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.
On Wednesday, which is a Slow Day in our house, we invariably dine on a pasta meal. There are so many fine ways to top a plate of pasta that it can be a while until a particular meal is repeated. What follows is a recipe from Diary of a Tuscan Chef by Cesar Casella & Eileen Daspin. The chef calls it “Garganelli con Tonno Fresco,” but we call it Penne with Tuna & Tomatoes. This is so special and so easy to prepare that we schedule it when we want a lot of impact even when there is little time.
My job is to prepare the mise en place and to cook the pasta.
Here we see fresh tuna cut into 1/2 inch cubes, along with garlic chopped with fresh oregano, and 2 cups of halved cherry tomatoes. Cook the pasta of choice in salted water. Meanwhile, saute the garlic and oregano in olive oil until the garlic begins to color. Add the tuna and a pinch of crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until the fish is done to your liking. Remove the tuna from the pan to a plate or bowl. Drain the pasta, saving some cooking water. Deglaze the saute pan with about 1/3 cup white wine, and let it cook down while you scrape brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the pasta water and the tomatoes to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Toss in the pasta, some chopped parsley, the cooked tuna, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. That took less than 15 minutes.
Dear Husband cooks the meal and chooses the wine.
Plate with crusty bread and a crisp salad of many different greens. Easy and delicious — especially when Dear Husband does all the cooking.
Tomorrow marks the 8th anniversary of our Fasting Lifestyle. Our weight is still down where we want it to be, our health is good. And we continue to eat pasta on Wednesdays — what a life!
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.
Lent began four weeks ago. Years ago, I was lunching with colleagues and the young Biology teacher told us excitedly about her new diet plan: for the first six weeks, you eat no eggs or meat or dairy and then you phase them back in slowly. “That’s not a new diet,” I jested. “That’s called ‘Lent.'” Her ‘new diet’ pretty well sums it up: Lent, in the Christian church, has traditionally been a time of dietary privation; of fasting; all toward the end of soul-searching and penitence before Easter. Nowadays, these ideas are not stressed in Protestant Christian churches so much, but doing charitable acts, opening your heart and mind to kindness, and ‘welcoming the stranger‘ are ways to come closer to God. Lent will last another 3-1/2 weeks. How you spend it is up to you — but it seems to me that you could at least take two days each week for ‘Fasting’ and see how it makes you feel about yourself.
In keeping with the tradition of egg-less breakfasts and meatless dinners, I propose these menus for your Lenten attention.
Rounds, with Pan Muffin: 122 calories 4 g fat 1 g fiber 6.6 g protein 15 g carbs [5 g Complex] 10 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.PB All the foods in this meal are round, hence the name. Easy to prepare with Canadian bacon [back bacon to readers in Canada or the UK] and a pre-made pan muffin.
1 slice Canadian Bacon [‘back bacon’ to Canadians] one pan muffin 2 oz apple, sliced along the equator so the slices are round OR 2 oz applesauce, in a round dish 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]
HINT: For easiest breakfast preparation, mix and cook the pan muffin recipe the night before. Freeze remaining batter or bake as muffins tomorrow. Slice the apple and plate it. Cook the Canadian Bacon. Warm the previously-cooked pan muffin. Done!
Maltese Spinach-Tuna Pie: 185 calories 9.6 g fat 5 g fiber 19 g protein 24 g carbs [16 g Complex] 49 mg Calcium PB This dish is a classic in Malta and you will enjoy it at home too. Lots of ingredients, but it is really easy to prepare. HINT: This recipe serves two. So low in calories, you may choose your own side vegetables or fruit.
100 g/ 3.5 oz [weight] frozen spinach 100 g/ 3.5 oz [weight] tuna 100 g/ 3.5 oz [weight] Mediterranean Vegetables ¼ c peas ½ cup onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp capers 2 anchovies, rinsed 2 Tbsp tomato puree 1 tsp olive oil 1/6 sheet frozen, purchased puff pastry
Put the puff paste sheet on the counter to warm for 30 minutes. Thaw the spinach and squeeze out the moisture. Heat the oil in a pan, then saute the onions and garlic. When they are just cooked, add everything else except the puff pastry. Stir and cook until everything is warmed through. Transfer to a lightly-oiled oven-proof dish. Cut 1/6 of the pastry sheet. Rewrap and refreeze the rest. Place the puff paste on top of the tuna/vegetable mixture. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until the puff pastry is browning and flakey.
Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday ………………………. single portion for Thursday:
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.
My friend Nick, a pure Greek-American from the Greek neighborhoods of Manchester, NH, called pastitsio ‘Greek macaroni and cheese.’ If your mac&cheese is in a rut, try this variation — it is really good. And don’t even think of telling Nick’s mom that pastitsio originated in Italy!
Ground lamb meat, onion, tomatoes, cinnamon, Greek oregano, butter [not the entire stick], elbow macaroni — here is the basis of Pastitsio. The oregano and cinnamon tell you how Greek it is. Nick always wondered how the early Greeks got tomatoes, but he was willing to give that a pass….
Pastitsio Sauce + Casserole
1 cup chopped onion ½ pound ground lamb
Saute onion and meat in a heavy saucepan while stirring sometimes until the meat is brown and the onions are golden.
1 cup crushed or whole tomatoes 1½ tsp salt freshly ground pepper 1 tsp Greek oregano 1½ tsp cinnamon
Stir in these ingredients and simmer 5 mins.
½ cup Gruyere cheese, grated
Stir in the cheese and taste for seasonings.
3 oz elbow macaroni
Cook the elbows. Stir them into the tomato sauce and turn the mixture into an oil-sprayed 1-Qt casserole.
Salsa Besamel
Top with salsa besamel and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
The meat sauce is combined with cooked pasta and then you prepare a besamel…..
The salsa besamel goes on top. Milk thickened with a butter-flour mixture, grated cheese and egg all combine in a sauce that is poured on top of the pasta and sauce prior to baking.
Salsa Besamel
2 Tbsp butter
Melt butter in a saucepan. Take off heat.
1 Tbsp flour ½ tsp salt 1/8 tsp white pepper 1 cup milk
Stir in flour, salt, and pepper, then add the milk gradually and stirring all the time. Put on low heat and stir for 5 minutes.
1 egg yolk ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
Beat together in a small bowl, then slowly add the warm white sauce and stir constantly.
Baked to a golden turn.
Serve with Winter Vegetables, as seen here, or with a Greek Salad, Pastitsio makes for a hearty mid-Winter meal. Delicious.
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.
Paleo and Keto diets are all the rage, but it seems to me that the MIND Diet should be better-known. It was developed in 2015 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago from two widely-regarded diets: the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet. The name is a real smash-up: Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. As that implies, the diet has genuine benefits for those who wish to forestall neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Furthermore, although it is not an eating plan aimed at weight-loss/body health, it could help to lower cholesterol and weight. Since Dr Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet for Slow Days, it is remarkably easy to merge this with a Fasting Diet. Dear Husband and I tried it out, designing a month-long plan of eating, and were glad to see how easy it was to follow. According to a study of 900+ seniors, those who followed the plan religiously reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s Disease by 53%. Those were less punctilious, still reduced their risk by 35%. Those are great numbers. I’m up for that. The chart below shows how nicely the MIND and FAST play together.
Is this food allowed on this diet…
MIND
On Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, pork
No
Yes
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkey
8 oz/week
Yes, preferred
Eggs
Yes
Yes
Beer, wine, cocktails
5 oz red wine daily
Only on Slow Days
Grains: brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole cereal
Our meals today draw from ingredients that hew to the guidelines of the MIND Diet: whole-grain bread and a brightly-colored vegetable for breakfast, followed by beans with leafy greens for dinner. The soup also makes for a fine lunch, which is another time to eat your healthy ingredients.
Bruschetta Toast: 210 calories 12 g fat 4 g fiber 9.5 g protein 20 g carbs [12 g Complex] 56 mg Calcium PB This one was a serendipidous invention and it turned out to be yummy.
1 slice whole-grain seedy bread [Dave’s Killer Bread is great] one 2-oz egg 3 Tbsp Bruschetta sauce – strain it if too liquidy 1 oz pear Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water
Toast the bread lightly and pan-fry or poach the egg. Spread 2 Tbsp of the bruschetta on the toast and top with the egg. Dollop the remaining bruschetta on the egg. Plate the fruit. Eat with knife and fork or with your hands. A taste sensation.
Bruschetta Sauce:makes 2 cups
1 cup= 285 calories 28.5 g fat 3 g fiber 2 g protein 10 g carbs 2 mg Ca
½ pound plum tomatoes 3-4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic + 1 scallion ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes + ½ tsp salt 1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped 1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped 1 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped
Core and quarter the tomatoes. Peel and crush the garlic. Slice the scallion. Put all of these ingredients into a food processor and pulse off and on to make a chunky sauce.
½ pound plum tomatoes
Core and quarter the tomatoes. Add to the above and pulse a few more times.
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar
Pour the tomato-herb mixture into a bowl and stir in the vinegars.
Three-Bean Soup: 241 calories 3 g fat 29 g fiber 16 g protein 39 g carbs [32 g Complex] 134 mg Calcium PB GF A cold evening and a bowl of bean soup – so satisfying and delicious. HINT: This recipe produces 11 cups of soup. One serving = one cup A fine way to use up some of those beans that you hoarded when the Pandemic began.
1 cup dry navy beans** 1 cup dry kidney beans** 1 cup dry soldier beans** 2 Tbsp salt + water to cover beans 4 oz ham bone or ham hock, with some meat 1 cup onion, chopped 28 oz crushed tomatoes 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp dried basil 3 Tbsp lemon juice + salt + pepper to taste per serving: 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves cut as chiffonade **Any combination of beans will do. Add other types of beans or pulses, such as lentils, to create a 5-10 bean soup.
Rinse the beans in a collander under running water. Put them into a large bowl or cook pot and cover with 3-4” of water. The beans will double or triple in size as they absorb the water. Add salt and let the beans sit overnight. Next day, drain the water and discard. Put the beans in a large cook pot along with 1½ quarts water and the meaty bone. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cover. Let cook slowly for 2 hours. Add the onion, tomatoes, and flavorings. Fish out the ham bone and cut the meat from it. Dice the meat, add back to the pot, and simmer slowly for one hour. Serve with ½ cup fresh baby spinach leaves stirred into the hot soup in each serving bowl at the last minute.
Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday ……………………………………………… single portion for Thursday:
1 two-oz egg + lots of fresh herbs
1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled
Crushed tomatoes + low-fat cottage cheese
1 slice whole-grain dark bread @ 70 calories
anchovy + cooked chicken meat
chicken dinner sausage
pear
2 prunes + onion
Optional smoothie
optional hot beverage
optional hot beverage
Dinner, single portion for Monday: ………………….. ……………… single portion for Thursday:
quail/pheasant + rabbit liver + peas
cabbage + onion + rutabaga/turnip
Dijon mustard + fresh cranberries + egg
carrot + parsnip + dry green lentils
rich broth + turkey + onion + wild boar
pork loin + frozen spinach + fresh spinach
mace + carrot + Arnold Sandwich Thin [100 calories]
How thisFast 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 healthremedy247 and Weight loss meal plans who are now Following.
Galileo was in a quandary. He wanted to write about the new discoveries in the solar system, those of his pen-pal Johannes Kepler and ideas of his own. The work of Kepler, who showed the truth of the Copernican System, had been banned by the Church in 1616. Now Galileo wanted to help the average person to understand why the new ideas were correct. But Pope Urbain VIII and the Inquisition had hampered him: he was on probation for his previous writings and was forbidden to write in support of Kepler’s ideas. So Galileo composed a new book in 1632. It was written in Italian, not latin, so everyone could read it. It was penned in the form of a novel rather than as a scientific tome. He called it The Dialogue of Two Chief World Systems. The plot revolves around three travelers who meet by chance on the road. Over four days of walking, they talk about the new ideas in astronomy. Salviati, an ‘intellectual’ [who stands in for Galileo], is a proponent of the new philosophy and he debates with Simplicio [the ‘simpleton’] who adheres to the Ptolemaic system, while Sagredo, a truth-seeker, listens and asks questions. By the end of the book, the ideas of the Church have been shot full of holes and the reader will probably conclude that Salviati is correct. Pope Urbain VIII was furious. It seemed that Galileo had cast him as the Simpleton! Galileo was put on trial in 1633, and convicted of heresy. He was forced to recant all the ‘false’ ideas that he had published previously, his books were burned, and he spent the rest of his life under house arrest until his death. Three-hundred fifty years later, in 1992, Pope John Paul II officially pardoned Galileo and apologized for the Church’s objections to his ideas.
In honor of the three interlocutors of the dialogue, our breakfast and our dinner each contain three principle flavorings. Peruse this summary of The Dialogue, to understand the points that Galileo makes in the book.
O-M-G Bake: 141 calories 7.4 g fat 1 g fiber 8.7 g protein 9 g carbs 110 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.PB GF Think: Oh My Goodness! Or: Olive-Mushroom-Gouda. What Flavor!
1 two-oz egg 1 olive, chopped ½ oz raw mushroom, chopped ¼ oz Gouda cheese, grated 2 oz applesauce 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]
First set the toaster oven to 350 degreese F. Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Put the olive and mushroom in the ramekin. Whisk the egg with the cheese and pour into the ramekin. Bake in the toaster oven at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Dish up the applesauce and pour the beverages. Delicious.
Tuna-Bean-Garlic Salad: 261 cal 7 g fat 5.5 g fiber 33 g protein 33.4 g carb 152.5 mg Calcium PB GF This is from the Fast Diet book. Great meal. HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two]
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed one 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 oz spinach or mixed greens 1 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.
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.
by Daniele da Volterra
What was the World of Art into which Michaelangelo was born on March 6, 1475? It was the height of the Italian Renaissance of the Quattrocento. Boticelli, Fra Lippi, and Masaccio were painting in Florence which was the center of the Art World. Ghiberti and Donatello were leading influences in sculpture, and Bruneleschi had wowed the world with the building of the dome of the Florence Cathedral. All of them were fascinated with the mathematics, optics, and physics of linear perspective: Science was influencing Art with the optimism of ‘We can do anything because we know math’ attitude. 25 years later, Michaelangelo was already recognized as a genius, having created his Pieta — a masterpiece of pathos and sculptural plasticity [making marble look like soft skin or draped fabric]. Enter the Cinquecento. Now art was more interested in the human form and in showing emotion. The Dying Slave, 1513 is the perfection of those concepts. From 1500 until his death on February 18, 1564, some of the most amazing pieces of art were created: sculptures, like the statue of David; frescos, such as the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; architecture, Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome for example. Michaelangelo influenced artists for centuries after his death, which should come as no surprise. Genius in others is inspirational — we may never reach those heights, but we learn a lot through the effort.
The meals presented today are from the geographic milieu of Michaelangelo: the Western Italian Mediterranean. Olive oil, tuna, vegetables, olives, cured meats, cheeses — the artist and his contemporaries cooked with these ingredients every meal. Michaelangelo cared little about his appearance, nor about food, but that won’t stop us from eating well.
‘Pan Bagne’ ScrOmelette: 149 calories 10 g fat 1 g fiber 11.4 g protein 6 g carbs 63 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Pan Bagneis a wonderful layered sandwich which we enjoy in the summer. Each of the 7 layers is a distinct yet complimentary flavor. This recipe combines several of the components, without all the oil, tuna, and bread. The result is delicious at breakfast.
1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ½ black olive, pitted and chopped ½ Tbsp creamy chevre cheese 1 Tbsp crushed tomatoes ½ Tbsp spinach, cooked and chopped ¼ tsp dried basil 2 oz strawberries or 1 oz 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]
Stir and cream the olive, cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and basil until nicely blended. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Continue whisking as you add the vegetable/cheese mixture and blend as thoroughly as possible. Scramble to taste. Brew your beverage and shake the smoothie. Slice the apple and settle in for a flavorful meal.
Ham Florentine Crepes: 299 calories 11g fat 5.6 g fiber 15.6 g protein 33 g carbs 307 mg Calcium PB “Peter Christian’s Tavern” was a very popular New Hampshire restaurant and their cookbook was a local best seller. The restaurant has closed but Peter Christian’s Recipes is a goldmine and it served as the source of this meal. Very easy if the crepes and Bechamel sauce are pre-made.
Set the oven to 350 F. If the galettes/crepes are frozen, thaw and wrap in a tea towel. Put them in the oven as it warms. When the crepes are soft and pliable, lay them on a baking sheet, covered with the tea towel. Warm the Ham Florentine filling and spoon over half of each crepe. [I saved out a bit of the filling.] Fold the crepes over the filling and pat in place. Put the crepes in the oven until warmed through. Top with reserved filling before serving with the Winter Vegetables.
Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday ……………………………………… single portion for Thursday:
1 two-oz egg
two egg yolks + 4 egg whites
black olive
milk + baking powder
mushrooms + Gouda cheese
white whole wheat flour + white flour
applesauce
sugar + cream of tartar + canned plums
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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to The Good Life Now and Chanaka and pipanddip who are now Following. Join us in the Fasting Lifestyle.
Galileo Galilei was born on February 15, 1564. He was a true Renaissance Man: poet, musician, popular professor, astronomer, inventor. His biggest claim to fame had to do with what he saw in the Solar System through his telescope. [Galileo did not invent the telescope, no matter how often he said it. He did improve and enlarge the instrument, making it more suitable for astronomical use.] Beginning in 1610, Galileo began publishing books about his observations: the moon had mountains and craters [described as looking like small-pox scars]; the sun had dark spots on its face [likened to pimples in his notes]; Venus waxed and waned in brightness as it went through phases [like our moon; Mars did not]; Jupiter had a Great Red Spot [now recognized as a cyclonic storm]; Jupiter had four moons circling around it [making Earth seem puny with only one]. From his notes and calculations, he gave proof to an idea previously proposed by Copernicus and Kepler: the sun was in the center of the Solar System — not the Earth. Why was this a religious and cultural bombshell? Because everyone in Europe had been told since the time of Aristotle and Ptolemy that the Earth was the center of the universe. Later theologians said that this showed that Earth was singled out and blessed by the Almighty. Despite the fact that many Churchmen [including a future Pope] attended Galileo’s ‘telescope parties’ where everyone took turns looking at the planets through the device, the Church did not like these seemingly heretical ideas. Galileo was put on warning by the Inquisition and forced to recant his ideas. He was a man of strong faith and he would rather pretend to abjure his new discoveries than be banned from the Church forever.
We will start our day with flavors of Florence, Galileo’s beloved home town, and end the day with flavors of the Mediterranean region: tuna with grilled vegetables.
Ham Florentine Bake: 133 calories 6.5 g fat 1 g fiber 8 g protein 6 g carbs 61.5 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.PB GF This bake is so flavorful that you will be amazed by the tiny calorie count. Same ‘ham Florentine’ used to fill crepes for dinner. Same kind of deliciousness.
1 two-oz egg 2 Tbsp ham Florentine filling** 2 oz applesauce Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] or natural apple cider Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water
Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Spritz an oven-proof dish with non-stick spray. Whisk the egg and stir in the ham Florentine filling. Pour into prepared dish and bake for 12-15 minutes. Portion the applesauce and pour your choice of beverages. This is a breakfast to prepare often.
**Ham Florentine Filling: makes 1.5 cups ½ cup no-cheese Bechamel Sauce 1 cup ham in ¼ ” dice 1 cup [5 oz] cooked spinach, from fresh or frozen ½ cup chopped celery ¼ cup chopped onion pinches of celery salt + dill + granulated garlic + basil Be sure to squeeze the spinach until most of the liquid is out of it. [save the liquid] Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and add some of the spinach liquid. Cook the celery and onion until the onions are transluscent, adding more spinach liquid as needed. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat until warmed through.
Tuna with Grilled Vegetables: 244 calories 7 g fat 4 g fiber 29 g protein 14.6 g carbs [10.6 g Complex] 32.5 mg Calcium PB GF The recipe comes from the Fast Diet Bookand it is wonderful. Very Mediterranean, too.
5 oz tuna steak 4 oz red bell peppers 5 oz zucchini 2 oz cherry tomatoes 1 tsp olive oil lemon juice
Cut the peppers into long strips. Same with the zucchini. Toss all the vegetables with the olive oil. Cook the tuna and vegetables on a grill pan or grill, 3 minutes on each side. Splash with lemon juice before plating. Delicious and quick.
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 Dominus O. Markham and bloghealth1 and Youth and Healthy and Scot Henry who are now Following.
Italian cooks are under the influence. No, they are neither drunk nor drugged, so let’s follow a culinary trail…. Central and Southern Italian cuisine involves tomatoes — everyone knows that. And in the North, there’s cornmeal polenta. And that’s been since forever, right? Well, no. Tomatoes and corn are not native to Italy or even to Europe. Spanish colonizers brought those foods from meso-America back to Europe in the early 1500s. The Spanish were not that impressed. From there, tomatoes and corn spread to Italy, where, by the 1600s, they were embraced like long lost relatives and quickly made part of the food culture. Tomato sauces and salads and pizzas abound all over the country, and corn shows up in the iconic polenta of the North — I even ate kernels of corn on a pizza in Rome. Italy owes much of its culinary traditions to the influence of far-away Indigenous Americans. Fancy that!
Our breakfast features tomatoes as part of a famously delicious Italian sauce, while dinner involves cornmeal polenta. You too can be under the influence.
Puttenesca Bake: 127 calories 6 g fat 0.6 g fiber 7.7 g protein 10 g carbs [10 g Complex] 77.7 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Once you have Puttenesca Sauce in the freezer, preparing this breakfast is very easy.
one 2-oz egg 1½ Tbsp Puttenesca sauce, drained of excess liquid ½ Tbsp Parmesan, grated ¼ cup peaches, fresh or canned in light juice 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 at 350 degrees F. Spritz an oven-proof ramekin or small casserole [if serving 2 or more] with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with the sauce and cheese. Pour into the baking dish and heat for 12-15 minutes. Portion the peaches and prepare the beverages. Que bella!
Seafood with Polenta & Vegetables: 291 calories 8.5 g fat 3.5 g fiber 30 g protein 28 g carbs [24 g Complex] 180 mg Calcium PB GF Mediterranean Food, anyone? Here it is, a splendid way to eat healthily.
oops! This photo shows 3 logs of polenta when it should have only 2… must be Dear Husband’s plate.
½ cup Mediterranean Vegetables without chickpeas 2 ‘logs’ of home-made polenta, from a batch with 6 ‘logs’ 4 oz fish such as cod or tilapia, raw or cooked ¾ oz mushrooms, sliced 3 Tbsp Parmesan, grated Prepare or thaw the polenta. Prepare or thaw the Mediterranean Vegetables. Stir in the mushrooms and sea food and simmer, covered, until the fish is cooked through. Place the polenta on the side of the plate and spoon the warm mixture on top. Top with the grated cheese and enjoy your taste of Italy.
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 adrianus67 and Ketoonbay and dvepublishing and Home Fat Loss Workout who are now Following.
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:
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 Eat Think Wellness and Solute21 and Weight Loss Review who are now Following.
In the Eastern Mediterranean, in the middle of December, the weather is usually fair and calm, good for voyaging by boat. When the ancient Greeks wanted to explain a natural phenomenon, they would create a legend about it. As we are told, the minor gods Alcyone and Ceyxdrew the wrath of Zeus and he killed them. The other gods and goddesses took pity and turned them into kingfisher birds [Family Halcyonidae, Genus Alcedo]. These kingfishers were said to build a floating nest in which to hatch their chicks. Needing calm seas to achieve success, the birds would cast a spell on the weather to ensure it: those were the Halcyon Days. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Halcyon Days begin on December 14 this year. The original meaning seems to have morphed to connote happy times, when all is well — a modern interpretation indeed of ‘calm and sunny’ weather. As the Covid vaccines are approved and delivered into waiting arms, perhaps our 2021 will have a long stretch of Halcyon Days.
It is a Greek legend, so Greek food is on the menu: morning and evening.
Creamy Greek Omelette: 165 calories 9 g fat 2 g fiber 12.6 g protein 14 g carb [11.7 g Complex] 89 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.PB GF The feta lends a tang to the eggs, while the cottage cheese gives a wonderful melting texture. A real treat.
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. 3/8 oz feta cheese 1½ Tbsp cottage cheese Greek oregano + salt + pepper 1½ oz of apple 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]
Mince the feta and combine with cottage cheese and oregano. Spritz a non-stick skillet with oil or non-stick spray and heat the pan over medium-low heat. Beat the eggs well with 1 spoonful of the cheese mixture using a rotary mixer. Pour the eggs into the pan and let cook undisturbed until the edges set. Lift the edges gently to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath. Before the top surface sets, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put dollops of the cheese mixture on half the omelette and make an attempt to spread it out. Fold the omelette in half and continue to heat in the pan. Filling will heat and may ooze out a bit. Brew and pour your beverages. Plate the apple and the omelette. Oh yum.
Greek-style Hake: 263 calories 11 g fat 7.7 g fiber 25.5 g protein 24 g carbs [23 g Complex] 173 mg Calcium PB GF The cookbook Ikaria by Diane Kochilas is related to the National Geographic study of locations world-wide where there is the greatest longevity. Thinking that nutrition has something to do with it is one direction that could take you.
4 oz hake ½ tsp olive oil 1/3 cup onions, halved then sliced ½ clove garlic, sliced pinch sugar 1½ cup canned whole tomatoes 1 Tbsp [½ oz] dry red wine 1½ Tbsp good Feta cheese, crumbled 2½ oz asparagus OR one Side Salad
Saute the onion slices and garlic in the oil, adding some water if the pan becomes too dry. Remove garlic and discard. Add tomatoes, sugar, and wine. Cook the vegetables down to reduce the liquid. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables, cover loosely, turn down the heat and cook until the fish flakes [about 10 minutes]. Meanwhile, prepare the asparagus or Side Salad. Top the fish with the crumbled Feta before serving.
Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet." 
