recipes for Michael Mosley’s 5:2 Diet

Christmas

~ 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.

Christmas in Bethlehem, 2023: the Nativity Scene at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. (Heidi Levine for The Washington Post)

Christmas, December 25th, is not about trees covered with ornaments. Christmas is not about presents in stockings or under said tree. Christmas is not about Santa Claus, with or without his reindeer. Christmas is not about how much you can buy and how many bargains you find. Christmas is not about eating cookies and cakes. Christmas is not about Charlie Brown and his little tree and his little friends. Christmas is not about singing carols, with or without hot chocolate, eggnog, or mulled wine. Christmas is about the birth of a baby boy sometime in March in 3 BCE, in Bethlehem, then in the Roman Empire, now in the Palestinian West Bank. That baby, born into a family of Jewish artisans — his mother a weaver, her husband a carpenter — was said by angels to be the son of God. That baby grew up to be Jesus Ben-Joseph of Galilee who became an itinerant preacher or rabbi [meaning teacher]. In his 33 years of life, he healed people who were sick in mind and body and spirit. He preached a gospel [meaning ‘good news’] of peace and reconciliation. He told anyone who would listen that the most important thing was to love one’s fellow humans as much as we love ourselves. He said that we should help the poor, the orphans, the widows. He said that we should feed the hungry and visit the prisoners. He said that rich people would never be members of God’s kingdom. He was at one point a refugee, and at the end, he was a political prisoner. The birth of that baby and the advent of his life’s work is what Christmas is all about. It is up to us to act as it that matters to us more than gifts, or trees, or commercial trappings.

Our breakfast has hearts, for a message of love. The dinner is easy to prepare and yummy — nice to eat as Winter begins.

Heart-in-Heart: 150 calories 6 g fat  3 g fiber 9.6 g protein 17 g carbs  42 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF – if using GF bread  Egg + bacon + toast come to the table in a new guise.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread with a 2” heart cut out                   1 slice Canadian bacon with a 2” heart cut out                             1 small egg [1.8 oz with the shell]             1 oz banana slices OR ¼ cup blueberries             Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]     Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Spray an oven-safe pan with non-stick spray. Lightly toast the bread. Put it in the pan and position the bacon on top of it so the hearts align. Sprinkle a pinch of herbs of your choice into the hole. Break the egg into the heart-shaped hole. Strew with salt, pepper, and herbs. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes. Plate with the fruit.

Eggplant Parmesan: 263 calories 5.6 g fat 5 g fiber 19 g protein 44 g carbs  203 mg Calcium   PB GF  I love eggplant parmesan but I can’t stand cooking all those slices in oil [!!] and then layering everything together. This preparation is just what I need. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] people. Dear Husband enjoyed this.

4 slices peeled eggplant to a total weight of 6.5 oz   ¼ c part-skim ricotta cheese        ½ cup reduced fat cottage cheese   ½ oz egg   1½ cup canned whole tomatoes         basil  garlic powder 1 oz whole-grain linguine [or other pasta of your choice]          3 oz zucchini ribbons –OR– 2 oz spinach leaves

Sprinkle the eggplant slices liberally with salt and lay them in a collander on a plate and let sit 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta and cottage cheeses with the egg. Combine the tomatoes with the basil and garlic powder. Rinse the eggplant slices and bake at 375F on an oil-sprayed pan for 15 minutes or until tender. Spray two 8” oven-safe saute pans OR one larger pan with non-stick spray. Measure ¼ c of tomato into each pan and flatten it out. Lay two slices of eggplant, slightly over-lapping, on the tomatoes in the pans. Smear 1 Tbsp of tomato on each eggplant slice. Arrange 2-3 Tbsp of ricotta/cottage cheese mixture on each slice. Put any extra tomato sauce on top and then a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400F for 15+ minutes or until eggplant is soft. Use a vegetable peeler to slice zucchini into lengthwise ribbons. Cook the pasta for 4 minutes, then take off heat. Add the zucchini to the pasta and let it sit, covered, for another 2-3 minutes. If using spinach, add it to the pasta pan with one minute to go. I like to serve it all in the skillet in which it was baked, but you can plate it to your individual wishes. Melty and tender – just the way I like it.

Thomas

~ 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.

Thomas gets his proof and stops his doubting. Painting by Caravaggio.

Thomas, who’s name means “a twin”, was one of The Twelve. That is, he was one of the men chosen by Jesus to be part of the inner circle of students/helpers/teachers. We do not know his family or his occupation or his age, but we do know that he was eager to follow Jesus, impetuous but perhaps slow on the uptake. Jesus always dropped hints that he would be killed, but then come back to life. Did Thomas take it as a metaphor, or did he just not get it? Thomas was not with the other Apostles when Jesus appeared to them, in the flesh, after his death and resurrection. When Thomas was told of the miracle, he said, “I don’t believe it. Not until I can stick my fingers in the holes left by the spear and the nails, will I believe it.” So, next time Jesus saw Thomas, he said, “Put your fingers in this wound, so you will believe.” Thomas believed, although forever after he was known as ‘doubting Thomas.’ When the Apostles set out to evangelize, Thomas was assigned the lands East of Israel: the Parthian Empire, along with the Medes, and the Persians. Legend has it that Thomas went all the way to India where he established churches. It is also said the he visited Saudi Arabia and China. Thomas met his death in Chennai in 72 CE, after 20 years of evangelizing. Was he killed on December 21st or on July 3rd? Doesn’t matter. He joined six of his fellow Apostles in martyrdom.

Due to Thomas’ reported travels to India and points East, our foods today are from India and China. Would Thomas, who was raised as a Jew, have eaten pork dumplings? Maybe.

Kashmiri ScrOmelette: 157 calories 8.5 g fat 1 g fiber 14.5 g protein 5 g carbs 58 mg Calcium   NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  The sauce ‘Rogan Josh’ was available in jars on the supermarket shelf, so I incorporated it into these very tasty eggs.

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.  1/3 oz cooked chicken, diced 1 Tbsp [15 ml] Rogan Josh sauce [Taste of India brand] 1 oz strawberries  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]

Whisk together the eggs, sauce and chicken. Pour into a hot non-stick or well-seasoned saute pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray or oil. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Plate with the berries, pour the optional beverages, and set your aspirations for the day as high as the Himalayas.

Pork Dumpling Stir-fry:  270 calories 7 g fat 6.4 g fiber 13 g protein 32 g carbs 81 mg Calcium   PB A quick and easy meal, using purchased dumplings [31 calories/dumpling] and lots of good veggies.

5 pork dumplings [frozen, from an Asian market]Boil dumplings 7 minutes and drain, saving some of the water.
4 oz green bell pepper, sliced 
2 oz carrot, cut as batons  3 oz cabbage, thinly-sliced 		Cut the vegetables as directed and put them in one bowl.
1 Tbsp soy sauce 
1 tsp hoisin sauce 
½ tsp fresh ginger, chopped
pinch garlic powder 		Stir together these seasonings with 1-2 Tbsp reserved water. 
½ tsp sesame oil 
prepared vegetables
dumpling-cooking water		Heat a wok to high, then add oil. Add vegetables and stir-fry 3 minutes, adding water as needed to keep it all sizzling.
Seasoning liquidsMake a ‘well’ in the middle of vegetables and add dumplings along with seasonings. Cook without stirring 1 minute longer.

That was fast!

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

one 1.8 egg = US medium1 two-oz egg 
70-calorie whole-grain breadsweet potato + Cheddar cheese
Canadian bacon = back bacon     parsley or watercress
blueberries or bananagarlic powder + cherries or clementine
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

eggplant  + canned tomatoes + basilchicken breast + sherry wine
zucchini or fresh spinach + garlic powder carrot + broccoli
2%-fat cottage cheese + part-skim ricottaBechamel sauce w/ cheese 
Parmesan cheese + egg + whole-grain pastaangel-hair pasta + Parmesan cheese
Sparkling waterSparkling water

I Wonder As I Wander

~ 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.

Sunrise Landscape Great Smoky Mountains National Park Gatlinburg TN and Oconaluftee Valley Cherokee NC

This season of the year, you are likely to hear a rendition of the song “I Wonder as I Wander,” sung by a soloist or played by a bell choir. The first time I heard it was at a Christmas Eve service, warbled by a soprano who’s voice I didn’t especially like. The song struck me as odd…and don’t get me started about the grammar! Over the years, it did not grow on me. Is this really a traditional song, sung at Christmas in the Appalachians? Well, no, it is not.  John Jacob Niles was a folklorist, songwriter, musician, and luthier from Kentucky. He traveled through the Appalachians writing down music that he heard. Niles was in Murphy, North Carolina in 1933, watching a revival held by a family of itinerant evangelists. The daughter of the group stepped forward and sang three lines of a song, which immediately caught Niles’ ear. He asked her to repeat it, which she did in exchange for 25 cents. $1.75 later, Niles had the same three lines and the bit of tune to go with them. He himself filled in the tune and more verses. When he published the song and tried to get a copywrite, there were complaints that he should not take credit for a song that he had not written. Except that he did write it — people were convinced that it was a genuine folk song, when it wasn’t. As for the lyrics, they strike me as fake, as if someone said, “What would a Christmas song sound like if Gomer Pyle wrote it? or maybe the Beverly Hillbillies?” In the past 90 years, the song has caught on and is beloved by many, for its haunting tune and folksy lyrics. I’m still not a fan.

Our foods are typical of subsistence farmers the world over. When you must, nothing from the chicken goes to waste. Thus, gizzards in the eggs at breakfast. The dinner sounds as if it is from Europe — but wait! Ratatouille in France = stewed vegetables in the US. And Polenta in Italy = cornmeal mush in the US. Thus, our dinner could easily be cooked and enjoyed in Appalachia.

Gizzard ScrOmelette:  139 calories 10.4 g fat 1.4 g fiber 12 g protein 5 g carbs 51 mg Calcium   NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF  Yes, really: gizzards. High in protein, low in fat. You could try this with the gizzard that is in the giblet package at Thanksgiving time or ask at the meat counter.

Three 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1½ eggs per person  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  ½ oz gizzards, cleaned and simmered in seasoned stock for 1½ hours  [HINT: cook up a bunch of gizzards at the same time for future use]  1 clove garlic, minced sage + salt + pepper 1 oz applesauce  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait[65 calories]   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie[88 calories]

Spritz a non-stick pan with olive oil or non-stick spray. Slice the gizzards and cook them with the garlic and sage until warm. Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper to taste and scramble in the pan with the gizzards. Plate the applesauce and pour the beverages. Real farm food.

Ratatouille with Chicken & Polenta: 228 calories 4.4 g fat 9 g fiber 29 g protein 32 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium  PB Oddly enough, the inspiration for this meal was a dinner on an airplane. I was determined to duplicate and improve the meal, and I think I succeeded. The polenta needs to be made ahead, and the Med Veg could come out of the freezer. All ready in about 20 minutes with those preparations beforehand. TIP: Not too many chicken breasts weigh 3 oz. Lay a 6-oz breast on a cutting board and put your hand flat on top of it. Slice parallel to the board to produce two equal fillets.

1 slice of polenta**  1 cup Mediterranean Vegetables  3 oz chicken breast, skinless and boneless large pinch herbes de Province or thyme

Pour the Mediterranean Vegetables into a small saucepan and add a little water if there isn’t much liquid. Lay the chicken meat on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with pepper and herbes de Province. Put the lid on the pan and simmer until bottom of chicken is cooked. Check to see if you need to add more liquid to prevent the vegetables from scorching. Turn the chicken, cover and continue to cook until it is done. Meanwhile, spritz a heavy skillet lightly with non-stick spray and heat it. Cut the slice of polenta in half so it is about 1/3” thick. Cook it in the hot pan on both sides until it is warm and beginning to brown. Plate the polenta, spoon the vegetables around the polenta, then arrange the chicken on top. 

**POLENTA: Sv 6-12 recipe from Bob’s Red Mill 12 slices: each slice = 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. But it is not risotto and 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 the polenta 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. Pan-fry 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. 

Slow Days: Jam-Filled Brioche Wreath

~ 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.

If you want something special for a holiday breakfast, this delightful brioche wreath fills the bill. The recipe is from Bonne Maman, makers of jams, jellies, and spreads, and of course they want you to use one of their products. You may use any quality homemade or purchased jam you wish. I prepared this for a gathering of the knitting group, and it was a success. The step involving the preparation of the jam-filled balls could be a family affair and is a good way to include little hands in the kitchen. I have broken the recipe into steps over two days, which simplifies the process [I think], and breaks it into steps that are not too time-consuming. And the next day, Voila! a splendid breakfast centerpiece that looks spectacular, but was made with little fuss.

1 large wreath of 18 puffs 10” tube pan or 12” pie plate + ramekin
DAY 1, EARLY
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
25g golden caster sugar 150 g white whole wheat flour
150g strong white = bread flour zest of ½ orange + ½ lemon 1 tsp salt 		Caster sugar is a fine-grained sugar from the UK. Blitz granulated white sugar in the food processor to make a substitute. Zest the orange and lemon rinds OR USE 2 Tbsp ORANGE PUREE. [chop an orange into large pieces, run through food processor to make a chunky mush] Mix these in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook. Make a well in the center.
50 ml warm milk 3 large eggs, beaten Pour these into center well. Mix on a slow speed 2 mins, then on medium 3-4 mins, until dough is soft, glossy and elastic.
225g/16 Tbsp/2 sticks butter, cubed and very softAdd butter, bit by bit, and mix 4-5 mins. Scrape down bowl to mix thoroughly. Dough will be very soft. Tip into an oiled bowl, cover with film and chill 8-24 hrs until firm.
DAY 1, LATE
18 tsp Bonne Maman Conserve – choose your favorite or make 9 of one flavor and 9 of anotherOn a lightly oiled surface, divide dough into 18 pieces, ~40 g each. Roll pieces in circles 10 cm in dia. Spoon 1 tsp of jam on centre of each. Bring up sides, pinch together, roll into a ball.


Butter a 10” tube pan. OR Put a greased ramekin in center of buttered 12″ pie plate. Put 6 balls, seam side down, around center tube. Put 12 balls in an outer circle. Cover, let sit 2 hrs until puffy –OR– OVERNight @ 40 degrees
DAY 2, MORNINGHeat oven to 170ºC/340F/ gas mark 5.
Egg wash  ½ tsp lemon finishing salt 1 tbsp ground hazelnuts
sliced almonds 		After rising, brush dough with a little egg wash,
sprinkle with salt and nuts.
Bake 20 mins, until golden.
Cover with foil and cook 10-15 mins longer.
Icing sugarCool slightly, remove from pan.  Remove ramekin if using. Dust with icing sugar.

Amundsen

~ 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.

Throughout the Age of Exploration, milestones were achieved one by one: crossing the Atlantic; rounding Cape Horn; circumnavigating the world. By the early 1900s, there were only two goals remaining: reaching the North Pole and reaching the South Pole. Either one would bring fame to the explorer, and glory to his country. Around 1908, two parties claimed a visit to the North Pole, leaving the South Pole up for grabs. The Englishman Robert Falcon Scott mounted an expedition in 1910, and at the same time Roald Amundsen of Norway launched his trip to the Pole. The world knew of Scott’s plans, but Amundsen was more secretive — not even telling his team until they were halfway to Antarctica. He worried that if Scott knew of the Norwegian party, that the Englishman would hurry his departure. Their planning could not have been more different. Amundsen had explored the Arctic from 1903-1906. He befriended the indigenous Inuit people, who taught him survival skills and the art of dog sledding. The clothing Amundsen chose was layered for insulation, and had an outer layer of reindeer leather. Scott relied on ponies, some dogs, and motorized transport, while the Norwegians traveled with 52 sled dogs, four sleds, and cross-country skis. After each group cached many tons of food along the route, the race was on. Amundsen had organized excellently. His group made good time until bad weather struck, but they persevered. Scott’s team, although they had a 10 day head-start, slowed considerably after the ending of their motor sledges froze, and their ponies died. Despite the elements, Amundsen pushed on, reaching the South Pole on December 14, 1911. Scott and his men died of starvation and scurvy after arriving at the Pole, only to find a letter of greeting and the flag of Norway. On the way back from the Pole, as heavy food stores were consumed, Amundsun’s men killed and ate many of their dogs, since the sleds were no longer needed. All part of the plan. Amundsen had many other polar firsts, becoming one of the premier explorers as the Age of Exploration came to an end.

Our menu today consists of foods that are eaten cold. Not the -70F cold of Antarctica, I’m happy to say. No dogs or ponies are on offer. Amundsen’s men were consuming many thousands of calories each day, and burning up as many in their efforts to stay warm. We are Fasting, not freezing, and we will stick to 600 calories.

Gravlax & Grannies:  126 calories 3.6 g fat 2.5 g fiber 11 g protein 13 g carbs 25.6 mg Calcium   NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  At the Inn at Saint Peters, we enjoyed their Smoked Trout with Apples appetizer. It occurred to me that this could be a fine breakfast for those who enjoy a savory-seafood taste in the a.m. I substituted mackerel gravlax for the smoked trout, just because that was on hand, but it was a grey-brown instead of the lighter hue of the trout or the pink of a salmon.

1 oz mackerel gravlax OR 1 oz smoked trout [DuckTrap brand] ¼ c blueberries + 2 raspberries for color  2 oz Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced: each slice cut into ½-moons   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]

Slice the fish with the grain to create thin slices. Arrange the fish and apples in overlapping slices around the plate. HINT: I did this the night before, covered it with clingwrap and put it in the ‘fridge. So quick the next morning!! Brew your hot beverage, blend or shake your smoothie, dish out those healthy blueberries, and breakfast elegantly.

Chicken Summer Salad Plate: 227 calories 3.4 g fat 5 g fiber 22 g protein 23 g carbs 107 mg Calcium PB GF – if using gf crackers Chicken salad is an old favorite – for a sandwich or stuffed in tomatoes or on a salad plate. Without mayonnaise, it is much healthier and just as good.

½ cup chicken salad, chez moi** ½ cup Swedish Cucumber salad  5-7 sugar snap peas 2-4 cherry tomatoes 3 Finn Crisp crackers

**Chicken Salad, chez moi  makes 1 cup ½ cup= 121 calories 3 g fat 0 g fiber 10 g protein 1.4 g carbs 88 mg Calcium   5 oz cooked chicken breast 4 Tbsp part-skim ricotta 2 tsp yellow Sriracha 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped salt & pepper to taste   optional: 2 Tbsp minced onion 2 Tbsp minced celery Chop, shred or grind the chicken. Combine with the other ingredients. Taste for seasoning, adding more Sriracha if too dry.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
gizzards from chicken or turkeyRogan Josh sauce in a jar
garlic + sagecooked chicken
applesaucestrawberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Mediterranean Vegetables: purchased pork dumplings @ 31 calories each
eggplant or peppers, zucchini, tomato, carrot + bell pepper
chicken breastcabbage + sesame oil + soy sauce
Polentahoisin sauce + fresh ginger + garlic powder
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Marconi

~ 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.

In the past, messages could be sent by smoke signals; by drum beats; by signal flags; by signal fires. All of these worked, to an extent, permitting very rudimentary communication. Sending a letter enabled more complex messages, but what if there were no safe and established system to ensure that the letters arrived? Then, in 1837, Morse Code sent over telegraph wires made long-distance communication possible. With underwater cables, islands were less isolated — but only if they were close to shore and the cable was long enough. If only messages could be sent through the air…. Enter Guglielmo Marconi, born 1874. His father was a country gentleman, his mother was an Irish gentlewoman. As a child, Guglielmo enjoyed tinkering with electronics. In addition to his good education, he studied scientists like Maxwell, Hertz, Righi, and Lodge. At age 21, Marconi sent a wireless message a distance of 1.5 miles across his father’s estate. As improvements were made to his device, his parents supported their son in making his transmitter widely known. Scant attention was paid in Italy, so Marconi went to Great Britain, where he obtained a patent. From July, 1896 to 1899, Marconi gave demonstrations of his transmitter — across land, from islands to land, across the English Channel, from boats to land. The big break came on December 12, 1901, when a signal sent from Poldhu, Cornwall to a kite used as a receiving antenna flying above Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The Radio Era was born! Marconi received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1909, and accolades came from many nations. In 1912, a ‘Marconi signal’ from the stricken Titanic alerted the ship Carpathia to come to the rescue. After heading the Italian radio corps in WWI, he was a supporter of the Facists from 1923 until his death in 1937. Marconi’s considerable fortune was left to the child of his second marriage, while not a penny went to the children of his first marriage. Both unions had ended in divorce. Marconi united the world with radio, but seems to have faced considerable disunity on the home front.

Our meals today are from Italy.

Sicilian ScrOmelette: 157 calories 11 g fat 0.5 g fiber 13 g protein 2 g carbs 129 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  A protein-packed salad meets eggs for breakfast.  This is based on our Sicilian Shepherd’s Salad which we enjoy for dinner.

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.  ¼ oz salami sausage ¼ oz mozzarella 2 Tbsp chopped wild greens [ex: dandelion] or arugula  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]

Chop the sausage, the cheese, and the greens, and combine them gently. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper, then pour into the heated pan. As the eggs set, sprinkle the sausage mixture over the eggs. Scramble or fold as an omelette and enjoy with the beverages of choice.

Eggplant Patties w/ Onion Marinara: 273 calories 4 g fat 8.5 g fiber 46 g carbs 43 mg Calcium   PB GF – if using GF bread/flour/pasta  Marcella Hazen, in her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, gives the recipe for the patties and a sauce in which to serve them. I added a bit of pasta to the meal. 

4 eggplant patties** 1 oz pasta– If you use whole grain or high fiber pasta, so much the better  ½ cup tomato-onion marinara++ 

**Eggplant Patties: makes 7 when using a 1½ tsp scoop = 32 calories each   9 oz eggplant with skin still on 2 Tbsp bread crumbs 1 Tbsp spinach chiffonade 1 tsp minced garlic 1 egg yolk 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan 1 Tbsp white whole wheat flour Roast eggplant at 400F until soft, around 15 minutes. Peel it and cut in rough cubes. Put in a collander over a bowl and let it drain, pressing down lightly. Add to a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir with a fork until well-combined. Heat a skillet and spray with non-stick spray. Using a 1½ Tbsp scoop, put eggplant mixture into the hot pan, flattening it a bit. Cook on each side until starting to brown.

++ Tomato-Onion Marinara  makes 1.5 cups  1.5 c. onion, thinly sliced 1.5 c. canned whole tomatoes Salt + pepper Spray a saute pan with non-stick cooking oil and heat it. Add onions and cook at medium-low until onions begin to turn golden. Add tomatoes, chopping them into smaller pieces with a plastic or wooden utensil. Cook until tomatoes have thickened a bit. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Boil the pasta while the patties are cooking. Heat the marinara, then add the cooked pasta. Put some of the sauce in the center of your plate and position the patties on top. Arrange the pasta and sauce around the center, as pleases your eye.

Pearl Harbor

~ 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.

“…December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy.” Those words by President Franklin Roosevelt summed up the feelings of most Americans. The infamous act, of course, was the Japanese sneak attack on the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i. The US was caught flat-footed as 353 Japanese bombers swooped over the harbor, staffing and bombing, damaging 21 American ships and killing 2,403 U.S. personnel. The nation was taken by surprise — shock and disbelief reigned. Long protected by the giant ‘moats’ of two oceans, Americans felt separate from [read “above”] the world and immune to attack. They did not understand that the animosity that launched the attack had been long in coming. When the US forced Japan to join the modern world in 1853, the Land of the Rising Sun looked around and saw opportunities for gain. They decided to become a world power. By the 1930s, the Japanese had fought with Russia, and invaded China. Setting their sights on resource-rich South-East Asia, the only thing in their way was the USA which had slapped them with trade embargoes for their aggression. The December 7th attack was designed to deter the US. “Remember Pearl Harbor” became a rallying cry as US isolationism ended, and men lined up to fight in a new war and women flocked to serve as well. The Pearl Harbor Memorial is visited by 1.8 million people each year. They still remember.

The attack on Pearl Harbor, instead of making the Americans back off, had the opposite effect. It galvanized the nation, forcing it to enter World War II on two fronts: in Europe and in the Pacific. The average citizen saw it as a way of preserving American life, whether that was living in the bayous of the Gulf Coast, enjoying Cajun food; or being able to go to the neighborhood diner in the Mid-West to eat a favorite meal in peace.

Cajun ScrOmelette: 142 calories 7.6 g fat 2 g fiber 10.5 g protein 10 g carbs 73 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  The hallmark of Cajun cooking is the sofrito of bell pepper, celery, and onion. Here they are along with the iconic Cajun Seasoning and Tabasco sauce. Cue the Zydeco music.

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 oz bell pepper 3 Tbsp celery 2 Tbsp onion Tabasco sauce, ad lib  Cajun seasonings, ad lib 1.5 oz orange slices  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]

Chop and combine the vegetables with the seasonings. Put in a hot saute pan spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Cook until softened. Whisk the eggs with the Tabasco and Cajun seasonings, and scramble to prefection. Pour the beverages, slice the oranges, and pass the Tabasco sauce.

Liver & Onions: 273 calories 10.4 g fat 3 g fiber 25 g protein 20 g carbs 43.5 mg Calcium PB GF When my father was away on business, my mother would serve us liver and onions which we came to regard as a special treat. Still a favorite on diner menus, still full of protein and Iron.

 

4 oz beef liver 2 tsp flour + salt + pepper ½ cup onion, sliced ½ tsp butter ½ cup green beans

Cook the onions in a non-stick saute pan with a little water to keep them from scorching. Set the onions aside. Blot the liver on paper towels. Put the flour on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge the liver in the flour, and shake off any extra. Melt the butter in the pan the onions were in and cook the liver over low heat until done. If the pan gets too dry, spray it with non-stick spray. Meanwhile, cook the beans and salt them to taste. Just before the liver is done, return onions to the pan to reheat.

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

1 two-oz egg = US largemackerel gravlax or smoked trout
salami sausageGranny Smith apple
mozzarellablueberries
wild greens or arugula raspberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

eggplant + bread crumbs + onion chicken breast + part-skim ricotta cheese
spinach leaves + garlic + egg yolkcilantro = sriracha
Parmesan cheese + whole grain pasta Swedish cucumber salad  + sugar snap peas
white whole wheat flour + canned whole tomatoescherry tomatoes + Finn Crisp
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Omar Khayyam

~ 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. Welcome to paris400 who is now Following.

“A book of verses underneath a bough, a jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and Thou beside me, singing in the wilderness. Ah! Wilderness were paradise enow!”

Many people know of that bit of verse from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. But what do they know of the author? Omar was born in Nishapur in 1048 CE, under the Seljuk Empire. His father was either a wealthy physician or a tent-maker — ‘khayyam’ means ‘tent-maker’ in Arabic. The son was treated to an excellent education under a mathematician who, although living in a newly Muslim country, followed the older Zoroastrian religion. When Omar was 18, his father and his tutor died, so the boy joined a caravan to take him to Samarkand, now in Uzbekistan, to be with his father’s friend. In a new empire, Omar found favor with the ruler who fostered his further studies. Before he was 25 years old, Khayyam had published a books about arithmetic, algebra, and music. He was known as an astronomer, and so was invited to return to his homeland to over-see the building and running of an observatory in Esfaha. For 18 years, Omar devoted his life to astronomy. Among other findings, he calculated the length of the year as having 365.24219858156 days — which is astonishingly accurate. Khayyam died on December 4, 1131, and his name was largely forgotten until it came up again in 1859. Omar had written 120 quatrains, called rubáiyáts [from the word for ‘4’], which were translated into English by Edward Fitzgerald. At that time, literary works from southern Asia, like the 1001 Nights, were all the rage in Europe. Persia was unknown territory, so the poems depicting life in and out of taverns, lolling under trees, and fearing imminent death, were read extensively. As children, my sister and I would pour over our mother’s copy, amazed by the exotic illustrations as we read the curious verses.

Our breakfast is a real treat, with sparkles of cranberry in each bite. Served cool, it might be a nice picnic item when ‘underneath a bough’ with that book of poetry. The dinner is rich in flavor. These are prime examples of Mediterranean meals, even though they originated far from that inland sea.

Kuku Sabzi: 223 calories 16.6 g fat 2 g fiber 8.5 g protein 12 g carbs 80 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Herbs abound in this Persian egg dish. The recipe is from themediterraneandish. HINT: Serves two [2].

Sv 2  4×6” oval casserolePut rack in upper-middle oven, heat to 375F. 
1 tsp olive oilCoat bottom and sides of pan with oil. Fit a piece of parchment paper into the pan, then flip the paper so both sides are oiled.
2/3 c. flat-leaf parsley, leaves 2/3 c. cilantro leaves + stems 1/3 c. fresh dill
2 scallions, trimmed
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil		Roughly chop dill, scallions. 
Combine everything in a food processor.
Process until finely ground. Set aside.
½ tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground green cardamom
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cumin
pinch ground black pepper		In a large bowl, whisk these together. 
1 two-oz eggAdd egg, whisk until blended, 
1 two-oz egg add egg, whisk until just combined.
Herb mixture
2 T. walnuts, toasted, chopped 
2 T. dried cranberries, chopped 		Fold in herb-scallion mixture, then nuts, fruit. Pour into prepared pan and smooth top.
Bake in heated oven until center is firm, 20-25 mins/15 mins for smaller pan.
dollop of plain yogurt.Let cool in pan undisturbed 10 mins. Run a thin knife around edges to loosen. Invert onto a plate, remove the paper. Then re-invert on serving plate or a cutting board. Slice, serve warm or at room temp.

Mirza Ghasemi: 264 calories 11.5 g fat 10 g fiber 10 g protein 35.5 g carbs 44.5 mg Calcium  PB GF – if omitting bread  This Persian dip contains ingredients from Northern Iran’s Gilan Province. Rich in flavor and high in nutrients. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. The dish was invented by the Persian ambassador to Russia in 1960.

1# eggplant 1.5 big tomatoesCook these over a fire: on a barbecue or a gas stove top. If you don’t have an open fire, broil or roast them. Tomatoes only need to be lightly cooked. But eggplant must be cooked so that juice is dripping out, flesh is soft and skin peels off easily.
2 cloves garlicPeel, put on a skewer/cocktail stick. Lightly cook over flame or under broiler. Crush garlic and chop finely.
Once cooled a bit, peel tomato and eggplant. Keep flesh, discard skins. Chop both into large chunks, keep apart.
1 T. olive oilHeat oil, cook garlic on low-med heat – sizzling slightly.
1 T. tomato pureeOnce lightly browned, add puree and cook 5 mins.
Grilled tomatoes ½ tsp salt 
½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp paprika
½ tsp turmeric 		Add grilled tomatoes to pan. 
Add spices and cook another 5 mins.
Grilled eggplantAdd aubergines to pan. Stir and cook 5 mins. 
I ran it all through the food processor to make a chunky paste.
chopped hard-boiled egg   chopped herbs
1.5 oz Lavash each person 		Garnish with egg and herbs. 
Serve as a spread for the bread.

Comparing Plans: Cabbage Soup Diet

~ 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.

Since the 1980s, there has been a Cabbage Soup Diet. Rumor has it that a “prestigious hospital” developed this way of eating to help patients with heart disease to lose weight. But that is only a rumor. How this started is anyone’s guess and periodically it starts up again. I have heard of two ways to employ this diet: 1] Make a huge batch of cabbage soup, and eat a bowl before every meal. The idea is that after the soup, you will eat less of the regular meal. This goes on for as many days as it takes to lose your weight or until you can’t stand soup any more. 2] Make a huge batch of cabbage soup and eat a bowl whenever you are hungry for seven days. On certain days, you add certain foods in a set pattern. This goes on for seven days only, and nothing else is eaten. This is an example of a DIET, not a LIFESTYLE. The difference is that with this diet, you might lose weight in the short term, but you have trained yourself not to like cabbage soup instead of training yourself how to eat in a way that will keep the weight off. Lifestyle-eating allows you to get to a healthy weight and maintain it because the way of eating is pleasant and sustainable.

Is this food allowed on this diet…Cabbage SoupOn Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, porkOnly beef, Days 5 + 6Yes
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkeyOnly Day 5Yes, preferred
Eggs noYes 
Beer, wine, cocktailsnoOn Slow Days
Grains, starches: rice, wheat products, pasta, cereals Only Brown Rice, Day 7in moderation
Nuts + seedsNo in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeasnoYes 
Seafood protein, especially with Omega-3 fatsnoYes 
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruitsOnly Day 1Yes 
Berries, bananasOnly Day 1, not bananasYes 
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuceOnly Day 2Yes 
Dairy: Cheese, milk, yogurt On Day 4, Skim milk only Some 
Vegetable oils: olive, canolanoin moderation
Animal fat: butterNo in moderation
Root vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, carrotsnoYes 
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppersDays 3, 6, 7Yes 
Fat NoNo 
Protein Very lowYes. lots 
Higher fiberNot a factorYes
Daily Carb intakeNot a factorKeep it low
Whole grains noYes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake, bread, processed foodsNONot on Fast Day
Number of days per week to follow the regimin every day for 7 days2 of 7
Do calories matter?No Only 600 on Fast Days

If eating cabbage soup once in a while sounds yummy, here is a good recipe. If you would like a low-calorie meal with cabbage — but not soup — try the Danish Stuffed Cabbage. FYI, November 30 is Stuffed Cabbage Day — called Kåldolmens Dag — in Sweden.

Cabbage-Sausage Soup: 264 calories 11 g fat 5 g fiber 14 g protein 25.5 g carbs 66 mg Calcium  PB GF  Since this is Jacques Pepin’s recipe, I’ll let him say it:  “When the weather gets cooler in the fall, I make soup. I generally cook up a big batch and freeze some for whenever I need it. This one, with sausage, potatoes, and cabbage, is hearty and good for cold weather.” HINT: Makes 6 one-cup servings.

8 ounces mild Italian sausage meat 1½ cups onions, sliced 6 scallions, cut into ½-inch pieces (1¼ cups) 6 cups water 1 cup canned chickpeas 16 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” chunks — try using half sweet potatoes 8 ounces savoy or other green cabbage, chopped/sliced 1¼ teaspoons salt

“Break the sausage meat into 1” pieces and place it in a saucepan over high heat. Sauté, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon [to keep the meat from sticking], for 10 minutes, or until the sausage is well browned. Add the onions and scallions and cook 1 minute. Stir in the water, chickpeas, potatoes, cabbage, and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes.” Portion for storage or serving. One portion = 1 cup.

Danish Stuffed Cabbage: 282 calories 6 g fat 6 g fiber 35 g protein 25 g carbs 125 mg Calcium  PB GF Craig Claiborne’s International Cookbook provided this recipe. Its history involves a Swedish king and the Ottoman Empire. Very royal origin for a common meal found all over, where-ever cabbages are grown.

4 oz turkey meat, raw 2 oz pork meat, raw 2½ oz veal, raw ½ cup fresh bread crumbs [from whole-grain 70-calorie bread] 2 oz milk 1 oz egg white sage + salt + pepper 4 whole cabbage leaves from a whole head 1/3 c pickled beets dab of mustard

Put the meats, sage, salt, and pepper in the food processor and mince. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and cook the meat until it doesn’t look raw. Cool meat. Combine the bread and milk, stir, let sit until soggy. Add the egg white and meats and stir to combine well. Set aside. Put a head of cabbage in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. When the outer layer begins to cook, remove the outer leaf. Return the cabbage to the pan of simmering water. Continue to remove the outer leaves as they cook, until you have 4. Return them to the poaching water and cook until very limp. Cut a ‘V’ at the base of each leaf to remove the thickest part of the leaf’s rib. Orient the leaf so the ‘V’ is away from you. Put ¼ cup filling on the leaf. Fold the near side over the filling, tuck in the sides, and continue to roll. Place seam-side down in an oven-proof dish large enough to hold all four rolls. Pour some of the water in which you poached the cabbage into the dish until it comes ½-way up the rolls. Put on a lid or foil and bake at 350 F. for 30 minutes. Plate with the pickled beets and a dab of mustard. Fit for a king.

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

2 two-oz eggs = US large + olive oil + parsley1.5 two-oz eggs 
cilantro + scallions + baking powder + cumincelery + onion
green cardamom + cinnamon + black peppergreen bell pepper
walnuts + dried cranberries [plain yogurt]Tabasco sauce + Cajun seasonings
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

large eggplant [1#] + garlic + paprika4 oz beef liver
2 large tomatoes + olive oil + tomato pureeonion
turmeric + hard-boiled egggreen beans aka string beans
chopped herbs + Lavash bread @ 90 calories/1.5 ozbutter
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Clovis

~ 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. Welcome to God who is now Following.

In 481 CE, Hlodowig son of Childeric became King of the Salian Franks at age 15. The Salian Franks ruled in what is now Belgium and part of the Netherlands. The Roman Empire had recently dissolved, and Europe was broken into many small pieces, ruled by bickering, power-hungry war-lords. The young king lived up to his name, which has been translated as “plunder provider.” Within five years he had attacked and killed the last Governor of Roman Gaul, taking over most of Western France. With allies in Burgundy, Hlodowig chased the Visigoths from Southern France into Spain. He set up his capital in Paris where much power was held by the Christian clergy who called him “Clovis.” The crafty king was adept at adopting behaviors of other cultures. From the Romans: have your army travel light while plundering local food. From the Franks, kill your defeated enemies and their families. From the Catholic Gauls, marry a Christian wife to gain allies. Clovis eventually became the first ruler over a unified “France,” the first king in the Merovingian Dynasty. Influenced by his wife Clotilde [and a close call on the battlefield], Clovis was baptized as a Christian on Christmas Day 508, in the town of Reims. Since then, all but two kings of France have been crowned at Reims. Clovis continued to reign ruthlessly until his death on 27 November 511. He was buried initially in Paris, elevating the small city to importance, but was later reburied at Saint Denis. Foolishly, he divided his hard-won nation among his four sons, dividing the country again and leading to strife for many years.

In Clovis’ time, breakfast was seldom eaten upon awakening. When people did get around to eating, it was a grain porridge, so we will have that for breakfast. Since the name ‘Clovis’ also refers to a town in Eastern New Mexico, our dinner will be full of the ingredients of that region.

10-Grain Cereal:  143 calories… 1 g fat… 4 g fiber… 8 g protein… 28 g carbs…   NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB This is one of our favorite breakfasts – even on a Slow Day! 

++ 3 Tbsp uncooked Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal ++++ ¼ cup low-fat milk ++++ 1/3 cup water ++++ Toppings: 2 Tbsp blueberries, fresh or frozen ++++ 2 Tbsp milk ++++  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]

If preparing the night before: Cook the cereal with the water/milk for about 8 minutes on the stove. Pour into a microwave-safe bowl. Next morning: Heat the cereal in the microwave for about a minute, then top with berries and milk.  If preparing in the morning: Cook the cereal with the water/milk for about 8 minutes on the stove. Pour into the bowl and top with berries and milk. 

Squash-Cupped Chili:  210 calories… 1 g fat… 8.6 g fiber… 8.6 g protein… 30 g carbs… 122 mg Calcium…   PB GF  Squash, beans, tomatoes, and chili pepper are flavors of the American South-West. They are as delicious as they are nutritious.

5 oz delicata squash 1 cup chili non carne** 2 oz melon

**CHILI NON CARNE: PB GF 

Makes 4 cups
1 cup chopped onion ++++ 1 green pepper, chopped ++++ juice from canned tomatoes, belowSaute onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender.
15 oz canned red beans
16 oz canned tomatoes, chunks or diced
2-3 tsp chili pepper
½ – 1 tsp ground cumin 		Drain and rinse canned beans. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. 
1 cup =133 calories… 0.7 g fat… 6 g fiber… 7 g protein… 10 g carbs… 70 mg Calcium..Freeze unused portions.

Since delicata squash is oblong with rounded ends, first cut a small slice from one end so that it will stand up on a plate. Then cut off enough squash that it weighs 5 oz. If you prefer to do this as two thick slices, rather than one large cup, suit yourself. Scoop out the seeds but leave the flesh inside the skin. Bake or microwave the squash until the skin is very tender but not collapsing. Meanwhile, prepare or heat the chili. Plate the squash cup, fill it with chili, pour the remaining chili around the cup, and garnish with the melon.