Recipes for healthy dieting

Calvin

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.  Welcome to Adrian K. who is now Following.

Jean Calvin [aka Jehan Cauvin] was born on Monday, July 9, 1509.  Little did his parents in the town of Noyon, Picardie know of the tremendous impact their son would have on their country’s society and religious life. Destined for the clergy, Calvin grew up in the shadow of Martin Luther’s ideas to reform the Church.  His father’s falling out with the local church elders steered young Jean to the law.  In the 1530s, Calvin grew into a new theology, a synthesis of the ideas of Luther, Zwingli, and other leaders of Protestantism. Through studies in Basel, Switzer-land and Strasbourg [then in Germany] Calvin went on to organize and codify the new church.  From the Cathedral of Saint Pierre in Geneva [where you can still see ‘Calvin’s Chair’], he oversaw the training of priests, the writing of liturgy, and the spread of the Reformation through his homeland. For the next hundred years, France was torn apart by religious wars as the Protestant Huguenots fought with the Catholics to worship as they pleased.

Calvin believed in predestination, but you are not pre-ordained to be over-weight.  Enjoy eggs baked with the Camembert cheese of North-Eastern France for breakfast, as a way to begin Fasting.  And since Picardie borders the ocean, mackerel will be our dinner and I’m sure Calvin would approve.

Camembert Bake: 146 calories  10 g fat  0.5 g fiber  9 g protein  6 g carbs   90 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                                                                                                 optional:  blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water                                                                       optional:   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.

Mackerel with Gooseberry Glaze:  276 calories   16 g fat [Omega 3 fat!]  1 g fiber   22 g protein  7 g carbs   26.7 mg Calcium   PB GF  This popular dish from Normandy usually features fresh gooseberries. Here in the USA, those are less common, so we make a glaze of gooseberry jelly. The zucchini picks up the color of green gooseberries.

Mackerel w: Gooseberry Glaze

3 oz mackerel, frozen cooked or fresh fillets           2 tsp gooseberry jelly/jam           3 oz zucchini ribbons                                                                                                                         

Heat the oven to 300 F. Put frozen or fresh fish on a baking tray and brush with melted jelly. Using a potato peeler, carve long, thin slices from the length of the zucchini until you have 3 oz. Toss the ribbons with salt and pepper. Place the ribbons on the baking tray in a heap [if they are in a thin layer, they will over-cook]. Bake for 5 minutes. Rearrange the zucchini so that the bottom layer is now on top. Bake 5 minutes more, or until the fish is thawed or cooked. Plate the fish with the zucchini ribbons and enjoy a meal of remarkable flavor.

Ramadan

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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.

Fasting is done for health reasons, to lose weight, and more traditionally for religious reasons.  Fasting shows one’s dedication to the religion by doing something that seems so impossible: giving up food.  The season of Ramadan is occurring now from May 15 to June 14, during the 9th month of the Muslim calendar.  Since the calendar is based on the moon, the celebration of Ramadan happens 11 days earlier every year.  Ramadan observes the period of time during which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. People read the Holy Book, attend prayers, enjoy time with their families, and engage in charities.   During the celebration, adults do not eat or drink from sunrise to sundown. Two meals are enjoyed daily, before sunrise and after dark. The purpose of the fast is to focus the mind and gain control over the body.  Many practitioners say that the benefits of fasting last longer than the month itself.  Although the Islamic world stretches all around the globe, our menu is taken from northern Africa.  Eggs are a popular protein source during Ramadan, while lamb and vegetables could typically be part of a proper dinner.

Moroccan Omelette w: cherries

Moroccan Omelette:   273 calories   8 g fat   2.9 g fiber   15.3 g protein  36 g carbs   208.7 mg Calcium   PB GF  Suggested by our First-born, this is the easiest breakfast in the world to prepare. For the compete flavor profile, serve with mint tea.

1 ½ 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 tsp or more ground cumin                                                                                                                                 5 Bing cherries                                                                                                                                                   MINT TEA, blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                       5-6 oz green or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Whisk just the 1.5 eggs vigorously. Pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Turn down the heat and leave undisturbed until puffy and the top is set. Remove from skillet, season to taste with cumin, salt and pepper. Serve folded or flat. Pour the beverages and enjoy the cherries.

Lamb w: Med Veg, cheese, br rice

Lamb With Mediterranean Vegetables:   295 calories   14 g fat   9.3 g fiber   22 g protein  40.5 g carbs   205.6 mg Calcium   PB GF  Here’s a fine meal, full of complex carbohydrates and good flavor.

1 oz  lamb, ground [raw]  or diced  [cooked]                                                                                                                   1 cup Mediterranean Vegetables [see Sidekicks I, 17 Sept, ’17 ]                                                                               ¼ cup cooked brown rice                                                                                                                                              ½ oz Gruyere cheese, grated

Cook the ground lamb, keeping it in biggish chunks rather than tiny flecks. Pour into a sieve to drain any fat and rinse in hot water. Season the meat well with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Heat the Mediterranean Vegetables TIP: so much easier if they were waiting for you in the freezer. Preparing food ahead is such a good idea. Mix the lamb with the vegetables. Plate the rice, then pour the Lamb/Veg on top. Serve with the grated cheese.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz eggNext Thursday, I will post some tasty treats involving spices.
 asparagus choose a breakfast from the archives
 cooked brown rice
 smoked haddock [finnen haddie]
 1/2 & 1/2  + curry power  + nutmeg
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:

 whole wheat slider buns [100 calories]
 barbecued beef choose a dinner from the archives
 BBQ sauce [ <60 calories/fl oz]
 cherry tomatoes
 carrots
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Passover

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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.

I remember the first time I was old enough to understand the story of the Ten Plagues of Egypt.  I found it to be chilling and thrilling, and was so relieved when the Red Sea parted and the Children of Israel made their escape [beloved by movie makers]. These are the events that are depicted in the Passover Seder. The foods are all chosen to represent different parts of the story, and relevant parts of the Torah are read as the meal unfolds.  Our meals today pay homage to the flavors and ingredients of Passover, each integral to the meal and telling their own tale.  The roast lamb represents the lamb’s blood painted on the door frames so that the Angel of Death would ‘pass over’ those houses. [Vegetarians use a roasted beet.] Roasted egg is in place of a sacrificial offering at the Temple. Horseradish stands in for the bitter experience of slavery in Egypt.  Apples, nuts, and cinnamon are for the mortar made by Hebrew slaves.    Parsley and romaine are also foods with a bitter taste, in remembrance of struggles.  Salt water [for dipping hard-boiled eggs and parsley] represent tears. See how many of these are incorporated in today’s menus as you remember the tale of escape and the history which followed it. May you be inscribed for Good in the Book of Life.

Passover ScrOmelette:   290 calories   7.8 g fat   3.1 g fiber   15.3 g protein  37 g carbs   217 mg Calcium PB GF The flavor combinations of Passover are too good not to enjoy at breakfast.

Passover ScrOmelette

1 ½ 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, crack 3 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                                         1 Tbsp diced beets [I used pickled beets]                           2 Tbsp parsley, chopped                                                                                                  1 tsp horseradish        +  Kosher salt  + 1.5 oz applesauce, sprinkled with cinnamon                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   5-6 oz fruit smoothie or pure apple cider                                                                                                                                         blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Whisk the horseradish and salt/pepper to taste with the eggs. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. When the bottom of the eggs have just set, add the beets and parsley. Scramble to your heart’s content or fold like an omelette. When the coffee is brewed and the smoothie is smooth, the applesauce with cinnamon will be delicious with the sweet beets and tangy horseradish.

Seder Salad:  261 calories   14.8 g fat   2.8 g fiber  20.8 g protein  26 g carbs  85 mg Calcium   GF A previous dinner could involve a leg of lamb ….yummmmm. Save a few slices to make this salad. This meal is great for sharing with a guest: doubles well.

Seder Salad

1 cup romaine lettuce             1 Tbsp fresh parsley                                                                                                                                                 3 Tbsp celery, diced              1.5 oz apple, cubed                                                                                                                                                         2 oz cooked lamb, from the leg or other lean cut            4 walnut halves                                                                                                                                                              1 hard boiled egg       Kosher salt                                                                                                                                                                  1.5 tsp horseradish dressing

Chop the walnut into large pieces and toast in a dry skillet until fragrant. Cut egg into wedges; slice the lamb and celery; cube the apples. Toss the greens, celery, apples, and parsley with the dressing and arrange other ingredients to suit the eye.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 green pepper  +  celery  apple or melon
 cottage cheese  +  onion 3%-fat ham
 cajun seasoning  + Tabasco sauceherbs to taste
 melon 
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:

 andouille sausage + cajun seasoning romaine lettuce
 ham + onion + brown rice + chicken green beans
 green pepper  +  celery  + garlic cucumber or zucchini
 crushed tomatoes  + red pepper flakes feta cheese   +  black olives
 Tabasco  + Worcestershire   + broccoli olive oil
 file powder  + chicken broth white wine vinegar
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Saint David

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow will be the Feast of Saint David, Patron Saint of Wales. He was a pious monk to whom many miracles are attributed.  He was a famous faster, sometimes subsisting only on leek soup [which is delicious!] and never consuming alcohol.  Because the leek is one of the emblems of Wales, our meals will feature that versitle Allium.  The eggs for breakfast are scrambled with leeks and Welsh cheese. Try to find Caerphilly, the only Protected Status cheese in Wales.  The dinner is not one of St David’s soups, but a nod to the long history of eating sea products from the coastal waters of Wales: mackerel with leeks. David’s famous quote, “Do the little things,” applies well to Fasting: focus on a simple diet of nutritious foods, Fast twice a week, cut out the snacks, and you will succeed in weight loss.   Enjoy your leeks, think about St David, and enjoy the video of the singing of Cwm Rhondda.

Welsh ScrOm w: melon

Welsh ScrOmelette:   297 calories   9.3 g fat  2.5 g fiber  16.7 g protein  35 g carbs [33 g Complex Carbs]  252 mg Calcium  PB GF  This is a real taste sensation and a great way to start the day. Reward yourself: find the correct cheese.

1 ½ 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, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                             0.3 oz Cheddar cheese, preferably Caerphilly or Red Dragon                                                             ¾ oz sliced leeks, white and green                                                                                                                     1 oz melon                                                                                                                                                      blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                        5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Slice the leeks across the leaf and wash well under running water.  Put into a small sauce or saute pan, add a few tablespoons of water, put on the lid and ‘sweat’ the leeks until they soften, about 10 minutes. HINT: I did this the night before. Cut the cheese into small dice. When ready to cook, spritz a non-stick pan with cooking spray and add the leeks. Cook about 10 minutes more until limp and maybe beginning to brown on the edges. Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper, and a pinch of thyme. Pour over the leeks in the pan, scramble until cooked. Then sprinkle the cheese over the eggs at the last minute. Serve with melon and beverages of your choice. Fabulous.

Mackeral stuffed w: leeks

Mackerel stuffed with Leeks:   285 calories   15.7 g fat   1.6 g fiber   22 g protein   9.3 g carbs 46.5 mg Calcium   PB GF   This is from Joanne Harris & Fran Warde’s delightful The French Market. If you are lucky enough to get fresh mackerel, this one’s for you.

Two 2-oz mackeral fillets to total 4 oz per serving                                                                                     salt & pepper                                                                                                                                                                          2 tsp grainy mustard, like ‘country Dijon’                                                                                                      oregano                                                                                                                                                                      ¾ of an ounce of sliced leeks                                                                                                                                                           ground coriander                                                                                                                                                          3 oz tomatoes, sliced OR sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slash the skin of the fish and season the skin-side with salt and pepper. Turn the fillets over and spread each one with mustard, then sprinkle with oregano. Put one fillet skin-side down on the baking pan and pile the leeks on top of it. Sprinkle with a little coriander and more pepper, if you like. Put the other fillet on top of the leeks, with the skin-side up. Press down a little on the fish to compact it a bit. Roast for about 12 minutes, until the fish is opaque. Meanwhile, slice the other vegetables. What a lovely meal!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 mozzerella cheese salt cod
 crushed tomatoes instant potato flakes
 1 slice pepperoni cheddar cheese
 blueberries  +  bell pepperstrawberries
optional smoothieoptional hot beverage
optional hot beverageoptional smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 2 all-beef hot dogsMediterranean Vegetables [SIDEKICKS II oct 4, 2017]
 fresh tomato1 slice polenta [ SIDEKICKS II oct 4, 2017]
 dill pickle  + poppy seed fillets of firm white fish
 onions  + celery seed herbes de Province
 sport [medium-hot] peppers
 yellow mustard + hot dog
relish
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Deli & Delhi

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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 diet 969 who is now Following.

Aren’t homophones fun? A ‘deli’ is a delicatessen, where you go to get sandwich meat and sliced cheeses or ready-made sandwiches and other delights.  ‘Delhi’ is a territory which contains both the Old City of Delhi and New Delhi, the capital of India. If we can enjoy the verbiage, we can have fun with foods related to those words.  For the deli, we have eggs with all the flavors of a Reuben Sandwich. Representing Delhi are momos, a popular street food, influenced by the Mongols who invaded from the North. And let’s not forget a dipping sauce made of chutney and catsup, both of which have their origins in SE Asia.  Happy Fasting in Delhi or at the deli.

Reuben Bake: 282 calories 7 g fat 3.8 g fiber 16 g protein 38 g carbs 239 mg Calcium PB GF What is more delicious than a good reuben sandwich at lunch? This deli delight is now a flavorful breakfast and its a winner.Reuben Bake w: S-b

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                                                              ½ oz corned beef                                                                                                                                                       1.5 Tbsp sauerkraut [1.5 oz]                                                                                                                                            ½ wedge Laughing Cow cheese                                                                                                                                         1 tsp catsup                                                                                                                                                                2 oz strawberries                                                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                  5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350 F. Chop the corned beef. Chop the sauerkraut. Cream the cheese with the catsup and stir in the beef and ‘kraut. Whisk in the egg and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the beverages and portion the fruit. Mmmmmmm – reuben 🙂

Chicken Momos:  222 calories  1.5 g fat  2 g fiber  15.4 g protein  30 g carbs [6.5 g Complex Carbs]  58 mg Calcium  PB  Steamed momos are one of the most popular street foods of Northern India, due to the influence of neighboring Nepal and the fact that they are delicious. Try them and you will agree. Looks long and complex, but it is do-able.Chicken Momoas w: zucchini

Filling: makes 2 cups; you will need 1 Tbsp for each piece. Freezes well.                                           8 oz chicken breast, cubed   +    1 tsp tumeric    +   1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste**                                   2 tsp ginger, minced   +  2 tsp garlic, minced   +   3 Tbsp carrot, grated or chopped                          3 Tbsp cabbage, Bok Choy or Napa, chopped  +  1 Tbsp scallion, sliced                                                   1 cup onion, chopped   +  pinch sugar [or omit]   +  salt + pepper                                                            1 tsp soy sauce   +  1 tsp chili sauce   +  1 tsp catsup

Prepare a mise en place.  Put the chicken, tumeric, and garlic paste in a small pan with 1-2 Tbsp water. Put on a lid and cook until chicken is just a little pink. Remove from heat and strain the liquid from the chicken. Return the chicken liquid to the pan and add the ginger and the garlic. Cook on high for 30 seconds, turn head down, add the carrot, cabbage, scallion, and onion. Cook until vegetables are soft and onion is translucent. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper, and return the chicken to the pan. Stir and cook. Transfer to a food processor and reduce to a mince. Set aside to cool. Makes enough for 30.

***Ginger-Garlic Paste                                                                                                                                            2 oz garlic cloves, sliced              1 oz ginger root, sliced                                                                                 ½ oz flavorful white vinegar                                                                                                                                      Put in a food processor and whirl it until paste-like.                                                                           Scrape the sides often. Do not add water.                                                                                                   Store remaining paste in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Forming the momos: for 1 serving you will need six 3.5” wonton wrappers                                  Put some water into a custard cup. Lay the wonton wrappers on a large, clean surface. With your finger, moisten the edge of each wrapper with water. Put a tablespoon-full of filling in the center of the wrapper. I brought up each corner to the center and pinched the four edges together to look like a crab rangoon. Or make triangles, as you would for wonton soup. Put each finished momo aside, covered with a damp cloth until ready to steam.    Steaming the momos: Prepare your steamer in the wok by adding enough water that the level comes up the side of the steamer but is not above the level of the bottom rack. Put parchment paper or foil on each rack but allow the steam to flow freely. You could use cupcake papers. When the water in the wok is hot and steaming, add the momos. Cover and steam 10-15 minutes. Remove from steamer and plate.                                                                         Side dish: I spiral cut 3 oz zucchini and put it in to steam for 5 minutes. It was overcooked. Profit from my mistakes. Then I tossed it with one tsp plain yogurt and ½ tsp curry powder. Next time I’d just cube raw zucchini or cucumber to mix with the yogurt. Serve with chutney mixed with catsup.

Washington        

~ 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.

Tomorrow will be the birthday of the Father of our Country, George Washington, who was born in 1732. Truly a man who needs no introduction, let us look at what the great man ate. For breakfast, he ate only ‘hoe cakes,’ a pancake made of white corn grits.  He ate them every day, with butter and honey.  Hercules, Washington’s enslaved cook, knew what to prepare for a man with false teeth: soft foods.  The Marquis de Lafayette, whom Washington regarded as the son he never had, might have suggested the very French Cherry Flamusse as an alternative, and the cherries play into Parson Weems legend of young George and the cherry tree.  The first president’s estate Mount Vernon is located in tidewater Virginia, and Washington liked oysters. He would surely have eaten Virginia ham, although every Saturday Hercules whipped up a batch of salt cod stew, according to the book Never Caught, a book which discusses Washington as a slave-holder . Today we’ll enjoy a more festive meal to celebrate Washington’s birthday: Ham & Oyster Pie.

Cherry Flamusse:   291 calories  5.3 g fat  2.2 g fiber   15.4 g protein   46.7 g carbs [12.6 simple carbs, 34 complex carbs]  316 mg Calcium   This breakfast custard is borrowed from the dessert section of the cookbook, and it works very well either way! It is similar to a clafouti, but simpler. Baked with cherries or any firm fruit, it is sure to be a hit. HINT: This makes enough for 2 [two] servings: share with a friend or save the rest for a future breakfast or dessert. [Without the morning beverages, the dessert has 177 calories.]Cherry Flamusse

2 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                            6 oz milk                                                                                                                                                                      4 tsp flour                                                                                                                                                                                        1.5 Tbsp sugar                                                                                                                                                             10 sweet cherries, pitted                                                                                                                                       ½ clementine                                                                                                                                          blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                     3 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie

Spritz 2 ramekins or an oven-proof dish with 1.5 cup capacity with non-stick spray. Cut the cherries in half and arrange on the bottom of the dish. Whisk eggs until foamy, then add flour and sugar, whisking until there are no lumps. Stir in the milk and pour the batter over the cherries. Bake at 375 F. for 20 minutes. Turn the flamusse out of the dish so that the cherries are on top. Plate with the clementine sections, serve with the beverages. You won’t believe this is a ‘diet.’

Ham & Oyster Pie:   256 calories   4.6 g fat   3.2 g fiber   20.7 g protein   25.5 g carbs   125 mg Calcium   GF  This dish was popular in the Colonial American South at Christmastime.  I first enjoyed it in the Fox Tavern at the Hancock Inn. As long as oysters are available, one can have it anytime. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] as shown in the photo.Ham &amp; Oyster Pie for two

3 oz [2/3 cup] roast ham in 1/2” dice                                                                                                                          1 cup oysters with their liquid, about 19                                                                                                                        ½ cup onions, chopped                                                                                                                                       ¼ cup milk                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp white wine                                                                                                                                                    2 tsp potato starch                                                                                                                                                  ½ cup peas, frozen                                                                                                                                                  4 small stars cut from a 70-calorie slice of whole-grain bread = 0.55 oz bread

Drain oysters and reserve their liquid. Combine onion and oyster liquid [1/4-1/3 cup] in a small pan. Simmer, covered, until onions are transluscent.  Stir milk, wine, and potato starch into the liquid until it is smooth. Add oysters, ham, and stir to combine. Heat over low until sauce has thickened.  Taste for seasoning.  Add peas, stir, and turn into a two-cup casserole. Bake uncovered at 400 F. for 15 minutes while you lightly toast the stars. Before serving, nestle the stars into the bubbling sauce.  A meal fit for a president.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
 corned beef  leek
 sauerkraut, canned or bagged or fresh Caerphilly or Cheddar cheese
 catsup
 strawberries  apple or pear
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:

 chicken   +  wonton wrappers  4 oz mackerel
 turmeric + ginger-garlic paste + ginger  leek
 carrots  +  cabbage  +  scallion  tomatoes
 onion  + soy sauce  oregano
 chili sauce   +  catsup  coriander
 garlic  grainy mustard
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Go West, Young Man

~ 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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to diet969 who is now Following.

I’ll bet you know who said the undying words of Manifest Destiny, don’t you. Horace Greeley, native of New Hampshire and publisher of the New York Tribune, of course.  Not so fast. John Babson Lane Soule, born in Maine, actually moved ‘West’ to Indiana and became a newspaper owner.  Evidence points to Soule as the author of the phrase, since in 1851, he urged, “Go West, young man, and grow up with the country.”              Although Greeley did write ““Fly, scatter through the country — go to the Great West,” in 1837, when he used the words, “Go West, young man” in 1865, he was quoting Soule.

Their idea of ‘the West’ was to leave the cities and worn-out farmland of the East Coast to settle in Ohio and Illinois. For the menus today, you will go a bit South that — Texas for breakfast.  And if you keep going, you will cross the Pacific Ocean and arrive in Canton, China for a dinner of wonton soup. Now that’s going West!

Western Bake:   270 calories   5.4 g fat   4.5 g fiber   12.4 g protein   45 g carbs [43.7 g Complex Carbs]  199 mg Calcium PB GF   My father taught me to love a good Western Sandwich. So it seemed natural to incorporate that flavor combination in a breakfast. And its a winner.

Western Bake w: pears

1 two-oz egg                          2 oz green pepper                            2 oz onions                                                                                                                                                                                  2-3 tsp ketchup, made without high fructose corn syrup         2 oz pear                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Chop the pepper and onions and cook: either in the microwave or by poaching in water for 2 minutes. Drain and combine with the ketchup. Whisk with the eggs, salt and pepper to taste. Spritz an oven-proof ramekin or other dish with non-stick spray. Pour in the egg mixture and bake at 350 F. for 15-18 minutes. Plate the fruit and pour the beverages. Yee-haaw, that’s a breakfast!

Wonton Soup:  257 calories   34 g fat  0.9 g fiber   23.7 g protein   29 g carbs  25 mg Calcium PB Cantonese wonton soup can be your’s, easily and without the extra salt or MSG. I prepared the entire batch of filling, then stuffed and poached all 26 wontons. Frozen, they will be the ‘instant’ source of future meals.

Wonton Soup

Filling: 4 0z ground pork                       4 oz chicken meat              1/2 tsp cornstarch                                                                                                                                           ¾ tsp sugar                1 tsp sesame oil            ¼ tsp white pepper + ¾ tsp salt + 1 Tbsp water                                                                                                                                                                              1 Tbsp sherry                                          4 oz shrimp, chopped to the size of green peas                                                                                                

Combine all ingredients except the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor and mince to a paste. Stir in the chopped shrimp. Refrigerate until ready to fill the wontons. TIP: Can be made the day before.                                                                                                                                                 Wontons: Wonton skins [wrappers] are small squares of egg-roll wrappers. You’ll need 5 wonton skins per bowl of soup, 26 skins for the entire batch.   Put 4-6 wonton skins on a cutting board. Moisten two edges of one of the squares. Place 1 Tbsp of filling on the square, fold over to make a triangle, and pinch the sides together. Set aside, up to 30 minutes covered with cling wrap or foil, until ready to poach them.                                                                                                               

Poaching filled wontons: Bring a pan of water to boil. Depending on the diameter of the pan, add wontons 4-5 at a time. They will sink to the bottom of the pan. When they float to the surface [in 4-5 minutes], fish them out and put on a tea towel to drain.                                       

To finish the soup: 1.5 cups delicious chicken stock, purchased or home-made                                                                                                               1.5 oz cabbage in strips                          5 filled wontons                1 Tbsp sliced scallion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Heat the stock to a simmer and add the cabbage. Cover and simmer until the cabbage is cooked. Put 5 poached wontons in your soup bowl, add the stock and cabbage, sprinkle with scallion. Pass the soy sauce.

“C” is for Comfort

~ 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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                          Welcome to Kristen who is now Following.

This is a continuation of the posts which show, I hope, that Fasting meals are as easy a A-B-C.  How to begin the Fasting Lifestyle?  From this blog site, choose your favorite 2 breakfast menus: have one on Monday, one the following Thursday.  Then find your favorite 2 dinner menus: plan on one for Monday, one for Thursday.  Repeat the following week, or choose a different breakfast and dinner.  Plan 1st, then eat.  Then weigh and repeat. Soon Fasting will become your new comfort zone.

Cheesy-Bake:   144 calories   7.8 g fat   1 g fiber   12 g protein   7.3 g carbs [5.7 g Complex]  183 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  This is the baked version of a cheese omelette that thinks that it is a cheese souffle! Delicious.

cheesy-bake-w-apples-r-bs

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                           ¼ oz cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                                                                1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                             ¼ c raspberries, fresh or frozen [When I use frozen fruit, I portion it into its dish the night before, so it will be thawed by morning]                                                                                                        ½ oz apple, sliced                                                                                                                                 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]

Spritz a ramekin with olive oil or non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Stir the two cheeses together with a fork until blended and whisk with the egg. Without waiting, pour into the ramekin and bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed and beginning to brown. Prepare the fruit and optional beverages, and enjoy a cheesy start to your day.

Chickpea Ragout with Cod:   213 calories   3.6 g fat  5.3 g fiber  25.8 g protein  20 g carbs  44 mg Calcium  GF PB   This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way. Although he doesn’t mean my kind of ‘Fast Food,’ Pepin has long been a proponent of healthy cooking. He presents this as a side dish, but for our purposes it is best prepared as a main course with seafood for more protein. 

Halibut w: Chickpea Ragout

½ tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                            ½ cup diced onions                                                                                                                                                 ½ cup scallions, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 Tbsp garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                           2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained                                                                                                  1 and ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned                                                                                                  ½ cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                        ½ tsp salt   +   ½ tsp pepper                                                                                                                                 4 oz cod** fillet. fresh or frozen

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Divide it in 4 portions, each about 3/4 cup. Keep one portion aside for today. TIP: Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.

** If you can’t get cod, use one of these:    4 oz swordfish               4 oz salmon           4 oz halibut            4 oz smelts         2 oz shad     4 oz haddock         4 oz tilapia          4 oz flounder

Completely Different

~ 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.

It’s been a merry round of holiday eating, so let’s have something completely different!  Eggs Foo Yung for breakfast?  Why not! Liver & Onions while dieting?!?  Yes!  Bet you’d be happier if you weighed less on Friday — eat these menus on Thursday and see what happens.

Foo Yung ScrOmelette:   283 calories  8 g fat  2.5 g fiber   18 g protein  38 g carbs  241.4 mg Calcium  PB GF  Here we take the Cantonese classic and prepare it for breakfast. Filling and nutritious.Fu Yung ScrOmelette

1 ½ 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.                                                                                       2 Tbsp crab meat                                                                                                                                                            3/4 tsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                                          ¼ c mung bean sprouts                                                                                                                                        ¼ oz mushrooms                                                                                                                                                            green parts of one scallion, sliced                                                                                                                                 ¼ tsp ground ginger                                                                                                                                          splash of hot sauce                                                                                                                                                       1 oz pear or applesauce                                                                                                                                            blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie

The night before, combine the crab, soy, sprouts, mushrooms, scallion, ginger and hot sauce in a small bowl. Next morning, spritz a non-stick saute pan with oil or non-stick spray and briefly cook the crab mixture to heat it thoroughly. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour into the pan, scrambling to incorporate the crab mixture. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. [Alternately, cook like pancakes: put half of the egg in the pan, then distribute half of the crab mixture on top. When done on the bottom, turn to cook the top. Repeat with other half of ingredents.] Dish up the fruit, brew your hot beverage, and prep the smoothie. And your fortune cookie says: “You will lose weight.”

Liver & Onions:  273 calories  10.4 g fat  2.9 g fiber  25 g protein  20 g carbs  43.5 mg Calcium When my father was away on business, my mother would serve us liver and onions which we came to regard as a special treat. Still a favorite on diner menus, still full of protein and Iron.  Liver &amp; onions                                                                                                                                                                                     4 oz beef liver                                                                                                                                                                 2 tsp flour + salt + pepper                                                                                                                                          ½ cup onion, sliced                                                                                                                                               ½ tsp butter                                                                                                                                                              ½ cup green beans

Cook the onions in a non-stick saute pan with a little water to prevent scorching. Set the onions aside. Blot the liver on paper towels. Put 2 tsp flour on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge the liver in the flour, and shake off any extra. Melt the butter in the pan the onions were in and cook the liver over low heat until done. If the pan gets too dry, spray it with non-stick spray. Meanwhile, cook the beans and salt them. Just before the liver is done, add the onions to the pan to reheat.

Newton

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow marks the birth of one of science’s giants: Isaac Newton, born Christmas Day 1642, in Wollsthorp, Lincolnshire, England.  His mother had been widowed a few months earlier and her baby was premature — a dismal start for any child. But Isaac somehow grew up to be a mathematics prodigy.  He invented the Calculus; wrote the three Laws of Motion; determined why the moon stays in orbit around the Earth; developed the concept of gravity; all before his 24th birthday.  

We will observe his natal day and the birth of modern physics with some very English meals: Toad in the Hole and Pork with Apples.  ‘Apples.’  Get it? Newton saw an apple falling from his tree and intuited the effect of gravity on all things. Whew.

Toad in the Hole:  298 calories   1.7 g fat  3.9 g fiber  14.5 g protein   79 g carbs  190 mg Calcium This whimsically-named meal is of old English origin – shades of Kenneth Graham and Beatrix Potter. The recipe is from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. It begins with a Yorkshire Pudding batter which you need to prepare in advance. The Yorkshire Pudding recipe is from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook. HINT: make the batter the night before to save time in the morning.

Toad in the Hole w: Apples

Yorkshire Pudding Batter:       one 2-oz egg      ½ tsp salt           1/2 cup unbleached flour                                                            ½ cup white whole wheat flour         ½ cup water         ½ cup fat-free milk                         Mix all the ingredients together and let the batter stand at room temp for 30-60 minutes or in ‘fridge overnight. You will need 1/4 cup of the batter per person. HINT: The remainder can be frozen in 1 cup or 1/4 cup batches for future meals. When it is time to use the batter, beat it with a rotary beater until it is frothy.

For the breakfast:                 1 breakfast sausage [chicken sausage @ 50 cal/link]                               1/4 cup Yorkshire Pudding batter, well beaten                         pinch of crumbled sage                                                                                                                                         2 oz pear or apple       Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Heat the oven/toaster oven to 425°F.  Cook the sausage, using a bit of water in the bottom of the pan since the sausage will render no fat. Pour out any remaining water from cooking the sausage. Spritz 5 holes of a mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray. Dice the sausage or slice into 20 pieces, and put the sausage in the mini-muffin pan. Beat the batter until it is foamy, adding crumbled sage. Pour the batter over the sausage bits in the pan. Pop the pan into the oven for 15 minutes. Slice the fruit, shake your smoothie, brew your beverage, and settle down to a quickly-prepared, fun-to-eat meal.

Pork with Apples:  273 calories   8.1 g fat   4 g fiber  22.7g protein   18.8 g carbs   84 mg Calcium  PB   Long a favorite combination in lands where apples grow; where local meats and local fruits are blended in hearty meals, the flavor of pork with apples is a winner.

Pork & Apples

3 oz pork tenderloin, raw or cooked                                   2 oz round slices of apple, unpeeled                                                                                                               ½ oz cubed apples, unpeeled                                1/4 cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                           4 Tbsp Béchamel sauce, no cheese                 thyme/sage salt + pepper to taste                                                                                                                       1 oz broccoli florets            1 oz cauliflower florets                         1 oz carrots 

Poach the apple slices in the stock until they are tender. TIP: if cooking for 2, this may require poaching in 2 batches. Remove slices and reserve. Slice the pork into rounds about 1/4” thick. If pork is raw, braise it briefly in the hot stock, and remove from stock. Put 1 Tbsp stock in the oven-proof pan in which you will cook the dinner. Combine diced apples, Béchamel, seasonings, and remaining stock in the sauce pan, stirring until apples are soft and sauce is medium-thick. Adjust seasonings. Arrange alternating slices of pork and apple in the baking pan. Nap with the sauce and bake at 350 until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Steam the vegetables and enjoy a hearty winter meal.