recipes for Michael Mosley’s 5:2 Diet

3 Sisters

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Imagine this: Immigrants from another country arrive.  They settle illegally, with economic gain as their goal. They don’t learn the language or culture and they murder some of our people, and steal from us. Then more and more arrive.  What would your reaction be?   This was 1607, in coastal Virginia, and the alien people were Englishmen. Tomorrow will mark a grim episode of American history, and how you feel about it depends on which “side” you are on.   The solution for the native population?   In 1622, the Powhatan natives massacred 347 residents of settlements around Jamestown.  I am NOT recommending this as a solution to any problem.  The native people soon dwindled, due to disease or killing or assimilation, and yet their agricultural products remained and became important in our daily life.

Our foods today will represent the 3 Sisters, mainstays of the diet of First Nations people: corn, beans, and squash. The sophistication of this diet is as remarkable as the ingenious farming techniques employed to grow it.  Breakfast features pumpkin and maple syrup, two foods which the natives of the North-East introduced to the Europeans. Dinner is the meal who’s name was made famous by President Reagan and Daffy Duck, but here it is in its original form [not a side dish].

10-Grain Pumpkin Pudding:   277 calories   7.6 g fat   6.8 g fiber   12.8 g protein   41 g carbs [33 g Complex Carbs]   249.4 mg Calcium  PB   The delicious, nutty grains in the cereal seemed to call out for pumpkin and spices, and here’s the result. This recipe is easily prepared the night before and refrigerated for a quick and delicious breakfast.Ten-grain Pudding w: R-bs

4 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal Mix                                   ¾ cup water                                                                                                                                                                 1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, reduced fat                                                        1 Tbsp pumpkin puree, canned or fresh                                                                                                         1 tsp maple syrup                                                                nutmeg + cinnamon                                                                                                                                              ½ oz raspberries, fresh or frozen                                                          1 Tbsp pecans, chopped                                                                                                                                      optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                                   optional: nearly-black coffee or tea; or lemon in hot water.

Cook the cereal with the water for about 8 minutes on the stove. HINT: do this the night before to save time in the morning. Stir in the cheese, pumpkin, syrup, and spices. Pour into a microwave-safe ramekin. HINT: you could get this all done and put it in the ‘fridge until morning. Brew the hot beverage and prepare the smoothie. Microwave the ramekin for no more than 1 minute. Plate with the fruit and sprinkle the nuts on top of the hot cereal. Ridiculously easy for a meal so satisfying.

‘Original’ Succotash:  270 calories  2.6 g fat  9.3 g fiber   18 g protein  50 g carbs [all Complex] 71 mg Calcium  PB GF  The Mystic Seaport Cookbook contains many quaint and curious old recipes. What follows is my combination of two of them. It is ‘original’ because it gets us back to what succotash once was and because it is my own version. HINT: This recipe makes 3 cups of succotash, which could be 3 servings.Original Succotash w: Corn Mush

½ cup lima beans [Green Giant frozen Fordhook                                        ½ cup green/snap beans                                                                                                                                                 ½ cup corn kernels                                                       ¼ cup canned navy beans                                                                                                                                      2 oz corned beef [New England-style is grey because it contains no nitrates]                                                                               1 slice corn mush aka: polenta [see SIDEKICKS II Oct 4, ’17]                                                                                                    sage, pepper, salt to taste [mind that the corned beef might be salty]

Cook the vegetables until they are tender. Drain the cooking water and reserve ½ cup. Mash the navy beans and whisk into ¼ cup vegetable water. Put all vegetables and the meat into a pan along with the mashed beans. Add sage and pepper to taste and more vegetable broth if you wish. If it needs more salt, add it too. In a non-stick pan, saute the corn mush on each side until it is warm. Start with one cup as it could be very filling.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg  clementines
avocado  reduced-fat cottage cheese
 crab or lobster meat  fat-free vanilla yogurt
 ricotta cheese
 pear
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 1-1/2 cups excellent chicken stock  chicken breast, raw
 parsnips     +   parsley  lime
 carrots  pineapple
 cooked chicken breast meat  brown rice
 celery chicken stock
 egg noodles  thyme, cornstarch, heavy cream
Sparkling water Sparkling water

The Man Behind the 1001 Nights

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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 readitall who is now Following.

Tomorrow will be the birthday of Richard Francis Burton who lived the most amazing life you never heard of.  People today would say, “He was like Indiana Jones!”  But when the character of that intrepid archeologist first hit the Big Screen, people might have said, “He’s just like Richard F. Burton!!”  [When Indiana describes his friend Marcus Brody, he could be describing Burton. The description is accurate for Burton, not for Brody.]  Burton was born in 1821, and had an indifferent education. But he had a knack for languages, ending up speaking, writing, and translating in 29 different tongues. One of his most famous books was The 1001 Nights [aka: Arabian Nights]. His 16-volume translation was not the first version of the tales, but was considered so salacious and exciting that he told his wife not to read it. As an adventurer and ethnologist, he was a chameleon.  The city of Mecca was forbidden to non-Muslims, but Burton visited in disguise and later published A Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah. As an expert in disguise and spy craft, he served the army in India.  As a diplomat and ethnologist, he was posted to Damascus, Brazil, and Fernando da Po. In each place he studied the language and the people, and wrote extensively.                          

Our meals today mirror Burton’s life. The breakfast, so I have read, is popular in Mecca and it is delicious.  The dinner is from Fernando da Po and Burton would approve.

Shakshuka: 307 calories 8.2 g fat 5.2 g fiber 17.2 g protein 41 g carbs [38 g Complex Carbs] 305 mg Calcium PB GF Popular in Arabian restaurants, this will be a favorite at your house. So rich in flavor.  This is easily doubled.  If serving 4+, prepare it all in one large pan. 

Shakshuka

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                      3 Tbsp sliced onion                                                                                                                                                 3 Tbsp sliced orange or red pepper                                                                                                                   ½ garlic clove, sliced                                                                                                                                            8-10 oz canned whole tomatoes with their juice                                                                                            1/3 oz feta cheese                                                                                                                                                                                2 pinches ground cumin                                                                                                                                            2 pinches sweet paprika                                                                                                                                        1 pinch cayenne

Heat a sauté pan and spritz with non-stick spray. Add a little juice from the tomatoes. Add the onion and peppers and cook until soft, 15-20 minutes. [add more tomato juices or water to prevent scorching] Put the garlic in the pan and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in the spices and cook for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes until the tomatoes have thickened, then stir in the feta.  HINT: I did all this the night before.  Take off heat and scrape the mixture into an 8″ oven-proof skillet.   Carefully crack the egg over the tomatoes. Season the egg. Bake at 375° F. for 7-10 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley.

Jota

Jota:  169 calories   4.5 g fat  7.4 g fiber  11.5 g protein  25.7 g carbs [all Complex]   83.5 mg Calcium  PB GF  The flavors of West Africa greet you in this bean stew. Very satisfying. HINT: This recipe is enough for 4 [four] 1-cup servings. Gets even better if made a day or two before the meal.

Jota w: spinach 1-1-1/2 cups sauerkraut, drained                                                                                                                            1-1/2 cups canned red beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                       bay leaf                                                                                                                                                                       4 oz red potatoes, cooked and diced in 1/2″ cubes —  could be left over from a prior meal                                       1 clove garlic, crushed                                                                                                                                             2 oz smoked ham hock, cubed                                                                                                                           ½ cup+ vegetable broth or water                                                                                                            Optional: 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp flour 1 tsp oil                                                                                 Optional: raw leaves of baby spinach

Spray a heavy sauce pan with non-stick spray and cook the garlic until golden brown. Add the sauerkraut to the pan with some broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. In another pan, heat the beans with the bay leaf until warm. Remove half of the beans and put them in a food processor with the cooked garlic and half of the potatoes. Purée, adding water/broth to make it more liquid than paste. Add the purée, whole beans, potatoes, and meat to the pan with the sauerkraut. Taste for seasonings. Add some water/broth to bring the volume to 4 cups.                                                                                                                                    Optional: Simmer the other garlic clove in 1 tsp oil until brown. Remove garlic and whisk in 1 tsp flour, then add some stock to make a roux. Stir into the stew as a thickener.                                      Optional: When the soup is in the bowl, tear the spinach leaves into bites and poke them into the hot liquid to add some extra color, texture, vitamins.

Ides of March

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a total of 600 calories. On another day this week, eat  meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

The ‘Ides of March‘ are much a part of our vocabulary yet some are not sure what that means.  To the Romans, every month [there were 10 months prior to Julius Caesar] had a day called the Ides, which marked the middle of the month.  The psychic’s warning to Julius Caesar, that he should beware the Ides, presaged his assassination on March 15 in 44 BCE.  He was murdered by members of the ruling class who feared that he would turn Rome from a Republic into a monarchy.

Our observance includes what the patricians would have had available on the table for breakfast [plebians ate porridge]. Pears were popular in Rome, where they had choice of 40 different varieties! Bread was important in that era [‘Bread & Circuses’ came later].  Poultry was the most common meat, so we will use it in both meals.  And then there is Caesar Salad:  NOT named for the first Caesar of Rome, nor his followers, but for Cesare Cardini, a restauranteur in Tijuana, Mexico who invented it in the 1920s.

Roman Breakfast:  270 calories  3.5 g fat  4.2 g fiber   14.2 g protein  41 g carbs [– g Complex Carbs]   187 mg Calcium  PB  Though a bit unusual, this is a very good plate of breakfast, based on foods available to Romans in the 1st century BCE.  It is satisfying and flavorful. Roman Breakfast

1 Pan Muffin [see ..Not by Bread.. Feb-7-’18]                                                                                                    1 oz pear                                                                                                                                                                          1 oz cooked chicken                                                                                                                                                  1 oz radish                                                                                                                                                                   1 oz cucumber                                                                                                                                            [optional: ½ medjool date, chopped = ¼ oz; adds 20 calories]                                                                                      blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Dice all the fruits and vegetables. Add a good finishing salt and gently stir to combine. HINT: I did this the night before and refrigerated the mixture. Prepare the pan muffin [the night before] or take from freezer with time to thaw/heat. In the time it takes to brew the coffee, you can plate the muffin and the fruit-veg mixture. Romans did not drink smoothies or coffee, but we will. Hope you’ll enjoy your throw-back breakfast.

Cesare Salad:  240 calories   9 g fat   3.9 g fiber   32.7 g protein  5.4 g carbs  106 mg Calcium GF   Straight out of the Fast Diet book, with quantities changed a teensy bit. Large portion, good flavor.Cesar Salad

2.5 slices Jones brand Canadian bacon  or what Canadians call ‘back bacon’                                      3 oz chicken breast, left over from a roast                                                                                                      2.5 c chopped romaine or 2.5 c. mesclun                                                                                                          1 T grated Parmesan                                                                                                                                             salad dressing: 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice                                                                                   Mexican oregano [Cesare Salad, after all, is of Mexican origin, not from Roman rulers]                          3 oz tomatoes

Heat the bacon on a hot, ungreased griddle until it begins to brown. Remove and slice into strips. Cut chicken meat into strips or chunks, as you wish. Roughly chop or tear the romaine, if using. Whisk the oil and lemon juice in a salad bowl. Add the lettuce and toss to coat with the dressing. Plate the greens and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and oregano. Arrange the meat on top of the greens. What a big meal!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 10-Grain Cereal, Bob’s Red Mill
 onion   +  feta cheese  pumpkin puree
 canned whole tomatoes  maple syrup  +  cinnamon
 orange or red bell pepper  raspberries   +  pecans
 cayenne, paprika, cumin  ricotta cheese  +  nutmeg
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 sauerkraut  lima beans
 canned kidney beans  corn kernels, canned or fresh
 potato  green beans
 garlic  canned white beans
 smoked ham hock corned beef
 flour  +  oil
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Roasted

~ me ~ Leave a comment
How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.
Roasting is the oldest cooking method known to humankind. We roast all sorts of meats, of course, and eggs, and coffee beans, and vegetables.  We used to do it over an open fire, then we developed spit-roasting, then the reflector oven, then the wood-fired range.  The “modern” Western-style kitchen wouldn’t be complete without a gas or electric oven. The method of roasting vegetables, instead of boiling them to death, is fairly recent and a darned good idea. Let’s get with the program and roast some veggies.

Roasted Vegetable Bake:       298 calories    7.4 g fat     3.7 g fiber    13.4 g protein   36 g carbs 236 mg Calcium   PB GF   If you are like me, you sometimes end up with a drawer full of fresh vegetables and no hope of eating them all before they spoil. Enter the roasted vegetable. So many uses for them, and here they are at breakfast-time.Roasted Vegetable Bake w: S-Bs

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp diced roasted vegetables,  tossed with a dash of Worcestershire sauce                            1/8 oz Gruyère cheese, grated                                                                                                                             1.5 Tbsp marinara sauce [see SAUCY, posted on Dec 6, 2017]                                                                                   2 oz strawberries                                                                                                                                           blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                    5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Combine the vegetables, cheese, and marinara. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and add the vegetable mixture. Whisk the egg and pour into the ramekin. bake in the toaster oven at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Brew your warm beverage; shake and pour the smoothie, portion those delicious strawberries, and enjoy a healthy, yummy start to your day.

Fish Roasted with Vegetables:   234 calories  5.2 g fat   4.8 g fiber  29 g protein  16 g carbs 180.3 mg Calcium  PB GF  Delicious one-pan meal. AND it is low in carbs and fat.Fish halibut Roasted w: Vegetables

Fish salmon Roasted w: Vegetables4 0z salmon OR firm, white fish                                                                                                                        ½ slice bacon                                                                                                                                                            2 oz carrots in 1/2” chunks                                                                                                                                             2 oz Brussel sprouts cut in half                                                                                                                                 2 oz cauliflower florets, cut in half or quarters                                                                                                  3 oz cherry tomatoes, cut in half                                                                                                                         1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Set the oven at 450 degrees F. Cook the bacon in an oven-proof pan, such as a cast iron skillet. Remove the bacon, chop it and set aside. Put the prepared vegetables in the pan and toss to coat with the bacon fat. Salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables in their pan from the oven. If you think they will need more than 10 minutes more of cooking, put them back in for 2-3 minutes. They will not be cooked through at this point. Turn oven down to 400 degrees F. Make room in the pan for the fish so that it is in contact with the hot pan. Salt and pepper the fish and spray with non-stick spray. Return the pan to the oven and bake 5-10 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fish.  TIP: 10 minutes/inch of thickness. Sprinkle the entire contents of the pan with Parmesan cheese and bacon.  Fantastic.

Fish or Cut Bait

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

So we are into early March now, 67 days into 2018.  Remember 3 months ago — when you resolved that you would finally take action to lose some weight?  How’s that going for you? Well the time is now:  Fish or cut bait! Or as Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no ‘try.'” The Fast Diet [aka: 5:2 diet, IF] is the one to ‘try.’  And to stay with for the rest of your life.  To paraphrase Charles Dederich, ‘Tomorrow is the 1st day of the rest of your life.’  Tomorrow is also the anniversary of the patenting of the telescoping fishing pole. In honor of our fishing theme, both breakfast and dinner will contain fish:  healthy and nutritious!  To obtain that fish, someone had to fish.  Make up your mind to improve your health by losing weight on the Fast Diet.

Maritime ScrOmelette:  307 calories   8.7 g fat   2.5 g fiber   20 g protein   33 g carbs [27.8 g Complex Carbs]   244 mg Calcium   PB GF   Between the salt cod and the potatoes, this breakfast is a taste of the Canadian Maritimes. And then you add the cheddar to kick it into high gear.  Flavor-packed.Maritime ScrOmelette w: melon

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                                                                                                    ¼ oz salt cod                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp mashed potatoes  OR  1.5 tsp instant potato flakes                                                                                                                                       1/8 oz Cheddar cheese                                                                                                                                         ½ tsp savory                                                                                                                                                                1 oz melon                                                                                                                                               blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                   5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

The night before, put the salt cod in a bowl of water for 30-45 minutes. Drain and cut or flake the fish into small pieces.                                                                                                                                In the morning, stir the cod, potatoes, and Cheddar together. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. As the eggs start to cook, scramble in the cod mixture along with savory, salt, and pepper Cook as long as you like. Prepare the beverages and plate the fruit. Listen to some good fiddle music.

Fish & Polenta with Zucchini Ribbons:  261 calories  5.6 g fat  3.9 g fiber  32 g protein  23 g carbs [Complex]  225 mg Calcium  PB  The polenta needs to be made ahead. Simple to prepare and delicious and filling [even though I forgot to add the cheeses!].Fish w: Polenta & Zucchini Ribbons

1 slice of polenta [that’s 1/6 of the recipe from SIDEKICKS II Oct 4, ’17 ]                                              3 oz zucchini ribbons                                                                                                                                             1 oz roasted red peppers                                                                                                                                       1 clove garlic                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                                     4 oz firm fish filets, skinless and boneless                                                                                                 large pinch herbes de Province or thyme                                                                                                           1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated                                                                                                                                                    ½ oz mozzerella, grated

Slice the garlic as a julienne. Using a potato peeler, make lengthwise cuts on the zucchini to produce thin ‘ribbons.’ Cut the slice of polenta in half so it is about 1/3” thick. Heat a heavy skillet and spray with a non-stick product. Lay the fish on the skillet and sprinkle with pepper and and salt. Cook on one side, then flip to the other. Add the polenta to the pan at this point. Cook it in the hot pan on both sides until it is warm and beginning to brown. Remove cooked fish and polenta and keep warm. Put the garlic in the pan and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the other vegetables, herbs, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Stir to combine until everything is warm, about 45 seconds – the zucchini will be just barely cooked. Plate the fish and polenta slices, spoon the vegetables around the polenta, then sprinkle with mozzerella.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg    +  strawberries 1 Pan Muffin [Not by Bread, Feb 7, ’18]
 Gruyere cheese  pear        +      chicken
 roasted vegetables  radish
 marinara sauce [SAUCY, Dec 6 ’17]  cucumber
 Worcestershire sauce  Medjool date
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 4 oz white fish  Canadian or back bacon
 1/2 slice bacon chicken breast
 Parmesan   +  carrots  romain lettuce
 cherry tomatoes  oregano [Mexican or Greek]
 Brussel sprouts  Parmesan
 cauliflower  olive oil & lemon juice
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Windy City

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                             Welcome to Barry & Kelly who are now following.

In 1837, Chicago, Illinois became a city.  The name ‘Chicago’ comes from a French corruption “Chicagou” of an Illinois-Miami Indian word meaning ‘wild garlic’ in reference to Allium tricoccum plants which grew all over.  From that culinary beginning the city acquired several monikers: The Windy City [due to blovating politicians or maybe the weather];  Second City [in comparison to New York];  That Toddlin’ Town [from a Frank Sinatra song]; the City of Broad Shoulders [from Carl Sandburg’s poem Chicago]. What with the architecture, the Fire of 1871, the sports teams, the music — there is a lot to say about this city.  But if I said, “Chicago food,” the answers that would matter most would be: “Deep dish pizza and Chicago Hot Dogs.”  The Pizza was developed by Pizzeria Uno in 1943, and is beloved by the native sons/daughters.  The Hot Dog has been a meal-in-a-bun since The Great Depression and is described as ‘having been dragged through the garden’ due to the many vegetable toppings that make up ‘the works.’  We are Fasting today, so we will forgo the crust of the pizza and the bun of the hot dog, but will retain all the flavors of those iconic meals.

Pizza Bake:  271 calories  6.8 g fat  2.5 g fiber  14 g protein  38.4 g carbs  267 mg Calcium  PB GF  Forget the cold slice served from a greasy box…. pizza for breakfast just got healthier and more delicious.pizza Bake

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                         salt + pepper to taste                                                                                                                                             1.5 Tbsp crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                               1 thin slice pepperoni, minced                                                                                                                          ¼ oz mozzerella chesse, grated                                                                                                                               ½ oz bell pepper, chopped                                                                                                                                                ¼ cup blueberries                                                                                                                                                    5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Prepare your beverages. Poach the bell pepper in a little water in the microwave for 30 seconds. Put the cheese, pepperoni, and pepper in a lightly-spritzed ramekin. Whisk the egg with the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Pour the beverages, portion the berries, and consider how much nicer this is than a congealed wedge that tastes like cardboard.

Chicago Hot Dog:   272 calories   16.4 g fat   2 g fiber   11 g protein   14 g carbs  36 mg Calcium PB GF   This is the real deal: every single flavor found in a Chicago bun, without the bun. Delicious and filling, wherever you live.Chicago Hot dog

2 all-beef hot dogs [Hebrew National reduced-fat]                                                                                              3 oz fresh tomato, sliced in 8 wedges                                                                                                                         2 oz dill pickle spears, you should have 2-5 pieces of pickle                                                                                 celery salt                                                                                                                                                                     2 Tbsp chopped onions, raw                                                                                                                               2 tsp relish [neon green relish is traditional]                                                                                                  2 ‘sport peppers‘ OR 3 pepperoncini, sliced in two                                                                                         ¼ tsp poppy seed                                                                                                                                              yellow mustard

Cook the hot dogs any way you want. In a wide, shallow bowl place the hot dogs in the center. Place pickle slices along side and between the hot dogs. Now arrange the tomatoes around the edge. Sprinkle it all with celery salt, especially the tomatoes. Dollop with relish and distribute the onions all over. Arrange the peppers on top and drizzle with mustard. Add the poppy seed. Wear your favorite Chicago team jersey and tuck in to the dinner.

Saint David

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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.

Tomorrow will be the Feast of Saint David, Patron Saint of Wales. He was a pious monk to whom many miracles are attributed.  He was a famous faster, sometimes subsisting only on leek soup [which is delicious!] and never consuming alcohol.  Because the leek is one of the emblems of Wales, our meals will feature that versitle Allium.  The eggs for breakfast are scrambled with leeks and Welsh cheese. Try to find Caerphilly, the only Protected Status cheese in Wales.  The dinner is not one of St David’s soups, but a nod to the long history of eating sea products from the coastal waters of Wales: mackerel with leeks. David’s famous quote, “Do the little things,” applies well to Fasting: focus on a simple diet of nutritious foods, Fast twice a week, cut out the snacks, and you will succeed in weight loss.   Enjoy your leeks, think about St David, and enjoy the video of the singing of Cwm Rhondda.

Welsh ScrOm w: melon

Welsh ScrOmelette:   297 calories   9.3 g fat  2.5 g fiber  16.7 g protein  35 g carbs [33 g Complex Carbs]  252 mg Calcium  PB GF  This is a real taste sensation and a great way to start the day. Reward yourself: find the correct cheese.

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.                                             0.3 oz Cheddar cheese, preferably Caerphilly or Red Dragon                                                             ¾ oz sliced leeks, white and green                                                                                                                     1 oz melon                                                                                                                                                      blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                        5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Slice the leeks across the leaf and wash well under running water.  Put into a small sauce or saute pan, add a few tablespoons of water, put on the lid and ‘sweat’ the leeks until they soften, about 10 minutes. HINT: I did this the night before. Cut the cheese into small dice. When ready to cook, spritz a non-stick pan with cooking spray and add the leeks. Cook about 10 minutes more until limp and maybe beginning to brown on the edges. Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper, and a pinch of thyme. Pour over the leeks in the pan, scramble until cooked. Then sprinkle the cheese over the eggs at the last minute. Serve with melon and beverages of your choice. Fabulous.

Mackeral stuffed w: leeks

Mackerel stuffed with Leeks:   285 calories   15.7 g fat   1.6 g fiber   22 g protein   9.3 g carbs 46.5 mg Calcium   PB GF   This is from Joanne Harris & Fran Warde’s delightful The French Market. If you are lucky enough to get fresh mackerel, this one’s for you.

Two 2-oz mackeral fillets to total 4 oz per serving                                                                                     salt & pepper                                                                                                                                                                          2 tsp grainy mustard, like ‘country Dijon’                                                                                                      oregano                                                                                                                                                                      ¾ of an ounce of sliced leeks                                                                                                                                                           ground coriander                                                                                                                                                          3 oz tomatoes, sliced OR sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slash the skin of the fish and season the skin-side with salt and pepper. Turn the fillets over and spread each one with mustard, then sprinkle with oregano. Put one fillet skin-side down on the baking pan and pile the leeks on top of it. Sprinkle with a little coriander and more pepper, if you like. Put the other fillet on top of the leeks, with the skin-side up. Press down a little on the fish to compact it a bit. Roast for about 12 minutes, until the fish is opaque. Meanwhile, slice the other vegetables. What a lovely meal!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 mozzerella cheese salt cod
 crushed tomatoes instant potato flakes
 1 slice pepperoni cheddar cheese
 blueberries  +  bell pepperstrawberries
optional smoothieoptional hot beverage
optional hot beverageoptional smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 2 all-beef hot dogsMediterranean Vegetables [SIDEKICKS II oct 4, 2017]
 fresh tomato1 slice polenta [ SIDEKICKS II oct 4, 2017]
 dill pickle  + poppy seed fillets of firm white fish
 onions  + celery seed herbes de Province
 sport [medium-hot] peppers
 yellow mustard + hot dog
relish
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Deli & Delhi

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                             Welcome to diet 969 who is now Following.

Aren’t homophones fun? A ‘deli’ is a delicatessen, where you go to get sandwich meat and sliced cheeses or ready-made sandwiches and other delights.  ‘Delhi’ is a territory which contains both the Old City of Delhi and New Delhi, the capital of India. If we can enjoy the verbiage, we can have fun with foods related to those words.  For the deli, we have eggs with all the flavors of a Reuben Sandwich. Representing Delhi are momos, a popular street food, influenced by the Mongols who invaded from the North. And let’s not forget a dipping sauce made of chutney and catsup, both of which have their origins in SE Asia.  Happy Fasting in Delhi or at the deli.

Reuben Bake: 282 calories 7 g fat 3.8 g fiber 16 g protein 38 g carbs 239 mg Calcium PB GF What is more delicious than a good reuben sandwich at lunch? This deli delight is now a flavorful breakfast and its a winner.Reuben Bake w: S-b

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                                                              ½ oz corned beef                                                                                                                                                       1.5 Tbsp sauerkraut [1.5 oz]                                                                                                                                            ½ wedge Laughing Cow cheese                                                                                                                                         1 tsp catsup                                                                                                                                                                2 oz strawberries                                                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                  5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350 F. Chop the corned beef. Chop the sauerkraut. Cream the cheese with the catsup and stir in the beef and ‘kraut. Whisk in the egg and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the beverages and portion the fruit. Mmmmmmm – reuben 🙂

Chicken Momos:  222 calories  1.5 g fat  2 g fiber  15.4 g protein  30 g carbs [6.5 g Complex Carbs]  58 mg Calcium  PB  Steamed momos are one of the most popular street foods of Northern India, due to the influence of neighboring Nepal and the fact that they are delicious. Try them and you will agree. Looks long and complex, but it is do-able.Chicken Momoas w: zucchini

Filling: makes 2 cups; you will need 1 Tbsp for each piece. Freezes well.                                           8 oz chicken breast, cubed   +    1 tsp tumeric    +   1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste**                                   2 tsp ginger, minced   +  2 tsp garlic, minced   +   3 Tbsp carrot, grated or chopped                          3 Tbsp cabbage, Bok Choy or Napa, chopped  +  1 Tbsp scallion, sliced                                                   1 cup onion, chopped   +  pinch sugar [or omit]   +  salt + pepper                                                            1 tsp soy sauce   +  1 tsp chili sauce   +  1 tsp catsup

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

***Ginger-Garlic Paste                                                                                                                                            2 oz garlic cloves, sliced              1 oz ginger root, sliced                                                                                 ½ oz flavorful white vinegar                                                                                                                                      Put in a food processor and whirl it until paste-like.                                                                           Scrape the sides often. Do not add water.                                                                                                   Store remaining paste in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Forming the momos: for 1 serving you will need six 3.5” wonton wrappers                                  Put some water into a custard cup. Lay the wonton wrappers on a large, clean surface. With your finger, moisten the edge of each wrapper with water. Put a tablespoon-full of filling in the center of the wrapper. I brought up each corner to the center and pinched the four edges together to look like a crab rangoon. Or make triangles, as you would for wonton soup. Put each finished momo aside, covered with a damp cloth until ready to steam.    Steaming the momos: Prepare your steamer in the wok by adding enough water that the level comes up the side of the steamer but is not above the level of the bottom rack. Put parchment paper or foil on each rack but allow the steam to flow freely. You could use cupcake papers. When the water in the wok is hot and steaming, add the momos. Cover and steam 10-15 minutes. Remove from steamer and plate.                                                                         Side dish: I spiral cut 3 oz zucchini and put it in to steam for 5 minutes. It was overcooked. Profit from my mistakes. Then I tossed it with one tsp plain yogurt and ½ tsp curry powder. Next time I’d just cube raw zucchini or cucumber to mix with the yogurt. Serve with chutney mixed with catsup.

Washington        

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow will be the birthday of the Father of our Country, George Washington, who was born in 1732. Truly a man who needs no introduction, let us look at what the great man ate. For breakfast, he ate only ‘hoe cakes,’ a pancake made of white corn grits.  He ate them every day, with butter and honey.  Hercules, Washington’s enslaved cook, knew what to prepare for a man with false teeth: soft foods.  The Marquis de Lafayette, whom Washington regarded as the son he never had, might have suggested the very French Cherry Flamusse as an alternative, and the cherries play into Parson Weems legend of young George and the cherry tree.  The first president’s estate Mount Vernon is located in tidewater Virginia, and Washington liked oysters. He would surely have eaten Virginia ham, although every Saturday Hercules whipped up a batch of salt cod stew, according to the book Never Caught, a book which discusses Washington as a slave-holder . Today we’ll enjoy a more festive meal to celebrate Washington’s birthday: Ham & Oyster Pie.

Cherry Flamusse:   291 calories  5.3 g fat  2.2 g fiber   15.4 g protein   46.7 g carbs [12.6 simple carbs, 34 complex carbs]  316 mg Calcium   This breakfast custard is borrowed from the dessert section of the cookbook, and it works very well either way! It is similar to a clafouti, but simpler. Baked with cherries or any firm fruit, it is sure to be a hit. HINT: This makes enough for 2 [two] servings: share with a friend or save the rest for a future breakfast or dessert. [Without the morning beverages, the dessert has 177 calories.]Cherry Flamusse

2 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                            6 oz milk                                                                                                                                                                      4 tsp flour                                                                                                                                                                                        1.5 Tbsp sugar                                                                                                                                                             10 sweet cherries, pitted                                                                                                                                       ½ clementine                                                                                                                                          blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                     3 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie

Spritz 2 ramekins or an oven-proof dish with 1.5 cup capacity with non-stick spray. Cut the cherries in half and arrange on the bottom of the dish. Whisk eggs until foamy, then add flour and sugar, whisking until there are no lumps. Stir in the milk and pour the batter over the cherries. Bake at 375 F. for 20 minutes. Turn the flamusse out of the dish so that the cherries are on top. Plate with the clementine sections, serve with the beverages. You won’t believe this is a ‘diet.’

Ham & Oyster Pie:   256 calories   4.6 g fat   3.2 g fiber   20.7 g protein   25.5 g carbs   125 mg Calcium   GF  This dish was popular in the Colonial American South at Christmastime.  I first enjoyed it in the Fox Tavern at the Hancock Inn. As long as oysters are available, one can have it anytime. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] as shown in the photo.Ham & Oyster Pie for two

3 oz [2/3 cup] roast ham in 1/2” 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                                                                                                                                                  4 small stars cut from a 70-calorie slice of whole-grain bread = 0.55 oz bread

Drain oysters and reserve their liquid. Combine onion and oyster liquid [1/4-1/3 cup] in a small pan. Simmer, covered, until onions are transluscent.  Stir milk, wine, and potato starch into the liquid until it is smooth. Add oysters, ham, and stir to combine. Heat over low until sauce has thickened.  Taste for seasoning.  Add peas, stir, and turn into a two-cup casserole. Bake uncovered at 400 F. for 15 minutes while you lightly toast the stars. Before serving, nestle the stars into the bubbling sauce.  A meal fit for a president.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
 corned beef  leek
 sauerkraut, canned or bagged or fresh Caerphilly or Cheddar cheese
 catsup
 strawberries  apple or pear
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 chicken   +  wonton wrappers  4 oz mackerel
 turmeric + ginger-garlic paste + ginger  leek
 carrots  +  cabbage  +  scallion  tomatoes
 onion  + soy sauce  oregano
 chili sauce   +  catsup  coriander
 garlic  grainy mustard
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Go West, Young Man

~ 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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to diet969 who is now Following.

I’ll bet you know who said the undying words of Manifest Destiny, don’t you. Horace Greeley, native of New Hampshire and publisher of the New York Tribune, of course.  Not so fast. John Babson Lane Soule, born in Maine, actually moved ‘West’ to Indiana and became a newspaper owner.  Evidence points to Soule as the author of the phrase, since in 1851, he urged, “Go West, young man, and grow up with the country.”              Although Greeley did write ““Fly, scatter through the country — go to the Great West,” in 1837, when he used the words, “Go West, young man” in 1865, he was quoting Soule.

Their idea of ‘the West’ was to leave the cities and worn-out farmland of the East Coast to settle in Ohio and Illinois. For the menus today, you will go a bit South that — Texas for breakfast.  And if you keep going, you will cross the Pacific Ocean and arrive in Canton, China for a dinner of wonton soup. Now that’s going West!

Western Bake:   270 calories   5.4 g fat   4.5 g fiber   12.4 g protein   45 g carbs [43.7 g Complex Carbs]  199 mg Calcium PB GF   My father taught me to love a good Western Sandwich. So it seemed natural to incorporate that flavor combination in a breakfast. And its a winner.

Western Bake w: pears

1 two-oz egg                          2 oz green pepper                            2 oz onions                                                                                                                                                                                  2-3 tsp ketchup, made without high fructose corn syrup         2 oz pear                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Chop the pepper and onions and cook: either in the microwave or by poaching in water for 2 minutes. Drain and combine with the ketchup. Whisk with the eggs, salt and pepper to taste. Spritz an oven-proof ramekin or other dish with non-stick spray. Pour in the egg mixture and bake at 350 F. for 15-18 minutes. Plate the fruit and pour the beverages. Yee-haaw, that’s a breakfast!

Wonton Soup:  257 calories   34 g fat  0.9 g fiber   23.7 g protein   29 g carbs  25 mg Calcium PB Cantonese wonton soup can be your’s, easily and without the extra salt or MSG. I prepared the entire batch of filling, then stuffed and poached all 26 wontons. Frozen, they will be the ‘instant’ source of future meals.

Wonton Soup

Filling: 4 0z ground pork                       4 oz chicken meat              1/2 tsp cornstarch                                                                                                                                           ¾ tsp sugar                1 tsp sesame oil            ¼ tsp white pepper + ¾ tsp salt + 1 Tbsp water                                                                                                                                                                              1 Tbsp sherry                                          4 oz shrimp, chopped to the size of green peas                                                                                                

Combine all ingredients except the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor and mince to a paste. Stir in the chopped shrimp. Refrigerate until ready to fill the wontons. TIP: Can be made the day before.                                                                                                                                                 Wontons: Wonton skins [wrappers] are small squares of egg-roll wrappers. You’ll need 5 wonton skins per bowl of soup, 26 skins for the entire batch.   Put 4-6 wonton skins on a cutting board. Moisten two edges of one of the squares. Place 1 Tbsp of filling on the square, fold over to make a triangle, and pinch the sides together. Set aside, up to 30 minutes covered with cling wrap or foil, until ready to poach them.                                                                                                               

Poaching filled wontons: Bring a pan of water to boil. Depending on the diameter of the pan, add wontons 4-5 at a time. They will sink to the bottom of the pan. When they float to the surface [in 4-5 minutes], fish them out and put on a tea towel to drain.                                       

To finish the soup: 1.5 cups delicious chicken stock, purchased or home-made                                                                                                               1.5 oz cabbage in strips                          5 filled wontons                1 Tbsp sliced scallion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Heat the stock to a simmer and add the cabbage. Cover and simmer until the cabbage is cooked. Put 5 poached wontons in your soup bowl, add the stock and cabbage, sprinkle with scallion. Pass the soy sauce.