Hail

April 13, 2025April 10, 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.

When you think of ice falling from the sky, you picture winter sleet or snow. Hail — balls of ice from the clouds — are a summertime pheno-menon. It occurs when warm, humid air rises into the Troposphere to form clouds. If those clouds become tall enough, so much that the temperature at the top of the cloud is mark-edly cooler than at the bottom of the cloud, then a convective flow begins. Air within the cloud rises and sinks due to the temperature differences. In the cooler temperatures at the top of the cloud, water precipitates out as ice crystals, and begins to fall through the cloud. But the air currents kick the rain back to the top, where it refreezes and falls again. Each time the ice goes back to the top, another layer of ice is added to it, until the iceball is so heavy that the convective winds cannot lift it, and the ice falls to earth. That is hail. Hail can cause a lot of damage. Even small hail can damage fruit and vegetable crops, and larger hailstones can dent cars or break windows. On April 14, 1986, hail in Bangladesh reached the size of 1.02 kg/2.2 pounds [the heaviest ever recorded], and killed 92 people. On April 14, 1999, a hail storm in the Sydney, Australia area was the costliest storm ever in that country. 20,000 houses and 70,000 cars were damaged, costing $1,700 million AUD — equivalent to $3,542,959,397.31 Australian dollars today. Don’t look up.

Our meal suggestions are round, like hail stones. The sliders are about the size and shape of the record-setting hail of 1986.

Rounds, with Egg: 175 calories… 8 g fat… 2 g fiber… 12 g protein… 20 g carbs… 38 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Simple to prepare, easy to eat. Having a few pan muffins tucked into the freezer makes life easier. This breakfast will keep you rolling along through your morning: there is lots of protein and every element is ROUND.

++ 1 two-ounce egg: crack an egg into a small dish ++++ 1 slice Canadian bacon [aka: ‘back bacon’] ++++ 1 pan muffin** ++++ 1 oz apple, cut down the cheek of the apple to make a round slice ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Thaw or prepare the pan muffin. Warm the bacon and the muffin in a non-stick pan spritzed with non-stick spray. Then cook the egg by putting a 2.5” round cookie cutter on the surface of the same pan. Spray inside of round mold and surface of pan with cooking spray. When pan is hot, pour a little of the egg into the mold and let it set, to plug any gaps where egg might leak. Pour in remaining egg and cook until mostly set. Use a table knife to run afound inner edge of mold to release egg. Turn egg over, to cook the top. Plated in moments, but be sure to eat it mindfully.

**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 in Roman Breakfast and in Cottage Breakfast with egg

1 c dry Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal …………… 1¼ cup buttermilk/soured milk	Combine cereal and milk in a small bowl. Let sit 10 minutes.
1/3 cup butter @ room temperature …………. 1/3 cup sugar …………… 1 two-ounce egg	Cream butter and sugar, then mix in 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.
2 Tbsp batter for each pan muffin	Portion batter onto a hot griddle or flat-bottomed pan spritzed with non-stick spray. Cook on both sides.

Cajun Catfish Sliders: 286 calories… 7.6 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 27.6 g protein… 28 g carbs… 132 mg Calcium PB Nothing could be simpler on a busy day, than to pan-fry some catfish for dinner. HINT: this preparation serves two [2].

++ 9 oz catfish filet ++++ 2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning ++++ 3 slider buns [90 calories each] ++++ Side salad OR ¾ cup coleslaw** ++++ optional: 2 oz tomato, in 3 slices ++

Cut catfish fillet[s] into 3 equal pieces. Dredge the pieces in Cajun seasoning. Heat a non-stick pan to medium, spray with cooking spray or olive oil. Cook the fish until done on both sides. Open each slider bun, put slice of tomato on each bun, then top with one portion of fish. Serve coleslaw on the fish or on the side. Cut one slider in half, serve one and one half sliders on each plate.

**Coleslaw: Makes ¾ cup PB GF ½ cup = 41 calories… 2.4 g fat… 3 g fiber… 1 g protein… 5.5 g carbs… 38 mg Calcium… ++ 1 cup chopped cabbage ++++ ½ oz carrot grated [makes ¼ cup] ++++ 1½ tsp ‘Mayo Dressing’ made with olive oil -OR- 1½ tsp plain yogurt ++++ 1½ tsp cider vinegar ++++ pinch celery seed ++

Star-Crossed Lovers: Gatsby and Daisy

April 9, 2025April 8, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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. In literature there are star-crossed lovers, and one such famous pair is found in The Great Gatsby, the story of Jay Gatsby and his yearning for the wealthy Daisy Fay. F. Scott Fitzgerald published his most famous novel 100 years ago, on April 10, 1925. Set mostly on Long Island, New York, it centers on the bachelor Gatsby, a mysterious young parvenu who lives an extravagant lifestyle on the north shore of the island. All of his partying and living large are an attempt to catch the eye of his youthful love, Daisy. They now live across the bay from each other, and Gatsby would stand at the end of his dock in the evening, gazing at the green light at the end of her dock. But in the intervening years, Daisy Fay has married. Her husband Tom Buchanan is a philandering lout, so we hope [along with Gatsby] that she will leave him. But she doesn’t/won’t/can’t. Gatsby’s life-long love and his years-long plan to amass a sufficient fortune to win Daisy’s acceptance, make the book a classic of the star-crossed genre. It is also emblematic of the decade of the 1920s: shallow, greedy, careless, hedonistic. The narrator of the book, Nick Carraway — Daisy’s cousin — is driven to near madness by the lifestyle and zeitgeist, and the tale ends in tragedy. As expected.

What were Americans eating during the Roaring 20s, when The Great Gatsby was set? Our breakfast was developed in 1926, in Louisville — hometown of Daisy Fay. Antipasto plates were popular in that decade, too, so we will enjoy one for dinner.

Hot Brown: 200 calories… 5.6 g fat… 3.6 g fiber… 9.5 g protein… 19.5 g carbs… 66.6 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods only, not the optional beverages. PB GF — if using GF bread HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two], the photo shows one [1] portion. The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, is the origin of this delicious breakfast. Originally, it was a late-night snack, without an egg. But with the egg, it becomes a wonderful morning meal, with calories left over for a suitable brevrege. TIP: If you want to serve only 1 [one], whisk one egg and pour it into a 10” saute pan. Cook it flat until top is set. Fold the egg into thirds, then cut in half crosswise. Save the other half for an egg sandwich tomorrow, or slice it to garnish a salad or a stir-fry.

++ 2 slices uncured American bacon @ 30 calories each ++++ 2 slices 60-calorie whole-grain bread ++++ 2 oz turkey breast, sliced thinly ++++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 4 Tbsp Mornay sauce** ++++ 2 oz sliced tomatoes ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [85 calories] ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Cut bacon strips in half, cook until as crispy as you wish. Drain. Pour out most of the bacon fat, then whisk the egg and cook as described in the TIP above. Toast the bread lightly. Spread lightly with Mornay sauce, all the way to the edges. Put cooked egg on top, smear with a bit of Mornay. Top with turkey, then with the tomato. Spoon the remaining Mornay sauce on top. Put under the broiler until sauce is bubbly and browning. Plate, then top with a criss-cross of bacon.

**Mornay Sauce: makes ½ cup ++ ½ cup Bechamel Sauce, no cheese ++++ ½ oz Swiss cheese ++++ 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++ Gently heat the Bechamel sauce in a small pan. Chop the Swiss cheese into small pieces, and stir both cheeses into the sauce until they melt. Take off heat and use now or store in the ‘frige in a jar with a lid.

Antipasto with Tuna or Smelts: 282 calories… 10.6 g fat… 9 g fiber… 20 g protein… 24 g carbs… 250 mg Calcium… PB GF This one is a keeper: simple, off the shelf, pretty on the plate, good to eat. The photo shows enough for 2 people. Invite a guest who is Fasting, too. When I made it with smelts, even my smelt-leery spouse was converted.

++ 2 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them] ++++ 2 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy mozzerella in blocks for slicing] ++++ 3 oz tuna, packed in water, drained and broken into large chunks OR 3 oz smelts, boned and fins removed ++++ 5 oz tomato slices ++++ 3 oz whole green beans, steamed, drained ++++ 1 ½ oz marinated mushrooms ++++ 1/3 c. garbanzo beans, drained if canned++++++ 4 black olives, pitted and sliced ++++ 3 slices pepperoni, chopped ++++ 1 tsp flavored oil ++++ salt ++++ chopped fresh herbs ++

Prepare the ingredients and keep separate. On a platter, arrange the ingredients in rows as shown in the photo. Suit your own artistic nature as to what goes where. Be liberal with the fresh herbs.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	1 two-oz egg + Indian curry powder
‘Canadian’ bacon	asparagus + cooked brown rice
pan muffin	1/2 & 1/2 [10%-fat] cream
apple	smoked haddock + nutmeg
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

catfish filet + Cajun seasoning	buckwheat soba noodles + 2-oz egg + garlic
slider buns [90 calories each]	hot pepper flakes + oil + onion + sugar
tomato + celery seed	sugar snap peas + scallions + lean pork
cabbage + carrot + mayonnaise + cider vinegar	Thai fish sauce + mung bean sprouts + cabbage
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Mazu

April 6, 2025April 3, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Q: What deity is nicknamed “Queen of Heaven”? A: Mazu, 媽祖, Goddess of the Sea. Q: After whom is Macau named? A: Mazu, Goddess of the Sea. Q: Which deity is attended by two demons? A: Mazu, Goddess of the Sea. Q: Which Chinese goddess is neither Taoist nor Buddhist? A: Mazu, Goddess of the Sea. Who is Mazu? She was born in 960 CE, on Meizhou Island, in China’s Fujian province. Her name was Lin. From infancy she was known as the Silent Maiden. The whole town saw her as someone special. It seemed that she could predict the weather better than anyone. As a young woman, her projected spirit saved her fisherman father and brothers from a ship wreck — even though she was sitting at home, weaving. After she died [or ascended to heaven] at age 26, people called upon Mazu for relief from floods and drought; for safe ocean travel; for a successful catch of fish — and her reputation as a compassionate helper grew. She was declared a deity by the Chinese government in the 1200s, and throughout coastal China, temples to Mazu were built. Her cult really took off in Taiwan in the 17th century. Worship of Mazu unified the diverse people of the island and she became the principal deity of the Taiwanese. Every year a Festival is held in Taiwan on her birthday, with processions and pilgrimages attracting tens of thousands of people to honor Mazu, Goddess of the Sea.

To celebrate Mazu’s March birthday, one eats seafood [naturally!], especially oysters, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Both breakfast and dinner contain these elements deliciously.

Mazu’s Breakfast: 165 calories…1.5 g fat… 5.3 g fiber… 9.5 g protein… 40 g carbs.. 36.5 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 The Sea Goddess Mazu is honored by eating seafood, fruits, and vegetables. We score that trifecta in this lovely breakfast, adapted from a recipe in Stefan’s Gourmet Blog. HINT: The oyster cake recipe makes seven [7] cakes. Freeze what you don’t eat for today.

++ Oyster Cake** ++++ 3.5 oz mango with skin ++++ 1.5 oz kiwi fruit/Chinese Gooseberry] ++

7 **Oyster Cakes	7 custard cups
7 oysters, fresh or canned	Fresh oysters: Lay flat in saucepan with ½” water. Cover pan. Heat on med-high until water reaches 131F/55C. Turn off heat, let sit 5 mins. Put oysters in a bowl.
	Open oysters over bowl to catch liquid. Take from shells, rinse if sandy. Cut into quarters, set aside.
Oyster liquid + enough water to bring volume to 150-200 ml/1 to ¾ c	Strain oyster liquid through a paper towel. Add water
37 g/½ c shredded cabbage	Shred cabbage leaves.
20 g/ 2 Tbsp shredded carrot ++++ 6 g/ 2 Tbsp sliced scallions	Mix cabbage with carrot and scallions.
150 g/1 c white whole wheat flour ++++ oyster-liquid/ water ++++ mixed vegetables	Sift flour into a bowl, add oyster-flavored water, whisking to break up lumps. It should be like thick pancake batter. Fold in vegetables.
Salt to taste	Add salt.
Oysters, cut in quarters +++++ vegetable batter	In a small bowl/custard cup, combine ¼ c batter + 4 oyster bits. Repeat, until all oysters and batter are used.
2 Tbsp ketchup ++++ 1 Tbsp oyster sauce ++++ 1 Tbsp soy sauce	Combine these ingredients, and stir well. If too thin, reduce liquid over medium heat. = Dipping Sauce for 7 cakes.
vegetable Oil	Heat a griddle or cast iron pan, coat with a thin layer of oil.
	Scrape contents of each cup onto cooking surface one at a time. Cook over med-high until browned on both sides.

Taiwanese-Style Seafood Pancakes: each pancake = 298 calories… 11 g fat …1.6 g fiber… 20 g protein… 21.5 g carbs… 141 mg Calcium… PB The recipe is taken from Wok On by Ching He Huang HINT: This is enough for two [2] dinner pancakes. Invite a fellow Faster or cut recipe in half. Note to purists: the original recipe does not call for wheat flour, let alone whole wheat flour. But I am into nutrition and insist that there be some fiber and complex carbs in my food, hence the heretical addition.

+++2 Tbsp of hoisin sauce ++++ 2 Tbsp of oyster sauce ++++ 2 Tbsp red sriracha	Combine the ingredients for a sweet-hot sauce. = 6 Tbsp: 1½ Tbsp = 20 calories.. 0.3 g fat.. 0.2 g fiber.. 0.3 g protein.. 4.5 g carbs.. 5.5 mg Calcium…
1/3c/ 20g potato flour or flakes ++++ ¼c/ 30g white whole wheat flour ++++ 2 Tbsp/ 14g cornstarch ++++ 180ml/ 6oz/180g cold water	Mix dry ingredients with water and stir to combine. Let sit to wet the ingredients, then stir again, adding more water if batter is too stiff. Batter should have the consistancy of milk so it will flow well in the pan. Divide batter into 2 equal portions.
++ 2 spring onions ++++ ½ tsp crushed red pepper	Cut scallions into a fine dice. Add with crushed pepper to the portions of batter above. Stir.
75g/ 2oz mixed seafood: mussels/shrimp/fish/squid	Cut seafood into pieces less than ½” in size. Divide seafood into 2 equal portions
++ 2 eggs ++++ 50g/ 2oz pak choi	Beat eggs to break them up. Slice pak choi thinly across the leaves. Divide eggs and greens equally between 2 bowls.
++ ½ tsp light sesame oil ++++ one portion of seafood mixture	Heat a flat-bottomed wok or heavy saute pan over medium heat. Add oil, swirl it around, then spray pan with cooking oil. Add mixed seafood and fry for a few seconds.
++ one portion of batter ++++ one portion egg-greens mixture	Add the flour batter, and tip pan to distribute. Immediately add the egg-greens. Cook 60 secs, flip and cook on the other side. Put on a plate.
½ tsp light sesame oil ++++ 1 portion of seafood mixture ++++ 1 portion of batter +++ 1 portion egg-greens mixture	Make the second ‘pancake’ in the same way, using the remaining ingredients.
1½ Tbsp hot sauce per serving	To serve, drizzle with the sweet hot sauce.

Pony Express

April 2, 2025April 2, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

In 1860, if you were a teen-aged orphan boy who weighed less than 125 pounds, your prospects might have been bleak. On April 5 of that year, a job opportunity opened — riding for the Pony Express between St. Joseph, Missouri to San Francisco, California. Half a million people had moved to California after the start of the Gold Rush in 1848, and they keenly felt that they were out of touch with the rest of the country. At that time, mail was delivered by stage coach, but it was often delayed by weeks. A senator from California pushed for a swifter alternative, and so William Evans, William Waddell, and Alexander Majors took on the job of figuring it out. Though all of them worked in freight hauling, they knew that the task required more agility. Majors established 200 stop-over stations along the 1,966 mile route, one third of them including sleeping rooms, store rooms, and extra horses. Eighty young men were recruited, and then they signed a pledge never to drink or swear on the job. They had to be orphans because of the dangerous nature of the work. The riders had to be light-weight so that their small horses could run faster to their desti-nation. The job involved riding night and day, across trackless wilderness, then handing off the bag of mail to the next guy. Although the service was highly successful, it ran for only one year. Once the telegraph lines were completed across the continent, it was the end of an era for the famous, short-lived, much romanticized Pony Express.

Pony Express riders had to stop to change horses. At the stables along the route, they would surely have eaten pork ‘n’ beans, so we will have that with eggs at breakfast. Since they rode through Indian country, the cooks might have picked up a recipe or two from the Indigenous People, such as our dinner made from local ingredients.

Pork ‘n’ Beans ScrOmelette: 146 calories… 8 g fat… 1 g fiber… 12 g protein… 7 g carbs… 50 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. As for the inspiration for this combination, I thought, ‘Well, why not?’ And it tastes good, too – like a meal while camping.

++ 1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week ++++ 1 Tbsp baked beans, straight from the can ++++ ¼ oz pork tenderloin, raw or cooked [left-over from a previous dinner] ++++ ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce ++++ ¼ tsp HP sauce ++++ 1.5 oz strawberries, thawed or fresh ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

If the pork is raw, mince it and combine with the beans and a little water. Put in microwave for 45 seconds. If the pork is cooked, mince it and combine with the beans. Pour pork & beans to warm into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Whisk the eggs with the two sauces and pour over the pork and beans. Scramble to taste, seasoning with salt and pepper. By now the beverage is hot, the smoothie is shaken, and the strawberries are looking wonderful. Sit, eat, enjoy your breakfast at camp.

3 Sisters Stew: vegetarian version: 211 calories… 3 g fat… 9 g fiber… 8 g protein… 41.4 g carbs… 71 mg Calcium… meat version: 280 calories… 5 g fat… 11 g fiber… 20 g protein… 41.4 g carbs… 81 mg Calcium… PB GF The author of this recipe, Alex Aguilera, based it on a classic Chilean dish. But First Nations people all over North, Central, and South America would recognize the ingredients, which they called ‘the 3 Sisters’. Turkey was a common food of early Americans and can be added if you wish. HINT: this recipe makes 4.5 cups of stew. One serving = 1 cup.

¾#/12 oz butternut squash ++++ 2 cups corn kernels ++++ water	Peel, seed squash and cut as 1” cubes. Put vegetables in pan with water to cover. Cover, simmer until squash is just tender, ~10 mins.
9 oz kidney beans, canned	Drain and rinse beans, add to pot, cook until hot.
	Put 1½ cups stew in a food processor or blender, along with some of the liquid. Puree, then return to pot to keep warm.
½ Tbsp canola oil ++++ ½ c onion ++++ ½ red bell pepper ++++ ½ green bell pepper	Coarsley chop onion and peppers. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and bell peppers, and cook over moderate heat, stirring sometimes, until softened, 8 mins.
½ tsp cumin, seeds or ground ++++ ½ tsp oregano ++++ ½ tsp crushed red pepper +++ salt & pepper	Add seasonings to vegetables in the skillet. Cook, stirring, ~4 mins until fragrant. Stir into corn-squash-beans, and season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings to your preference.Serve 1 cup per person, freezing the remainder.
Optional per serving: 1½ oz turkey dark meat	If turkey is raw, add it to the previous step.If turkey is cooked, add it at end and heat stew to warm meat.

John Constable

March 30, 2025March 23, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

These days, the art of John Constable is beloved in his native land — his 1821 The Hay Wain, at left, was voted most popular painting in the UK. But in his own day, not so much. Constable was born in Suffolk in 1776, and hardly ever strayed from there. His father was prosperous, trading in coal and milling grain. Although his father wanted John to take over his business, the young man had other ideas. In his youth, he was taught to paint by a local amateur or two and became enamored with the process. When he was 23, his father paid for his training at the Royal Academy Schools. Three years later, Constable’s father granted permission for his son to be a painter. As an artist, Constable was a bit of a rebel. The art public wanted to see heroic scenes from history — he gave them scenes of country life. Most artists worked in a studio — he painted outside, en plein aire. Nevertheless, Constable’s work was acceptable enough to be exhibited at the Academy every year until his death. His happy marriage to Maria Bicknell produced seven children, but ended after 12 years with Maria’s death. The artist traveled a bit — to the Lake District, and around southern England, yet his art went farther afield. Three of his landscapes were exhibited by the French Salon in 1824, earning a Gold Medal and great acclaim. His work inspired French artists like Millet and Delacroix to paint from nature. Most of Constable’s paintings were commissioned and sold in France. The curious thing about his ‘paint from nature’ art is that he painted not what he saw but what he remembered. These were scenes of childhood rambles through the Stour Valley. It is a landscape inhabited and built upon by humans — mills, cottages, locks — but it does not show the heavy industry that was actually encroaching on that country-side during the time. His work was nostalgia for how the landscape used to be: a bucolic, simpler England that is depicted today on chocolate boxes and biscuit tins. No doubt that is why Constable’s art is so popular today.

Our breakfast is based on a poem by John Keats, a contemporary of Constable and a fellow Romantic. The dinner is French-inspired, to honor the nation that truly appreciated Constable’s work during his lifetime. He died on March 31, 1837, in the heyday of the Industrial Revolution.

Porphyro’s Picnic: 252 calories… 6 g fat… 6 g fiber… 6.5 g protein… 53 g carbs… 128 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. —PB GF– This is based on the foods described by Keats in his romantic poem The Eve of St Agnes. The meal is rather sweet [key to a teenage girl’s heart!] despite its low calorie count. Due to the sweetness, it needs some other taste to cut it: black coffee? Full of fiber, this meal is sure to kick-start your tally of fruits/vegetables for the day.

++ 2 Tbsp lowfat Vanilla yogurt +++ 2 Tbsp almond meal ++++ 2 oz apple, diced ++++ 2 oz melon, cubed ++++ ¼ cup pitted plums [I used canned plums in light syrup, drained and rinsed], use fresh if in season ++++ 2 tsp cider syrup [or use 2 tsp syrup from the plums] +++ ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, or omit the syrup ++++ ¼ oz Deglet Noor date, cut in 4 pieces. ++++ Optional: coffee or tea ONLY if it is nearly black

Stir the yogurt and almond meal together and spoon onto the center of the plate. Chop the apple, cube the melon, and arrange them around the almond cream, along with the plums. Place pieces of date at random. Combine the cider syrup with the cinnamon and drizzle it over the apple and melon. All set to eat and you still have 48 calories left over for a beverage. Not responsible for what happens if you eat this by moonlight on January 20.

Seafood Galettes: 269 calories… 7 g fat… 3 g fiber… 18 g protein… 19 g carbs… 142 mg Calcium… PB This recipe is a terrific idea for a quick meal – IF you have Bechamel sauce and galettes in the freezer. HINT: This recipe makes enough to serve 2 [two] people.

++ 7 oz Ahi tuna fillet OR mixed seafood, cooked and cut in ½” bits ++++ 1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese ++++ 2 buckwheat galettes ++++ 6 Tbsp bechamel sauce without cheese ++++ 2-3 Tbsp fish stock ++++ 1.5 oz cauliflower florets ++++ 1 oz carrot ‘coins’ ++++ 2 oz zucchini slices ++

If your tuna isn’t cooked, poach it gently in fish stock – enough to come half-way up the fillet. Reserve the stock as you will use some of it later. Cut the fish into small chunks. Gently heat and whisk the bechamel with 2 Tbsp fish stock and the cheese until the cheese melts. Add the fish/seafood to the sauce, adding more stock if you wish. Prepare the vegetables and begin to cook them. Warm the galettes, wrapped in tea towel, in the microwave. When the fish and sauce are warm and the vegetables are cooked, plate the vegetables and place the galette on the plate too. Divide the fish and sauce between the two galettes and serve. Delicious!

Saint Rupert

March 26, 2025March 20, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Rupert was a Frank who was born around 660 CE somewhere in Gaul. Rupert may have been related to the Merovingian royal line. He chose to make a career in the church, and it turned out pretty well. Working his way up the ranks of the church, he was named Bishop of Worms, with the charge to convert the local non-Christians. At first he was accepted for his piety, but eventually the people turned on him and drove him out of town. His next posting was to convert the Bavarians. Rupert and his acolytes sailed down the Danube River, preaching in every town with great success, and converting the ruler, Duke Theodo II. Rupert had heard of a ruined Roman town in modern Austria, and he asked permission to set up a monastic community there. The Romans had called it Iuvavum. Rupert built the Church and monastery of St. Peter, and a convent where his niece Erendruda became the Prioress. All followed The Rule of Benedict. In an effort to stimulate the local economy, Rupert promoted the salt-mining industry at the site. This was not a new idea — salt had been mined there by the Celts, then a little bit by the Romans, but the mines were unworked for 200 years. Rupert declared that the name of the community should be Saltzburg [‘Salt Fortress’], and so it is still today. The city became wealthy and was a center of Christian power. Rupert died on March 27, c. 715 CE, after saying Easter mass. He is buried at Saint Rupert’s Cathedral. Salzburg holds their St Rupert Festival on August 24.

At the St Rupert Festival, people eat lots of pork schnitzel, so we will have that at dinner. It is traditional to eat salty food in honor of St. Rupert. Our breakfast contains a common Medieval use for salt: storing fish in salt to preserve it.

Medieval Omelette: 194 calories…11 g fat… 0.7 g fiber… 18.5 g protein… 4 g carbs… 86 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF In Medieval times, fish was an important protein source any day. Add to that the fact that one was obliged to skip the meat on the many church-dictated fast days, fish became a must-have commodity. For those inland or not near water, salted and smoked fish were the answer. Salt cured cod, kippered herring, smoked salmon: these were part of a well-stocked larder. Our breakfast is flavored by fish.

++ 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 kippered herring OR 0.75 oz salt cod ++++ 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese ++++ 1 clove garlic, minced ++++ 1 oz strawberries ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

The night before: put the fish into 1 cup+ water, and soak 30 minutes. Drain, cover with water, and soak overnight. Next morning: Drain fish, blot dry, mince. Whisk the cheese and garlic into the egg, then stir in the fish. Pour into an oil-wiped non-stick pan over medium-high heat, and cook until the bottom is set and the top is cooked to your taste. Fold and plate with the fruit.

Pork Schnitzel: 233 calories… 10 g fat… 3 g fiber… 14.4 g protein… 23 g carbs… 31 mg Calcium… PB If you find breaded pork loin cutlets at the butcher shop, snap them up for this easy, yet low calorie meal. Have the butcher verify that the cutlet is indeed 3 oz in weight.

++ 3 oz breaded pork loin cutlets [each ounce: 62 calories– 3 g Fat– 0.3 g fiber– 4 g Protein– 4.4 g carbs — 6 mg Calcium] ++++ 2 oz beets ++++ 1 oz small roasted red potatoes ++++ ½ oz mushrooms ++

Set the oven for 425F. Slice the potatoes in half and place in an oven-proof pan. Spray liberally with non-stick spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put in the oven. Set timer for 15 minutes. [Check the potatoes for done-ness at 15 minutes. They may need another few minutes – your call.] While the potatoes cook and the beets warm up in a pan, spray a heavy non-stick skillet with non-stick spray. When it is hot, begin to cook the pork schnitzel. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip it over and put the mushrooms in the pan as well. Cook both for another 3 minutes. Plate the pork and vegetables. Pour the mushrooms on top of the schnitzel along with any pan juices. Very simple and satisfying.

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

apple +++ melon +++ deglet noor date	1.5 two-oz eggs
plum — canned or fresh	1/4 oz pork loin + 2 Tbsp baked beans
cinnamon +++ almond meal	strawberries
plain low-fat yogurt ++++ optional cider syrup	Worcestershire sauce + HP sauce
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Ahi tuna or a mixture of fish ++++ fish stock	butternut squash +++ corn kernels ++++ cumin
Laughing Cow cheese ++++ 2 buckwheat galettes	canned kidney beans ++++ canola oil
Bechamel without cheese +++ cauliflower	onion ++++ red + green bell pepper +++ oregano
carrot ++++ zucchini	crushed red pepper +++ optional: turkey
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Silchester

March 23, 2025November 18, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

One of the most unexpected parts of walking the English Camino last October, was coming upon a Roman ruin. Now it is true that there is much evidence of the Romans all over England — as I know well from having walked the Hadrian’s Wall Path — but the town of Silchester is unique. When the Romans arrived in the area, shortly after their invasion in 43 CE, there was already a community there. Since the first century BCE, the thriving town of Calleva was at the center of the lands of the Atrebates tribe. The people who settled that town were also immigrants — they came from Northern Gaul/Belgium. The Atrebates made harness and chariot trappings. They also traded commodities from southern England with the Romans across the Channel. The town was laid out in a grid, with a large building at the center which has been interpreted as a meeting hall. Houses were round, with conical roofs of thatch. Enter the Romans, who saw the site at the intersection of land and water routes as a prime location. They built their town/fort in the same spot. What became of the Atrebates? Who knows. The Roman town was surrounded by a great wall, pierced by seven gates. It controlled the trade routes, and became a wealthy community. The Romans named it Calleva Atrebatum. Local tribes-people came and went on business, but there was another attraction: an amphitheater that could seat 3,000-7,000 people. When it was ‘show time’, vendors set up booths and people came from far and wide to see animal fights, equestrian events, and executions. When the Roman Empire melted away, around 550 CE, the town was abandoned. This is odd for a site that had been occupied for so long. Was there a plague? Did trade dry up? Did the wells become unhealthy? Who knows. By 1086, there was a medieval town called Silcestre near-by. The sweet little church of Saint Mary is all that remains from that time. The medieval town was abandoned in 1400, due to the Black Death. The current village of Silchester dates to the 17th century. Around 1900, an excavation uncovered the foundations of Roman buildings. In the late 1900s, the University of Reading began to carry out systematic digs. Since the location was not built upon later, the Roman and Iron Age layers are undisturbed, and much can be learned. All that remains above ground is the Roman Wall and the amphi-theater. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Our meals are from both parts of Silchester’s past: Breakfast represents the Roman occupiers, while the dinner is what the local people would have eaten in the Iron Age. You can prepare the dinner with authentic ingredients [yeah, yeah — no tomato sauce in the Iron Age] or modern pantry staples.

Roman Breakfast: 180 calories… 3.5 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 13 g protein… 30 g carbs… 35 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB Though a bit unusual, this is a very good plate of breakfast food. It is based on ingredients available to Romans in the 1^st century BCE. The meal is satisfying and flavorful. Try it.

++ 1 Pan Muffin** OR 0.75 oz whole wheat bread ++++ 1.5 oz pear ++++ 1.5 oz cooked chicken ++++ 1 oz radish ++++ 1 oz cucumber ++++ 1 deglet noor date ++++ 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] ++

Dice all the fruits and vegetables. Add a good finishing salt and gently stir to combine. HINT: I did this the night before and refrigerated the mixture. Prepare the pan muffin or take from freezer with time to thaw/heat. In the time it takes to brew the coffee, you can plate the muffin and the fruit-veg mixture. Romans did not drink smoothies or coffee, but you may if you wish. Hope you’ll enjoy your throw-back breakfast.

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

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal mix ++++++ 1¼ cup buttermilk	Combine cereal + milk and let sit while preparing other ingredients.
1/3 cup butter ++++++ 1/3 cup sugar	Cream the butter and sugar
One 2-oz egg	Mix in the egg.
1 cup unbleached flour +++++ 1 tsp salt ++++++ 1 tsp baking powder ++++++ 1 tsp baking soda	Add these ingredients, then the cereal/milk mixture.Stir until just combined.
2 Tbsp batter for each pan muffin	Spoon batter onto a lightly-oiled griddle, cook on both sides.

[use 4 Tbsp batter to make each muffin for Slow Days]

Whole-grain Bowl w/ Sausage: ..255 calories… 7 g fat… 6 g fiber… 9.5 g protein… 40.5 g carbs… 67 mg Calcium… PB Some cooked grains in the ‘fridge inspired this meal. It turned out to be beyond hum-drum left-overs, for it is a very nice meal indeed. HINT: This preparation serves two [2] people. If you wish to prepare it with ancient ingredients only, choose the spelt flakes and farro instead of the orzo and rice; and fava beans in lieu of broccoli.

++ 4 oz/¼ cup cooked quick barley ++++ 1.75 oz cooked spelt flakes OR 4 oz/¼ cup whole wheat orzo ++++ 1.75 oz cooked farro OR 4 oz/¼ cup cooked brown rice ++++ 1 link meat sausage @ 150 calories/link ++++ per serving: 3 Tbsp puttanesca sauce ++++ 1.5 oz canned broadbeans or fava beans OR 3 oz cooked broccoli ++

Combine the cooked grains and warm them slowly. Cook the sausage and slice it. Cook the broccoli. Divide the warm grains between two bowls. Arrange the sausage slices on one side, the vegetable on the other side, and spoon the sauce into the middle. So easy. So filling.

Eggless Breakfasts

March 19, 2025March 15, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Here in the US, Avian Flu is tearing through bird popula-tions, wild and domestic. When the disease is detected in a flock of commercial laying hens, all must be destroyed. This has caused the price of eggs to soar into the stratosphere — if you could get them at all! Eggs are a super-food for FASTers, being a low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb source of protein. And they used to be inexpensive. So what to eat for breakfast? There are many eggless breakfasts in the Archive, and here I present three very different ideas from different countries: Switzerland, Mexico, and the UK. People lucky enough to have a back-yard flock might also need some alternatives to eggs at breakfast, since during the winter, the hens lay less frequently. Then, too, it is Lent, a time when traditionally eggs were not supposed to be eaten, as one forgoes luxuries — could that have been made easier by not having eggs being laid in winter months? No matter why you have fewer eggs in the ‘fridge, you can still follow the Fasting Lifestyle at breakfast.

Our Muesli was developed at the famous health spa of Dr. Bircher. The Tostada is a classic. The Bacon Butty is a common food in the UK, at breakfast and as a snack.

Muesli: 268 calories… 9 g fat… 7 g fiber… 7.4 g protein… 43.5 g carbs… 111 mg Calcium… PB GF – if oats are truly GF This is a smaller portion of the original recipe of the Bircher-Benner muesli.

1 serving
2 Tbsp rolled oats ++++ 5 Tbsp whole milk	In a cereal bowl, mix oats and milk, cover, and refrigerate overnight to soften the oats.
5 oz apple, with skin on ++++ 2 tsp lemon juice	Grate the apple and mix with lemon juice, then add to the oat mixture. Stir to combine.
5 raw hazelnuts, or almonds, chopped	Sprinkle with raw chopped nuts and serve.
Herbal tea, no sweetener, no milk	Serve with herbal tea of your choice.

Tostada w/ Avocado: 175 calories… 8.5 g fat… 4 g fiber… 8.5 g protein… 18 g carbs… 100.4 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF For a quick, easy breakfast, this one can’t be beat. Be sure to pair it with a protein-rich dinner.

++ One 65-70 calorie yellow cornmeal tortilla ++++ 1.5 Tbsp guacamole +++ 4 Tbsp chili non carne ++++ ¼ oz Cheddar cheese, grated ++++ Optional: 1 oz pear or apple* ++++ 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] ++++

Briefly warm the tortilla in a heavy skillet without any fat or oil. Warm the chili. Spread the tortilla with guacamole, then top with chili. Add cheese and heat briefly to melt it. Plate with fruit if using. *To serve with the fruit: 16 g calories… 0 g fat… 1 g fiber… 0 g protein… 4.4 g carbs… 2.6 mg Calcium..

Bacon Butty: 193 calories… 4 g fat… 6 g fiber… 5 g protein… 30 g carbs… 62.4 mg Calcium… This is such a widely popular sandwich in England and the Republic of Ireland that there are some 700 varieties. Some call it a ‘sarnie.’ If you add an egg, it becomes a ‘breggy.’ It seems to have originated in Ireland.

++ 1 Arnold whole-wheat Sandwich Thin, top and bottom ++++ 2 slices uncured American bacon, cut in half ++++ 2 oz applesauce ++++ 1 packet ketchup, for authenticity ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Lightly toast the bun while the bacon cooks until crispy. Portion the applesauce, construct the sandwich, and serve with ketchup. ‘Fast Food’ for a Fast Day.

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

1 Pan Muffin OR whole-grain bread	1.5 two-oz eggs
cucumber + pear	salt cod
cooked chicken + radish	garlic ++ lavender
deglet noor date	tomato
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

quick barley ++ brown rice OR spelt flakes	3-oz breaded pork cutlet @ 62 calories/oz
whole wheat orzo OR farro	beets
1 link of 150-calorie sausage ++ puttanesca sauce	small red potatoes
broccoli OR canned fava or broadbeans	mushrooms
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Patrick Has His Day

March 16, 2025March 13, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

In honor of my mother-in-law and her Irish mother, our house-hold celebrates the 17th of March with appropriate food. Good Saint Patrick, although he is associated with Ireland, was not a native of the Emerald Isle. Most say he was born in England, but the Bretons say he was from Brittany. Patrick came to Ireland the first time as an adolescent, kidnapped and enslaved as a shepherd. After he escaped, Patrick returned to Ireland a second time as one of many who spread the Gospel of Christianity. It is said that the facts we know about his life could be written on a postage stamp — you remember those, right? — but that the invented and legendary stories about Patrick would fill a bookshelf. He did not drive the snakes out of Ireland. He did preach hope and consolation to the enslaved population, to the extent that the native non-Christians thought that Patrick’s religion was designed for slaves. Whether you wear the Green or not, have a happy Saint Patrick’s Day.

For breakfast, we will have a non-traditional version of the usual US meal for the day: corned beef and cabbage. For dinner, a lamb stew. The lamb stew is in honor of Patrick’s days as a shepherd, but the recipe has a French influence, perhaps like the saint himself. Hold the Soda Bread and green beer for another day

Corned Beef & Cabbage Bake: 143 calories… 6.4 g fat… 4 g fiber… 12 g protein… 9.5 g carbs… 95.6 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Since this flavor combination works well at dinner, we shall have it for breakfast, too. It is delicious!

++ one 2-oz egg ++++ 1 oz corned beef, cooked if raw ++++ ½ cup cabbage, shredded ++++ 1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese OR 1 oz chèvre ++++ ½ cup raspberries ++++ 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] ++

Simmer the cabbage in water to cover, cooking until it is limp. Drain well. While cabbage is still hot, stir the cheese and stir to melt. Dice the beef and stir into the cabbage. Pile into an oil-spritzed oven-proof dish. Whisk the egg, and pour over contents of disk. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit.

Lamb Stew with Glazed Vegetables: ..317 calories… 8 g fat… 6 g fiber… 24 g protein… 31 g carbs… 62 mg Calcium.. PB GF The recipe is from Salute to Healthy Cooking , so you know it is good. We have enjoyed this often. If you double the recipe, then you’ll have some to freeze for another meal. Yes, the calorie count is a bit high, but it is worth it. One serving = ¾ cup HINT: This recipe serves two [2].

Lamb Stew for two	Need: saute pan + Dutch oven with lid + non-stick pan
½ # lamb shoulder, boneless and cut in cubes +++cooking spray ++++ salt + pepper	Sear lamb cubes on all sides in a heavy pan spritzed with non-stick spray or oil. Cook meat in batches so pan doesn’t cool. Put cooked meat in a Dutch oven, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
½ cup onions, chopped	Put onions in saute pan and cook with enough water to make them sizzle until transparent.
1 oz dry red wine	Deglaze pan with wine, stirring up brown bits.
	Heat oven to 350 F.
¾ tsp white whole wheat flour ++++ cold water +++++½ Tbsp tomato paste	Sprinkle deglazed pan with flour and stir. Put in Dutch oven. Add enough cold water to go to top of the lamb but not cover it. Stir in tomato paste.
1 tsp thyme ++++ 1 bay leaf	Add herbs. Heat to a simmer over medium heat. Cover casserole and put in oven. Bake 1 hour, making sure stew is not boiling.
¾ c. carrots, cut in 2” batons	Add carrots, cover pan, bake 15 minutes.
½ cup cubed potatoes	Add potatoes, cover pan, bake 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
6 pearl onions ++++ 1 c/5 oz turnips, in 2” batons ++++ water ++++ ½ tsp sugar ++++ 1 tsp butter	Put vegetables in a small non-stick pan with sugar and butter. Add enough water to go half-way up the onions. Simmer 10 minutes**, uncovered, shaking pan occasionally.
Salt ++ pepper	Add salt and pepper. Take off heat and cover until vegetables are cooked.
	Plate stew with the glazed vegetables.

** If you were to cook the onions and turnips without the butter and sugar, you would reduce the calories to 297 and the fat to 6.5 g.

Religions: Scientology

March 12, 2025March 11, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Lafayette Ronald Hubbard was born in Nebraska on March 13, 1911. His school teacher mother ensured that he was well read, and the boy had a questing mind. The family lived for many years in Montana, and then in Guam during World War I. Lafayette, who later styled himself as “L. Ron” Hubbard, attended several schools without being graduated, and visited many countries. In search of adventure, L. Ron became a glider pilot and a sailor. To earn money to sup-port his wife and child, he began to churn out short stories which appeared in ‘pulp fiction‘ magazines in the 1930s. A near-death experience in 1938, lead Hubbard to be interested in mental clarity. World War II saw him join the US Navy, but his service was ended by a series of maladies. In 1950, Hubbard, disillusioned by medical and psychological professionals, published the result of his own studies of mental health, a method that he called Dianetics. The principle is that once the power of the mind is unleashed [a state he called “Clear“], most diseases — mental and physical — will be eliminated. In 1953, Hubbard established the Church of Scientology in 1954, in California. The faithful have a supreme deity but recognize neither Jesus nor Mohammed nor Buddha as being holy persons. There are many statements in the creed of the Church of Scientology, here are the five at the top of the list:

>>>>>That all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights.>>>>>That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance. >>>>>That all men have inalienable rights to their own lives. >>>>>That all men have inalienable rights to their sanity. >>>>>That all men have inalienable rights to their own defense.>>>>

There are approximately 30,000 members of the church worldwide, in 167 countries. Like all new ideas, Scientology is not without controversy and dissent. The Quakers and Methodists also faced opposition. Because it is unlike mainstream religions, there are a lot of questions about the church, and its adherents will not give you many answers. Some of the Hollywood stars who belong to the church include john Travolta, Tom Cruise, Catherine Bell, and Elizabeth Moss. Hubbard died in 1986, while living secretly on a ranch in California under the alias “Jack Farnsworth”. Scientology continues.

L. Ron Hubbard traveled widely in his life, and our menus today are from two of the countries he visited: Spain and Japan.

Pan Con Tomate y Jamon: 133 calories… 4.5 g fat… 4.5 g fiber… 9 g protein… 19 g carbs… 40 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF — if using GF bread The Tapas cuisine of Spain offers many tasty treats. One of them is this open-faced sandwich which we will borrow for breakfast.

++ 1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] 2 cloves garlic, pressed ++++ ½ cup diced tomato ++++ ¼ tsp olive oil salt + pepper ++++ pinch sugar ++++ 1 slice/14 g Serrano ham or Prosciutto ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Lightly toast the bread and spread the pressed garlic on it. Dice the tomato and stir into it the oil and seasonings. Depending on the thickness of the dried ham, you might want to chiffonade it to make biting easier. Distribute the tomato mixture over the bread, then top it with the dried ham.

Beef & Asparagus Stirfry: 289 calories… 8.4 g fat… 5 g fiber… 21 g protein… 35.5 g carbs… 69 mg Calcium… – PB GF – The flavors of beef, asparagus, and oyster sauce are a real WOW.

++ 2 oz sirloin, raw, sliced thinly across grain ++++ 2 tsp oyster sauce ++++ 2 tsp soy sauce ++++ 2-3 tsp cornstarch ++++ ¼ c chicken stock ++++ 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced ++++ 1 clove garlic, sliced ++++ hot pepper flakes ++++ 5 oz asparagus, roll-cut in 2” pieces ++++ 3 oz red pepper, sliced into strips ++++ 1 oz onion, sliced ++++ Optional: ½ oz Japanese buckwheat noodles, broken into 2” pieces ++

Slice meat as described. Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, stock, and cornstarch. Add the sliced meat, and set aside. Boil the noodles 4 minutes, drain [saving the cooking water], rinse, and put aside. Cut the vegetables as described and put in a bowl with the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes [those are the ‘aromatics’]. Heat a wok or cast iron skillet until it is hot. Spray with oil or non-stick spray. Add the vegetables and aromatics all at once and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add the beef with marinade. Stir-fry for 1 minute more or until the beef is mostly cooked and the sauce begins to thicken, then add the cooked noodles. Stir to combine and warm, then plate.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	Next week, I will present three egg-less breakfasts
cabbage + Laughing Cow cheese
corned beef
ras[berries
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

lamb shoulder meat ++ onions	Next week, I will present three egg-less breakfasts
dry red wine ++ whole wheat flour
carrot ++ tomato paste ++ thyme
bay leaf + potato + turnip + pearl onions
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

Hail

Star-Crossed Lovers: Gatsby and Daisy

Mazu

Pony Express

John Constable

Saint Rupert

Silchester

Eggless Breakfasts

Patrick Has His Day

Religions: Scientology

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