Recipes for healthy dieting

Slow Days: Jam-Filled Brioche Wreath

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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 Fast Diet 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.

If you want something special for a holiday breakfast, this delightful brioche wreath fills the bill. The recipe is from Bonne Maman, makers of jams, jellies, and spreads, and of course they want you to use one of their products. You may use any quality homemade or purchased jam you wish. I prepared this for a gathering of the knitting group, and it was a success. The step involving the preparation of the jam-filled balls could be a family affair and is a good way to include little hands in the kitchen. I have broken the recipe into steps over two days, which simplifies the process [I think], and breaks it into steps that are not too time-consuming. And the next day, Voila! a splendid breakfast centerpiece that looks spectacular, but was made with little fuss.

1 large wreath of 18 puffs 10” tube pan or 12” pie plate + ramekin
DAY 1, EARLY
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
25g golden caster sugar 150 g white whole wheat flour
150g strong white = bread flour zest of ½ orange + ½ lemon 1 tsp salt 		Caster sugar is a fine-grained sugar from the UK. Blitz granulated white sugar in the food processor to make a substitute. Zest the orange and lemon rinds OR USE 2 Tbsp ORANGE PUREE. [chop an orange into large pieces, run through food processor to make a chunky mush] Mix these in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook. Make a well in the center.
50 ml warm milk 3 large eggs, beaten Pour these into center well. Mix on a slow speed 2 mins, then on medium 3-4 mins, until dough is soft, glossy and elastic.
225g/16 Tbsp/2 sticks butter, cubed and very softAdd butter, bit by bit, and mix 4-5 mins. Scrape down bowl to mix thoroughly. Dough will be very soft. Tip into an oiled bowl, cover with film and chill 8-24 hrs until firm.
DAY 1, LATE
18 tsp Bonne Maman Conserve – choose your favorite or make 9 of one flavor and 9 of anotherOn a lightly oiled surface, divide dough into 18 pieces, ~40 g each. Roll pieces in circles 10 cm in dia. Spoon 1 tsp of jam on centre of each. Bring up sides, pinch together, roll into a ball.


Butter a 10” tube pan. OR Put a greased ramekin in center of buttered 12″ pie plate. Put 6 balls, seam side down, around center tube. Put 12 balls in an outer circle. Cover, let sit 2 hrs until puffy –OR– OVERNight @ 40 degrees
DAY 2, MORNINGHeat oven to 170ºC/340F/ gas mark 5.
Egg wash  ½ tsp lemon finishing salt 1 tbsp ground hazelnuts
sliced almonds 		After rising, brush dough with a little egg wash,
sprinkle with salt and nuts.
Bake 20 mins, until golden.
Cover with foil and cook 10-15 mins longer.
Icing sugarCool slightly, remove from pan.  Remove ramekin if using. Dust with icing sugar.

Amundsen

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

Throughout the Age of Exploration, milestones were achieved one by one: crossing the Atlantic; rounding Cape Horn; circumnavigating the world. By the early 1900s, there were only two goals remaining: reaching the North Pole and reaching the South Pole. Either one would bring fame to the explorer, and glory to his country. Around 1908, two parties claimed a visit to the North Pole, leaving the South Pole up for grabs. The Englishman Robert Falcon Scott mounted an expedition in 1910, and at the same time Roald Amundsen of Norway launched his trip to the Pole. The world knew of Scott’s plans, but Amundsen was more secretive — not even telling his team until they were halfway to Antarctica. He worried that if Scott knew of the Norwegian party, that the Englishman would hurry his departure. Their planning could not have been more different. Amundsen had explored the Arctic from 1903-1906. He befriended the indigenous Inuit people, who taught him survival skills and the art of dog sledding. The clothing Amundsen chose was layered for insulation, and had an outer layer of reindeer leather. Scott relied on ponies, some dogs, and motorized transport, while the Norwegians traveled with 52 sled dogs, four sleds, and cross-country skis. After each group cached many tons of food along the route, the race was on. Amundsen had organized excellently. His group made good time until bad weather struck, but they persevered. Scott’s team, although they had a 10 day head-start, slowed considerably after the ending of their motor sledges froze, and their ponies died. Despite the elements, Amundsen pushed on, reaching the South Pole on December 14, 1911. Scott and his men died of starvation and scurvy after arriving at the Pole, only to find a letter of greeting and the flag of Norway. On the way back from the Pole, as heavy food stores were consumed, Amundsun’s men killed and ate many of their dogs, since the sleds were no longer needed. All part of the plan. Amundsen had many other polar firsts, becoming one of the premier explorers as the Age of Exploration came to an end.

Our menu today consists of foods that are eaten cold. Not the -70F cold of Antarctica, I’m happy to say. No dogs or ponies are on offer. Amundsen’s men were consuming many thousands of calories each day, and burning up as many in their efforts to stay warm. We are Fasting, not freezing, and we will stick to 600 calories.

Gravlax & Grannies:  126 calories 3.6 g fat 2.5 g fiber 11 g protein 13 g carbs 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.

1 oz mackerel gravlax OR 1 oz smoked trout [DuckTrap brand] ¼ c blueberries + 2 raspberries for color  2 oz Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced: each slice cut into ½-moons   Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

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.

Chicken Summer Salad Plate: 227 calories 3.4 g fat 5 g fiber 22 g protein 23 g carbs 107 mg Calcium PB GF – if using gf crackers Chicken salad is an old favorite – for a sandwich or stuffed in tomatoes or on a salad plate. Without mayonnaise, it is much healthier and just as good.

½ cup chicken salad, chez moi** ½ cup Swedish Cucumber salad  5-7 sugar snap peas 2-4 cherry tomatoes 3 Finn Crisp crackers

**Chicken Salad, chez moi  makes 1 cup ½ cup= 121 calories 3 g fat 0 g fiber 10 g protein 1.4 g carbs 88 mg Calcium   5 oz cooked chicken breast 4 Tbsp part-skim ricotta 2 tsp yellow Sriracha 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped salt & pepper to taste   optional: 2 Tbsp minced onion 2 Tbsp minced celery Chop, shred or grind the chicken. Combine with the other ingredients. Taste for seasoning, adding more Sriracha if too dry.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
gizzards from chicken or turkeyRogan Josh sauce in a jar
garlic + sagecooked chicken
applesaucestrawberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Mediterranean Vegetables: purchased pork dumplings @ 31 calories each
eggplant or peppers, zucchini, tomato, carrot + bell pepper
chicken breastcabbage + sesame oil + soy sauce
Polentahoisin sauce + fresh ginger + garlic powder
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Marconi

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

In the past, messages could be sent by smoke signals; by drum beats; by signal flags; by signal fires. All of these worked, to an extent, permitting very rudimentary communication. Sending a letter enabled more complex messages, but what if there were no safe and established system to ensure that the letters arrived? Then, in 1837, Morse Code sent over telegraph wires made long-distance communication possible. With underwater cables, islands were less isolated — but only if they were close to shore and the cable was long enough. If only messages could be sent through the air…. Enter Guglielmo Marconi, born 1874. His father was a country gentleman, his mother was an Irish gentlewoman. As a child, Guglielmo enjoyed tinkering with electronics. In addition to his good education, he studied scientists like Maxwell, Hertz, Righi, and Lodge. At age 21, Marconi sent a wireless message a distance of 1.5 miles across his father’s estate. As improvements were made to his device, his parents supported their son in making his transmitter widely known. Scant attention was paid in Italy, so Marconi went to Great Britain, where he obtained a patent. From July, 1896 to 1899, Marconi gave demonstrations of his transmitter — across land, from islands to land, across the English Channel, from boats to land. The big break came on December 12, 1901, when a signal sent from Poldhu, Cornwall to a kite used as a receiving antenna flying above Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The Radio Era was born! Marconi received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1909, and accolades came from many nations. In 1912, a ‘Marconi signal’ from the stricken Titanic alerted the ship Carpathia to come to the rescue. After heading the Italian radio corps in WWI, he was a supporter of the Facists from 1923 until his death in 1937. Marconi’s considerable fortune was left to the child of his second marriage, while not a penny went to the children of his first marriage. Both unions had ended in divorce. Marconi united the world with radio, but seems to have faced considerable disunity on the home front.

Our meals today are from Italy.

Sicilian ScrOmelette: 157 calories 11 g fat 0.5 g fiber 13 g protein 2 g carbs 129 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  A protein-packed salad meets eggs for breakfast.  This is based on our Sicilian Shepherd’s Salad which we enjoy for dinner.

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  ¼ oz salami sausage ¼ oz mozzarella 2 Tbsp chopped wild greens [ex: dandelion] or arugula  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]

Chop the sausage, the cheese, and the greens, and combine them gently. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper, then pour into the heated pan. As the eggs set, sprinkle the sausage mixture over the eggs. Scramble or fold as an omelette and enjoy with the beverages of choice.

Eggplant Patties w/ Onion Marinara: 273 calories 4 g fat 8.5 g fiber 46 g carbs 43 mg Calcium   PB GF – if using GF bread/flour/pasta  Marcella Hazen, in her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, gives the recipe for the patties and a sauce in which to serve them. I added a bit of pasta to the meal. 

4 eggplant patties** 1 oz pasta– If you use whole grain or high fiber pasta, so much the better  ½ cup tomato-onion marinara++ 

**Eggplant Patties: makes 7 when using a 1½ tsp scoop = 32 calories each   9 oz eggplant with skin still on 2 Tbsp bread crumbs 1 Tbsp spinach chiffonade 1 tsp minced garlic 1 egg yolk 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan 1 Tbsp white whole wheat flour Roast eggplant at 400F until soft, around 15 minutes. Peel it and cut in rough cubes. Put in a collander over a bowl and let it drain, pressing down lightly. Add to a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir with a fork until well-combined. Heat a skillet and spray with non-stick spray. Using a 1½ Tbsp scoop, put eggplant mixture into the hot pan, flattening it a bit. Cook on each side until starting to brown.

++ Tomato-Onion Marinara  makes 1.5 cups  1.5 c. onion, thinly sliced 1.5 c. canned whole tomatoes Salt + pepper Spray a saute pan with non-stick cooking oil and heat it. Add onions and cook at medium-low until onions begin to turn golden. Add tomatoes, chopping them into smaller pieces with a plastic or wooden utensil. Cook until tomatoes have thickened a bit. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Boil the pasta while the patties are cooking. Heat the marinara, then add the cooked pasta. Put some of the sauce in the center of your plate and position the patties on top. Arrange the pasta and sauce around the center, as pleases your eye.

Pearl Harbor

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

“…December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy.” Those words by President Franklin Roosevelt summed up the feelings of most Americans. The infamous act, of course, was the Japanese sneak attack on the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i. The US was caught flat-footed as 353 Japanese bombers swooped over the harbor, staffing and bombing, damaging 21 American ships and killing 2,403 U.S. personnel. The nation was taken by surprise — shock and disbelief reigned. Long protected by the giant ‘moats’ of two oceans, Americans felt separate from [read “above”] the world and immune to attack. They did not understand that the animosity that launched the attack had been long in coming. When the US forced Japan to join the modern world in 1853, the Land of the Rising Sun looked around and saw opportunities for gain. They decided to become a world power. By the 1930s, the Japanese had fought with Russia, and invaded China. Setting their sights on resource-rich South-East Asia, the only thing in their way was the USA which had slapped them with trade embargoes for their aggression. The December 7th attack was designed to deter the US. “Remember Pearl Harbor” became a rallying cry as US isolationism ended, and men lined up to fight in a new war and women flocked to serve as well. The Pearl Harbor Memorial is visited by 1.8 million people each year. They still remember.

The attack on Pearl Harbor, instead of making the Americans back off, had the opposite effect. It galvanized the nation, forcing it to enter World War II on two fronts: in Europe and in the Pacific. The average citizen saw it as a way of preserving American life, whether that was living in the bayous of the Gulf Coast, enjoying Cajun food; or being able to go to the neighborhood diner in the Mid-West to eat a favorite meal in peace.

Cajun ScrOmelette: 142 calories 7.6 g fat 2 g fiber 10.5 g protein 10 g carbs 73 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  The hallmark of Cajun cooking is the sofrito of bell pepper, celery, and onion. Here they are along with the iconic Cajun Seasoning and Tabasco sauce. Cue the Zydeco music.

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  1 oz bell pepper 3 Tbsp celery 2 Tbsp onion Tabasco sauce, ad lib  Cajun seasonings, ad lib 1.5 oz orange slices  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]

Chop and combine the vegetables with the seasonings. Put in a hot saute pan spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Cook until softened. Whisk the eggs with the Tabasco and Cajun seasonings, and scramble to prefection. Pour the beverages, slice the oranges, and pass the Tabasco sauce.

Liver & Onions: 273 calories 10.4 g fat 3 g fiber 25 g protein 20 g carbs 43.5 mg Calcium PB GF When my father was away on business, my mother would serve us liver and onions which we came to regard as a special treat. Still a favorite on diner menus, still full of protein and Iron.

 

4 oz beef liver 2 tsp flour + salt + pepper ½ cup onion, sliced ½ tsp butter ½ cup green beans

Cook the onions in a non-stick saute pan with a little water to keep them from scorching. Set the onions aside. Blot the liver on paper towels. Put the flour on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge the liver in the flour, and shake off any extra. Melt the butter in the pan the onions were in and cook the liver over low heat until done. If the pan gets too dry, spray it with non-stick spray. Meanwhile, cook the beans and salt them to taste. Just before the liver is done, return onions to the pan to reheat.

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

1 two-oz egg = US largemackerel gravlax or smoked trout
salami sausageGranny Smith apple
mozzarellablueberries
wild greens or arugula raspberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

eggplant + bread crumbs + onion chicken breast + part-skim ricotta cheese
spinach leaves + garlic + egg yolkcilantro = sriracha
Parmesan cheese + whole grain pasta Swedish cucumber salad  + sugar snap peas
white whole wheat flour + canned whole tomatoescherry tomatoes + Finn Crisp
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Omar Khayyam

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to paris400 who is now Following.

“A book of verses underneath a bough, a jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and Thou beside me, singing in the wilderness. Ah! Wilderness were paradise enow!”

Many people know of that bit of verse from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. But what do they know of the author? Omar was born in Nishapur in 1048 CE, under the Seljuk Empire. His father was either a wealthy physician or a tent-maker — ‘khayyam’ means ‘tent-maker’ in Arabic. The son was treated to an excellent education under a mathematician who, although living in a newly Muslim country, followed the older Zoroastrian religion. When Omar was 18, his father and his tutor died, so the boy joined a caravan to take him to Samarkand, now in Uzbekistan, to be with his father’s friend. In a new empire, Omar found favor with the ruler who fostered his further studies. Before he was 25 years old, Khayyam had published a books about arithmetic, algebra, and music. He was known as an astronomer, and so was invited to return to his homeland to over-see the building and running of an observatory in Esfaha. For 18 years, Omar devoted his life to astronomy. Among other findings, he calculated the length of the year as having 365.24219858156 days — which is astonishingly accurate. Khayyam died on December 4, 1131, and his name was largely forgotten until it came up again in 1859. Omar had written 120 quatrains, called rubáiyáts [from the word for ‘4’], which were translated into English by Edward Fitzgerald. At that time, literary works from southern Asia, like the 1001 Nights, were all the rage in Europe. Persia was unknown territory, so the poems depicting life in and out of taverns, lolling under trees, and fearing imminent death, were read extensively. As children, my sister and I would pour over our mother’s copy, amazed by the exotic illustrations as we read the curious verses.

Our breakfast is a real treat, with sparkles of cranberry in each bite. Served cool, it might be a nice picnic item when ‘underneath a bough’ with that book of poetry. The dinner is rich in flavor. These are prime examples of Mediterranean meals, even though they originated far from that inland sea.

Kuku Sabzi: 223 calories 16.6 g fat 2 g fiber 8.5 g protein 12 g carbs 80 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Herbs abound in this Persian egg dish. The recipe is from themediterraneandish. HINT: Serves two [2].

Sv 2  4×6” oval casserolePut rack in upper-middle oven, heat to 375F. 
1 tsp olive oilCoat bottom and sides of pan with oil. Fit a piece of parchment paper into the pan, then flip the paper so both sides are oiled.
2/3 c. flat-leaf parsley, leaves 2/3 c. cilantro leaves + stems 1/3 c. fresh dill
2 scallions, trimmed
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil		Roughly chop dill, scallions. 
Combine everything in a food processor.
Process until finely ground. Set aside.
½ tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground green cardamom
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cumin
pinch ground black pepper		In a large bowl, whisk these together. 
1 two-oz eggAdd egg, whisk until blended, 
1 two-oz egg add egg, whisk until just combined.
Herb mixture
2 T. walnuts, toasted, chopped 
2 T. dried cranberries, chopped 		Fold in herb-scallion mixture, then nuts, fruit. Pour into prepared pan and smooth top.
Bake in heated oven until center is firm, 20-25 mins/15 mins for smaller pan.
dollop of plain yogurt.Let cool in pan undisturbed 10 mins. Run a thin knife around edges to loosen. Invert onto a plate, remove the paper. Then re-invert on serving plate or a cutting board. Slice, serve warm or at room temp.

Mirza Ghasemi: 264 calories 11.5 g fat 10 g fiber 10 g protein 35.5 g carbs 44.5 mg Calcium  PB GF – if omitting bread  This Persian dip contains ingredients from Northern Iran’s Gilan Province. Rich in flavor and high in nutrients. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. The dish was invented by the Persian ambassador to Russia in 1960.

1# eggplant 1.5 big tomatoesCook these over a fire: on a barbecue or a gas stove top. If you don’t have an open fire, broil or roast them. Tomatoes only need to be lightly cooked. But eggplant must be cooked so that juice is dripping out, flesh is soft and skin peels off easily.
2 cloves garlicPeel, put on a skewer/cocktail stick. Lightly cook over flame or under broiler. Crush garlic and chop finely.
Once cooled a bit, peel tomato and eggplant. Keep flesh, discard skins. Chop both into large chunks, keep apart.
1 T. olive oilHeat oil, cook garlic on low-med heat – sizzling slightly.
1 T. tomato pureeOnce lightly browned, add puree and cook 5 mins.
Grilled tomatoes ½ tsp salt 
½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp paprika
½ tsp turmeric 		Add grilled tomatoes to pan. 
Add spices and cook another 5 mins.
Grilled eggplantAdd aubergines to pan. Stir and cook 5 mins. 
I ran it all through the food processor to make a chunky paste.
chopped hard-boiled egg   chopped herbs
1.5 oz Lavash each person 		Garnish with egg and herbs. 
Serve as a spread for the bread.

Comparing Plans: Cabbage Soup Diet

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

Since the 1980s, there has been a Cabbage Soup Diet. Rumor has it that a “prestigious hospital” developed this way of eating to help patients with heart disease to lose weight. But that is only a rumor. How this started is anyone’s guess and periodically it starts up again. I have heard of two ways to employ this diet: 1] Make a huge batch of cabbage soup, and eat a bowl before every meal. The idea is that after the soup, you will eat less of the regular meal. This goes on for as many days as it takes to lose your weight or until you can’t stand soup any more. 2] Make a huge batch of cabbage soup and eat a bowl whenever you are hungry for seven days. On certain days, you add certain foods in a set pattern. This goes on for seven days only, and nothing else is eaten. This is an example of a DIET, not a LIFESTYLE. The difference is that with this diet, you might lose weight in the short term, but you have trained yourself not to like cabbage soup instead of training yourself how to eat in a way that will keep the weight off. Lifestyle-eating allows you to get to a healthy weight and maintain it because the way of eating is pleasant and sustainable.

Is this food allowed on this diet…Cabbage SoupOn Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, porkOnly beef, Days 5 + 6Yes
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkeyOnly Day 5Yes, preferred
Eggs noYes 
Beer, wine, cocktailsnoOn Slow Days
Grains, starches: rice, wheat products, pasta, cereals Only Brown Rice, Day 7in moderation
Nuts + seedsNo in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeasnoYes 
Seafood protein, especially with Omega-3 fatsnoYes 
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruitsOnly Day 1Yes 
Berries, bananasOnly Day 1, not bananasYes 
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuceOnly Day 2Yes 
Dairy: Cheese, milk, yogurt On Day 4, Skim milk only Some 
Vegetable oils: olive, canolanoin moderation
Animal fat: butterNo in moderation
Root vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, carrotsnoYes 
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppersDays 3, 6, 7Yes 
Fat NoNo 
Protein Very lowYes. lots 
Higher fiberNot a factorYes
Daily Carb intakeNot a factorKeep it low
Whole grains noYes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake, bread, processed foodsNONot on Fast Day
Number of days per week to follow the regimin every day for 7 days2 of 7
Do calories matter?No Only 600 on Fast Days

If eating cabbage soup once in a while sounds yummy, here is a good recipe. If you would like a low-calorie meal with cabbage — but not soup — try the Danish Stuffed Cabbage. FYI, November 30 is Stuffed Cabbage Day — called Kåldolmens Dag — in Sweden.

Cabbage-Sausage Soup: 264 calories 11 g fat 5 g fiber 14 g protein 25.5 g carbs 66 mg Calcium  PB GF  Since this is Jacques Pepin’s recipe, I’ll let him say it:  “When the weather gets cooler in the fall, I make soup. I generally cook up a big batch and freeze some for whenever I need it. This one, with sausage, potatoes, and cabbage, is hearty and good for cold weather.” HINT: Makes 6 one-cup servings.

8 ounces mild Italian sausage meat 1½ cups onions, sliced 6 scallions, cut into ½-inch pieces (1¼ cups) 6 cups water 1 cup canned chickpeas 16 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” chunks — try using half sweet potatoes 8 ounces savoy or other green cabbage, chopped/sliced 1¼ teaspoons salt

“Break the sausage meat into 1” pieces and place it in a saucepan over high heat. Sauté, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon [to keep the meat from sticking], for 10 minutes, or until the sausage is well browned. Add the onions and scallions and cook 1 minute. Stir in the water, chickpeas, potatoes, cabbage, and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes.” Portion for storage or serving. One portion = 1 cup.

Danish Stuffed Cabbage: 282 calories 6 g fat 6 g fiber 35 g protein 25 g carbs 125 mg Calcium  PB GF 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 all over, where-ever cabbages are grown.

4 oz turkey meat, raw 2 oz pork meat, raw 2½ 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. 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 ½-way up the rolls. Put on a lid or foil and bake at 350 F. for 30 minutes. Plate with the pickled beets and a dab of mustard. Fit for a king.

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

2 two-oz eggs = US large + olive oil + parsley1.5 two-oz eggs 
cilantro + scallions + baking powder + cumincelery + onion
green cardamom + cinnamon + black peppergreen bell pepper
walnuts + dried cranberries [plain yogurt]Tabasco sauce + Cajun seasonings
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

large eggplant [1#] + garlic + paprika4 oz beef liver
2 large tomatoes + olive oil + tomato pureeonion
turmeric + hard-boiled egggreen beans aka string beans
chopped herbs + Lavash bread @ 90 calories/1.5 ozbutter
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Clovis

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

In 481 CE, Hlodowig son of Childeric became King of the Salian Franks at age 15. The Salian Franks ruled in what is now Belgium and part of the Netherlands. The Roman Empire had recently dissolved, and Europe was broken into many small pieces, ruled by bickering, power-hungry war-lords. The young king lived up to his name, which has been translated as “plunder provider.” Within five years he had attacked and killed the last Governor of Roman Gaul, taking over most of Western France. With allies in Burgundy, Hlodowig chased the Visigoths from Southern France into Spain. He set up his capital in Paris where much power was held by the Christian clergy who called him “Clovis.” The crafty king was adept at adopting behaviors of other cultures. From the Romans: have your army travel light while plundering local food. From the Franks, kill your defeated enemies and their families. From the Catholic Gauls, marry a Christian wife to gain allies. Clovis eventually became the first ruler over a unified “France,” the first king in the Merovingian Dynasty. Influenced by his wife Clotilde [and a close call on the battlefield], Clovis was baptized as a Christian on Christmas Day 508, in the town of Reims. Since then, all but two kings of France have been crowned at Reims. Clovis continued to reign ruthlessly until his death on 27 November 511. He was buried initially in Paris, elevating the small city to importance, but was later reburied at Saint Denis. Foolishly, he divided his hard-won nation among his four sons, dividing the country again and leading to strife for many years.

In Clovis’ time, breakfast was seldom eaten upon awakening. When people did get around to eating, it was a grain porridge, so we will have that for breakfast. Since the name ‘Clovis’ also refers to a town in Eastern New Mexico, our dinner will be full of the ingredients of that region.

10-Grain Cereal:  143 calories… 1 g fat… 4 g fiber… 8 g protein… 28 g carbs…   NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB This is one of our favorite breakfasts – even on a Slow Day! 

++ 3 Tbsp uncooked Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal ++++ ¼ cup low-fat milk ++++ 1/3 cup water ++++ Toppings: 2 Tbsp blueberries, fresh or frozen ++++ 2 Tbsp milk ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or  berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

If preparing the night before: Cook the cereal with the water/milk for about 8 minutes on the stove. Pour into a microwave-safe bowl. Next morning: Heat the cereal in the microwave for about a minute, then top with berries and milk.  If preparing in the morning: Cook the cereal with the water/milk for about 8 minutes on the stove. Pour into the bowl and top with berries and milk. 

Squash-Cupped Chili:  210 calories… 1 g fat… 8.6 g fiber… 8.6 g protein… 30 g carbs… 122 mg Calcium…   PB GF  Squash, beans, tomatoes, and chili pepper are flavors of the American South-West. They are as delicious as they are nutritious.

5 oz delicata squash 1 cup chili non carne** 2 oz melon

**CHILI NON CARNE: PB GF 

Makes 4 cups
1 cup chopped onion ++++ 1 green pepper, chopped ++++ juice from canned tomatoes, belowSaute onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender.
15 oz canned red beans
16 oz canned tomatoes, chunks or diced
2-3 tsp chili pepper
½ – 1 tsp ground cumin 		Drain and rinse canned beans. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. 
1 cup =133 calories… 0.7 g fat… 6 g fiber… 7 g protein… 10 g carbs… 70 mg Calcium..Freeze unused portions.

Since delicata squash is oblong with rounded ends, first cut a small slice from one end so that it will stand up on a plate. Then cut off enough squash that it weighs 5 oz. If you prefer to do this as two thick slices, rather than one large cup, suit yourself. Scoop out the seeds but leave the flesh inside the skin. Bake or microwave the squash until the skin is very tender but not collapsing. Meanwhile, prepare or heat the chili. Plate the squash cup, fill it with chili, pour the remaining chili around the cup, and garnish with the melon.

Turkey Day

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

American Thanksgiving is observed on the 4th Thursday of November every year. [Thanksgiving was made official by President Lincoln in 1863.] Although a Day of Thanksgiving was held at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621, that was more of a First Nations Harvest Festival than what we would call Thanksgiving. After all, the early settlers were always holding ‘Days of Thanksgiving’ when things were going well. Turkey is native to the Americas, so it has become the main course for most everybody. [Turkey was made official by the Norman Rockwell painting “Freedom from Want”] It is so ubiquitous that many people refer to Thanksgiving as “Turkey Day.” Turkey meat, white and dark, is delicious and nutritious; low in fat and high in protein. One can roast it with stuffing, spatch-cook it with dressing on the side, prepare it as a roulade, or confit the legs. The pounds are added the day after due to 1] fatty, caloric side dishes and 2] unrestrained eating. More than food, Thanksgiving is about being with family and friends. Enjoy the day.

For breakfast, those traditional Thanksgiving ingredients are baked with eggs. So easy! For dinner, a nod to the Indigenous People with a dinner of squash and venison [sausage]. The combination of autumn flavors is wonderful.

Turkey/Stuffing Bake: 135 calories 6.5 g fat 1.5 g fiber 11 g protein 9 g carbs 44 mg Calcium   NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  GF- if using GF bread  Here’s a breakfast to use Thanksgiving leftovers! Another in the dinner-for-breakfast series.

1 two-oz egg ½ oz turkey breast, raw or cooked, diced finely 0.75 oz prepared turkey stuffing —OR— ¼ slice of 70-calorie whole-grain bread [¼ oz] + 1-2 Tbsp onions + 1-2 Tbsp celery lots of rosemary + thyme + sage + salt + pepper 1 oz pear Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Without pre-made stuffing + raw turkey: In a saute pan, cook onions, seasonings, celery, and turkey [if it is raw] in a little water and a spray of cooking spray until vegetables are softened. Cut bread in ¼” dice and add it to the pan of cooked vegetables. Stir to mix all ingredients completely. Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray. Distribute turkey-stuffing mixture over bottom. Whisk egg thoroughly and pour into the ramekin. Bake at 350F until puffed and starting to brown. About 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the pear and prepare the optional beverages. With pre-made stuffing + cooked turkey: Dice turkey finely and add to stuffing and herbs. Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray. Distribute turkey-stuffing mixture over bottom. Whisk egg thoroughly and pour into the ramekin. Bake at 350F until puffed and starting to brown. About 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the pear and prepare the optional beverages. Be thankful for the start of another good day.

Venison Sausage w/ Roasted Vegetables:  295 calories 12 g fat 5 g fiber 9 g protein 36.4 g carbs 88 mg Calcium  PB GF  “Sheet Pan” meals seem to be all the rage now. Roasting everything together, while keeping all the elements separate, makes for a simple process with the flavors intact yet blended. This version is very good and rich and makes a small amount of meat punch above its weight.  HINT: As written, this recipe serves two [2] people.

1 venison sausage, 290 calories or less 10.5 oz/300 g delicata squash, seeds removed 6.5 oz sweet potato 1 oz/28 g parsnip, cut as coins 10 fresh cranberries crushed red pepper thyme sprigs salt + pepper

Preheat oven to 450F. Cut the sausage into 8-10 slices. Cut the squash into ½” slices, and remove the seeds. Peel and slice sweet potato ¼” thick, then cut into half-moons, if very large. Peel parsnips and cut into coins. Spray a cast iron skillet with cooking spray or olive oil. Put all the vegetables in the pan in one layer. Spritz it all over with olive oil or cooking spray. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper. Liberally top with thyme sprigs. Heat oven to 425F, and pop the pan in. Roast for 10 minutes, then remove from oven. Turn oven down to 400F. Turn over the vegetables in the pan, then place the sausage and cranberries in the centers of squash slices. Spritz again with oil/cooking spray and return to oven for 10-15 minutes. Voila: pleasing to the eye and palate.

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

Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain cereal or equivalent bulk sausage meat
low-fat or non-fat milkchickpeas + onions
blueberriesscallions
potato + [Savoy] cabbage
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

delicata squash veal + pork + turkey
Chili Non Carne milk + sage + cabbage leaves
melonfresh bread crumbs + pickled beets
mustard + egg white
Sparkling water Sparkling water

The Essex

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

On August 12, 1819, The Essex left Nantucket Harbor to hunt whales. Thirty-three other whaling vessels left from that port that year, but the Essex did not return. The 20-year-old ship had a crew of 21, a racially-mixed group, all eager to cash in on the booming whale oil industry. The Essex, with a thick hull of oak, recently sheathed in copper, was thought to be a lucky ship due to her past success. On her way to the whaling grounds in the South Pacific, The Essex was nearly rolled over in a gale, losing two of her five whaleboats. When the ship took too long to reach the Pacific, the crew began to think her luck had changed. One man defected in South America, leaving them under-staffed. On November 20, a male Sperm Whale that almost as long as the ship deliberately rammed her twice, stoving in the bow. As the ship slowly sank, the crew salvaged what they could and piled into the three long-boats. The captain and the first mate debated whether to sail downwind to the Marquesas Islands, 1200 miles away or to sail south 1000 miles, then 3000 miles east to South America. Wishing to avoid supposed cannibals on the Marquesas, they opted for the long route. After 20 days afloat, the men were rationed half a pint of water and six ounces of hard bread per man per day — guaranteed starvation at 500 calories per day. On the 31st day, they landed at Henderson Island and ate all the animals there within a week. They then went back to the boats, except for three who chose to remain there. [They were later rescued] On Day 57, the cannibals who were not on the Marquesas, were in their boat: a crew member who died was eaten by his boat mates. One of the three boats drifted off and was not seen again. By Day 74, having continued to eat those who died of natural causes, the men in the Captain’s boat drew lots to determine whom they should murder and then eat. At last, 96 days after the whale attack, the remaining five men were rescued. They recovered and went home. Two of them wrote memoirs. Captain Pollard retired after another failed voyage. Every year, on November 20, he would lock himself in his room and fast, recollecting The Essex crew. The horrible events captured the popular imagination: Melville’s Moby Dick was inspired by the whale attack, and even Anne of Green Gables meets a family who’s sea-faring ancestor ate his crewmates.

The crew ate 500 calories a day, which is less than what we eat on a Fast Day. We don’t starve because our meals are nutritionally balanced, and the next day we can eat normally. Our meals come from Goa in the Indian Ocean, since whale boats sometimes went that far to hunt. The dinner is from the Azores which had a long tradition of whaling from its own shores. Many Azoreans signed on with New England whaling crews, and then settled in Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Goan Scramble:  150 calories 7.6 g fat 1 g fiber 10.4 g protein 10 g carbs 57 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The mixture of spices and spicy foods called Cafreal Masala is typical of Goan cuisine. It really delivers a punch to these eggs!

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs, pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid, and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  1.5 tsp Cafreal Masala ½ oz shrimp, cooked and chopped 1.5 oz mango   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]

Whisk the eggs and pour into a hot pan that has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the shrimp on top. Drizzle the masala paste onto the eggs and swirl it into the eggs as they cook, sort of like putting the chocolate into marble cake batter. Plate with the mango and serve with your choice of optional beverages.

Cozido Soup:  Cozido is a specialty of the Azores island of Sao Miguel. Some of the dormant volcanoes still have warm magma and send steam out through vents and fissures. Locals lower cauldrons of meats and vegetables into steaming wells, then serve the cooked meal at restaurants. The serving for two at O Miroma in Furnas consists of vast quantities of beef, pork knuckles, blood sausage, carrots, potatoes, collards, cabbage, and turnips. Like a New England Boiled Dinner, but cooked in a volcanic vent! We took the remainders from our meal home.  You could make this soup at home using readily- available ingredients and your humble cooktop.

The next day, I put the bones, sausage, and juices in a pot with water and Piment da Queijo. While that simmered, I cut up the vegetables and meat into bite-sized pieces [discarding the blood sausage to which I have an aversion]. Combined, it provided a hearty, nourishing, and low-calorie soup for a Fast Day.

Hometown Heroine: Fort Washington

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

Margaret Cochran had a difficult life. She was born on a subsistence farm in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, which was then on the far western frontier of the 13 Colonies. Her father was killed in an Indian raid, during which her mother was abducted, never to be seen again. Little Margaret and her brother were taken in by relatives. She married John Corbin when she was 21 years old. Three years later, the Colonies asserted their independence, the Revolutionary War began, and John Corbin enlisted. Wives of soldiers had three choices: go live with their parents; stay home and run their farm alone; or join their husbands at the army camp. Margaret took her only option and became a ‘camp follower.’ Contrary to popular opinion, these women were not prostitutes and, although General Washington tried to outlaw them, they served a purpose. The women who lived with the army did the cooking and laundry for the troops, providing a useful service and earning money for their work. It was not an easy life, especially during battles when the women would take food and water and ammunition to the soldiers under fire. They would also move the injured to the medical tent and tend them. John Corbin was part of a 5-man team who manned a cannon. His job was to swab the bore of the cannon with a wet mop, to cool it down between shots. After the cannon was loaded with shot and powder, he tamped the charge into the barrel. On November 16, 1776, during the battle of Fort Washington on Manhattan Island, Margaret Corbin put on man’s clothing and stood with her husband by the cannon. When he was killed, she took his place, doing the work as well as any man, much to the admiration of her crew-mates who called her ‘Captain Molly’. The superior British forces closed in on the fort at last and a cannon shot hit Margaret’s position. She was badly injured in her jaw and chest, and her left arm was almost blown off. When the fort fell, Corbin was captured but later released. Her injuries healed poorly and she was in pain for the rest of her life, losing the use of her arm. She joined the Invalid Regiment at West Point, one of many disabled soldiers who help tend the wounded until her discharge in 1783. Margaret was not a likable women by all accounts but she was tenacious. When she heard that veterans received a stipend, she applied for one. The Congress awarded her a life-long pension [half-pay] and a new suit of clothes for her service. In Manhattan’s Fort Tryon Park, a plaque describes Margaret Corbin as the first woman to fight for her county’s freedom. She died in obscurity in her late 40s, but her remains found a home at West Point and were buried with military honors. A monument to her marks her grave. Margaret proved that there was a place for women in ‘this man’s army.’ In 1976, female cadets were admitted for the first time to the US Military Academy at West Point.

Our menu consists of food that would have been familiar to farm families who lived off foods of their own production.

Scrapple Bake: 149 calories 7 g fat 4 g fiber 8.5 g protein 10 g carbs 62.5 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  GF  Scrapple is one of the specialty foods of the “Pennsylvania Dutch” people of South Eastern Pennyslvania. Excellent for breakfast, served as a side dish like sausage or combined with eggs in this bake.

1 two-oz egg ½ oz scrapple, baked until cooked ½ oz scallion, chopped ½ cup raspberries + 1 Tbsp fat-free vanilla yogurt  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

The night before, bake the scrapple in the oven until firm. Dice it and combine with the scallion.  In the morning, set the toaster oven at 350 F. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Scatter the scrapple and scallion in the ramekin. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the scrapple. Bake 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, portion the berries and dollop the yogurt on top. Brew a beverage and enjoy a fine, homey breakfast.

Corned Beef & Cabbage:  299 calories 22 g fat 4 g fiber 22.5 g protein 15 g carbs 220.5 mg Calcium  Fannie Farmer’s cookbook provides the inspiration for this recipe. Add deli corned beef to creamed cabbage with cheese, and you are in the spirit of subsistence farmers in early America.

3 cups sliced cabbage ¼ cup plain bechamel sauce, without cheese  2 oz corned beef [thinly sliced, from the deli] cut into strips ½ oz deli Swiss cheese salt & pepper

Steam the cabbage for 5 minutes. Stir in the bechamel sauce, corned beef, and seasonings. Put into an oven-proof dish and lay the cheese slice on top. Bake at 350 degrees F. until the cheese melts.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1 two-oz egg + olive oil 
mangopear + onion + celery + herbs
shrimpturkey breast meat, cooked or raw
cafreal masala 70-calorie whole-grain bread
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverage optional hot beverage

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

pork meat + beef meat venison sausage @ 290 calories or less
carrotsdelicata squash + sweet potato
kale + turnipparsnip + fresh cranberries
cabbagecrushed red pepper + thyme sprigs
Sparkling waterSparkling water