recipes for lower cholesterol

“It was Greek to me.”

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Did you know that Shakespeare was the first to pen “It was Greek to me.”? Yup. You can look it up in Julius Caesar.  For today’s meals we dream of feasting with the gods of classical Greece.  And after you enjoy the omelette and the Meze meal, I hope you will say, “It was delicious to me.”

Creamy Greek Omelette  292 cal.     10.3 g. fat     18.9 g. protein    30.9 g. carb  PB Oh boy is this yummy! The feta lends a tang to the eggs, while the cottage cheese gives a wonderful melting texture. A real treat.

creamy Greek omelette

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.   +++++            3/8 oz feta cheese   +++++   1 ½ Tbsp non-fat   cottage cheese  +++++     Greek oregano  +++++ salt   +++++  pepper  ++++    ½ slice 70-calorie bread [I like Nature’s Own multigrain]    ++++++ 1 1/2 oz of apple ++++ optional:  5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider     ++++++ optional: blackish coffee or tea                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Mince the feta and combine with cottage cheese and oregano. Spritz a non-stick skillet with oil or non-stick spray and heat the pan over medium-low heat. Beat the eggs well with 1 spoonful of the cheese mixture using a rotary mixer. Pour the eggs into the pan and let cook undisturbed until the edges set. Lift the edges gently to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath. Before the top surface sets, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put dollops of the cheese mixture on half the omelette and make an attempt to spread it out. Fold the omelette in half and continue to heat in the pan. Filling will heat and may ooze out a bit. Brew and pour your beverages. Plate the apple and the omelette. Oh yum.

Meze Meal         297 calories            10 g. fat            36 g protein           21.8 g carb               ‘Mezedakia’ is a bit like the Greek equivalent of Spanish Tapas. Small servings chosen from multiple small plates which make it easy to eat on a hot Mediterranean night. Well, we don’t live on a vast inland sea, but we’ll take good low calorie, low fat, delicious food where ever we can find it. There are lots of good recipes in the book Meze by Rosemary Barron.

Meze Meal w: shrimp,

1/4 cup white beans    I like Goya brand   ++++++    ½ Tbsp capers                                                                                                                                                    1 oz marinated mushrooms       ++++++          3 oz tomato, cubed                                                                                                                              generous pinch Greek oregano   ++++      3 oz cooked shrimp [or 2 oz cooked chicken breast]    ++++    1 oz mozzerella cheese [or use feta, same amount]   +++++       1 ½ oz lemon-marinated carrots   +++                                                                                                marinade: 1 tsp olive oil +++ 1 tsp lemon juice +++ pinch of granulated garlic +++ pinch oregano

Combine the white beans with the capers in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the tomatoes and the oregano. Slice the carrots into 2″ logs or coins and cook until tender. Drain and combine with the marinade in a small jar with a lid. Shake well, remove the lid and let the carrots cool in the marinade. Attend to the shrimp by cooking it and removing the shells, if necessary. Drain the marinade from the jar and pour it over the shrimp. Plate the ingredients to please the eye. Look at photos of the Agean Sea….

Living the Good Life.

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This is the good life! The weather is warm enough for nature to wake up and stretch Herself and put tiny leaves on the trees. I feel fit enough to get out and weed and trim and plant herbs.  While we are at it, let’s eat some food that is healthy and delicious.  If it takes the pounds off, too, then so much the better.

Coddled Eggs         280 calories           6.3 g. fat             10 g. protein                    16.6 g. carb                                 You will feel coddled and cossetted when you treat yourself to this breakfast.Coddled Eggs

one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                          1 ½ tsp grated Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                        seasonings to taste                                                                                                                                                              ½ slice 70-cal bread   I like Nature’s Own 100% whole grain bread                                                                   ¼ cup berries mixed with 2 tsp plain nonfat yogurt                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon and hot water                                                                                         5-6 oz fruit smoothie

Bring a small pan of water to a simmer. Use enough water to cover the egg coddler by 1” or to come ½ way up the custard cup. Spritz some cooking spray into an egg coddler or ramekin or custard cup. Break the egg into the coddler, and add the Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with hers, salt, pepper. Screw on the lid of the coddler and lower it into the water. OR carefully place the custard cup into the water and put the lid on the pan. Simmer 5 minutes then turn off the heat and leave the eggs in the water for about 3 minutes more.  Toast the bread, brew the hot beverage, shake or blend the smoothie.  Off to another day of living the good life.

Langoustine with Garlic and Tomatoes     281 calories                                         I wish I knew the source of this recipe, because I really like it. Langoustine is either a large shrimp or the tail of a Norway lobster, according to LaRousse. Sometimes you find them frozen and when I see them, I buy them. You could substitute shrimp or lobster meat.

HINT: the amounts shown serve TWO people. This is a good meal to share and more difficult to cut down for one serving. If you are in to leftovers, make the whole thing and enjoy it for lunch on a Slow Day.lobster:garlic:tomatoes:spinach

1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                              1 clove garlic, chopped                                                                                                         pinch of hot pepper flakes                                                                                                          5 oz langustino chunks or 4.5 oz cleaned shrimp                                                                   5 oz asparagus , cut into 2” pieces                                                                                           2 Tbsp dry white wine                                                                                                              salt & pepper                                                                                                                                  15 oz tomatoes, coarsley chopped  [You could use fresh tomatoes or canned]                               ¾ c white beans                                                                                                                           ½ cup fish stock                                                                                                                             1 cup cabbage, sliced [3 oz]                                                                                                         1 oz spinach

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the garlic and hot peppers and stir for 15 seconds. Add the asparagus and saute for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, then sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Cook to reduce the wine to almost gone. Add the beans, tomatoes, cabbage, and fish stock. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add the langostine and cook further to thicken the broth. In another pan, blanch the spinach. OR add the spinach with the langostine, in which case the spinach will cook and mix with the broth. The prep is fussy, the cooking is quick, the result is delicious.

Sun-Kissed Meals

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As the Northern Hemisphere tilts more toward the sun, I offer you some meals that make me think sunny thoughts. The breakfast is a favorite worthy of repetition, while the dinner is a new offering. The crummy formatting is courtesy of WordPress.

 Shirred Egg                 284 K          8.4 g fat           12.25 g protein            25.2 g carbs                                                                                                    Peter says, “This is my favorite FAST breakfast!”  [He says that about the Dutch Breakfast, too.]

One 2-oz egg,                                                                                                                                        Shirred Egg                                    1 Tbsp half&half                                                                                                                                                                  1/2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                            half a slice of toast made from 70-cal bread, such as Nature’s Own multigrain                                           2 oz apples                                                        5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                              your hot beverage of choice, nearly black

Toast the bread and keep warm in a folded tea towel.  Heat the toaster oven to 325º.  Spray a ramekin with oil or cooking spray.  Crack the egg into the ramekin.  Top with half & half, then the cheese.  Add salt/pepper/herbs to taste.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, then let sit 2-3 mins.  Meanwhile, brew the hot beverage, prep the fruit, plate the toast, take the previously-prepared smoothie from the ‘fridge, and away you go to a delicious meal.                                                                                                          

Pomelo-Shrimp Salad:       259 cal         5.9 fat         22.5 protein            26.6 carb

The pomelos were ripe in our son and daughter-in-law’s garden, so I used some to make this meal.  The recipe is from Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.  If you can’t find pomelos, use grapefruit instead. I’ll be perfectly honest: although I enjoyed this meal and found it to be delicious, my chief taster thought it was bitter. Some people are more sensitive to certain tastes than others.

pomelo-shrimp salad w: chips + romaine1 Tbsp fish sauce                                                                                                                       1.5 Tbsp lime juice                                                                                                                        1.5-2 tsp brown sugar                                                                                                              1 cup pomelo segments                                                                                                         1.5 tsp coconut, dried, unsweetened                                                                                  1/4 oz dry roasted peanuts, chopped                                                                                   2 Tsp chopped  shallot                                                                                                             1/2 cup fresh mint                                                                                                                   1/4 tsp Thai chile sauce                                                                                                           3 oz shrimp, cleaned — I used tiny cold water shrimp                                                                                                                             1 large leaf romaine lettuce                                                                                             chopped scallion

Mix the fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar in an oven-proof bowl. Add the shrimp and let marinate. Toast the coconut in a dry skillet until just beginning to brown. Peel and segment the pomelo/grapefruit and remove pulp from the membranes.   Put the shrimp and marinade into the microwave and heat until cooked. Gently combine the shrimp, marinade, pomelo, coconut, peanuts, shallot, mint, and chile sauce in a wide bowl. Put the lettuce leaf on the plate and fill it with the salad.  Top with chopped scallion.  In the photo, you see some colorful chips. Those are veggie chips by Terra  which add a nice crunch and a few more calories to the meal. Omit if you wish, but do not substitute potato chips!

Forests and Pastures

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I am a fan of foraging. In the summer we pick wild mushrooms in the woods. They are frozen to eat year ’round. Of course they find their way into omelettes on Thursdays. Sicilian shepherds, I’m told, forage for wild greens to make this salad. You can forage in the garden for greens and herbs and flowers.

Mushroom Omelette     291 calories         7.5 g. fat         10.3 g. protein              7.0 g. carbs        1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume  into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                    ½ oz mushrooms:                                                                                                                                         ½ tsp grated Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                    mushroom omelette, apples1.5 oz apple [or 2.25 oz melon or 1.2 oz grapes]

Chop or slice the mushrooms and saute with a little water in a skillet.  Remove and set aside. Now whisk the 1.5 eggs with seasonings to taste. Pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook, tipping the pan and lifting the cooked eggs until the bottom is set but the top is still moist. Top with the mushrooms and cheese. Fold the eggs and plate. Serve with fruit, plus your beverage and fruit Smoothie. You are off to a good start.

Shepherds’ Salad      275 cal       15 g. fat        13.2 g protein         23.6 g carbs      Gluten Free  This delightful meal is from Lynne Rosetto Kaspar’s The Italian Country Table.  I have included a version of the original cooked salad dressing, but you may use a simple herbed vinaigrette made with 1 tsp oil, ¾ tsp red wine vinegar, and fresh herbsshepherd's salad.

½ oz salami                                                                                                                                                    ½ c white beans                                                                                                                                         2.5 cups [3.5 oz] lettuce                                                                                                                                 1 oz mozzerella                                                                                                                                              2″ celery, sliced thinly on the diagonal                                                                                                      1 radish, thinly sliced                                                                                                                                  2 tsp of boiled dressing

For the dressing: put 3 Tbsp olive oil, 4” rosemary, and 6 sage leaves in a pan and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add 4 smashed cloves garlic and a pinch of hot pepper flakes. Stir for a few seconds. Add ½ cup red wine vinegar and boil down the whole recipe to 1/3 cup. Strain and cool. For this dinner, you will need 2 tsp/ serving. Put the remainder in a jar and store to use anytime.

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

Old Favorites

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Yesterday we observed the 2-year anniversary of our Fasting Lifestyle!  Status: 47 pounds lost between us; cholesterol down; triglycerides down; HDL up.  I call those good results!  This is why we will continue to be following the Fast Lifestyle twice a week for the next 2 years and more years after that.  Join us and let me know what your results are.  Let’s celebrate with some old favorites.

Sorry about the formatting errors. I blame the website, since it looks great in my draft and then gets all messed up when I preview it.

Breakfast Casserole    271 calories   6.7 g. fat    13.9 g. protein     22 g. carbs    This is my take on strata-type breakfasts. We find it to be very satisfying.Breakfast Casserole w: mixed fruit

½ slice of 70-cal. bread, cubed                                                                                                                                                one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                                        1 oz minced low-fat ham                                                                                                                                                             2 Tbsp skimmed milk or buttermilk                                                                                                            herbs/seasonings of your choice                                                                                                                                                            ½ tsp prepared mustard                                                                                                                                                           1/3 c. of mixed fruit                                                                                                                                                                     black-ish coffee or black-ish tea, lemon in hot water                                                                                                              5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider.

 Spray a ramekin with non-stick spray. In a bowl mix the bread, egg, ham, milk, seasonings, and mustard. Stir ingredients together and pour into the ramekin. HINT: you could prep this the night before, cover the ramekin in plastic, and pop it in the ‘fridge for morning.  Bake at 350º for 18 minutes. While it is baking, prep the fruit, brew your beverage, and make your smoothie [or take it from ‘fridge if made last week]. 

Baked Fish with Cheese   270 calories          Another winner from the Fast Diet book.  When we began this lifestyle, we ate our way through the suggested menus.  We have enjoyed this ever since.Fish baked with Cheese6 oz firm white fish fillets such as haddock or tilapia                                                                               1/2 oz cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                                                                3 oz broccoli                                                                                                                                                                  1 oz parsnips, sliced  into coins                                                                                                                               1 cup salad greens                                                                                                                                                            ½ tsp lemon juice                                                                                                                                                           1/2 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                                   1/2 tsp low-fat mayonnaise

Heat the oven to 400. Put the fish in an oven-proof dish which has been lightly smeared with olive oil. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli + parsnips. Whisk the juice, oil, and mayo in a salad bowl. Add the lettuce and some fresh or dried herbs. Toss the salad. How easy it is to be healthy!

Green Eggs & Lamb

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The week after Easter see us still using up leftovers. You too?  My husband has been preparing ‘green eggs and ham’ ever since the boys were little. It still tastes good on a Fast Day. And if instead your holiday meal featured lamb, use the left-overs for a Moroccan-inspired meal.

Green Eggs & Ham     295 calories         8.8 g. fat         16 g. protein       26 g. carbs                         1½ 2-oz eggs  HINT: if serving one person, crack 3 2-oz eggs into a bowl or glass measuring cup.  Whisk the eggs vigorously and pour their volume into a lidded jar for next week.                                                                                                                                            ½ oz ham, ground or finely chopped                                                                      Green eggs & Ham                                         1 green onion, white and green parts chopped                                                                                                   1½ oz of apple or ½ cup berries    NB: did you know that ‘Northern fruits’ are healthier than tropicals?  Andrew Weil said that.                                                        black or nearly-black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                      natural apple cider or 5-6 oz fruit smoothie                                                                                                                         

Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a medium-hot pan spritzed with cooking oil.  When the bottom of eggs begin to set, sprinkle the ham and scallion on the eggs and scramble to taste. Plate with fruit, pour the smoothie  brew the beverage, and “Eat them, eat them — here they are!” Thanks, Dr. Seuss!

Moroccan Lamb         277 calories         10.7 g. fat       18 g. protein     30.6 g. carbs Mint, cumin, and cilantro will make your meal taste like a trip to Marrakesh.

Moroccan Lamb3 oz roasted leg of lamb                                            ½ cup peas                                                               pinch or two mint or cilantro                                     1/3 cup canned white beans, drained + rinsed      HINT: freeze the remainder of the can of beans for a later use                                         pinch or two Moroccan seasoning or ground cumin                                                                          mint tea

Gently warm the meat by steaming or microwaving. Cook the peas, drain, and season with the herbs.  Heat the beans with the seasoning to taste. Add salt/pepper to taste. To complete the flavors, serve with mint tea — iced or hot.  After a long day shopping at the ‘casbah,’ this is a quick and easy meal.

Not the Elgin Marbles

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The Elgin Marbles started their career as the decoration on the Parthenon in Athens. Now they are a major draw at the British Museum in London. Today’s menu starts in England and ends in Greece.

Toad in the Hole   293 cal            g. fat      12 g. protein       g. carbs                                                    This whimsically-named dish is of old English origin — shades of Kenneth Graham and Beatrix Potter. It comes from Fannie Farmer, unchanged. It begins with a Yorkshire Pudding batter, which is from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary cookbook,  prepared in advance.                                                                                                                                                                                   York. Pudd batter                                                                                                            one 2-oz egg
1 cup flour                                                                                                                                                                ½ tsp salt                                                                                                                                                                 ½ cup water                                                                                                                                                             ½ cup fat-free milk                                                                   Mix all the ingredients together and let the batter stand at room temperature for 30+ minutes or in the ‘fridge overnight. You will need 1/3 cup per person for this recipe. HINT: the remainder can be frozen in 1 cup or 1/3 cup batches for later use.  Just before you use the batter, use a rotary beater to make it frothy.                                                                                                                               to prepare the breakfast                                                                                                      1 breakfast sausage — I like the Al Fresco brand chicken with sage @ 50 cal/link             1/3 cup Yorkshire Pudding batter, well beaten                                           ½ of one pear                                                                           5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                           nearly-black coffee or tea; or lemon in hot water

Heat the oven/toaster oven to 425. Cook the sausage, preferably in a small, oven-proof pan.  If you have a small cast iron fry-pan, that would be perfect. Use a tiny bit of oil in the pan since the sausage will render no fat. Remove the sausage and slice it in half lengthwise. Replace in the pan. Pour the Y. Pudd. batter over top and pop it in the oven for 15 minutes. Shake the smoothie [if saved from last meal], brew your beverage, slice the pear, and feast like Robin Hood.

Greek Chicken Salad          285 calories             Gluten Free
This recipe was clipped from a magazine and stashed in the drawer. When I saw it again, I recognized that if most of the olive oil were removed, it would make a wonderful Fast meal. We like this one a lot.

1½ oz cooked chicken, shredded or cubedFeta Chicken Salad                                1½ cup shredded romaine or 3 oz baby greens                                             ¼ cup garbanzo or small white beans, rinsed                                             2½ oz tomato chunks or 1 cup cucumber, cubed  — I used a combo in this photo           3 black olives, pitted and sliced
1 oz feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp mint, oregano, parsley

Prep the meat, greens, tomatoes, and olives.  Measure the lemon juice, herbs, and oil into a salad bowl. Whisk together. Add the greens and toss to combine. Add the chicken, beans, tomato/cukes and toss gently. Top with olives and feta. Sail away to an Agean sunset.

“M” is for ‘Monday’

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For us, a Monday Fast Day usually features a breakfast involving one egg and a dinner of seafood. In this menu, both meals begin with ‘m’  — as in Monday and marvelous and m-m-good.

Mexican Breakfast   291 calories     11.9 g fat     18.7 g protein      38 g carbs                                                                    Inspired by breakfasts enjoyed at the Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque, N.M., this has all the tastes of the Southwest in a low-calorie mealbreakfast burrito

1 corn tortilla, 6″ size.  I like Ole brand which is widely available                                                                1 two-ounce egg                                                                                                                                                       1 Tbsp roasted green chiles, available canned under the ‘Hatch’ brand                                                      1 Tbsp carne adovada — this is boiled pork shoulder with hot spices.  Make it in small batches or see if you can  find it in a Mexican market                                                                                                       large pinch of oregano, Mexican oregano if you have it                                                                                  hot sauce to taste                                                                                                                                                      1 tsp cheddar cheese, finely grated                                                                                                                  2¼ oz of apple                                                                                                                                                       5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                                 black coffee with 2 tsp of non-fat milk and 1½ tsp cocoa powder or tea or lemon in hot water

Whisk the egg with the chiles and carne. Heat a dry, well-seasoned cast iron skillet and add the tortilla until it is warm, soft, and just beginning to brown. Take it out and keep warm in a tea towel. In the cast iron pan, put a spritz of oil and scramble the egg to your preference. Place it on top of the tortilla. Dose with hot sauce [optional] and sprinkle with the cheese.  Pop it in the toaster oven and toast for 1-2 mins.  Plate with the apple and pour your smoothie/cider.  Whisk the milk and cocoa thoroughly, then add the coffee. ‘Cafe Mocha’ is typical at the Frontier Restaurant.

Mussels in Broth  290 calories                                                                                                                     We love mussels and we eat them all summer long when they are fresh. Very good mussels can also be purchased frozen. An excellent source of protein and low in fat and carbs, mussels are superb diet food.

Mussels with Vegetable Plate                                                                                                                                                      1¼# mussels in shells = ½ quart                                                                                                                        ½ cup water                                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup white wine                                                                    flavorings: celery, onion or leek, garlic, rosemary, thyme                                                                                4 slices cucumber                                                                              4 wedges tomato                                                                                a few ounces of cooked, cooled vegetables

Rinse the mussel shells in case they are muddy. Discard any that are broken or do not close when rapped gently on the counter. In a large pot [volume will expand as mussels’ shells open], combine the water, wine, and flavorings. Bring water to a boil and add the mussels and cover.  Cook for 10 minutes, then stir mussels up from the bottom with a long-handled spoon. Cover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, until all shells are open. Discard any that refuse to. Dig out the mussels then strain the broth over them in the bowl. Plate the veg. After you eat the mussels, drink the flavorful broth. Tastes like summer to me!

Think About Summer

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Yup, although it is still winter and Spring won’t arrive for another 2 weeks, it is time to think about summer.  These recipes will evoke warm weather and easy living, when we can mix fresh herbs in the eggs and a Cesar Salad makes a perfect dinner. Don’t you yearn to wear a different wardrobe that will show off the slimmer you? Time to work on that through the Fast Diet. The Stark family focuses on the coming of Winter, but I think you should remember that Summer will come and you want to be ready.

Herb Scrambled Eggs     279 calories   7.9 g. fat     18.2 g. protein     23.7 g. carbs

Herb Scrambled Eggs copy1.5 eggs  HINT: if you are serving one person, crack 3 two-oz eggs into a large measuring cup. Whisk the eggs like crazy and measure half of the volume into a jar to put in the ‘fridge for next week.                            1 Tbsp fresh herbs, chopped: chives, oregano, rosemary, thyme, parsley…          salt & pepper to taste                                 ½  piece of whole-grain 70-cal bread [I like Nature’s Own brand]                                    1.5 oz grapes OR 2 oz apple OR 2 oz melon                                                                      5-6 oz natural apple cider or fruit smoothie

  hot beverage of choice: blackish coffee or tea, lemon in hot water, Cambric Tea

Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper and pour into a hot pan spritzed with cooking oil or non-stick spray. When bottom of eggs are set, sprinkle the herbs over them, fold over, and plate. Toast the bread, brew the beverage, shake the smoothie [if saved from a previous batch], and you are off to a good start.

Cesar Salad:   263 calories     11.1 g. fat     36.4 g. protein     4.0 g. carbs

This is from Michael Mosley’s Fast Diet book. We have eaten this early since the early days of our Fast Lifestyle and love it.  Lots of flavor and lots of food. Thanks, Mimi and Michael!

1.25 oz Canadian bacon [that’s ‘back bacon’ to Commonwealth member readers]                    3 oz chicken breast: left over from a roast or poach the meal if it is raw.                    2 cups romaine leavCesar Salades, chopped or 2 cups mesclun [baby greens]                                 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese                    1 tsp olive oil                                                ½ tsp lemon juice                                         big pinch Mexican oregano [Cesar Salad after all is of Mexican origin, not from Roman rulers]

Heat the bacon on a hot, ungreased griddle until it begins to brown. Remove from pan and cut into strips. Cut chicken meat into strips or chunks, as you wish. Coarsely chop the romaine, if using.  Whisk the oil & lemon juice in a salad bowl. Crush the oregano in your hands and add it too. Toss the greens with the dressing and plate your greens. Top with grated cheese. Arrange the meat on top.

Foods you thought you shouldn’t eat.

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A lot of diets make you loose weight by making you give up entire food groups. No bread. No dairy. No eggs. No carbs. No fun.  Not so with the Fast Diet! All that’s required on a Fast Day is high protein, low fat, and lots of vegetables/fruit. And then there are the Slow Days, when you may eat as you please. And today on a Fast Day, you can eat eggs, toast, and the food truck favorite: tacos! Poached Eggs on Toast        303 calories           6.9 g. fat            10.9 g. protein            25.8  g. carbs Poached Egg on Toast1 slice whole-grain 70-calorie bread                                                                                                                       1 poached 2-oz egg                                                                                     2 oz melon                                                                                              hot beverage of choice: blackish coffee, tea, lemon in water               5-6 oz fruit smoothie If using an egg poacher, lightly spray the egg cup with cooking oil or non-stick spray. Heat a pan of water to a simmer. toast the bread. Poach the egg 3-4 minutes, according to your taste. Slice the melon.  Slide the egg on to the toast, season to taste.  I didn’t used to like poached eggs, but on a Fast Day, they taste good. Fish Tacos with Slaw         270 calories     2.1 g. fat     22.9 g. protein     36.4 g. carbs seafood tacos w: slaw & salsa

2 six-inch corn tortillas with 130 cal/two tortillas                                                                                          3 oz cooked fish — grilled or baked fish is fine        pinch or 2 each of chili powder & ground cumin           ½ cup tomatoes, cubed                                                 ½ cup  cabbage, chopped                                             1 oz red onion, chopped                                              ½ Tbsp  lime juice                                                          1 Tbsp plain, nonfat yogurt

Shred the fish and toss in a bowl with the chili and cumin.  Put the tortillas on a hot, ungreased griddle until soft, warm, and beginning to brown. Keep warm wrapped in a tea towel.  Chop the vegetables and mix in a bowl with the lime juice. On each tortilla, smear some yogurt. Then put the fish on the taco. Add a splash of hot sauce if you like. Top with the vegetable slaw. There will probably be enough slaw left over to serve on the side.  This is good ‘fast food’ and it is good for you!