La Chandeleur

February 1, 2023January 26, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

In the Christian Church calendar, first there is Christmas, when Jesus was born, and 40 days after that, there is the day that baby Jesus was presented at the Temple by his parents, according to Jewish religious law. In the Temple was an old and devout man named Simeon. All his life he had waited for the Messiah, hoping to have some word of the arrival of Yahweh’s chosen, before he died. When Mary and Joseph entered the Temple, Simeon approached and asked to hold the baby. He then said the words known as the nunc dimittis : “Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace…for my eyes have seen thy salvation…a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people, Israel.” In pre-Christian Rome, there was a festival in mid-February called Lupercalia. It honored fertility and health. Naked men would run through the streets, and hook-ups would happen when girl’s names were plucked from a bowl. Candles were lit at midnight and people ate small flat cakes, hoping for the return of the sun and summer. During his four-year papacy, Pope Gelasius I tried to stamp out the pagan customs that were still practiced by his flock. In honor of the Presentation of Jesus, he held candlelight processions through the streets and used the occasion to dedicate the next year’s candles for the church. Gelasius called this festival “Candle-mass.” Why all the candles? Because Simeon called Jesus ‘a light’, hence the tie-in to candles during dark days. Gelasius also handed out crepes to pilgrims who came to Rome. When those pilgrims returned home, they told of the festival of candles and their own congregations adopted the idea. Brittany and Normandy, France, where crepes and galettes had long been popular, embraced the idea of celebrating February 2 by eating crepes. And once chocolate was introduced to Europe, enjoying chocolate crepes for La Fete de la Chandeleur became the rage. The first crepe to be cooked is always placed on the top shelf of the cupboard, to ensure luck for the next year. In Germany and the USA, February 2nd is Groundhog Day. Which would you rather eat on Candlemas: a chocolate crepe or a groundhog?

A breakfast of chocolate crepes, bien sur! And for dinner, savory galettes with a traditional and delicious French filling.

Chocolate Crepe Breakfast: 231 calories 4.6 g fat 5.5 g fiber 16.4 g protein 32 g carbs 191.6 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB Crepes! Chololate! Such delights at breakfast on Chandeleur. Make the crepes ahead for a very easy meal.

2 chocolate crepes** 3 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese 3 Tbsp non-fat vanilla yogurt 3 oz strawberries 1 slice uncured bacon @ 30 calories/slice dusting of icing sugar Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Slice berries or thaw frozen berries in a sieve. Warm the crepes but only briefly, so they do not become dry. Stir together the cottage cheese and yogurt. Stir in some of the berries, saving some for garnish. Cook the bacon. Divide the strawberry cream between the crepes, roll them, and plate. Dust crepes with powdered sugar. Dollop with reserved strawberries, place the bacon. Yum.

**CHOCOLATE CREPES: makes 16 eight-inch crepes 1 crepe= 53 calories 1 g fat 2 g fiber 3 g protein 9 g carbs 38.6 mg Calcium Just what you need to celebrate Chandeleur on February 2^nd.

A chocolate crepe, ready to turn over. Hold a gold coin in your left hand as you flip the pan so that the crepe turns over in the air and lands back in the pan. lol. This is to ensure food luck for the following year.

100 g unbleached flour 50 g white-whole-wheat flour 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder 3 tsp sugar	Whisk flours, cocoa, and sugar together.
14 fl oz milk [416 g]	Add milk and whisk until combined.
2 two-oz eggs	Add eggs one at a time. Whisk vigorously until batter runs off the whisk in ropes.
	Let the batter rest for 60+ minutes.
Cooking spray	Heat an 8” cast-iron pan or ceramic saute pan. Lightly spritz with oil, then wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Save the towel.
	Dip a ¼ cup measure into batter and let extra drain off. Grasp handle of the cook pan in one hand as you slowly pour batter into center of the pan. Tilt pan to swirl the batter to form a circle roughly 6” in diameter. Don’t get hung up on perfectly round or perfectly flat.
	Watch it cook and look for when edges dry and curl a bit. With a heat-resistant but non-scratching tool [I use my fingers], lift the crepe and flip it. Cook the other side. Time will vary, depending on heat of the pan. Lift out crepe, put it aside, and keep cooking.

Leek & Bacon Galettes: 260 calories 5.5 g fat 4.6 g fiber 10 g protein 37 g carbs 114 mg Calcium PB Joanne Harris writes in her French Market cookbook about buying these at a market stall in France. Now you can make them at home. NB: It is easier/quicker if you prepare the galettes/crepes in advance.

2 buckwheat galettes/crepes ½ cup Leek & Bacon Filling 2 oz fresh tomato, diced and seasoned with basil or thyme + salt

Gently warm the galettes and place them on a baking sheet. Warm the Leek&Bacon filling and divide it between the crepes, spreading it on one half of each. Fold the crepes in half, then in half again, placing them on the baking sheet so that the filled part is upper-most [this prevents unfolding in the oven]. Cut and season the tomato. Warm the galettes/crepes thoroughly in the oven.

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

1 two-oz egg + applesauce	1.5 two-oz eggs
carrot + broccoli
garlic powder
Indian curry powder or curry sauce
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

3 oz halibut fillet + olive oil	prosciutto + melon
fresh spinach + shallot + scallions	red onion pickle + Parmesan cheese
Thai red curry paste + chicken broth	mint or basil leaves
light coconut milk + lime juice	balsamic vinegar optional: whole-grain bread
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Delicious!

Jeanne d’Arc

May 29, 2022May 19, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

To say that politics in France in the early 1400s were ‘troubled’ would be a polite way of saying ‘What a mess!!!’ There was no France as we know it. There was no king. Charles VI had been deposed by the English, who declared that English King Henry V and his heirs were next in line for the throne of France. The English controlled one third of what we now think of France, about half the region was controlled by French loyalists, and another portion was the Duchy of Burgundy, independent but favoring the English. Charles, son of Charles VI, should have been crowned but he was weak and lacked authority. Enter a teenager from Lorraine, a duchy just outside of eastern France. Saints had visited her since she was 13 years old, she said, and told her to go to Charles and to save France. This unassuming girl talks local leaders into introducing her to Charles because she says she can get him crowned king. Although Charles hides amid his courtiers, the young shepherdess picks him out of the crowd. The girl, of course, is Jeanne d’Arc, nicknamed ‘La Pucelle’ [‘the Maiden’], and the year is 1429. Charles tests her further by sending her with an army to wrest the city of Orleans from the English. And she does. On the strength of that, Charles and Jeanne went to Reims, the traditional place to crown a French king, to establish him as the head of the nation. The battles went on, Jeanne’s army won often. In May, 1430, she was captured by the Duke of Burgundy’s men and was ‘sold’ to the English. Imprisoned and put on trial, Jeanne was abandoned by Charles VII, by France, and by the church — the pro-England Roman Catholic Church called her a heretic and excommunicated her. On May 30, 1431, Jeanne d’Arc was burned at the stake in front of the Cathedral of Rouen. Twenty-five years later, new inquiries were held, overturning her trial. Jeanne’s restoration was complete in May, 1920 when she was declared a saint, the Patron Saint of France. May seems to be the Month of the Maiden.

Domremy, where Jeanne was born, is in the Lorraine part of France. Lorraine is known as the origin of quiche. In honor of Jeanne’s birthplace, a nod to Quiche Lorraine. Jeanne was killed in Rouen, Normandy, where crepes and galettes are part of the diet. In recognition of Rouen’s role in Jeanne’s death, a meal of galette and local seafood. The life of Jeanne d’Arc impressed me greatly when I read a biography of her in 6th grade. I still am in awe of her courage, her faith, and her life.

Bake Lorraine: 180 calories 11 g fat 1 g fiber 12.5 g protein 7.6 g carbs [4.4 g Complex] 193 mg Calcium NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. GF You’ve heard of Quiche Lorraine? Well, here it is, crustless, yet with all the flavor intact. Very do-able for breakfast. Make sure your next meal has lots of fiber, as this has next to none.

1 two-oz egg ½ slice uncured bacon 3 Tbsp whole milk ½ oz Swiss cheese [Emmentaler, Gruyere] pinch cayenne pepper + pinch nutmeg 2 oz strawberries Optional: blackish coffee[53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Dice the bacon and cook it until crispy. Grate or finely chop the cheese. Spray an oven-proof dish with non-stick spray and put the cheese on the bottom. Whisk together the egg, milk, and seasonings. Pour over the cheese, then sprinkle the bacon on top. HINT: I did all this the night before. Bake in a 350F oven for 17 minutes. Plate with the fruit. A creamy, delicious treat!

Seafood Galettes: 269 calories 7 g fat 3 g fiber 18 g protein 19 g carbs [10 g Complex] 142 mg Calcium PB This recipe is a terrific idea for a quick meal – IF you have Bechamel sauce and galettes in the freezer. HINT: This recipe makes enough to serve 2 [two] people.

7 oz Ahi tuna fillet OR mixed seafood, cooked and cut in ½” bits 1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese 2 buckwheat galettes 6 Tbsp bechamel sauce without cheese 2-3 Tbsp fish stock 1.5 oz cauliflower florets 1 oz carrot ‘coins’ 2 oz zucchini slices

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

Marcellin de Berthelot

October 24, 2021October 19, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

One of the interesting things about tracing one’s ancestry is finding out who shares your name. They might not be an ancestor, but there is a common link. In several of my family trees, there are mistresses and illegitimate children. There are nobles and there are those who rebel against the establishment. Such is any family. Marcellin de Berthelot and I share a family name on my mother’s side. Ancestors of the Berthelot family were from Brittany. Marcellin was born in 1827, on October 25 in Paris. In school he excelled in latin and philosophy but decided to study science. With a doctorate in chemistry and a degree in pharmacy, he plunged into research into compounds containing Carbon and Hydrogen. Since Carbon is in living things, chemists of his time thought that Carbon compounds could be made only in the presence of a ‘life force.’ Berthelot proved that wrong, separating the field into Organic and In-Organic chemistry. His interests were wide-ranging: history of science, industrial chemistry, explosives, archeology, endothermic and exothermic reactions [words he coined], alchemy and its contributions to modern science. He had 1600 articles and 25 books to his name On top of that, he served in the government in elected and appointed positions, and was a teaching professor. Berthelot never patented his chemical processes, saying that they should belong to humanity. His devotion to his wife was so strong that he nursed her night and day as she died, and he followed her in death one hour later. In honor of their bond, the Senate, when they voted to have Marcellin interred in the Pantheon along with other luminaries, allowed his wife to be buried with him. This is a family member of whom I can be very proud.

Our breakfast contains apples, popular in the foods of Brittany. The dinner might have been a course at a banquet attended by the elegant citizens of Paris in who’s company Berthelot would have dined.

Flamusse aux Pommes: 223 calories 15 g fat 4 g fiber 17 g protein 68 g carbs 171.5 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF flour Once again, a fruit dessert can become a breakfast – without breaking the bank. A flamusse is simply fruit baked in an eggy batter. Very easy to prepare, looks fancy. When there is some left over from a dinner party dessert, I tap it for an easy breakfast the following week. Paired with a chicken sausage, the amount of protein amps up. What’s not to love? HINT: This recipe is enough for 4 [four] servings for breakfast. NB: as a dessert, it can serve 6-8.

Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Sv 4-6	Preheat oven to 350 F/180 degrees C.
2¼ c apples, sliced 4 tsp butter	Peel, core and slice the apples. Cook slowly in a 10″ cast iron skillet with butter until they become golden-yellow.
2 eggs 3 Tbsp sugar 40 g Whole-Wheat flour pinch salt	Meanwhile, beat eggs with sugar. Add flour and salt, and beat again.
200 ml milk	Pour milk in slowly, mixing well. Let rest 10 mins.
	Pour batter over cooked apples in skillet. Bake in oven uncovered 20 mins.
1 oz egg white ¼ tsp sugar	Beat egg white with sugar until forming peaks. Remove pan from oven and pipe or dollop the meringue in a wreath on top of the batter. Return to oven 20 minutes or until golden.
1 chicken breakfast sausage, 36 calories	Remove from oven and cool. Serve Flamusse slightly warm or cold with a side of sausage.

Fish Timbale: 276 calories 17 g fat 1.6 g fiber 23.5 g protein 8 g carbs 95 mg Calcium PB GF Sounds high-falutin’ but really very easy. Lots of good protein, low in carbs.

1.5 oz mackerel or salmon or halibut 1 1/3 oz haddock or cod ¾ oz egg [either pullet egg or an egg white] 1/3 oz white beans 2 Tbsp cream + 2 Tbsp spinach + ½ Tbsp shallot 1 oz Swiss chard 1/8 tsp olive oil nutmeg + granulated garlic

Wash the spinach and leave water on the leaves. Put in a lidded pan along with the chopped shallot. Put on the lid and let cook until the spinach is limp. Remove, chop, and squeeze the water out of the spinach. Thoroughly mash the white beans and add the cream. Stir the spinach-shallot into the bean/cream. If fish is raw: Put in a pan with a little water. Cover and steam until fish is cooked. Flake the fish and combine with the other ingredients, except the chard. Turn into a spritzed ramekin and bake at 400 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsley chop the chard and cook it in a little water until done. Drain and season with nutmeg and granulated garlic. Run a knife around the sides of the timbale and invert the plate over it. Turn the plate right-side-up and remove the ramekin. Plate the chard around the fish timbale.

Anne de Bretagne

September 8, 2021November 15, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Brittany/Bretagne has long been a land apart. In the Neolithic, people constructed menhirs and the remarkable field of Standing Stones at Carnac. Once, it was called Armorica — a name that shows up in the North-Central coast being called “Cotes d’Armor.” Despite the 56 BCE Roman invasion, the native people still clung to their local language. Next came Celtic people from England, displaced by the incoming Angles and Saxons from Germany. This solidified the affinity between the Bretons and their neighbors across the English Channel in Cornwall — some place-names and the languages are similar. The Frankish Empire rolled over the land, creating the early nation of France, but as the centuries turned, Bretons had their own government, language, coinage, and were exempted from the onerous Salt Tax because they harvested that precious commodity near Guerande. Perhaps this is why the Bretons prefer their butter to be salted. Brittany was a [mostly] independent Duchy from the 900s, governed by an hereditary nobility. Until 1514. The only heir to Duke Francois II was his daughter Anne de Bretagne. She had been engaged many times, but now the duchy was in the hands of a 14-year-old girl, making her a pawn in the game of thrones. The prior King of France had declared during negotiations with her father that the French king should have a say in whom Anne married. So King Charles VIII married her himself in 1491, when she was 15 and he was 20. They were happy together, but had no surviving children at the time of his death in 1498. Anne, age 22, returned to Brittany as Duchess, but of course she had to marry again. The next king of France was her cousin-in-law, Louis XII, which made Anne Queen of France for the second time. Their’s was also a happy union, producing two daughters. Anne was an accomplished administrator, patroness of the arts, and an avid reader. She scribed and read official documents to her unlettered husbands. Had she lived past the complication of her last childbirth in 1514, who knows what mark she would have made in history. Upon her death, her daughter Claude married the future king, Francois I, forever joining Brittany to the nation of France.

Every Breton will tell you that the ‘crepe’ began in Brittany — a fact hotly disputed in Normandy. In Brittany itself, there is discord about the name: in the North and West of the region, they are called ‘galettes,’ while everywhere else they are ‘crepes.’ I use galette to designate the savory ones made of buckwheat, whereas I call the sweet dessert ones ‘crepes.’ Both our breakfast and our dinner today involve galettes. Not at all difficult to prepare at home.

Egg-Mushroom Galette/Crepe: 153 calories 6 g fat 2 g fiber 9 g protein 17 g carbs [11.3 g Complex] 39 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg crepe and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB This is yummy and very filling. The eggs are creamy, the mushrooms are earthy, and the crepe is nutty.

1 galette/savory crepe one 2-oz egg 1 oz mushrooms, chopped 1 Tbsp chives, chopped 1 tsp thyme generous dash of granulated garlic 1 oz raspberry OR strawberry Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Warm the crepe. Spritz the non-stick saute pan with oil or spray and gently cook the mushrooms. Put the chives, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in with the egg and beat it up. Scramble lightly with the mushrooms, keeping the eggs moist. Turn eggs out on the crepe and fold the galette over the egg. Plate the fruit. Sip your beverages and have a very fine day.

Leek & Bacon Galettes: 260 calories 5.5 g fat 4.6 g fiber 10 g protein 37 g carbs 114 mg Calcium PB Joanne Harris writes in her French Market cookbook about buying these at a market stall in France. Now you can make them at home. NB: It is easier/quicker if you prepare the galettes/crepes in advance.

2 buckwheat galettes/crepes ½ cup Leek & Bacon Filling ** 2 oz fresh tomato, diced and seasoned with basil or thyme + salt

**Leek & Bacon Filling: Makes 1½ cups Excellent in galettes and mixed with eggs. 2 oz American streaky bacon, uncured 3 cups leeks, cleaned and sliced cross-ways 1 clove garlic, chopped ¼ c Gruyere 2 tsp mayonnaise Saute the bacon until it is almost crisp. Remove from the pan, blot, and slice cross-ways. Saute the leek and garlic in the pan with the bacon fat until the leeks are limp. Take off heat and immediately stir in the cheese and mayonnaise. Ready to use

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

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
pear OR apple	Basquaise Sauce
Yorkshire Pudding batter	blueberries

Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

5 oz cod fillet	chicken breast meat + zucchini + eggplant
fresh beets	broccoli + bell peppers + carrots
carrot	plain yogurt + brown rice
garbanzo beans	tandoori sauce, purchased: 1/2 cup = 140 calories
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Marie de Medici

April 25, 2021April 20, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

When Marie di Medici was born on April 26, 1575, she was destined for greatness. Her childhood saw the deaths of her mother, two siblings, and her father. She waited to marry, holding out for the best possible match — but who was defining ‘best’? She was betrothed at last to Henri, King of France, the 4th of that name. They were married in 1600, in Florence, her hometown, with an elaborate reception that was missing only one thing: the Groom. As monarch, he was not expected to go to Italy for less than a State Visit, and besides, this was his 2nd marriage. The couple finally met when a few days after Marie disembarked at Marseille, on her way to Paris. The King said she had a graceful way of walking, but what was really attractive was her wealth — she was the sole heir to the de Medici fortune. Marie had always enjoyed power and prestige, but what worked for her in Tuscany was not successful in France. She never learned to speak much French, her friends and advisors were all Italian. She was rather annoyed that the King had several mistresses [one of whom called Marie ‘the fat banker’] and very annoyed that she was named ‘consort’ rather than ‘queen.’ Somehow, the couple managed to produce several children. At last, in 1610, she was named Queen. The very next day, King Henri IV was stabbed to death by an assassin. Hmmmm…. Since their son and heir, Louis, was a child, Marie was named the Regent. She liked that — spending money, waging wars, honoring her favorites, and cultivating a young priest named Richelieu. She was so imperious that her 15-year-old son had had enough and took the throne as Louis XIII, ending her regency in 1617. But Marie was not through and continued to run the country. Louis had her removed to the countryside. In 1619 and 1620, she tried to stage a rebellion, but Richelieu sided with the king and Marie was exiled. She traipsed from capital to capital around Europe, visiting her children and plotting her return. But she died in Cologne [now in Germany] in 1642.

Marie liked to eat. Plump when she arrived in France, her girth increased throughout her life. You know the term ‘Rubenesque‘ to describe a very plump, curvy woman? Peter-Paul Rubens painted 24 scenes from the life of Marie di Medici, reveling in her plumpness. Under her influence, Italian foods were introduced into French Cuisine, along with cloth napkins, table cloths, and flower arrangements on the table. Our meals are classic tastes of Italian and French ingredients.

Ratatouille-Egg Galette: 151 calories 5.5 g fat 2 g fiber 9 g protein 14 g carbs 53 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF – if using GF crepes Here the eggplants of Italy marry with the galettes of France. A perfect blend of cuisines.

1 crepe or galette one 2-oz egg ¼ cup Mediterranean Vegetables ½ oz fresh mushrooms Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Drain the vegetables of excess liquids, saving the liquids to cook the mushrooms. Combine the vegetables and mushrooms and heat them. Warm the crepe/galette and plate it. Poach or fry the egg. Spoon the vegetables over the crepe/galette and top it all with the egg. Pick it up with your hands or eat with a fork.

Mollusk Gratin: 283 calories 14.6 g fat 2 g fiber 31.6 g protein 17.5 g carbs 216 mg Calcium PB GF -if using GF flour When we steam mussels for a feast, there are often some left over. Removed from their shells, the meat can easily be frozen in the cooled cooking broth. A wonderful item for a quick future meal.

3 oz cooked mussels, removed from shells + 2 shucked oysters 4 Tbsp mussel broth [from cooking the mussels] 2 tsp flour [I use King Arthur white whole wheat] ½ oz Gruyere cheese, grated ½ tsp curry powder 3 oz green beans

Warm the mussel broth and whisk in the flour. Heat over low until thickened. Add curry powder and cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is well combined. Add the mussels + oysters. Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and scrape the mussels and sauce into the ramekin. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes while you cook the beans.

Who Dunit, Who Ate It? Chapter 5

March 28, 2021November 22, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Dear Husband and I love to read ‘whodunits.’ Crime literature 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 different sources.

Jules Maigret is a Parisian police detective created by Georges Simenon. In the book Maigret’s First Case, he is on a stake-out, watching a suspect’s apartment. Conveniently, the cafe ‘Vieux Calvados’ is directly across the street, so Maigret and his partner can eat and sleep there while keeping watch. The landlord serves them a curious breakfast: sausages cooked in wine with garlic. Somehow, that sounds off the mark for a Fast Day, so here is a substitute. The sausage is there but the empty calories of the wine are replaced by grapes, roasted to develop their flavor.

Roasted Grapes & Sausage: 212 calories 8 g fat 2 g fiber 5.4 g protein 4 g carbs 14 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF Unusual flavors at breakfast. Delicious flavors at breakfast. HINT: This serves two [2].

Here is a serving for one person, before the cheese is added.

½ c onion, sliced ½ tsp oil ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper	Heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss everything together + spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking pan or cast iron pan . Roast 8 mins, until onions turn translucent and thinnest pieces are pale gold at the edges.
10 oz grapes ½ tsp fennel seed 2 oz sausage, 85 calories/oz	Add grapes, fennel seed, and sliced sausage to pan with onions, and toss well. Spread in an even layer and spray with cooking spray or oil.
	Roast for 10 minutes. Sausage slices will be browned on the bottom and grapes will be wrinkled but still plump.
Parsley + chives 0.05 oz Parm, shaved	Place grapes, sausage, and onions on plates. Top with chives + Parmesan.
1 tsp rice vinegar	Add vinegar to baking sheet and scrape up any browned bits. Drizzle pan juices over plated food, taste. Sprinkle more salt or vinegar on top, if desired.

Hugo Marston, former FBI profiler, is now head of security at the US Embassy in Paris. He is well-placed to be involved in solving all sorts of mysteries that author Mark Pryor can devise. Hugo enjoys Paris and the food scene, although he himself is no Foodie. In the French Widow, Marston, unable to see his way through a case, goes out to dinner with friends. Another table is served Bleu Cheese and Garlic Pizza, so Hugo orders it. He also eaves-drops on fellow diners and gets an insight into the case. Funny how much can get solved over dinner!

Bleu Cheese & Garlic Pizza: 280 calories 8.6 g fat 5 g fiber 10 g protein 29.5 g carbs 203 mg Calcium PB When Hugo Marston ate this, I just had to try it. It is good! The is recipe loosely based on one from simplyplayfulfare.com

1 fajita shell [be sure it has no more than 150 calories] 1 Tbsp plain, fat-free yogurt 1 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed out to remove excess moisture 3 or 4 cloves roasted garlic 3 Tbsp [½ oz] bleu cheese crumbles 1 oz finely diced tomato, drained to remove excess moisture 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat the oven to 400 F and roast the garlic cloves, wrapped in foil. Put the fajita shell on an ungreased baking sheet. Smear the yogurt evenly over the fajita then sprinkle the spinach evenly on top. Break off pieces of garlic and distribute them around, then put on the bleu cheese and tomato. Dust evenly with the Parmesan. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese starts to melt.

Slow Days: Chicken Chasseur

February 5, 2021January 31, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

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

We enjoy eating the chickens that we raised ourselves — it is good to know that we have them in the freezer. Besides that, chicken is good for you: recommended in the Mediterranean Diet and the MIND Diet. When we schedule chicken for two Sundays each month, the cook must have many, varied ways to prepare it. Roast Chicken is wonderful, producing meals and soup stock. And then there is Chicken Chasseur. The name ‘chasseur’ refers to hunters, as does its Italian equivalent ‘cacciatore.’ This marks it as a meal of Autumn, when the hunting parties would be in the woods finding game AND wild mushrooms. Mushrooms are the hallmark of any proper chasseur recipe. We seek wild mushrooms all year ’round, but this meal is specifically for cool weather.

mise en place for Chicken Chasseur Recipe is from Salute to Healthy Cooking by the French Culinary Institute.

To serve two, I’m using two leg-thigh pieces which have been browned in a little oil. Even though the meat will be braised/stewed, it is a good idea to brown it first since that enhances the flavor. Here is the full recipe:

24 oz bone-in chicken parts salt & pepper 1 tsp oil	Season chicken and sear, skin-side down, for 3 mins in a Dutch oven or heavy cast-iron pan with a lid. Bake 20 mins @ 350F. Remove chicken from the pan, then skin and bone it.
½ cup sliced onion 1 carrot, chopped 2 c. brown stock or Veal stock	Put the veggies in the pan you used to roast the chicken. Cook 3 mins until caramelized. Add stock and simmer until reduced to 1 cup. Strain through a sieve and skim fat.
1 tsp oil 2 c. [5 oz] sliced mixed mushrooms 2 shallots, minced	Good mushrooms can be found in most supermarkets if you are not able to hunt for them. Saute shallots with mushrooms 5 mins or until mushrooms are golden. Add a sprinkle of salt and remove from heat.
2 Tbsp cognac	Add cognac to hot mushrooms and flame the mixture.
1/3 cup dry white wine	Add to pan and return to heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 mins. Add sieved, defatted stock and simmer 5 mins, until sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Fresh tarragon leaves boned chicken meat	Add to sauce and warm while the noodles and carrots [see below] are cooking.
3 oz broad egg noodles ¾ cup carrot coins ½ tsp sugar	Cook noodles as the package describes. Cook the carrots in as little water as possible, along with the sugar. You want the water to boil away at the point when the carrots cook, which leaves them with a slight sugary glaze.

This is really quite easy to prepare and worth all the little steps. It makes a fine meal for Autumn into Winter.

For the perfect wine to pair with it, go to https://wordpress.com/post/peterspicksblog.com/7063

La Vie Boheme

January 31, 2021November 1, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

It was a book, a play, an opera, and a Broadway play. What was? you ask…. “Scenes from the Bohemian Life,” that’s what. In 1846, Henri Murger began publishing a series of character sketches based on his life as a youthful writer. He and his friends had lived the life of the now stereotypical starving-artist-in-a-garret-in-Paris. He defined ‘Bohemians‘ as young people who live in poverty, both to flaunt society and for the adventure of it, while they pursue their art. In fact, the writer Rodolphe/Rodolfo/Roger is based on Murger. Living the Bohemian life was viewed as a phase to go through before settling down to the stable life of the bourgeoisie. Murger then joined forces with a playwright to produce a script for the stage. “La Vie de Boheme” turned out to be wildly successful enabling Murger to leave the Bohemian life to marry and settle down. He continued to write about his past life until his death in 1861, publishing “Scenes de la Vie de Jeunesse.” On February 1, 1896, Giacomo Puccini’s opera “La Boheme” premiered in Turin, conducted by Arturo Toscanini. The opera was very well received. Such an opera! The four Bohemians go from the low of no food and no firewood, to the high of a boisterous meal at a restaurant, to the low of the death of the beloved Mimi. [if that scene doesn’t make you cry, you have a heart of stone] The opera is my favorite of all time and it was a huge pleasure to have worked as a grip on a performance by the Metropolitan Studio Company. In fact, “La Boheme” is one of the most popular operas in the world. In 1996, the musical “Rent” debuted on Broadway. “Rent” parallels the plot of “La Boheme,” but is set in New York City during the AIDS epidemic. This is a story that has real legs. That’s why it is a classic.

Eggs and cheese are popular, inexpensive foods and they go into our simple breakfast. Students and artists on Paris’ Left Bank have always made a feast of the street food sandwich Croque Monsieur, which I remember fondly from my days in Paris. For a little extra money, it would turn into a Croque Madame which is our dinner.

Camembert Bake: 146 calories 10 g fat 0.6 g fiber 9 g protein 6 g carbs [5 g Complex] 90 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF The best-known cheese of Normandy stars in this egg dish. Easy to prepare and so delicious. I hope you will try it.

One 2-oz egg ½ oz Camembert 1 tsp Dijon mustard a few grating of nutmeg 1.5 oz apple sauce, unsweetened OR 2 oz strawberries OR 1.5 oz apple slices Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Cut the cheese [rind and all] into small chunks and leave to soften at room temperature. Stir in the mustard and nutmeg. Whisk the egg, then stir in the cheese mixture. Pour into an oven-proof dish that has been spritzed with non-stick spray and bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes. When the beverages are ready, plate with the fruit.

Croque Madame: 286 calories 16.7 g fat 4.4 g fiber 17.5 g protein 23 g carbs 324 mg Calcium From Paris comes the ‘wife’ of one of France’s great sandwiches. The Croque Monsieur has been a mainstay of hungry college students on the Left Bank for generations. Add an egg and it becomes the more feminine [for some reason] and more filling “Madame.” Our version is open-faced.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread 1/2 oz 3%-fat ham or turkey 1/2 oz Gruyere cheese 2 Tbsp Béchamel sauce one 2-oz egg

Spread 1 Tbsp of the sauce on the bread. Lay the ham/turkey on next and spread with béchamel. Top with the cheese. Fry the egg until it is just set. Take the egg from the pan and transfer to the top of the sandwich. Place the sandwich in the pan and cover with a lid. Cook the sandwich on medium to low heat as the cheese melts, the bread toasts, and the egg continues to cook. Prepare the side salad and plate it. Remove the sandwich from the pan and serve with the salad. Hum “Musetta’s Waltz” while you dine.

Les Bourgeois de Calais

January 27, 2021November 1, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The story of the Burghers of Calais is a dramatic one and never was it told so touchingly or with so much feeling as in the full-life bronze installation by Auguste Rodin. During the 100-Years War, the English warred all over the French country-side, trying to take land or win back lands that had once been theirs, whether by marriage or acquisition. In 1347, the English King Edward III, following his success at Crecy, laid siege to Calais. After nine months, the town fathers signaled that they would yield. As told by the French chronicolers Le Bel and Froissart, that wasn’t enough for the King: the town had to send out 6 citizens to be sacrificed for the rest of the townspeople. The ruling council, ‘Les Bourgeois’ [or Burghers], volunteered to go. Out they walked, barefooted and dressed in sack-cloth with nooses around their necks, ready for the hangman. They carried the keys to the city to hand over before they died. On January 28, 1885, the City of Calais engaged Auguste Rodin to create a monument to the bravery of the Burghers. They wanted a single triumphal statue to put on a pedestal. Rodin envisioned six life-sized figures at ground level, so the viewer could ‘be there’ with the councilmen and feel their emotions. Such emotions! The youngest one looks back, to see his family one more time. The leader grimly stands in the center, resignation etched in his face. The others step forward with mixed emotions and anguished gestures. Calais didn’t like it, but it has become one of the best-loved of all of Rodin’s works. It was a thrill to see it in the garden of the Rodin Museum at the Hotel Biron, Paris. It can also be experienced in 12 cities around the world.. PS: Edward’s wife, Queen Phillipa, lobbied for the Burghers to be spared, and they were. Perhaps she also influenced how the story was told.

Calais is in Northern France, on the English Channel. Being cooled by the ocean water, plants in the Chenopodiaceae Family grow well there, and enter the cuisine. Swiss Chard is one such plant, which stars in the breakfast. And for dinner, how can I resist the play on words? Burgers, of course!

Swiss Chard Fritatta: 154 calories 8.4 g fat 1 g fiber 12 g protein 5.7 g carbs [5 g Complex] 58 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the Fritatta and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Susan Herrmann Loomis is a cookbook author whom I trust, so when I saw this, I had to try it. She serves it as an appetizer or main-meal, but by reducing the recipe, it makes a great breakfast.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1 oz Swiss or rainbow chard, coarsely chopped or sliced; stems removed several sprinkles of garlic powder 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese pinch salt + pinch paprika 2 oz strawberries Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

In a saucepan, simmer the chard in water and add some pinches of garlic powder. Cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes until the leaves are limp and the water has cooked away. [keep a good eye on it so it doesn’t stick or burn] HINT: I did this the night before. Find a small [8” diameter] heat-proof skillet which can be used both on top of the range and under the broiler. Spray it generously with non-stick spray and spread the cooked chard over the bottom. Whisk the eggs, then add the cheese, salt, and paprika. Whisk again and pour the eggs over the greens. Place on the stovetop over medium heat for 3-4 minutes while the eggs cook on the bottom but the top is still liquidy. Place under the broiler until set and slightly browned. Plate with the fruit. [Loomis wants you to invert it on the plate, but we preferred the puffy top to be on top] Delicious!!

Blue-Burger: 290 calories 6.7 g fat 5 g fiber 27.5 g protein 27 g carbs [10 g Complex] 100 mg Calcium The winter 2004 issue of Eating Well magazine was the inspiration for this recipe. But this version suits our Fasting needs a little better. It is yummy.

This time, the coleslaw is made with red cabbage.

3-oz ground bison meat 4 Tbsp blueberries, fresh or frozen 1 Tbsp egg white ¾ tsp Dijon mustard + ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce pinch garlic powder + large pinch black pepper 1 Martin’s potato slider bun ½ cup coleslaw

Thaw the meat and break it up in a bowl. Add the blueberries and all the flavorings. Gently combine ingredients with your fingers, without squishing the berries. Shape in a patty using a 4” muffin-cutter as a mold. Try not to pack the burger too much, but it does need to hold its shape. Broil or grill 4-5 minutes per side. Serve on a toasted potato bun. And don’t forget the coleslaw.

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

1 two-oz egg	1.2 two-oz eggs
Camembert cheese	Jarlsberg cheese
nutmeg + Dijon mustard	3%-fat deli ham
strawberries or apples	applesauce
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

70-calorie whole grain bread	raw chicken breast + chicken stock
3% fat ham from deli + Gruyere cheese	thyme + fresh pineapple
side salad + 2-oz egg	lime + brown rice
Bechamel sauce	heavy cream + cornstarch for thickening
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Berthe Morisot

January 13, 2021November 1, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Berthe Morisot was a woman who followed her dream. Born into a wealthy French family in 1841, she was expected to be the decorative wife, the doting mother, and the charming society hostess. But Berthe liked painting. Her parents made it possible for her to have good instruction and when the art professor said that the child had the talent of a professional, then her course was set. She became friends with Edouard Manet and his group: Renoir, Degas, Monet. The names are famous now, but in the 1860s these nobodies wanted to paint what they saw: everyday people doing everyday things, all lit by natural light. The loose brush-strokes and spontaneous look of their work became scornfully known as a mere ‘impression’ of how things looked. Berthe was the only woman in the movement. She was accepted by the men, her work was displayed and her work was purchased. Morisot married Manet’s brother, who supported her career. Berthe was a bit shy about her work: she would hide it away when guests arrived and did not discuss her life as an artist. Her dream was to be an artist — and her luminous paintings live on to show her talent.

Berthe specialized in paintings of women and children. They look natural and happy. So our breakfast will be cheerful and laughing. The dinner is very French: a little meat and vegetables wrapped in a galette. Women and children would enjoy it.

Laughing Herb Omelette: 155 calories 7.6 g fat 1.4 g fiber 11 g protein 9 g carbs [8 g Complex] 82.4 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF I’m a big fan of Vache Qui Rit , any day of the week. But as a low-calorie ingredient, it is super!

1½ 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 ½ section Vache Qui Rit [Laughing Cow] cheese 1½ Tbsp or more fresh herbs 2 oz applesauce or fresh apple Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk the eggs and herbs together. Take the cheese from the ‘fridge [HINT: keep it cold so that it will slice better] and slice it into as many thin slices as you can. Spritz a hot non-stick or cast iron pan with cooking oil and pour in the eggs/herbs. When the bottom begins to set, lay the cheese slices over half the surface of the eggs. Cook to your degree of doneness, fold and plate. Slice apple, shake up the smoothie, pour your hot beverage and laugh along with the cow.

Beef & Asparagus Crepes: 302 calories 9 g fat 5 g fiber 19 g protein 31.5 g carbs 56 mg Calcium PB This is quick and easy – use with left-over galettes, meat, vegetables.

2 galettes 2 oz lean beef, raw or cooked 2 oz bell pepper, preferably red or orange 3 oz asparagus 2 tsp oyster sauce + 3 Tbsp chicken stock + 3 Tbsp water 2 tsp cornstarch + 3 Tbsp water

Slice the beef and pepper into thin strips. Cut the asparagus into 1” pieces. Spray a saute pan with non-stick spray and heat over medium. Add the beef and vegetables. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, adding a little water to prevent sticking. Turn down the heat. Add the oyster sauce, stock, and 3 Tbsp water. Cover the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Cook longer if vegetables are still uncooked. Stir the cornstarch into 3 Tbsp water, then stir into the pan of hot ingredients. Cook and stir until thicker. Warm the galettes and spoon the filling over them. Fold and serve.

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

1 two-oz egg	1 two-oz egg
puttanesca sauce	avocado
parmesan cheese	70-calorie bread
peaches in their juice
Optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

mediterranean vegetables	sirloin beef + asparagus
cod or tilapia + olive oil	red bell pepper + oyster sauce
polenta + Parmesan cheese	soy sauce + chicken stock + cornstarch
mushrooms	onion + garlic
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

	Leslie on Slow Days: Ossobuco
	Leslie MacGregor on Slow Days: Aunt Ethel’s…
	me on Camargue
	Gordon Allen on Camargue
	me on Comparing Plans: Plant-Based…

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

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

French-inspired foods for a Fasting Diet

La Chandeleur

Jeanne d’Arc

Marcellin de Berthelot

Anne de Bretagne

Marie de Medici

Who Dunit, Who Ate It? Chapter 5

Slow Days: Chicken Chasseur

La Vie Boheme

Les Bourgeois de Calais

Berthe Morisot

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