Comparing Plans: The Daniel Diet

March 8, 2023March 7, 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.

King Nebuchadnezzar decided to raise up a team of advisors, so he sent his agents out to find the best-looking boys to live at the palace in Babylon. [This sounds like a story of very bad intent, but it turns out much better, so read on.] Since the Israelites had been conquered by the Assyrians and were living in Babylon, four of the boys were Jewish: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The entire cohort of lads were to be raised as wards of the king, and orders were given to feed them with the best delicacies [we can guess pork, wine, and honeyed yeast bread]. Since the foods they were offered were not Kosher, the Israelite boys would not eat them. Daniel told the servants to give them “pulses” [lentils, dried beans, chickpeas], with lots of vegetables, and only water to drink. The King, annoyed as we can guess, wanted to force them to eat his food, but Daniel proposed a test. If he and his friends could eat their food while the other boys ate the richer diet, after 10 days the King would declare which was the healthier way to eat. The King assented, as told in the Book of Daniel, Chapter 1, verses 12–16. “And at the end of ten days, [the four boys’] countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children who ate the portion of the king’s meat.” Daniel and his friends were not trying to lose weight — indeed, they gained weight. They were trying to keep to their own religious food traditions, even under pressure from the King himself. Today, this way of eating is called the Daniel Diet. If this appeals to you, be aware that it should not be a lifestyle but rather a temporary menu, a ‘cleanse’ in the common parlance. Nutritionists realize that when you cut out entire categories of food, you starve your body of valuable nutrients. If Daniel had been offered meats and fish that were Kosher, he would have eaten them. People who undertake this diet are advised to follow it for only 10-21 days and then to re-introduce meat +/or fish, eggs, and dairy. While it is indeed possible to live a vegan lifestyle, great care must be given to ensure that the menu is varied and provides all the nutrients you need. The Season of Lent is a good time to change how you eat, and to make healthier choices. Let’s see how the Daniel Diet and the 5:2 Fast Diet compare:

Is this food allowed on this diet…	Daniel Diet	On Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, pork	No	Yes, moderation
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkey	No	Yes, preferred
Eggs	No	Yes
Beer, wine, cocktails	No	On Slow Days
Grains, starches: farro, barley, unleavened bread	Yes	in moderation
Nuts + seeds	Yes	in moderation
Beans/legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas	Lots	Yes
Seafood protein	No	Yes
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruits	Yes	Yes
Berries	Yes	Yes
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuce	Yes	Yes
Cheese	No	Some
Vegetable oils: olive, canola	Yes	in moderation
Animal fat: butter, lard	No	in moderation
Root veg: potatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, carrots	Yes	Yes
Above-ground vegetables: tomatoes, peppers	Yes	Yes
food with preservatives or added sugar	No	Not recommended
Protein from plants only	Yes	Plant + animal
Higher fiber	Yes	Yes
Daily Carb intake	uncounted	Keep it low
Complex carbohydrates: whole grains	Yes	Yes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake, yeasted bread	No	Not on Fast Day
how long to follow this way of eating	10-21 days only	2 days a week, lifelong
Number of days per week to follow the regimin	Daily for 21 days	2 of 7
Do calories matter?	No	only 600 on Fast Days

Daniel’s Breakfast: if your beverage is water: 278 calories 7.6 g fat 7 g fiber 7 g protein 45.5 g carbs 23 mg Calcium if saving room for mocha cafe au lait: 218 calories 7.5 g fat 6 g fiber 6 g protein 34.5 g carbs 12 mg Calcium PB Daniel would have approved of this plant-based meal, suitable for a breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Remembering that Daniel would drink only water with his meals, not coffee or tea, you could add more fruit to nudge the calories closer to 300.

if your beverage is water: ¼ c hummus** 1 oz whole-grain unleavened bread 3 oz melon 3 oz grapes if saving room for mocha cafe au lait: ¼ c hummus 1 oz whole-grain unleavened bread 3 oz melon 2 oz grapes

Plate to please and have a rightous day.

**HUMMUS: makes 2 cups PB GF Recipe from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. 1 Tbsp = 27 calories 1.5 g fat 0.6 g fiber 0.5 g protein 3 g carbs 1 mg Calcium ¼ c = 108 calories 6 g fat 2.4 g fiber 2 g protein 12 g carbs 4 mg Calcium

1 can chickpeas, drained + rinsed 4 cloves garlic 1½ tsp salt 4 tsp lemon juice 5 T tahini pepper + cayenne to taste ¼ c chopped scallions/onions

Put everything in the food processor and whizz until smooth. Taste for seasonings. Freezes well. Variation: Add a few slices of cooked beet to obtain an amazing pink color.

Lentil Soup: You can prepare this soup with meat or without. Daniel would prefer it with no ham, nor other meat. vegan = 136 calories 0 g fat 6.6 g fiber 9.6 g protein 25.4 g carbs 48.5 mg Calcium PB GF non-vegan = 170 calories 0.5 g fat 6.6 g fiber 15 g protein 27 g carbs 75 mg Calcium PB GF This is how my mother made Lentil Soup, which always followed a few days after a meal of roast ham. The ham bone would be boiled in 3 quarts water with carrot, celery, and onion. The strained broth would go on to be the basis of the soup. HINT: This recipe makes 12 [twelve] cups of soup. One serving = 1 cup

Vegan Version 12 cups	Non-Vegan Version 12 cups
3 quarts water 1 pound lentils 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs thyme 8 oz tomato sauce 1 cup carrot, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped	3 quarts ham stock 1 pound lentils 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs thyme 8 oz tomato sauce 1 cup carrot, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped
Combine ingredients in a stock pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Cook 45 minutes.	Combine ingredients in a stock pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Cook 45 mins. Add ½ cup diced ham.
Save out what you need for dinner, freeze the remainder.	Save out what you need for dinner, freeze remainder. Before serving, spoon 1 Tbsp dry sherry into each bowl.

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

1 two-oz egg + red onion	1.5 two-oz eggs
garlic + garam masala + turmeric	catsup [no corn syrup] + strawberries
feta cheese + canola oil	Thai red chili paste + soy sauce
red pepper flakes + melon	crab meat + garlic powder
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

carrot + cauliflower florets	chicken breast meat + potato
peas + tomato + cooked fish	2 ears of corn + onion
yellow lentils OR Naan	3 cups chicken stock
Curry sauce + cucumber	thyme sprigs + optional sourdough bread
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Hometown Heroine: Palmares

March 5, 2023March 2, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Brazil in the 1600s was nominally a Portuguese colony. The Europeans clung to the coastline, and built towns and plantations along the rivers, but the greater portion of the vast land was thick with jungle and inhospitable to the colonizers. To work the sugar cane plantations, 15,000 enslaved people were removed from Angola, joining enslaved indigenous people. To the enslaved, the thick jungles looked like freedom, and hundreds opted to take their chances in the forest. From 1605 to 1695, a flourishing ‘kingdom’ existed in Palmares, in the mountains of North-Eastern Brazil. At its peak, the quilombo was home to 20,000 maroon people. Together they set up a government and a judicial system, and successfully resisted periodic raids by Portuguese and Dutch military forces. A woman named Dandara had been born in slavery but had escaped to Palmares. Her husband, Zumbi, was born free, then enslaved, and then escaped. They opposed a peace treaty of 1678, which had been accepted by Ganga Zumba, Zumbi’s uncle and the leader of Palmares. The treaty would have given Palmares autonomy, but required them to return any escaped people to their oppressors. Dandara and Zumbi were both fighters, repulsing the many incursions by the Portuguese. Dandara was particularly fierce in wanting to resist recapture and to protect the freedom of all the free residents of the quilombo. She lobbied the ruler and everyone else to reject the agreement. Ganga Zumba was overthrown and Zumbi took his place. But that left the community divided. On 6 February, 1694, their community was destroyed by the military, despite Dandara’s best efforts. Some say she was captured and beheaded by the victors, others say that rather than be re-enslaved, she threw herself from the mountain peak. The story of Palmares is told in the graphic novel Angola Janga: Kingdom of Runaway Slaves. Zumbi was captured and beheaded on 20 November 1695. There is a statue to him in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The least we can do is to remember Dandara on 6 February.

Our breakfast features a popular Brazilian bread. Our dinner features salt cod, which was the food that was often fed to enslaved people in the New World.

Brazilian Breakfast: 233 calories 11 g fat 1 g fiber 11 g protein 25.5 g carbs 201 mg Calcium PB GF – if made with all tapioca flour Here’s a breakfast to get a Brazillian out of bed in the morning: cheesey pao de queijo with bacon and fruited applesauce.

2 pao de queijo 1 slice uncured bacon [20 calories] 2 oz fat-free plain yogurt + 2 fl oz applesauce, unsweetened Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Prepare the Pao de Queijo in advance. Cook the bacon and stir together the yogurt and the applesauce. Plate with the Pao and that was simple.

PAO DE QUEIJO: makes 15 puffs. Each = 79 calories 5 g fat 0 g fiber 2 g protein 7 g carbs 44 mg Calcium This Brazillian favorite is from thekitchn.com. Easy to make, with a super taste of cheese.

15 puffs, made with 1.5 Tbsp scoop	baking sheet lined with parchment paper
1/3 c olive oil ½ c water ½ c skimmed milk 1 tsp salt	Put in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring at whiles. Take off heat as soon as you see big bubbles coming up through milk.
2 c. tapioca flour OR 1 c. tapioca flour + 1 c. white whole wheat flour	Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until all incorporated. Dough will be grainy and gelatinous.
	Put dough in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat dough a few minutes at medium speed until it is smooth, and cool enough to hold your finger against it for several seconds.
2 two-oz eggs	With mixer on medium, beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Wait until the 1^st egg is fully incorporated before adding 2^nd. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese	Beat in cheese on medium speed until fully incorporated.
	Scoop dough by onto baking sheets, spacing about 1½“ apart.
	Put baking sheets in a cold oven and immediately turn heat to 350°F. Bake 10-15 mins, until puffed, dry on the outside, and just starting to turn golden-brown on bottoms.

Saint Kitts Salt Cod Stew: 243 calories 2.4 g fat 3.4 g fiber 39 g protein 14 g carbs 140 mg Calcium PB GF A savory stew of salt cod and fresh vegetables is just the ticket for a filling meal any time of year. In the Carribean, this is served with a coconut dumpling, but they have a lot of calories so we won’t serve them today. Instead, there could be a flour dumpling from Fannie Farmer’s cookbook, or it can be omitted.

2 oz salt cod 2 oz bell pepper, any color 1 oz scallion 3 oz tomato 1 clove garlic ¼ c onion 1/3 c fish stock

Soak the fish over night in warm water to soften it and to remove some of the salt. Drain the fish, discarding the water, and flake or cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook the pepper, and the alliums in water or fish stock – NOT the soaking water – for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and fish, then cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Religions: Methodism

March 1, 2023March 10, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

John Wesley was an Anglican from his birth in 1703, to his death on March 2, 1791. At Oxford, where he and his brother Charles studied religion, they formed a club which promoted a strict method of study among the members. John was convinced that this is what it meant to be a good Christian: observance of all the rules. The club members were teased by fellow students for being ‘methodists.’ Upon graduation, he was called to the pulpit of an Anglican church in Georgia, USA. On the ship on the way over, he met some Moravians who would be missionaries to the native population. During a storm, John was terrified but the Moravians were calm, pacifically singing hymns until the gale passed. When he asked them how they were able to stifle their fears, they replied, “Don’t you believe in Jesus?” Wesley sadly concluded that their’s was a type of faith that eluded him, and he began to doubt his calling. Once back in England, he went to Bristol to help a fellow clergyman with his growing congregation. His friend was a fiery preacher and John was uneasy at how the sermons could arouse the congregation’s emotions. But he saw the goodness of their faith and how they helped each other. Wesley believed that God’s grace was for everyone and not limited to a chosen few. John Wesley was superb at organizing the growing flock. The faithful were divided into ‘classes’ of 12, each with a lay leader. They would meet and pray and share experiences, then plan to help the needy. Lay leaders met potential adherents where they were: in the streets, the fields, the factories, the mines, and told them about how God’s love would free them from sin. The lay leaders helped to increase membership — but it was more of a social movement than a religious group. The only “Methodist Church” that Wesley started was in the United States, when he sent two leaders there to organize. John Wesley did not want to supplant the Anglican Church, but to improve and revitalize it. “Methodists” embraced the once derogatory name, and had a wide-spread influence on the zeitgeist: a.) The ideas of Methodists and their affect on people is illustrated in George Eliot’s novel Adam Bede, when Dinah Morris arrives in a village and begins to preach. b). Methodists were known for singing loudly, in and out of church, using any of the 6000+ hymns penned by Charles Wesley. c.) “Methodist Punch” means a drink that is non-alcoholic. Today there are 40 million Methodists in 138 nations and not one of them is an Anglican.

The mackerel and leeks are typical foods of western England where Methodism took root. In the American Heartland, Methodists are known for good, plain cooking — nothing fancy, but wholesome and delicious. Our dinner might appear at a church picnic. Wesley, not wishing people to succumb to the temptation of gluttony, advised his flock to “eat less than you desire.” He might have been on to something: this article in Barron’s tells of a study in which people who ate fewer calories aged more slowly.

Mackerel-Leek ScrOmelette: 157 calories 9.5 g fat 1 g fiber 12.6 g protein 6 g carbs [6.2 g Complex] 61 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF If you can’t find fresh mackerel, substitute another high-Omega-3 fish like salmon or arctic char.

1½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week 1 oz cooked mackerel 1.5 oz leeks ½ tsp Dijon mustard 1 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]

Spritz a hot saute pan with non-stick spray and stir in the leeks and mackerel, to soften the leeks and warm the fish. Whisk the eggs with the seasonings and mustard. Pour into the pan and scramble to your taste or prepare as an omelette. Pour the beverages and plate the berries. Oh my!

Chicken Salad Sandwich: 283 calories 7 g fat 7 g fiber 26 g protein 35 g carbs 134 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF bread If you bought a chicken salad sandwich, it might ‘cost you’ 500 calories and 16 g fat. This sandwich is much less ‘expensive’ and tastes great.

2½ oz cooked chicken breast 2 Tbsp part-skim ricotta cheese 1 tsp yellow Sriracha 2 tsp chopped onion 2 tsp chopped celery 2 tsp chopped cilantro leaves salt + pepper to taste 2 slices 70-calorie whole-grain bread with seeds [such as Dave’s Killer ‘Good Seed’] lettuce + 1 oz sliced tomato ½ cup Swedish Cucumber Salad

Shred or chop the chicken. Mix with the ricotta and flavorings, including Sriracha. Add more Sriracha if the mixture needs to be moistened. Spread on one slice of bread, lay on the lettuce and tomato. Top with the other piece of bread and plate with the Cucumber Salad. Good meal for a busy day.

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

2 pao de queijo	hummus: chickpeas + tahini + garlic + lemon juice + onion
uncured bacon	whole-wheat unleavened bread [or pita]
plain yogurt	melon
applesauce, unsweetened	grapes
Optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	water

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

salt cod + fish stock	lentils + bay leaf + thyme
bell peppers + scallion	tomato sauce + carrot
tomato + garlic	celery + onion
onion	optional: ham stock + ham + sherry
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Luddites

February 26, 2023February 23, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

‘Ned Ludd’, **in woman’s garb**, leading the attack.

On 27 February, 1812, Lord Byron rose to address the House of Lords on behalf of the so-called “Luddites.” For centuries, young men would become apprentices at an early age and spend years to learn the skills of a trade: mason, carpenter, clerk, weaver. It is no surprise that these trades were so much a part of the fabric of society that they became last names. To be a skilled artisan could ensure the welfare of the man’s family and a move to the middle class. Having a skill was important. In the late 1700s, machinery was perfected to weave and knit fabric. With this device, a hastily-trained employee could replace several skilled workers and the workers were angry. They were not against new things, they were against falling into poverty because their jobs were replaced by machines. See? Nothing is new! Supposedly, a young weaver named Ned Ludd destroyed one of the weaving frames in 1779, hoping to get his job back. Whether or not there really was a Ned Ludd, his name was repeated by other angry workers who called themselves ‘Luddites.’ At first, Luddites tried to negotiate for higher wages, better working conditions, and a pension fund for workers. When the requests were rejected, factories and factory owners were attacked by angry mobs, and angry industrialists appealed to the government for help. The UK passed severe penalties for industrial sabotage, including the death sentence. Lord Byron hoped to change minds in his impassioned maiden speech, saying, “Are we aware of our obligations to a mob! It is the mob that labour in your fields, and serve in your houses—that man your navy, and recruit your army—that have enabled you to defy all the world,—and can also defy you, when neglect and calamity have driven them to despair. You may call the people a mob, but do not forget that a mob too often speaks the sentiments of the people.” Today, one says, “I’m such a Luddite — I can’t unlock my iPhone.” The original Luddites did not want to stop or destroy technology, they wanted a fair work-place and good jobs. We use the term these days to mean someone who is unfamiliar with technology or who doesn’t like it. Not the same thing. The Luddite movement died out in 1816, suppressed by a government unswayed by Lord Byron’s pleas. By then the Industrial Revolution was winding up and there was no going back. Humans have always used technology — we just have to use it to uplift our fellow humans, rather than oppressing them.

Our breakfast might have been enjoyed by a cottager before he walked over to his loom to begin his workday. Oysters were a common food for poor folks near the coast, as they were inexpensive sources of protein. Cheese was the product of ‘cottage industries’ of the early 1800s. Put them together, and a wonderful dinner awaits.

Cottage Breakfast with Egg: 157 calories 7.5 g fat 1 g fiber 8 g protein 15 g carbs 38 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB I wanted a breakfast that evoked a cottage in the English country-side, so here it is. The pan muffins are very good.

1 pan muffin** 1 oz applesauce one 2-oz egg: fried or hard-boiled or soft-boiled 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

HINT: I prepared 8 pan muffins from the 10-grain mufffin batter, cooked them, and froze them. I made the remaining batter into muffins to enjoy on Slow Days.

**PAN MUFFIN each: 71 calories 2.5 g fat 1 g fiber 2 g protein 11 g carbs 8.5 mg Calcium

These are a dandy little bread to add to a breakfast plate. You will see them also in Roman Breakfast.

1 cup dry Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal mix 1¼ cup buttermilk/soured milk	Combine cereal and milk in a small bowl. Let sit 10 minutes.
1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup sugar 1 two-ounce egg	Cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the egg.
1 cup unbleached flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda	Add dry ingredients and cereal/milk mixture. Stir until just combined. Heat a griddle or flat-bottomed skillet to medium temperature.
2 Tbsp batter for each pan muffin	Portion out batter onto hot griddle/skillet spritzed with non-stick spray. Cook on both sides.

Take one pan muffin from the freezer the night before and let it thaw. Cook the egg to your taste and warm the pan muffin. Dish the applesauce, brew the hot beverage, pour the smoothie. What a sweet and easy meal.

Oyster & Bleu Cheese Pie: pie filling only, 1 of 6 servings = 116 calories 8 g fat 1 g fiber 5.6 g protein 5 g carbs [3 g Complex] 88 mg Calcium pie with crust, 1 of 6 servings: add 193 calories [the entire pie crust for an 8” pie plate = 1160 or fewer calories] PB GF NB: if you want a GF meal, do not use any pie crust – especially not a purchased GF crust which is very high in calories. The pie makes a fabulous, indulgent meal but it is low in protein and fiber. For a very special treat, it is wonderful. The left-hand column gives the recipe is for an 8”, full-sized pie plate, which serves 6. The center column gives amounts to prepare a 6” pie plate to serve 4. HINT: leftover pieces can be frozen.

8” pie pan with pie crust	6” pie pan +pie crust	Roll out dough + fit into pie pan. Crimp edge. Blind bake 15 mins. Remove foil and weights + bake until golden, ~ 10 mins or so. SEE ABOVE NOTE ABOUT PIE CRUST
1 Tbsp butter ½ c leeks ½ c fennel bulb ½ c tart apple ½ tsp ground black pepper pinch salt	2 tsp butter ¼ c leeks ¼ c fennel bulb ¼ c apple ¼ tsp ground black pepper pinch salt	Finely chop the leeks and fennel. Dice the apple. Melt butter in a skillet, add leeks, fennel and apple, and sauté on low until tender and translucent. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and remove from heat. Heat oven to 400F.
12 oysters – we like East Coast oysters which are brinier	6-8 oysters	Put oysters flat in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Heat pan on medium high until water reaches 131F/55C, measured with a food-safe thermometer. Shut off heat and let sit on burner 5 minutes. Remove oysters from water and cool in a bowl. Open shells + a remove oysters, doing so over a bowl to catch the juices.
4 oz blue cheese 3 Tbsp reserved oyster juice 1 egg white	2 oz blue cheese 1.5 Tbsp oyster juice ½ egg white	In a separate bowl, mash cheese and add reserved oyster juice. Beat egg white until softly peaked and fold into cheese.
		Spread leek mixture in pie shell. Spread cheese mixture on top. Bake 20 mins.
fennel fronds 4-5 asparagus stalks/person	fennel fronds 4-5 asparagus stalks/person	Take pie from oven, arrange oysters on top. Bake 2 minutes more. Strew with fronds. Let pie set about 10 minutes, then cut in portions and serve with steamed asparagus.

Saint Mildburh

February 22, 2023February 17, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Mildburh was born to the King Merwald of Mercia and his wife Ermenburga, c. 635. Ermenburga and her sisters [Ermingitha and Ethelreda] were later proclaimed saints. Mildburh [or Milburga] had two sisters [Mildred and Mildryth] who also became nuns and lead saintly lives. The Saxon prefix ‘mild’ means ‘gentle and pleasant.’ From her youth, Mildburh was religious so it was not strange that she resisted the enticements of a neighboring king, who showed his affection by invading with an army to claim her hand in marriage. The maiden fled to France where she was trained by the Benedictines at Chelles Abbey near Paris. Returning to England, Mildburh founded/became Prioress of Wenlock Abbey in Shropshire. During that time, miracles were attributed to her. In one, a spring of healing water was created when her horse kicked a rock. In another, Mildburh prayed so earnestly over a dead child that she levitated into the air and the child revived. In February, farmers usually begin to plant barley in England. Mildburh blessed a newly-sown field one morning and the seeds began to sprout right away. The saint said that they would all eat the barley that evening — and they did. Her abbey flourished, in part due to her good reputation, and in part because she convinced the birds not to eat the seeds as they were planted. Hence, Mildburh is the patron saint of birds. Celebrate the Feast Day of Good Mildburh on February 23.

Since Mildburh ate barley, so will we. The barley cakes are accompanied by flavors that Mildburh and her sisters would have enjoyed. For a fine side-dish, try the barley pilaf. Or mix the pilaf in with other ingredients for dinner. Barley, Hordeum vulgare, is good tasting and good for you. It was domesticated from a wild grass 10,000 years ago, and is still popular today. Barley is full of antioxidants and has less gluten than wheat.

Barley Cake Breakfast: 224 calories 8 g fat 5 g fiber 8 g protein 42 g carbs 57 mg Calcium NB: the food values given are for the plated items only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB Barley flour has been used for centuries and it desreves a renaissance. These delightful cakes are the centerpiece of a very healthy breakfast with an English accent.

2 barley cakes** 2 oz apple or pear ½ oz Cheddar cheese 5 hazelnuts or almonds Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Prep all ingredients, then arrange as you wish on the plate.

**Barley Cakes each cake = 51 calories 0.0 g fat 1.5 g fiber 1.6 g protein 16.5 g carbs 14 mg Calcium

24 barley cakes	Large griddle or skillet.
1½ c barley flour ½ c white whole wheat flour ¾ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda	Combine thoroughly in a medium-sized bowl.
½ c fat-free milk ½ c plain fat-free yogurt 1 oz of egg ¼ c honey, warmed	To get only 1 ounce of egg, crack open a 2-oz egg, whisk it and use 1 oz. [give the rest to the cat] Whisk together in a bowl.
	Combine wet and dry ingredients and let sit until wetted, while griddle heats on medium.
Cooking spray	Spray griddle with cooking spray. Using a 1.5 Tbsp scoop, drop batter on griddle, then flatten slightly with wet fingertips.
	Cook until browned on both sides and not squishy on the equator. Freezes well.

Barley Pilaf: ½ c = 160 calories 1.5 g fat 3.6 g fiber 7g protein 31.6 g carbs 10.6 mg Calcium PB Barley is NOT GF This recipe is from Rush Hour Cookbook. It is a super alternative to plain rice or purchased pilaf.

makes 1.5 cups	need: Heavy, medium-sized skillet
1 cup quick-cooking barley	In skillet, cook barley over med-high ~5 mins, until toasted and golden.
1 clove garlic, finely chopped	Add the garlic and stir 1 minute.
1½ c. chicken stock	Add stock and bring to a boil.
½ c whole-wheat orzo 1 Tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried	Add to pot, stir, turn heat to low, cover and simmer 10 mins.
	Take off heat, let sit 5 minutes.
2 Tbsp chopped chives or scallions salt + pepper to taste	Add these, stir, plate

Chicken. Mushrooms, & Barley: 275 calories 9 g fat 7 g fiber 23 g protein 48 g carbs 55 mg Calcium PB This serendipidous meal turned out to be a good one, using left-over pilaf and chicken in a hearty Fast dinner.

½ c barley pilaf** 1 oz mushrooms 2 oz roasted chicken, cut in bite-sized pieces 2 oz green beans 3 oz/44 g Brussel sprouts, cut in quarters

Slice mushrooms and cook them in a little water until most of the liquid evaporates. Add mushrooms, liquid, and chicken to barley pilaf in a small sauce pan. Heat gently, adding water if it becomes too dry or starts to stick. Cook vegetables, separately or together. Mix cooked sprouts in with the barley and chicken, plate with beans on the side, and serve.

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

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
applesauce, unsweetened	mackerel, cooked
Pan muffin	leeks + Dijon mustard
	strawberries
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

12 oysters + butter + leeks	Chicken breast, cooked + part-skim ricotta
fennel bulb + fennel fronds	onion + celery + tomato + lettuce
bleu cheese + apple + egg white	2 slices whole-grain bread + cilantro
Optional: pie crust – NOT GF	Swedish Cucumber Salad + Yellow sriracha
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Hometown Heroine: Perth

February 19, 2023February 16, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

My grandmother, the family historian, told me the story of Catherine Douglass when I was a child. Since my gr-gr-gr-great-grandmother was a Douglass, my grandmother [she of the Christmas cookies] thought I should know how Catherine tried to save the King of Scotland and earned the sobriquet ‘Kate Barlass.’ When James I was King of Scotland, he did some things that earned him praise. He also earned the enmity of several powerful nobles [like his uncle and cousins] who determined to kill the king in order to advance their families’ agendas. On February 20, 1437, King James, his wife Joan and a few members of their inner circle were staying at the Blackfriars Monastery in Perth. A group of dissidents decided to use the occasion for assassination, and they had the help of the King’s steward. The King and Queen were in their room, getting ready for bed, attended by her ladies. One of the ladies was Catherine ‘Kate’ Douglass. A commotion was heard in the hall and the royal party guessed that danger was at hand. Someone knew that there was a sewage tunnel under the room, so the rug was raised and the King was lowered into a pit under the floorboards. Once, there had been a tunnel going out to the garden, but it had been walled-off because near-by games of lawn tennis were often interrupted when balls went into the tunnel. As the King hiding himself, Queen Joan told her women to secure the stout bar that would fasten the door to the room — but the duplicitous steward had removed it. Determined to buy time, Catherine put her arm in the brackets where the bar should have gone. Alas, a young woman’s arm is no match to 30 determined assassins — the door burst open, breaking Catherine’s arm. The murderers also knew about the sewage tunnel, the king was revealed when the floor was opened, and he was stabbed 23 times. In the mele, the Queen was stabbed and another lady was injured, but the women escaped to Sterling Castle. The exploits of Kate Douglass were written down in 1527, then repeated in translations throughout the century. Authors of the 1800s from Walter Scott to Dante Gabriel Rossetti amplified the story of Kate Barlass, and she caught the popular imagination. In a play by Sir Arthur Helps and in paintings, Catherine Douglass had her 15 minutes of fame. Her fame continues into this century with a fine song about Catherine and she lives on in the expression, “Katie, bar the door” which means “Watch out — trouble is coming.” That’s my grandmother’s story, and I’m sticking to it.

We don’t usually associate potatoes with Scotland, but both out meals have them as an ingredient. To make the potatoes more healthy, mix equal parts sweet potatoes and white potatoes to use in these recipes.

Tattie Scone with Egg: 145 calories 5 g fat 2.6 g fiber 8.5 g protein 18.4 g carbs 87 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg, scone, and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB Tattie Scones have been part of a Scottish Breakfast ever since potatoes were considered fit to eat. Easy to make when you have left-over boiled potatoes.

One 2-oz egg 1 tattie scone*** 2 oz apple or pear Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Prepare the Tattie Scone [HINT: Do this the night before and cook them, too.] and keep warm or re-warm. Fry the egg to your liking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Plate the scone, top with the egg. Plate the fruit and pour the beverages. Almost an instant meal, if you made the scone beforehand.

***TATTIE SCONES makes 3, each at 43 calories ½ cup mashed potatoes, no milk, no butter nb: I have made this successfully with half sweet potato/half white potato 1 Tbsp egg white 1 Tbsp white whole wheat flour 2 Tbsp milk ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp baking powder Stir all ingredients together – batter will look like thin Cream of Wheat.

Measure ¼ cup portions and pour into a heavy skillet which is well-seasoned or has been spitzed with non-stick spray. Spread out the batter to about 4.5” diameter. Cook slowly on one side until the scones are cohesive enough to turn over. Cook on the other side. Cool and store until you need them.

Cullen Skink: 228 calories 4.5 g fat 3 g fiber 26 g protein 20 g carbs 161 mg Calcium PB GF We found this old Scottish recipe to be divine!! Despite the low calorie count, it is very satisfying. Comfort Food with a Scottish dialect.

3 oz finnen haddie [smoked haddock] 3 oz milk small pinch ground cloves bay leaf ¼ cup onion, chopped 2 oz potato, diced 1 oz peas -OR- 3 oz asparagus, cut in 2” slices 1 tsp butter parsley for garnish

Skin the fish and put it in a small pan with the milk and bay leaf. Cook gently until the fish is warm. Remove the fish from the milk and break it into large pieces. Add the onions, potatoes, and cloves to the milk along with a little water. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Run the milk and vegetables through the blender [or use immersion blender] to a fine puree. Cook the asparagus. Return the fish to the pan with butter and the puree and heat. Add pepper to taste. Plate the fish and vegetable puree, sprinkle with parsley, and arrange the vegetable around the sides. You will want to eat this again!

Comparing Plans: Mediterranean Diet

February 15, 2023September 21, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Dear Husband has decided, since his birthday is tomorrow, that he will shift his eating plan into a higher gear: in addition to Fasting two days each week, he would like the Slow Day meals to be more Mediterranean in nature. What a good idea! This ancient Way of Eating has been studied since the 1950s and causing double-takes for decades — how can they eat all that olive oil and wine and cheese and still be healthy??!?! It is not about what they do eat but what they do not eat: butter, cream, red meat, refined carbohydrates, processed foods, sweets. Is there any benefit to eating like a Mediterranean? Oh yes!! A large, long-term study in the US showed that a Mediterranean Diet lowers cholesterol, helps the body to regulate blood sugar, and reduces damaging inflammation linked to metabolic disease, all while keeping arteries flexible and free from plaque. AND it can promote weight loss. In sum, a Mediterranean Diet, along with other healthy lifestyle choices, seems to reduce early death due to heart issues by 80%. W.O.W. Dr, Michael Mosley, originator of the Fast Diet, highly recommends a Mediterranean Diet for everyone on Slow Days. How similar are the Fast Diet and the Mediterranean Diet? Let’s look at a comparison:

Is this food allowed on this diet…	MEDITERRANEAN	On Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, pork	< 3 oz sv.	Small servings
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkey	3 oz sv	Yes, preferred
Eggs	Up to 7 per week	Yes
Beer, wine, cocktails	Yes to wine	On Slow Days
Oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat bread/pasta	Yes	in moderation
Nuts + seeds	Yes, 3 sv/week	in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas/kidney beans/lentils/chickpeas	Yes, 3 sv/week	Yes
Seafood protein, especially with Omega-3 fats	3 sv/week	Yes, preferred
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruits	Yes- 3 sv /day	Yes
Berries	Yes	Yes
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuce	Yes	Yes
Dairy: Cheese, milk, yogurt	fat-free preferred	Some
Vegetable oils: olive, canola	preferred sources	in moderation
Animal fat: butter, lard, or margarine substitutes	no	in moderation
Root vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, carrots	Yes	Yes
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppers	Yes	Yes
Fat	Only plant-based	No
Protein	seafood-based	Yes. lots
Higher fiber	Yes	Yes
Limit refined Carb intake	Complex carbs only	Complex carbs only
Whole grains	Yes !!	Yes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake, bread, processed foods	None or very limited amounts	Not on Fast Day
Number of days per week to follow the regimin	7 of 7	2 of 7
Do calories matter?	No	Only 600 on Fast Days

Based on information from the Cleveland Clinic website.

There are many ways to add vegetables to your diet deliciously, such as Zucchini-Feta Fritters for breakfast [or dinner] and Felafel at dinner [or breakfast]. Try making changes to one meal a week, to conform to the new guidelines, then expand your repertoire to other meals.

Zucchini-Feta Fritters & Fruit: 178 calories….. 5 g fat… 3 g fiber… 8.4 g protein… 31.6 g carbs… 208 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF – if using GF flour Savory with the feta, sweet with the melon – a flavor adventure for breakfast.

++ 4 zucchini-feta fritters ** ++++ 3 oz watermelon ++++ 2 Tbsp plain, fat-free yogurt ++++ 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] ++

Start the fritters the night before to allow the zucchini to drain thoroughly. Using 1.5 Tablespoons per fritter, place the batter on a hot griddle which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Flatten the fritters, and cook on both sides until well browned. Plate with the melon and yogurt. Serve with beverage of choice, noting their calorie count. [Refrigerate the remaining batter until you have time to cook and freeze the remainder.]

**Zucchini-Feta Fritters makes 23-24 each: 34 calories 1.5 g fat 0.3 g fiber 1.5 g protein 3 g carbs 34 mg Calcium PB These are a yummy treat, at breakfast or as a pre-dinner nibble. 1-1/8 pound [18 oz] zucchini salt 1 two-oz egg 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled or diced ¼ cup fresh dill weed OR 2 Tbsp dried 2 Tbsp fresh parsley ¼ c white whole wheat flour ¼ cup self-rising flour Grate the zucchini and put it in a collendar over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and use your fingers to toss the zucchini to distribute the salt. Let sit several hours or overnight. Place the zucchini in a clean bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Combine well. Heat a griddle/large skillet and spray with non-stick spray. TIP: I used a 1.5 Tbsp scoop, but a heaping tablespoon would do as well. Make piles of the batter on the cooking surface, then flatten them, and cook until well-browned on both sides.

Felafel with Vegetable Salsa: 205 calories 5 g fat 7.5 g fiber 9 g protein 26.5 g carbs 139 mg Calcium PB GF The felafel recipe is from Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. Perfect for any time of year. Felafel is so convenient to have in the freezer for ‘instant’ meals.

6 falefel patties ½ cup diced fresh tomatoes ½ cup diced orange or yellow bell peppers 2 Tbsp red onion, chopped 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Combine the chopped vegetables with the lemon juice. Let sit while the felafel warms. If frozen, warm the felafel. Plate the felafel and the salad. It’s that easy?!? Yes it is!

FELAFEL: makes 26 patties each patty = 25 calories

2 cups canned chick peas [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them] 1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!] ¼ cup celery, minced ¼ c. scallions, sliced 1 egg 1½ tsp tahini ½ t. cumin ½ t. tumeric ¼ t. cayenne ¼ t. black pepper 1.5 t. salt

Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1½ Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later. Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be about 25 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use.

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

1 two-oz egg + apple or pear	barley flour + white whole wheat flour
Tattie Scone: mashed potatoes	1 egg + plain fat-free yogurt + fat-free milk
egg white + milk	baking soda + baking powder + honey
white whole wheat flour + baking powder	dried fig + grapes or melon
Optional smoothie	deglet noor dates + salt
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

smoked haddock=finnen haddie	cooked chicken + mushrooms
onion + potato	Brussel sprouts + green beans
butter + milk + bay leaf	Barley pilaf: quick barley + whole wheat orzo
parsley + peas or asparagus	stock + thyme + chives or scallions
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Morocco

February 12, 2023April 27, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Do you play Worldle, the geography spin-off of the popular Wordle? What helps you to recognize Morocco when it comes up? I look for the flat line at the bottom. The shape looks like a leg in a rather baggy boot, the foot of which is flat on the floor. The Kingdom of Morocco is in a unique location, having coastlines on both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Archeological evidence shows that people have lived there since 300,000 years ago, when the region was a grassy savannah. Now, the population is made up of Berbers and Arabs and the climate is much drier. In the time of the ancient Greeks, Morocco was the site of one half of the Pillars of Hercules, which marked the Western end of the Mediterranean. In one old story, the Titan Giant Atlas, who was doomed to hold the heavens on his shoulders for all time, performed his task while standing in Morocco. The hero Perseus turned Atlas into a mountain range, now called the Atlas Mountains, which runs from Morocco to Algeria. During the Ordovician Period of geologic time, this part of Northern Africa was a warm, shallow ocean which abounded with creatures who’s shells are now embedded in the rocks of the Atlases. If you see a beautiful fossil Ammonite or Cephalopod in a rock shop, most likely it is the result of the lucrative trade in Moroccan fossils. In 150 BCE, the Romans appropriated the area which they called ‘Mauritania,’ but it was not officially part of the empire until 44 CE. The Arabs arrived in the 600s, bringing the Islamic religion to the Maghreb. For the next few centuries, the region was struggled over by factions of Muslims, with little cohesion or permanence. Bit by bit, the French arrived and worked their way into the fabric of the country, gaining control in 1912. Occupation by Germany during WW2, lead to Casablanca being an important hub of intrigue during the war. Independence arrived in 1956. The country has many place names that are familiar: Marrakech, Fez, Tangier. And some well-known people came from Morocco: actor Jean Reno; 14th century world traveler and scholar Ibn Battuta; Nobel Physicist Serge Haroche. Make sure you can recognize Morocco next time you see it — it is a place worth knowing.

Our meals for Morocco have the spices of the country at breakfast and a storied street-food for dinner.

Moroccan Bake: 148 calories 6.4 g fat 2 g fiber 7 g protein 16 g carbs 41 mg Calcium PB GF The Moroccan spice Ras El Hanout is the key to this breakfast. The dates and melon make it even better.

1 two-oz egg 1 tsp Ras el Hanout spice blend 2 tsp tomato sauce 1 black olive, chopped 2 deglet noor dates 2 oz melon 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 350 degrees. Whisk the eggs with the spice, tomato, and olive. Pour into the oven-safe dish and bake 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit and an optional beverage.

Mhadjeb: 1 piece + fruit = 240 calories 4 g fat 3.5 g fiber 7.6 g protein 32.5 g carbs 20 mg Calcium PB Somewhere in the mists of time, a poor Algerian woman began to prepare this dish. She would send it out with her children to sell in the streets. It became a great hit and, not knowing what else to call it, the food was dubbed ‘mhadjeb’ or ‘mahjouba’ which means ‘honorable woman’ or ‘the unknown woman who never leaves the house.’ The recipe is adapted from one by Nympha Nzeribe. Leftover pieces freeze well.

Makes 6	Griddle for cooking
1 cup semolina ½ c white whole wheat flour pinch salt ½ cup warm water	Combine flours and salt in a bowl, and add water gradually. Knead until ingredients are mixed into a soft dough.
Plastic bag large enough to hold dough	Take a plastic bag and dip it in warm water, filling the bag. Dump out the water and put dough inside the wet bag. Wrap bag around dough and let it rest ~15 minutes.
	Remove dough, knead lightly for a few minutes.
	Oil your hands and form dough into 6 balls. Line up balls on a work surface, in the order you form them, making note of the order. Cover lightly, let rest.
1 tsp olive oil 1 cup onions, chopped	Cook onions in oil until transluscent.
14 oz tomatoes, diced 2 Tbsp green chile [New Mexico] 2 Tbsp catsup large pinch cumin + salt ½ cup carrot, grated	Dice tomatoes and add to onions along with all the rest of these. Cover and cook over low, stiring at whiles, until thickened. Take off heat.
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped	Add egg, stir, and let cool to room temperature. Divide into as many portions as you have dough balls. 2 oz each ball.
Oil balls of dough cooled filling	On a lightly oiled surface, roll out Dough Ball #1 as thinly as you can. ~9” dia. Spoon filling into center and spread it out a bit. Fold edges of circle to center, to form a square, covering all the filling. Repeat with other balls and filling.
	Spray oil on a griddle. Move each package carefully to the griddle, lest the dough break open. Cook until each side is nicely browned. Let cool briefly.
clementines/ melon/ grapes	Serve with cool, fresh fruits on the side.

Procopio Cuto

February 8, 2023February 1, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

You might not know the name of Francesco Procopio Cuto, but if you have ever been in a “cafe,” you know his legacy. “Cafe” means “coffee.” The Spanish brought cocoa to Europe in 1528. The Dutch brought tea to Europe in 1610. The Venetians brought coffee to Europe in 1615. Procopio Cuto brought the coffee-house to Paris in 1686. Cuto was born in Sicily on 9 February 1651, into a family of chefs. His grandfather had a machine that would make an Arabian delight called “gelato.” Procopio decided to take the gelato machine and go to France to make his fortune. Stopping off in Venice on the way, he was introduced to the idea of a coffee-house. In Paris, Cuto obtained a license to sell ‘lemonade’ and other fruit beverages in a dark, tiny shop on Rue des Fossés-Saint-Germain-des-Prés, in the 6th Arondissement. Once he remodeled, with chandeliers and marble-topped tables, business picked up. When he added the exotic drink coffee, business was even better. Then the Comedie Francaise Theatre opened across the street in 1689, and all of the beau-monde came to the cafe, before and after the plays. Writers, statesmen, men of letters, actors, nobility — everyone sat down at Cafe Procope — to see, to be seen, and to drink the coffee. Thus, Procopio introduced the coffee-house to Paris. He also started making gelato, although with a slightly changed recipe. And it was a hit! He was the official gelato maker to the court of Louis XVI. Ladies, who had been absent at first, came to eat gelato or drink hot chocolate. Cafe Procope was the place to be! The cafe continued after Coto died in 1727. Even the Revolutionaries of 1789 met at Procope, to plot the overthrow of the monarchy. Benjamin Franklin was a customer, as were Thomas Jefferson [who introduced ice cream to the Americas], Napoleon, Victor Hugo and anyone you can think of. Obviously, the concept was much copied, as there were 30,000 cafes in Paris in 1900, indicating the democratization of the cafe scene. No longer for the elites only, everyone went to the cafe and it became a way of life. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Paris, whether you order a citron presse or a cafe espresso, go to a cafe, and relax, and watch the parade of life walk by, just as Parisiens have been doing since Procopio Cuto showed them how.

The foods I chose for today are both light little meals which might be enjoyed at a cafe, along with a cup of coffee. Or at breakfast at home, along with a cup of coffee. The second meal can be a breakfast or, if doubled along with an added slice of bread, could be a lovely dinner.

Strawberry Crepe: 193 calories 7.5 g fat 2 g fiber 9.5 g protein 23 g carbs 211 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB Isn’t it a treat to enjoy ‘Strawberries & Cream’ once in a while? If you haven’t made the crepes already, this is a good reason to try them. Mine were ready in the freezer.

1 sweet crepe*** 2 Tbsp ricotta cheese 3 Tbsp vanilla low-fat yogurt 3 oz strawberries, sliced and put in a sieve over a bowl, especially if frozen 1 slice uncured bacon or 1 slice ‘Canadian’ bacon Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Stir the ricotta and yogurt together. Add most of the berries, saving some for garnish. If there is a lot of juice, cook it down slowly to make a little syrup. Cook the bacon. Place the crepe on the plate and spoon the cream filling onto it. Fold over the crepe and top with the extra berries and syrup. Plate with the bacon and prepare your hot beverage of choice.

***CREPES, SWEET: makes 16 eight-inch crepes each = 53 calories 0.8 g fat 1 g fiber 6 g protein 8.5 g carbs 38 mg Calcium

100 g white whole wheat flour 54 g all-purpose flour 14 fl oz skimmed milk [416 g] 2 tsp vanilla sugar 2 two-oz eggs

Whisk the flour and sugar together. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Add the eggs one at a time. Whisk vigorously until the batter runs off the whisk in ropes. [If batter is too stiff, add water 1 Tbsp. at a time to thin it.] The batter can rest for up to an hour. Heat a small cast-iron pan or ceramic saute pan. Lightly spritz with oil, then wipe out the pan. Dip a ¼ cup measure into the batter and let the extra drain off. Grasp the handle of the cook pan with one hand as you slowly pour the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan in a swirling pattern to let the batter form a circle roughly 6” in diameter. Don’t get hung up on perfectly round or perfectly flat. Watch the crepe cook and look to see when the edges start to dry and curl a bit. Using a heat-resistant but non-scratching tool [I use my fingers], lift the crepe and turn it over. Cook the other side until done. Time will vary, depending on the heat of your pan. Lift out the cooked crepe, put it aside, and cook the next one. HINT: if storing them for later today or tomorrow, let them cool on a tea towel, then stack and store in a plastic bag.

Prosciutto & Melon Plate: 125 calories 7 g fat 1 g fiber 17 g protein 13.4 g carbs 135 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF Once again the Inn at Saint Peter’s inspires a breakfast! Nothing beats the salty-sweet flavor combination of this meal. HINT: For a quick breakfast, I plated everything the night before and stored the plates in zipper bags in the refrigerator. NB: If you wish to serve this for a dinner, then double all the ingredients and proceed as directed, except for the beverages. Add 3/4 oz whole-grain sourdough bread for a total = 309 calories.

4 oz canteloupe melon [Charentais melon would be fabulous!] 1 oz thinly-sliced prosciutto ¼ cup red onion pickle 0.1 oz shavings of Parmesan cheese fresh basil or mint leaves OR crumbled dried basil drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction, optional 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

Cut the melon into bite-sized cubes [8 pieces look well on the plate]. Cut the prosciutto into 8 long strips [mine were 1”x4”]. Arrange the melon and ham in a circle on the plate with the red onion in the center. Shave off curls of Parmesan and place them on top. If using fresh herb leaves, tuck them in here and there. If using dried herbs, rub the leaves in your palms to crumble over the plate. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if you wish. Serve with your chosen beverages. Wonderful flavors, however you combine them on your fork.

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

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs + whitewrole wheat flour
Ras el Hanout spice blend	zucchini + feta cheese
melon + tomato sauce	self-rising flour + watermelon or other melon
black olive + dogleg door date	plain, fat-free yogurt
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

semolina + white whole wheat flours	6 falafel patties
onion + tomato + green chilis	fresh tomato + red onion
catsup + cumin + carrot	orange/yellow bell pepper
clementine/melon/grapes + olive oil
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

https://standartmag.com/blogs/journal/paris-city-guide

Saint Dorothy

February 5, 2023January 31, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Dorothy lived in Asia Minor [modern Turkey] during the early Christian Era. She was a convert, which was against the law, and pledged to be married only to Christ, who lived in Paradise where flowers and fruits are ripe all year long. Put on trial for her refusal to renounce her faith, she was sentenced to death. The prosecution lawyer, Theophilus, gloated over his victory and mocked Dorothy. As she was lead away to die, Theophilus called out, “Hey! Bride of Christ! Send me some fruit from your bride-groom’s garden in Paradise!” The crowd heard him and laughed heartily at the jest. Here the story diverges. In version 1) Dorothy takes off her head-dress before being beheaded and gives it to a small boy, bidding him give it to the scoffing lawyer. When the head-dress is delivered, it smells divinely of fruit. In version 2) Dorothy is killed. Soon afterward, a small boy finds Theophilus in the crowd and gives him a basket of fruit and flowers even though it is February. (I love Version 2.) At any rate, Theophilus was moved to recognize that Dorothy was a holy person; that her religion was better than his; and that he had to become a Christian forthwith. He declared his change of faith and of heart, was arrested and put to death. All of this happened on February 6, 311 CE. Dorothy was a popular topic for artists in the Renaissance. In paint and wood-cuts of Dorothy, her sweet story was told. Maybe she never lived at all. She is the patron saint of gardners, fruit growers, and brides.

We will celebrate Saint Dorothy with flavors from warmer climates: curry and coconut. Eat vegetables and fruit today.

Curried Vegetable Bake: 123 calories 5 g fat 1.5 g fiber 7 g protein 11.6 g carbs 41.5 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF If you love the warm, spicy taste of curry, then feel free to add more to this dish.

one 2-oz egg ½ oz carrot, cooked and diced [HINT: use leftovers from a dinner] ½ oz broccoli, cooked and diced 1 Tbsp Indian curry powder -OR- 4 Tbsp curry sauce additional curry powder, salt, garlic powder, all to taste 2 oz 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

Spritz an oven-safe dish with non-stick spray and set the toaster oven to 350 F. Whisk together the vegetables, seasonings, and the curry powder/sauce until well blended. Whisk the egg into the mixture and turn into the dish. Bake about 15 minutes while you portion the applesauce and prepare the optional beverages.

Halibut in Thai Coconut Curry: 258 calories 14 g fat 2 g fiber 21 g protein 10 g carbs 139 mg Calcium PB GF This is from Alaska from Scratch by Maya Wilson and it is delicious.

1 tsp olive oil, separated 3 cups spinach, lightly packed 1 Tbsp shallots, chopped ¾ Tbsp Thai red curry paste or more to taste ¼ cup chicken broth 3½ fluid oz light coconut milk pinch sugar 3 oz halibut fillet 2 Tbsp scallion 1½ tsp lime juice

Heat ½ tsp olive oil in a wide saute pan with 1-2 Tbsp water. Add the spinach with salt and pepper and toss in the oil until greens begin to wilt. Remove to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Put ½ tsp oil in the pan with the shallots and cook 2 minutes. Add curry paste, chicken broth, coconut milk, and sugar. Whisk to combine and simmer on low until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Salt the fish and add to the broth in the pan, spooning some broth on top of the fish. Cover and poach 5 minutes per ½” of thickness of the fish fillet. Put greens in the serving bowl and top with fish. Stir scallions and lime juice into broth, turn heat up briefly. Ladle broth over the fish and greens. Optional: ¼ cup brown rice.

>>>Have you seen this from the CBC? https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/intermittent-fasting-1.6725799 Lots of good facts about Fasting and its benefits for your body.

	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

Comparing Plans: The Daniel Diet

Hometown Heroine: Palmares

Religions: Methodism

Luddites

Saint Mildburh

Hometown Heroine: Perth

Comparing Plans: Mediterranean Diet

Morocco

Procopio Cuto

Saint Dorothy

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