recipes for Michael Mosley’s 5:2 Diet

Green Eggs and Lamb

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Ham or Lamb for Easter? Whichever was on your table last Sunday can reappear in Fast meals this week.  How easy it is to continue the Fasting Lifestyle!

Green Eggs & Ham   295 calories      8.8 g  fat    15.9 g   protein      25.1 carb        GFgreen eggs & ham w: apple

3 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1 ½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.

1 oz. ground or chopped ham                                                                                                                             1 green onion, chopped white and green parts or use fresh chives                                                           1 and 1/2 oz apple or ½ cup berries NB: Northern fruits are more healthy than tropicals. Andrew Weil said so.                                                                                                                                      coffee or tea or lemon with hot water                                                                                                               5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper to taste. Put the white part of the onion into a hot pan sprayed with cooking oil. Stir around for a few seconds. Add the eggs. When bottom of eggs begin to set, sprinkle the ham & green scallions over the eggs, scramble to taste, and plate. Brew the beverage, pour the smoothie or cider, prep the fruit, and “Eat them! Eat them, here they are!”

Moroccan Lamb:   277 calories      10.7 g fat      18.1 g. protein         30.6 g. carb         GF                Mint, cumin, and coriander will make your meal taste like a trip to Marrakesh.Moroccan Lamb

3 oz roast lamb                                                                                                                                                         ½ cup peas mint or cilantro                                                                                                                             1/3 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                            Moroccan seasoning or ground cumin                                                                                                      mint tea

Gently warm the meat by steaming or in a microwave. Cook the peas, drain and stir in a pinch of dried mint or dried cilantro. Heat the beans with the Moroccan seasoning or cumin to taste. This is best served with mint tea.

As I keep burbling on about how great the Fasting Lifestyle is, you might be sneering on the sidelines, saying ‘I don’t believe it.” Read this article from the Guardian, “Fasting facts: is the 5:2 diet too good to be true?”   http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2015/jan/27/fasting-facts-is-the-52-diet-too-good-to-be-true

After Easter

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One day, out of the blue, a student asked, “Can you yodel?” So I yodeled the chorus of a walking song who’s first words are “After Easter come sunny days that will melt all the snow.” Our snow has long since melted, but the aftermath of Easter leaves some people too tired to think of ‘dieting’. So we will plan some simple meals for you.

Easter-After Breakfast 296 calories     8.9 g. fat    16.1 g. protein    18.6 g. carb     This is a simple breakfast for the day after Easter, using a few left-overs from the dinner table and Easter Basket.Easter Breakfast

1 two-oz egg, hardboiled                                                                                                                                         ¾ oz ham [ left over from Sunday’s dinner]                                                                                                          ¼ cup Yorkshire Pudding batter with added herbs. HINT: This batter is left over from ‘Not the Elgin Marbles‘ [posted Mar 24, 2015] and you put some in the freezer. Add a pinch of thyme and a pinch of basil.                                                                                                                                 2 oz pineapple OR ¼ cup mixed berries pinch of chopped mint leaves                                               5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                         blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Whip batter with a rotary beater. Pour batter into a mini-muffin pan, bake at 400 for 13 minutes. Warm the ham or not. Mix the fruit with the mint. Plate the ham, egg, and fruit. Brew your hot beverage, prepare your smoothie. Sit down and relax with your easy breakfast of left overs.

Nothing could be simpler than thawing out frozen soup!   Remember when we made this one? That was back in November, and you froze some, right?  Or maybe you have some other Fasting soup in the freezer — this is the day to haul it out!

Seafood Chowder   275 calories    11.2 g. fat    15.2 g. protein    15.9 g. carb     GF        This makes 10 one-cup servings. It freezes nicely, but it is great to share! My husband found the recipe in Yankee magazine. He prepares this every year. It is wonderful. The directions look long and involved but the results are worth it.Seafood chowder on Wedgewood tile

4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced                                                                                                                            1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced                                                                                                                           1 pound baking potatoes, peeled + cut in ½” cubes                                                                                     2 pounds steamer clams in their shells                                                                                                      one lobster, 1 and ½ pounds                                                                                                                                1 pound scallops                                                                                                                                                      1 pound shrimp, peeled                                                                                                                                        1 quart whole milk                                                                                                                                                                   4 Tbsp butter                                                                                                                                                                 2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped                                                                                                                           ¼ tsp paprika                                    salt + pepper to taste

In a medium skillet or saute pan cook the diced bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon and reserve. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp fat and add the onions. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring, until translucent [10 mins?]. Set aside with the bacon in a large bowl.

In a separate saucepan, cover cubed potatoes with salted water and boil until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the bacon/onions.

Put clams in a large pot and add 1 quart water. Heat to boiling, cover, and cook until clams open, about 3 minutes. Remove the clams but leave the liquid in the pot. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel. Remove the clams from their shells and cut them into smaller pieces if necessary. Add to the potatoes, onion, and bacon.

Put the strained clam broth back into the empty pot and bring to a boil. Add the lobster head-first into the boiling broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lobster and let cool. Crack the shell to remove the meat. Cut the meat into 1/2” chunks and add to the previous ingredients.

Heat the broth until boiling. Add the scallops and shrimp. Reduce heat to low. Simmer about 3 minutes, until the scallops + shrimp are just cooked through.

Add all the previously cooked ingredients, along with the milk, butter, parsley and seasonings. Heat until steaming but not boiling.

Cover and cool. Let the pot sit in the ‘fridge or on a cool back porch for 12-24 hours. This really enhances the flavors. HINT: if you are serving a portion of this soup now, freeze what is left over in freezer containers which are the same size as a serving. When ready to serve, heat to steaming hot but do not boil. 

Think Spring!

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Yup, Spring arrived last week-end.  Are you ready? Have you lost a few pounds? Are you working towards healthier you? Keep at it! Here are some recipes that make me think of Spring. And they fit into the Fasting Lifestyle by keeping the total calories for the day at 600 calories or less.

Shrimp Spring Rolls    281 calories       6.5 g fat         4.5 g fiber        22.4 g protein                     29.4 g carbs         125.9 mg Calcium       GF     PB                                                                                       OK, so spring rolls have nothing to do with the season of Spring, but I couldn’t resist. The Spring Roll wrappers look like 8” disks of opaque plastic, but after soaking for 10-15 seconds in water, they become clear and very pliant, more like cling-wrap. If you are not accustomed to wrapping spring rolls or egg rolls, you might want to practice using wonton wrappers which are easier to manipulate.Shrimp Spring Rolls

3 oz raw shrimp, cut in half across the body                                                                                                2 oz carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins or cut as julienne                                                               2 oz green cabbage, shredded or sliced                                                                                                              1 and 1/2 tsp soy sauce.                                                                                                                                                  1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                              1 oz chopped green onion                                                                                                                               Thai hot chili sauce                                                                                                                                               3 eight-inch Spring Roll wrappers                                                                                                               2 oz broccoli, steamed

Chop and prepare all the ingredients and put them in small dishes near the stove-top. Heat a cast iron skillet or wok until hot and add the oil. When it is hot, add the carrot and cabbage. Stirfry for 3 minutes on heat high enough to keep the vegetables sizzling. If the pan becomes dry, add some water. This is supposed to be a no-no in stir-frying, but we are cutting down on oil, OK? Add the shrimp and stirfry about 1 minute, until it is cooked. Add the scallion or cooked broccoli and soy sauce. Stirfry a bit longer until all is mixed and warm. Take off the heat. Remove the cooked mixture to a bowl. [if you want to, run it briefly through the food processor. This step is optional but it can make the mixture easier to roll.] Wipe out the pan and put a mere film of oil on it. Turn on the heat to medium-low.

Put a pie plate of warm water on the counter. Add one of the spring roll wrappers. When it is clear, remove it and lay it flat on a dish towel. Spoon 1/3 of the mixture onto the wrapper. Roll up a bit, then fold in the sides, then finish rolling. Put the roll in the warm pan. Repeat with the other rolls.  In the pan, turn the rolls until they are warm and slightly browned. Serve with a dollop of hot sauce or Thai curry sauce mixed with soy sauce.

Antipasto with chicken   282 calories      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.Amtipasto w: herbs

2 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them]                                       2 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy blocks of mozzerells for slicing]                                           2 oz roasted Chicken, shredded                                                                                                                          5 oz tomato slices                                                                                                                                                                  3 oz whole green beans, steamed, drained                                                                                                      1 ½ oz marinated mushrooms                                                                                                                             1/3 c. garbanzo beans, drained if canned                                                                                                           4 black olives, pitted and sliced              sprinkle on the red pepper                                                                                                                          3 slices pepperoni, chopped                     sprinkle on the garbanzo beans                                                                                                                         1 tsp flavored oil, salt, chopped fresh herbs

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

Read this to help you to stay on track with Fasting and healthier eating: http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/6-secrets-from-people-who-are-effortlessly-skinny.html/?a=viewall

1. They don’t associate food with guilt or shame   Following a diet means that you’re following a strict set of rules that determine what, when, and how much you can eat. Maybe you can eat protein, but have a no carbs, no sweets rule. When you get off track, eat the wrong thing, or have a moment of weakness, you may throw in the towel and go on a full on binge or feel so guilty for getting off track that you put undue pressure on yourself. Effortlessly slim people don’t eat perfectly and are just as likely to delve into the doughnut box from time to time, but the difference is that they don’t dwell on their poor choices. Sure, they realize that they probably didn’t need to eat that fourth piece of pizza, but they don’t beat themselves up over one poor choice. Taking off the pressure removes the guilt and shame commonly associated with eating and allows you to quickly move on from mistakes and get back on track.

 

Fasting while Fasting

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Lent is one of the times of the Christian calendar when people think about fasting: reduced calories, meatless meals, more fish, no eggs.  Even though it is late in the Lenten season, it is not too late. Just like dieting, if you stray, you can always get back onto the path.  Here are some suggestions for meals that will meet the requirements any day you choose.

Felafel posted under ‘Fun Food’ September 13, 2015

Tuna-Bean-Garlic Patties posted under ‘Rich Flavors’ February 28, 2016Tuna:bean:garlic patties

Spinach/Fish Timbals posted under ‘Keep the Faith’ February 7, 2016Spinach-Fish Timbales w: gr beans

Chili non Carne posted under ‘Go Wild’ March 2, 2016

Minestrone Soup posted under ‘Mmmmmm….’ February 3, 2016

Mediterranean Vegetables with Couscous posted under ‘…Summer…’ February 3, 2016Mediterranian Meal

Salmon Roasted with Tomatoes posted under ‘What do we do now?’ January 3, 2016Roasted slamon w: tom + sug-snap peas

Red Beans and Rice posted under ‘Some of That’ October 7, 2015

 

Saint Patrick

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.
 

In honor of my mother-in-law and her mother, we celebrate the 17th of March with appropriate food.  The good saint, although he associated with Ireland, was not a native of the Emerald Isle. Most say he was born in England, but the Bretons say he was from Brittany.  

For breakfast, some eggs with a French flair and for dinner a lamb stew.  The lamb stew is in honor of Ireland, but the recipe has a French influence, rather like Saint Patrick himself.  Hold the Soda Bread and green beer for another day

Basquaise Omelette: 283 calories      PB  GF            This recipe, full of the flavors of the Basques region of SW France, comes to us from Salute to Healthy Cooking, published by the French Culinary Institute. Wonderful book from which we cook all year long. Note that this is a baked omelette, so the method is a little different. Faites bien attention.Basquaise Omelette

++ 3 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.     ++++    1.5 Tbsp tomato sauce  ++++1.5 Tbsp bell pepper, chopped                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  ½ clove garlic or pinch granulated garlic  ++++   2 tsp parsley, chopped   ++++ 1 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++++                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2 oz apple or 2.5 oz melon  ++++  blackish coffee or blackish tea ++++                                                                                      5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural cider

Heat the oven broiler. In an oven-safe skillet, put the tomato sauce, peppers, garlic, parsley, and 2 Tbsp water. Cook gently until the veg are soft and the water is evaporated. Remove from pan. Add a spritz of non-stick spray and heat the pan. Whisk the eggs with 2/3 of the tomato mixture and pour into the pan. As the eggs cook, gently lift the edge of the eggs and let uncooked egg flow underneath. Do not flip or fold the eggs. Top the eggs with the cheese and put the skillet under the broiler to finish cooking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Slide the omelette onto the plate and top it with the remaining tomato/pepper mixture.

Lambstew

Lamb Stew     291 calories…   6.5 g fat…   6 g fiber…   24.3 g protein…   29.5 g carb…  60 g Calcium…   GF    Another fine recipe ‘from’ Salute to Healthy Cooking.  The entire cookbook features healthy alternatives to popular French meals, but I needed to take out some potatoes and oil to make it fit into a Fast Day menu.  HINT: this serves 2 [two] people.      

Set oven to 350.  Sear the lamb cubes on all sides in a well-seasoned cast iron pan or non-stick pan without oil. Transfer cooked meat to a Dutch oven which is ovenproof. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In the non-stick pan, sauce the onions for 3 mins or until softened but not browned.  Sprinkle with flour and stir to combine.  Add wine, stirring to scrape up any brown bits. Pour into Dutch oven.                                                                                                    Add tomato paste and cold water, enough that it just covers the lamb. Add thyme and bay leaf.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and place in oven. Adjust heat so that the liquid does not boil. Bake with an occasional stir for 60 minutes.  Add the carrots, cover and bake 15 minutes.  Add the potatoes, cover and bake 45 minutes. Remove bay.   Meanwhile, put the pearl onions in a small pan with a pinch of sugar and enough water to come up the onions half-way. Cook at a simmer, swirling the pan a few times, for 10 minutes or until onions are tender and water has evaporated. Remove onions to a warm plate. Place the turnips with a pinch of sugar into the same pan. Add  water to cover the turnips by half. Simmer over medium-high heat, swirling the pan a few times, for 10 minutes or until turnips are tender and water has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and add to onions. Divide the onion/turnip mixture in 2 parts.       Serve half the lamb stew with half the onion/turnips as garnish along with a bit of parsley. Serve the remainder to your guest or put it right into a freezer box in the ‘fridge to cool, then freeze.    Good tasting and good for you.

 

 

Simple Gifts

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Nothing wrong with simple, tasty, nourishing food. Let’s have some and continue to enjoy the Fasting Lifestyle.

Oatmeal Pudding     295 cal     2.6 g. fat     12.1 g. protein     49.7 g. carb GF PB                                A riff on a recipe found in Marion Cunningham’s Breakfast Book, this can easily be prepped the night before. HINT: THIS MAKES ENOUGH FOR TWO [2] PERSONS OR 2 [two] MEALS FOR ONE PERSON.  If you don’t serve the extra portion, it will freeze well.oatmeal-cottage cheese pudding

½ cup oatmeal, cooked in 1 cup water                                                                                                               2 tsp maple syrup                                                                                                                                                  ½ cup fat free cottage cheese                                                                                                                         pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon                                                                                                                            4 Tbsp. blueberries [fresh or frozen]                                                                                                                  …………………………….                                                                                                                                                 per serving:     1 ½ oz of apple per person                                                                                                         5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                               blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Cook the oatmeal in the water. Take off the heat and stir in the maple syrup and nutmeg. While it is still a little warm, stir in the cottage cheese. Let sit to cool. HINT: I did this part the night before while cleaning up after dinner. If making one portion, pour half of the pudding into a freezer container and top with 2 Tbsp blueberries. Freeze it. HINT: make the entire batch, eat half of it today and freeze the rest for a really simple-to-prepare breakfast for another day. With the remainder, stir in 2 Tbsp blueberries and pour the pudding into a ramekin. Nuke it for a minute to heat through – longer than that and it will bubble over. Serve with the apple, smoothie, and hot beverage for a hearty, healthy meal.

Zucchini Fritatta   300 cal    21 g fat      3.5 g fiber     23 g protein    20 g carb    402 mg Calcium GF PB HINT: serves two, so save half for lunches or dine with a friend. Inspired by a recipe in Fresh Ways with Vegetables, part of a Time-Life series.Zucchini fritatta

3 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup low-fat ricotta chesse                                                                                                                                 thyme, salt, pepper to taste                                                                                                                                   3 oz mushrooms, chopped                                                                                                                                   2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed                                                                                                                         ¼ c. onion, chopped                                                                                                                                             ½ pound zucchini, grated                                                                                                                                     1 tsp lemon juice                                                                                                                                                               2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                        1 and ½ oz mozzerella cheese, grated

Whisk the eggs, ricotta, salt, pepper, and thyme together. Heat the broiler. Cook the mushrooms, garlic, and onion in an oven-safe pan for 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini and lemon juice and cook about 5 minutes, until vegetables are soft and all the liquid has evaporated. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the Parmesan. Smooth the surface of the vegetables in the pan and pour in the egg/ricotta mixture. Cook on the stove-top for 1 minute. Sprinkle with mozzerella and put under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Cut in half. Save that half for tomorrow or serve proudly to your dinner companion.

NY Times says…

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You’ve got to read this! A blogger for the New York Times says what I’ve been telling you all along: Fasting has health benefits!  http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/07/intermittent-fasting-diets-are-gaining-acceptance/?_r=0

Today’s breakfast uses left-over vegetables from dinners and soup from the freezer. That makes it very easy to continue in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Vegetable Omelette   283 K    9.5 g. fat    19.5 g. protein      30 g. carb     PB GF [if you eliminate the piece of bread or substitute a GF bread]   Take advantage of the goodness of vegetables and use up some left-overs at the same time! Win-win.Vegetable Scramble w: toast, apple

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.                                            1/2 tsp Parmesean cheese, grated                                                                                                                      2 tsp red onion, chopped                                                                                                                                      1 oz cooked summer squash/ green beans/ broccoli/ HINT: prepare extra vegetables at dinner on Wednesday or Sunday and save for this meal the following Fast Day                              ½ slice 70-cal bread                                                                                                                                            salt, pepper, herbs of your choice                            2 oz apple                                                            blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                     5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and stir the onions until they are soft. Chop the cooked vegetables and add to the pan to warm. Whisk the eggs and pour them into the pan, stirring to mix with the vegetables. As bottom of eggs begins to set, put the cheese, salt and pepper on the eggs. Cook to your liking, fold and plate with the fruit and toasted bread. Pour your beverages and have a great day.

Baked Bean Soup    285 cal.    3.5 g. fat     11.7 g. protein     44.6 g. carbs.      PB  GF                   This classic is from Fannie Farmer cookbook and it sure hits the spot. Super easy to prepare. OK, the carb count is high, but look how low the fat is! And baked beans are good for you! HINT: These amounts are enough for TWO, so freeze the rest for a wiki-wiki dinner.baked bean soup w: grapes & caulifower

1 cup baked beans, canned                                                                                                                              1/8” slice onion, chopped                                                                                                                                      1 stalk celery, chopped                                                                                                                                           ¾ cup canned or stewed tomatoes                                                                                                                   1 ½ cup brown stock/beef stock                                                                                                                     dash hot sauce                                                                                                                                                         salt & pepper                                                                                                                                                            garnish: 2 lemon slices [optional]        1/2 hard boiled egg, sliced [not optional]

Simmer beans, onion, celery, and tomatoes in a covered pan for 30 minutes or until celery is soft. Add brown stock, hot sauce, salt, pepper and heat through. Run it all through the blender or food processer. Serve with lemon slices and egg slices as a garnish. Fast, easy, inexpensive, good.

Rich Flavors to Enjoy

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We’re still not eating your grandmother’s diet. Instead of salads, we’ll enjoy some foods with high flavors. And ‘enjoy’ is the key word.

Buttermilk Baked Eggs:  283 cal   6.2 g fat   11.7 g protein   18.8 g. carb       This recipe is from Marion Cunningham’s The Breakfast Book.   All I added were the sides. Great book full of good recipes.buttermilk baked eggs:mixed berries

1 slice 70-cal whole-grain bread                                                                                                                    one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                             2 Tbsp buttermilk                                                                                                                                                    1 oz [¼ c.] mixed berries, fresh or thawed                                                                                           blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water                                                                       fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut out a hole from the middle of the bread using a 2” cookie cutter or juice glass. HINT: put the ‘hole’ in a sandwich bag in the freezer. Save for Dutch Breakfast later on. Toast the bread lightly. HINT: this step could be done the night before. Or cut and toast the bread weeks in advance and freeze. Lightly spray an oven-proof pan with cooking spray and put the toasted bread in in. Break the egg over the bread so that the yolk lands in the hole. Carefully spoon the buttermilk over the egg and bread. Season to taste. HINT: you could prep this far and refrigerate over night. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Meanwhile put the fruit in a small dish, brew your beverage, pour your fruit smoothie and you have a terrific breakfast!

Tuna-Bean-Garlic Patties    261 cal    7.1 g. fat    33.1 g protein    33.4 g. carb    5.5 g fiber      152.5 mg Calcium   PB     GF         HINT: recipe serves 2 [two]      The is from the Fast Diet book, where it appears as a salad. This is my cool weather version. Redolent with garlic!Tuna:bean:garlic patties

3/4 cup canned navy beans, drained and rinsed     Goya Brand is my favorite                                                                                     1 can light tuna in water, drained                                                                                                                           4 oz tomato: 2 oz cubed, 2 oz left whole if bite-sized or sliced                                                                 2 cloves garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                   salt, pepper, thyme, parsley                                                                                                                                3.5 oz spinach or mixed greens                                                                                                                              1 tsp lemon juice + 1 tsp white wine vinegar + 1 tsp olive oil

Set oven at 350 F. Combine the beans, the tuna, the 2 oz cubed tomato, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and herbs to taste. Shape the mixture into 4 patties, using a 1/3- cup measure as a mold. Turn out onto a lightly-spritzed baking sheet or silicon baking mat. Bake at 375 F until heated through. Meanwhile, whisk the lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil in a wide, shallow bowl. Add the greens and the remaining tomato. Toss lightly. Plate the salad decoratively with the tuna-bean patties.

Go Wild.

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What comes after a daring Leap [Leap Day, that is]?  A chance to go wild! No, I don’t mean leaving your diet behind.  Living the Fasting Lifestyle has been the healthiest thing I’ve ever done for myself.  It is not just about the foods I eat, I am exercising more, too.  Husband and I try to walk every day for 2-3 miles, which really helps over-all health. Get outside, walk in the wild. Have some crazy-good food, too.  Recipes below.

PowderMill Scramble:  247 calories   9.3 g fat   17.6 g protein   34.3 g carb     PB GF                  This recipe is straight out of Jerry Willis’ Powder Mill Pond Restaurant where it was a favorite. Alas, brunch is not served at Jerry’s Marzano’s Trattoria but you can enjoy this at home.PM scramble or Ham omelette? w: apple

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.                                             ½ oz smoked salmon                                                                                                                                               1 Tbsp chopped chives or scallion greens                                                                                                        1 clementine OR 1 and ½  oz apple                                                                                                                      5-6 oz fruit smoothie or pure apple cider                                                                                              blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Whisk the eggs [salt and pepper may not be needed depending on the seasoning of your salmon]. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Before the eggs set, add the salmon and scallions. Scramble to taste. Brew your beverage and take the previously-made smoothie from ‘fridge. Plate with fruit of choice.

Chili non Carne:   277 calories   3.5 g. fat   15.6 g. protein    48 g. carbs    PB    GF                          HINT: This is enough for 2 one-cup servings. Save the remaining chili for a lunch or freeze it and watch for future postings to see how we use it for breakfast!    The recipe is my mother’s, except that she used beef. And she served it on a heap of mashed potatoes, but we won’t do that on a Fast Day.venison chili w: melon

15 oz canned red beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                                16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced                                                                                                 1 cup chopped onion                                                                                                                                             1 green pepper, chopped                                                                                                                                      2-3 tsp chili pepper, or more if you like it hot                                                                                               ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin                                                                                                                                       per serving: 1 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated, as a garnish

Saute the onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the stew is thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Serve one cup for dinner tonight with the grated cheese on top.

Shake Up Your Routine  “Resolve to do something that’s both healthy and new once a week. Try a new way of preparing vegetables, participate in a Cross-Fit, Zumba or cooking class, go on a guided nature walk, or join a CSA [community-supported agriculture group] early to help with planting. The options are truly limitless, and doing new things is fun. It engages your mind, keeps you active, adds excitement to your life and helps you meet new people and develop supportive friendships. And, oh yeah, helps you lose weight, too!” — Libby Mills, MS, RDN, LDN, Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics   https://www.yahoo.com/health/10-resolutions-diet-experts-want-143451460.html

Leap Day!

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Once every 4 years comes this auspicious day.  Do something daring: take command of your health.  Start to eat according to the Fasting Lifestyle and get a little extra exercise. On this bonus day, eat a little less and get out of your chair a little more.

Breakfast Casserole      271 K        6.7 g. fat       13.9 g. protein        22.2 g. carbs This is my take on strata-type breakfasts. We find it to be very satisfying. Breakfast Casserolew: 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 tea, lemon in hot water                                                                                           5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural 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]. 

Shrimp Spring Rolls    281 calories  6.5 g fat   4.5 g fiber    22.4 g. protein   29.1 g carbs   125.9 mg Calcium              PBShrimp Spring Rolls

This is the same recipe as the Shrimp with UdonNoodles but without the noodles. The Spring Roll wrappers look like 8” disks of opaque plastic, but after soaking for 10-15 seconds in water, they become clear and very pliant. If you are not accustomed to wrapping spring rolls or egg rolls, you might want to practice using wonton wrappers which are easier to manipulate.

3 oz raw shrimp, cut in half across the body                                                                                                           2 oz carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins or cut as julienne                                                                         1½ oz green cabbage                                                                                                                                               1 1/2 tsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                                    1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                              1 oz chopped green onion [or a Tbsp steamed chopped broccoli]                                                    Thai hot chili sauce                                                                                                                                                3 eight-inch Spring Roll wrappers

Chop and prepare all the ingredients and put them in small dishes near the stove-top. Heat a cast iron skillet or wok until hot and add the oil. When it is hot, add the carrot and cabbage. Stirfry for 3 minutes on heat high enough to keep the vegetables sizzling. If the pan becomes dry, add some water. This is supposed to be a no-no in stir-frying, but we are cutting down on oil, OK? Add the shrimp and stirfry about 1 minute, until it is cooked. Add the scallion or cooked broccoli and soy sauce. Stirfry a bit longer until all is mixed and warm. Take off the heat. Remove the cooked mixture to a bowl. [if you want to, run it briefly through the food processor. This step is optional but it makes the filling have a more uniform texture which can help rolling.] Wipe out the pan and put a mere film of oil on it. Turn on the heat to medium-low.

Put a pie plate of warm water on the counter. Add one of the spring roll wrappers. When it is clear, remove it and lay it flat on a dish towel. Spoon 1/3 of the mixture onto the wrapper. Roll up a bit, then fold in the sides, then finish rolling. Put the roll in the warm pan. Repeat with the other rolls.

In the pan, turn the rolls until they are warm and slightly browned.

Serve with a dollop of hot sauce.