Recipes for Intermittent Fasting Days

“C” is for Comfort

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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 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

Pooh’s Father

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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.

Tomorrow marks the birthday of A. A. Milne in 1882. He was, of course, the actual father of Christopher Robin and the literary father of Winnie the Pooh.  After an education at most of the right schools, Milne became a writer for the popular magazine Punch.  WWI saw him serving on the Somme and returning with PTSD.  Following the war, Milne enjoyed long rambles with his son and the teddy bear which of course became the duo made famous in the books; much to the rue of the son and the father who were both over-shadowed by their association with a stuffed toy.                                                                   The appeal of the Pooh books is the depiction of a simple time and place, where toys can talk and life is idyllic.  Pooh did struggle with his weight.  “A bear, however hard he tries, grows chubby without exercise…”  Bearing this in mind, we will continue the Fasting Lifestyle with foods suitable for a comfortable cottage in the 100-Acre Wood.  No Hunny.

Cottage Breakfast:   278 calories  3.8 g fat  4.8 g fiber  10.2 g protein  24.2 g carbs   181 mg Calcium  PB   I wanted a breakfast that evoked a cottage in the English country-side, so here it is. The pan muffins are very good.cottage bfast

1 pan muffin **                                                                                                                                                               ½ c. raspberries                                                                                                                                                         1 Applegate sausage [or a 33 calorie equivelent]                                                                                                       5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                   blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water

HINT: I prepared 8 griddlecakes from the 10-grain mufffin batter, cooked them, and froze them. I made the rest into muffins to eat on Slow Days. Take one griddlecake from the freezer the night before and let it thaw. Cook the sausage in the microwave or warm it in a non-stick pan along with the griddlecake. Dish the berries, brew the hot beverage, pour the smoothie. What a sweet and easy meal.

**10-Grain Muffin Batter: 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal mix                                                       1 and 1/4 cup buttermilk [combine cereal + milk and let sit while preparing other ingredients.                     1/3 cup butter           7 Tbsp sugar           1 cup unbleached flour                                                                       1 tsp salt         1 tsp baking powder         1 tsp baking soda

Cream the butter and sugar; mix in the egg. Add the dry ingredients and the cereal/milk mixture.                Stir until just combined. Use 2 Tbsp batter for each griddlecake                                                                     [use 4 Tbsp batter to make each muffin for Slow Day breakfasts]

Steak & Mushroom Pie:  277 calories  4.8 g fat   6.9 g fiber   27 g protein   25.6 g carbs   34 mg Calcium     Two very compatible flavors together again, topped [not encased] in puff pastry. Similar to a meal enjoyed at The Sign of the Angel in Lacock, Wiltshire, England. A real treat.  HINT: recipe serves 2 [TWO], photo shows one serving.Steak & Mushroom Pie

4 oz grilled sirloin steak [leftover from a previous meal, restaurant or home-based]                                                                      1.5 cups mushrooms, chopped it very large                                                                                                    1 Tbsp red wine                                                                                                                                                        ¼ cup creamed onions                                                                                                                                         ½ tsp thyme + salt & pepper to taste                                                                                                               1/6 sheet puff pastry [Pepperidge Farm frozen sheets are easy to find and use]                                             per person: 1/3 cup peas

Thaw the frozen puff pastry for 40 minutes on the counter. Remove one of the sheets, unroll it carefully, and cut the sheet into 6 squares. Return the other sheet, wrapped, to the freezer. [TIP: stack the remaining 5 pieces with waxed paper or cling wrap between the layers. Pop into a zipper bag and freeze for later use.] Cut the steak into 1/2”-1” cubes. Combine the meat with the mushrooms, wine, onions, seasonings in an oven-proof dish just large enough to hold the meat mixture yet large enough to be topped with the puff pastry. Heat the meat mixture until it is warm. Lay the puff pastry on top, decoratively slitting the crust. Bake at 400° F. about 15 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned. Cook the peas and imagine that you are in what Americans imagine as an English pub.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1 two-oz egg
 Cheddar cheese Tattie Scone:  mashed potato, milk, egg white, white whole wheat flour, baking powder
 low-fat ricotta cheese
 apple
 raspberries  1 oz 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:

 4 oz white fish or salmon  lamb liver
 olive oil  +  chicken stock  ground lamb
 onion  +  scallions  + garlic  onions  +  coriander
 diced tomatoes  rolled oats
 can of chick peas  6″ spring roll wrappers
 lettuce  + vinaigrette dressing
Sparkling water Sparkling water

B is for Baked

~ 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 Arch’t. Michael who is now Following.

Baking is an ancient way to prepare food, with ovens being used in ancient Egypt. Continuing our A-B-Cs of Fasting meals, we’ll enjoy baked eggs and baked beans tomorrow. We find baked eggs to be a wonderful choice for a Fast breakfast: easy to prepare, delicious, and infinite in their variety.  And while we are having food that is easy to prepare, few meals go together as quickly as baked beans with hot dogs.  It’s “easy a A-B-C.”

Bleu Cheese Bake:  292 calories  7.3 g fat  2.3 g fiber  14.3 g protein  37 g carbs  250.7 mg Calcium   PB GF  You’ll go ga-ga over these flavors!Bleu Cheese Bake w: R-b applesauce:yog

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                             ¼ oz bleu cheese, crumbly rather than creamy                                                                                                 1 Tbsp fatfree cottage cheese, drained                                                                                                                   2 oz applesauce, unsweetened, with 2-3 raspberries mixed into it                                                         5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                  Black-ish coffee, black-ish tea, or lemon in hot water

Mash the cheeses together with a fork and whisk in the egg. Bake in a lightly-spritzed ramekin at 350° F. until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Dish up the applesauce, pour the smoothie, pour your beverage.

Beanie Wienies:  300 calories   4.3 g fat  8.6 g fiber  14.3 g protein  43 g carbs  74 mg Calcium PB GF My husband grew up eating this with his childhood chums. What could be simpler? And the carb count is due to the good fiber of beans and carrots. So complex.

1 reduced fat hot dog [we like Hebrew National all beef franks]                                                            ¾ cup canned baked beans                                                                                                                                  1 oz carrots, cooked or raw

Put the baked beans in a small sauce pan. Cut the hotdogs into 1” pieces [on the diagonal, my husband would say] and add to the pan. Warm thoroughly. Plate with the carrots.

Hamilton!

~ 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.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the birthday of the Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Yes, that Hamilton: the one on the $10 bill; the first Secretary of the Treasury; founder of the; the one who was shot by Aaron Burr; and the one currently made famous by Lin Manuel Miranda’s hit musical.  He was born in Charlestown, Nevis [West Indies] in 1755/57, raised in St Croix, and educated in New York City. Hamilton had a meteoric rise through the ranks of the Continental Army, being a brilliant artillery officer, he was named George Washington’s aide-de-camp at age 20.

A convincing writer, he penned most of the “Federalist Papers” and went on to form the Federalist Party. His political work earned him the animosity of Vice President Burr, ending in their fateful duel in 1804.

Our meals today reflect Alexander Hamilton’s life: part Caribbean, part Colonial America. What else would you expect from this complex, influential man?

Welsh Rabbit ScrOmelette:  300 calories    10 g fat   2.5 g fiber   16.8 g protein   32 g carbs 258.7 mg Calcium  PB GF   The origional version of this recipe is served in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia at Chownings Tavern. We love Welsh Rabbit/Rarebit for a homey supper, just as people did in Colonial Days.  And here are the same flavors in breakfast form.

Welsh Rabbit ScrOmelette w: pear

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.                                                                                                                                                                   ¼ oz Cheddar cheese                                                                                                                                               1 tsp Worcestershire sauce                                                                                                                                  ½ tsp dry mustard                                                                                                                                                   1 oz pear or strawberries                                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                       5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Grate the cheese and stir in the Worcestershire and mustard. Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and heat over medium-high. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. Add the cheese mixture and scramble or let cook then fold as an omelette. Prep the fruit and the beverages and ponder the rebellious days of Colonial America.

St Kitts Fish Stew: 307 calories     2.5 g fat      4.4 g fiber       42 g protein       31 g carbs           279 mg Calcium  PB    This typical Caribbean recipe is made with salted fish. No doubt it was food of the enslaved African population. Plan ahead to leave time for soaking the fish overnight.St Kitts Fish Stew

2 oz yellow bell pepper, cut as 1/2”x2” pieces                                                                                                          1 oz scallion, sliced in 1/2” pieces                                                                                                                                                   1 clove garlic                                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup onion, coarsly chopped                                                                                                                           2 oz salt cod                                                                                                                                                                                              3 oz tomatoes [cherry or slicing-type], cut in chunks                                                                                   1/3 cup fish stock +/or water                                                                                                                                      1 dumpling**                                                                                                                                                          

** Dumpling                                                                                                                                                             2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour   +  3 Tbsp flour   [or 5 T. flour]                                                               2/3 tsp baking powder                  pinch salt                                                                                                pinch sugar                          7 tsp milk nutmeg                                                                                       Combine all the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk with a fork.                                                   The batter should be stiff but not dry. [add a little water if needed]

Soak fish overight in water. Next day, drain and cut into pieces 1”x2”. Prepare the batter for the dumpling**.  Put the broth/water, bell pepper, scalion, garlic, and onion in a saute pan and bring to a simmer. Place the dumpling on the vegetables so that it is not sitting in the broth. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Then put the fish around the dumpling and top the fish with the tomatoes. Cover the pan and keep at a simmer for 10 minutes. The dumpling should be firm to the touch when it is fully cooked. Check to see if it is done. Taste the dish to see if it needs salt [!!]. Different, delicious, and very pretty.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1 two-oz egg
 bleu cheese  chicken sausage
 fat-free cottage cheese  pan muffin [10-grain cereal, buttermilk, butter, baking powder, sugar, unbleached flour]
 applesauce + raspberries
 raspberries
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:

 1 hot dog [Hebrew National reduced fat]  grilled sirloin steak [4 oz for 2 servings]
 canned baked beans  mushrooms      +   red wine
 carrots, raw or cooked  creamed onions
 peas
 puff pastry [part of a frozen sheet]
 thyme
Sparkling water Sparkling water

A is for Apple …

~ 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 sanoncpa who is now Following.

…and that is as American as apple pie. Mary Azarian‘s primer A Farmer’s Almanac depicts life in Northern New England via woodcuts.  “A” is of course for “Apple” and this year we had a bumper crop.  Today, our recipes begin with “A” and they illustrate how easy and delicious it is to follow the Fasting Lifestyle, starting with apples in the breakfast.

Apple-Bacon Bake:   270 calories  6.3 g fat  3.5 g fiber  14 g protein  37 g carbs  220.5 mg Calcium  PB GF   What a perfect taste for Autumn or any time of year.Apple-Bacon Bake w: pears

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               ¾ oz apple, peeled, cored, sliced thinly                                                                                                          1/8 oz bacon, diced                                                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, drained if too liquid                                                                                                         ¼ tsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                                 ¼ tsp prepared mustard                                                                                                                                                                      pinch of sage                                                                                                                                                                 ¾ oz pear                                                                                                                                                           blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with cooking spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F.  In a saute pan, cook the bacon until done. Drain away the fat and blot the bacon in paper towel. Chop the bacon. In the same pan, saute the apple slices  until softened but not mushy. Put apple and bacon in the ramekin. TIP: This can be done the night before to save time and effort in the morning.  Whisk the egg, ricotta, Parmesan, mustard, and sage together, and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and the pear. How pleasant.

Antipasto with Tuna: 282 calories  10.6 g fat  8.7 g fiber  20 g protein  23.7 g carbs 250 mg Calcium  PB GF  This one is a keeper: simple, off the shelf, pretty on the plate, good to eat. The photo shows enough for 2 people. Invite a guest who is Fasting, too.  The amounts shown in the recipe are for ONE person.Amtipasto w: herbs

1 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them]                                        1 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy blocks of mozzerells for slicing]                                                         2 0z tuna, packed in water, drained and broken into large chunks                                                              2.5 oz tomato slices                                                                                                                                               1.5 oz whole green beans, steamed, drained                                                                                                                       3/4 oz marinated mushrooms                                                                                                                                3 Tbsp garbanzo beans, drained if canned                                                                                                        2 black olives, pitted and sliced                                                                                                                          1.5 slices pepperoni, chopped                                                                                                                                1/2 tsp flavored oil  [optional]                                                                                                                               salt +  chopped fresh herbs to taste

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

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 & 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.

Land of the Long White Cloud

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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 Soul On Rice, who is now Following.
Tomorrow will be the 375th anniversary of Abel Tasman‘s first sighting of the Maori people of New Zealand in 1642.  Aotearoa, as the local Maori call the country, means the Land of the Long White Cloud. Sailing along the coast of New Zealand, the Dutch ship and her crew met the locals in a tense encounter, to be followed in later days by rock-throwing and shouting as the newcomers were repulsed by the indigenous population.  Our meals today reflect the modern residents of New Zealand, who style themselves as “Kiwis,” a nod to the flightless national bird.  We will eat kiwi fruit at breakfast and dinner as we look at photos of a distant land of Hobbits and Haka.

Parmesan-Chive Bake:  279 calories  7.5 g fat  3.7 g fiber   15 g protein  30 g carbs   275 mg Calcium   PB GF  While I was away for 10 days, Dear Husband invented this breakfast to take advantage of the fresh chives in the garden. Clever man.Parmesa-Chive Bake w: kiwi

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                                  1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped   OR use the green part of a scallion                                                                   1.5 tsp reduced-fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                           1 oz kiwi fruit                                                                                                                                                              5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

First set the toaster oven to 350° F.  My Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Whisk the egg with the cheeses and chives and pour into the ramekin. Bake in the toaster oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Prepare the kiwi fruit, pour the beverages and have an easy day.

Strawberry-Chicken Salad:  200 calories   8.3 g fat   4.8 g fiber   16.7 g protein  16 g carbs   110 mg Calcium   PB GF   Sometimes you go through the recipe drawer and look at all the clippings and photocopies, and wonder, “Where did these come from?” This is one of those recipes, but I think it might be from Eating Well.   It is as delicious as it is lovely to look at.Strawberry-Chicken Salad

2 oz [½ cup] cubed cooked chicken breast                                                                                                       ½ cup sliced strawberries                                                                                                                                                ¼ cup kiwi, peeled and sliced                                                                                                                                                               1.5 cups fresh spinach                                                                                                                                                 1 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted                                                                                                                                1.5 tsp poppy seed dressing*** OR a red wine vinegar dressing with poppy seeds + a pinch of dried mustard added

***Poppy Seed Dressing – 2 tsp red wine vinegar   +     1 Tbsp olive oil   +    pinch salt    +    ½ tsp dried mustard   +    1 tsp poppy seeds                    Whisk together vigorously.

Toss 1 and a half tsp of dressing with the spinach. Toast the almonds in a heavy dry skillet on the stove-top until just starting to brown. Plate the greens and arrange the chicken and fruit on top. Sprinkle with the nuts. A real hit in our family.

Tycho

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow will be the birthday of Tycho Brahe, born 1546, in Copenhagen, Denmark.  The son of a wealthy merchant, he grew up to be a rock-star astronomer — the most famous in all of Europe.  While still a young man, he discovered a ‘Stella Nova‘ [what we call a Supernova] where no star had been seen before.  This called into question the idea that all the Earth and sky had been created at once.  The discovery made him a house-hold name, and he lived LARGE at his Uranibourg Research Station [first in Europe] on the Island of Hveen. Scientists from all over would come to study with him. He lead a wild and crazy life, all the while contributing to the study of weather, chemistry, and astronomy. Happy Birthday, Tycho.  If it weren’t a Fast Day, we’d raise several glasses of wine to you. You would like that.

Our foods for today highlight Danish flavors at breakfast and codfish — a Baltic favorite — for dinner.

Danish Omelette:   294 calories…  10.7 g fat…  2.4 g fiber…   17.6 g protein…  34.6 g carbs…  242 mg Calcium…  PB GF  This breakfast is in honor of Tycho Brahe, famous astronomer and Denmark’s pride. The taste of the sea, the bleu cheese, the star in the apple: all sing praise to him.

Danish Omelettte

++ 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  ++++ 1/4 oz  bleu cheese, Danish if you can find it ++++                                                                                                           ½ oz herring marinated in wine  ++++   1 oz apple, sliced so you can see the star inside   ++++   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] ++ 

Mince the herring. Crumble the bleu cheese and whisk with the eggs. Hold the apple on its side and slice it so that the star of seeds and core in the middle is revealed. Cut a slice parallel to your cut to end up with a slice that weighs 1 oz. Spray a frying pan with non-stick spray and put the minced herring in the pan. Quickly pour the egg-cheese mixture in the pan. As the egg begins to set around the edges, lift the egg with a fork or spatula and tip the pan so that uncooked egg flows underneath. Continue like that until the bottom is fully cooked and the top is set. [Flip the omelette if you dare, or put it under the broiler if you like your eggs well cooked.] Slide the eggs on to the plate with the apple, pour the beverages, and meditate on the wonders of astronomy.

Baked White Fish with cheese:  for the fish & cheese only:   145 calories…   6 g fat…   0 g fiber…   33 g protein…   0.2 g carb…   129 mg Calcium… PB   GF    Another winner from the Fast Diet book.   Add any vegetables of your choosing to fill out the plate and to add another 150 calories.                  

Baked fish w: cheese; snap peas, toms:basil

++ 6 oz firm white fish fillets such as cod or haddock ++++   1/2 oz cheddar cheese, grated  ++                                                                                                                                 Your choice of vegetables to add up to 125 calories:    ½ cup pickled beets [74 calories]                                                                                                                                 3 oz green beans [26 calories]   -OR-  ½ cup peas [62 calories] -OR- ½ cup carrot coins [12 calories]                                                                                                                                                                 3 oz broccoli florets [30 calories]    -OR-  2 oz parsnip, sliced as coins [42 calories]                         1 cups salad greens + ½ tsp lemon juice + 1 tsp olive oil [48 calories]    -OR-   3 oz tomatoes [15 calories]                                                                                                        1.5 cup whole sugar snap peas [39 calories]

Heat the oven to 400° F. Put the fish in an oven-proof dish which has been lightly smeared with olive oil.  Season the fish to taste.  Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables of your choice. How easy it is to be healthy!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1 two-oz egg
 Parmesan cheese onion   +  broccoli
 lots of chives blueberries + melon
 kiwi fruit ricotta  + mozzarella
 reduced fat cottage cheese Jarlsberg cheese
optional smoothieoptional beverage
optional beverageoptional smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

Cooked chicken meatwhite/albacore tuna
 Strawberries + 1 kiwi fruit lemon juice, ground ginger
 1.5 cups fresh spinach avocado, celery
 poppy seed mayonnaise
 Slivered almonds baby spinach, bean sprouts
 Dried mustard cherry tomatoes
Red wine vinegarSparkling water
 Sparkling water Sriracha or other hot sauce

Barbara

~ me ~ 1 Comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

December 4th is the Feast of Saint Barbara. I have always liked this saint, partly because of frequently seeing the lovely young woman holding a tower during classes in Northern Baroque art; partly because my dear sister-in-law is named Barbara. Living in Heliopolis, Syria, Saint Barbara’s wealthy Roman father wanted to keep his beautiful daughter safe from men who might prey on her, so he locked her in a tower for her own good. In the years she was thus cloistered, Barbara became interested in religions other than the Roman pantheon. The new Christian religion appealed to her, so she studied it secretly and became an adherent. When at last her father chose a husband for her, Barbara rejected him because he was not a Christian. Enraged, her father cut off her head. Is Barbara the pre-cursor of Rapunzel? IDK.  Eid il-Burbara, the Feast of Saint Barbara is celebrated in Christian families in Lebanon.

In some Levantine Christian cultures, barley or wheat is sprouted in shallow trays of soil on December 4. The greenery is used around the Christmas crêche, then in February it is plowed into the fields to bless the crop. In that tradition, our breakfast features bean sprouts. Since a coastal city in California is named after her, we will enjoy “Santa Barbara Salad” from that fair realm for dinner.

Sprouted Bake:  156 calories…   9.7 g fat…   2.5 g fiber…   10 g protein…   9 g carbs…   47 mg Calcium…  PB GF   Time to get the sprouts out of the sandwiches and into the breakfast.

Sprouted Bake w: B-berries

++1 two-oz egg +++ ¼ c radish or alfalfa or mung sprouts ++++1 oz avocado ++++ 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese ++++  ¼ cup blueberries ++++ optional: blackish coffee or blackish tea ++++ optional:  5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider 

Mash the avocado and mix with the cottage cheese. Heat the toaster oven to 350 degrees F.  Spritz a 1-cup ramekin with cooking oil or spray and put the sprouts in it. Whisk the egg with the avocado mixture and pour over the sprouts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Portion the fruit and pour the beverages. Rich and smooth.

Santa Barbara Salad:  280 calories…   13.3 g fat…   5.7 g fiber…   16 g protein…   21.3 g carbs…   105.8 mg Calcium…   PB GF   From a Washington Post food column, this salad sings of California. Truly delicious. HINT: This amount serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch later in the week.

Santa Barbara Salad

++ ½ head Boston or buttercrunch lettuce++++1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved ++++ ½ medium apple, cored and diced ++++½ cup diced chicken breast ++++¼ cup chickpeas++++ 1 oz soft goat cheese ++++1.5 tsp pinenuts ++++1 Medjool date ++++ 1 hardboiled egg, sliced in rounds ++++  per serving: 1.5 tsp cinnamon dressing**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

First prepare the dressing and refrigerate. Next, toast the pinenuts in a heavy skillet until they just begin to brown. Take off heat and set aside. Shred the lettuce and put in a bowl along with all the other ingredients. Toss with 1.5 tsp dressing per serving, sprinkle with pine nuts, and arrange the sunny sliced eggs on top.  Play a Beach Boys song and wear your sunglasses.

 **Cinnamon Dressing:     makes 4.5 tsp [you will have some leftover]                                                   ++ ½ shallot [¾ oz]++++1 Tbsp olive oil ++++1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar or raspberry vinegar ++1/8 tsp cinnamon ++                                                 Shake together in a jar. Refrigerate until needed.