recipes for Michael Mosley’s 5:2 Diet

Breakfast Beverages

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat a breakfast and a dinner from the Archive tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, for a second 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.

Those of you who read my blog regularly [thank you for that!] will notice that in a breakfast menu I always mention ‘optional beverages.’ Today I’m going to flesh out what I mean by that — breakfast beverages without the extra flesh. We have always consumed a cold beverage and a hot beverage at breakfast, and I will explain how those evolved as we embarked on our Fasting Lifestyle. The beverages detailed below are what we drink everyday, since they are too delicious to serve only two days a week.

Cold Beverage: Dear Husband and I grew up drinking cold orange juice at breakfast. Our generation was taught that this was important for our health [advertising by the Florida Orange Growers Association is to blame for that]. But our bodies see orange juice as just sugar water — without the fiber in whole fruit, the sugar in the fruit is digested just as sugar is. 5 oz orange juice from concentrate = 74 calories 0 g fat 0 g fiber 0.6 g protein 17.9 g carbs [0 g Complex] 12 mg Calcium WITH the fiber, digestion is slower and the sugar spike is minimized. So we began to make our own smoothies: whole fruit, whole juices [fruit pressed, seeds removed], yogurt, some orange juice. The two most popular are these:

Berry-Yogurt Smoothie: 88 calories 0.1 g fat 1 g fiber 4 g protein 20 g carbs [5.2 g Complex] 105 mg Calcium  PB GF Dear Husband was inspired to create this, in an effort to get more Calcium in our diet. HINT: Makes 4 [four] servings Food values above are for one serving.

1 cup yogurt [plain, fat-free] 2 oz banana 2 oz mixed berries or all one kind — strawberries/raspberries/blackberries ½ cup fruit juice with fiber [or ½ cup unsweetened applesauce – adds 1 g carbs and 2 more calories] 1 cup orange juice  HINT: I combine the fruits and put those in the freezer as ‘kits.’

Put the yogurt and fruit in the blender/VitaMix or container for using an immersion blender. Whiz it on HIGH until everything is blended and no bits of berry are seen. Add juice/applesauce with the orange juice and blend on low. Put what you don’t use today into the ‘fridge for another day.

Blueberry Smoothie: 118 calories 0.2 g fat 3.1 g fiber 5.7 g protein 30 g carbs 99 mg Calcium  PB GF From the people at Wild Blueberries of North America comes this excellent smoothie. Take the calorie count into account when you meal-plan. HINT: Recipe makes enough for 2 servings. The food values above are for one serving.

3 oz banana ½ cup plain, fat-free yogurt ½ cup blueberries ½ cup orange juice

Put banana, yogurt, and berries into the blender and process until smooth. Add the juice and blend on low. Wonderful berry flavor!

Hot beverages: Dear Husband’s family used to joke that if you didn’t drink coffee, you weren’t old enough to get married. In truth, he didn’t drink coffee at the time of our marriage [age 23], and I often drank tea. Together we moved to drinking our only cup of coffee at breakfast, and together we learned to love cafe-au-lait. Then we heard about cocoa flavonoids, and began to make ‘cocoa milk’ to make our coffee a mocha.

How to prepare cocoa milk: ½ cup 1% or 2% or whole** milk ½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder The night before, put the milk and cocoa powder in a jar with a tight lid. Shake it well, then put in the refrigerator over-night. This overnight time permits the milk to ‘wet’ the cocoa powder enough to hold the powder in suspension, rather than floating on top. **values for coffee, sugar if using whole milk: 87 calories 4.2 g fat 0.5 g fiber 4.2 g protein 9.4 g carbs 140 mg Calcium

Blackish Coffee: 55 calories 3.4 g fat 0 g fiber 0.9 g protein 5.6 g carbs 32 mg Calcium There’s ‘black coffee’ [no sweetener, no lightener, no calories] and then there is Black-ish Coffee. 1 cup black coffee 1 tsp sugar [doesn’t matter what type] 3 Tablespoons half & half [10% milk fat]

Frothy Mocha Cafe au Lait: 65 calories 1.4 g fat 0.5 g fiber 4.6 g protein 9 g carbs [1 g Complex] 159 mg Calcium High in Calcium, this has 5x the protein for only 10 calories more than Black-ish coffee, if using 1% milk. [35 more calories if using whole milk]

½ cup hot black coffee ½ cup cocoa milk ½ level teaspoon sugar

Shake the cocoa milk well, and warm it in the microwave or in a hot water bath on the stove. Put the coffee in a large [one cup+] cup or mug. Shake the milk again and pour into the coffee, adding the sugar. Use a frother to whip up the milk and coffee. Elegance with a great chocolate taste.

Ingredients for next week: 

Breakfast, single portion for Monday ………… single portion for Thursday:

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
zucchini + onion + garlic
Swiss chard + strawberries
jalapeño or hot pepper flakes + sage
Parmesan cheese
vinegar + roasted red pepper
paprika + garlic powder
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

1 pound zucchini + dill weed
salad greens + tomatoes
cooked chicken + Parmesan cheese
red bell pepper + pork roast
garlic + olive oil + onion
cranberries + zucchini
cooked brown rice + paprika
balsamic vinegar + olive oil
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Father E.

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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 Sumit Jaitely who is now Following.

Tomorrow, September 2, is the birthdate of my Father-in-Law. He was a very accomplished man. Trained as a physician, he was a pioneer in the field of pediatric allergies. At the same time, he was a recognized breeder and judge of gladiolas. In his spare time, he was an accomplished cook [much to the delight of his wife!]. Dear Husband and I like to recognize the birthdays of loved ones by serving meals they like/liked. “Dad” was the one who prepared the breakfasts, and poached egg on toast was one of his favorites. Dinners were also in his repertoire, and his bay scallops were a real treat. The scallops shown here are not of his invention. Dear Husband follows in his father’s footsteps as a very fine cook [much to the delight of his wife]. Happy 111th Birthday to Father E!

Poached Egg on Toast: 156 calories 5.6 g fat 2.4 g fiber 10.5 g protein 14.6 g carbs [10 g complex] 52.6 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg, toast, and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF — if using GF bread  I never used to like poached eggs, but on a Fast Day, they taste good.

one slice of 70-calorie whole-grain bread one 2-oz egg 1 and ½ oz of apple -OR- 2 oz melon Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water If using an egg poacher, lightly spray the egg cup and heat the water to a simmer. If not using an egg poacher, poach the egg using the simmering-pot- of-water method. Toast the bread but do not butter it. Poach the egg for 3-4 minutes, according to your taste. Slide the egg onto the toast; season to taste; enjoy with your optional hot beverage, and fruit smoothie. 

Curried Scallops: 244 calories 8.4 g fat 4.9 g fiber 21.4 g protein 12 g carbs 108.7 mg Calcium  PB GF Our son used make his own Indian curry powder, which is fabulous-tasting. He has moved on to Thai curries, but we still cook with his original powder. These scallops are delicious and filling. It is Dear Husband’s recipe.

¼ pound scallops 2 Tbsp Indian curry powder ½ Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp white wine 3 oz broccoli

Trim the scallops of the white tissue which may be on the side. Slice the scallops so that each disk is half its thickness. Pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle a plate with the curry powder and dredge the scallops in the powder, coating on both sides. Choose a heavy saute pan which is just large enough to hold the scallops in one layer. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the butter and spray well with non-stick spray. Place the scallops in the melted butter and cook on one side. Turn over and cook further, adding some more non-stick spray if pan seems too dry. When the scallops are done [this takes very little time], remove to your plate. Turn down heat and add the white wine to the pan to deglaze it, scraping up brown bits. Pour over scallops and plate the broccoli. A very easy and special meal.

Hot Enough?

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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.

I don’t know what the Winter in the Southern Hemisphere has been like this year, but we in the Northern Hemisphere have been baking! Records for ‘hottest this‘ and ‘hotter that‘ have been set and then broken again. Sometimes people don’t want to eat in hot weather, which can be good for weight loss. But sometimes they drink sugary cold drinks or beer or wine coolers all the while thinking [wrongly] this is the best way to beat the heat. Hydration is good, but real food in moderation is good too. How about eating less by enjoying Fasting meals on three or four days a week in hot weather? There are plenty of no-cook salads in the Archives. Let the Summer inclination not to eat much work to your advantage.

Today’s meals involve no stoves and no ovens. They are easy to prepare and very easy to eat. The breakfast can come cold out of the refrigerator if you prep it the night before. And the dinner is tailor made for a hot night.

Prosciutto & Melon Plate: 125 calories 7 g fat 1.2 g fiber 16.8 g protein 13.4 g carbs [13 g Complex] 135 mg Calcium  PB GF Once again the Inn at Saint Peter’s inspires a breakfast! Nothing beats the salty-sweet flavor combination of this meal. HINT: I plated everything the night before and stored the plates in zipper bags in the refrigerator.

4 oz canteloupe melon [Charentais melon would be fabulous!] 1 oz thinly-sliced prosciutto ¼ cup red onion pickle 0.1 oz shavings of Parmesan cheese fresh basil or mint leaves OR crumbled dried basil drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction, optional Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Cut the melon into bite-sized cubes [8 pieces look well on the plate]. Cut the prosciutto into 8 long strips [mine were 1”x4”]. Arrange the melon and ham in a circle on the plate with the red onion in the center. Shave off curls of Parmesan and place them on top. If using fresh herb leaves, tuck them in here and there. If using dried herbs, rub the leaves in your palms to crumble over the plate. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if you wish. Serve with your chosen beverages. Wonderful flavors, however you combine them on your fork.

Smorrebrod w/ Turkey: 243 calories 8 g fat 3 g fiber 10 g protein 29 g carbs [11.5 g Complex] 18.5 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF rye bread From Oslo/Copenhagen/Stockholm comes the best of Summer sandwiches: smorrebrod [smeared bread]. Light and flavorful from summer vegetables, this meal is filling and simple to prepare without heating the kitchen.

1 slice [1.5 oz] sourdough rye bread @ 110 calories [the bread should be dense, not fluffy] 1-2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese 4 large leaves of fresh spinach 1.5 oz thinly-sliced tomato: slice and salt about 30 mins earlier for best taste 1 oz cooked turkey breast or tenderloin ½ hard-boiled egg, sliced ½ cup Swedish Cucumber Salad*

Spread the bread with the cream cheese and lay the spinach leaves on top. Place the tomato slices atop that. For the next layer, put down the turkey, topped by the egg slices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain the Cucumber Salad and plate. Excellent!

*SWEDISH CUCUMBER SALAD: makes 1 cup = 2 servings each serving = 23 calories 0.1 g fat 0.3 g fiber 0.4 g protein 5.2 g carbs [4 g Complex] 14 mg Calcium

1 cups sliced cucumber 1.5 tsp sugar 1 oz white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp cold water salt and freshly ground pepper ½ tsp dill

Combine the sugar, vinegar, water, salt, and pepper in a 3-cup container. Slice the cucumbers, spread them out on towels and pat dry. Stir the cukes into the liquid, wetting all the slices. Chill for at least one hour. Drain, and serve with a sprinkling of dill.

Ingredients for next week: 

Breakfast: single portion for Monday …………….. single portion for Thursday:

1 two-oz eggnext week I will discuss Breakfast Beverages 
slice 70-calorie whole grain bread
choose a favorite breakfast from
Archives
apple or melon



Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

1/4 pound sea scallops
next week I will discuss Breakfast Beverages
Indian curry powder
choose a favorite dinner from Archives
broccoli

butter + white wine [splash]

Sparkling waterSparkling water

Crecy

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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 Melissa who is now Following.

While researching my mother’s French genealogy, I came across my 16th great-grandfather, Jean d’Harcourt, who died on August 26, 1346 at Crecy, France.  Curious, I discovered the facts around the deadly Battle of Crecy. [If you were a fan of the Ken Follett book series Pillars of the Earth (TV series, too), you would know about this battle.] In a dispute over land now in France but then held by English Edward III, the armies of the two nations met near Crecy in Normandy. [I suggest you watch the video cited in that last sentence] The English were terribly outnumbered but they had a new weapon of mass destruction: the long bow. With its greater range and speed of use, the English cut down the French cavalry, as well as their cross-bowmen. By the end of the battle, the English had won, against all odds, and the Hundred Year’s War was well and truly begun.

“Crecy” is sometimes spelled “Cressy” and so it makes me think of watercress. August is a fine time to harvest this peppery herb, and to make a versatile sauce which goes well in eggs or as a soup or as a sauce. The Battle of Crecy was a dreadful loss of lives. Having Watercress Sauce in your freezer can be a ‘life-saver’ in the kitchen.

Watercress ScrOmelette: 291 calories   8 g fat  2.5 g fiber   16 g protein  34.4 g carbs  235 mg Calcium  PB GF  Having Watercress Sauce in the freezer in handy cubes sure makes this meal a snap. And is it good!

Watercress ScrOmelette w:peaches

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                   ½ Tbsp Watercress Sauce [see Sidekicks II, 4 October’2017], well drained                                                   ½ Tbsp ricotta, drained HINT: I set these ingredients out to drain through a fine sieve the night before to make sure there was no extra liquid.                                                                                        1/8 tsp dry mustard                                                                                                                                               1.5 oz peach                                                                                                                                                     optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                   optional: 5-6 oz green smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie

Combine the drained watercress, drained cheese with the mustard. Whisk in the eggs and cook in a hot saute pan spritzed with olive oil or non-stick spray. Cook the way you like them and plate with the peaches. Pour the beverages and enjoy the summer taste of watercress all year long.

Watercress Soup: 157 calories 5.4 g fat 3 g fiber 8.4 g protein 22 g carbs [19 g Complex] 63.5 mg Calcium  PB GF Jacques Pepin’s Good Life Cooking is the source of this recipe. The stream that flows to the beach is the source of our watercress. So low in calories, you might want to add some Finn Crisp crackers for filling fiber or the Caprese Salad for more protein. HINT: This recipe makes 5 cups of soup which serves 4-5 people.

Served with Caprese Salad

2 tsp canola oil 4 oz [weight, not volume] watercress leaves and tender stems 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped 2 cups onion, coarsely diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2-1/2 cups good stock – vegetable/chicken/beef ¾ tsp salt 10 oz [weight, not volume] potatoes, peeled, cut in 2” chunks 2 oz [weight, not volume] sweet potato, peeled and cut in chunks per serving: 1 Tbsp chevre cheese  Optional: Caprese Salad– 46 calories 2 g fat 0.6 g fiber 4 g protein 2.6 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium PB GF ½ oz mozzerella cheese, thinly sliced + 2 oz tomato, thinly sliced and sprinkled with salt + fresh basil leaves There should be equal numbers of cheese slices and tomato slices. Arrange the cheese, tomato, and basil in overlapping layers on the plate.  Optional: Hard-boiled Egg — 70 calories 5 g fat 0 g fiber 6 g protein 0.4 g carbs 28 mg Calcium  PB GF Cut a hard-boiled egg lengthwise in quarters and nestle into the plated soup.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the cress, celery, onion, and garlic, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Put the stock, salt and potatoes into the pan and bring to a boil. [NB: my stock was very dark, which changed the color of the soup to a darker shade of green] Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool slightly then puree in blender/food processor or with immersion wand. If not thoroughly pureed, run through a sieve. Heat the soup before serving. In the bowl, put the chevre in the center, let it soften a bit, then swirl it into the soup. Serve the salad on the side.

Basquaise

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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.

Have you ever seen the word ‘Basquaise’ on a menu? It often refers to a sauce served on chicken or fish. The word itself means ‘from the Basque country’ or ‘in the method of the Basque people.’ To the Basque people, it is ‘pipperade’ from their word ‘biperra’ for pepper. So who are the Basques and where is their country? The Basque people are unrelated, both in genetics and in language, to the surrounding people of France and Spain. Their ‘country’ spreads across the border of France and Spain at the Western end of the Pyrennes Mountains. Their culture and unique language developed in isolation over the centuries, escaping intrusion both from the Indo-Europeans [ex: Visigoths] and from the Muslims. The ancient Greeks and Romans knew of the Basques, and even they did not change the culture of the region. Their food is boldly spiced and influenced by fish from the ocean and meat from the pasturelands of the interior. Passionately independent, the Basques work to maintain their ways in a changing world. In the 1800s, economic hard times spread Basques to North America and beyond, just as their cod and whale-hunting ancestors dispersed across the seas in the past.

The ‘Sauce Basquaise’ shows up in our menu today — flavoring the eggs at breakfast in two different preparations. Other ways to use it are in the classic Poulet Basquaise or Cod Basquaise for dinner. Here’s how to make 5 cups of the sauce.

2 Tbsp olive oil Heat the oil in a large saucepan
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped  optional: 2 oz Bayonne/Serrano ham or pancetta, diced 
3 cups red bell pepper, diced [2 large peppers, abt 13 oz]  3 cups green bell pepper, diced [2 large peppers, abt 13 oz] 
4 cups tomatoes, seeded and diced 		Add the onion, garlic, ham, peppers, and tomatoes.  Cook over medium-low heat until peppers are tender.
½ cup red wine 5 g ‘esplette’ pepper or ground cayenne pepper 2 tsp fresh thyme ½ tsp saltAdd to the pan. Simmer 10 minutes more.

Basquaise Sauce ScrOmelette: 153 calories 8.4 g fat 1.5 g fiber 10 g protein 8 g carbs [7 g Complex] 50 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Basquaise Sauce takes eggs to a new level and it is so easy to use if you already have a batch in the refrigerator or freezer.

1-1/2 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.  2 rounded Tablespoons Basquaise Sauce ¼ cup blueberries  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Heat a non-stick saute pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper to taste and pour into the pan. As the eggs just begin to set, spread the Basquaise Sauce over half of the egg. Fold and continue cooking to your liking. Plate with the fruit and serve the beverage of your choice. Have a spicy day.

Alternatively, if you didn’t have any Basquaise Sauce at your disposal, you could use my version of Jacques Pepin’s recipe for Basquaise ScrOmelette, posted on 30 September, 2015

Ingredients for next week: 

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

1 two-oz eggProscuitto ham
ricotta cheese + mushrooms
melon + Parmesan cheese
peach + blackberryred onion pickle
Watercress Sauce
mint or basil leaves + balsamic vinegar
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

watercress + sweet potato
sourdough rye bread + egg + dill
canola oil + onion + celery
turkey breast + spinach leaves
garlic + stock + potato
whipped cream cheese + tomato
optional: mozzarella + tomato
cucumber + white wine vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Gold!!!

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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 b. lunsford who is now Following.

Sutter’s mill.

John Sutter left Switzerland and settled in Northern California along the banks of a watercourse he named the American River. He recognized that this would be a good place to build a water-powered lumber mill for his newly-created settlement of New Helvetica. James Marshall was taken on as a partner and he began to build the mill. A mill of that type needs a trough called a tail race to take the water away from the mill. Clearing the race of pebbles washed in by the fast-flowing water was a daily task. In January, 1848, Marshall found gold nuggets in the tail race. He and Sutter decided to keep it a secret since they knew that others would want to get some gold too — fairly or illegally. In August of ’48, The New York Herald published the news and the Rush was on. Sutter eventually left the mill unfinished and his tannery failed — all his workmen quit to go prospecting for gold! Sutter washed his hands of the whole gold business and quietly went broke.

Our meals today include the famous breakfast from ‘Hangtown’ [aka: Placerville, California] which was concocted from the most expensive ingredients that a restaurant could find to suit a miner’s whim. The dinner is the meal that every miner aspired to: lobster thermadore, as served in a fancy restaurant.

Hangtown Bake: 135 calories… 7 g fat… 1 g fiber… 8 g protein… 5.4 g carbs… 46.3 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF  According to legend, this meal, full of then very expensive items, is what a gold miner ordered after he struck it rich in Old California.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 2 oysters, raw and out of the shell ++++ ½ oz bacon, un-cured is preferable ++++ 1 Tbsp scallion leaves, chopped ++++ 2 oz strawberries ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] or natural apple cider ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or tea ++

Set the oven at 350 F. Cook the bacon until it is a little underdone, then chop it up. Chop the scallion and oysters and stir in a little bacon fat, along with the bacon. Whisk the egg, then add the other ingredients and whisk again. Pour into a baking dish lightly-spritzed with non-stick spray and bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and plate the baked egg along with the fruit.

Lobster Thermador: 269 calories… 13.4 g fat… 5.5 g fiber… 29 g protein… 18.4 g carbs… 130.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF  Lobster is wonderful for the Fasting Lifestyle, whether you get it baked or boiled. The damage comes when it is slathered in butter. I think that butter masks the clean, subtle taste of the lobster, so I haven’t dunked my lovely crustacean in it for years. This recipe is so elegant yet lacks calories to such an extent that I have added a very French dessert course: fresh peaches and raspberries.

++ ¾ cup lobster, cooked and cut into chunks ++++ 1 Tbsp heavy cream ++++ 2 Tbsp Bechamel sauce [I always keep Bechamel sauce frozen in small amounts] ++++ ½ tsp Dijon mustard ++++ flat-leaved parsley, chopped, for garnish ++++ 3 oz green beans ++++ Dessert: 1 oz raspberries [fresh or frozen] + 2 oz peaches, cut into cubes [fresh or frozen] ++

Stir together the cream, Bechamel, and mustard. Lightly fold in the lobster. Heap into a ramekin, sprinkle on the parsley, and heat at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cook the beans and put the fruits together in a lovely bowl for dessert.

Mary’s Return

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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.

On May 31, Mary ‘went over the mountain‘ to the town of Ein Kerem to assist at her cousin Elizabeth’s lying-in. Seven weeks after her cousin Elizabeth had safely delivered her son John, Mary decided to go back home to her family. This was going to be difficult for two reasons: it was a 135 km trip by foot and Mary was 5 months pregnant. That last one presented another problem: Mary was unwed. When she returned to her hometown of Nazareth, her pregnancy would become obvious to the neighbors and her fiancé. There would be talk. There would be disgrace — people would tell Joseph that he should call off the wedding. But Joseph would stand by her and Mary would endure the side-eye looks because both of them had been told by angels that this was all part of a Bigger Plan. The weather this year on May 31 was sunny and mild. That means it should rain tomorrow.

Today’s breakfast contains the flavors and ingredients of the area referred to as ‘the Levant,’ as in the Eastern Mediterranean ‘where the sun rises.’ A meal like this would sustain you on your way. Upon her return, Mary’s overjoyed mother, Anna, might have welcomed her back with a special feast of lamb, seasoned with typical spices.

photo courtesy of World Tree Photography: Fine Art Travel Prints

Levantine ScrOmelette: 142 calories 8 g fat 1 g fiber 10 g protein 5 g carbs [4.6 g Complex] 50.5 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF These fine ingredients yield a flavorful result. The sun rising in the East will smile on you.

1 ½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1 Tbsp mediterranian vegetables, chopped [see Sidekicks II, 4-Oct-’17] 1.5 tsp hummus, homemade or purchased 1 oz strawberries  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk the eggs, then stir in the hummus and vegetables. Pour into a saute pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray and scramble to your taste or prepare as an omelette. Pour the optional beverages and plate with the berries.

Moroccan Lamb:  284 calories 6.3 g fat 8 g fiber 28 g protein 28.6 g carbs [28 g Complex] 81 mg Calcium PB GF  Mint, cumin, and coriander will make your meal taste like a trip to spice souk [see above photo taken by my son].

3 oz roast lamb Moroccan seasoning ½ cup peas pinch of mint or cilantro 1/3 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed 2 pinches of Moroccan seasoning or ground cumin mint tea

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

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

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
2 oysters
Green + Red bell peppers
scallion = green onion
tomatoes + garlic + cayenne/chili powder
strawberries
onion + white wine
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

lobster meat + green beans
chicken breast meat
heavy cream + Béchamel sauce
green + red bell peppers + garlic
Dijon mustard + parsley
tomatoes + onion
Raspberries + peaches for dessert
white wine + cayenne/chili powder

Sparkling waterSparkling water

Hometown Heroine: Nice

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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 thewackyspoon who is now Following.

Catherine Ségurane was a washerwoman in Nice. Nice was not part of France in the 1500s, it belonged to the Duke of Savoie who had a long-standing disagreement with Francois I, the King of France. Mostly, this was of no consequence to Catherine. But Francois made a pact with the Ottoman Empire, an odd thing for a Christian sovereign to do. If the Ottomans would attack his enemies, Francois would arrange a lucrative trade deal. Done. The original target was the Papal army in Italy, but that would be a bit audacious. So the Ottoman fleet was sent down the coast to besiege Nice. When they scaled the walls of the unprotected city, they were met by ordinary citizens carrying whatever ‘weapons’ they had handy. Our girl Catherine was ready with her clothes-beating stick and she hit the standard-bearer of the attacking Turks, knocking him down and taking his flag. According to the story, she then hiked up her skirts and mooned the invaders. As good Muslims, they were so shocked by a woman with crude behavior that they retreated to their ships and Nice was saved. Sometimes average people rise to the occasion and perform great acts.

If a humble laundry-lady can defeat an army, then couldn’t you overcome your urge to over-eat for a day and eat only 600 calories? Of course you could. Today’s menu showcases the flavors of Nice and shows how delicious a ‘Mediterranean Diet’ can be.

Mediterranean Bake: 138 calories 2 g fat 1.4 g fiber 10.4 g protein 8.4 g carbs [7.5 g Complex] 55 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF  Oh! Those sunny flavors!

one 2-oz egg 3 Tbsp Mediterranean Vegetables , see Sidekicks II, 4-Oct-’19 for recipe 1 Tbsp chevre cheese salt + pepper + large pinch of herbes de Province 2 oz melon  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Set the toaster oven at at 350 degrees F. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and spoon in the Med. Veg. Pop the ramekin in the warming toaster oven for 30 seconds to warm the vegetables. Whisk the egg with the cheese and seasonings. Pour in the egg mixture over the vegetables and bake in the toaster oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Brew your optional warm beverage; shake and pour the optional smoothie; plate the melon. A fine way to enjoy a breakfast.

Salade Nicoise: 283 calories 16 g fat 3 g fiber 22.5 g protein 12.7 g carbs 198 mg Calcium PB GF   ‘Nicoise’ of course means ‘as they do it in Nice’ and boy-oh-boy is it ever nice. HINT: If you plan ahead a bit, this meal goes together in minutes. A few days before, eat a meal of baked or grilled salmon, served with green beans. Prepare 3 oz more salmon than you’ll need for that meal and save it for this meal. Also cook an extra bit of green beans and save them in the ‘fridge. Here’s a TIP: If you won’t need the salmon for a week or more, cooked salmon freezes well. Just leave enough time to thaw it thoroughly. 

3 leaves Romaine lettuce, sliced into 1/2″ pieces 3 oz cooked salmon 3 oz green beans, cooked and cooled 2 black olives, quartered ½ hard-boiled egg 1 radish, sliced 5 cherry tomatoes DRESSING: 1 tsp white wine vinegar + 1.5 tsp olive oil

Whisk the oil and vinegar in a wide, shallow serving bowl. Add the beans and turn them to coat with dressing. Remove to another plate. Coarsely slice the lettuce and toss with dressing. Place the salmon in the center of the salad. Surround it with the remaining ingredients. A wonderful meal in no time flat.

Home On The Range

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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.

There is a popular American folk song entitled “Home on the Range.” I’m sure every school child learns it at some point. The words were written by a homesteading doctor in 1872, to express his delight in the country life in Kansas. The tune was written by the author’s friend. By 1925, sheet music was printed and the origin of the song was temporarily obscured. Then came recordings by the likes of Bing Crosby [who’s version is supposed to be the best], Frank Sinatra and John Denver. It is the State Song of Kansas. The song is nostalgic for a close-to-nature life [low population density and wandering wildlife right outside your door] which the Homestead Act, by encouraging people to move to the plains, was designed to wipe out.

To be ‘home on the range’ also refers to cooking your own food, often from scratch. [A ‘range‘ is an older term for a cook surface with an oven below it.] Many of the ills of being over-weight could be solved if people would cook their own food from fresh ingredients. That way one can control the amount of salt and sugar and fat in the recipe. Purchased food is often ultra-processed food and that creates a host of problems. If you really want to deal with your weight, change the way you cook: from calories to quantity of portion. And home-prepared food can cost less! Good reasons to try cooking at home.

To get you to be home on the range, try these recipes to remind you of the ‘roaming buffalo’ and the deer playing in the fields. Bison meat can be a revelation, so try to find it. And nothing says ‘open prairies’ like chili for dinner.

Bison ScrOmelette: 147 calories 8g fat 0.4 g fiber 14.5 g protein 4 g carbs [2 g Complex] 48.5 mg calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. GF Bison meat is a fine source of protein and is more healthy than beef. You should try it.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  0.6 oz ground, cooked bison ½ Tbsp [0.1 oz] sliced scallion ½ Tbsp spaghetti sauce 1 oz melon Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water Optional: 3 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [44 calories]

Briefly warm the bison and scallion in a saute pan spritzed with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with the spaghetti sauce and pour over the meat/scallion in the pan. Cook in your desired way: scramble or omelette. Plate with the melon and listen to Bing Crosby sing ‘Home on the Range.’

Venison Chili: 299 calories 3.8 g fat 10.4 g fiber 30 g protein 45.6 g carbs 146 mg Calcium  PB GF  HINT: This is enough for 2 one-cup servings. Save the remaining chili for another dinner later or invite a fellow-Faster for dinner.

6 oz ground venison 16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 cup red onion, chopped 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped 3/4 cup canned red beans, drained and rinsed 2-4 tsp chili ¾ tsp salt ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin  per serving: a small slice of melon, as a garnish

Cook the venison, onion, garlic, and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the chili is hot throughout. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Serve one cup for dinner tonight with the melon on the side.

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

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
chèvre cheese
hummus
Mediterranean Vegetables
Sidekicks II, 4 -Oct-2019		Mediterranean Vegetables
Sidekicks II, 4 -Oct-2019
melon + herbes de Province
strawberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

romaine lettuce + cherry tomatoesLamb + mint/cilantro
green beans/haricots + salmonMoroccan Spices
black olives + hard-boiled egg
canned white beans
white wine vinegar + olive oil
peas + Moroccan seasoning
Sparkling waterSparkling water or mint tea

Nonna

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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 akashbhadran who is now Following.

Long ago, in the 4th century CE, in Cappidocia, lived a woman named Nonna. She was a Christian but her husband was not. She raised their two sons and one daughter to follow her faith and daily she prayed for the spiritual health of her family. Her husband Gregory converted and became a bishop of the young Turkish church in what was then the Roman Empire. He eventually was named a saint. Beyond the conversion of her husband, Nonna is revered for her piety and for being the mother of three — count ’em: 3!! — saints. Gregory [theologian, archbishop, poet]; Caesarius [doctor, politician]; and Gorgonia [model wife and mother]. Nonna was declared a saint, and thus the entire family was so honored. My, my — what a legacy!

‘Nonna’ is also the Italian word for ‘grandmother.’ Saint Nonna was a grandmother, since her daughter had several children. In honor of grandmothers, we will enjoy a homey porridge for breakfast and real comfort food for dinner.

10-Grain Pudding: 181 calories 1.3 g fat 5.4 g fiber 10.4 g protein 35 g carbs [29 g Complex] 43.5 mg Calcium  PB Delicious hot cereal for any day of the week. The applesauce and maple syrup give just the right sweetness.

1/4 cup uncooked Bob’s 10-Grain Cereal  2 Tbsp cottage cheese 1 tsp maple syrup 1.5 Tbsp applesauce pinch of nutmeg + pinch of cinnamon  sprinkle of sliced strawberries or blueberries Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water Optional: 3 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [44 calories]

Put the cereal in 3/4 cup of boiling water, turn down to a simmer and cook, covered, for 8 minutes. HINT: Do this the night before. Cool the cereal, then mix in the cottage cheese, maple syrup, applesauce and spices until well-combined. In the morning, put into a microwave-safe bowl and cook in the microwave for 50 seconds until hot through. Top with a little fresh or frozen fruit. Pour the beverages and you will have a warm, filling start to your day.

Cullen Skink: 228 calories 4.5 g fat 2.9 g fiber 26 g protein 20 g carbs 161 mg Calcium  PB GF We found this old Scottish recipe to be divine!! Despite the low calorie count, it is very satisfying. Comfort Food with a Scottish dialect.

3 oz finnen haddie [smoked haddock] 3 oz milk small pinch ground cloves bay leaf ¼ cup onion, chopped 2 oz potato, diced 2 oz asparagus, cut in 2” slices 1 tsp butter parsley for garnish

Skin the fish and put it in a small pan with the milk and bay leaf. Cook gently until the fish is warm. Remove the fish from the milk and break it into large pieces. Add the onions, potatoes, and cloves to the milk along with a little water. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Run the milk and vegetables through the blender [or use immersion blender] to a fine puree. Cook the asparagus. Return the fish to the pan with butter and the puree and heat. Add pepper to taste. Plate the fish and ‘soup’, sprinkle with parsley, and arrange the asparagus around the sides. You will want to eat this again!