Religions: Sikhism

April 12, 2023April 11, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Sikhism is the 5th largest religion in the world, yet many people are unaware of it. After 9/11 in the United States, Sikhs were attacked around the country. Why? Because Sikhs wear turbans, and those who were more scared than thoughtful thought that turbans = Arabs = al Quaida. NOT true. Who are the Sikhs? They are a religious movement from the Punjab region, now partly in Pakistan and partly in India. Five hundred years ago, the Guru Nanak taught that there was one god, that people were equal to each other, and that our bodies are just a temporary vessel for our souls. Nine successive Gurus succeeded Nanak, all emphasizing the core tenets of the faith: honest work and truthfulness; giving to those in need and sharing what you have; and living with humility. Over the centuries, the Sikhs came to wear turbans, both to distinguish them on the battle field and to bind up their long, unshorn locks. At that time only nobility wore turbans, so the Sikhs were asserting that everyone is equal. They also adopted unifying names: the last name of Singh for the men, and the last name Kaur for the women. The new religion was attacked by the invading Moghuls and also by the local Hindus, their Gurus being arrested or executed. On April 13, 1699, at the Harvest Festival, the 10th Guru, Gobind Singh, decided that the Sikhs needed to be able to defend themselves. He established the Khalsa Panth, a fighting force of men and women. This group successfully fought to defend themselves and they regained territory over the following decades. In 1801, they established Punjab as an independent state with Lahore as capital. After being defeated by the British, the warrior Sikhs became an important element of the British army. The nation of India, freed from colonialism in 1947, divided Punjab with Pakistan, and the Sikhs opted to ally with the Indians. Today Sikhs can be found all over the world, with the greatest numbers in Canada, England, the US, and Australia, following the 5Ks and hoping not to be misunderstood in a fearful world.

Some Sikhs refrain from eating meat as part of their faith, so our breakfast is meatless. Our dinner is from Northern India, utilizing a popular street food as the main component. For those Sikhs who do eat meat, this one is for you. To all of you, happy Vaisakhi, happy New Year. As I learned more about the Sikhs while writing this blog, I couldn’t help comparing them to the Mandalorians of Star Wars popularity: they do not take off their turbans/helmets in public; men and women are trained as warriors; and they follow a creed/The Way which directs their actions. I sincerely hope that this is taken in the complementary way that I intend it.

Mango-Citrus Parfait: 254 calories 6 g fat 2.6 g fiber 23 g protein 23 g carbs 265 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF Fast Food Restaurants decided years ago to offer ‘healthy options’ in the form of yogurt parfaits. Full-fat yogurt, fruit, and lots of high-fat granola. Poor choice. Here is a more acceptable breakfast option, full of protein yet low in fat and enough calories to keep you going for hours. NB: This could be a healthy Slow Day lunch option. HINT: This recipe serves two [2].

½ cup low-fat [1%] cottage cheese ½ cup plain yogurt 1 oz mango cubes ½ clementine [skin it and use half the segments] 2 Tbsp granola Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Stir the cottage cheese and yogurt to combine thoroughly. Divide the fruit into two portions. Spoon half of the dairy mixture into a wide-mouthed wine glass and top with half the fruit. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of granola. Repeat with the remaining ingredients in the same order, topping with granola. Prepare a beverage and enjoy that dairy-fruit goodness.

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

Filling: makes 2 cups; you will need 1 Tbsp for each piece. Freezes well.

8 oz chicken breast, cubed 1 tsp tumeric 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp ginger, minced 3 Tbsp carrot, grated or chopped 3 Tbsp cabbage [Bok Choy or Napa] chopped 1 Tbsp scallion, sliced 1 cup onion, chopped pinch sugar [or omit] salt + pepper 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp chili sauce 1 tsp catsup

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

Forming the momos: for 1 serving, you will need six 3.5” wonton wrappers. for the entire batch, you will need 30 wrappers

Put some water into a custard cup. Lay the wonton wrappers on a large, clean surface. With your finger, moisten all the edges of each wrapper with water. Put a tablespoon-full of filling in the center of the wrapper. I brought up each corner to the center and pinched the four edges together to look like a crab rangoon. Or make triangles, as you would for wonton soup. Put each finished momo aside, covered with a damp cloth until ready to steam.

Steaming the momos: Prepare your steamer in the wok by adding enough water that the level comes up the side of the steamer but is not above the level of the bottom rack. Put parchment paper or foil on each rack but allow the steam to flow freely. You could use cupcake papers. When the water in the wok is hot and steaming, add the momos. Cover and steam 10-15 minutes. Remove from steamer and plate.

Side dish: I spiral cut 3 oz zucchini and put it in to steam for 5 minutes. It was overcooked. Profit from my mistakes. Then I tossed it with one tsp plain yogurt and ½ tsp curry powder. Next time I’d just cube raw zucchini or cucumber to mix with the yogurt. Serve along with chutney mixed with catsup.

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

70-calorie whole-grain bread	1 two-oz egg + back bacon or Canadian bacon, 33-calories
2%-fat cottage cheese	apple + Cashel or other Blue cheese + raisins
chives + plum	Irish Soda Bread: white whole wheat flour + flour
smoked trout	sugar + caraway seed + butter + baking soda
Optional smoothie	sour milk/buttermilk + baking powder
optional hot beverage	optional Irish Breakfast Tea + milk

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

herring marinated in wine + onion	butter + onion + potato
beets: canned or freshly-cooked	chicken stock + whole milk
apple + vinegar + lettuce + dill pickle	wild greens: dandelion; garlic mustard; sorrel; chives
canned white beans + hard-boiled egg	ricotta, part skim + chorizo + Finn crisp
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Religions: Salvation Army

April 9, 2023April 4, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

William Booth was born on 10 April, 1829 in Nottinghamshire, England. His life would have many twists and turns, and along the way he would revolutionize outreach to the poor. When he was a child, Booth’s parents were wealthy, then their finances collapsed. William was apprenticed at age 12 to a pawnbroker. His family were not religious but when he was 15 years old, Booth attended a church service and was moved to dedicate his life to God. A friend encouraged him to become a Methodist, and the two became lay preachers to the poorest people of Nottingham. Economics drove William to London and employment with a pawnbroker. This positioned him in the poorer part of the city where he saw first-hand the desperation of abject poverty. At that time, people were actively working to ‘reform’ the Anglican Church, from changing the internal organization to moving from comfortable tradition to a moral imperative of social outreach. Booth was eager to preach to the poor and to bring them to a happier state, both spiritually and physically. In the streets and bar-rooms, he preached salvation. By 1852, Booth had married Catherine Mumford and joined a reformed branch of the Methodists. Chafing at the restrictions he felt within that group, he and his wife formed their own organization: The Christian Revival Society. Charity workers were looked down upon by high society and often rejected by their very target audience. But Booth soldiered on, believing that he was part of an army fighting sin. In that vein, he changed the name of the group to the Salvation Army. He dressed his workers in quasi-military uniforms and hit the streets with musical instruments and hymn singing. And it worked — the Salvation Army grew in popularity and their outreach multiplied. Booth traveled to 58 countries to evangelize. The Army is a church, “an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church with its own distinctive governance and practices.” The goal is to meet the physical needs of people with “soap and soup” with the hope of leading them to salvation. General Booth was so known and respected that in 1902, he was invited to the coronation of King Edward VII. When Booth died in 1912, Queen Mary attended his funeral and Vachel Lindsay composed General Booth Enters Into Heaven. The Salvation Army appears in plays such as Major Barbara by G. B. Shaw and Guys and Dolls by Frank Loesser [renamed ‘Save-a-Soul Mission’] and on street corners in cities at Christmas-time, ringing bells and collecting money to support their world-wide net of social outreach.

When the goals and aims of the Salvation Army were exported to other countries, the first location on the Continent was France. One nation that really embraced the organization was the United States. Our meals today represent those two countries.

Cajun Bake: 128 calories 5 g fat 2.5 g fiber 8.6 g protein 13 g carbs 78 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Green peppers, onions, and celery are three key ingredients in Cajun cooking, so naturally they find their way into this breakfast. A ‘Cajun’ is someone from Louisiana who is descended from the French ‘Acadians’ of Canada. They were deported from Canada by the English in the 1700s.

1 two-oz egg 2 Tbsp green pepper [¾ oz], chopped 2 Tbsp celery, chopped 2 Tbsp onion, chopped 2 pinches Cajun Seasoning dash of Tabasco 1 Tbsp reduced-fat cottage cheese, drained 2 oz pear Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Drain the cottage cheese overnight to remove excess liquid. Chop the pepper, celery, and onion and cook them in a little water until they are softened. This can be done in the microwave or on the cooktop. Drain the vegetables and put them in an oven-proof dish that has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Whisk the egg with the cottage cheese and Cajun Seasoning, and pour into the ramekin. Bake at 350 degrees F. 12-15 minutes. Prepare beverages of your choice and plate the melon. Pass the Tabasco if you like extra heat.

Moules Gratinees: 268 calories 14 g fat 3 g fiber 19 g protein 35 g carbs 168.5 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF crackers This is a spin-off of a dish we enjoyed in Brittany: they used local scallops but mussels work wonderfully. There are those who opine that you never combine cheese with seafood but they are WRONG. HINT: This recipe serves two [2].

10 0z [25] mussels ½ cup Bechamel Sauce with cheese 1 oz grated Cheddar cheese 1 Tbsp white parts of scallion + 1 Tbsp green parts of scallion per serving: 2 oz broccoli + 2 Triscuit crackers or GF crackers of your choice

Cook the mussels in a little bit of water until the shells open. Remove from shells. In a sauce pan, put the Bechamel, the cheese, scallions. Cook gently until warmed through and the cheese is melted. Add the mussels and pour into oven-proof dishes such as ramekins or porcelain ‘shells’ or genuine shells, such as surf clam or scallop. Bake until bubbly and starting to brown. Plate with the broccoli and crackers for a really good meal.

Slow Days: Babka

April 7, 2023March 4, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

People who are new to Fasting often pose the questions: “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?” To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’ This feature will appear sporadically.

Now for the answers. Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight. There are many questions asked on the Fast Diet Forum which attest to that. Once in a while you can splurge, as long as it isn’t everyday. For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet. As for how we eat, an example follows.

View of the mills from the Lamprey River, Newmarket, New Hampshire. photo from town website.

The hand-lettered sign posted in the window of the little grocery store said: “Order your babka now for Easter.” Curious, I went in and asked, “What’s ‘babka’?” The clerk said that it was a traditional Polish yeast bread, eaten at Easter. This was in Newmarket, New Hampshire in the 1970s. At that time, Newmarket had been a mill town for more than 125 years, the main street dominated by the two huge factories built of granite blocks next to the river. The mill-workers were of French Canadian and Polish descent. Students such as I from near-by University of New Hampshire lived there due to low rents. Liking traditional foods, and thinking that this would be an interesting contribution to the breakfast table of my Pennsylvania parents, I bought one and we ate it. It turned out to be a basket-ball sized sphere of sweet yeasted dough, studded with raisins. If you Googled ‘babka’ or ordered one from Zabar’s, that is not what you would get. Everyone today thinks that Babka is streaked with nuts and sugar and chocolate. Have you seen them agonize over its preparation on the Great British Baking Show? In the King Arthur Cookbook, I found a recipe more like the one from Newmarket: straightforward, no-fuss, fruit-speckled dough. As an embellishment, it is baked in a Bundt pan — and doused in a rum syrup at the end. This is an easy preparation to make ahead. As many days as you wish before Easter, prepare the dough, put it in a well-buttered pan, and freeze the whole thing. On Easter-eve, remove the pan from the freezer, and let it thaw out overnight on the kitchen counter. You will find that next morning it has risen [very appropriate for Easter morning, yes?] and is ready to bake for a lovely breakfast.

1 large loaf	2/3 batch	2-Qt Bundt or tube pan, well buttered
½ c fat-free milk 1 tsp sugar 2 tsp = 1 packet dry yeast ½ c unbleached flour	5 Tbsp fat-free milk 2/3 tsp sugar 1+1/3 tsp active dry yeast 5 Tbsp unbleached flour	Warm milk and pour into a medium-size mixing bowl/ bowl of stand mixer. Stir in sugar to dissolve and add yeast. Blend in flour. Let sit 10-15 mins.

3 two-oz eggs ½ tsp salt	2 two-oz eggs 1/3 tsp salt	Whisk eggs with salt in a small bowl. When yeast sponge has doubled, whisk in eggs.
4 Tbsp/ ½ stick butter ¼ c sugar	3 Tbsp/1½ oz butter 3 Tbsp sugar	Soften butter and stir into batter with sugar.
¼ c mixed candied peel ¼ c currants or raisins 1 c. white whole wheat flour ¾ c unbleached flour	1/3 cup candied lemon peel + candied citron + currants** ¾ c white whole wheat flour 1/3 c unbleached flour	Combine fruit and flours and stir to coat each piece of fruit. Stir into batter.Beat with large spoon or stand mixer until dough is smooth and elastic.
	**I like to use 3 different fruits, for the Trinity.	Cover with a damp towel, let rise. IF FREEZING: let rise 20 mins. IF NOT FREEZING: let rise 60 minutes.
		Scrape batter into baking pan. IF FREEZING:wrap in plastic bag and put in freezer. IF NOT FREEZING: let rise 30 minutes on counter OR overnight in a cool, not cold, place.

Babka is baked, glazed, and ready to serve on Easter morning.

		If baking it fresh, preheat oven to 350F 15 mins before baking. Bake 35-40 mins.
		If using frozen dough, put frozen pan of dough on counter at 9 pm on Easter Eve. Next morning, preheat oven to 350F 15 mins before baking. Bake 35-40 mins.
½ c sugar ¼ c water 1 Tbsp rum	½ c sugar ¼ c water 1 Tbsp rum	Optional syrup: combine in small saucepan, bring to a boil.
		When cake comes out of oven, while still in the pan, prick cake top all over with a long-tined fork or skewer. Pour syrup slowly over bread until it is all absorbed.
		Turn cake from pan onto serving plate and let cool 10 minutes.

The Last Supper

April 5, 2023March 31, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The Thursday before Easter [as a ‘movable feast,’ it has no set date] is Maundy Thursday, when Christians observe the occasion of ‘The Last Supper.’ Jesus, knowing that he would be arrested that night, was going to have a special dinner with his friends. He had told his disciples many times that he would be arrested and killed, but they did not believe him. In this modern era, one hears of a prisoner on Death Row being offered a last meal of his choice. What would you order for such a meal? The imagination runs wild! But the original Last Supper was not a meal of favorite or luxurious foods. It was the first night of Passover, so naturally this group of Jews would have a Seder meal: a set menu enshrined by tradition. That was the special dinner with his friends, not a farewell feast, but a religious observance. The sense of foreboding that Christians have when reading this story lead to its depiction by many artists. Da Vinci’s painting is probably the most famous, showing the moment when Jesus tells the group that one of them will betray him; sometimes the artist shows the washing of the apostles’ feet; sometimes we see an empty chair or Judas departing to alert the Roman guards. Always, we see the bread and wine on the table in front of Jesus, ready to be blessed and shared. What these images do not show is an accurate portrayal of the table. The Romans had borrowed heavily from Greek culture, and those customs were assimilated by conquered nations. Thus, instead of sitting upright in chairs, all on one side of the table [‘Everyone on this side for the photo!’], Jesus and the 12 apostles would have been reclining, Roman-style, all around the table. [The pre-Roman denizens of Italy, the Etruscans also reclined.] The washing of feet was a ritual in Jewish, Greek, and Roman cultures. The offering of wine at the end of the meal was the ancient Greek and Hebrew custom of libation. The meal as depicted in the Gospels is a combination of many cultures, even though their meaning is lost to us in modern times. But the rituals remain, to guide and reassure us through our own troubled days.

The meals presented here contain the elements of Passover foods, interpreted for breakfast and for dinner.

Passover ScrOmelette: 143 calories 7.5 g fat 1 g fiber 10 g protein 8.4 g carbs 56 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The flavor combinations of Passover are too good not to enjoy 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 1 Tbsp diced beets [I used pickled beets] 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped 1 tsp horseradish 1.5 oz unsweetened applesauce, sprinkled with ½ tsp cinnamon Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

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

Lamb Salad [Aka Seder Salad]: 261 calories 15 g fat 3 g fiber 21 g protein 26 g carbs 85 mg Calcium PB GF If a previous dinner could involve a leg of lamb, save a few slices to make this salad. This meal is great for sharing with a guest, as it doubles well.

1 cup salad greens 1 Tbsp fresh parsley 3 Tbsp celery, diced 1½ oz apple, cubed 2 oz cooked lamb, from the leg or other lean cut 4 walnut halves 1 hardboiled egg 1½ tsp horseradish dressing

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

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

1 two-oz egg + green pepper	2%-fat cottage cheese
cottage cheese + pear	plain, fat-free yogurt
celery + onion	mango + clementine
Tabasco sauce + cajun seasoning	granola
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

22-25 mussels	wonton wrappers + turmeric + ginger
bechamel sauce with cheese	garlic + soy sauce + carrot
Cheddar cheese + scallion	cabbage + scallion + onion + raw chicken breast
Broccoli + Triscuit/whole-grain crackers	yogurt + curry powder + chili sauce + catsup
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Washington Irving

April 2, 2023March 28, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It would seem impossible to celebrate Hallowe’en in the US without invoking the tale of the Headless Horseman! We owe that story to the fertile pen of historian, diplomat, and author Washington Irving. When he was born on April 3, 1783, his patriotic parents named their 11th child for the leader of the Revolution and the first among equals of the Founding Fathers. Irving was educated at local schools until age 16 — an indifferent student but an avid reader of adventure/travel books. A few years later he was a reporter for his brother’s newspaper under the nom de plume ‘Jonathan Oldstyle.’ In that role, he covered the trial of Aaron Burr. He read for the law until his eyesight began to fail, so in 1804 he took off to Europe for a Grand Tour of sorts to a spa in Bordeaux. Quickly picking up the French language, the gregarious Irving made himself welcome all over the continent. His return to New York saw him become a lawyer and become engaged to Mathilda Hoffmann. She died at age 17, and Irving never had another woman in his life. Irving did not really care for the law, and to relieve his ennui he wrote a book: 1809 – “History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty“ by ‘Diedrich Knickerbocker.’ When the British burned Washington DC in the War of 1812, Irving was an enthusiastic soldier and a military secretary. At war’s end, he traveled to England and remained in Europe for 17 years. He was tapped to be aide-de-camp for the American Minister to London. In that time, he published two collections of short stories: The Crayon Papers and The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon [another one of his pseudonyms] These tales put him on the map, being widely popular in both the US and in Europe. At that time, only James Fenimore Cooper had an audience on both sides of the Atlantic. While in Spain, Irving turned to history, writing The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1828), Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada (1829), and Tales of the Alhambra (1832). Once returned to America in 1832, Irving bought a homestead in the Hudson Valley and named it Sunnyside. He lived there for the rest of his life, except when he was sent back to Europe as Minister to Spain. His 16 books of history, travel, and biography would certainly cement his place in literary history. But more than that, he is hailed as the creator of the American Short Story form of writing. His stories are humorous and Gothic and highly readable. Irving’s stories are given credit for the way Hallowe’en and Christmas are celebrated in the USA. His fame is well-deserved.

The lower Hudson River Valley was heavily influenced by the Dutch colonizers, and many of Irving’s characters have Dutch names: ex: Rip Van Winkle. Our breakfast also has a Dutch name. Our dinner combines meat and fish — country food from a coastal region.

Dutch Baby: 165 calories 8 g fat 4 g fiber 8 g protein 17 g carbs 95 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB On Sundays, we sometimes have Dutch Babies as a special breakfast treat. The recipe, found in the Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham, is delicious. I was determined to make these fruit-covered popovers work for a Fast Day. Here it is: still delicious, but I would save it for a day with a high protein dinner. HINT: This recipe makes 2 [two] of the Dutch Babies. Either invite a friend for breakfast or freeze half of the batter for another time.

3 oz of egg [one 2-oz egg + 1 egg white] ¼ cup milk 3 Tbsp white whole wheat flour + 1 Tbsp high gluten flour 2 tsp melted butter ¼ cup raspberries sprinkle of confectioner’s/icing sugar Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

If starting the night before: combine the egg, milk, and flour in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate. The next morning, beat in the melted butter with a mixer. If starting in the morning: combine the egg, milk, flour and beat in the melted butter with a rotaty mixer. Set the toaster oven at 450 F. Spritz two 4” custard cups or 4” cast iron pans with non-stick spray and pour the batter into them. Bake for 15 minutes, until the babies are puffed up, golden brown, and cooked on the bottom. Remove from baking dishes to plates, top with berries and a sprinkle of 10X sugar. Celebrate something special while you enjoy your optional beverage.

Ham-Stuffed Fish: 267 calories 5.4 g fat 4.5 g fiber 32 g protein 21 g carbs 74 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF bread Another recipe of unknown origin… very similar to Nero Wolfe’s “Trout Montana.” Glad I saved it.

4 oz perch or sole 1 oz 3%-fat sliced ham from the deli ½ tsp soy sauce + ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 egg white ½ piece of whole-grain 70-calorie bread 1 Tbsp finely-chopped or ground walnuts 1 oz carrots, cut as batons + 1 oz celery, cut as batons 1/4 cup pickled beets 1 scallion, sliced 2 slices lemon

Trim the fish so that it is in 2 pieces of equal length and thickness. Crumble the bread into the finest crumbs and blend thoroughly with walnuts. Whip the egg white until it is very frothy. Blend in the soy sauce and sherry. Make a ‘sandwich’ of the ham slice between the two pieces of fish. Dip in the egg mixture to coat, then dip in the bread/walnuts. Cook in a heavy non-stick pan, sprayed with non-stick spray, until fish is cooked – about 5 minutes per side. Cook the carrots and celery. Warm the beets or serve cold. Plate vegetables. Plate the fish, top with lemons, and sprinkle with sliced scallion.

Rudolf Steiner

March 29, 2023March 25, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Rudolf Steiner was a complicated and complex polymath. His parents were former servants of a noble family in Lower Austria. Leaving service, their son was born in what is now Croatia where his father was a telegrapher for the railroad. As the family moved for work opportunities, young Rudolf was partly educated at village schools, partly at home. In 1879, Steiner began studies at the Vienna Institute of Technology where he took courses in many sciences, while auditing classes in philosophy and literature. Upon graduation, Rudolf became an editor of the Goethe archive. By 1894, he had published four books of philosophy and had earned a PhD in philosophy. During that time, Steiner began to develop his ideas of anthroposophy, and he lectured widely on philosophy. His work with the Anthroposophical Society lead to the establishment of a cultural and theatrical center in Dornach, Switzerland, where he then lived with his second wife. The Goetheanum was designed by Steiner, wearing his ‘architect‘ hat. [when it burned down, he designed another model which still stands] There, he began his School of Spiritual Science. In the field of education, Steiner is best known for his Waldorf Schools, begun at the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919, when the factory owner invited Steiner to speak. The Waldorf philosophy of education is employed today in 1000 schools in many countries. Although the world at that time was heading toward increasing use of technology, Steiner was afraid that chemicals used in agriculture would be the death of farming. After a series of lectured to farmers, the idea of the inter-connectedness of soil, animals, plants, and humans gave rise to biodynamic farming. It is true that many of Steiner’s ideas were based on science. But although he had no medical training, he gave medical advice about the treatment of diseases. He also wrote about the occult and mysticism as part of his ‘spiritual science.’ Steiner’s ideas on evolution and the superiority of the Aryan race caused many in Hitler’s inner circle to praise his ideas. Others in the same group vilified him as a Jew, which he was not. He died on March 30, 1925 in Switzerland.

Our breakfast is as Germanic as Rudolf Steiner himself. “Waldorf School” often makes me think of “Waldorf Salad” — which I dislike. Our dinner is a thoroughly German version of a fruit salad, with nuts and chicken for protein and some savory elements for contrast. Steiner the biodynamicist would approve of these plant-based meals.

Fruited Toast w/ Sausage: 225 calories 11.5 g fat 2.5 g fiber 10.4 g protein 20 g carbs 39 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF bread Another fine Frühstück [breakfast] from Germany.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [we like Dave’s ‘Good Seed’] 2 Tbsp small-curd cottage cheese, reduced fat ¼ c mixed berries or sliced strawberries 1½ oz Bockwurst Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

If fruit is frozen, thaw in a sieve overnight. Slice sausage and braise or bake to cook thoroughly. Toast bread lightly and spread with cheese. Pile the fruit on the bread and plate with the hot sausage.

Honeydew-Chicken Salad: 264 calories 9 g fat 3 g fiber 23 g protein 23 g carbs 102 mg Calcium PB GF The now-gone Manhattan restaurant Luchow’s created this recipe for their Sommer Fest menu of cooler fare. True, I swapped out some original ingredients for those with a lighter impact on the waistline. That said, this is a fine meal. It makes you feel cooler just to look at it. HINT: This serves two [2] people.

5½ oz/1 cup chicken breast meat, cut in ½” cubes 2 oz dill pickle, chopped 2 Tbsp slivered almonds 2 oz red seedless grapes, each cut in two 8 ripe olives, halved ½ tsp capers 3 Tbsp plain yogurt + 1 Tbsp whipped cream cheese 2 cups crisp lettuce, roughly cut 1¼ cup honeyew melon, cut in ½” cubes

TIP: For the chicken, I cut 5.5 oz breast meat into cubes and poached them in a little water until cooked. Place the chicken, pickle, nuts, grapes, olives, and capers in a bowl and stir to combine. Whisk the yogurt and cream cheese together and pour over the ingredients in the bowl. Gently add and mix in the lettuce. Arrange two small Romaine lettuce leaves on the plate and mound the salad atop them. Surround the salad with the honeydew. Lovely.

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

1 two-oz egg + 1 egg white = 3 oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
white whole wheat flour	parsley + prepared horseradish
milk + butter + high gluten flour	beets — fresh cooked or pickled
raspberries + icing sugar	unsweetened apple sauce with cinnamon
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

tilapia or perch + egg white	salad greens + fresh parsley
70-calorie whole-grain bread	celery + walnut halves + apple
soy sauce + sherry + scallion	hard-boiled egg + cooked lamb
walnuts + carrots + 3%-fat ham from deli	Horseradish dressing:
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Typhoid Mary

March 26, 2023March 20, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

As explained by the World Health Organization, “Typhoid fever is a life-threatening infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. It is usually spread through contaminated food or water. Once Salmonella typhi bacteria are eaten or drunk, they multiply and spread into the bloodstream. Symptoms include prolonged high fever, fatigue, headache, nausea, abdominal pain, and constipation or diarrhoea. Some patients may have a rash. Severe cases may lead to serious complications or even death.” NB: Typhoid fever is not the same as Typhus fever. In the past, Typhoid was a recurrent problem throughout the world, causing the Plague of Athens in 430 BC, and the deaths of Abigail Adams, Lord Byron, Willie Lincoln [son of President Lincoln], Mao Ze Dung’s father, Theodore Roosevelt’s mother, and the Wright Brothers. The bacillus was identified by 1880, and the cause of the infection was known to be contamination of food or water by human feces. One of the worst outbreaks in the United States was traced to one person: Mary Mallon. Born in Ireland, she immigrated to New York City where she hired out as a housekeeper and cook. Mary loved to cook — good, plain home cooking and her specialty was peach ice cream. In 1906, she was hired to cook for the wealthy Warren family at their summer rental on Long Island. During those two weeks, six of the 11 members of the household came down with Typhoid Fever. Mr Warren hired George Sober, a sanitary engineer, to figure out why [Typhoid was most common among the poorer classes, not often seen in the wealthy]. At first, the culprit was thought to be fresh clams from the bay, but not everyone had eaten them. Sober then noticed that Mary showed symptoms of a mild case of Typhoid, though not enough to make her sick. He wrote a scientific paper identifying her as an ‘asymptomatic carrier‘ — a new term to medicine, meaning someone who can transmit a disease yet who shows no ill effects of it. Mary Mallon continued to be hired by families to cook for them, and in 1907, 3000 people came down with Typhoid, mostly due to Mary — directly or indirectly. At play here was a lack of personal hygiene [washing hands after using the toilet] and a lack of culinary sanitation [washing fresh fruits and vegetables before eating]. Mallon was sent to a hospital at North Brother Island, where she was kept for two years. Released on the promise that she would not cook professionally again, Mary changed her name and got a job as a cook. She was re-arrested on 27 March, 1915, and spent the last 23 years of her life in confinement, all the while denying that she carried the disease. Her name became a punchline and a cautionary tale. When I was a child, my mother would never let us cut open an apple or a melon without washing it first: “Remember Typhoid Mary,” she cautioned. To this day, all fresh produce that might have been handled by other people is washed in our kitchen before using. Although Mary Mellon died in 1938, she cast a long shadow on public health.

Our meals today require fresh, uncooked vegetables — the sort you must thoroughly wash before using, after you have thoroughly washed your hands.

Breakfast BLT w/ Egg: 180 calories 8 g fat 4 g fiber 10 g protein 15 g carbs 50 mg Calcium NB: The food values are for the meal and fruit only and do not include the optional coffee. PB GF – if using GF bread A Summer evening favorite is the inspiration for this filling breakfast.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] one 2-oz egg, hardboiled 1 strip uncured bacon [the streaky American type @ 30 calories/slice] 1 oz tomato, sliced leaf of romaine lettuce 3 cherries Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Cook the bacon and drain well. Toast bread if you wish. Slice egg and tomato. Lay the lettuce leaf on the plate and position the bread so that it covers half of the leaf. Break bacon so that it will fit within the edges of the bread and put it as the first layer. Top with tomato and a bit of salt. Top with sliced egg. Fold the letuce leaf so it comes up and over, becoming the top layer of the sandwich. Plate with the fruit. Ummmm-yummmm.

Springtime Shrimp Salad: 292 calories 16.5 g fat 4 g fiber 23.6g protein 21.5 g carbs 130 mg Calcium PB GF This is a delightful meal-salad, with clementines from Winter joining asparagus from Spring.

2 cups mesclun/baby greens 2.5 oz tiny shrimp 8 sections clementine 2 oz asparagus, cooked and cut into 1” pieces ¾ oz mango chunks 1 two-oz hardboiled egg dressing: 2 tsp mayonnaise 1 tsp Sriracha pinch garlic powder 2 tsp lemon juice

Poach shrimp, drain, cool. Slice or chop the egg. Whisk the dressing ingredients. Toss with greens in the serving bowl. Decorate with shrimp, asparagus, mango, clementine, egg.

William ‘Strata’ Smith

March 22, 2023March 20, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

William Smith was born on 23 March, 1769 into the family of a village blacksmith. He was destined to be a laborer all his life and could/should never aspire to be anything better. During his school years [probably up to age 10 or 12], he did well at geometry and drawing. Young William enjoyed rambling in the Oxfordshire countryside and collecting what people then called ‘curiosities.’ Those were fossils, embedded in the rock layers as they were laid down, one on top of the other. Smith taught himself surveying and after an apprenticeship, set himself up in business. In the early 1800s, two factors made lots of work for a surveyor: the search for coal to fuel the Industrial Revolution, and the need for canals to ship coal and other goods to consumers. As Smith directed the digging of canals, his eye was drawn to the layers of rock that were cut through and the fossils they contained. Although far from his home, here were the same fossils in a rock that looked very similar. He began to collect fossils and to study the rocks systematically. Soon, he could predict the order in which layers of rock could be found in an area. Smith traveled extensively, for work and for his own research, to collect rocks and fossils from across the United Kingdom, earning him the sobriquet ‘Strata.’ He realized that if rock strata could be mapped, that the recovery of resources in the rocks would be simplified. Coal miners knew about rock layers, but no one would ask them — they were common laborers. Smith tried to get backing for his work, but of course no one would listen to his ideas — he was a common laborer. At last, in 1815, Smith published a large format map: the first geological map of England, one that included descriptions of the rock strata and their identifying fossils. It is referred to as the Map that Changed the World. And it did. The beginning of the science of Stratigraphy and the importance of Geology as a science are due to that map. But his work was pirated, and Smith spent time in debtor’s prison until his brilliant and sensible insights were recognized. In 1831, the London Geological Society created a new award. The Wollaston Medal was awarded to William Smith, and he was hailed as the Father of English Geology. William Smith’s map and the fossils shown in it are on display at the Rotunda Museum at Scarborough. Smith was a remarkable man and his accomplishments show us that we should never judge a person’s mind or potential based on what we perceive as their ‘station’ or origins.

The stacked pancakes are like rock layers, strata, laid down by nature one on top of the other. The bottom one was there first: that is the Law of Superposition. The felafel is an Eastern Mediterranean treat made of chickpeas. We can see the connection between felafel in Syria and felafel in Egypt and felafel in Algeria — just as we correlate similar fossils found in widely-spread rock layers.

Cornmeal Pancake Breakfast: 303 calories 11.6 g fat 1.5 g fiber 7 g protein 32 g carbs 72 mg Calcium PB Pancakes are rarely a diet food, but these delicate delights fit into our guidelines. What a treat.

2 cornmeal pancakes, recipe for full batch below 1 chicken breakfast sausage [33 calories] OR 1 oz scrapple 1 Tbsp maple syrup Optional: blackish tea = 6 oz black tea [28 calories] with 3 Tbsp skim milk + ½ tsp honey

Prepare the batch of pancakes. TIP: When cooled wrap the other pancakes in a zipper bag to freeze for subsequent breakfasts. Cook the breakfast meat on the griddle with the pancakes until crisp and brown. Plate with the pancakes and drizzle everything with maple syrup. Enjoy your tea with milk and honey.

Makes 12-14 pancakes	Griddle or large cast iron skillet
½ c yellow cornmeal ½ c boiling water	Put cornmeal into a 1-Qt measuring cup and pour the water over it. Stir briskly until blended.
1 egg, beaten ½ c milk	Beat the egg and add the milk. Stir/whisk to combine.
¼ c/ half a stick butter	Melt butter and add, with egg-milk to the cornmeal-water. Whisk thoroughly until blended and smooth.
½ c white whole wheat flour ½ tsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder	Whisk or sift these together to blend.Add to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth.Let sit while the griddle heats – this is an important step.
	Heat griddle to medium-high. Spray it with non-stick spray or smear griddle with a bit of butter.
	Use 3-4 Tbsp batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the top surface of the pancake and break. Then cook on other side.

Felafel with Red/Green Salad: 287 calories 14.5 g fat 9 g fiber 11.6 g protein 29 g carbs 113 mg Calcium PB GF Looks great, tastes great, SO healthy. Win-win-win.

5 felafel patties 1 cup baby spinach leaves ½ cup red cabbage slaw** ¼ c pickled beets, sliced or cubed ½ hard-boiled egg, chopped 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice

Thaw the felafel patties and warm them. If unbaked, heat them in a 400 F. oven for 10-15 minutes. Prepare the vegetables for the salad. Whisk the lemon juice and oil, then toss the salad vegetables in the dressing. Top with the felafel and the chopped egg. Quick and easy.

**RED CABBAGE SLAW Serves 3-4 A very nice recipe from acouplecooks.com

2 c. thinly sliced red cabbage 1 Tbsp finely chopped red onion	Prepare and set aside.
3 Tbsp plain yogurt, drained 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup pinch dried dill pinch celery seed 2 pinches Kosher salt freshly ground pepper	Drain 3 Tbsp plain non-fat yogurt through paper toweling for 15 minutes. Measure 1 Tbsp strained yogurt into a large bowl, then thoroughly whisk in these ingredients.
	Add the cabbage and red onion and toss to combine.
	Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

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

1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled	1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread
Slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread	strawberries or mixed berries
tomato + large leaf of lettuce, such as Romaine	small-curd, reduced fat cottage cheese
1 strip uncured bacon + cherries/peach	Bockwurst sausage
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

mesclun/baby greens + tiny shrimp	chicken breast meat + dill pickle + slivered almonds
clementine + asparagus + mango	ripe olives + red seedless grapes + plain yogurt
hard-boiled egg + mayonnaise	whipped cream cheese + crisp lettuce + capers
sriracha + garlic powder + lemon juice	honeydew melon + Romaine lettuce
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Saint Cuthbert

March 19, 2023March 19, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

In the Anne of Green Gables books, by L. Maud Montgomery, Anne’s host family has the surname of ‘Cuthbert.’ That means that they might have come from Yorkshire or Suffolk, where the name is most common in England. In 634 CE, a boy named Cuthbert [‘bright avenger’] was born in Dunbar [now in Scotland, then in Northumbria] to a non-Christian family, although the area had been Christianized in the 620s. He was trained as a soldier. As a teenager, he was on night watch near a flock of sheep, when he saw a light descend from the sky, then reascend. Since Saint Aiden died that night, Cuthbert was sure that he had seen an angel come down to Earth to escort the soul of Aiden to Heaven. He was converted on the spot. After his stint in the army, Cuthbert entered the Abbey at Melrose where he was noticed for his piety and diligence. He was chosen as the prior of the Abbey in 664. That was the year of the Synod of Whitby, where the Christians of England decided to follow the Roman Rite rather than the Irish Celtic Rite. Cuthbert, as a respected mediator and a revered cleric, was sent to the Priory of Lindisfarne, to help them with the transition to the new form of worship. He preached and traveled widely from there, working miracles and being acclaimed as the “Wonder Worker of Britain.” In 676, Cuthbert needed to recharge his batteries, so he retired to a hermit’s life on a small island off Lindisfarne. He came out of retirement to serve as Bishop of Lindisfarne in 684. Again he retired to his island where he died on 20 March 687. But Cuthbert’s story does not end there. When the Viking raids began in the 700s, the monks of Lindisfarne carried their treasures across the causeway to the mainland — including Cuthbert in his coffin. For seven years the monks traipsed about Northern England, picking up the head of Saint/King Oswald along the way, looking for a safe place to lay Cuthbert to rest. At last their wagon/hearse broke down in Durham and the saint was buried in a new chapel. Cuthbert’s body [along with Oswald’s head] was entombed in a shrine at the Norman-style Durham Cathedral in 1104. The simplicity of the current shrine to Cuthbert is fitting for the ascetic monk. It provokes a sense of calm and reverence in the visitor. Saint Cuthbert’s Way is a hiking path which takes the more athletic pilgrims from Melrose, Scotland, where Cuthbert began his religious life to Lindisfarne, England where he died. An appropriate tribute to a saint who was widely-traveled before and after his death.

Kippered herrings will be part of our breakfast. The fish were common in the coastal waters of Northern England. The pie for dinner is from Whitby, site of the Synod that changed Catholicism on the British Isles forever.

Kipper Bake: 138 calories 7.5 g fat 1 g fiber 11 g protein 5.4 g carbs 90.4 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PG GF Kippers and eggs are a classic combination for breakfast, and here they are in an easy bake.

One 2-oz egg ½ oz kippered herring ¼ tsp dry mustard, such as Colman’s 1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese 4 sweet cherries OR 1 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] or lemon in hot water

The night before: soak the kippered herring in warm water for 1-2 hours. Remove from water, rinse, and flake or chop finely. In the morning: Spritz a ramekin or other oven-safe dish with non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Whisk everything, except apple, together and pour into the baking dish and bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit and have a fine day.

Whitby Fish Pie: 294 calories 15.4 g fat 2 g fiber 17.5 g protein 15 g carbs 139 mg Calcium This fabulous recipe is from Paul Hollywood, of British Baking Show fame. It is simple and delicious. Dear Husband and I loved it. HINT: This recipe is enough for two [2] people.

233 ml/1 cup skimmed milk ½ bay leaf ½ small onion 2 whole cloves [the spice]	Put the milk in a pan with the bay leaf and onion studded with cloves. Bring slowly to the boil, turn off the heat and let infuse for at least 30 minutes. Strain the milk into a measuring cup.
20 g butter 20 g = 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour 40 g spinach, fresh or frozen 1 Tbsp chopped parsley salt & pepper	Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook gently for a few minutes, then gradually stir in the infused milk. Increase the heat a little, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the spinach, parsley and some salt and pepper.
133g/3.5 oz haddock 133g/3 oz finnen haddie [smoked] 58 g/1.5 oz shrimp, cleaned salt & pepper	Skin the fish and remove any pin bones. Cut into bite-sized pieces and put into a 4”x 6” dish with the shrimp/prawns. Pour on enough sauce to cover, gently mix with the fish and check the seasoning.
Purchased puff pastry, 1/6 sheet ~47 g	Heat oven to 200°C/400F/Gas 6. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to form a 4×6” rectangle. Cut into 6 strips and form a lattice atop the pie. Bake 20-25 mins until pastry is golden brown.

Slow Days: Lamb Stew for Saint Patrick’s Day

March 17, 2023March 30, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Saint Patrick’s Day is an occasion that demands to be celebrated with special foods. No, not green beer. No, it doesn’t have to be Corned Beef & Cabbage. Look in most common cook books [James Beard, Fannie Farmer, Joy of Cooking, et alia] for ‘Irish Stew’ and you will find that it is made of lamb. Thus lamb, even better, lamb stew is appropriate for March 17th. When young Patrick was enslaved in Ireland, he worked as a shepherd — so there’s another reason to celebrate good Patrick with lamb. Most recipes are really plain and basic: cubed raw lamb, cubed potatoes, sliced onions, water, salt. We tried many of those recipes, and although they are surely authentic, they are just plain DULL.

How happy we were to find this recipe in the book Salute to Healthy Cooking by the French Culinary Institute! We prepare a large batch periodically, and serve it twice a year: on St Patrick’s Day in March and also in December during the run-up to Christmas. Lamb has much symbolic significance to Christians, so serving it during Lent and Advent makes sense to us.

Lamb Stew for two can double or triple!	Need: saute pan + Dutch oven with lid + non-stick pan
½ pound boneless lamb shoulder, cubed cooking spray salt + pepper	Sear lamb cubes on all sides in a heavy pan spritzed with non-stick spray or oil. Cook meat in batches so pan doesn’t cool. Put cooked meat in a Dutch oven, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
½ cup onions, chopped	Put onions in saute pan and cook until tranluscent with enough water to make them sizzle .
1 oz dry red wine	Deglaze pan with wine, stirring up brown bits.
	Heat the oven to 350 F.
¾ tsp white whole wheat flour water ½ Tbsp tomato paste	Sprinkle deglazed pan with flour and stir. Add to lamb in Dutch oven. Add enough cold water to go to top of the lamb but not cover it. Stir in tomato paste.
1 tsp thyme 1 bay leaf	Add herbs. Heat to a simmer over medium heat. Cover casserole and put in oven. Bake 1 hour, making sure stew is not boiling.
¾ c. carrots, cut in 2” batons	Add carrots, cover pan, bake 15 minutes.
½ cup cubed potatoes	Add potatoes, cover pan, bake 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
Salt + pepper	Add salt and pepper. Take off heat and cover until vegetables are cooked.
6 pearl onions, trimmed and peeled 1 cup/5 oz turnips, in 2” batons water ½ tsp sugar 1 tsp butter	Put vegetables in a small non-stick pan with sugar and butter. Add enough water to cover the vegetables half-way up. Simmer 10 minutes, uncovered, shaking pan occasionally.
	Plate stew with the glazed vegetables.

Here is the stew in all its glory, served with an individual Soda Bread from Friend Ann.

And while you are doing your Irish thing, the best item to go with Irish Stew is Irish Soda Bread. I usually prepare a batch in the morning, so we can enjoy them for breakfast. Then the remaining ones are served at dinner with the stew. The recipe that I use is based on the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, with a few tweaks.

Makes 12 individual biscuits or 1 large loaf	Preheat oven to 400F. Buttered cookie sheet.
1 cup white flour 1 cup white whole wheat flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 3 Tbsp butter	Cut the ingredients together, using two knives or a pastry blender. Purists would do it with their fingers. Non-purists might blitz this in a food processor.
½ – 1 cup raisins [black or golden] or currants 1 Tbsp caraway seed	Stir these into the dry mixture.
¾ cup buttermilk or soured milk – all of the milk may not be needed, or you might need more	Add milk bit by bit, stiring with a fork, until the dough is moistened and forms a ball.
For 12 individual biscuits	Roll/pat out dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a 2” or 3” round cutter. Use a knife to mark an ‘X’ on top of each.
For one large loaf	Gather the dough into a single ball, and flatten slightly. Use a knife to incise an ‘X’ on the top.
	Bake at 400F 10-15 mins or 20 mins for large loaf

	me on 10 Years of FASTing
	Karen Loudon on 10 Years of FASTing
	Anderson on New Year’s Resolutions
	Fairy Qu33n on La Chandeleur
	Leslie on Slow Days: Ossobuco

Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet."

Join me in following the Fasting Lifestyle, with recipes & tips

recipes for Michael Mosley’s 5:2 Diet

Religions: Sikhism

Religions: Salvation Army

Slow Days: Babka

The Last Supper

Washington Irving

Rudolf Steiner

Typhoid Mary

William ‘Strata’ Smith

Saint Cuthbert

Slow Days: Lamb Stew for Saint Patrick’s Day

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