Recipes for healthy dieting

Diocletian

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.    Welcome to janowrite  who is now Following.

He was a man of humble origins who worked his way through the bureaucracy, becoming Emperor and before he was done, 1000s of members of a peaceful religion died. No, not Palpatine, although the parallels are many. This was Diocletian.  Talk about an Evil Emperor!  His skill as an administrator set the Roman Empire on a better footing after years of instability, true. But his growing obsessions and delusions of grandeur eventually caused him to order the extermination of all the Christians because they would not worship him.  He reigned from 284 to 305 CE, with the major persecutions being in 304. Diocletian retired to his palace and pottered around in the garden, growing cabbages, until his death in on October 8, 311.  His palace is still there in Split, Croatia, and the locals still eat a meal very similar to our dinner menu below.

Our meals use ingredients the Romans would recognize — even the cabbage in the Danish recipe!

Roman Breakfast:  270 calories…  3.5 g fat…   4 g fiber…   14.2 g protein…   41 g carbs…   187 mg Calcium…   PB   Though a bit unusual, this is a very good plate of breakfast, based on foods available to Roman patricians in the days of the Empire. It is satisfying and flavorful. Try it.

Roman Breakfast

++1 Pan Muffin ++++  1 oz pear  ++++  1 oz cooked chicken ++++  1 oz radish ++++   1 oz cucumber ++++ ½ medjool date = ¼ oz ++++  optional:  blackish coffee or blackish tea ++++  optional:  5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasteurized apple cider ++                                             

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 we will. Hope you’ll enjoy your throw-back breakfast.

Danish Stuffed Cabbage:  282 calories…  5.7 g fat…  5.7 g fiber…  35 g protein…  25 g carbs…  125 mg Calcium…   PB GF — if using GF bread crumbs    Craig Claiborne’s International Cookbook provided this recipe. Its history involves a Swedish king and the Ottoman Empire. Very royal origin for a common meal found all over, where ever cabbages are grown.

Danish Stuffed Cabbage

++4 oz turkey meat, raw ++++ 2 oz pork meat, raw ++++ 2.5 oz veal, raw ++++ ½ cup fresh bread crumbs [from whole-grain 70-calorie bread]  ++++ 2 oz milk ++++ 1 oz egg white ++++ sage + salt + pepper  ++++ 4 whole cabbage leaves from a whole head  ++++  1/3 c pickled beets  ++++  dab of mustard ++ 

Put the meats, sage, salt, and pepper in the food processor and mince. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and cook the meat until it doesn’t look raw. Cool meat. Combine the bread and milk, stir, let sit until soggy. Add the egg white and meats and stir to combine well. Set aside. Put a head of cabbage in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. When the outer layer begins to cook, remove the outer leaf. Return the cabbage to the pan of simmering water. Continue to remove the outer leaves as they cook, until you have 4. [NB: now you have the rest of the cabbage to use for something else]  Return them to the poaching water and cook until very limp. Cut a ‘V’ at the base of each leaf to remove the thickest part of the leaf’s rib. Orient the leaf so the ‘V’ is away from you. Put ¼ cup filling on the leaf. Fold the near side over the filling, tuck in the sides, and continue to roll. Place seam-side down in an oven-proof dish large enough to hold all four rolls. Pour some of the water in which you poached the cabbage into the dish until it comes 1/2-way up the rolls. Put on a lid or foil and bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes or until heated. Plate with the pickled beets and a dab of mustard. Fit for a king. Or an evil emperor.

Crossroads: Atlantic

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.     Welcome to mybestlife who is now Following.

For millennia, the Atlantic Ocean was terra incognita, the uncharted edge of the world. Even though the Norse and maybe the Irish crossed the Atlantic, they left no record of their voyages. [Except the Voyage of Brendan, which is disputed.]  Then came the 15th century, when Prince Henry the Navigator sent out ships to find the way to Asia. Previously unknown islands became valuable jumping-off bases, for repair and resupply of ships, or as sites from which to control shipping lanes.  The Açores, Bioko, Madeira, Cape Verde, Saõ Tome & Principe — these specks on the map were mostly discovered by the Portuguese but changed hands many times as the other great powers vied for dominance.  The island of Bioko, for example, had an indigenous population, then the Portuguese took over, then Dutch, then Spain, then England, ending with self-rule by Equatorial Guinea. The cultural and culinary influences are noticeable in all these locales.                                                                                                                                                      

Today we celebrate these cross-roads and their foods.  The Azorean breakfast features cheese [introduced by the Flemish], pimento sauce [the Portuguese], Kiwi fruit [from China via New Zealand], and tea [for the British taste].  Bioko [formerly Fernanda da Po] gives us a stew with ingredients from South America [beans and potatoes] and Europe [cabbage], combined in a local way.

Azorean Omelette:  250 calories   10.7 g fat  0.9 g fiber  17 g protein  13.5 g carbs [6 g Complex] 276 mg Calcium  PB GF When on vacation in the Azores, these local ingredients made for a wonderful breakfast. When at home, just as fine.

Azorean Cheese ScrOmelette

1-1/2 two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                 1 oz Azorean cheese OR Gouda                                                                                                                                1 oz Pimenta da Queijo                  1 oz kiwi fruit                                                                                                                                                        optional: blackish coffee [Portugese or Brazilian] or blackish tea [from the Gorreana Tea Plantation]

Grate/shred the cheese. Whisk the eggs with the pepper sauce and turn into a lightly-oiled nonstick pan. Sprinkle the eggs with the cheese and cook as you would an omelette. Plate with the fruit and serve one of those delicious beverages. Excellent.

Jota:  169 calories  4.5 g fat    7.4 g fiber   11.5 g protein  25.7 g carbs [23 g Complex]   83.5 mg Calcium  PB GF  The flavors of Africa and Portugal meet in this bean stew. Very satisfying. HINT: This recipe is enough for 4 [four] 1-cup servings.

Jota w: spinach

1-1/2 cups sauerkraut, drained                      1-1/2 cups canned red beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                      bay leaf               4 oz red potatoes, cooked and diced         1 clove garlic, crushed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               2 oz smoked ham hock, cubed                         ½ cup+ vegetable broth or water                                                                                                           Optional: 1 clove garlic, crushed + 1 tsp flour + 1 tsp oil              Optional: raw leaves of baby spinach

Spray a heavy sauce pan with non-stick spray and cook one of the garlics until golden brown. Add the sauerkraut to the pan with the broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. In another pan, heat the beans with the bay leaf until warm. Remove half of the beans and put them in a food processor with the cooked garlic and half of the potatoes. Puree, adding water/broth to adjust the liquids. Add the puree, whole beans, potatoes, and meat to the pan with the sauerkraut. Taste for seasonings. Add some water/broth to bring the volume to 4 cups.              Optional: Simmer the other garlic clove in 1 tsp oil until brown. Remove garlic and whisk in 1 tsp flour, then add some stock to make a roux. Stir into the stew as a traditional thickener.                      Optional: When the soup is in the bowl, tear the spinach leaves into bits and poke them into the hot liquid to add some extra color, texture, vitamins.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion

pan muffin [see Not by Bread, 7 Feb 2018]1.5 two-oz eggs
cucumber     +   medjool datefeta cheese, reduced fat
chicken    +  radishtomato puree  +  cinnamon
pearpomegranate seeds    +   oregano
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

veal  +  pork  + turkeycubed leg of lamb  + red bell pepper
milk  + sage  + cabbagezucchini   +  red onion  +  garlic powder
fresh bread crumbs  + pickled beetsrosemary  + sugar  + corn + cumin
mustardtomato + cider vinegar  +  dry mustard
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Hot Time in the Old Town

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                      Welcome to Fashion-Creative who is now Following.

“Chicago Fire.”  Those words could conjure a restaurant; a TV series; a soccer/futbol team; a popular children’s ditty; or an event from 1871. I never went to that restaurant, I don’t watch the TV show, and I don’t follow soccer.  But I did grow up singing that song and being told that a cow kicking over a lantern [due to the carelessness of the owner] was the cause of the Great Chicago Fire of October 8, 1871.  Chicago was a fast-growing city, buildings quickly thrown up with wood for framing and wooden sidewalks. Population density was high in the city center and some famous new buildings, like the storied Palmer House Hotel, had just opened. At 9 pm, a fire began in the southwest corner of the town. Fanned by a SW wind, the flames eagerly fed on the dry structures ahead of it and spread rapidly. By the time it was out, 31% of the population was homeless, and the city center was destroyed. The fire had consequences and beneficial outcomes: new building codes and architects flocking to the city to begin the ‘Great Rebuilding.’  This lead to the “Chicago School” of architecture, some of which is seen today during the delightfully interesting ‘architectural river cruise‘.

The foods today recognize post-fire Chicago.  Immigrants have flocked to the city, not always receiving a warm welcome.  But they helped the city to grow and flourish and they added their foods to the culture.  There are now more Mexicans in Chicago than in the city of Veracruz! So, the breakfast features Mexican Pickled Vegetables.  The dinner spotlights the famous Chicago Hot Dog, born of the stock yards and the German workers there.

Mexicali Bake:  271 calories  7 g fat  3.8 g fiber  13 g protein  38.7 g carbs  234 mg Calcium  PB GF  Remarkable how the bright pickle flavor and the creamy cheese compliment each other. Mexicali Bake w: grapes                                                                                                                                                                                    1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                      2 Tbsp Mexican Pickles, chopped    [see Spicy II, 12 September, 2018 for recipe]                                                    2 Tbsp Cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                                                         pinch cumin + big pinch oregano [Mexican oregano if you have it]                                                                                     grapes                                                                                                                                                                                     nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                                                        6 oz green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350° F.  Put the pickles in the ramekin and cook in microwave for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the cheese over the pickles. Whisk the egg and seasonings together, and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, brew the hot beverage, shake your smoothie, and plate the fruit. What a bright and delicious day this will be.

Chicago Hot Dog:  272 calories  16.4 g fat   2 g fiber  11 g protein  14 g carbs  36 mg Calcium PB GF  This is the real deal: every single flavor found in a Chicago hot dog, without the bun. Delicious and filling, wherever you live.Chicago Hot dog

2 all-beef hot dogs [Hebrew National reduced-fat]                                                                                                                                     3 oz fresh tomato, sliced in 8 wedges                                                                                                                  2 oz dill pickle spears, you should have 2-5 pieces of pickle                                                                   celery salt                                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp chopped onions, raw                                                                                                                                2 tsp relish [neon green relish is traditional]                                                                                                          2 ‘sport peppers‘ –OR- 3 pepperoncini, sliced in two                                                                                   ¼ tsp poppy seed                                                                                                                                            yellow mustard

Cook the hot dogs any way you want. In a wide, shallow bowl place the hot dogs in the center.  Place pickle slices along side and between the hot dogs. Now arrange the tomatoes around the edge. Sprinkle it all with celery salt, especially the tomatoes. Dollop with relish and distribute the onions all over. Arrange the peppers on top and drizzle with mustard. Add the poppy seed. Wear your favorite Chicago team jersey and tuck in to the dinner.

Preaching to the Birds

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.  Welcome to FashionCreative who is now Following.

Giovanni di Bernardone, nicknamed “Francesco” [the Frenchman], had a dilema. Should he pursue a life as a Christian preacher or leave the world to become a hermit?  He asked his spiritual advisors and they sent word that his path was as a preacher. He was on the road with friends when he received that message and knew he had to start preaching right away.  So he went into the field where a large flock of birds were assembled and to the amazement of his colleagues, Francesco began to preach to the birds about being grateful for the gifts which God had given to them. This incident was charmingly depicted in art by Giotto in 1297, in poetry by Seamus Heaney, and in music by Franz Listz. The preacher went on to become Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology. I have always been fond of Francis and his simple view of faith and nature because he seems so genuine.  And as a lover of nature, I wish more people would think and act ecologically.  

We will celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis tomorrow by eating eggs of birds with a popular Italian vegetable, melanzane [aubergine]. And for dinner, no animals will be harmed in the preparation of our watercress soup.

Aubergine ScrOmelette:  152 calories  7.6 g fat  2 g fiber 10.5 g protein 11 g carbs [10 g Complex] 64.7 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Eggplant and tomatoes are such a part of late summer, that you want to eat them with everything. Eating local foods in season is a real treat.

Aubergine ScrOmelette w: pears

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 to store in the ‘fridge for next week.  1¼ oz eggplant 1¼ oz fresh tomatoes, diced OR same amount of canned, diced tomato ¼ oz onion OR 1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped 1¼ oz pear large pinch Herbes de Province + pinch crushed red pepper flakes   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait[65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Chop the eggplant and onion. Simmer the vegetables and herbes in the tomato sauce in a covered pan until they are tender. If too thick, add a little water. Whisk the eggs with the vegetables and put into a hot pan spritzed with cooking spray. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Slice the pears and prepare your beverages. Savor the summer.

                                                                                                                                                                                     

Watercress Soup

Watercress Soup: 157 calories   5.4 g fat  2.9 g fiber  8.4 g protein  22 g carbs [19 g Complex] 63.5 mg Calcium   PB GF  Jacques Pepin’s Good Life Cooking is the source of this recipe and the stream that flows to the beach is the source of our watercress. So low in calories, you might want to add some Finn Crisp crackers for filling fiber or the Caprese Salad for more protein. HINT: This recipe makes 5 cups of soup which serves 4-5 people.

2 tsp canola oil                       4 oz [weight, not volume] watercress leaves and tender stems                                                                   1 cup celery, coarsely chopped                   2 cups onion, coarsely diced             ¾ tsp salt                                                                                                                  2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed              2-1/2 cups good stock – vegetable/chicken/beef                                                                                                                   10 oz [weight, not volume] potatoes, peeled, cut in 2” chunks    OR  12 oz white potato total                                                                       2 oz [weight, not volume] sweet potato, peeled and cut in chunks                     per serving: 1 Tbsp chèvre cheese                                                                                                          optional: Caprese Salad– 46 calories 2.2 g fat 0.6 g fiber 3.9 g protein 2.6 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium     PB GF   ½ oz mozzerella cheese, thinly sliced  +   2 oz tomato, thinly sliced and sprinkled with salt   +  fresh basil leaves There should be equal numbers of cheese slices as tomato. Arange the cheese, tomato, and basil in overlapping on the plate.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the cress, celery, onion, and garlic, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Put the stock, salt and potatoes into the pan and bring to a boil. [NB: my stock was very dark, which changed the color of the soup to a darker shade of green] Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool slightly then puree in blender/food processor or with imersion wand. If not thoroughly pureed, run through a sieve. Heat the soup before serving. In the bowl, put the chevre in the center, let it soften a bit, then swirl it into the soup. Serve the salad on the side.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
Mexican Pickled Vegetables [see SPICY 2, 12 Sept 2018]Pimenta da Queijo sauce
Cheddar cheeseGouda or Azores cheese
cumin  + oreganokiwi fruit
pear or apple 
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

2 all-beef hot dogs, 110 calories eachSmoked ham hock
tomato   +  dill pickle spearssauerkraut
onion  + peperoncinigarlic
hot dog relishcanned red beans
yellow mustardred potatoes
celery seed  +  poppy seedraw spinach
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Little Flower

~ me ~ 2 Comments

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                         Welcome to IBliss who is now Following.

Who is the Little Flower? Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. How did she get to be a saint? By paying attention to the little things. The petted daughter of a well-to-do family in Normandy, she grew up with a strong faith.  But at age 14, on Christmas Eve, she had an epiphany: rather than thinking of herself, she should consider the feelings of others. When she entered the convent, she sought a quiet, simple life of devotion. But she found her calling to be doing everything with joy so that others could be happier.  Her ‘little ways’ were noticed and she was asked to write down her philosophy to share with other nuns of the Carmelite order. She often used flowers as a metaphor for humility, and became known as the “Little Flower.” With my surname of Flower, it is no surprise that I would be drawn to Saint Thérèse. But the main appeal is her simple approach to happiness.  We can learn a lot from that.                                                                                                   How can you achieve your goal of losing weight? By paying attention to the little things: Fasting Days twice each week; avoiding low-nutrition foods; eating mindfully; taking time to savor the taste of food as you eat it; being happy in even small successes in weight loss.  In honor of good Saint Thérèse, our breakfast features Camembert from Normandy, of course.  And dinner evokes Springtime, when the flowers start to bloom.

Camembert Bake: 287 calories  10 g fat  2.5 g fiber  14.3 g protein  35 g carbs [32 g Complex] 241 mg Calcium   PB GF  The best-known cheese of Normandy stars in this egg dish. Easy to prepare and so delicious. I hope you will try it.Camambert Bake

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                       ½ oz Camembert                                                                                                                                                         1 tsp Dijon mustard                                                                                                                                          grating of nutmeg                                                                                                                                                       2 oz strawberries OR 1.5 oz apple slices                                                                                                                                       blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water                                                                                    5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut the cheese [rind and all] into small chunks and leave to soften at room temperature. Stir in the mustard and nutmeg. Whisk the egg, then stir in the cheese mixture. Pour into an oven-proof dish that has been spritzed with non-stick spray and bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes. When the beverages are ready, plate with the fruit.

Springtime Shrimp Salad:   192 calories   7 g fat  3.6 g fiber   17 g protein  17 g carbs   114 mg Calcium PB GF  In Spring, the clementines are decreasing in the markets and the asparagus is increasing. A salad with shrimp is delightfully delicious, even if in Autumn you have to swap out some ingredients.Springtime Shrimp Salad

2 cups mesclun OR baby greens                                                                                                                     2.5 oz cold-water shrimp                                                                                                                                     8-9 sections clementine  OR other citrus                                                                                                          1-3/4 oz asparagus  OR green beans                                                                                                                   ¾ oz mango                                                                                                                                                                  ½ hard-boiled egg                                                                                                                                                     2 tsp Spicy Aioli Dressing [see SPICYMay 23 ’18 for recipe]

Prepare all the ingredients, cutting or cooking as necessary. Combine the Dressing and measure 2 tsp into a large bowl. Toss the salad greens with the Dressing and a pinch of salt. Turn onto the serving plate and arrange the other ingredients atop the greens. Enjoy the colors and flavors of Spring. If you can, sprinkle some little flowers on the salad:  pansies, violets, flowers from herbs blooming in your garden.

Slow Days: Pizza with Leek & Bleu Cheese

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People who are new to Fasting often pose the questions:  “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?”   To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’   This feature will appear sporadically.                                                                                                                              Now for the answers.  Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight.  There are many questions asked on the FastDiet Forum which tell that tale.  But once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t every day.  For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet.  As for how we eat,  an example follows.

When the boys were young, I’d make home-made, personal-sized [8″ diameter] pizzas and we’d all watch Star Trek, The Next Generation every Saturday.  Memories are made that way.  The boys are dispersed to their own homes [one of them still makes pizza], and we continue to eat pizza, every Saturday. This one is based on a recipe from Fore Street, a favorite restaurant in Portland, Maine. Forestreet Pizza recipe

I make my own pizza shells from scratch. Sometimes I use the recipe from Gourmet magazine, which makes 2. Often I use the Neapolitan recipe from Peter Reinhart‘s American Pie, which makes six balls of dough, 5-6 oz each. I freeze balls of dough to use next week. NB: ordinarily I sauté the mushrooms and leeks before I put them on the pizza.  For some reason I didn’t do that this time.  It was crunchier as a result. Next time, I’ll sauté them.Feor Street Pizza, miseFore Street Pizza, plated

I usually eat 3 pieces of pizza, while Dear Husband eats all of his. This was enjoyed with a Dutcher Crossing red wine and a good friend as a guest.

Posh

~ me ~ 2 Comments

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                                                          Welcome to Jovanna M who is now Following.

“Posh.” Does that make you think of a Spice Girl? or the rich and famous? or taking a boat to India?  My mother told me that the origin of the word was attributed to the best class of staterooms on passenger liners that sailed from England to India and back. To have your cabin in the shade, thus being cooler, for the whole trip, you wanted to be on the Port side going Out and on the Starboard side on the trip Home . A pretty story, but alas, untrue. The term has less to do with E.M. Forester and more to do with Conan Doyle. Remember the Persian slipper where Holmes kept his tobacco on the mantle? That type of slipper was possibly called a “papoosh” and it was considered to be ‘posh’ in Persia.

In honor of my mother’s spurious story, we will imagine that we are sailing to India for the first time.  We depart favoring sturdy English meals, like ham and mushrooms for breakfast.  But on the way home, the trunks are full of Indian silks and pajamas [!] and we are trying to figure out how to teach Cook to use curry and ketchup and other delicious condiments of India, as in our dinner of curried vegetables and turkey.

Ham & Mushroom Bake:  277 calories  7.2 g fat   5.9 g fiber   15.7 g protein  38 g carbs  221 mg Calcium   PB  GF  A hearty, flavor-packed breakfast begins with ham and mushrooms. Though these are flavors of autumn, they can be enjoyed any time, especially on a Fast Day.       Ham & Mushroom ScrOmelette w: plum                                                                                                                                                          One 2-oz egg                                                                                                       1/3 oz mushrooms, chopped                                                                                                                                 ½ oz roast ham or 3% fat deli ham, chopped                                                                     1 Tbsp Gruyere cheese, grated                                                                                                                                                 ½ tsp ground sage                                                ¼ tsp savory                                                                                                                                                             1 small plum -OR- ½ cup raspberries                                                                                                                                                Optional:    5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                           Optional:   blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Set toaster oven at 350° F. Spritz some cooking spray into a ramekin. Grate the cheese. Chop the ham and mushrooms, and put them into the ramekin. Whisk together the cheese, egg, and seasonings, and pour that in too. Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on how well set you like your eggs. It will puff up and start to brown a bit. Prepare your optional beverages and portion the fruit. Off to a good start.

Indian Vegetables with Naan: 299 calories   13 g fat   6.3 g fiber   17.6 g protein  31 g carbs [28 g Complex] 78 mg Calcium PB   This delicious meal needs 2 things in advance: Rogan Josh Sauce and Naan breads. Dear Husband loved it.

Indian Vegetables w: Naan

1 naan flatbread, 106 or fewer calories/piece: purchased or home-made                                                                                                     3 Tbsp Rogan Josh Sauce: purchased or home-made   

                                                                                                                                     ½ cup zucchini, in 1/2” dice                                                                                                  ½ cup cauliflower, in 1/2” pieces                                                                                                                         ½ cup tomato, in 1/2” dice                                                                                                        ¼ tsp Indian curry powder                                 2 oz ground turkey [I had 15% fat but would have prefered less]                                                                    

Cook the vegetables and turkey in a little water until softened and turkey is fully cooked. Drain, saving the cooking water for baking or soup stock. Add the sauce to the vegetables and meat and heat gently. Warm the naan in the oven or on a hot, dry skillet. Plate to suit your preference. W.o.w.

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
Camembert cheeseeggplant   + onion
nutmeg   + Dijon mustardtomato sauce   +  herbes de Province
apples or strawberriespear
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

salad greens   + clementinewatercress  +   canola oil
asparagus  +  shrimp  +  mangochicken stock  + onion  + celery
hardboiled egg  + mayonnaisegarlic + potato  +  sweet potato
Srircha   + granulated garlic  + lemon juicechèvre   optional: mozzarella + tomato
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Hobbiton Birthdays

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                                Welcome to AHazard who is now Following.

September 22nd means one thing in our family: the birthday of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins. “Hobbit Week” is a time in September that contains the 22nd, so we are celebrating. My Dear Husband and I both discovered J.R.R. Tolkien‘s books in high school and by the time we met, we were devotees. Naturally, we read the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to our children [then 5 and 3-yrs old] and were thrilled by how well they followed the plot and loved the tales. In our family, a book completed together meant a specially-themed meal and so the Rabbit Stew was developed.                                   Hobbits are always mentioning how chubby they are — Fasting might be in order even if it is a birthday. Today the breakfast is a homey Hobbiton meal involving the Hobbits’ favorite tuber: the potato [sweet potatoes in this case].  The dinner is one we have enjoyed for decades: the meal that Samwise Gamgee [the name of our current cat] prepared in Ithilien.  The rabbit [cony] was supplied by the duplicitous Gollum and the vegetables would have been foraged by Sam. He never got to have his po-ta-toes [watch  clip from movie!] in the rabbit stew, but we put them in anyway.

Eggs In Sweet Potato Nests:  304 calories  10 g fat  3.1 g fiber  15.7 g protein  38 g carbs  298 mg Calcium  PB GF  Saw this discussed on line and decided to try it. Preparation is a little fussy but it is done the night before making for an easy morning. HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two]. I’m told these refrigerate well for another morning.Eggs in Sweet Potato Cups

Grate the sweet potato and cheese. Toss thoroughly in a bowl with the garlic. Divide among 6 muffin pan cups and push it around, pressing up the sides a bit. NB: I used a flexible non-stick muffin pan which worked well with no sticking. If you don’t have one, use liners or spray the muffin pans very well.  Bake the cups in a 375° F. oven for 10 minutes. Whisk the eggs with some salt and pour over the baked sweet potatoes. Sprinkle the egg with chopped watercress or parsley. HINT: I left this on a cool counter/refrigerator over night.Bake at 350 F. for 15+ minutes or until the eggs are set. Use a knife to loosen the egg nests but let them sit just a bit to firm up before removing them to the plates. Add cherries and the beverages and try this new flavor combo.

Hobbiton Rabbit Stew: 286 calories  6.8 g fat  3.9 g fiber  24.7 g protein  30 g carbs [30 g Complex]  41 mg Calcium   PB GF   This foraged meal, cooked over a campfire in Ithilien, is so easily prepared in your kitchen. Purists will note that the dried fruit, a gift from Faramir, was given to the Hobbits later, but it adds a nice flavor note to the meal. Doubles well.LOTR Stew + fruit

4 oz boneless rabbit meat, cut into bite-sized pieces                                                                                   2 oz carrots, sliced or cubed                                                                                                                                 2 oz potatoes, peeled and cubed                                                                                                                       bay leaf + thyme + lavender buds  + sage                                                                                                                      2 dried apricots +  1 piece dried pear [which is ½ of a pear]

Put the meat, vegetables, and herbs in a sauce pan and cover with water or broth. Cover and simmer until all is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the dried fruit on the side. Long live Frodo!

Eustace

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                                                          Welcome to Monty T who is now Following.

So imagine this: you are a high-status Roman general in the 2nd century CE, and you are out deer hunting with the guys. You chase a stag deeper into the forest all alone.  It turns to you and you see a crucifix on its head. Then it speaks to you, saying that you are the hunted and the deer is Jesus who is hunting you.  What would you do? Like the general, you would convert to Christianity as soon as you could! And he did, along with his wife and two sons. The hunter became Saint Eustace [Eustachius], patron saint of deer hunters.  Unfortunately, he and his family were later martyred for their faith but his story lives on.

In honor of hunters, we will enjoy an omelette with mushrooms, since many dishes named after hunters involve mushrooms. [Chicken Chasseur to the French. Chicken Cacciatore for the Italians]  For dinner, venison is on the menu. I often wondered if Eustace ever went hunting again, or if he swore off deer meat…

Autumnal ScrOmelette:  288 calories  8 g fat  3.4 g fiber  16.5 g protein  41 g carbs  [35 g Complex] 213 mg Calcium  PB GF  The mushrooms are for Autumn, the sweet pepper represents Summer. This meal is for when they overlap. My Own Dear Husband decided to do this as a ‘baked omelette’ instead. Looks sorta like a frittata, doesn’t it?Autumnal Omelette, baked w: plum

1-1/2 two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                ½ oz mushrooms, chopped                                                                                                                                 1 oz sweet red pepper, diced  –OR–  1.5 oz zucchini, grated and drained                                                                                                                                                               1 Tbsp scallion, chopped                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       2 oz plum  –OR–  2 oz peach                                                                                                                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                                                           5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural cider

Put the vegetables in an oil-sprayed non-stick pan to warm them and to cook them a bit until softened. Whisk the eggs and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Prepare the beverages and plate the fruit with the eggs. Contemplate the change of the seasons as you enjoy your breakfast.

Venison Stew:  250 calories  4.7 g fat  5.3 g fiber  25.6 g protein 26.4 g carbs 52.5 mg Calcium PB  GF  What a wonderful meal for an Autumn evening. Rich flavors and low calories – my kind of dinner. HINT: this recipe is for one serving. Double it and freeze half for another fine meal later or invite a friend to share it with you.Venison Stew w: roasted Veg

2-1/2 oz venison, cooked or raw                                                                                                                             ½ cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                 2 Tbsp fresh cranberries [NOT dried]                                                                                                                  2 oz mushrooms                                                                                                                                                        ½ tsp dried thyme                                                                                                                                                  ½ oz dried apples                                                                                                                                                                        1 Tbsp half&half [blend cream]                                                                                                                                        1-1/2 oz cauliflower florets                                                                                                                                              1 oz carrots cut as coins

If venison is raw, pan sear it for 2-3 minutes per side to undercook it. Slice into larger-than-bite-size pieces and set aside. Spritz a small cast iron pan with non-stick spray and add the cauliflower and carrots. Spray the vegetables, sprinkle with salt and rosemary and roast at 400 F. for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Put stock, berries, mushrooms, and thyme in a sauce pan and simmer until berries start to pop. Add the apples, venison and blend cream. Simmer until all is warm and apples are soft. Taste for seasonings and plate with the roasted vegetables.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
sweet potato + garlic powder ham
Cheddar cheese mushrooms
cherries plum
watercress
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

rabbit ground turkey  + Indian curry powder
carrots zucchini   + tomato
potato cauliflower
rabbit or chicken stock naan bread @ 106 calories max
thyme + bay leaf + marjoram Rogan Josh sauce
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Visions

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                  Welcome to jwpower who is now Following.

Hildegard von Bingen was a visionary.  One might think that a woman born in 1098 would live a life of obscurity, illiteracy, and powerlessness.  Not so Hildegard. As a child, she experienced religious visions and knew that life as a nun was her destiny.  Hildegard went on to lead her convent; found two new, larger ones; record her visions in the book Know The Way; write poetry; set the poetry to 70+ musical works; make prophesies; practice herbalism; and write a book on healing.  She was a remarkable woman and a real power of her time.  “Second to nun,” said one of my references. Truly.                                                  How do you envision your body? Slimmer?  Healthier?  The Fast Diet worked for us and it can work for you.  Try it. In honor of Saint Hildegard’s feast day tomorrow, we will eat the most typical convent food, salt cod, in our breakfast in a delightfully creamy bake.  For dinner, the herbs and vegetables that Hildegard wrote about are baked into a quiche.

Brandade Bake:   286 calories  8.6 g fat  3 g fiber  16.6 g protein  33.3 g carbs [30 g Complex]  206 mg Calcium PB GF  The marvel of Southern France, brandade is worth trying. Here it is at breakfast, all creamy and garlicy.Brandade Bake w: peach:b-b

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                            ½ Tbsp cottage cheese                                                                                                                                          1 Tbsp brandade   [see St Bernard, posted 19 August 2018]                                                                 shake of granulated garlic                                                                                                                                1 oz peach slices + ½ oz blueberries                                                                                                                                            black-ish coffee or black tea, lemon in hot water                                                                                         5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural cider

Cream together the cottage cheese, brandade, and garlic. Whisk in the egg. Bake in a lightly-spritzed ramekin at 350 F. until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. With the fruit and the beverages, you have a fine start to the day.

Vegetable Quiche:  268 calories   14 g fat   2.9 g fiber   24 g protein   12.5 g carbs [8.5 g Complex] 293 mg Calcium PB GF   I made this recipe with the idea of a crustless quiche [some might call it a fritatta or a tortilla] that didn’t break the bank on calories. Designed to serve two, I was unable to finish my portion because it was so large.Vegetable Quiche w: salad

4 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                                           2/3 cup zucchini, grated [2 oz]                                                                                                                                     ¼ cup red onion, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 cup broccoli, diced                                                                                                                                                     1/3 cup diced red bell pepper [1.75 oz]                                                                                                                  4 Tbsp cottage cheese, lower fat                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp plain yogurt                                                                                                                                                                       2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                           lots of chopped fresh herbs                                                                                                                                                     3 oz tomato, diced [½ cup]                                                                                                                                     1 oz mozzerella cheese, grated                                                                                                                                         salt + pepper                                                                                                                                                              1 cup shredded lettuce + flavorful Balsamic Vinegar

Prepare the vegetables [except the tomatoes] and steam them over simmering water for 3-4 minutes. Drain over an empty bowl to capture any remaining liquid. Put the vegetables into an oven-proof dish [I used a 9×7” oval] which has been spritzed with non-stick spray, and spread around evenly. Salt and pepper at will. Stir the cottage cheese, yogurt, Parmesan, and herbs until well-combined. Whisk the eggs well, then whisk in the cheese mixture. Pour over the vegetables. Chop the tomatoes and distribute them on top, then sprinkle with the grated mozzerella. Bake at 400 F. for 30 minutes – should be puffed and a little golden on top and set in the middle. Let the quiche sit while you shred the lettuce and toss it with the vinegar.