How this Fast DietLifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome weightlossblogadmin who is now Following.
Tomorrow will be May The Fourth, which Star Wars Fans recognize as a day to celebrate since the words sound like “May the Force….be with you.” Yeah, it’s a stretch, since Obi-Wan didn’t lisp. Anyhow, since the only food you ever see anyone eat in the entire film series is the ghastly-looking blue smoothie which Aunt Beru prepares on Tatooine, I thought that today we should talk about smoothies.
Fruit juice alone has lots of sugar. It is like drinking a soda-pop! True, that fruit sugar is natural, inherent to the fruit. It is not added sugar, which now has to be included on the label. So what’s wrong with that? Your body doesn’t care where the sugar comes from, be it fructose [from fruit], or sucrose [from sugar cane/sugar beets]; your body still treats turns it into glucose [‘blood sugar’] and uses insulin [from your pancreas] to move it into your cells for energy. When you ingest the fruit and its juice [ex: eating the apple, not the juice only], your body sees that sugar differently, more healthily. The fiber in the fruit changes the sugar’s effect on your body. In our house, we used to drink orange juice at breakfast. Nowadays, instead of those empty sugar calories, we enjoy a smoothie of whole fruit which gives us the fiber as well as getting a start on our 5-a-day.
Here’s a smoothie to drink along with your breakfast:
Blueberry Smoothie: 1 serving = 118 calories 0.2 g fat 3.1 g fiber 5.7 g protein 30 g carbs 99 mg Calcium PB GF From the people at Wild Blueberries of North Americacomes this excellent smoothie. Take the calories into account when you meal-plan. HINT: Recipe makes enough for 2 servings. 3 oz banana ½ cup plain, fat-free yogurt ½ cup blueberries ½ cup orange juice Put banana, yogurt, and berries into the blender and process until smooth. Add the juice and blend on low. Wonderful berry flavor!
If you want a smoothie with calories enough for a meal, try this:
Cocoa-Banana Tofu Smoothie: 276 calories 5.5 g fat 7 g fiber 20 g protein 42.4 g carbs [25.4 g Complex] 491 mg Calcium PB GF Adding cocoa powder makes this high protein shake taste like dessert without any added sugars. What a treat! Hmmmm… Is it a smoothie or a milkshake? The recipe makes 2 cups.
1-¼ cups fat-free milk ½ cup firm tofu, mashed to fit in measuring cup [3 oz] 2/3 cup sliced ripe [but not black] banana [3 oz] 2 Tbsp cocoa 4 ice cubes Put everything in a blender and wizz it on low speed to break up the banana. Then turn to a higher speed to make it smooth. Serve with some ripe strawberries. Yum.
How this Fast DietLifestyle 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.
Seder, meaning ‘order’ due to the prescribed ritual, is the name of the meal served to family members on the first and/or second night of the eight-day Passover festival. A Seder Dinner recalls, in readings and in food, the storyof the escape of the Israelites from enslavement in Egypt. With divine intervention, their leader Moses lead them to freedom. There are six food elements that tell the story: 1] bitter herbs, such as horseradish, to remember the pain of bondage; 2] a boiled egg to represent Spring [or mourning]; 3] apples/nuts/raisins/spices as the mortar that the slaves made to build Egyptian monuments; 4] green vegetables, typical of Springtime lettuce/celery/parsley] 5] meat bone, often lamb, sacrificed by the Israelites. Some vegetarians substitute beet root. 6] matzah, the unleavened bread of a hasty departure.
Our breakfast and dinner take the food elements of the Seder and use them for meals fit for Fasting. If you wish to, enjoy a full Seder with all the fixings on the first or second night, then use these meals for a Fast Day later.
Passover ScrOmelette: 143 calories 7.5 g fat 1.2 g fiber 10 g protein 8.4 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 flavor combinations of Passover are too good not to enjoy at 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 Tbsp diced beets [I used pickled beets] 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped 1 tsp horseradish 1.5 oz applesauce, sprinkled with 1/2 tsp cinnamon 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 horseradish and salt/pepper to taste with the eggs. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. When the bottom of the eggs have just set, add the beets and parsley. Scramble to your heart’s content or fold like an omelette. Prepare the optional coffee/and smoothie. The applesauce with cinnamon will be delicious with the sweet beets and tangy horseradish.
Lamb Salad: 261 calories 15 g fat 3 g fiber 21 g protein 26 g carbs 85 mg Calcium GF Should a previous dinner involve a leg of lamb, save a few slices to make this salad. This meal is great for sharing with a guest: doubles well.
4 walnut halves 1 hard boiled egg 2 oz cooked lamb, from the leg or other lean cut 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce 1 Tbsp fresh parsley 3 Tbsp celery, diced 1.5 oz apple, cubed 1.5 tsp horseradish dressing
Chop the walnut into large pieces and toast in a dry skillet until fragrant. Cut egg into wedges; slice the lamb and celery; cube the apples. Toss the greens, celery, apples, and parsley with the dressing and arrange other ingredients to suit the eye.
Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday ……… single portion for Thursday:
1 two-oz egg
1 two-oz eggs
mushrooms
70-calorie whole-grain bread
chicken/turkey breakfast sausage
apple
Optional smoothie
optional smoothie
optional hot beverage
optional hot beverage
Dinner, single portion for Monday: …….. single portion for Thursday:
How this Fast DietLifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to MJ who is now Following.
Albrecht Durer was one of the foremost artists of the Northern Renaissance school of art. The Germans were late to the game in terms of the Renaissance, but they gave it a spin all their own. Durer painted in great detail, using a light that seems to show everything, yet with shadows to produce contrast. Durer was an artist, not just a craftsman. He had the humanist’s idea that each person is important and that he had something to contribute. As a painter, he was sought after by kings. As a print-maker, his art was distributed to the masses. Some of his work is well-known, such as Praying Hands and the Four Horsemen, but so widely recognized that we have forgotten the artist’s name. One work of his that made an impression on me in art class was a sketch of a middle-aged female nude — probably of his wife Agnes. She struck me as plump and lumpy, and I promised myself I would never have that body, not even in middle age. This is one reason that I am a Faster. Thanks, Durer.
A frequent theme in Durer’s art was the depiction of Adam and Eve, usually with an apple. So we will enjoy apples in our egg for breakfast. One of the most charming of Durer’s works is The Young Hare. We will stretch taxonomy a little and feature rabbit for dinner.
Apple-Bacon Bake: 131 calories 6.2 g fat 1.6 g fiber 9 g protein 8 g carbs [7.3 g Complex] 72.8 mg Calcium NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages.PB GF Apples and bacon go so well together it is a wonder they aren’t paired more often.
1 two-oz egg ¾ oz apple, peeled, cored, sliced thinly 1/8 oz bacon, diced ½ Tbsp ricotta cheese, drained if too liquid 1 tsp Parmesan cheese ¼ tsp prepared mustard sage ½ oz pear 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]
Spritz a ramekin with cooking spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. In a saute pan, cook the bacon until done. Drain away the fat and blot in paper towel. In the same pan, saute the apple until softened. Put apple and bacon in the ramekin. Whisk the egg, ricotta, Parmesan, mustard, and sage together and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and the pear. How pleasant.
Rabbit Pie: 275 calories 6.6 g fat 4.6 g fiber 25.6 g protein 27.5 g carbs [15 g Complex] 77 mg Calcium PB Rabbit is a common meat in recipes the world over. It is high in protein and low in fat. And yes, it does taste like chicken. You could substitute.
2 oz mushrooms, chopped 4 fluid oz chicken stock 2 tsp potato starch 0.55 oz [1 slice] ham from the deli, chopped 3 oz rabbit meat cut in bite-sized pieces ¼ cup onions, chopped big pinch dried thyme + big pinch savory + salt + pepper ½ Arnold Multi-Grain Sandwich Thin OR a 4” circle cut from whole-grain bread 1.5 oz carrots
If the rabbit is uncooked: Cut it into bite-sized pieces and quickly cook in a saute pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan, too. Remove the meat. Pour off and reserve any remaining cooking liquid. Chop the mushrooms and cook in non-stick spray, but do not evaporate all of the liquid they give off. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and the stock to the pan along with the mushroom juices and ¼ cup water plus water from the rabbit. Simmer to cook the onions. Whisk in the potato starch and the seasonings. Continue to whisk over heat until the potato starch is dissolved. Cook at a simmer until the liquid measures ¼ cup and is thickened. Add the rabbit meat, ham, and the mushrooms. Simmer for a few minutes and taste for seasonings. Pour and scrape into an oven-proof dish. Top with the Sandwich Thin. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Cook the carrots separately. Plate the meal by first putting the Sandwich Thin on the plate, then covering it with the rabbit-mushroom mixture. Pour any extra liquid so that it is soaked up by the bread. Plate the carrots to complete the meal.
How this Fast DietLifestyle 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.
We are now five weeks into Lent, the Christian church’s period of fasting and reflection. Why is it called ‘lent’? The word is from Old English ‘lencten’ which references the season of Spring. Why is one to fast during Lent? The 40 days are a remembrance of Jesus’ 40-day sojourn in the desert before he began his ministry. During that time he fasted and pondered his life ahead. What should that Lenten fasting entail? After the Council of Nicea in 325 CE, fasting was a serious thing: one meal per day, in the evening, with no meat, fish, eggs, or butter on the table. Today there are still those who do not eat eggs or meat during Lent, especially on Friday. Members of Protestant sects ‘give up’ favorite foods [chocolate; liquor] during Lent or forgo behaviors that they wish to change [smoking; over-eating]. As with any change in behavior, when the trial period is over, does one resume the behavior? 5:2 Fasting should become a lifestyle, not just something to do for a little while and then stop. Lent should make us think about permanent changes. This is a good time to start a Fasting Lifestyle.
The menus for tomorrow feature seafood, not meat. There are no eggs and no dairy. But that doesn’t stop them from being delicious.
Gravlax & Grannies: 126 calories 3.6 g fat 2.3 g fiber 11 g protein 13 g carbs [13 g Complex] 25.6 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF At the Inn at Saint Peters, we enjoyed their Smoked Trout with Apples appetizer. It occurred to me that this could be a fine breakfast for those who enjoy a savory/seafood taste in the a.m. I substituted mackerel gravlax for the smoked trout, just because that was on hand, but it was a grey-brown instead of the lighter hue of the trout or the pink of a salmon. Suit yourself.
1 oz mackerel gravlax OR 1 oz smoked trout [DuckTrap brand is very good] 2 oz Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced; each slice cut into 1/2-moons ¼ c blueberries + 2 raspberries for color 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]
Slice the fish with the grain to create thin slices. Arrange the fish and apples in overlapping slices around the plate. HINT: I did this the night before, covered it with clingwrap and put it in the ‘fridge. So quick the next morning!! Brew your hot beverage, blend or shake your smoothie, dish out those healthy blueberries, and breakfast elegantly.
Shrimp with Lime + Cilantro: 228 calories 4.7 g fat 1.3 g fiber 30 g protein 15 g carbs [7 g Complex] 90 mg Calcium PB GF These are such a popular combination of flavors that there are many recipes on line. This one is from Skinnytaste.com, cut down to a single-serving size and with a few additions.
5 oz raw shrimp, cleaned and halved if large. [I used tiny cold-water shrimp] ¼ tsp ground cumin 1 oz brown rice Maifun noodles 1/3 tsp olive oil + water 2-4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed ½ of one lime 2 Tbsp or more chopped cilantro/coriander leaves 1 large [½ oz] lettuce leaf
Prepare your mise en place. Put the shrimp in a bowl. If they thawed in the bowl, pour off the liquid and reserve it. Toss the shrimp with the cumin plus salt and pepper. Cook the noodles in 3 cups boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse, and reserve. Crush the garlic. Cut the lime in half and chop the cilantro/coriander leaves. Heat a non-stick saute or cast-iron pan. Add the oil and the drained shrimp. Let cook for 2 minutes, then turn over to the other side. Add some of the reserved water if needed to avoid sticking. Put the garlic and noodles in the pan and cook for one minute. Squeeze the juice from the lime over the pan, add the cilantro and stir well. Take off heat. Center the lettuce leaf on the plate and spoon the shrimp on top. Wonderful flavors!
Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday ……… single portion for Thursday:
1 two-oz egg
1.5 two-oz eggs
apple + mustard
horseradish
bacon + sage + pear
fresh parsley + beets
Ricotta + Parmesan cheeses
apple sauce + cinnamon
Optional smoothie
optional smoothie
optional hot beverage
optional hot beverage
Dinner, single portion for Monday: …….. single portion for Thursday:
How this Fast DietLifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to ParisVitamin who is now Following.
On March 30, 1432, Mehmet, the second of that name, was born in Edirne, Turkey. His father was the Sultan Murad II, and Mehmet received an excellent education: literature, architecture, fine arts, military science, languages [7 of them!], philosophy, and science. At this time in Western Europe, culture was just emerging from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance. Mehmet went on to found the Ottoman Empire, conquering first Constantinople [now Istanbul] in 1453, which ended the Byzantine Empire. He next conquered the Greek city states, then the Anatolian peninsula, and the Balkan states. He ruled for 30 years and was known for his erudition and for religious tolerance. Mehmet was painted by the Italian Bellini, wearing a distinctive headdress [‘mücevveze”, a tall cylindrical headgear], which became popular with future Ottoman leaders. And, oddly enough, he is my ancestor! How is that possible for someone with French/English/German antecedents? Ah, that is a tale for a future blog about Mehmet’s Son.
In recognition of his Eastern Mediterranean origins, a plate of felafel seems appropriate for breakfast. And the dinner of stuffed cabbage is caught up in the story of a Swedish King captured by the Ottomans.
Felafel Plate: 219 calories 5 g fat 4.8 g fiber 16.3 g protein 30 g carbs [25.7 g Complex] 165 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF A simple meal, yet full of nutrition and flavor.
4 felafel patties 4 oz canteloupe melon or pineapple, cubed in bite-sized pieces 3.5 oz fat-free Greek-style yogurt ½ tsp mint leaves Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water NO smoothie today
Warm the felafel patties or use at room temperature. Chop the mint leaves and combine with the yogurt. Prepare the beverage of choice and plate the food to please the eye.
Danish Stuffed Cabbage: 282 calories 5.7 g fat 5.7 g fiber 35 g protein 25 g carbs 125 mg Calcium PB GF — if using GF bread Craig Claiborne’s International Cookbook provided this recipe. Its history involves a Swedish king and the Ottoman Empire. Very royal origin for a common meal found everywhere cabbages are grown.
4 oz turkey meat, raw 2 oz pork meat, raw 2.5 oz veal, raw ½ cup fresh bread crumbs [from whole-grain 70-calorie bread] 2 oz milk 1 oz egg white sage + salt + pepper 4 whole cabbage leaves from a whole head 1/3 c pickled beets dab of mustard
Put the meats, sage, salt, and pepper in the food processor and mince. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and cook the meat until it doesn’t look raw. Cool meat. Combine the bread and milk, stir, let sit until soggy. Add the egg white and meats and stir to combine well. Set aside. Put a head of cabbage in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. When the outer layer begins to cook, remove the outer leaf. Return the cabbage to the pan of simmering water. Continue to remove the outer leaves as they cook, until you have 4. Return them to the poaching water and cook until very limp. [Put the rest of the cabbage away for something else.] Cut a ‘V’ at the base of each leaf to remove the thickest part of the leaf’s rib. Orient the leaf so the ‘V’ is away from you. Put ¼ cup filling on the leaf. Fold the near side over the filling, tuck in the sides, and continue to roll. Place seam-side down in an oven-proof dish large enough to hold all four rolls. Pour some of the water in which you poached the cabbage into the dish until it comes 1/2-way up the rolls. Put on a lid or foil and bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes or until heated. Plate with the pickled beets and a dab of mustard. Fit for an Ottoman Emperor.
How this Fast DietLifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to strawberryred who is now Following.
“OK” [also spelled “Okay”] is a true Americanism which has spread around the world. There are several explanations of how the term came to be. Mostly, it boils down to meaning ‘all right’ or ‘all correct’ which was either intentionally or unintentionally misspelled as ‘orl kerrect.’ When Martin Van Buren ran for as second term as president in 1840, people called him ‘Old Kinderhook,‘ after the town in New York where he was born. “OK” became part of his campaign sloganing. On March 23, 1839, it appeared in print for the first time, in the Boston Morning Post. The term was introduced to the world during World War I, as American doughboys took the saying to Europe. Then it ‘went viral’.
But back to the title of this message — are YOU OK? My little part of the world has very few cases of the COVID-19 — so far. Our governor has declared a state of emergency. Our local school district is closed, as are the churches and libraries. Dear Husband and I are staying close to home and probably you are too. This is a good chance to practice your home cooking, since you won’t be frequenting restaurants. I am not being flippant. Cooking at home is one of the best ways to get some control over what and how much you eat, and thus control your weight. You might even find out that you enjoy it! Here are two of our favorite easy-to-prepare meals. Best wishes for your health.
Avocado-Lobster Bake: 145 calories 7 g fat 2.2 g fiber 11 g protein 10.3 g carbs [9.4 g Complex] 64 mg Calcium NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF When I thought that avocado and ricotta would make a nice bake, Dear Husband had one suggestion: add lobster! Well why not?
1 two-oz egg ¼ oz avocado ¾ Tbsp ricotta 3/4 oz lobster meat OR crab 2 oz pear 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]
Set the toaster oven to 350 F. Spritz a ramekin or other oven-proof dish with cooking spray and put the lobster meat on the bottom. Mash the avocado with the ricotta, then whisk in the egg. Pour over the lobster, season as you wish. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Slice the fruit and prepare the optional beverages. Sumptuous.
Smorrebrot with Salmon: 257 calories 8 g fat 3.1 g fiber 14 g protein 28.6 g carbs [~15 g Complex] 48 mg Calcium PB A classic summer sandwich from Sweden: a delicious meal without heating the kitchen.
1 slice [1.5 oz] sourdough rye bread @ 110 calories [the bread should be dense, not fluffy] 1 Tbsp whipped cream cheese 2-4 large leaves of fresh spinach 1.5 oz thinly-sliced tomato, slice and salt about 30 minutes earlier 1 or 1.5 oz smoked salmon [you have some calorie wiggle-room] ½ hard-boiled egg, sliced 1-2 oz strawberry
Spread the bread with the cream cheese and lay the spinach leaves on top. Place the tomato slices atop that. For the next layer, put down the salmon, topped by the egg slices. Plate with the berries and enjoy a wonderful meal, whether or not it is a hot Summer night.
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to fenderf who is now Following.
You may have heard of Caroline Herschel’s famous brother, William who discovered the Planet Uranus. Or his famous son, John. Caroline was another story. Born on March 16, 1750, in Germany, she learned music along with her older brothers. But two diseases in her childhood ended her education, stunted her growth [she never topped 4’3″], and left her partially blind. Her mother was horrified to have a ‘cripple’ for a child and told her she was worse than worthless. The girl became more of a servant than a daughter. Small wonder that, after William was offered a post as composer/choir master at Octagon Chapel in Bath, England, he called for Caroline to be his housekeeper [I think to ‘rescue’ her] and she gladly accepted. William became interested in astronomy and the faithful Caroline, a self-described “well-trained puppy dog,” was his assistant. Soon, she knew as much about astronomy and telescopes as her brother. In 1782, she began recording her own notes about the sky and the following year she discovered two new nebulae. In 1786, Caroline began to discover comets, not as William’s assistant, but in her own right. Eventually, she wrote a new star catalogue, discovered 8 comets, 14 nebulae, and 2 star clusters. Not bad for a woman almost blind in one eye! Thus she made a name for herself in a man’s world: she was awarded a medal and a salary by George III of England, and a gold medal by the King of Prussia. And to think you never had heard of her.
Our meals today, like Caroline, begin in Germany and end in England. Both are delicious. [The meals, not the countries]
German Breakfast: 136 calories 2.8 g fat 4.4 g fiber 9 g protein 15 g carbs [5 g Complex] 104.4 mg Calcium Sturdy whole-grain bread, some curd cheese with chives and a slice of ham will get you going in the morning, just as it does for the inventive Germans.
1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [we like Dave’s ‘Good Seed’] 2 Tbsp small-curd cottage cheese, reduced fat 1-2 Tbsp chopped chives [cheese + chives is similar to ‘quark‘ in Germany] ½ oz slice of 3%-fat ham from the deli, thinly-sliced 1 oz pear Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [75 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie[88 calories]
The night before: chop the chives/scallion and mash into the cottage cheese to make the curd cheese more creamy. The next morning: toast the bread lightly and spread with the ‘quark-like’ cheese-chive mixture. Place the ham slice on top of the cheese and plate with the pear. Serve with hot beverages of your choice and have a “guten Morgen.”
Pheasant Casserole: 250 calories 9.5 g fat 5.4 g fiber 22.5 g protein 21.6 g carbs [19 Complex] 86 mg Calcium PB This recipe is based on one from English Provincial Cooking by Elisabeth Ayrton and it dates back to the 18th century. Whole partridges were stewed with onion, carrot, and cabbage for 2.5 hours and served on thick slices of bread. Well, this is a modified version and it is delicious. This uses left over cooked pheasant meat and works well.
2-1/2 oz cabbage, sliced 1-1.5” thick 1.5 oz baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise ¼ oz onion rings [which I forgot to put on the top] 2 Tbsp chicken or pheasant gravy 2 oz pheasant [or chicken] meat, cooked and taken off the bone ½ Arnold Multi-Grain Sandwich Thin
Prepare the carrots, cabbage, and onion and steam them for 25 minutes until the carrots are tender. If the cabbage is not yet done, leave it in the steamer with the lid on but off the heat until needed. Warm the pheasant in the gravy + 2 tsp of the water from the steaming liquid. Warm the Arnold Thin in the toaster oven. Plate the bread. Spoon a tablespoon of gravy on top. Place the meat atop the bread. Stir the warm vegetables into the warm gravy and plate them. Put the onion rings on top and pour any remaining gravy over the meat.
How this Fast DietLifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.
J.R.R. Tolkien did not set out to be a world-famous fantasy writer. Born in South Africa on January 2, 1892, he became a professor of linguistics at Oxford. There he dabbled in writing with a group called The Inklings. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis traded ideas and critiqued each other’s work. [This is why both their fantasy series feature talking trees, elves, and Christian allegory.] At heart, Tolkien was a lover of the linguistic roots of modern English and of old myths. He wanted to create an English mythology and produced The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Silmarillion, as well as many songs, poems, and short stories. Tolkien’s works are beloved the world over for their universal human insights set in a fantasy landscape. The Quest and Coming of Age themes are compelling and the characters are memorable. The works may not be the history of England and its language, but they are worth reading at any age.
Since Tolkien was such a devoted chronicler of all things English, today’s meals would please him as well as making sure that no Hobbits become fatter. The mushroom breakfast is based on the casserole given to Frodo by Farmer Maggot’s wife, and the dinner is a classic English meal from the 1700s.
FarmWife Mushroom Pudding: 127 calories 2 g fat 2 g fiber 7 g protein 33.5 g carbs 83.6 mg CalciumNB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.PB Having heard this described in The Fellowship of the Ring, I searched and searched until I found an approximation: this recipe in Theodora FitzGibbon’s A Taste of England.
½ oz [around one strip] American/streaky bacon + ¾ cup assorted mushrooms, chopped 3 Tbsp chicken stock + 1 tsp white whole wheat flour + 1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce + salt & pepper ½ Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich Thin + ½ oz pear Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie[88 calories]
Cook the bacon partially, blot off the fat, and cut in strips. Pour off the bacon fat but return 1 tsp to the pan. Saute the mushrooms in the fat with a pinch of salt, and remove them. Pour some of the chicken stock into the pan and sprinkle in the flour while whisking to prevent lumps as it thickens. Add the remaining stock and some pepper. Put the bacon and mushrooms into the sauce and cook over low heat. Pour into an oiled oven-proof dish and bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Warm or lightly toast the Sandwich Thin. Place the bread on top of the mushroom pudding prior to serving. NB: you can serve it out of the baking dish or turn it out on the bread on a plate. Enjoy with the pear and have a hearty day, even if you are not escaping from Black Riders.
Pheasant Casserole: 250 calories 9.5 g fat 5.4 g fiber 22.5 g protein 21.6 g carbs 86 mg Calcium PB This recipe is based on one from English Provincial Cookingby Elisabeth Ayrton and it dates back to the 18thcentury. Whole partridges were stewed with onion, carrot, and cabbage for 2.5 hours and served on thick slices of bread. Well, this is a modified version and it is delicious. Using left-over cooked pheasant meat, this recipe works well as a quick and nourishing meal.
2-1/2 oz cabbage, sliced 1-1.5” thick 1.5 oz baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise ¼ oz onion rings [which I forgot to put on the top] 2 Tbsp chicken or pheasant gravy 2 oz pheasant meat, cooked and taken off the bone ½ Arnold Multi-Grain Sandwich Thin
Prepare the carrots, cabbage, and onion and steam them for 25 minutes until the carrots are tender. If the cabbage is not yet done, leave it in the steamer with the lid on but off the heat until needed. Warm the pheasant in the gravy + 2 tsp of the water from the steaming liquid. Warm the Arnold Thins in the toaster oven. Plate the bread. Spoon a tablespoon of gravy on top. Place the meat atop the bread. Stir the warm vegetables into the warm gravy and plate them. Put the onion rings on top and pour any remaining gravy over the meat.
Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday………………………………………………….for Thursday
one 2-oz egg + apple or strawberries
Next week I will provide some favorite side dishes for Fast Days
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to Frieda P.F. who is now Following.
“Smooth as butter” is a pilot’s term for a good airplane landing. Did you ever hear that the Earth is as “Smooth as a billiard ball“? How about ‘Smooth as a smoothie”? Ever since the 1960s, smoothies have seen increased popularity. But not all smoothies are created equal: some are good for you and some might as well be a glass of sugar water. Today we’ll dive into the blender for an investigation of smoothies.
Smoothie benefits: Juice alone has lots of sugar. It is like drinking a soda-pop! Next time you see an article about the ‘benefits of the juice diet,’ run the other way. But when you add fiber, whether from fruit or vegetable, it changes the sugar’s effect on your body. In other words, a smoothie made from whole fruit is good for you. Plus, the added fruit and/or vegetables give you a much-needed serving of the same. When drinking a green smoothie, by pureeing the greens, you are making them into their most digestible form. This means that all the micro-flora in your gut will thank you and that your lower intestines will be healthier and will work better.
Breakfast Smoothies:Fruit Smoothie: 88 calories 0 g fat 0.8 g fiber 1.5 g protein 21.2 g carbs 15.2 mg Calcium PB GF HINT: enough for 4 [four] 5-6 oz servings 2 oz banana 2 oz fruit [all one variety or mixed; we like raspberries, strawberries, black currants, blueberries] 20 oz [2.5 cups] orange juice HINT: I make the fruits up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver! Put the fruit in the blender with 4 0z of the orange juice. Run it on “High” to break up the fruit and make it all smooth. Switch setting to “Low” and add the remaining juice. Run blender to combine the liquids. Save the rest for other mornings.
Berry-Yogurt Smoothie: 88 calories 0 g fat 0.9 g fiber 2.8 g protein 18 g carbs 91.5 mg Calcium PB GF Dear Husband was inspired to create this, in an effort to get more Calcium and less orange juice into our diet. HINT: Makes 4 [four] servings 1 cup yogurt, plain and low-fat 2 oz banana 2 oz mixed berries 4 oz fruit juice with solids in it 8 oz orange juice HINT: I combine the fruits and put those in the freezer as ‘kits.’ Put the yogurt, fruit, and fruit juice in the blender/VitaMix/container for using immersion wand. Whiz it on HIGH until everything is blended and no bits of berry are seen. Add orange juice and blend on low. Put what you don’t use today into the ‘fridge for another day.
Lunch/Meal SmoothiesGreen Milk: 136 calories 0.6 g fat 1.5 g fiber 10 g protein 24 g carbs 337 mg Calcium PB GF I drink this for lunch daily to ‘keep the trains running.’ On Fast Days, I eliminate the dates. 8 oz low-fat milk ½ oz dates 1 oz spinach, fresh or frozen Put everything in the blender/VitaMix or container suitable for using with an immersion wand. Whirl on low speed at first, to break up the ingredients, then at the speed that will pulverize everything to a lovely shade of green.
Banana Tofu Smoothie: 182 calories 2 g fat 1.5 g fiber 9 g protein 32 g carbs 250 mg Calcium PB GF This is what I always took for lunch when I was teaching. Kept me going all afternoon. HINT: This serves two. 1.25 cups fat-free milk ½ cup firm tofu 6” banana 2 Tbsp sugar 4 ice cubes grated nutmeg Put everything in the blender and whizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth. Top with grated nutmeg.
How this Fast DietLifestyle 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.
Smoothie benefits: Fruit juice alone has lots of sugar. It is like drinking a soda-pop! But when you retain the fruit’s fiber, whether from fruit or vegetable, it changes the sugar’s effect on your body. Plus, the added fruit and/or vegetables give you a much-needed serving of the same. When drinking a green smoothie, by pureeing the greens, you are making them into their most digestible form. This means that all the micro-flora in your gut will thank you and that your lower intestines will be healthier and will work better.
BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES, TO DRINK INSTEAD OF JUICE *Fruited Green Smoothie: 77 calories 0.3 g fat 1.6 g fiber 1.7 g protein 31.3 g carb 30.7 mg Calcium PB GF HINT: this makes enough for three 6-oz servings, so it will save you time on the next 2 breakfasts. In the photo, the green smoothie is served with Tostada.
2 cups mixed greens – spinach, romaine, lettuce, chard – roughly chopped 2 oz banana, sliced 2 oz berries ½ apple or pear 12 oz tomato juice [such as Knudsen’s organic] 10 ice cubes
Put the fruit and greens in the blender and swirl it together on ”high” just long enough to break down the fruit and greens. Set blender to “low,” add the juice and ice cubes. Process until smooth. Put what you don’t drink today into a jar in the ‘fridge. Next time you use it, shake it well. If you think it has become too thick, feel free to thin it with water or OJ.
*M&Ms Fruit Smoothie: 80 calories 0.4 g fat 3.5 g fiber 4.2 g protein 16.2 g carb 131 mg Calcium This recipe is from the Fast Diet book, further quantified by me. PB GF HINT: this makes enough for 2 servings, so reserve the rest for another breakfast which will save you time.
6” of banana [3.0 oz] ½ cup plain, non-fat yogurt 2 oz fruit[either ½ cup mixed berries or 7 one-inch strawberries] 8-10 ice cubes Blend at low speed at first to break up the fruit, then at higher speed to blend. HINT: I make up ‘kits’ in advance. Into a freezer-safe container, I place all the ingredients except the ice cubes and freeze it days to weeks in advance. The night before a Fast Day, the Smoothie Kit comes out to thaw on the counter overnight. Much simpler. Kits shown in photo above.
*Fruit Smoothie, chez nous: 88 calories 0 g fat 0.8 g fiber 1.5 g protein 21.2 g carbs 15.2 mg Calcium PB GFHINT: enough for 4 [four] 5-6 oz servings 2 oz banana 2 oz fruit [all one variety or mixed; we like raspberries, strawberries, black currants, blueberries] 20 oz [2.5 cups] orange juice HINT: I make the fruits up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver! Put the fruit in the blender with 4 0z of the orange juice. Run it on “High” to break up the fruit and make it all smooth. Switch setting to “Low” and add the remaining juice. Run blender to combine the liquids. Save the rest in a jar for other mornings.
*Fruit Smoothie w/ greens, ME:74 calories 0.1 g fat 1.0 g fiber 0.5 g protein 16.5 g carbs 29.4 mg Calcium PB GF This is the smoothie that we have used for years, and then I added some spinach, so it is a synthesis of the 2 previous smoothies. HINT: this makes enough for several breakfasts, so make it once and use it often. A real time-saver.
2 oz banana 2 oz berries [black currants, strawberries, blueberries, red or black raspberries, blackberries – any combo] HINT: I make these up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver! 1 cup raw spinach or Swiss chard or kale or beet greens 1 and 1/2 cups orange juice or natural apple cider 1 cup tomato juice
Toss the fruit and greens into the blender. Add 1/2 cup orange juice. Process on high to blend the fruits and puree the leaves. Turn down to lowest setting and add the remaining juice. Process until smooth. Keep the setting on ‘low’ at this point, unless you like your smoothie with a huge head of foam!
MEAL-SIZED SMOOTHIES Banana Tofu Smoothie: 1.25 cups fat-free milk ½ cup firm tofu 6” banana 2 Tbsp sugar 4 ice cubes Put everything in the blender and wizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth. Cocoa-Banana version: add 2 Tbsp cocoa to above recipe.
*Strawberry Tofu Smoothie:Half Batch = 199 calories 3.4 g fat 3.7 g fiber 14.2 g protein 26 g carbs 360 mg Calcium 1.5 Batch= 300 calories 5.1 g fat 5.5 g fiber 21.3 g protein 39 g carbs 540 mg CalciumPB GF HINT:Makes 2 portions as part of a meal. Or one meal serving with 1/2 cup or so left over. To serve as a full meal, measure out 3/4 of the batch. I used to take this to work as part of lunch. 2 oz banana ½ c plain, fat free yogurt ½ cup sliced strawberries 2 Tbsp sugar 2.8 oz soft tofu, which is 1/5 of a package
Put everything in the blender and wizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth. If you want to, add another ½ cup of yogurt, or skimmed milk which will add more volume and bring the calorie count to 259. Then you might use it as an entire meal. Dust the top with freshly-grated nutmeg.
Ingredients for next week: breakfast
One ‘pan muffin’ [see ..Not by Bread.. II-7-’18]
Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain cereal
Advice about Fasting while traveling.
1 Applegate chicken sausage
[choose your own breakfast from archives]
Raspberries, fresh or frozen
Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverage
dinner
Hardboiled eggs [3 for two people; 1.5 for one]
Advice on coping with a dinner buffet while on the Fast diet
Onions garlic
[choose your own dinner from archives]
Garbanzo beans
Tomatoes, fresh or 1 can diced [some will be left over]
Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet." 