Hometown Heroine: Ancona

August 31, 2025August 17, 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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

The people of Ancona were in dire straits. For months their coastal city had been besieged by the combined forces of their enemies, the Republic of Venice and the Holy Roman Empire. The plucky little Republic of Ancona had the temerity to challenge Venice over trade rights in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, and they had chosen to ally themselves with the Byzantine Empire rather than the Holy Romans. Warfare ensued, leading to the Siege of Ancona. The people of the city were in need of a break, of a morale boost in this war of attrition. On September 1, 1173, while the siege engines ringed the walls, a band of defenders rolled a barrel of pitch through a hole in the wall. The plan was to set it alight, to destroy some war machines, and gain a respite from the relentless attacks. The problem was that the pitch was very flammable and potentially explosive — the act of lighting it on fire might be deadly. It had to be done, but how? And by whom? While the men stood about dithering, the Widow Stamina stepped forward. With an axe in hand, she went to the barrel and broke it open. She lit the pitch and the resulting fire consumed the siege engines. She died of course. Stamina’s action allowed the city of Ancona to hold out until October, when allies arrived to end the siege. In the 1800s, during the efforts to unify Italy, Stamina was hailed as a true “Italian” heroine, although she had never heard of a nation by that name. She was memorialized in art, history books, and a novel. “Facts” about her were invented, to flesh out her biography. All we really know about her is her last name [sometimes written as ‘Stamura’], and that “the Sacrifice of Stamina” truly saved the day at the Siege of Ancona.

Prosciutto & Melon Plate: 215 calories… 10 g fat… 3 g fiber… 24 g protein… 23 g carbs… 228 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 inspired a breakfast! Nothing beats the salty-sweet flavor combination of this meal. HINT: I plated everything the night before and stored the plates in zipper bags in the refrigerator.

++ 5 oz canteloupe melon [Charentais melon would be fabulous!] ++++ 1 oz thinly-sliced prosciutto ++++ ¼ cup red onion pickle ++++ 0.2 oz shavings of Parmesan cheese ++++ fresh basil or mint leaves OR crumbled dried basil ++++ ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt ++++ ¼ cup blackberries plus 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] ++

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”]. Place a ramekin with yogurt, berries, and balsamic vinegar in the center of a plate. Arrange the red onion around it, then the melon and ham in a circle on the outside of the plate. 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. Serve with your chosen beverage. Wonderful flavors, however you combine them on your fork.

Turkey Picatta: 257 calories… 5 g fat… 1.3 g fiber… 31 g protein… 21 g carbs… 28 mg Calcium… GF Rush Hour Cooking provided this recipe which is one of our all-time favorites. Quick and delicious.

++ 4 oz uncooked turkey breast ++++ salt & pepper ++++ ½ tsp olive oil 1 Tbsp white wine ++++ 1/3 cup chicken stock ++++ 1.5 tsp lemon juice ++++ 2 Tbsp shallots, minced ++++ pinch garlic powder ++++ 2 tsp capers ++++ 3 oz tomatoes, sliced ++++ ¼ cup brown rice, optional++

Combine the wine, stock and lemon juice. Pound the turkey meat, if needed, to even out the thickness. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the turkey on both sides until cooked through, adding a little of the stock mixture if needed. Remove turkey to a plate and keep warm. Add the stock mixture and shallots to the pan along with the garlic powder, stirring up the brown bits on the pan. Cook down until only 3-4 tablespoons of sauce remain. Lastly add the capers. Warm the rice [if using cooked left-over rice] and slice the tomatoes. Plate the rice, drizzling 1 Tbsp sauce over it. Plate the turkey, pouring the remaining sauce on it. Plate the tomatoes.

Saint Augustine

August 27, 2025August 21, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

There is Saint Augustine, a city in Florida; there is the Saint Augustine of Canterbury, England; and there is Saint Augustine of Hippo. The latter lived in Algeria. son of a middle-class ethnically Berber family. Born in 354 CE, Augustine was a citizen of the Roman Empire, yet was not from Europe. As assimilated Romans, his family spoke only latin, and the Afro-Roman nature of Augustine’s life influenced his philosophy. His mother [Saint Monnica] was a fervent Christian, his father not so much. Augustine was given a good Classical education, even though his parents really couldn’t afford it. While a student in Carthage, Augustine took a mistress [his mother objected], to whom he was loyal for 14 years. He flirted with being a Manichaean, a Persian-African Christianity, later declared heretical [his mother objected]. In Carthage, Augustine became a teacher of rhetoric, but disliked his unruly students. He moved to Rome to set up a school, but disliked his students’ apathy. A move to Milan to teach was a turning point in his life. He met Saint Ambrose, was baptized into Christianity [his mother approved], put aside his mistress, and became engaged to a young heiress whom he never married. Augustine returned to Africa and was pressured to become first a priest, then Bishop of Hippo [now Annaba, Algeria]. In that role, the rising ecclesiastical star preached and debated against heretical sects, and in so doing, refined his philosophy. Only bishops delivered sermons, and Augustine is reputed to have spoken 6000-10000 of them in his lifetime. They were written down by a stenographer at the time, and 600 sermons survive. Augustine was a fluent author. In addition to his sermons, 300 letters, and 100 books [two most popular: Confessions, City of God] leave no doubt as to his ideas. Augustine was against slavery, thought women were here to procreate and help their husbands, and promoted the idea of original sin. His way of uniting Christian, Roman, and Greek/Platonic traditions made his ideas accessible to a wide range of believers. In later centuries, Augustine influenced Luther, Calvin, and many secular thinkers. He died of old age during the sack of Hippo by the Gothic tribe called Vandals. His shrine is in Pavia, Italy.

For the Feast of Augustine, August 28th, our meals reflect the culinary traditions of Berber lands of Algeria and Morocco.

Chlada Felfel [Algerian Salad]: 175 calories… 15 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 8 g protein… 8 g carbs… 47.5 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods only, not the optional beverages. PB GF This Algerian favorite is often served as a side dish with lunch or dinner. But why not invite it to breakfast? While you are at it, invite a friend since this recipe serves 2 [two] persons. Coffee or tea would be appropriate for this meal, since both are popular in Northern Africa.

Serves 2, 1¼ c per breakfast
2½ oz/½ cup sweet pepper —— 3 oz/½ cup tomato, diced —— 2”/ ½ cup cucumber, diced——2 oz/½ c small onion —— 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves—–3 anchovy fillets——6 cured black olives—–	Seed peppers and chop finely. Cut tomatoes into ½” dice. Dice or thinly slice cucumber. Slice onion thinly. Chop cilantro and anchocy fillets. Pit olives and cut in half or chop.
2 tsp olive oil——2 tsp vinegar——¼ teaspoon salt—–¼ teaspoon pepper—-	Place all ingredients in a salad bowl, then toss gently. Divide between bowls.
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped——	Distribute egg bits over top.

Moroccan Tuna: 278 calories… 1.4 g fat… 7 g fiber… 34 g protein… 20.4 g carbs… PB GF Morrocan spice blend can really add zest to a simple meal.

++ 4 oz tuna steak [When I see frozen tuna steaks at the supermarket, I get a few] ++++ Moroccan spices or ground cumin or mint +++ 1/3 cup white beans, rinsed and drained ++++ 1 slice preserved lemon OR 1 slice fresh lemon ++++ vegetable choices, choose ONE: 1/3 cup peas with mint OR ½ cup broccoli florets sprinkled with cumin OR 1/3 cup green beans sprinkled with cilantro ++++ 1.3 oz/½ clementine OR ++ 1.5 oz orange

Rub tuna generously on both sides with Moroccan spices. Chop the lemon and stir into the beans. Bake the tuna on a cast iron skillet for 4-5 minutes per side in a 400F oven. When the vegetable is cooked, drain and stir in the seasoning. Plate it all artistically.

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

melon cubes + Parmesan cheese	1.5 two-oz eggs
prosciutto + red onion pickle	celery + onion
plain Greek yogurt	green bell pepper
blackberries + Balsamic Vinegar	Tabasco sauce + Cajun seasoning
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

turkey breast + cooked brown rice	curry sauce + peas + cucumber
shallots + olive oil + lemon juice	carrot + Naan bread, 92-calorie
capers + tomatoes + white wine	cauliflower florets + tomato
chicken stock + garlic powder	cooked chicken/turkey meat
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Ragweed

August 24, 2025August 19, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Do you get itchy eyes and a runny nose from mid-August to October? Did you think it was ‘hay fever‘? Most likely, you are allergic to Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia. This innocuous-looking plant grows widely in North America. With its green leaves and its small green flowers, no one notices it, unless you are looking for it. If you do see a plant like the one shown at left, pull it out, especially if you can get it before it blooms. Along the roadsides, in sidewalk gardens, in public parks — yank it all up and leave it there to wither, put it in the trash, or feed it to your chickens. A small victory! Like all flowers, ragweed produces pollen — LOTS of pollen, and the wind-carried pollen causes the allergy. Around mid-August, the flowers are in peak production, when each plant can release about a billion grains of pollen before they are killed by frost. For centuries, people looked for a reason for their seasonal rhinitis, so they blamed plants that were visible at the same time. Hence, ‘hay fever’, since ragweed bloom coincided with the hay harvest. Or local prohibitions on Goldenrod plants, thinking that the showy flowers had to be the culprit. My introduction to a ragweed allergy came when I returned from a summer in Europe, landing in the US on August 15. Wham! Sneezing. Stuffed up nose. Itchy, painful eyes. Couldn’t put in my contact lenses for weeks. The eye doctor said the problem was due to ragweed. From that year on, every August the allergy returned, and no over-the-counter remedy made a difference. Believe me: I am on a crusade against ragweed! Professional allergists can help. I sure hope ragweed is not a problem for you. Even if it isn’t, do the rest of us a favor and minimize its growth in your area. Thank you.

Ragweed originated in the South-Western states of the United States. Oddly, people with respiratory problems used to go to those states to breathe the clean, healthy air! Our menus for today originated in New Mexico, but unlike Ambrosia artemisiifolia, the food is good for you.

Breakfast Burrito: 225 calories… 12 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 12 g protein… 29 g carbs… 108 mg Calcium… NB: The food values shown are for the tortilla, egg filling, and the fruit, not for the optional coffee. PB GF– if tortillas are all corn Inspired by breakfasts enjoyed at the Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque, N.M., this has all the tastes of the Southwest – right down to the mocha coffee — in a filling yet low-calorie meal.

++ one 6” corn tortilla, MUST be 65 calories per tortilla ++++ one 2-oz egg ++++ 1 oz roasted green chiles, available canned or in jars ++++1 Tbsp carne adovada — this is pork shoulder with hot spices. [Make a batch and freeze it in small amounts or see if you can find it at a Mexican market.] ++++ Large pinch oregano, Mexican oregano if you can find it. ++++ 1 tsp cheddar cheese, finely grated ++++ 1 oz apple ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Whisk the egg with the chiles and carne. Heat a dry, well-seasoned cast iron pan and heat the tortilla until it is warm, soft, and just beginning to brown. Remove to a plate. Scramble the egg to your preference in a spritz of oil on your pan. Put the egg on top of the tortilla, then add the carne. Sprinkle cheese on top, and put it all in the toaster oven for about a minute. Douse with hot sauce if you wish, serve with the apple and hot beverage of your choice. To eat, roll it up and eat with your hands or use knife and fork. You choose.

Green Chili-Chicken Posole: 207 calories… 4 g fat… 4 g fiber… 17.5 b protein… 24 g carbs… 35 mg Calcium… PB GF Friend Cheryl shared this recipe out of the blue one day and it turned out to be a real winner. Despite the low calorie count, it is filling. Did I add, delicious?

Makes 3 cups = 3 Servings
6.4 oz chicken breast meat—½ tsp thyme—– salt + pepper	Shred or cube the chicken breast meat. Season with thyme, salt, & pepper, stir to combine and set aside.
2 tsp canola oil—–½ cup onion—-½ jalapeno, more if you wish—-1 clove garlic	Chop onion, pepper, and garlic. Heat oil over medium heat in saucepan. Add vegetables and cook ~ 4 mins, until soft. Cool a little bit.
6-7 oz New Mexico roasted green chilies—-½ tsp thyme	Scrape cooked vegetables into a food processor. Add green chilis + thyme. Process until smooth.
	Pour vegetables/chilis into saucepan. Cook, stirring, on med heat ~5 mins as sauce thickens.
1 cup chicken broth—-15 oz can of posole, drained	Add chicken and these to saucepan. Simmer until chicken is tender + cooked, ~10 mins.
Mexican oregano—–6 oz zucchini, sliced, cooked	Serve in bowls, topped with Mexican oregano. Plate zucchini, drizzled w/ some of the sauce

Religions: Woman of the Wilderness

August 20, 2025August 19, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

*Woman in the Wilderness*, by Alphonse Mucha

“Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” — Revelation, 12:6.

Johannes Kelpius was a mystic from Transylvania. At university, he had been under the influence of Jacob Zimmerman‘s “Chapter of Perfection”. Zimmerman was an astronomer, mathematician, and defrocked [due to his heretical views] Lutheran pastor. In 1694, he foresaw that the world would end and the heavenly kingdom would come in 1700. Zimmerman and his followers were set to travel to the newly-minted Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to find a suitable place to await the End Times, but their mentor died. Young Kelpius became their leader, and they settled in the wilderness of the Wissahickon Creek gorge, outside [now in] present day Philadelphia. With his 40 monks, Kelpius built a community on the 40th parallel. Despite wishing to be alone, Kelpius and his friends were often visited by other settlers in the region due to their knowledge of healing herbs and their ability to make fine musical instruments. Indeed, they set themselves up as teachers to the young and as lawyers and arbiters for the adults. The sect members wished to remain free from spiritual blemish, abstaining from sex and studying the night sky for signs and portents [their’s was the first telescope observatory in America]. In addition to thinking that only they could predict the apocalypse, the group had another quirk: they thought that the act of defecating was so disgusting that it must be sinful, therefore they did what they could to avoid the act. The year 1700 came and went, Kelpius died in 1708, and adherents began to drift away. They are remembered today by a plaque in Wissahickon Creek Park, part of Fairmount Park in Northwest Philadelphia.

Members of the sect, to avoid defecating, must have opted for foods low in fiber, like our proposed breakfast and dinner.

Fore Street Bake: 147 calories… 8 g fat… 1.6 g fiber… 9.6 g protein… 8.5 g carbs… 95 mg Calcium… NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF One of our favorite restaurants in Portland, Maine is Fore Street. First time there, I ate a pizza from their wood-fired oven and we have loved that particular combination of flavors ever since. Here’s that marvelous mixture in baked eggs.

++1 two-oz egg ++++ 1/3 oz blue cheese++++ ¾ oz leeks ++++++ ½ oz mushrooms ++++ 1 oz strawberries ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++

Slice the leeks and chop the mushrooms. Put into a Pyrex custard cup with a little water and cook in the microwave for 45 seconds. Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and add the cooked leeks and mushrooms. Whisk the cheese with the egg, then pour into the ramekin. Bake at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes. Portion the berries and pour the beverages and settle in for a taste of Portland.

Chicken BBQ Sliders: 281 calories… 4 g fat… 5.3 g fiber … 27 g protein… 35 g carbs… 166 mg Calcium… PB Such a simple meal to prepare. Such a fun meal to eat. HINT: This recipe makes 2 [two] servings. Invite a friend or save the rest for lunch another day.

++ 3 whole wheat slider buns @ 90 calories each [we prefer Martin’s brand] ++++ 5 oz cooked chicken breast, sliced ++++ 2 Tbsp Corky’s BBQ Sauce per serving ++++ 1/2 cup coleslaw OR 2 oz cherry tomatoes + ¾ oz carrot sticks++

Warm the chicken and the sauce together over low heat. Open the slider buns and toast them lightly on a heavy skillet. Spoon the filling into the slider buns and cut each one in half. One serving = 3 halves. Plate with the vegetables for an absurdly easy dinner.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled + bell pepper
carne adovada + Cheddar cheese	tomato + cucumber + onion
roasted green chilis	cilantro + anchovy filets + cider vinegar
1 corn tortilla, 65 calories	oil-cured black olives + olive oil
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

chicken breast + thyme + canola oil	tuna steak + Moroccan spice
onion + jalapeno + garlic	peas or broccoli or green beans
canned pozole + Mexican oregano	white beans + clementine or orange
zucchini + chicken broth	preserved or fresh lemon
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

The Would-Be Gardener

August 17, 2025August 13, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Have you been gardening this season? Herbs in a window box; container-grown tomatoes; beds of perennial flowers; a kitchen garden, large or small — these are the domaine of Saint Fiacre, the patron saint of gardeners. He was born in Ireland in the late 500s and became a monk. In that vocation, he learned about medicinal herbs. After a few years, Fiacre decided that communal life was not for him, and he asked permission to be a hermit. Permission granted, he removed to a small ‘cell’ to live alone. Not so fast! People flocked to him to seek medical advice and to get his blessing. So Fiacre moved again, this time to France. [I’m amazed how fluidly people in the Middle Ages traveled from Ireland and England to North-western France and back again!] The Bishop of Meaux, Faro by name, a fellow Irishman, agreed to give Fiacre some land [a miracle involving plowing with a walking stick ensued] where he could live alone. Fiacre had a vegetable garden and an herb garden, and he settled down for a life of solitude, fasting, and manual labor. But no! Again people sought out the would-be gardener. He could heal by laying on his hands as well as with herbal potions. Fiacre gave in to the constant stream of visitors, and he built a hostel and a shrine to the Virgin. The town of St Fiacre-sur-Marne grew up around him. After his death, miracles abounded and the gardening saint became very popular. Skip to 1645, on the Rue St Martin in central Paris. An entrepreneurial innkeeper, Nicholas Sauvage, went into the business of renting large horse-drawn carriages. Since the business address was at Hotel St Fiacre, those carriages eventually came to be known as ‘fiacres’ which were still in use for transportation in European cities in the 1800s. Thus the saint became the patron of taxi drivers. Enjoy your garden and spend extra time enjoying it on August 31, Feast Day of St Fiacre.

Saint Fiacre was a healer and one of his most successful medical feats was curing hemorrhoids — so much so that hemorrhoids were nick-named “Fiacre’s Figs”. [Hope that doesn’t spoil your breakfast.] Our breakfast features leafy vegetables from the garden and — ahem — figs. Dinner is an Irish soup made from wild herbs. I’m sure that Fiacre would approve.

Fig & Chevre Plate: 153 calories… 8.4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 7.5 g protein… 13.4 g carbs… 163 mg Calcium… NB: The food values shown are for the plated foods only, not for the optional beverages. PB GF Simple, elegant, and more filling than it looks.

++ ½ hard-boiled egg++++ 1 dried fig = 0.65 oz = 16 g ++++ 1 oz chevre cheese ++++ ¼ oz baby spinach++++ 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] ++

Rehydrate the dried fig by covering with water and microwaving or heating for 1 minute. Let the fig sit in the water for another few minutes, then cut in half. Arrange the spinach leaves in an oval. Dab the leaves with crumbles of the goat cheese. Plate the egg half and the fig halves. HINT: I composed the plate the night before, covered it with a plastic bag, and kept it cool until breakfast. Instant breakfast!

Forager’s Soup: 271 calories… 17 g fat… 6 g fiber… 13 g protein… 29 g carbs… 250 mg Calcium… PB GF Here is an Irish soup made with summer greens. Did you say ‘weeds’? A weed is a plant in the wrong place. The cook-pot is the right place, where they are splendid. The recipe is one of Darina Allen’s from Reclaiming Ireland’s Culinary Heritage, One Roast Lamb Or Sponge Cake At A Time. HINT: The recipe makes 3 cups, enough for 3 servings.

2 tsp butter ———-½ c onion ———————— ½ potato = 4 oz ————– salt + pepper	Melt butter in pot over medium-high. When it foams, add vegetables, and stir to coat. Season. Turn down to very low, put parchment paper atop vegetables, to trap steam. Put on lid and cook gently 10 mins, until vegetables are soft but not brown.
1 c chicken stock ——— ½ c + 1/3 c whole milk	Heat stock and milk in a separate saucepan to simmering. Remove parchment from vegetables and add hot liquid. Simmer 5-10 mins to cook vegetables fully.
4 oz by weight = 2 c. wild greens: dandelion leaves; garlic mustard leaves; sorrel; chives —————– ¼ c ricotta	Add greens + simmer uncovered 2-3 mins until greens are just cooked through (do not cover pot or overcook, or else bright green color will be lost.) Add ricotta. Purée until smooth. Taste for seasoning.
1 oz chorizo/ bacon per person	Slice chorizo and cook on low in a skillet until fat is rendered and meat is crisp, 5-10 mins. Drain on paper towels.
Edible flowers —–2 Finn Crisp per serving	At serving time, warm soup over medium-low heat, uncovered. Scatter chorizo/bacon bits on each bowl, and garnish with flowers.

13 Tips for a Fasting Lifestyle

August 13, 2025August 12, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Many people fear that they will not get through the day on only 600 calories. Friends of ours’ would scoff at our “Starvation Days”, and sometimes others will taunt us about what they can eat while we are depriving ourselves. But we are smug in the knowledge that the day after a Fast Day, we will be a pound lighter and looking good. It is true that for the first couple of weeks you will be checking the clock to see if it is time to eat. But stay hydrated [the brain often interprets thirst as hunger] and push through it. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You can do it!

1. Watch the video of Dr Mosley’s program Eat-Fast-Live which we saw originally on Public Broadcasting Service. This is what inspired us to start this Lifestyle and it might help you too.

2. Plan ahead. We write on the calendar what Fast meals we want to eat in a week. Nothing ruins a diet like coming home and having no idea what to eat for dinner. That’s when the default foods come out [carry-out or pizza]. You can avoid that by planning.

3. Prep ahead. You see in many recipe the HINTS about preparing food ahead. This is a real time-saver in the morning. Want your spouse to help you to stay on the diet when you get home late? Write out the recipe, leave it on the counter, include info about where to find ingredients, and maybe the meal will be in progress when you come through the door.

4. Shop ahead. Now that you know what you want to eat, have the ingredients on hand. When Fast Day comes, you want to be ready.

5. Portion as you shop. Say the recipe calls for 4 oz chicken breast, so when you get home, cut the chicken into the correct size. Wrap and label the part you need, save the trimmings for another use such as Chicken Curry or Chicken Noodle Soup. The same goes for vegetables: slice and chop those 2 oz of bell pepper that you will need. It takes moments to do this as you unload the groceries, so do it to save time later.

6. Listen to Diane Rehm interview Dr. Mosley. This interview is an oldie, but a goodie. Diane asks the tough questions and ends the conversation by saying that everyone on her staff can’t wait to try the diet!

7. Make the meal setting special. Instead of eating on the run or while standing over the sink, make a Fast meal an occasion. Use the good plates and flatware. Put the sparkling water in a nice glass with a twist of lemon. See the demitasse cup in the above photo? It is the only one I have and it makes the breakfast table so pretty that it is saved for Fast days only, presenting the coffee in a 1-cup pitcher.

8. Slo-o-o-ow down the meal. The other reason for the little cup at breakfast? By putting the coffee in a pitcher, I frequently have to stop to refill the cup. This bit of fussiness slows down the process. When you put food in your mouth, put down the fork. You don’t have to chew 30 times, but don’t just cram the food in your mouth — savor it, taste it, and make it last.

9. Set goals by the clock. After breakfast, vow not to put any calories in your mouth until noon. Then at noon, tell yourself that you can hold out for another 2 hours. Maybe setting a timer will help you: while the timer is ticking, don’t eat. This does not mean that you will eat when the timer rings! No. At that time, set a new goal.

10. Distract yourself. After breakfast, I pour a large [1.5 cups] glass of water which I sip on until noon. By 2 pm, I have earned a hot cup of tea — something bold-tasting or soothing as mood dictates. A touch of honey in the drink provides a real lift. Mid-to-late afternoon is difficult for me. Go for a walk [not to the kitchen or break-room!] or get involved in a long project to take your mind off eating.

11. Hide the temptation. I stash the bowl of pistachios in the cupboard on Fast Days. Yes, I still know they are there, but out of sight, out of mind.

12. Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow. This has a double meaning. 1] If you yearn for something on a Fast Day, tell yourself that you can have it tomorrow. It is not a promise that you have to keep. Tomorrow it might not be calling to you. 2] Tomorrow is the day that you will weigh less. Tomorrow is also weeks from now when you will be slimmer and thinking about new clothes. Tomorrow will come.

13. Don’t Stop. This is a Lifestyle, not a Diet. Continue to incorporate 5:2 Fasting into your food planning — the weight will stay off and you will be healthier in the long run.

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

1 two-oz hard-boiled egg = US large	1 two-oz egg
dried Turkish fig	Bleu cheese
baby spinach leaves	leek + mushrooms
chèvre or Brie cheese	strawberries
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

butter + onion + potato	Martins whole wheat potato rolls
chicken stock + whole milk	roasted chicken breast meat
wild greens + part-skim ricotta	carrot sticks + cherry tomatoes
chorizo + Finn crisp	Corky’s BBQ Sauce or equivalent
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Susanna

August 10, 2025August 5, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The name “Susanna” can conjure up several associations. There is the American folk-song “O, Susanna”, written by Stephen Foster in 1848, for performance at Minstral Shows. Today, O Susanna is sung as a humorous children’s song, full of funny contradictions, but it originally had offensive lyrics. Going back farther than that, chapter 13 of the Book of Daniel gives us the first mention of a Susanna. [NB: there is no Chapter 13 in the Old Testament of the modern Bible. Instead, it is contained in the Apocrypha.] The story is told of the comely matron who bathes daily at a certain spot. Two elderly judges get into the habit of spying on her bath, and then press their attentions on her. Shocked, the virtuous Susanna rebuffs them. In the original MeToo moment, they accuse her of being lascivious, which would carry the death penalty. The youngster Daniel suggests separating the accusers while they give their evidence, and since it is contradictory, Susanna is acquitted. The theme of ‘Susanna and the Elders’ became a popular one for artists. Lastly, there is Saint Susanna, who lived in the 3rd century CE. She was the daughter of a noble Christian family in a time when that religion was forbidden. The Emperor Diocletian wanted her to marry one of his protégées, but she refused. So Susanna, her family, and the Emperor’s emissary [who had been converted by Susanna] were all arrested. She was beheaded and Diocletians’ closeted Christian wife buried her in secret. Susanna’s family home became a church, and in 1921, it was declared to be the official church of American Catholics in Rome. Since then, Susanna has been delisted as a saint, and her church is closed. Her feast day is August 11, and you can still celebrate it if you want to.

For Susanna’s feast day, a breakfast from ancient Rome, and a dinner from the Levant, which was also part of the Roman Empire during Susanna’s brief lifetime.

Cato’s Breakfast: 235 calories… 4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 13 g protein… 47 g carbs… 89 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB Cato, the Roman orator and senator, included Libum in his book de Agricultura. The other elements of the meal were popular in ancient Rome.

++2 Libum [33-grams of dough each] ++++ 2 oz pear ++++ 1 deglet noor date ++++ 1 oz chicken breast meat ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Bake the Libum and plate with the other ingredients. Although Cato probably would have served wine, that would not be your best option at breakfast.

LIBUM: –225 g/1 cup light ricotta cheese——113 g/1 cup white whole wheat flour—1 oz = ½ egg—– 2 Tbsp honey	Combine these ingredients to a Play-Doh consistancy.
0.2 oz pine nuts, about 45 pinons	Form dough into 11 balls, each made with 2 Tbsp dough [33-g]. Top each ball with 4-5 pine nuts.
11 bay leaves —-TIP: you can do all this the night before and bake in the morning.	Lightly spritz a baking pan with non-stick spray and lay the bay leaves on it. Place one dough ball on each leaf.
Warm honey	Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. While still warm, brush with honey.

Felafel with Feta Salad: 285 calories… 14 g fat… 7 g fiber… 12.5 g protein… 29 g carbs… 180 mg Calcium… PB GF What a healthy plate of food! When you have felafel in the freezer, this meal becomes almost instant.

++ 6 felafel patties** ++++ 1 cup lettuce [I like to slice large leaves cross-wise into ½” strips]++++ 2 oz tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or cut in ½” cubes ++++ 1 oz carrots, grated ++++ 1 oz beets cut in large dice ++++ ¾ oz Feta cheese in cubes or large crumbles ++++ ¾ tsp flavored olive oil ++++ ¾ tsp white wine vinegar ++++ salt + pepper to taste++

Thaw the felafel patties and warm them. If unbaked, heat them in a 400 F. oven for 10-15 minutes. Prepare the vegetables for the salad. Whisk the vinegar and oil, then toss the salad vegetables in the dressing. Top with the felafel and feta crumbles.

Felafel each patty= 30 cal… 1 g fat… 1 g fiber… 1.6 g protein… 4 g carbs… 8.5 mg Calcium… GF PB From the Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen, these are easy to prepare and set you up for several servings of future meals.

+++ 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] ++++ 1½ cloves garlic, crushed ++++ ¼ cup celery, minced ++++ ¼ c. scallions, sliced ++++ one 2-oz egg ++++ 1½ tsp tahini ++++ ½ t. cumin ++++ ½ t. tumeric ++++ ¼ t. cayenne ++++ ¼ tsp black pepper++++ 1½ tsp 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 400 F, 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 25 or 30 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use.

Burgers

August 6, 2025August 5, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Chopping up meat and cooking it for dinner is an ancient idea that spans many cultures: kebabs [Jordan], Pojarski cutlets [Russia], rissoles [France], Frikadelle [Germany] — to name a few. In the USA, as early as 1844, a beef patty was called a Hamburger Steak, after the German city of Hamburg whence came good quality beef. In 1885, Charlie Nagreen was selling what he called ‘hamburgers’ at the Outagamie County [Wisconsin] Fair. Frank and Charles Menches of Ohio also claimed to have invented and named the hamburger in 1885, at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York. They had been selling pork patties between slices of bread, but substituted beef when they ran out of pork. The family of Oscar Weber Bilby claims that he began serving beef burgers on his wife’s yeasted buns in 1891, near Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1921, the White Castle hamburger chain was opened, the first of its kind. Today of course, burgers on a bun are the most ubiquitous fast food, with McDonald’s selling almost 6.5 million burgers every single day around the world. As veganism became popular, and people worried about beef cattle affecting the environment, beef was replaced by the bean burger, and lately, the soy-based ‘Impossible’ burgers. Hamburgers can be made of a variety of meats, from beef to venison to bison. Hamburgers can be poor in nutrition or good for you, depending on the quality of the meat and the preparation. It is Summer, and burgers are probably on your grill. Eat wisely.

Burgers can be enjoyed at dinner, or lunch, or at breakfast. For several months in the 1960s, my father ate a lean hamburger patty for breakfast everyday. I can’t remember if he was trying to loose weight or lower his cholesterol… I think it didn’t work. Do not bother trying it. But do try these yummy burgers at your next opportunity.

Black Bean Burger Breakfast: 252 calories… 7.6 g fat… 9 g fiber… 14 g protein… 36 g carbs… 331 mg Calcium… NB: the food values given are for the plated items only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Bean burgers have long been the province of vegans, and they were the poor cousin of real burgers. Try these and see if you change your mind. Black beans are very healthy, but don’t let that put you off. These burgers will star at dinner with a bun and toppings, or at breakfast with fresh fruit. Mark Bittman is the source of this recipe, and it is a winner.

++1 Black Bean Burger** ++++ 1/4 cup raspberries ++++ 1/2 c plain, low-fat 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] ++

Cook the burger in a heavy pan with cooking spray, 4 minutes on a side, and plate with the fruited yogurt. TIP: prepare a batch of the burgers and freeze them uncooked for use at a future dinner or breakfast.

**Black Bean Burgers
13.3 oz by weight = 2 cups = 16 oz by volume	eight ¼-c burgers; four ½-c burgers; six 1/3-c burgers
¼ cup dried, stemless porcini mushrooms	Soak mushrooms in hot water 5-10 mins; roughly chop, put in food processor.
2 c cooked or 15 oz canned black beans++++2 cloves roughly chopped garlic++++2 tsp smoked paprika or chili powder+++++1 tsp ground cumin+++++1 T soy sauce+++++Salt and black pepper	Rinse and drain beans. Put all these in a food processor with the mushrooms, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Pulse until mixture is combined, not puréed.
¾ c rolled oats, or more if needed+++++++ Bean-cooking liquid or porcini soaking liquid	Add oats, and pulse to combine. If too thick, add liquid to thin to density of cookie dough.
¼ cup chopped cilantro/parsley/chives	Stir in cilantro, and let sit 5 mins.
	Form into patties [I made 6], chill in ‘frige.
Spritz the saute pan with olive oil	Spread oil across skillet set over med-low. Cook the number you need until crisp on one side, ~3 mins.
	Flip, cook until burgers are crisp, 3 mins.

Burger Bun Dinner: 305 calories… 8 g fat… 4 g fiber… 36.5 g protein… 22 g carbs… 143 mg Calcium… PB The correct ingredients make it possible to have a hamburger in a bun and still be Fasting! Think Summer!

++ one 4-oz bison burger ++++ ½ oz mushrooms ++++ 1 tsp curried catsup OR thin slice of fresh tomato TIP: Slice the tomato 30 mins beforehand and salt it] ++++ one whole wheat slider bun [100 calories] – our favorite are Martin’s Potato Buns from Chambersburg, Pa, if you are lucky enough to find them ++++ ½ cup coleslaw

In a cast iron or other heavy, non-stick skillet, put a healthy sprinkle of Kosher salt. Heat the pan over medium-low burner and add the bison burger. Cook 3-5 mins on one side, then the other. [You could grill it, but note that slow cooking is the key to tenderness. When red juices no longer come out, it is done. Center the burger on the slider bun, top with tomato/catsup and mushrooms. Plate with coleslaw.

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

1 two-oz egg + reduced fat ricotta cheese
white whole wheat flour + honey	Next week I will offer tips for beginning the Fasting
deglet noor date + Pear	Lifestyle. Look through the archives for your new
chicken breast meat + pine nuts	favorite breakfast.
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

6 felafel patties + lettuce
tomato ++ carrot	Next week I will offer tips for beginning the Fasting
beet + feta cheese	Lifestyle. Look through the archives for your new
olive oil + white wine vinegar	favorite dinner.
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Hans Christian Andersen

August 3, 2025July 25, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The Little Mermaid. The Ugly Duckling. The Snow Queen. The Emperor’s New Clothes. And 164 others… You know those stories and you know who wrote them: Hans Christian Andersen. But do you know the man? Hans Christian was born into poverty and low social status in 1805 in Odense, Denmark. His father read stories to him, and the child attended the local school. Until he was 14 years old, he worked. When tried for a career on stage, one of the directors of the Royal Theatre took him under his wing and sent him to a real school. Unhappy as that experience was, Andersen went on to university where he wrote a best-selling novel in 1828, a fantasy travelogue. Then he turned to play-writing, which was less successful, so he wrote more novels. A popular literary genre at the time was German Romanticism, characterized by menacing fantasy elements, and interactions with a scary-yet-compelling natural world. In 1835, Andersen found the writing style that made him famous: writing ‘fairy tales‘. His tales have several themes which indicate facets of Andersen’s life: alienation from society; sympathy for the poor; and unrequited love. His telling of tales was novel and refreshing — written for amusement, not moral education, the stories were modern in their tone, chatty in their narration. The critics were not impressed, but the public was. By the late 1830s, the King of Denmark awarded Andersen an annual stipend. More novels and travel stories ensued, and he was acclaimed all over Europe. Anderson had difficulty in social situations, even though he craved normal relationships. When he was invited to stay with Charles Dickens and his family, a two-week visit lasted five weeks, much to the dismay of the hosts. Anderson could be demanding, yet he lacked the self-awareness to see it. He died of liver cancer on 4 August 1875, and was hailed as a ‘national treasure’. His stories are still in circulation. They have been Disneyfied, turned into ballets, stage plays, and adapted by Hollywood. Try reading the originals for comparison, and see if you recognize them.

Our foods are typically Danish: delicious, easy to prepare, from the ocean.

Herring Plate: 195 calories… 8 g fat… 4.4 g fiber… 8 g protein… 13.5 g carbs… 33 mg Calcium… NB: These values are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB If you like herring, this is the breakfast for you. It makes a nice change from morning eggs and it is prepared in no-time-flat. TIP: Do NOT eat herring if you are taking MOAI anti-depresent medicine, as herring is high in tyramine.

++ 3 Finn Crisp crackers ++++ 1.25 oz herring marinated in wine [not sour cream] ++++ 2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese ++++ 4 Bing cherries OR ½ cup strawberries, sliced ++++ 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] ++

Do I need to describe this preparation? Spread the cream cheese on the crackers and pile on the herring. Delicious and so satisfying.

Smørrebrød with Salmon: 257 calories… 8 g fat… 3 g fiber… 14 g protein… 28.6 g carbs… 48 mg Calcium… PB A classic summer sandwich from Sweden: a delicious meal without heating the kitchen.

++ 1 slice [1½ oz] sourdough rye bread @ 110 calories TIP: the bread should be dense, not fluffy ++++ 1 Tbsp whipped cream cheese ++++ 2-4 large leaves of fresh spinach ++++ 1½ oz thinly-sliced tomato, slice and salt about 30 minutes earlier for best taste ++++ 1-1½ oz smoked salmon [you have some calorie wiggle-room] ++++ ½ hard-boiled egg, sliced ++++ 1-2 oz strawberry ++

Spread the bread with the cream cheese and lay the spinach leaves on top. Place the tomato slices atop that. For the next layer, put down the salmon, topped by the egg slices. Plate with the berries and enjoy a hot Summer night meal.

Star-crossed Lovers: Romeo & Juliet

July 30, 2025July 29, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

A version of the famous balcony scene in *Romeo and Juliet*.

My mother told me that there are seven basic plots in literature, and one of them is the story of the “Star-Crossed Lovers.” This plot centers around two people who are in love — yet fate intervenes, in one way or another, to keep them apart. Shakespeare coined the term, implying that one’s astrology [one’s stars] controlled one’s destiny. Shakespeare also created the iconic, classic example: Romeo and Juliet. As he told it, the two teenagers lived in Verona, Italy in the 1500s. When they meet at a party [which Romeo has crashed], they are instantly smitten. The problem is that their families are feuding, a feud that is both petty and lethal. Yet the two vow to wed in secret, aided by the culpable Friar Lawrence who gives Juliet a potion that will mimic her death. She is laid in the family crypt, but Romeo, returning from exile, is not in on the plot. He finds her seemingly lifeless body and drinks poison to kill himself out of sorrow. At that moment, Juliet awakes from her induced coma, finds her husband dead, and stabs herself with his dagger. The tale of star-crossed lovers doesn’t always end in double suicides, but Shakespeare was a dramatist.

Juliet’s birthday is Lammastide-eve, thus July 31 [even though Verona officially celebrates it on 16 September –???]. She was 14 years old in the play. Even though she is a fictional character, people write letters to Juliet — some 300 per month. A squad of volunteers answers each letter to Juliet, and you could join them.

Spinach Fritatta: 151 calories… 7.5 g fat… 2 g fiber… 14 g protein… 7 g carbs… 157 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the plated items only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Long an item in food magazine brunch articles, it was time to take Fritatta to the Fasting table. Wait no more: this is delicious and filling.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 egg white ++++ 3 Tbsp cottage cheese ++++ ¼ oz Manchego cheese, grated ++++ ¼ cup scallions, chopped ++++ 3 Tbsp cooked spinach, pressed, drained, and chopped ++++ salt to taste + nutmeg + granulated garlic ++++ 2 oz strawberries ++++ 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] ++

Combine the cheeses, spinach, scallions, and flavorings. Spritz a 4” custard cup with non-stick spray and spread the cheese mixture evenly in the bottom. [Since I was cooking for 2, I used an oval 5×7” baking dish] HINT: do this the night before and leave on the counter. Set the oven for 375 F. Beat the eggs until broken up and frothy. Pour over the spinach/cheese mixture and bake for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the beverages and plate the fruit. Breakfast is great.

Shepherds’ Salad: 286 cal… 14.5 g fat… 5 g fiber… 21 g protein… 21.5 g carbs… 311.5 mg Calcium… PB GF This delightful meal is from Lynne Rossetto Kaspar’s The Italian Country Table. I have included a version of the original cooked salad dressing, but you may use a simple herbed vinaigrette as indicated below.

++ ½ oz salami ++++ 1/3 c white beans ++++ 2½ cups/3 oz lettuce, from the garden, the store, or ‘wild greens’ : sorrel, dandelion, or lambs quarters ++++ 1 oz mozzerella ++++ 1 radish, thinly sliced ++++ 2” celery, thinly sliced on diagonal ++++ ½ oz chicken breast ++++ 2 tsp of boiled dressing** or vinaigrette dressing++

Prep your toppings: slice the salami rounds into matchsticks; shred the lettuce; cut the cheese into strips about 1/4” square; slice the radish and celery. Measure 2 tsp dressing into a serving/salad bowl and add the lettuce. Toss to coat with the dressing. Arrange the meat, beans, cheese, and radishes in decorative groupings. Hearty and delicious, even if you didn’t have to forage for it yourself.

SHEPHERDS’ SALAD DRESSING 1/3 cup	1 serving = 2 tsp = 32 calories
3 Tbsp olive oil 4” rosemary 6 sage leaves	Put in a pan and simmer 5-10 minutes.
4 smashed cloves garlic pinch of hot pepper flakes	Add to the pan and stir for a few seconds.
½ cup red wine vinegar	Add vinegar and boil the liquids down to 1/3 cup.
	Strain and cool before serving. Put the remainder in a jar and store to use anytime.

++Vinaigrette Dressing makes 6 Tbsp, enough for 9 servings 1 serving = 1½ tsp = 52 calories ++++1 Tbsp cider vinegar ++++ ¼ tsp salt++++++++ +++
4 Tbsp olive oil + 1 ½ tsp cold water + ½ tsp tarragon or thyme ++

Whisk vinegar and salt, let sit 5 minutes.
Add vinegar to oil, water, herbs, then whisk again.

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

whipped cream cheese	16-oz can black beans + raspberries
herring marinated in white wine	parsley or cilantro + garlic
Finn Crisp crackers	smoked paprika + ground cumin
cherries	rolled oats + plain, low-fat yogurt
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

sourdough rye bread + whipped cream cheese	4 oz bison burger + catsup
fresh spinach + tomato	coleslaw + mushrooms
smoked salmon + hard-boiled egg	90-calorie slider bun
strawberries
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

	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

Hometown Heroine: Ancona

Saint Augustine

Ragweed

Religions: Woman of the Wilderness

The Would-Be Gardener

13 Tips for a Fasting Lifestyle

Susanna

Burgers

Hans Christian Andersen

Star-crossed Lovers: Romeo & Juliet

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