recipes for Michael Mosley’s 5:2 Diet

Edith Jones Wharton, writer

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

Edith Newbold Jones was born on January 24, 1862, with not just ‘a silver spoon in her mouth‘ but an entire set of spoons. You know the expression ‘keeping up with the Joneses’? Some say that Edith’s family literally were the Joneses that everyone wanted to emulate. Or not. Wealth permitted little Edith to travel often to Europe with her governess, soaking up languages while soaking in the milieu. Young Edith loved best to read and to write, two traits that were incompatible with society’s ideas of making a ‘suitable marriage.’ Finally, at age 23, she married Teddy Wharton, so wealthy that he never had to work or apply himself to much of anything. Including his marriage. Okay, neither of them was working hard at the relationship. Married for 28 years, the couple grew farther and farther apart, while Edith developed many [psychosomatic?] ailments and Teddy became increasingly mentally unstable [for real]. Edith began to write and to be published: poetry first, then short stories, then her breakthrough novel House of Mirth in 1905. Many novels followed, all treating the same themes: dysfunctional marriages; young women in high society trying to get married; high society and the nouveau-riche who tried to enter it; Americans traveling in Europe. Throughout, Wharton had a keen eye for the foibles of her class, which made her suspect. Eventually, she moved permanently to France. Her work with refugee children during World War I earned her accolades from the French government. Her novels earned her a Pulitzer Prize and a life-time income. She is one of my all-time favorite authors.

For Edith Wharton’s love of all things Italian, a frittata for breakfast. For her novel Summer, written in 1917, a meal with ‘summer’ in the name and in the ingredients. Curl up with a good book by Edith Jones Wharton today and transport yourself to the Guilded Age.

Spinach Frittata: 131 calories 7 g fat 2 g fiber 11 g protein 6.6 g carbs [5 g Complex] 127 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Whether it is breakfast or dinner, Spinach Fritatta checks off all the boxes.

1 two-oz egg 1 Tbsp cottage cheese 3 Tbsp spinach, cooked, squeezed and chopped 1/8 oz/ 2 Tbsp chopped scallions, white or green parts ¼ oz Manchego OR Cheddar cheese, grated dash of grated nutmeg dash of granulated garlic 2 oz strawberries  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Cook the spinach, drain it, and squeeze it in your hands to remove excess water.  [TIP: save the drained water for cooking vegetables or pasta] Chop the spinach and mix with scallions, both cheeses, nutmeg, and garlic. Lightly spray a baking dish with oil or non-stick spray. Pour the vegetable-cheese mixture into the dish and arrange so it is evenly distributed. Whisk the egg and pour over the mixture. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Plate with the berries and pour the beverages.

Summertime Pasta: 234 calories 10.6 g fat 6 g fiber 9 g protein 27.5 g carbs 126 mg Calcium  PB  This excellent recipe is from Fast Food My Way  by Jacques Pepin. It is indeed fast to prepare, and after a few alterations, it is fit for a Fast Day too. Excellent as it is, but if you want to add more protein, put in ¼ cup of shredded cooked chicken breast.  HINT: The recipe as written serves two [2] persons.

Sv 2 
3 oz diced tomatoes
¾ c diced zucchini
1 oz snow peas or sugar snaps
1 oz diced mushrooms ½ tsp salt & black pepper
3 Tbsp EVOO		Mix everything in a microwavable glass bowl.
2 oz whole wheat pasta shells
1 qt water & salt		20 minutes before serving, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook about 7 minutes until al dente. Drain.
Microwave vegetables 2 mins or longer until they are lukewarm.
¼ c ParmesanCombine drained pasta with warm vegetables, then stir in the cheese.
Fresh basil + edible flowersPlate and top with basil and edible flowers if you have them.

St Sebastian

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

When I was a child, my grandmother’s neighbor had a very Victorian living room. On a pedestal in the corner was a statue of a writhing man, tied to a pillar and studded with arrows. My sister and I couldn’t take our eyes off of it, which worried our mother. It was, of course, Saint Sebastian. His plight was a popular topic for artists. Born in Narbonne, France, his legend says that he joined the Roman Army so he could help Christians who were being persecuted for their faith. When he was discovered doing that, he was shot full of arrows — but he survived, nursed back to health by Saint Irene. When he continued to defy the Romans, he was at last killed for real and not with arrows. The earliest mention of him as a martyr is in 350 CE, only 62 years after his death. Sebastian in art proliferated in the 14th century for several reasons. a] depicting him was an approved way for artists to sculpt or paint the nude male body; b] his recovery from near-death was considered encouraging for Plague victims; c] art-buying patrons became interested in Greek and Roman art which was full of nudes; d] since people didn’t see much nudity, they flocked to see St Sebastian — so much so that in 1592, the Pope cracked down on nudity in art, including poor Sebastian. [One painting of him was said to cause women to sin and men to get certain ideas which the Church frowned upon.] Maybe Sebastian is due for a make-over and revival.

Since the saint was born in southern France, home of Roquefort cheese, our breakfast features bleu cheese. Since Sebastian died pierced with arrows, we will be perverse and eat kabobs for dinner. His Feast Day is January 20.

Bleu Cheese ScrOmelette: 166 calories 10.5 g fat 0.6 g fiber  13 g protein 7 g carbs [5 g Complex] 106 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF PB  Bleu cheese is delightful in eggs – do try it this week.

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.   3/8 oz bleu cheese 1 Tbsp fat-free cottage cheese 3 oz applesauce, unsweetened   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 3 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [44 calories]

Mash the cheeses together with a fork or the back of a spoon. Whisk the eggs and put into a hot pan spritzed with cooking spray. Once the bottom of the eggs are set, dab on the cheese, fold and plate. Portion the applesauce, brew beverage, blend the smoothie or take it from the ‘fridge and shake it before serving. Mmm-yummy!

Lamb Kabobs: 227 calories 6 g fat 5 g fiber 22 g protein 31.4 g Carbs 41 mg Calcium   PB GF  This is so easy and so perfect for summer. It can be prepared in the cold of winter, if you need some summer thoughts and memories

3 oz lamb leg in cubes 1 Tbsp tomato juice OR water granulated garlic + crumbled rosemary 1.5 oz red bell pepper, in 1½” chunks 1.5 oz zucchini, sliced ¾” thick, then cut in quarters 1 oz red onion, cut in chunks ¾ cup Corn-Tomato Salsa***  

***Corn-Tomato Salsa  1.5 cups 1 cup corn kernels 1 cup diced tomato 2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper 2 Tbsp diced red onion 2 Tbsp cider vinegar 1/8 tsp dry mustard 1/8 tsp turmeric ¼ tsp sugar 2 dashes ground cumin 

Combine the tomato juice, garlic, and rosemary with the lamb. Stir to coat and set aside to marinate for 30-60 minutes. Prepare the vegetables and Corn Salsa while the meat sits. Impale the vegetables and lamb chunks on skewers, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan [indoors] or an outdoor grill and cook the kabobs on all sides. The meat will brown and the vegetables will begin to char a bit. Plate with the salsa for a very colorful meal.

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

1 two-oz egg + cooked spinach1 two-oz eggs 
cottage cheese + scallion + nutmegkorma curry sauce
Manchego or Cheddar cheese broccoli
garlic powder + strawberriesstrawberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Tomatoes + zucchini + Parmesan 6 oz whole wheat pizza dough, homemade or purchased
snow peas or sugar snap peascepe mushrooms, fresh or reconstituted + Parmesan
olive oil + white mushroomscooked spinach + crushed tomatoes
whole wheat small pasta shellsprosciutto + parsley + side salad with beets & cukes
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Cherry Orchard

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

The Cherry Orchard, the last play by Anton Chekhov, had its debut in 1904 on his birthday January 17. He called the play a comedy, viewers often see it as a drama, but in its heart it is an allegory of the times in which he lived. In brief, the play centers around a land-owning lady who returns to her childhood home. There she had lived with her husband, raised their children, and suffered the death of her husband and son. Due to her inability to manage money, she and her family are on the edge of bankruptcy. A solution might be to cut down the family’s large cherry orchard and sell off lots for summer cottages, but the family will not hear of it. By the end of the play, the land has been sold, the family leaves their home forever, and the cherry trees are being cut down as the curtain falls. Why a play about this silly woman and her trees? The story takes place in post-feudal Russia. The serfs have been freed and can become upwardly mobile — like the business man who buys the land. In pre-Revolution Russia, there was a clash of old ideas [privileged aristocrats exiting Stage Left] and new ideas about individual rights [enter Marx and Lenin Stage Right]. The orchard represents class differences: for the serfs it means hours of labor to prune the trees, to harvest and process the fruit; for the upper-class it is a lovely place to picnic and enjoy because of the work of others. The orchard represents a land-based, old-world economy, cutting it down paves the way for modern ‘Western’ ways of life. The audience got the point and the play has been popular with audiences ever since.

Our meals today are typically Russian, and yes, there are cherries. Blinis lead the way in Act I. And a very typical cabbage soup for the serfs stars in Act II. For everyone, a recipe for Russian-style tea — not the ersatz version from the 1960s, but the genuine article.

Buckwheat Blini Breakfast: 213 calories 5 g fat 3 g fiber 9 g protein 31 g carbs 67.6 mg Calcium NB: The food values shown are for the plated items only, not for the optional beverages. Blini are associated with Russia and caviar. Here they appear in more humble company at breakfast. Sour Cherry Syrup  is just the thing to top them, though cherry jelly thinned with water would be good too. Russians would serve this with strong black tea, sweetened with honey, and garnished with a slice of lemon, called Zavarka.

2 buckwheat blini** 1 oz ham 1 Tbsp/ ½ fl oz Sour Cherry Syrup Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or black tea with honey + lemon or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or Zavarka++ [21-64 calories]

If previously-made, warm the blini and roll them. Warm and roll the ham, too. Plate them all and lash with the syrup. A simple and tasty meal.

**BUCKWHEAT BLINI:  one batch yields 16 six-inch pancakes, ~1 oz each each = 72 calories 2 g fat 1.6 g fiber 2 g protein 10 g carbs 30 mg Calcium 

1¼ c skim milk ½ c all-purpose flour ½ c white whole wheat flour ½ c buckwheat flour ¾ tsp dry yeast 1 tsp salt 2 two-oz eggs 2 Tbsp butter 3-4 Tbsp water

Heat the milk until warm to the touch. Whisk together the flours, yeast, and salt. Melt butter and let cool a bit. Mix with the warm milk, then whisk in the eggs. Combine wet and dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Let rest 90 minutes on the counter or 12 hrs in a cool place. After the resting, stir the batter and heat a well-seasoned or non-stick skillet. Spritz with non-stick spray, then wipe with a bit of paper towel. To make 6” diameter blini, I used a 3 Tbsp scoop. The batter is thicker than crepe-batter, but thinner than most pancake-batter. It begins to cook as soon as it hits the pan, so tip/rotate the pan with one hand as you add batter with the other. Then use a scraper to nudge the batter over the edges. Cook on one side, as holes form on the top. Then turn and cook on the other side.  TIP: they freeze well

++Russian Tea, Zavarka: with 1 tsp honey = 21 calories 0g fat, fiber, protein 5.5 g carbs 0.3 mg Calcium with 1 Tbsp honey = 64 calories 0g fat, fiber, protein 16.5 g carbs 1 mg Calcium

1-2 cups of teaRecipe from  Peter Kolesnichenko
4-5 heaping tsp loose leaf tea1 cup boiling hot water Put tea into a small tea pot and add water. Let steep 10+ mins, ensuring all tea leaves have sunk to the bottom.
boiling water for tea = kipyatok (кипяток)Pour some tea concentrate into a cup, then fill the cup with boiling water. Adjust amounts, depending on your preferrence.
1-2 tsp honey per cup lemon slice per cupAdd honey and a lemon slice. Keep topping up zavarka with hot water and enjoy drinking real Russian Tea.

Shchi – Russian Cabbage Soup: 280 calories 4 g fat 4.6 g fiber 8 g protein 45 g carbs 37.5 mg Calcium  PB GF- if using GF bread or omitting. This hearty soup can be made with beef and beef stock or with chicken stock or vegetable stock. For Russians, it is the taste of Rodina, the Mother Land.  HINT: This recipe makes enough for four [4] servings.  Recipe author Julia Frey says that this soup ‘will give you the energy you need in the dead of winter.’ [ the name of the soup is pronounced like the word ‘she.’]

4-5 one cup servings
½ of an onion  1 carrot 
1 bay leaf 3-4 whole peppercorns a pinch of salt 1 L./4 c chicken stock 		Cut carrot in 3-4 pieces. Combine all the ingredients for the broth and cook 1½ hrs. If using beef: add 1/3 pound stew beef and water. After cooking, remove beef with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Strain broth through a fine sieve to clear it. Discard vegetables and spices. OR use 1 qts quality Brown Stock or Chicken Stock. I used chicken stock, simmered for 30 mins with these ingredients to give the stock a richer flavor. I did not add meat.
7 oz potatoPeel potato, cut in 1/2″ chunks. In a soup pot, put broth, beef and potatoes and bring to a boil.
3/4 cup shredded carrot ½ cup onion 1½ tsp butterShred the carrot and chop the onion.
Saute carrots and onions with butter over low heat until tender and the onions translucent, ~10 mins.
1 cup cabbage, chopped When soup boils, add cabbage and vegetables, [and beef if using] cook  5 mins and turn heat off. Do not to overcook the vegetables! 
2 Tbsp parsley, fresh 1 tsp dill, dried salt and pepper Chop parsley. Add herbs, salt, and pepper to taste. 
As always, soup tastes better if you prepare it ahead of time and let it sit for a few hours or overnight.
2 tsp whipped cream cheese
1 oz sourdough rye bread 		Serve each bowl with a dollop of cream and the optional bread.

Dwellings: the Saltbox

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

When Europeans arrived in New England in the 1600s, at first they lived in whatever shelter they could devise. As they had the means to plan their living spaces, they invented a new style of architecture: the Saltbox House. First seen around 1650, the house is named for its distinctive roof-line, which looks like a box that was always nailed to the wall near the fireplace. It held salt and had a sloping lid that could flip up when the cook reached in for a pinch of seasoning. A short description: the house has a center chimney and a 2-story facade, flat or garrison. The roof rises from there to a ridge, then swoops down to a 1-story height in the back. The advantages are several: the South-facing facade takes advantage of light and sun’s heat in the Winter [early passive-solar heating]; the North-facing, windowless back roof shields the house from winter winds and sheds snow; the 2-story parts of the house are roomy enough for a large family; the 1-story back of the house works for pantry and kitchen. Built with post-and-beam construction, the house was fairly easy to assemble, all without costly nails. Dear Husband and I love the iconic look of this style so much that we build one for our own home. It is odd that the style did not catch on in other areas, perhaps because by the Revolution [1770a] the style was considered old fashioned. It may be old-style, but that is why we love it.

Salt was an important commodity in early America, most importantly for preserving food by salting or brining. The ingredients of our foods today use ingredients that require salting: salt cod and ham, both of which would have been in the larder of a 17th century Saltbox house-wife.

Brandade Bake: 145 calories 8.5 g fat 1 g fiber 11 g protein 4.3 g carbs [2.8 g Complex] 45 mg Calcium  NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages.  PB GF  Salt cod was common in New England. In Southern France it is turned into brandade which is worth trying. Here it is at breakfast, all creamy and garlicy.

1 two-oz egg ½ Tbsp cottage cheese 1 Tbsp brandade    shake of granulated garlic 2 oz melon OR 1 oz peach slices + ½ oz blueberries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Cream together the cottage cheese, brandade, and garlic. Whisk in the egg. Bake in a lightly-spritzed ramekin at 350 F. until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. With the fruit and beverages, you have a fine start to the day.

Ham & Oyster Pie: 256 calories 4.6 g fat 3 g fiber 21 g protein 25.5 g carbs 125 mg Calcium   PB GF — if using GF bread  This dish was popular in the tidewater American Colonies in the winter. I first enjoyed it in the Fox Tavern of the Hancock Inn. As long as oysters are available, one can have it anytime. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two].

A casserole to serve two people

3 oz [2/3 cup] roast ham in ½” dice 1 cup oysters with their liquid, about 19 ½ cup onions, chopped ¼ cup milk 2 Tbsp white wine 2 tsp potato starch ½ cup peas, frozen one slice of 70-calorie whole-grain bread

Using a small star-shaped cookie cutter, cut 4 little stars from the single slice of bread. Toast lightly. Drain oysters and reserve their liquid. Combine onion and oyster liquid in a small pan. Simmer, covered, until onions are transluscent. Stir wine, milk, and potato starch into the liquid until it is smooth. Add oysters and ham. Stir and heat over low until sauce has thickened. Add peas, stir, and turn into a two-cup casserole. Bake uncovered at 400 F. for 15 minutes. Before serving, nestle the stars into the bubbling sauce.

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

2 buckwheat blini = buckwheat flour1.5 two-oz eggs 
+ all-purpose flour + eggsbleu cheese
+dry yeast + white whole wheat flourfat-free cottage cheese
butter + milkunsweetened applesauce
3%-fat ham + sour cherry syrupoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

chicken stock + potato + dill weedcubes of lamb leg meat + red bell pepper
cabbage + carrot + onionzucchini + red onion + granulated garlic
butter + parsley + sauerkrautrosemary + tomato juice, optional
whipped cream cheese + dark rye breadcorn-tomato salsa
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Rubicon

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

On January 10, 49 BCE, Julius Caesar had a decision to make. He had conquered Gaul, extending the Roman territory into modern France. This established him as an army general of note and a force to be reckoned with. Now it was time to return to Rome. He wanted to be hailed as a victorious general, heaped with praise and honor. But the Roman Senate was filled with his political enemies — instead of congratulations, they wanted to punish and exile him. Caesar and his legion were camped just north of a tiny river called the Rubicon. It marked the northern limit of the Roman Republic. To cross it with an army would be an act of war against the Republic. For Caesar, to cross it without an army would mean arrest and political defeat. He considered his options. It would be a gamble… Caesar is believed to have quoted a line from his favorite Greek playwright, saying: “Alea iacta est.” [in English, “Let the die be cast.”] He crossed the Rubicon.

Are you at a cross-roads about your health? Do you have a decision to make? Is your weight a concern? Or your cholesterol count? Are you concerned about being pre-diabetic? The choice is to do nothing [and risk serious health consequences] or to try 5:2 Fasting, which you are sure would be difficult for you. So try this: treat yourself to one Fast-style dinner this week and see how you like it. The recipe below is easy to prepare and puts a goodly portion of food on your plate. Go ahead, try it. Don’t have any pork? No problem! Substitute 6 oz of shrimp [making a two-person amount] in the same recipe. Cast the dice and be a winner.

Pork Noodle Quick-fry: 262 calories 8.5 g fat 5 g fiber 34 g protein 32 g carb 73.5 mg Calcium  PB Found on the back of a bag of soba noodles, this recipe is quick and easy and good to eat.  HINT: this is enough for TWO. Instead of soba noodles, you can use udon noodles.

2 oz Soba or Udon noodles 
1 qt water		Heat water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook 4 minutes. Drain, rinse, and cool.
3 oz cabbage OR 1 c snow peas
2 oz onion
1 cup [4 oz] carrot 
3 oz broccoli		Shred the cabbage and the carrot.
Slice the onion and chop the broccoli.
If using snow peas, remove the strings and leave whole.
1 tsp sesame oil cooking sprayHeat a heavy frying pan or wok. Add oil and heat it, then spray with cooking oil. Add vegetables and stir-fry 3 minutes.
5 oz roasted pork tenderloin  HINT: use pork which was cooked previouslySlice pork into ½” rounds, then slice cross-wise into sticks. Add 2-3 Tbsp water to the wok along with meat. Stir-fry 1 minute
2 oz scallions
1 Tbsp soy sauce		Slice scallions diagonally. Add to wok with soy sauce and cook until everything is hot.

Alfred Wegener’s Big Idea

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

Alfred Wegener, born 1880 in Berlin, Germany, was trained as an astronomer but became a meteorologist instead. He pioneered research with weather balloons and studied climate in the arctic. While looking at atlases, Wegener was struck by the way South America and Africa looked like two puzzle pieces which should fit together. This made him think that the land masses had once been parts of one large continent, which he called ‘Pangaea‘ or ‘all-land,’ and that since then the continents had moved apart. Alfred began to look for proof that this was so. His research showed that plants, such as the extinct land plant ‘Glossopteris,’ and the same reptile fossils are found on several continents. He found that there are mountain chains in North America that match up with those in Scotland. This line of thinking caused Wegener to present his Theory of Continental Drift on January 6, 1912. He explained the ability of the continents to move by giving the analogy of steamer trunks being pushed across a smooth floor. [In those days, it was believed that the sea floor was flat and smooth.] Wegener thought that the continents were not attached to the seafloor substrate and could slide or drift on top of it. But when asked by fellow scientists how and why the continents moved, Wegener had no explanation. A book in 1915 fleshed out his theory, and the author republished it several times until 1929, adding new evidence. Wegener was correct: the continents were once together, the most recent being 230 million years ago. Many times before, there was a supercontinent. Wegener was also incorrect: not only do the continents move, the sea floors move too, propelled by molten currents under the Earth’s crust. Geologists did not accept his theory and it was relegated to the scrap-heap of under-proven ideas. He died in Greenland, on an expedition, on his 50th birthday.

After you have cooked the ScrOmelette, cut it into two pieces, making the cut jagged instead of straight. This makes two ‘puzzle pieces.’ which is what lead Wegener to his idea of the continents fitting together. The roasting vegetables can slide back and forth on the baking sheet, just as Wegener thought that the continents could slide over the sea floor.

Leek & Tomato ScrOmelette:  153 calories 7.4 g fat 3 g fiber 10.4 g protein 12 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  Eggs taste great — leeks and tomatoes always make them even better.

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 oz tomato 2 pinches basil 0.35 oz leeks, sliced and cooked  pinch garlic powder 1 clementine OR 2 oz apple  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]

Dice the tomatoes and put them in a pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Add salt and the basil, and cook until warm. Add the cooked leeks along with the garlic powder. Whisk the eggs and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Cook to your liking: as a scramble or as an omelette. Plate with the fruit, serve the beverages of your choice, and enjoy a fine day.

Turkey w/ Roasted Delicata and Sweet Potato: 294 calories 4 g fat 7 g fiber 13 g protein 36 g carbs 85,5 mg Calcium  PB GF Anna Stockwell from Epicurious came up with this recipe and am I glad. Here is a simple sheet-pan meal topped with a delicious agrodolce sauce.  HINT: This recipe serves two [2] people. As attractive as it is delicious.

Sv 2Preheat oven to 425°F. 
12 oz delicata squash 10 oz sweet potatoes
1½ tsp EVOO		Slice unpeeled squash into ¾” thick rounds, and remove seeds. Peel + slice sweet potatoes in ¾” rounds. Toss vegetables and oil in a bowl.
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp salt		Add pepper flakes and salt, and toss to combine.
3 thyme sprigsArrange vegetables lat on a large cast iron skillet with thyme on top. Roast 30 mins.
4 oz turkey breast, sliced ½” thick
cooking spray 		Lightly salt both sides of turkey. Take skillet from oven, spray veggies with oil, and turn them over. Put turkey on top of vegetables, and return to oven for 10 mins.
1½ Tbsp agrodolce** per person Plate vegetables, place the meat on top,+ dollop agrodolce over all. 
CRANBERRY AGRODOLCEMakes = 6 TBSP = 4 SV
2 oz cranberries
¼ c red wine vinegar 2 oz sugar 
1 sprig thyme		Cook these in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberries are soft and sauce is thick and syrupy, ~35 mins.

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

cottage cheese
brandade + one 2-oz egg
Find a new favorite breakfast in Archivesgranulated garlic
melon
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

soba or udon noodles + onionham + 1 cup oysters and their liquid
soy sauce + cabbagemilk + peas
sesame oil + carrot + scallionpotato starch + white wine
broccoli + roasted pork tenderloin70-calorie bread
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Perihelion  

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

The Earth orbits the Sun. This scientific theory, first proved by Copernicus in 1543, has been a fact since it was confirmed by Galileo in 1610. Since the time of Aristotle, it was thought that the shape of any orbit was a perfect circle because circles-are-a-perfect-shape-and-nature-is-perfect. This mantra was practically holy writ for almost 2000 years. Then in 1609, Kepler demonstrated that all the planets orbit the sun in orbits that are elliptical in shape. Society likes things to be set in stone, but Science keeps an open mind and changes its mind when new facts come along. And so we know that the Earth orbits the Sun in an oval orbit. On January 3rd, the Earth is at Perihelion — from the latin for ” the closest point in its orbit to the Sun.” This always came as a surprise to my Earth Science students, who thought that Summer was when the Earth was closer to the Sun and therefore hotter. Nope. At an average of 93 million miles from our star, the small distance change due to our elliptical orbit makes no difference in the Earth’s temperature. We seem to be taking care of that ourselves. And we each need to work harder at not making the Earth any warmer.

Our meals come from warmer climates just for the fun of it, not because a position at Perihelion causes the Earth to be warmer.

Goan Shrimp Bake: 126 calories 5.5 g fat 1 g fiber 12.6 g protein 6.6 g carbs 50 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  A breakfast with the flavors of Goa. Dear Husband is a big fan.

One 2-oz egg ¼ cup water 1½ tsp tomato paste ¼ tsp chili powder ¼ tsp turmeric powder 0.9 oz shrimp, cut in roughly ¼” slices 1 Tbsp scallion, chopped ¼ c cilantro, chopped 1 oz mango or 2 oz strawberries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Thaw and peel the shrimp, and cut into roughly ¼” slices. Put the water, tomato paste and spices into a small pan. Simmer until the liquid is hot and thicker. Turn heat way down and add the shrimp. Cook until it is opaque, then take off the heat and add the cilantro and scallion. HINT: I did this the night before.  Scrape the shrimp mixture into a baking dish. Whisk the egg and pour into the baking dish. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until the eggs are set and there is no liquid when you cut into it. Plate with the fruit and wow! Such a delicious breakfast.

Taiwanese-Style Seafood Pancakes: each serving: 298 calories 11 g fat 1.6 g fiber 20 g protein 21.5 g carbs 141 mg Calcium  PB This recipe is taken from Wok On by Ching He Huang  HINT: This is enough for two [2] dinner pancakes. Invite a fellow Faster or cut recipe in half.  Note to purists: the original recipe does not call for wheat flour, let alone whole wheat flour. But I am into nutrition and insist that there be some fiber and complex carbs in my food, hence the heretical addition.

2 Tbsp of hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp of oyster sauce
2 Tbsp red sriracha		Combine the ingredients for a sweet-hot sauce. = 6 Tbsp1½ Tbsp = 20 calories 0.3 g fat 0.2 g fiber 0.3 g protein 4.5 g carbs 5.5 mg Calcium 
1/3c/ 20g potato flour or flakes  ¼c/ 30g white whole wheat flour 2 Tbsp/ 14g cornstarch  180ml/ 6oz/180g cold water Mix the dry ingredients with the water and stir to combine. Let sit to wet the ingredients, then stir again, adding more water if batter is too stiff. Batter should have the consistancy of milk so it will flow well in the pan. Divide the batter into 2 equal portions
2 spring onions
½ tsp crushed red pepper		Cut scallions into a fine dice.Add cut scallions and crushed pepper to the portions of batter above. Stir.
75g/ 2oz mixed seafood: mussels/shrimp/fish/squid  Cut the seafood into pieces less than ½” in size. Divide the combination into 2 equal portions
2 eggs
50g/ 2oz pak choi 		Beat eggs to break them up. Slice pak choi thinly across the leaves. Divide eggs and greens equally between 2 bowls.
½ tsp light sesame oil cooking oil spray
one portion of seafood mixture one portion of batter one portion egg-greens mixture		Heat a flat-bottomed wok or heavy saute pan over medium heat. Add oil, swirl it around to distribute, then spray with cooking oil. Add mixed seafood and fry for a few seconds.  Add the flour batter, and tip pan to distribute. Immediately add the egg-greens. Cook 60 secs until starting to brown, flip and cook on the other side until starting to brown. Put on a plate and cover with a tea towel.
½ tsp light sesame oil
cooking oil spray
one portion of seafood mixture
one portion of batter
one portion egg-greens mixture 		Make the second ‘pancake’ in the same way, using the remaining ingredients. 



drizzle with 1½ Tbsp hot sauce per serving

Kwanzaa

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

Kwanzaa was developed in 1966 as a response to the Watts Riots of 1965. Professor Maulana Karenga, chair of Africana Studies at California State University, was distressed at the lack of unity among Black Americans and their estrangement from their African roots. After much research into the festivals of Zulu and Ashanti people, he proposed a new holiday: Kwanzaa, to run from December 26 to January 1. Each day features the lighting of a candle and a family discussions of certain principles, along with singing, dancing, and eating culturally-based foods. The seven principles are: Unity; Self-determination; Collective work and responsibility; Cooperative economics; Purpose; Creativity; and Faith. These are excellent values that we all can espouse. Kwanzaa has been embraced by people around the world, not just in the USA. Tomorrow will be Day 5 of Kwanzaa, a day of Purpose. Find a new purpose for your life, whether it is volunteering in your community or being purposeful about your health choices. Happy Kwanzaa to all those who celebrate.

Here I offer two breakfasts for Kwanzaa, from Northern Africa and from Southern Africa. Muhindi [corn] is one of the major symbols of Kwanzaa, so it is fitting to eat it in the Mealie Bread. Your family probably has its own favorite dinner menus, from Hoppin’ John to Cajun Catfish. It is all about family and the foods you share.

Moroccan Omelette: 135 calories 8 g fat 1.4 g fiber 10 g protein 7.7 g carbs 49 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Suggested by our First-born, this is the easiest breakfast to prepare. For the compete flavor profile, serve with mint tea as they do in Morocco.

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 tsp or more ground cumin ½ tsp or more paprika salt + pepper 1/2 clementine OR 5 Bing cherries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or MINT TEA or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Combine the cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small dish. Whisk just the eggs vigorously. Pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Turn down the heat. Sprinkle the eggs with the seasonings and leave undisturbed until puffy and the top is set. Remove from skillet, and serve folded or flat. Pour the beverages and enjoy the fruit as a counter-point to the spices.

Mealie Bread Breakfast: 190 calories 2.5 g fat 3 g fiber 13.4 g protein 25.4 g carbs 73 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF flour in mealie bread  Mealie bread is a staple in southern Africa. It is simple to prepare and you will like it. Here it makes a fine breakfast as one of four typically African foods and flavors: 1] mealie bread 2] watermelon [originally from Egypt] 3] coffee 4] chicken [several native species].

3 Mealie Breads** 4 oz watermelon 1½ oz chicken breast meat, cooked   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

**Mealie Breads: makes 24 pieces using a 1½ Tbsp scoop 1 piece = 73 calories 0.5 g fat 1 g fiber 1 g protein 5.6 g carbs 20 mg Calcium I cooked the batter as patties, scooped onto a griddle. Fine flavor at breakfast or dinner.

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

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

Prepare and cook the mealie bread or warm from the freezer. Cut chicken into strips and watermelon into chunks. Plate and enjoy with another African flavor: coffee.

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

1 two-oz egg + raw shrimp1.5 two-oz eggs 
tomato paste + chili powderleek + fresh tomato
turmeric + cilantro leavesgarlic powder + basil
scallion + strawberries or mangoclementine or apple
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

cornstarch + potato flakes + 2-oz eggdelicata squash + sweet potato
white whole wheat flour + red chiliolive oil + raw turkey breast + thyme sprigs
mixed seafood + canola oil + oyster saucered pepper flakes + sugar
pak choi or swiss chard + srirachacranberries + red wine vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Marlene Dietrich

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

Marlene Dietrich was born as Maria Magdelena Dietrich on 27 December, 1901. Her father died when she was 10, her step-father died in WWI. Initially, she trained as a musician, mastering violin and piano, but then she turned to the cabaret scene of Germany in the 1920s — think ‘Sally Bowles’ of Cabaret. She sang and danced, to the disapproval of her family, prompting her to change her name to Marlene — a mash-up of her first and middle names. A few minor film roles followed, with her big break in Der Blaue Engle in 1930, playing a cabaret singer [watch the trailer!]. Hollywood called, and although she was successful and famous, she was always cast as a sultry prostitute. Her persona was that of a femme fatale, often dressed in men’s clothing, and she was considered the sexiest woman of the 1930s. To break from her stereotypical casting, she showed her comedic chops in Destry Rides Again, 1939. During the 2nd World War, Dietrich was active for the Allied war effort, entertaining troupes [playing the musical saw] and volunteering at the Hollywood USO. She was decorated by both the US and France for her work. After the war, she turned to a singing career and performed at clubs worldwide. Breaking one of her famous legs caused her to be bed-bound in her Paris apartment for the last 13 years of her life. From there, she chatted with world leaders by phone, lobbying for her favorite causes. She was a woman of many parts.

Our meals are typically German. They are different from the norm and that catches your senses in an intriguing way — rather like Marlene Dietrich as an actress. Dietrich enjoyed house-wifely tasks and one might imagine that she cooked these meals.

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

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [we like Dave’s ‘Good Seed‘ ] 1½ oz Bockwurst 2 Tbsp small-curd cottage cheese, reduced fat ¼ c mixed berries or sliced strawberries    Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [85 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.

Senfeier (Eggs in Mustard Sauce): 323 calories 15.5 g fat 2 g fat 17 g protein 12 g carbs 158 mg Calcium   PB GF – if using GF flour in the sauce + GF bread or omitting   This recipe represents ‘comfort food’ in Germany: simply, homey, the sort of meal your Grossmutti would serve you for lunch or supper.  TIP: prepare the bechamel before-hand [handy to have in freezer] and boil the eggs the day before. Very easy to prepare, this is a meal for a busy day.  HINT: This recipe serves two [2] people. 

4 hard-boiled eggs ½ c Bechamel sauce, no cheese  1 Tbsp grainy mustard 2 fl oz/¼ c white wine ¾ c frozen, chopped spinach nutmeg 1 oz sour-dough rye bread [optional: omit to lose 35 calories]

Combine the bechamel, mustard and wine in a saute pan and warm them gently, stirring to combine. In a separate covered pan, warm the spinach with a little water and many pinches of nutmeg. Peel and halve the eggs and put them in the sauce, cut-side up. Cover and keep over low until eggs and sauce are warm. Warm the optional bread. Either plate the spinach along side of the eggs, or under the eggs, or combine the spinach with the sauce. Delicious any way you plate it, with or without the bread.

Little Christmas Eve

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

December 23 is crunch time. House guests are being welcomed, festive foods are being prepared, gifts have to be wrapped, and the air is electric with busyness and expectation. In some parts of Scandinavia it is called Little Christmas Eve. It is a day to wind up all the activities and then to catch your breath. Meals are simple, made more so by a large pot of soup simmering on the stove. What, you’re hungry? Help yourself to soup for lunch and dinner, the cook is off duty for meal-preparation. In our family, most everything is done by then and we can relax in the evening and enjoy each other’s company. Play games, or watch a holiday movie, or read from A Christmas Carol, by Dickens. It might be the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, so plan to be relaxing at home with a comforting bowl of soup. That’s what Little Christmas Eve is all about.

An easy breakfast to remind us of the Solstice, and then a simple soup for supper. Perfect for late December in the Northern Hemisphere.

Winter Solstice Scramble: 152 calories… 8.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 10.4 g protein… 7.5 g carbs… 45.4 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  There is a classic pizza called “Four Seasons.” In each quadrant of the pizza is a vegetable or meat which represents one of the seasons. We take this idea to breakfast for the Solstice: cured olives represent the departing Autumn, while cured meat stands in for the arriving Winter

++ 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 slice pepperoni [ 2” diameter], chopped ++++ 1 Kalamata olive, chopped ++++ large pinch of Winter Savory ++++ salt ++++ pepper ++++ 2 oz pear ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait ++++   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk the chopped meat, olive, and seasonings with the eggs. Pour into into a lightly-spritzed non-stick saute pan and scramble to your liking. Plate with the pear and pour the beverages. You now have a meal prepared in a short time to usher in the shortest day of the year.

Baked Bean Soup: 285 calories… 3.5 g fat… 8 g fiber… 11.4 g protein… 32 g carbs… 83.4 mg Calcium… PB GF  This classic is from Fannie Farmer cookbook and it sure hits the spot. Super easy to prepare. OK, the carb count is high, but look how low the fat is! And baked beans are good for you!  HINT: Serve 2 [two].

1 cup baked beans, canned ++++ 1/8” slice onion, chopped ++++ 1 stalk celery, chopped ++++ ¾ cup canned or stewed tomatoes ++++ 1½ cup brown stock/beef stock ++++ dash hot sauce ++++ salt & pepper ++++  optional garnish: ½ hard boiled egg, sliced ++++ optional garnish: sliced scallion + diced tomato ++++  optional garnish: lemon slices

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

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

70-calorie whole-grain bread1.5 two-oz eggs 
mixed berriesground cumin
cottage cheese, lower-fatpaprika
bockwurstclementine or apple or cherries
optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

2-4 hard-boiled eggs + grainy mustardMealie Breads
= corn kernels
bechamel sauce, no cheesecornmeal + white whole wheat flour + egg
frozen chopped spinach + white winemilk + sugar + paprika + butter
nutmeg + optional sour-dough rye breadwatermelon + chicken breast
Sparkling waterSparkling water