dieting gets difficult and all the rationalizations start.  “Couldn’t do my own cooking, so what could I do but eat?”  Last month I spent 12 days in Italy as part of a tour. When I returned, I weighed 1/2 a pound less than I did before. How?

Departure day was on a Thursday, so I ate a high-protein typical Fast Day Breakfast and Fasted the rest of the day. On the air plane I ate what was served and went to sleep.  The following days I ate and drank as I wished. Next Fast Day was a Monday, and the breakfast buffet offered just what I needed: eggs, fruit, meat or cheese.Fasting in Venice

Dinner was at a restaurant, so no chance to Fast, although I was careful not to go wild. Same on the following Fast Days which fell during the trip. Calorie restriction on some days, eat-as-you-wish on the other days. It works.  You can do it.

Every Fast Day I chose carefully from the breakfast buffet in Venice, Florence, and Rome.  Did I starve myself every day? No. Did I eat gelato every day? Yes. Did I walk 6-9 miles every day while sight-seeing? Yes. Did I find that one can fit the Fasting Lifestyle into traveling?  Coming back with no weight gain says ‘Yes you can!’

Let’s Eat

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So many diets, so little time.  And what do they have you doing?  Not eating, that’s what. Don’t eat this or that or any of the other thing, day in and day out.  With the Fasting Lifestyle, you can eat what you want on Tuesday, as long as you eat the following menu on Monday.  Give it a try.

Poached Egg on Toast  286 calories  6.3 g fat  4.1 g fiber  13.7 g protein   36.4 g carbs  95 mg Calcium    PB  GF if using GF breadPoached Egg on Toast

 one slice of 70-cal bread                                                                                                                                      one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                 2 oz melon or 1 and 1/2 oz of apple                                                                                                                      5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie                                                                                                blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

If using an egg poacher, lightly spray the egg cup and heat the water to a simmer. Toast the bread. Poach the egg for 3-4 minutes, according to your taste. Slide the egg onto the toast, season to taste, and enjoy with your hot beverage, fruit,  and smoothie.

Tuna-Bean-Garlic Salad   261 cal    4.2 g fat   5.5 g fiber    31 g protein    28.4 g. carb  152 mg Calcium         PB GF     HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two] This is from the Fast Diet book.  Great in warm weather.                         Sorry.    Can’t find a photo of this meal….

3/4 cup canned navy beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                           1 5-oz can light tuna in water, drained and flaked                                                                                            2 cloves garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                           4 oz tomato, left whole if bite-sized or sliced                                                                                               salt, pepper, thyme, parsley                                                                                                                                 3.5 oz spinach or mixed greens                                                                                                                                    2 tsp lemon juice + 1 tsp white wine vinegar + 1 tsp olive oil                                                                         1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Gently stir the beans, tuna, and garlic together. In a wide, shallow bowl whisk the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Stir ½ tsp of the dressing into the bean mixture. Toss the greens and herbs with the remaining dressing, then stir the bean mixture into the greens. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Because Its June!

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According to the song, “June is busting out all over.”  We are following the Fasting Lifestyle because we don’t want to be busting out all over our waistbands and belts.  Today we will look ahead to a summer of good, healthy meals by doing some ahead-of-time food preparation.

And guess what? This fits right in with a recent article:  Experts Say This Is the Number 1 Way to Lose Weight     http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Best-Way-Lose-Weight-39766314    I’m not saying that the recipes listed here are all suitable for a Fast Day, but you could try them for a Slow Day and see if you like them.

Mediterranean Vegetables  makes 4 cups                                                                                                       per cup:      78 calories   1.1 g fat    4.7 g fiber    4.2 g protein                   14 g carbs       53 mg Calcium PB GF            HINT: This  forms the basis for four future menus:  2 breakfasts and 2 dinners.

Mediterranean Veg for freezer

2 cups eggplant, peeled and cubed OR 1 and 1/2 cup bell peppers, cubed                                                                                                                       2 cups tomato, cubed                                                                                                                                              2 cups zucchini, cubed                                                                                                                                           2 cloves garlic                                                                                                                                                                                        1 Tbsp fresh oregano and or rosemary                                                                                                     pinch hot pepper flakes, salt, pepper                                                                                                              ½ cup chickpeas, rised and drained 

Prepare all the veg., and put them in a saucepan. Simmer, covered, until cooked through, about 25 minutes. If watery, remove lid and continue to simmer. Add herbs and seasonings to taste, and the chickpeas.   After the mixture cools, I portion it into 2 scant cups in one freezer box; 1 scant cup into 2 other freezer boxes and pop it in the freezer for future use.

Felafel 1 batch =  648 cal   25.4 g fat     21 g fiber   32.5 g protein      72 g carbs      214 mg Calcium                                                  each patty = 26 cal    1.0 g. fat   0.8 g fiber     1.3 g protein    3 g. carbs     8.5 mg Calcium GF PB                                                         From the old favorite Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen, these are easy to prepare and set you up for several servings of 5 or more future meals.

2 cups canned chick peas I like Goya brand [Or use dried chickpeas but factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them.  Canned chick peas make a smoother, less grainy result.]            1.5 cloves garlic, crushed                                                                                                                                        ¼ cup celery, minced                                                                                                                                           ¼ c. scallions, sliced                                                                                                                                                 1 egg                                                                                                                                                                           1.5 tsp tahini                                                                                                                                                             ½ t. cumin                                                                                                                                                                      ½ t. tumeric                                                                                                                                                                  ¼ t. cayenne                                                                                                                                                                ¼ t. black pepper                                                                                                                                                   1.5 t. salt

Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1.5 Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. There will be about 25 [twenty-five] of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use.

Memorial Day

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

Its that time of year: Summer arrives and everyone wants to over-eat at a Holiday picnic. This is so not necessary.  You can maintain the Fasting Lifestyle. even on Memorial Day. Here’s how.

National Holiday French Toast      294 calories    6.7 g fat   3.2 g fiber  13.5 g protein     31 g carbs    260.7 mg Calcium    GF [if using GF bread]   HINT: This recipe makes requires one person to have two [2] ounces or less of bread cut-outs. If you cut out more, but put the others in a bag in the freezer for a really fast breakfast later. The recipe below is enough for TWO PEOPLE.  Invite a friend or prepare the entire batch and freeze half for later.French Toast Stars

2 one half ounce pieces of cut-out shapes** from 70-cal whole grain bread                                       one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               2 Tbsp fat-free milk                                                                                                                                                 1 oz strawberries, fresh or unsweetened frozen                                                                                            1.5 tsp maple syrup                                                                                                                                                          one 60-cal sausage    [I like Al Fresco brand sage breakfast links  or patties]                                                        nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                           1/3 cup green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whisk the egg and milk together. Cut the pieces of bread into appropriate shapes useing a cookie cutter.  ** This time I used 1″ stars, which made lots. [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 [see SPICY May 23, 2018] Put the bread into a pan 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 combine the strawberries and syrup.

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. IF COOKING FOR ONE, NOW PUT HALF OF THE PIECES ASIDE TO COOL. PUT INTO A BAG AND FREEZE THEM FOR A LATER DATE. 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 smoothie.

Hot Dogs & Beans 297 cal  10 g fat    5.2 g fiber   15.8 g protein   23.6 g carb  77 mg Calcium   PB  GF  Usually, we eat hot dogs on Memorial Day, so we won’t stop now.   Baked beans are high in protein, low in fat, so they fit right in with a Fast Diet.Memorial Day franks & beans

1 dog per person {Hebrew National has a good-tasting reduced fat hot dog at 100 cal each.}                                                                                                                                                              1/3 c baked beans [I use canned, low-fat beans if I can find them] HINT: You do not use all the beans in the can, so freeze the remainder for another meal. If you want them for this meal again, freeze in batches of 1/3 c, rather than the remains of the entire can together.      mustard and/or pickle relish                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           one 2-oz egg, hard-boiled + 1/2 tsp low-fat mayo + 1 tsp prepared yellow mustard  + Salsa Verde                                                                                                                                                                                   1/4 cup chopped cabbage + 1/8 cup shredded carrot  + 1.5 tsp cider vinegar + 1/2 tsp low-fat mayonnaise

Cook the dogs in a little frying pan with a bit of water. [Of course you could grill the dogs.]  Heat the baked beans [nuke ’em]. Peel the egg and cut it in half. Remove the yolk and mash it with the mayonnaise, mustard, and Salsa Verde. Stuff the egg halves. Whisk the mayo and vinegar and toss in the coleslaw vegetables.  Fasting on a holiday just got easier. Have non-Fasters over for the picnic? Ask them to bring the side dishes [potato salad, green salad, but not chips & dip] and let your guests eat the side dishes.  Skip the beer and S’mores until tomorrow.