recipes for Michael Mosley’s 5:2 Diet

Stock Market Crash[es]

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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.

There is something very odd about October — especially if you are heavily invested in the stock market. In 1929, October 24th was called Black Thursday — the day of the biggest sell-off of investment shares in the history of the then 137-year-old Wall Street. Optimism fueled by economic prosperity created interest in investments. Trading houses and banks permitted buying stock with as little as 10% of the cost as downpay-ment, and the loan secured by the value of the stock. It doesn’t take an economist to see the flaws in that scheme. The US Federal Reserve then raised interest rates and tried to cut down on rampant investment. This began to make global economies wobble, since they were all linked. Large companies, fearing lower sales, cut production and laid off workers. People got worried and tried to sell their stocks to get cash. As Stock Market values dropped, fear rippled through the economy — especially when banks ran out of money — causing the Great Depression. Eventually, things returned to normal and in 1954, the Market’s value was again equal to that in 1929. In 1987, a more precipitous drop in market value occurred on October 19, this one known as Black Monday. The Dow Jones lost $500 billion dollars in value in one day! The cause of the plunge was three-pronged: inflated stock value, computerized trading, and a safe-guard system that automatically sold stocks when the market started to fall. Most recently, in 2008, the Market had another disastrous tumble. A roaring US housing market lead to banks to offer mortgages with insufficient financial backing [shades of 1929??]. Then investment firms created securities packages backed by the buying and selling of sub-prime mortgages. When the building of new homes slowed, the cost of real estate dropped quickly, devaluing the stock value. This lead to world-wide worries and stock markets globally wobbled during most of October. On October 24, fears of recession dropped market values around the world, and the unrest lasted into 2009. The moral of these tales? Investing incurs the risk of loss. Investing is not for getting-rich-quick — it is for long-term growth over time. If you are impatient and risk-averse, do not meddle in the market. And watch out for October surprises!

On October 24, a Wall Street fat-cat might find himself breakfasting on avocados and eggs at a trendy coffee bar … and by dinner, he might be able to afford only a simple supper of bean soup. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Avocado-Egg Toast: ..176 calories… 10 g fat… 4.5 g fiber… 10 g protein… 15.6 g carbs… 28 mg Calcium… 3.4 g sugar… NB: The food values shown are for the toast, egg, avocado, and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. —PG GF if using GF bread– Avocado Toast has been all the rage in celebrity diets, so we decided to try it. Very nice with the egg on top and a hearty whole-grain bread underneath.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 0.8 oz avocado ++++ 1 slice 60-calorie whole-grain bread [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 3 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [44 calories]

Lightly toast the bread while you fry or poach the egg. Spread the avocado over the bread and top with the egg. Pour the beverages and you are all set for a healthy day.

Three-Bean Soup: 241 calories… 3 g fat… 29 g fiber… 16 g protein… 38.5 g carbs… 134 mg Calcium…  PB GF  A cold evening and a bowl of bean soup – so satisfying and delicious. And economical. HINT: This recipe produces 11 cups of soup. One serving = one cup

Served without spinach leaves
Served with spinach leaves

1 cup dry navy beans** ++++ 1 cup dry kidney beans** ++++ 1 cup dry soldier beans** ++++ 2 Tbsp salt ++++ 4 oz ham bone or ham hock, with some meat ++++ 1 cup onion, chopped ++++ 28 oz crushed tomatoes ++++ 1 tsp chili powder ++++ 1 tsp dried basil ++++ 3 Tbsp lemon juice ++++ salt and pepper to taste ++++  per serving: ½ cup baby spinach leaves cut as chiffonade  **Any combination of beans will do, as will other varieties. Add other types of beans or pulses, such as lentils, to create a 5-10 bean soup.

Rinse the beans in a collander under running water. Put them into a large bowl or cook pot and cover with 3-4” of water. The beans will double or triple in size as they absorb the water.Add 2 Tablespoons of salt and let the beans sit overnight. Next day, drain the water and discard. Put the beans in a large cook pot along with 1½ quarts water and the meaty bone. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cover. Let cook slowly for 2 hours. Add the onion, tomatoes, and flavorings. Fish out the ham bone and cut the meat from it. Dice the meat and add back to the pot. Simmer slowly for one hour. Serve with ½ cup fresh baby spinach leaves stirred into the hot soup in the serving bowl at the last minute.

Apple Day

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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.

Hedgerow apples, October 10, south of Little London, England, UK

October 21st is Apple Day in England. This is an unofficial holiday that was begun in 1990 by Common Ground. In the group’s own words, “Apple Day was intended to be both a celebration and a demonstration of the variety we are in danger of losing, not simply in apples, but in the richness and diversity of landscape, ecology and culture too. It has also played a part in raising awareness in the provenance and traceability of food. The success of Apple Day has shown what the apple means to us and how much we need local celebrations in which, year after year, everyone can be involved. In city, town and country, Apple Day events have fostered local pride, celebrated and deepened interest in local distinctiveness.” Apples are not native to England — they were brought by the Romans. The earliest mention of apples in the country was written by King Alfred the Great in 885 CE. Apples were cultivated for eating, cooking, and cider-making, but they also naturalized themselves in the hedgerows, creating their own hybrid varieties. The English have embraced their apple heritage over the centuries — there are 2,500 varieties grown — but we all must be careful that this diversity is not lost due to market pressures for apples that look perfect [but taste dull] and that keep on the shelf [even if they came from another country]. Celebrate flavor and diversity in produce by seeking out local breeds and by dealing on purpose with local producers. Eat apples! If ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, shouldn’t every day be Apple Day?

The menus offered today showcase apples in unusual ways — in an omelette and also disguised as a very English hedgehog for breakfast. Apples are not only for dessert, you know.

Omelette Normande: 174 calories… 11 g fat… 1 g fiber… 10 g protein… 9 g carbs… 46 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Cooking in Normandy naturally involves apple and cream, even at breakfast. This is the breakfast version of a Norman dessert omelette.

+++ 1½ 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. +++ 1½ oz apple, peeled and sliced thinly ++++ 1½ tsp heavy/whipping cream ++++ ½ tsp butter ++++ ¼ tsp sugar ++++ ¼ tsp cinnamon ++++ 1 oz peach ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] +++

Peel and slice the apples and cook them slowly in a saute pan with the butter, sugar, cinnamon, 2 Tbsp water, and a healthy spray of non-stick spray. Add more water if the pan gets dry – you don’t want the apples to stick or scorch. Cook until the apples are almost soft and there is no more liquid in the pan. HINT: You can do this the night before. Whisk the eggs with the cream and a little salt while the apples heat/stay warm in the saute pan. Pour in the eggs and let them cook undisturbed until done. Fold and plate with the peach or other fruit of 11 calories. Picture apple trees in bloom.

Hedgehog Apples: 198 calories… 8 g fat… 3 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 21 g carbs… 9 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. –PB GF– This is so cute that your can’t bear to eat it, yet you will want to gobble it up!  Audley End House and Gardens is the source of the recipe, via the Dear Lady at KoolKosherKitchen.com. This could be served as a breakfast, with coffee and sausage; as a dessert; or, if you put some chicken breast or pork tenderloin alongside for protein, as a dinner.

2.8 – 3 oz baking appleCut apples in half, then peel and core them.
Light syrupCook in light sugar syrup until tender. Do not overcook, about 5 minutes at a simmer, turning apples in the syrup.  
2 Tbsp thick applesaucePlace one ½ apple on a parchment-covered baking pan. Use a smaller apple piece to form a ‘head.’ Spread sauce over apples, to fill in gaps and hold apples together.  TIP: I did this the night before and put the pan in the ‘fridge overnight.
1 egg white = 1½ Tbsp + 1 tsp sugarBeat egg white with sugar until forming soft peaks. Spread meringue over apples to cover completely. Rake with a fork to form fur.
zante or black currents = eyes + red currant or cherry = nose + sliced/slivered almondsCreate a ‘face’ with black and red fruits. Set almonds in meringue in rows to form spikes. 
Bake at 350F until meringue sets and starts to brown, 8 mins.
Canadian bacon OR chicken breakfast sausageServe with Canadian Bacon [20 cal] or chicken sausage [30 calories]FOTO

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]

Breadstuffs

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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.

Many eating plans for weight loss tell you numerous things that you cannot eat — especially bread. It is true that bread is usually high in carbohydrates, and eating too many carbs is going to pack on the pounds. Also, many breadstuffs are made of highly-processed flours which add scant nutrition to your meal. For the purposes of the 5:2 Fast Diet, we do want to minimize carbs from processed sources, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find a healthy alternative. Of course, one Fasts only two days per week, so it would not be a huge sacrifice to forego breadstuffs on those days… But what if you substituted healthier breads instead of the usual SAD choices on the other days? Ooooh — win-win. Here are four versatile breadstuffs for any day of the week:

Focaccia Buns: 6 buns each 86 calories Splendid for small sandwiches, or as a side nibble as part of a meal.

150 g white whole wheat flour ++++ 150 g bread/strong flour ++++ 5 g salt ++++ 3 g dry yeastIn a bowl, stir with a fork until it forms a shaggy bowl.
Cover bowl, let dough rise 8-12 hrs.
Turn out on work space, portion into 6 pieces, each ~70 g. Shape into buns.
Put on parchment, let rise 45 mins.
olive oil ++++ coarse saltBrush with flavored olive oil, sprinkle with salt. Slide parchment onto a baking sheet, bake 15-18 mins at 425F.

Mealie Bread: makes 24 pieces using a 1½ Tbsp scoop 1 piece = 73 calories… 0.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 1 g protein… 5.6 g carbs… 20 mg Calcium… Southern Africa is the land of Mealie Bread. I cooked it as patties, scooped onto a griddle. Fine flavor at breakfast or dinner.

++ ¼ c milk ++++ 2 Tbsp melted butter ++++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ ½ c white whole wheat flour ++++ ½ c cornmeal ++++ 1 Tbsp sugar ++++ 1 tsp baking powder ++++ ½ tsp salt ++++ ½ tsp paprika ++++ 1 cup cooked corn kernels ++

Combine all the ingredients to form a moist, fairly thick batter. If too dry, add a little milk or water. If too wet, add a little flour. Heat a griddle to medium high and spritz with non-stick spray. Scoop batter onto it, then flatten out to make 3” patties. Turn when the bottom is set and a little brown, then cook the other side. When cool, they freeze well.

Polenta: Sv 6-12  recipe from Bob’s Red Mill makes 12 slices, each slice [2.25 x 3 x 0.25”]  Serve topped with pasta sauce or Mediterranean Vegetables or sautéed mushrooms. So many options. 43 calories… 0.2 g fat… 1 g fiber… 1 g protein… 9 g carbs… 0 Calcium

+++ 1 cup dry polenta ++++ 3 c water or vegetable stock ++++ 1 tsp salt

Bring salted water/stock to a boil in a 2-qt saucepan. Add the polenta, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition. Once all the polenta is in the water, turn down the heat to its lowest [I used the smallest burner on its lowest setting] and cook for 30 minutes. Stir often: to prevent lumps, to scrape down the sides, and to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Unlike risotto, it does not need constant stirring. After 30 minutes, the polenta will be very thick – the spoon should stand up by itself. Then cook 2-3 minutes more. Brush a very thin layer of oil on a 9×13” baking pan, and turn the polenta into it. Nudge batter into the corners and smooth out the top. Let it cool as the polenta solidifies. Before serving, cut into 12 squares. Heat a non-stick skillet and spray with cooking spray. Cook the polenta portions until they begin to take on a little color and are heated through. Individually wrap pieces and freeze cooked or uncooked, until needed.

Tattie Scones:  makes 3 pieces, each at 43 calories  Top with an egg at breakfast, serve along side soup, or with a salad.

++ 1 Tbsp egg white ++++ ½ cup mashed potatoes, no milk, no butter ++++ ¼ tsp salt ++++ 1 Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 2 Tbsp milk ++++ ½ tsp baking powder ++

Combine all ingredients so that it looks like thin Cream of Wheat. Measure ¼ cup portions and pour into a heavy skillet which has been well-seasoned or spitzed with non-stick spray. Spread out the batter to about 4.5” diameter. Cook slowly on one side until the scones are cohesive enough to turn over. Cook on the other side. Cool and store until you need them.

Robert Gould Shaw

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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.

What happens to the son of prominent social reformers in the pre-Civil War era? If you were Robert Gould Shaw, born October 10, 1837, it meant a rather aimless life during his youth. His parents were ardent abolitionists, so Robert grew up knowing the big names in the movement. He was unmoved and drifting. A stint at private school ended with Robert dropping out. The family went on a tour to Europe where the young man read the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and he began to bend. Shaw entered Harvard, but told his father “I hate Cambridge” and he dropped out. The start of the Civil War finally got his attention and gave him a cause. Shaw enlisted as a corporal in a New York infantry and saw action. As the war dragged on, the North searched for more soldiers. They decided to lift the ban on Blacks with guns, and authorized the formation of Black battalions. Massachusetts quickly formed the 54th Regi-ment, which was to have Black enlisted men but White officers. The governor asked Shaw to be the Colonel in charge, but he demurred. His mother, Sarah Blake Sturgis Shaw, urged him to take the post and so Robert became Colonel Shaw at the age of 25. Under his stern but competent leadership, the company became a well-trained unit, earning the respect of White soldiers. Shaw lobbied to have his troops serve in battle, rather than be relegated to trench-digging and other non-combat roles. In July of 1863, the 54th Regiment was chosen to participate in the assault of Fort Wagner in Charleston, South Carolina. After gaining the wall, they were forced to retreat. Colonel Shaw and many of the Union troops in the assault were killed. The confederates threw Shaw’s body in a common grave with the Black enlisted men, as a sign of disrespect. Shaw’s parents thought that it was fitting that he be buried with the men he had trained and lead. The bravery of the men of the 54th inspired thousands of other Black men to volunteer to fight for the North. Public donations paid for the moving and eloquent Shaw Memorial by Auguste St-Gaudens in Boston.

Our meals incorporate many favorite flavors of New England — pumpkin, salmon, maple syrup — to honor a famous native son.

Pumpkin Oatmeal: ..221 calories… 3 g fat… 5.6 g fiber… 9.5 g protein… 11.5 g carbs… 106.4 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  Cooler weather brings a yen for hot cereal and you have to go a long way to beat oatmeal as an excellent breakfast. Now let’s add the season’s favorite flavor combo: pumpkin and cinnamon. Yum.

++ ¼ c steel cut oats ++++ ¾ c. water ++++ pinch salt ++++ 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree ++++ 1 tsp maple syrup ++++ pinch cinnamon ++++ ¼ c. fat-free milk ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or  mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Cook the oats and salt in simmering water 8-10 minutes, stirring at whiles. Take off heat. Stir in pumpkin, syrup, and cinnamon. Scrape into a bowl and top with milk. Serve with the hot beverage of your choice for a meal that will keep you warm on a cold day.

Maple-Glazed Salmon: .. 249 calories… 8.4 g fat… 2.4 g fiber… 26.5 g protein… 18 g carbs… 54 mg Calcium… PB GF What’s not to love about maple syrup on salmon?! New Englanders enjoy these flavors together, and you should too. 

++ 4 oz salmon fillet, skin removed ++++ 1 Tbsp maple syrup ++++ ½ tsp Dijon mustard ++++ 1 tsp soy sauce ++++ 1 tsp yellow Sriracha ++++ 4 oz asparagus, trimmed and sliced

30-40 minutes before dinner: whisk together the syrup, soy, mustard, and Sriracha, and pour over the salmon on a small pie plate. Marinate, turning frequently, for 20 minutes.  NB: Be sure to save the marinade when you remove the fish from it. Trim and slice asparagus and put in a pan with some water, but not enough to cover. Turn heat on under asparagus to bring it to a simmer. Heat a non-stick or cast-iron skillet and spray it with cooking spray. Put salmon in the pan and cook 4 minutes on one side. Turn and cook 4 minutes on the other side. Remove fish to serving plate. Pour marinade into the hot pan from the fish and take off heat. It will foam and bubble up quickly as it thickens. With a plastic scraper, ease the sauce onto the fish. Drain the asparagus and put it into the now empty skillet to get all the sauce from it. Mound the asparagus around the fish, sprinkle with salt.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

Next week, I will offer recipes for four1.5 two-oz eggs  + bacon
breadstuffs to enjoy on Fast and Slow Daystomato: fresh or puree + onion
green pepper + file powder
chili powder + mozzarella + pear
optional smoothie
optional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion for Monday:………………………….. single portion for Thursday:

dittoscallops: 1/4 pound per serving
chives + bechamel sauce, no cheese
frozen peas + lemon zest
Romano cheese + side salad
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Vegetable Sides

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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. Welcome to Cyber Brust who is now Following.

Vegetables come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. I have heard many people say that they don’t like vegetables — perhaps they never tried the right ones. Or maybe their mothers boiled vegetables to mush, which is a crime against nature. I am here to tell you that vegetables are delicious — and there are so many ways to enjoy them! Put any of these suggestions next to the protein source of your choice, and you will have a splendid meal for a FAST Day. There are a lot of good reasons to eat vegetables, so go for it! From the ‘Four Corners of the World’ [France, China, First Nations, India], may I present:

CHICKPEA RAGOUT: makes ~4 cups ~1 cup= 121 calories…. 3 g fat.. 5.5 g fiber.. 6 g protein.. 20 g carbs.. 26 mg Calcium

  ++ ½ tsp olive oil ++++ ½ cup diced onions ++++ ½ cup scallions, chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp garlic ++++ 2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained ++++ 1½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned ++++ ½ cup chicken stock ++++ ½ tsp salt ++++ ½ tsp pepper ++ Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. If using now, separate out your portion and keep warm. Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.  This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way

CHINESE CABBAGE:   This is a fine dish to accompany a variety of foods from Chinese dumplings to fish.

Serves 2
Non-stick spray +++ 1 clove garlic, sliced Spray a heavy pan and cook garlic over medium heat 30 seconds.
½# cabbage, shredded/thinly-sliced +++ 2 Tbsp water Stir in cabbage and water. Cover and cook 1 minute.
1½ tsp soy sauce Add, cover and cook 1 minute.
1½ tsp fish sauce ++++  2 Tbsp waterTurn up heat, add sauce along with 2 more Tbsp water. Cook, uncovered, until cabbage is tender and liquids have evaporated
Each serving = 35 calories … 0.1 g fat… 2 g fiber… 2.7 g protein… 7.5 g carbs… 56 mg Calcium

CORN-TOMATO-BLACK BEAN SALAD  As a relish on fish, or in eggs. makes 2 cups 

++ 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar ++++ 1 Tbsp canola oil ++++ ¾ tsp sesame oil ++++ 1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut from the cob ++++ ½ c chives, snipped ++++ 1 cup diced tomato ++++ ½ c black beans ++++ ¼ tsp dry mustard ++++ 1/8 tsp turmeric ++++ ¼ tsp sugar ++++ 2 dashes ground cumin ++ Stir together all ingredients and let sit to mellow the flavors.

CUCUMBER RAITA  Use as a side dish or in wraps  1 cup = 132 calories  PB GF

++ 2/3 cup non-fat yogurt ++++ 1 Tbsp lime juice ++++ 1 clove garlic, pressed ++++ 1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced ++++ ½ tsp ground cumin ++++ ¼ tsp salt ++++ ¼ tsp ground pepper ++++ 1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped ++ Combine all ingredients and use immediately or chill up to 30 minutes.

The Yankee Gale

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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.

Kildare Capes, PEI monument

Since the 1700s, New England fishermen had plied their trade during the summer in the coastal waters off the Canadian Maritimes. Initially, cod was the prize. The catch would be cleaned and salted at sea, then taken back to the home port. After the American Revolution and War of 1812, American fishing fleets were given permission to fish Canadian waters, and vice versa. By mid-century, fleets of schooners would set out from Portland [Maine], as well as Boston and Gloucester [Massachusetts] to fish for mackerel and herring in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence north of Prince Edward Island. The fishing was good on October 3, 1851, and when the wind dropped the fleet was becalmed. That evening, gale force winds, Force 9 on the Beaufort Scale, whipped up the waters to huge combers. A few ships went to deeper water and weathered the storm, the rest were unmasted, sunk, and battered against the shore. For two days the gale raged, and when it was over, local residents found wreckage and dead fisherman on the beaches from East Point to Tignish. The dead were buried in local cemeteries, the survivors were nursed, and the wreckage was salvaged, in true coastal tradition. All told, around 80 ships and approximately 200 men were lost in the storm which was dubbed The Yankee Gale due to the toll it took on New Englanders. Having seen the sea in storm conditions on PEI’s North Shore, I shudder to imagine a 2-day storm of that magnitude. The memory lives on, in coastal New England and in Prince Edward Island. As Walter Scott wrote, “It’s no fish ye’re buying, it’s men’s lives.”

Our breakfast honors deep-sea fishermen from another sea-faring land, the Azores. The dinner is based on tuna, preferably caught one by one, rather than in nets, in the open ocean off the North Shore of PEI.

Azorean Omelette: 197 calories… 10.4 g fat… 1 g fiber… 12.6 g protein… 5.4 g carbs… 126 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the Omelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF When we were on vacation in the Azores, these local ingredients made for a wonderful breakfast. When at home, just as fine.

++ 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.  ++++ 0.3 oz Azorean cheese OR Gouda ++++ 1 oz Pimenta da Queijo  ++++ 1 oz peach OR kiwi fruit ++++ optional: blackish coffee [Portuguese or Brazilian] [53 calories] or blackish tea [from the Gorreana Tea Plantation] ++

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

Tuna with Grilled Vegetables: 244 calories… 7 g fat… 4 g fiber… 29 g protein… 14.6 g carbs… 32.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF The recipe comes from the Fast Diet Book and it is wonderful.

+++ 5 oz tuna steak ++++ 4 oz red bell peppers ++++ 5 oz zucchini++++ 2 oz cherry tomatoes ++++ 1 tsp olive oil ++++ splash of lemon juice ++

Cut the peppers into long strips. Same with the zucchini. Toss all the vegetables with the olive oil. Cook the tuna and vegetables on a grill pan or grill, 3 minutes on each side. Serve with the lemon juice. Delicious and quick.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

Nest week, I will offer recipes for steel-cut oats
Vegetable Side-Dishespumpkin puree
maple syrup
nonfat milk + cinnamon
optional smoothie
optional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion for Monday:………………………….. single portion for Thursday:

salmon filet, 4 oz + asparagus
maple syrup
Dijon mustard
soy sauce + sriracha
Sparkling water

70 West

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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. Welcome to Jyoti Jha who is now Following.

Looking at maps can be so interesting — countries or even whole continents may not be where you think they are! Find a line of latitude or longitude, and trace it to see which countries and oceans it transects. Lines of Longitude run from Pole to Pole. They are also called ‘meridians’, and the Prime Meridian [0 degrees] is the so-called Greenwich Mean Line. At 70 degrees West Longitude, the line first runs across Antarctica for a long time, then through Chile [on the West coast of South America], then though five other South American countries, across the former Netherlands Antilles, and out to sea — in the ATLANTIC Ocean. Wouldn’t you have thought that North and South America were located in a straight line North-South??! Continuing North, the 70 W longitude makes a brief landfall on Cape Cod, Massachusetts [on the East coast of North America], then into Maine, heading into Quebec Province, Canada, and finishing up on Baffin Island. I’ve looked at maps all my life, and I can still be amazed at what I find!

Our breakfast is from Chile, and our dinner is from the other end of the line, in New England and the Atlantic Canada. We will eat up and down the 70th meridian.

Pumpkin Sopaipilla Breakfast: .. 202 calories… 4 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 7.5 g protein… 74 g carbs… 45 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB  This breakfast is based on Chile’s favorite snack, a deep-fried street-food concoction. Our’s are the same recipe, but lower in calorie, served for breakfast with some yummy sides. The recipe comes from hispanickitchen.com

3 pumpkin sopaipillas*** ++++ 1 Tbsp jelly sauce** ++++ 1 clementine ++ 1 Tbsp fat-free vanilla yogurt ++++ 1-2 slice Canadian Bacon [back bacon, 20 calories/slice] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Prepare the sopaipillas, which I did the night before so that I could bake them in the morning. Prepare the jelly sauce. Peel and section the clementine and stir in the yogurt. When ready to serve, heat the sopaipillas at 350 F for 5 minutes, Heat the jelly sauce for about 15 seconds in the microwave. Cook the Canadian bacon. Plate the bacon, fruit, and sopaipillas. Sprinkle the latter with confectioners sugar and spoon the syrup over them.

***Pumpkin Sopaipillas  yields 10-11 two-inch rounds ++ ½ cup flour ++++ 1 tsp baking powder ++++ ¼ tsp salt ++++ ½ cup pumpkin puree, canned ++++ 1 Tbsp melted butter

Combine into a smooth dough. Let sit 20 minutes, then roll out on a floured surface. Cut with a 2” cutter or the top of a 2” glass. Spray cooking spray on a heavy pan or griddle and cook the rounds over medium heat until done on both sides and the sides of the rounds feel firm, not squishy, when gently pinched.

**Jelly Sauce  yields 2 Tbsp ++ 2 Tbsp water ++++ 1 tsp fruit jelly [grape, raspberry, strawberry] Stir together in a custard cup and heat in the microwave until the jelly dissolves.

Crab–Stuffed Flounder: 249 calories… 6 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 35 g protein… 9 g carbs… 67 mg Calcium…   PB GF – if using GF bread — This is one of our favorite meals. We used to enjoy this when dining at a New Hampshire restaurant with Dear Husband’s mother. When we have it at home, it brings fond memories of her generosity. HINT: Serves 2 [two] but recipe could easily be cut in half.

½ cup crab meat ++++  2/3 ounce [1½ Tbsp] egg white ++++  3 Tbsp scallion, chopped  ++++ 2 tsp Dijon mustard ++++ 1½ Tbsp fresh bread crumbs made with 70-calorie whole-grain bread ++++ 1½ tsp chopped parsley ++++ salt and pepper Combine all of these.
1 tsp butter  ++++ ¼ cup white wineMelt the butter in an oven-proof dish and take off heat. Stir the wine into the butter.
8 oz flounder or sole fillets. This must be as 4 [four] fillets. ++++ 2 tsp chives OR shallots, chopped Lay two fish fillets in the dish and top with the crab stuffing. Lay the other fish fillets on top of the stuffing and lightly press down. Spoon some of the butter/wine on top of the fish. Sprinkle with the chopped shallots.
Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked and opaque. When serving the fish, pour the pan sauce over top.

per person: 3 oz green beans OR 1 cup lettuce + 1 oz tomato + 1 oz carrot, grated dressed with ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp vinegar + salt. Prepare the green side dish and plate the fish. A delightful meal.

1687 Event

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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.

Anyone looking at the Parthenon in Athens, Greece today, would assume that the nearly 3000-year-old building is in ruins due to its age. Not so. The building was begun in 447 BCE, and completed 15 years later. It was part of a complex of religious and civic structures built on the Acropolis, the limestone hill around which Athens grew. Constructed of marble, it was built to last — it has even withstood earthquakes. What finally brought it down was human bellicosity. The Parthenon was built on the site of two previous temples which dated back to 570 BCE. The temple was dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom, and its name translates as “temple of the virgin goddess”. Over the years, it was an early Christian church, a mosque, a Roman Catholic church, and a Greek Orthodox church. In 1458, the Ottoman Turks invaded Greece and took Athens. The Ottomans put pressure on neighboring countries in an effort to take them over. By the 1660s, a coalition of European nations, lead by the Republic of Venice, sought to drive the Turks from Greece. There was a siege, during which the Turks stored their gunpowder in the Parthenon, with the idea that no one would shoot at the revered structure. But they did and on September 26, 1687, a Venetian shell hit the powder magazine, creating an explosion that blew off the central roof, toppled pillars, and damaged statuary. For a brief while, the Turks left the city, but took control of it again later. Thus the Parthenon was blown up for nothing. And don’t get started on the “Elgin” Marbles…!

A Greek omelette and a Turkish dinner seem fitting for a discussion about one result of the Turkish occupation of Greece.

Creamy Greek Omelette: 165 calories… 9 g fat… 2 g fiber… 12.6 g protein… 14 g carb… 89 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The feta lends a tang to the eggs, while the cottage cheese gives a wonderful melting texture. A real treat.

++ 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. ++++ 3/8 oz feta cheese ++++ 1½ Tbsp cottage cheese ++++ Greek oregano ++++ salt + pepper ++++ 1½ oz of apple ++++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] ++

Mince/crumble 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.

Lamb Gozleme: 200 calories… 9 g fat… 3 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 22 g carbs… 101 mg Calcium…  PB This Turkish dish is just the thing when you want something different. HINT: Serves 2 [two]. The recipe doubles easily. The directions are for two large triangles of gozleme. If you prefer, cut the dough into four portions and procede accordingly.

1¼ c white whole wheat flour ++++  ¼ c water ++++++ ½ tsp salt ++++ ¼ c plain yogurtDOUGH: Mix flour + salt in large bowl. Combine yogurt/water and stir in until well-mixed. Add a bit more water if too dry. On a floured surface, knead ~3 mins,until smooth and elastic. Cover and let sit.
½ tsp Olive Oil ++++ 1 cup onion ++++1 clove garlic ++¼ pound / ~ ¾ c.gr. lamb Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Saute onion in oil over medium heat 3-4 mins until onion is soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.Add lamb and cook while breaking up into chunks for ~5 minutes.= LAMB MIXTURE, beginning
1 tsp tomato puree½ tsp ground coriander¼ tsp pepper + ¼ tsp salt½ tsp paprika1 tsp ground cumin3 oz fresh spinachChop the spinach.Add tomato puree and spices to the pan.Add spinach. Cook and stir for a few minutes.Set aside to cool for a bit.Divide into 2 [or 4] bowls.= LAMB MIXTURE, completed
¼ c fresh mint leaves1 scallion, sliced¼ c fresh parsley¼ c feta½ c tomatoChop the mint and parsley. Slice the scallion into ¼-inch pieces. Cube or crumble the feta. Dice the tomato. Divide these ingredients between 2 [or 4] bowls – not same as above. = FRESH INGREDIENTS
Divide dough in 2 [or 4] parts. Roll dough into 9 or 10” squares [or 5” squares]. Spread ¼ c. [or 1/8 c.] of lamb mixture over each. Top with fresh ingredients. Fold over dough to form a triangle and crimp edges to seal.
Lemon wedges ++++ olivesSpray a large skillet/griddle with non-stick spray. Cook 3-4 mins/side until golden brown and crisp. Cut each large piece in half and serve with olives and lemons for squeezing.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

pumpkin puree + baking powder1.5 two-oz eggs 
plain or white whole wheat flour + butterGouda cheese
fruit jelly or jam + Canadian bacon kiwi fruit
clementine + fat-free vanilla yogurtPimenta da Queijo [a medium red pepper sauce]
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion for Monday:………………………….. single portion for Thursday:

crab meat + scallion + Dijon mustardtuna steak, 5 oz per serving
egg white + whole-grain fresh breadcrumbsred bell peppers + olive oil
4 flounder or sold fillets + shallotszucchini + cherry tomatoes
white wine + side salad with carrot, tomato lemon juice or lemon wedges
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Artists’ Models

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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. Welcome to lovelylifestyleblog who is now Following.

Suzanne Valadon, Nude Arranging Her Hair, ca. 1916; Oil on canvas-board, 41 1/4 x 29 5/8 in.; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of Wallace and Wilhel-mina Holladay
Suzanne Valadon, self-portrait

Suzanne Valadon was an artist’s model in Paris in the late 1800s. Being a model was not good for a girl’s reputation — especially if she posed in the nude. The public liked pictures of female nudes, but was squeamish about the idea of a naked woman alone in a studio with a man. Often, artists’ wives were their models. But what was a painter to do? Paint from memory? Imagine? Suzanne posed for Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Degas, to name a few. From childhood she had wanted to be in the circus. During her brief stint as a trapeze artist, Suzanne fell and had a career-ending injury. She took up modeling and for 13 years she watched artists paint. Convinced that she herself could do that, she was mentored by Degas and at age 44 began to produce her own canvases. Her subject? Female nudes, with herself as a model. There was so much interest in nude models at the time, that an English newspaperman wrote an article after interviewing some of the girls. Did they pose in the nude, he asked? Yes, some admitted, for extra money they would sit for an artist “in the all-together”, an English-ism that means ‘without clothing’. The article was picked up by the French press, who translated it into French. Unfamiliar with English slang, the article said that they posed “tout ensemble”, which does mean ‘all together’, as in ‘put the groceries all together in the bag’. It does not describe nudity. The story was picked up by a New York newspaper, translated [except for the ‘tout ensemble’] and was read by American models, who knew nothing of French. When asked to comment on it, the Americans, eager to show their linguistic knowledge, said that, yes, they would sometimes pose “in the toot-and-scramble” — but only if they were paid extra.

In honor of Suzanne Valadon’s birthday, September 23, 1865, we will start with a French-inspired meal at breakfast, and go back to England, where that tale of mistranslation started, for dinner. Nothing will be lost in translation here.

‘Pan Bagne’ ScrOmelette: 149 calories… 10 g fat… 1 g fiber… 11.4 g protein… 6 g carbs… 63 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF Pan Bagne is a wonderful layered sandwich which we enjoy in the summer. Each of the 7 layers is a distinct yet complimentary flavor. This recipe combines several of the components, without all the oil, tuna, and bread. The result is delicious at breakfast.

++ 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 black olive, pitted and chopped ++++ ½ Tbsp chevre cheese ++++ 1 Tbsp crushed tomatoes ++++ ½ Tbsp spinach, cooked and chopped ++++ ¼ tsp dried basil ++++ 1 oz apple ++++ 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] ++

Stir and cream the olive, cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and basil until nicely blended. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Continue whisking as you add the vegetable/cheese mixture and blend as thoroughly as possible. Scramble to taste. Brew your beverage and shake the smoothie. Slice the apple and settle in for a flavorful meal.

Shepherd’s Pie: 276 calories… 12 g fat… 2 g fiber… 21.6 g protein… 21.6 g carbs… 53 mg Calcium…  PB GF The addition of mashed cauliflower is a great trick to lessen the carb count of mashed potatoes. Some people like to top this pie with mashed cauliflower only, but I enjoy the combo for a more authentic taste.  HINT: serves 2. Freeze leftovers for another dinner or invite a guest.

++ 1 cup roast lamb, ground or minced ++++ 1 two-oz egg, separated ++++ ½ cup mashed potatoes ++++ ½ cup mashed cauliflower ++++ ½ cup lamb gravy, as fat free as you can make it ++++ 1 cup lettuce ++++ ½ tsp olive oil ++++ ½ tsp lemon juice OR cider vinegar ++++ 1 oz tomatoes ++

Add the egg yolk and gravy to the roast lamb, along with salt and pepper to taste. Whip the eggwhite until stiff and fold into the mashed vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Put the lamb mixture into an oil-spritzed oven-proof dish [2-3 cup capacity] and spread it out evenly. Smooth the mashed vegetables on top and ruffle it with a fork or spoon. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown a bit and the inside is hot. Whisk the oil and lemon juice in a wide bowl, add the lettuce and tomatoes, and toss gently.

Bacon’s Rebellion

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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.

Bacon confronts Berkeley, but declines to shoot him.

Bet you thought the first American revolt was in 1776 — well, it wasn’t. Some say the start of the revolution was in 1676, in the area around Jamestown, Virginia — but it wasn’t. The antagonists in this story were the respected war veteran, Sir William Berkeley, gover-nor of Virginia Colony, and Nathaniel Bacon, Jr., a young arrival to Virginia who was sent there to try to make something of himself. The colony had prospered on tobacco sales and trade with England. The Indigenous People were mostly friendly and all was well. But then: the weather affected the crops, the price of tobacco dropped, England put up trade barriers, and newly-prosperous neighboring colonies provided competition. Bacon, who had been appointed to the Governor’s Council by his cousin-by-marriage Berkeley, decided that the local natives were a good scapegoat for colonists’ woes. He demanded that the governor drive them from the colony. When Berkeley refused, Bacon raised a militia of persuadable hot-heads to fight the natives. Some of Bacon’s rebels were indentured servants who wanted to settle on land held by Indigenous People. What followed were two years of declarations from the governor which were ignored by Bacon; attacks on native peoples by Bacon, resulting in deaths; and the burning of Jamestown, then the capital city. During one negotiation, the governor bared his chest and dared Bacon to shoot him. Bacon backed down, Berkeley left town. After a while, Bacon’s supporters left him, and soon after he died of dysentery. Bacon was not fighting against English domination, as some historians have said. He posed as a fighter against tyranny while seeking aggrandizement and power. To seem important, Bacon picked on a minority group and rallied the disaffected. Does history repeat itself? One outcome of the rebellion was the decline of indentured servants and in increase of slave labor from Africa. Does one unsolved problem lead to another? Sadly, yes.

How can we resist? Bacon is on the menu today, for breakfast and for dinner.

Leek & Bacon Bake: 153 calories… 7 g fat… 1 g fiber… 8 g protein… 14.7 g carbs… 87 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Once you make this, you will want to repeat it.

++ One 2-oz egg ++++ ¼ cup Leek & Bacon Filling** ++++ 1½ oz applesauce, unsweetened OR 1½ oz apple ++++ 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] ++

Combine the egg with the bacon filling. Pour into an oil-spritzed baking dish. Bake at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes. Portion the applesauce and pour the beverages. Umm-umm. And very simple too.

**BACON & LEEK FILLING: makes ~1½ cups= ++ 2 oz American/streaky bacon ++++ 3 cups sliced leeks ++++ 1 clove garlic ++++ ¼ cup Gruyere cheese, shredded ++++ 2 tsp mayonnaise/plain yogurt ++  Saute the bacon in a large skillet, remove and slice into strips. Saute leeks and garlic in the bacon fat until limp. Off heat, stir Gruyere and yogurt/mayo into the mixture.

Sarney & Salad: 271 calories… 11 g fat… 6 g fiber… 12 g protein… 27 g carbs… 108.5 mg Calcium… PB The ‘Sarney’ is a ‘Bacon Butty’ with an egg added to it. Nutritious, despite its street food origins. I serve it with a take-away package of ketchup, but substitute 1 Tablespoon of the condiment, if you lack those hard-to-open packets.

++ “Sandwich Thin” with 100 calories total ++++ 2 slices ‘streaky’ American bacon ++++ 1 package/1 Tbsp ketchup ++++ one 2-oz egg ++++ Side Salad with Tomato ++

Lightly toast both halves of the Sandwich Thin. Cut bacon strips in half and cook until it is crispy. Pour most of fat from pan, fry egg as you wish it. Arrange bacon on one half of the bread. Put cooked egg atop the bacon, smear with ketchup, and place the other bread half on top. Plate with the salad.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

1.5 two-oz eggs = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
apple + cooked spinachfeta cheese + apple
black olive + basil2%-fat cottage cheese
creamy goat cheese[Greek] oregano
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion for Monday:………………………….. single portion for Thursday:

left-over roast lamb ++ one 2-oz egg +++olive oil ++ onion ++ garlic ++ ground lamb
olive oil ++ tomato ++ mashed potatoes ++tomato puree ++ ground coriander ++ paprika
lemon juice/cider vinegar ++ lamb gravyground cumin ++ fresh spinach ++ mint leaves
mashed cauliflower ++ lettuce scallion ++ parsley ++ tomato ++ olives ++ lemon
Sparkling watergozleme bread ++ Sparkling water