Gregor Mendel

July 19, 2023August 9, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Green and yellow peas were used by Mendel to track inherited traits over many generations.

Your parents both have brown eyes, but you have blue eyes*. You have detached earlobes, but your mother has attached lobes** — why don’t you take after her more? Those questions were answered by the work of Řehoř Jan Mendel, known to the world as Gregor Mendel. He was born on July 20, 1822, in Silesia, then in the Austrian Empire, now in Czechia. The Mendel family had worked the same farmland for 130 years, and Jan was trained to keep the vegetable garden as well as the bees. His schooling was frequently interrupted by illness. Twice he took the test for a teaching certificate without success. Wishing to pursue his studies, but out of funds — even after borrowing from his sister — Jan became a monk in 1846, taking the name Řehoř [Gregor]. After a stint at University of Vienna, Brother Gregor returned to his abbey to teach physics. A local mentor encouraged Mendel to study genetics, so Gregor worked with peas in the monastery vegetable garden. From 1853 to 1867, he planted and cross-bred 10,000 pea plants. The peas had seven different characteristics [which he called ‘factors,’ now called ‘genetic traits’], including height and color of peas. By carefully transferring pollen from one flower to another, Mendel could influence the resultant pea crop. When a tall plant was crossed with a short one, it yielded a tall plant every time. He called tallness a ‘dominant’ factor and shortness ‘recessive.’ But when he planted their seeds for the next generation, one in four plants with the tall-short parents would be short. His observations lead to Mendel’s Laws of Heredity. 1st Law: dominant factors will always show up in offspring. 2nd Law: each parent has two ‘factors’ yet passes only one of them on to the offspring. In modern Biology classes, we teach the Punnett Square to show how dominant and recessive traits are passed on. Mendel was discouraged from pursuing his research: the Bishop giggled at the thought and suggested that Brother Gregor should grow potatoes. His work stopped when he became abbot, but no one was interested in his ideas anyhow. Twenty years after his death in 1884, his theories were confirmed by scientists. In the 1930s, his work was seen as integral to the study of genetics. With the advent of gene research, doctors today can identify diseases that are dominant and recessive — all thanks to Brother Gregor, the Father of Genetics.

For breakfast, herbs and zucchini from the garden. For dinner — what else?? — a soup of green peas.

* your brown-eyes dominant parents each carry a recessive gene for blue eyes, and you got them both. **your dominant gene for detached earlobes came from your father, since your mother carries the recessive gene for attached earlobes.

Zucchini-Herb ScrOmelette: 152 calories 8.6 g fat 1 g fiber 11 g protein 7 g carbs 80 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Summer squashes were made to be combined with lots of herbs. Then add cheese: bliss!

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 cup zucchini, grated 2 Tbsp fresh herbs [or more!], chopped 2 Tbsp grated Jarlsberg cheese 1 oz applesauce OR 1.5 oz peaches 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]

Put the zucchini and herbs into a lightly-spritzed non-stick saute pan. Cook until softened and most of the liquid is evaporated. Whisk the eggs with the cheese and pour into the pan. Scramble it or cook as an omelette, hence ScrOmelette. Prepare the beverages and plate the fruit. Ahhhh. The taste of Summer.

Green Split Pea Soup: 262 calories 1.6 g fat 19 g fiber 20 g protein 46 g carbs 30 mg Calcium PB GF For years we have loved this soup from Picardy, France which comes to us via Anne Willen’s French Regional Cooking. The easiest recipe in the world! HINT: Makes 6 one-cup servings. What you don’t use today, freeze in serving-sized portions.

16 oz bag dry green split peas + water to soak 1 quart water, for making the soup 2 slices bacon 2 stems of thyme salt + pepper to taste

Put the dry peas in a bowl and add water to cover them by 2”. Let them sit and soften for 1.5 hours. Drain. TIP: you will not need the soaking water for the soup, but use it to water the houseplants Put the peas, bacon, thyme, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 1¼ hours. NB: Not all the liquid will be used up.That’s fine. Remove the bacon and the thyme stems. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion wand, puree the soup. There should be 6 cups. Soup should be loose enough to run off a spoon, but not too thin. Add water, if necessary, to adjust thickness. Taste for seasonings. Cook the bacon in a saute pan until it is crisp. Crumble it and add to the soup.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	1 two-oz egg
apple + pear	2 slices American/streaky bacon
sage + ricotta cheese	apple or peach
American/streaky bacon + mustard
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Canned or cooked salmon	3# chicken or fowl + onion + celery
one 3.5 oz cucumber	Carrot + Worcestershire sauce
4-bean salad + Watercress sauce	White whole wheat flour + peas
prepared mustard + leek or scallion	Dumplings: flour, milk, baking powder, herbs
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Isaac Watts

July 16, 2023July 11, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Only a few years after Issac Watts was born on July 17, 1674, his parents realized that he was a prodigy. He was reading at age 3, learned latin at age 4. Young Isaac delighted in rhyme and his first poem was penned when he was 7 years old. By the time he was 13, he had learned French and two classical languages. Family friends suggested an early admission to Oxford University, to the end of an occupation as an Anglican clergyman. But Isaac spurned the suggestion, since he had been raised as a ‘dissenter.’ His family were Calvinists, followers of the French style of Protestantism, and these views were at odds with those of the English Anglican Church. Isaac’s formal education ended at age 20 and he moved back home. When hymns were sung at their church, Watts noted the lack-luster engagement of the congregation. Hearing his frequent complaints, his father challenged him to write something better. The enthusiastic reception of of Isaac’s new song inspired him to write one new hymn every week for the next 2 years. [Watts did not write the music. The church music director saw to matching music to the words.] The followers of Luther had been singing new songs for 150 years, but Calvin had insisted that the words of hymns be from the Psalms of the Old Testament, which can be rather dreary. Watts re-wrote the psalms, turning out new wordings which could be sung with enthusiasm. Below, note the way Watts reinterpreted the words to be ‘catchier,’ more singable — putting New Testament optimism over Old Testament angst.

Psalm 90 verses 1-8

“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth
and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday
when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

O God, our help in ages past,
  Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
  And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne
  Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
  And our defence is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
  Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
  To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
  Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
  Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
  Dies at the opening day.
O God, our help in ages past,
  Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
  And our eternal home.

Not every worshipper was fond of these new songs, but in time Watts’ hymns became embedded in the musical traditions of protestant churches. Can you imagine Christmas without “Joy to the World”? Thank you, Isaac Watts! For the last 30 years of his life, marked by bouts of fever and weakness, Isaac was the pastor of a Dissenter congregation near London. In addition to his pastoral duties, he was a prolific writer: four books of lyrics; essays on theological topics; education texts; and his 1000s of sermons were collected into books. Watts’ words of faith and Christian virtue sing on in churches across the world, a testament to his talent.

Watts wrote simple, comforting words in his songs. Our meals will be simple, comforting foods from England.

Poached Egg on Toast: 156 calories 5.6 g fat 2.4 g fiber 10.5 g protein 14.6 g carbs 52.6 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods only, not the optional beverages. PB GF — if using GF bread I never used to like poached eggs, but on a Fast Day, they taste good.

one slice of 70-cal bread [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] one 2-oz egg 1 oz of apple or 1.5 oz melon 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]

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

Vegetable Pie: prepared with LATTICE + cheese: 1 Serving = 236 calories 9.4 g fat 4.6 g fiber 7 g protein 44 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF puff pastry. This excellent recipe is from allrecipes.com. I removed most of the oil and half of the puff pastry, and it still tastes wonderful. The grated cheese is my addition. HINT: This recipe makes enough for 3 servings. For 2 servings, I used an 8” casserole dish.

Sv 3: 1 Sv= 1¼ cup	Preheat oven to 425 F /220 C
1 tsp oil+ 1 tsp water ½ c onion 4 oz mushroom 1 clove garlic	Heat oil+water in a large skillet/ saucepan. Chop the vegetables and cook in oil 3-5 mins, stirring often.
1 lg carrot, peeled ¼# potato, peeled 7” stalk celery 1 c. cauliflower ½ c green beans 1½ c veg broth 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper	Dice carrots and potato. Slice celery and beans into 1” pieces. Cut cauliflower into florets. Add all vegetables to pan, then add broth. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook until vegetables are barely tender, ~5 mins. Season with salt and pepper.
1 Tbsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp water rosemary + thyme	Mix until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir into vegetables with herbs, and cook until sauce thickens, ~3 minutes. TIP: can do day before. For 2 servings, remove 1¼ c and freeze for another use.
1 oz Gouda, grated ½ sheet puff paste OR ¼ sheet, cut for lattice	Pour filling into a baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Roll out dough and arrange over filling. If not using lattice, cut slits to vent steam.
	Bake until crust is brown and filling is bubbly, ~25 mins

Frida Kahlo

July 12, 2023July 10, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Is there an artist more recognizable than Frida Kahlo? She is the icon of the strong woman; of innovative art; and of over-coming adversity. She was born in 1907, and suffered from polio as a child. Ever after, Kahlo wore long skirts to hide her atrophied leg. While attending the prestigious National Preparatory School in Mexico City, Frida first saw the famous Diego Rivera as he painted a mural. She told a friend that some day she would marry him. After a traffic accident that left her with numerous broken bones, she took up painting to keep her occupied while enduring life in a full-body cast. Frida most often painted herself — she said that she was the subject that she knew best. In 1928, Kahlo approached Rivera, asking him for advice on her career. They became romantically involved and married in 1929. A tempestuous relationship ensued. Their’s was an open marriage with separate studios and separate living arrangements. Both of them had other partners and there was so much arguing that no one was surprised that they divorced — only to remarry in 1940. Through it all, she painted: pictures filled with pain and symbolism; with anger and Mexican heritage; with suffering and nature; with sensuality and political fervor. In her lifetime, she was recognized as a fine artist, selling works to collectors in New York City and Paris. After she died on July 13, 1954, her reputation languished, only to be resurrected in the 1990s, followed by a sort of Fridamania. Today she is honored as one of Mexico’s greatest artists and as a major contributor to feminist ideology.

Our meals, are from Frida’s Mexico, probably a bit Americanized, as has been Frida’s legacy.

Mexican Bake: 124 calories 6.5 g fat 1.5 g fiber 8.4 g protein 8 g carbs 76 mg Calcium PB GF Queso, adobo, Mexican oregano – how much more flavor can we pack into these eggs? Try this, it is good.

¼ oz queso fresco one 2-oz egg 1 Tbsp green or red New Mexico chili 0.2 oz roasted red pepper Mexican oregano ½ tsp adobo 1.5 oz mango OR 1 oz blueberries + 1 oz melon, diced 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] or lemon in hot water

Spritz a ramekin [for 2 people, Dear Husband prefers to use a 4×6” oval casserole] with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350F. Chop the roasted pepper and stir them into the chili, queso, and other flavorings. DO NOT ADD SALT. Whisk the egg and stir in the above mixture. Pour into the oven-proof dish and bake 12-15 minutes. Plate the fruit, prepare your beverage of choice. Eat con gusto/with pleasure.

Fajitas with Chicken + Vegetables: 286 calories 5 g fat 4 g fiber 24 g protein 35 g carbs 183 mg Calcium PB GF – using corn tortillas It is quick, delicious, and a good way to use vegetables. EatingWell is the source of this super easy meal. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] people.

1 tsp oil + 3 tsp water + 6 oz chicken breast 2 c.[9.5 oz] veg, including: 3 oz sweet pepper + 4 oz zucchini + 1 oz red onion + 1.5 oz broccoli 1 tsp chili powder + 1 tsp Adobo	Cut meat into strips or shred if already cooked. Cut vegetables into strips or other edible sizes. Heat oil in wok, stirfry meat, vegetables, water, and seasonings ~ 7 minutes or until cooked and vegetables begin to brown
four 5” yellow corn tortillas @ 60 cal each	Wrap in damp kitchen towel and nuke 30-45 seconds. -OR- Warm on a griddle or in a dry skillet until pliable and starting to brown.
3 Tbsp plain nonfat yog = 2 tsp per tortilla	Smear yogurt on each tortilla. Divide the meat/veg among the tortillas.
1 lime ¼ c cilantro leaves	Serve lime on the side, squeeze juice on fajita contents. Sprinkle with cilantro.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	1.5 two-oz eggs + mixed herbs
1 slice whole-grain bread, 70 calories	Jarlsberg cheese
apple or melon	zucchini
	peach or applesauce
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

olive oil + onion + mushrooms + garlic + thyme	1 pound dried green split peas
carrot + potato + green beans + cauliflower	uncured streaky bacon
vegetable broth + cornstarch + soy sauce	thyme
puff pastry + Gouda cheese + rosemary, za’atar
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Ape-Man & Monkey Trial

July 9, 2023July 4, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

In 1859, Charles Darwin published the book that was to change science forever, yet ruin his life: On the Origin of Species. It stated that plant and animal life were not static since the start of time, but changed bit by bit over time evolving into new forms of life. In 1871, he followed it up with The Descent of Man, saying that humans are animals just like any other, and that they too evolved — from a non-human ancestor. Cue the torches and pitchforks! Critics said, “Where is the proof? Where are the fossil remains of an ‘ape-man?” In 1856, fossils were found in the Neander River Valley of Germany that looked human — sort of — except they clearly had an ‘ape-like’ jaw and teeth. This was dubbed the Neanderthal [‘thal’ = ‘valley’ in German] Man. Was this the ‘missing link’ between apes and humans?? The issue was hotly debated for decades. On July 10, 1925, in Dayton, Tennessee, John T. Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution to his high school biology class. [Evolution was an approved part of the state curriculum, although the Butler Act forbad it.] A committee of town leaders had decided that the way to put Dayton on the map would be to stage a ‘show trial’ based on the hot-button issue of evolution. They were right. Media swarmed to the trial, due especially to the participation of two high profile lawyers: William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution and Clarence Darrow for the defense. The two former allies were poles apart on religion, and the highlight of the trial was when Darrow put Bryan on the witness stand, producing a confused set of answers about events from the Book of Genesis. The trial was famously [mis]represented on stage in Lawrence and Lee’s 1955 Inherit the Wind, made into a movie in 1960 [the clip of Darrow on the stand is from the film — not court transcripts]. The guilty verdict against Scopes, subsequently set aside by acquittal, did not end the controversy of creationism vs. evolution. In 2005, a case in Dover, Pennsylvania took on the constitutionality of teaching creationism. Evolution won. On July 11, 1997, German scientists used DNA to analyze the Neanderthal genome — a major step in determining the relationship between them and us. Results showed that Neanderthals were humans, Homo neanderthalensis, but not ancestors of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Analysis of Homo sapiens DNA, shows that most people of non-African origin carry some genetic material from Neanderthals. The study of the past, through archeology, paleo-biology, and geology, has much to teach us about human evolution. The Bible has much to teach us about religious evolution.

Our meals today are from the Eastern-Central part of the US, where the Monkey Trial was held. The foods are traditional and familiar, just the way the people liked it. William Jennings Bryan died of a heart attack five days after the conclusion of the trial — some say it was from over-eating at a turkey dinner.

Scrapple Scramble: 168 calories 14 g fat 2 g fiber 11.4 g protein 9.4 g carbs 64.6 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF – scrapple is supposed to be made with cornmeal and buckwheat flour, not wheat flour. Check the label. This is a great way to use any left-over scrapple, in case you cooked too much earlier in the week.

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 oz scrapple, cooked, diced 2 Tbsp scallion or chives, sliced thinly 1.5 oz strawberries Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Dice the scrapple and slice the scallion. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and cook the scrapple and scallion until they are warm. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the ingredients in the pan. Scramble to your liking. Plate with the strawberries and enjoy your beverage of choice. This is a real taste of South-Eastern Pennsylvania!

Turkey Dinner: One of the great American meals is “Turkey with all the trimmings.” This could be found at a country restaurant [often with white or yellowish gravy] or at the holiday table. What if you ate ‘some of everything’ as one commonly does? I’m not going to tell you what to eat, but I will provide you with some calorie counts for common foods:

4 oz turkey breast, roasted, skinless	153 calories
½ cup green beans	21 calories
½ cup breadcrumb stuffing	176 calories
½ cup peas	62 calories
1/2 cup mashed potatoes	118 calories
2 Tbsp cranberry sauce	55 calories
4 Tbsp gravy	32 calories
pumpkin pie, 1/8^th of a 9” pie	316 calories

Religions: Hussites

July 5, 2023June 29, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

A general world history course often rushes from the Middle Ages to the Protestant Reformation as if not much happened in between. Then up pops Martin Luther, 95 Thesis in hand, as if he were the first to want to reform the Roman Church. There were reforms of the monastic orders by Benedict in the 6th century and by Bernard in the 11th. But after one and a half millennia, the original thread of the Christian Church had become a bit tangled. Jan Hus had worked his way up from being a poor farmer’s son in Bohemia to being Rector at the Prague University. After reading the [banned] works of John Wycliffe, Hus saw flaws in the church hierarchy and he proposed changes to get it back to the original ways. At that time, the Roman Church was striving to overcome schisms and disunity, so they did not want to hear any criticism from the ranks.

Jesus’ church reforms, 30 CE	The Roman church in 1400 CE	Hus’ reform ideas 1400 CE
Poverty for all preachers	Popes and bishops lived lavish lifestyles, like princes with perks	Poverty for all clergy
Said the church is not a place for buying and selling	Selling indulgences to raise funds for churches	No sales of indulgences
Preaching in local languages	Preaching in latin only	Preaching to Czechs in Czech
Gave followers bread and wine at the Last Supper	At communion, priests got wine + bread. People got only bread.	At communion, both bread and wine for all people.
He read scripture in his own language	All bibles were in latin and translation was forbidden	Bibles should be in local languaages for all to read.

His views against indulgences put him at odds with the King of Bohemia. His insistence on preaching in Czech angered the Church. Daily, he gained followers. Hus was called to the Council of Constance to discuss his views. They immediately condemned him [and the deceased Wycliffe] for heresy. Hus was burned at the stake on July 6, 1415. His ashes were shoveled into the river so there would be no veneration of his remains. Everyday Czechs were infuriated by his death. Hus was seen as a reformer and a patriot. The Hussites took arms against the Church and the King, engaging in the 14-year war of religion in which they defended the ideas of Hus. One Hundred years later, the Reformation began in Germany and two-thirds of Czechs left the Catholic church and became followers of Luther.

What was then Bohemia, became the western part of Czechoslovakia, and is now Czechia. But they still like the same food traditions that have been handed down through the centuries. Our breakfast and dinner are typical of foods from the time of Jan Has.

Bohemian Breakfast: 174 calories 9 g fat 4 g fiber 8.6 g protein 17.6 g carbs 130 mg Calcium PB A typical farmer’s breakfast from Medieval Bohemia makes for a fine modern-day Fast meal. Very easy preparation.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce 1 oz Camembert cheese.

Lightly toast the bread. If you wish, lightly warm the applesauce to take off the refrigerator chill. Spread the applesauce on the bread and plate with the cheese. Simple, satisfying, delicious.

Czech Garlic Soup Česneková polévka: 194 calories 5 g fat 4 g fiber 9 g protein 27 g carbs 84 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF 100% rye bread What could be better on a cold winter’s night than a cozy bowl of soup? This is a classic from czechcookbook, but feel free to make it your own. The calorie count is so low that you could add other vegetables or low-fat meat. HINT: This recipe makes 8 cups of soup. One serving = 1 cup

1 Tbsp unsalted butter OR bacon fat 7 cloves garlic	Chop garlic and saute in butter/fat in a stock pot.
7 cups water OR Chicken OR Beef Broth 1½ tsp salt 3 cups cubed potatoes 3 cups cubed parsnips	Peel potatoes and parsnips and cut in cubes. Add with salt and broth to the stock pot. Simmer 20 minutes, until vegetables are just under-done.Remove ½ cup soup stock and cool.
1 two-oz egg ½ cup of soup stock 1 tsp marjoram	Whisk egg, then whisk it into reserved soup stock. Return to the stockpot, stirring, and add marjoram. Taste for seasoning. Let sit in a cool place 8-24 hours.
Per person: ¼ oz rye/whole-grain bread Per person: ¼ oz Swiss cheese Per person: side salad	Cut bread into cubes and toast them. Grate cheese over them while hot. Use to garnish the reheated soup at serving time. Add a side salad for more nutrients.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs	1.5 two-oz eggs + Mexican oregano
scrapple made with cornmeal + buckwheat	queso fresco + New Mexico green chilis
Scallion	roasted red pepper + adobo powder
strawberries	blueberries + melon
	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

roast turkey + ‘all the trimmings’	chicken breast meat + yellow corn tortillas
an analysis of a feast	cilantro + sweet peppers + zucchini
	red onion + adobo powder + broccoli
	chili powder + plain yogurt + lime
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Québec City

July 2, 2023April 6, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

When Samuel de Champlain sailed up the Saint Lawrence River in 1608, perhaps he thought that he had found the fabled Northwest Passage through North America to the Pacific. Instead he ended up in a place with a great potential. The broad river narrowed as it turned, and it was dominated by huge cliffs. Below the cliff was a low, flat area for landing boats. This was a natural fortress and on July 3, Champlain claimed it as the site for his trading post: fur trappers and explorers seeking trade. The area was called Québec, from the Algonquin language, meaning ‘where the river narrows.’ For a few years, it was run by distant France, but it 1645, it came under local control and grew into a real settlement: priests and nuns set up schools for the population influx. When Louis XIV named it the capital of New France, the town grew: bureaucrats, soldiers, and nobility seeking status and wealth. Government buildings and residences were built on the heights, surrounded by a palisade. The lower town bustled with merchants, tradespeople and their houses. In the mid-1600s, Québec City had a cathedral [Notre-Dame de Québec, 1647], the Jesuit College [1637] and a seminary [which became Université Laval]. Tensions between France and England lead to the Battle of Quebec in 1759, when British rule ensued. Trade in lumber became the new cash cow for the port as Québec tried to strike a balance between its French past and the modern British influence. They succeeded well: the Old Town, with its fortifications, its elegant upper town and tourist-quaint lower town, is a destination for those seeking a sojourn in the most European city in North America.

Preserved meat and local mushrooms no doubt were common menu items in early New France. If the colonizers had been smarter, they would have eaten more like their indigenous neighbors, as we will do at dinner.

Mushroom-Sausage Bake: 138 calories… 7.6 g fat… 0.5 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 6.5 g carbs… 40 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF This is a happy combination of flavors, especially when mushrooms are fresh.

1 chicken breakfast sausage at 33 calories each 1 two-oz egg ¼ oz mushrooms ¾ tsp Parmesan cheese, grated 1.5 oz unsweetened applesauce 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] or lemon in hot water

Cook the mushrooms [if raw] by poaching in a little hot water for a minute, then chop. Slice sausage thinly. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350F degrees. Put sausage slices in the baking dish. Whisk the egg with the mushrooms and cheese, and pour into the ramekin. Bake 12-15 minutes. Spoon out the applesauce and pour the beverages.

Abenaki Feast: 281 calories 6 g fat 5 g fiber 27 g protein 36.4 g carbs 13 mg Calcium PB GF This meal is made from ingredients available to the Abenaki People of Northern New England: corn, shell beans, salmon, and maple syrup. A fine feast for Indigenous Peoples and the rest of us too. The salmon I chose is from the West Coast, but that is because there is very little wild salmon left in the North-East.

3.5 oz salmon, such as wild-caught Sockeye 2 tsp real maple syrup ¼ c lima beans 1/3 c corn kernels

Choose a heavy saute pan with a lid and spray it with cooking oil. Place the fish in the pan and brush it with some of the maple syrup – using just enough to cover the fish but not so much that it runs into the pan. Salt and pepper it, cover and cook on medium-high for 4 minutes. Combine the vegetables, and warm them gently. Uncover the fish, brush with more syrup, cover and cook another 2 minutes. Brush on the remaining syrup, cook fish until it is done. Plate and enjoy a proper pre-colonial meal.

Celia Thaxter

June 28, 2023November 14, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Celia Laighton was born in Portsmouth, NH, USA on June 29, 1835. Although a mainlander by birth, her life and legacy are tied to a tiny group of islands off the coast: the Isles of Shoals. When Celia was four years old, her father was appointed Keeper of the White Island Lighthouse and the family moved there. One might think that an isolated childhood on the two-acre rock would have been horrible for Celia, Oscar, and Cedric, yet they remembered it as an enchanted time, that “filled [her] with awe and wonder.” She loved the infinitely changing ocean, the shore birds, and the vagaries of weather. Celia and her brothers were educated by their parents, and from an early age Celia read the poems of Tennyson. Her father Thomas recognized his dream of building a hotel on another island, Appledore [formerly Hog Island] which he owned with his brothers. The family moved to the larger island in 1847, and, as Celia learned to swim and row and garden, her love affair with the islands deepened. A Summer visitor and investor in the hotel, Levi Thaxter, a highly educated 20-something who had aspired to the theater, became the children’s tutor. When he was 27 and Celia was 16, they married. At first they spent Summers on the Isles and Winters in Massachusetts, near his family. After the birth of their first son, Karl, Celia could not visit her family often and Levi, who survived a terrifying ship-wreck on the islands, refused to go back. Being separated from her parents, her Isles, and the ocean was a great trial for Celia. Two more sons followed, and Celia was even more tied to her house and children. And she despaired. While cooking one day, she began to compose a poem in her head. She showed it to Levi, who secretly sent it to his friend the editor of the Atlantic Monthly. It was published as Landlocked in 1860. Thus was born Celia Thaxter’s career as an author. That was a good thing, because her husband never did settle into a vocation. By turns he was a preacher, school-master, and declaimer of poetry, but not for any length of time, nor for much income. Eventually, disagreements over raising their disabled son Karl, Levi’s health, and Celia’s longing to see her family lead to separation: Celia and Karl to Appledore Island for the Summer; Levi and the two other sons off to Florida for the Winter. Celia helped at the family’s hotel, nursed her parents as they died, and wrote poetry. Her cottage was surrounded by the flowering plants that she loved and her salon included the A-list of literature of the time, as well as of art and music. Celia turned journalist when a shocking double murder occurred on Smuttynose Island, owned by the Laightons. She became a prose writer with her essay series Among the Isles of Shoals and An Island Garden, popularized through paintings by Childe Hassam. Celia campaigned unsuccessfully against the use of actual bird feathers in women’s fashion, even while her husband shot birds to sell to museums. She died in 1895 and is buried near her cottage. The family hotel and her cottage burned down in 1914, never to be rebuilt. But Celia’s garden has been revived on her plans and may be visited. Appledore Island is owned by the Shoals Marine Lab.

Celia Laighton Thaxter probably never ate an avocado, but seafood such as lobster and oysters would have been plentiful around her beloved Isles of Shoals, so we will eat these meals in honor of her.

Avocado-Lobster Bake: 145 calories 7 g fat 2 g fiber 11 g protein 10.5 g carbs 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++ ¾ oz lobster meat OR crab++ 2 oz pear ++ 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]++

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.

Baked Oysters: 267 calories 10 g fat 5 g fiber 14.6 g protein 31.5 g carbs 90.6 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF bread or omitting Ordinarily, we like our oysters raw, but sometimes a change is delicious. HINT: This preparation serves two [2] people.

++12 East Coast oysters++ 1 Finn Crisp cracker++ 2 oz chevre cheese++ ½ c cooked spinach++ Per serving: 1 oz oatmeal bread++ 1 Side Salad++

Remove one shell from each oyster and arrange on an oven-proof dish. Pulverize the cracker and sprinkle crumbs evenly on the oysters. Squeeze moisture from spinach and chop. Cream spinach with the cheese and distribute the mixture evenly over each oyster. Broil 5 minutes until starting to bubble. Serve with salad and bread. Yum.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	70-calorie whole-grain bread
mushrooms	unsweetened applesauce
chicken breakfast sausage @ 33 calories	Camembert cheese
Parmesan cheese
apple sauce, unsweetened	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

wild-caught salmon	garlic + potatoes + parsnips
genuine maple syrup	beef or chicken stock + egg
lima beans	marjoram + rye bread
corn kernals	Swiss cheese + butter
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Coney Island

June 25, 2023June 24, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Coney Island is situated at the southern edge of Brooklyn, a borough of New York. It was an island when the Dutch arrived in the 1600s, and was left in isolation by the subsequent English and Americans. Fishermen, farmers, and shell-fishers who lived there in the early 1800s served cooked meals to visitors from the interior of Brooklyn who found that the sea breezes were refreshing in the Summer. In the 1820s, a bridge was built to the island and a road was constructed — ‘paved’ in crushed sea shells. By the 1830s, two hotels were in business, and the wealthy sojourned there, far from the crowds of the city. In the 1850s, the middle class began to visit, aided by the new ferry service. The aftermath of the Civil War saw railroad lines going to the peninsula. Shifting currents and developers filled in the water, making the former island part of the mainland. New hotels were built as everyone from immigrant families to the very rich flocked to Coney’s beaches. Then the Boom Times came: amusement parks, racetracks, and other attractions sprung up in profusion. Steeplechase Park, 1897; Luna Park, 1903; and Dreamland, 1904 vied to see which could sport the most electric lights. Outside the parks were the B&B Carousell [sic] with its hand-carved wooden horses and roller-coasters. The famous wooden Cyclone was open for business on June 26, 1927. Dear Husband recalls the clackety-clacking sound of the cars climbing up before a heart-stopping descent. Of course visitors needed food. Charles Feltman began selling hot dogs from a push-cart and ended up with an entire restaurant. His employee, Nathan Handwerker thought he could do better and Nathan’s Famous still exists. Fires, the automobile, and the 1964 World’s Fair caused the fortunes of Coney Island to wane. In the 1960s, Fred Trump wanted to tear down many of the old buildings to develop new residential and entertainment sites. The plan fell through. Luna Park has been re-built, the Cyclone still runs, and tourists still flock to Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach, just as they have for 160 years.

By the early 1900s, Coney Island was the playground of the young and single residents of New York — factory and shop workers who wanted to play on the weekend. Our breakfast might have been eaten by one of them before hopping on the trolley to Coney. For dinner, what else but a hot dog!

Shop Girl’s Breakfast: 231 calories 9 g fat 4.6 g fiber 14.5 g protein 27.5 g carbs 7 mg Calcium PB The Industrial Revolution brought young women by the thousands from the farm to the city, to work in the factories and as shop girls. Breakfast would have been served cold, made from dinner leftovers and other foods that required little preparation or refrigeration.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [not white bread on her budget] 1 two-oz hard boiled egg 1 oz chicken dinner sausage 1 oz onion, sliced 2 prunes [0.6 oz] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea

The night or day before, slice the sausage and the onion. Place in a small pan with some water and a spritz of non-stick spray. Cook until the water has evaporated, sausage slices have browned a bit and the onions are limp. In the morning, toast the bread lightly and top with the sausage-onion mixture [rewarmed if you like]. Plate with the egg and the prunes. Only blackish coffee or tea for our shop girl – no stop at Starbucks on the way to work for a fancy brew.

Hot Dog & Beans for Summer: 263 calories 18 g fat 6 g fiber 13 g protein 21.6 g carbs 68 mg Calcium PB GF This is what you want for a summer meal on the deck – all the flavors without the bun. HINT: This is enough for two.

Two <110-calorie hot dogs ½ c canned baked beans 1 deviled egg* ¾ c. coleslaw**

Grill or steam the hot dogs while you warm the baked beans. Prepare the deviled egg and coleslaw. This is a good old summer-time meal.

*Deviled Egg: 80 calories 5 g fat 0 g fiber 8 g protein 1 g carbs 36.6 mg Calcium PB GF Old favorite, updated.

One 2-oz egg, hardboiled, peeled 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese Yellow Sriracha or New Mexico green chilis in a jar paprika or sumac

Slice egg in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolk and mash on a plate with a fork. Add cheese and savory liquid, and mash until well blended. Spoon back into the divot of the egg white and sprinkle with paprika or sumac.

**COLESLAW: Makes ¾ cup From Jacques Pepin 1 cup = 81 calories 5 g fat 6.5 g fiber 2 g protein 11.4 g carbs 76 mg Calcium ½ cup = 41 calories 2.4 g fat 3 g fiber 1 g protein 5.5 g carbs 38 mg Calcium PB GF 1 cup chopped cabbage ½ oz carrot grated [makes ¼ cup] 1½ tsp ‘Mayo Dressing’ made with olive oil -OR- use plain yogurt 1½ tsp cider vinegar pinch celery seed

Whisk everything but the vegetables together in a wide bowl. Stir in the vegetables, add salt, pepper, or more vinegar to taste.

Fred Astaire

June 21, 2023June 20, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

As children, my sister and I would watch old movies on TV. Our favorites were the Fred Astaire-and-Ginger Rogers hits from the 1930s. Some channels played the same film several times a day, and we would watch them until we had memorized our favorite scenes. To this day, she and I quote lines from The Gay Divorcee. Frederick Austerlitz was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1899. His father hoped his son would follow him as a brewer, his mother hoped he would get a job that would take him away from Omaha. When her husband lost his job, she moved the family to New York and enrolled her children in singing and dance classes. Soon 5-year-old Fred and 8-year-old Adele ‘Astaire’ [note the change] were performing in vaudeville. Adele was a natural dancer and her brother mimicked her well. Cute as a button, they were a hit and soon were touring around the mid-West. Little Fred was always dressed in a top-hat to hide the fact that he was shorter than his partner. When Adele had a growth-spurt, the act was put on hold until Fred grew taller. The time was spent in music and acting lessons. As adult dancers, they performed in shows on Broadway. When Adele retired to marry, Fred moved to Hollywood, hoping for a movie career without a partner. But in 1933, he was paired with veteran actress Ginger Rogers in Flying Down to Rio, and, without his sister, the dances could be more romantic. The pair romanced and danced and sang their way through the 1930s. Song writing legends wrote memorable music for the films, including Jerome Kern, the Gershwin brothers, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin — all of whom made the most of Astaire’s weak singing abilities by composing for his narrow range. But could he dance! Tap and ballroom; on the dance floor and on the ceiling. Astaire did the choreography for all his gigs, assisted by Hermes Pan, insisting that the dance should be part of the acting to further the plot. After Rogers, Astaire partnered many other dancers, then took dramatic roles in films. He died on June 22, 1987, but his elegance, grace, and talent live on in his films.

Breakfast is an echo of the Mid-West origins of Fred Austerlitz, and the dinner evokes Astaire’s California success. What a journey.

Egg-Salad Toast: 167 calories 8 g fat 4.5 g fiber 12 g protein 22 g carbs 101 mg Calcium PB Toast ‘n’ Egg for breakfast takes a new twist. If you must grab-and-go, this is a good choice.

1 slice whole-grain bread [70 calories, 3 g fiber] 1 hardboiled 2-oz egg yellow Sriracha, ad lib + 1 Tbsp reduced-fat ricotta -OR- 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese 1 oz sliced tomato OR halved cherry tomatoes 2 oz strawberries -OR- 1 oz blueberries -OR- 1 oz grapes 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]

Slice the tomato and salt it to develop flavor. Shell the egg and mash it with a fork on a plate. Squirt some Sriracha on it, add the ricotta, and continue to mash and squirt until you get the consistancy you like. Add salt and pepper and herbs to taste. Lightly toast the bread and spread with the egg salad. Top with the tomato and plate with the fruit. Wholesome and hearty.

Santa Barbara Salad: 280 calories 13 g fat 5.5 g fiber 16 g protein 21 g carbs 106 mg Calcium PB GF From a Washington Post food column, comes a salad that sings of California. HINT: This amount serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch later in the week.

½ head Boston or butter crunch lettuce 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes ½ medium apple, cored and diced ½ cup diced chicken breast ¼ cup chickpeas 1 oz soft goat cheese 1½ tsp pine nuts 1 Medjool date ½ two-oz egg, hardboiled per serving: 1½ tsp cinnamon dressing

First prepare the dressing and refrigerate. Next, toast the pine nuts in a small dry pan until they just begin to brown. Take off heat and set aside. Shred the lettuce and put in a bowl along with all the other ingredients. Toss with 1.5 tsp dressing per serving. Play a Beach Boys song and wear your sunglasses.

CINNAMON DRESSING: makes 4.5 tsp ½ shallot [¾ oz], minced 1½ tsp balsamic vinegar or raspberry vinegar 1 Tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp cinnamon Shake together in a jar. Refrigerate until needed.

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

hard-cooked 2-oz egg = US large	1 two-oz egg
whole-grain 70-calorie bread	avocado
prunes	lobster or crab meat
chicken dinner sausage	pear
onion	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

hot dogs <110 calories + yellow sriracha/green chilis	6 oysters per person
cabbage + carrot + celery seed + canned baked beans	Finn Crisp cracker
2-oz hard cooked egg + 2% cottage cheese + cider vinegar	chèvre cheese + cooked spinach
‘mayo dressing with olive oil’ or plain yogurt	oatmeal bread + side salad
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Juneteenth

June 18, 2023June 13, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

What could be worse than being enslaved? Having been freed but not knowing it! That is what Juneteenth is all about. The Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves and ended slavery in the USA, was signed in January, 1863. Of course, slave owners in the American South ignored it. As the army of the Northern states conquered Confederate-held land, the proclamation was read and slaves were liberated. But news did not reach Texas so fast [or they didn’t want to hear it], and it was only in June 1865 that Federal troops entered the state. General Gordon Granger announced in Galveston that slavery was over. Thus the 19th day of June became the ‘second independence day in America,’ as the last enslaved people were freed. Ever since then, Black People all over the US have celebrated on June 19th, every way they could. On June 17, 2021, the date was accepted as a federal holiday, and in Galveston a mural to commemorate Juneteenth was dedicated the same year.

Our breakfast for Juneteenth was a great favorite in the American South, eaten by the enslaved and their captors. The dinner is easy to prepare at a traditional Juneteenth cook-out. Foods that are red are a big part of Juneteenth celebrations, signifying the struggles of the ancestors and the strength of the people. Some popular foods are linked to ‘prosperity:’ cabbage, black-eyed peas. It is also common to enjoy southern soul foods: corn bread, fried chicken.

Hoe Cakes with Fruit & Yogurt: 173 calories 1.5 g fat 4 g fiber 13 g protein 36 g carbs 75 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF Here the old Southern meal of cornmeal cakes is updated with healthy fruit and yogurt and some needed protein. HINT: recipe yields 6 hoe cakes, enough for 2 people. For Juneteenth, choose strawberries as your fruit.

3 Tbsp yellow cornmeal 2.5 Tbsp hot water	Combine by stirring well to make a mush. Let sit for 15 minutes
1 oz egg white ¼ tsp yeast	Stir into the warm cornmeal mush and let sit for 1-12 hours. This makes ¼ cup/125 ml in volume
2 Tbsp cornmeal 2 Tbsp water ¼ tsp salt	Mix into the mush. If you take some up on a fork, it will sit on top with a little batter dribbling through. If it is not like this, add more cornmeal or more water. This was ½ cup in volume.
	Using 2 Tbsp of hoe-cake batter, drop onto a hot griddle sprayed with non-stick spray. Should make 6 cakes. Cook on both sides. Best if eaten fresh.
½ cup raspberries 2 tsp honey 4 oz plain yogurt 2 slices Canandian bacon	Put the fruit and honey in a small dish and microwave for 30 seconds. Warm the Canadian bacon on the griddle as you cook the cakes.
Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or tea or lemon in hot water	Serve the Hoe Cakes with the dish of berry syrup and yogurt on the side or stir them together before slathering on the hoe cakes.

Sausage Kebabs: 282 calories 20 g fat 1.5 g fiber 17 g protein 12 g carbs 44.4 mg Calcium PB GF Here is a simple and satisfying meal, made with vegetables that are available all year round. You could cook this on the grill or roast it in the oven.

1 chicken sausage @ 150 calories 2.5 oz sweet bell pepper, yellow or red or orange 2.5 oz zucchini 10 sugar snap peas or 1.5 oz water melon marinade/sauce: 2 tsp olive oil 2 tsp vinegar 1.5 tsp Worcestershire pinch sugar

Whisk the marinade ingredients together. Slice sausage in ½” chunks. Cut pepper and zucchini into chunks about the same size. Thread the meat and veggies onto skewers, alternating. Pour marinade in a shallow heat-proof dish, lay the kebabs in the sauce, turning to coat, and let sit 20 minutes. Heat a grill to med-high or the oven to 400F. Grill while basting with sauce OR roast, basting every 10 minutes. Plate with snap peas or melon.

	me on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Mya on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Peter Eppig on Robert Gould Shaw
	me on 10 Years of FASTing
	Karen Loudon on 10 Years of FASTing

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

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

Recipes for healthy dieting

Gregor Mendel

Isaac Watts

Frida Kahlo

Ape-Man & Monkey Trial

Religions: Hussites

Québec City

Celia Thaxter

Coney Island

Fred Astaire

Juneteenth

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