Who Dunit? Who Ate It? Chapter VIII

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

Dear Husband and I love to read ‘whodunits.’ Crime literature in English harks back to Edgar Allen Poe’s Murders on Rue Morgue in 1841. As the genre took off, a sub-genre developed in the 1900s: culinary crime. These books are read as much for the procedural as for the vicarious thrills of the meals that are described along the way. There are many authors who tantalize our tastebuds while they challenge our little grey cells and today, I will feature foods from two widely different sources.

Sherlock Holmes, created by Arthur Conan Doyle, is perhaps one of the most famous and recognizable fictional sleuths. His mind is computer-like in its knowledge and recall. He is restless, self-destructive, depressed, and reclusive, yet somehow likable. His only friend is his chronicler and former flat-mate Dr. John Watson. Holmes is better known for his ingestion of cocaine than his intake of food, yet Mrs Hudson, his landlady, brought three meals a day up to the rooms at 21-B Baker Street – even if her famous client never ate them. You can eat this one and think of him in foggy London.

Rashers & Egg: 145 calories… 10 g fat… 1 g fiber… 10 g protein… 4.5 g carbs… 30 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF A ‘rasher’ is an English term for one slice of bacon. Bacon and eggs are a classic combination.

+++ one 2-oz egg ++++ 2 slices American/streaky bacon ++++ 1 oz strawberry or apple or peach ++++ 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] ++

This breakfast is ‘elementary,’ as Holmes would say to Watson. Cook the bacon until crispy, remove from pan and pour out most of the fat. Add egg and cook to your liking. Plate with fruit and sip the beverage of choice.

Nero Wolfe was created by Rex Stout in 1934. Wolfe is quirky, reclusive, and hugely fat. Seldom leaving his New York flat, he still manages to solve crimes with the help of his assistant Archie. In Some Buried Caesar, Nero and Archie go to the agricultural fair to show Wolfe’s orchids. In the food tent run by the Methodist Ladies, they wax lyrical over homey fare. Instead of eating Fritz the Chef’s exotic delicacies, they dine twice on Chicken & Dumplings.

Chicken & Dumplings: 293 calories 7 g fat 4.6 g fiber 38 g protein 30 g carbs 67 mg Calcium  PB This was a real hit in my parents’ Central Pennsylvania home and it is still a favorite with us. Be aware that it is best made over 2 days, but it basically cooks by itself with a few busy bouts by you. Worth the time and effort. AND this recipe serves 4 [four] people, so have a party serving this great make-ahead meal. If you serve one or two, make the whole thing anyhow, then package and freeze the remainder.

++ 3 pound whole chicken, preferably a fowl although you will get more meat from a fryer ++++ ½ cup onion, chopped ++++ 1/3 cup carrots cut as coins ++++ ½ cup celery, chopped ++++ bay leaf ++++ 3 peppercorns ++++ 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce ++++ 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 4 dumplings** ++++ per person:  ¼ cup green peas ++

Cut up a 3 pound chicken into leg quarters, breast quarters, back, wings. In a large pcast iron pan or Dutch oven, brown the chicken in a little oil on all sides. Add the vegetables, bay leaf, pepper, and water to cover. Simmer on the cooktop for 45 minutes. Add 2 tsp salt, cover, and simmer for another 45 minutes. Strain off the stock and let the fat rise to the surface to cool. Discard the fat. Reserve the vegetables. Cool the chicken and remove the skin. Pull off the meat in chunks: you will use 17 oz meat by volume. You could stop here.

Measure ¼ cup of stock and whisk in the 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour to form a paste. Measure 1.5 cups stock and pour into a stovetop-safe serving dish along with the Worcestershire sauce. HINT: save any remaining stock and chicken for excellent soup. You could stop here. Add the flour water paste and stir to incorporate. Put the vegetables and chicken meat into the dish and adjust seasonings to taste.  You could stop here. Twenty minutes before you serve, prepare dough for the dumplings.

**DUMPLINGSmakes 4 each = 70 calories.. 0 g fat.. 2.6 g fiber… 3 g protein… 23 g carbs… 130 mg Calcium… This dumpling is the savory type you cook over a stew, such as Chicken Fricasse. I’ve even used it in St Kitts Fish Stew. The recipe comes from Fannie Farmer.

— 10 Tbsp white whole wheat flour — 1+1/3 tsp baking powder — big pinch salt — pinch sugar —- big pinch spices or herbs —- 4 Tbsp/2 fl. oz milk —

Combine all the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk. The batter should be stiff but not dry. [add a little stew broth or water if needed] See directions below for cooking the dumplings.

Heat the chicken mixture and place 4 dollops of dumpling dough on the chicken and vegetables but not so that it is in liquid only. Let it all bubble gently for 10 minutes, then cover the dish and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Steam the peas and pour over the top of the dish before bringing to the table. Serve this simple classic proudly.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs  + dill pickle
tuna fish — canned or cookedSwiss cheese + 3%-fat ham
frozen spinach + anchovycooked, left-over pork + melon
Mediterranean Vegetables + melon dab of mayonnaise + dab of mustard
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

firm-fleshed fish [swordfish/tuna] fillets zucchini + onion + 3 eggs
eggplant + cherry tomatoeschicken breast meat [optional] + garlic + herbs
red/yellow bell pepperLaughing Cow cheese + Parmesan cheese
side salad  + Fresh Polentawhite-whole-wheat bisquick + oil + vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Dust Bowl

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to jackrussellterrier23 who is now Following.

In the 1930s, the United States suffered a terrible ecological disaster: the Dust Bowl. The centers of continents are usually very dry and there had been many droughts on the prairies in past centuries. But a 10-year drought in the Central Plains had killed the farm crops and baked the earth. The major difference this time was that the deep-rooted prairie grasses, which had anchored and protected the soil, had been plowed up since the mid-1800s to plant wheat and corn. Now the silt and sand blew away in the wind as Dust, burying the fields and sifting into the windows of the houses. Dust was deadly to humans, causing irritation of the lungs which resulted in ‘dust pneumonia.’ Face masks were recommended, to filter the air, but many people in the area refused to wear them. The Dust traveled hundreds of miles to the East, enveloping the US Capitol in Washington D.C. as a bill on soil conservation was being discussed! The event altered the weather of North America for a few years, creating a heat wave in the upper-Mid-West in July of 1936. Triple-digit temperatures set records and caused the deaths of 5000 people. Does this all sound familiar, in this hot, hot July of 2023? The Dust Bowl and its heat wave were a local phenomenon then, while excessive heating this time is global. Our current weather woes are not going to go away. The Dust Bowl ended and new farming practices were put into place. This heat will continue until new energy practices are put in place. Do your part.

Bacon and eggs and apples are popular in the Heartland, so we will have them for breakfast. Ocean fish is not always available in the middle of the continent, but canned salmon can fill that gap, just as it fills the cucumber for our cooling dinner.

Apple-Bacon Bake: 131 calories 6 g fat 1.6 g fiber 9 g protein 8 g carbs 73 mg Calcium   NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beveragesPB GF  Simple, honest flavors, easily prepared.

1 two-oz egg ¾ oz apple, peeled, cored, sliced thinly 1/8 oz bacon, diced ½ Tbsp ricotta cheese, drained if too liquid 1 tsp Parmesan cheese ¼ tsp prepared mustard pinch crumbled dry sage ½ oz pear  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]    Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Spritz a ramekin with cooking spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 F. In a saute pan, cook the bacon until done. Drain away the fat and blot in paper towel. In the same pan, saute the apple until softened. Put apple and bacon in the ramekin. Whisk the egg, ricotta, Parmesan, mustard, and sage together and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and the pear. How pleasant.

Cucumber Boat with Salmon: 258 calories 12.4 g fat 3 g fiber 20.4 g protein 19 g carbs 162 mg Calcium  PB GF  So easy for the summer or anytime.

2¾ oz cooked salmon, canned or fresh one 3.5 oz cucumber, of which you will use half to serve one person ½ Tbsp Watercress sauce  1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/8 oz leek, white part OR scallions ½ cup 4-bean salad 

Slice the leek and blanch in a little water in the microwave. In a bowl break up the salmon and combine with the sauce, mustard and leek. Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the seeds with a melon-baller. Mound the salmon into the cucumber boat and plate with the 4-bean salad.

Gregor Mendel

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

Green and yellow peas were used by Mendel to track inherited traits over many generations.

Your parents both have brown eyes, but you have blue eyes*. You have detached earlobes, but your mother has attached lobes** — why don’t you take after her more? Those questions were answered by the work of Řehoř Jan Mendel, known to the world as Gregor Mendel. He was born on July 20, 1822, in Silesia, then in the Austrian Empire, now in Czechia. The Mendel family had worked the same farmland for 130 years, and Jan was trained to keep the vegetable garden as well as the bees. His schooling was frequently interrupted by illness. Twice he took the test for a teaching certificate without success. Wishing to pursue his studies, but out of funds — even after borrowing from his sister — Jan became a monk in 1846, taking the name Řehoř [Gregor]. After a stint at University of Vienna, Brother Gregor returned to his abbey to teach physics. A local mentor encouraged Mendel to study genetics, so Gregor worked with peas in the monastery vegetable garden. From 1853 to 1867, he planted and cross-bred 10,000 pea plants. The peas had seven different characteristics [which he called ‘factors,’ now called ‘genetic traits’], including height and color of peas. By carefully transferring pollen from one flower to another, Mendel could influence the resultant pea crop. When a tall plant was crossed with a short one, it yielded a tall plant every time. He called tallness a ‘dominant’ factor and shortness ‘recessive.’ But when he planted their seeds for the next generation, one in four plants with the tall-short parents would be short. His observations lead to Mendel’s Laws of Heredity. 1st Law: dominant factors will always show up in offspring. 2nd Law: each parent has two ‘factors’ yet passes only one of them on to the offspring. In modern Biology classes, we teach the Punnett Square to show how dominant and recessive traits are passed on. Mendel was discouraged from pursuing his research: the Bishop giggled at the thought and suggested that Brother Gregor should grow potatoes. His work stopped when he became abbot, but no one was interested in his ideas anyhow. Twenty years after his death in 1884, his theories were confirmed by scientists. In the 1930s, his work was seen as integral to the study of genetics. With the advent of gene research, doctors today can identify diseases that are dominant and recessive — all thanks to Brother Gregor, the Father of Genetics.

For breakfast, herbs and zucchini from the garden. For dinner — what else?? — a soup of green peas.

* your brown-eyes dominant parents each carry a recessive gene for blue eyes, and you got them both. **your dominant gene for detached earlobes came from your father, since your mother carries the recessive gene for attached earlobes.

Zucchini-Herb ScrOmelette: 152 calories 8.6 g fat 1 g fiber 11 g protein 7 g carbs 80 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF Summer squashes were made to be combined with lots of herbs. Then add cheese: bliss! 

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  ¼ cup zucchini, grated 2 Tbsp fresh herbs [or more!], chopped 2 Tbsp grated Jarlsberg cheese 1 oz applesauce OR 1.5 oz peaches  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Put the zucchini and herbs into a lightly-spritzed non-stick saute pan. Cook until softened and most of the liquid is evaporated. Whisk the eggs with the cheese and pour into the pan. Scramble it or cook as an omelette, hence ScrOmelette. Prepare the beverages and plate the fruit. Ahhhh. The taste of Summer.

Green Split Pea Soup:  262 calories 1.6 g fat 19 g fiber 20 g protein 46 g carbs 30 mg Calcium   PB GF  For years we have loved this soup from Picardy, France which comes to us via Anne Willen’s  French Regional Cooking. The easiest recipe in the world!  HINT: Makes 6 one-cup servings. What you don’t use today, freeze in serving-sized portions.

16 oz bag dry green split peas + water to soak 1 quart water, for making the soup 2 slices bacon 2 stems of thyme salt + pepper to taste

Put the dry peas in a bowl and add water to cover them by 2”. Let them sit and soften for 1.5 hours. Drain. TIP: you will not need the soaking water for the soup, but use it to water the houseplants Put the peas, bacon, thyme, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 1¼ hours.  NB: Not all the liquid will be used up.That’s fine. Remove the bacon and the thyme stems. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion wand, puree the soup. There should be 6 cups. Soup should be loose enough to run off a spoon, but not too thin. Add water, if necessary, to adjust thickness. Taste for seasonings. Cook the bacon in a saute pan until it is crisp. Crumble it and add to the soup. 

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1 two-oz egg 
apple + pear2 slices American/streaky bacon
sage + ricotta cheeseapple or peach
American/streaky bacon + mustard
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Canned or cooked salmon3# chicken or fowl + onion + celery
one 3.5 oz cucumberCarrot + Worcestershire sauce
4-bean salad  + Watercress sauce White whole wheat flour + peas
prepared mustard + leek or scallion Dumplings: flour, milk, baking powder, herbs
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Isaac Watts

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to passiveincomepro23 who is now Following.

Only a few years after Issac Watts was born on July 17, 1674, his parents realized that he was a prodigy. He was reading at age 3, learned latin at age 4. Young Isaac delighted in rhyme and his first poem was penned when he was 7 years old. By the time he was 13, he had learned French and two classical languages. Family friends suggested an early admission to Oxford University, to the end of an occupation as an Anglican clergyman. But Isaac spurned the suggestion, since he had been raised as a ‘dissenter.’ His family were Calvinists, followers of the French style of Protestantism, and these views were at odds with those of the English Anglican Church. Isaac’s formal education ended at age 20 and he moved back home. When hymns were sung at their church, Watts noted the lack-luster engagement of the congregation. Hearing his frequent complaints, his father challenged him to write something better. The enthusiastic reception of of Isaac’s new song inspired him to write one new hymn every week for the next 2 years. [Watts did not write the music. The church music director saw to matching music to the words.] The followers of Luther had been singing new songs for 150 years, but Calvin had insisted that the words of hymns be from the Psalms of the Old Testament, which can be rather dreary. Watts re-wrote the psalms, turning out new wordings which could be sung with enthusiasm. Below, note the way Watts reinterpreted the words to be ‘catchier,’ more singable — putting New Testament optimism over Old Testament angst.

Psalm 90 verses 1-8 O God, Our Help in Ages Past
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth
and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God
.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday
 when it is past, and as a watch in the night
.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 
O God, our help in ages past,
  Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
  And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne
  Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
  And our defence is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
  Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
  To endless years the same
.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
  Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun
.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
  Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
  Dies at the opening day.
O God, our help in ages past,
  Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
  And our eternal home.

Not every worshipper was fond of these new songs, but in time Watts’ hymns became embedded in the musical traditions of protestant churches. Can you imagine Christmas without “Joy to the World”? Thank you, Isaac Watts! For the last 30 years of his life, marked by bouts of fever and weakness, Isaac was the pastor of a Dissenter congregation near London. In addition to his pastoral duties, he was a prolific writer: four books of lyrics; essays on theological topics; education texts; and his 1000s of sermons were collected into books. Watts’ words of faith and Christian virtue sing on in churches across the world, a testament to his talent.

Watts wrote simple, comforting words in his songs. Our meals will be simple, comforting foods from England.

Poached Egg on Toast: 156 calories 5.6 g fat 2.4 g fiber 10.5 g protein 14.6 g carbs 52.6 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods 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-cal bread [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great]   one 2-oz egg 1 oz of apple or 1.5 oz melon  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

If using an egg poacher, lightly spray the egg cup and heat the water to a simmer. Toast the bread. Poach the egg for 3-4 minutes, according to your taste. Slide egg onto the toast; season to taste; enjoy with your beverage of choice.

Vegetable Pie: prepared with LATTICE + cheese: 1 Serving = 236 calories 9.4 g fat 4.6 g fiber 7 g protein 44 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF puff pastry. This excellent recipe is from allrecipes.com. I removed most of the oil and half of the puff pastry, and it still tastes wonderful. The grated cheese is my addition. HINT: This recipe makes enough for 3 servings.  For 2 servings, I used an 8” casserole dish.

Sv 3: 1 Sv= 1¼ cupPreheat oven to 425 F /220 C
1 tsp oil+ 1 tsp water
½ c onion
4 oz mushroom
1 clove garlic
Heat oil+water in a large skillet/ saucepan. Chop the vegetables and cook in oil 3-5 mins, stirring often.
1 lg carrot, peeled
¼# potato, peeled
7” stalk celery
1 c. cauliflower
½ c green beans
1½ c veg broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Dice carrots and potato. Slice celery and beans into 1” pieces.
Cut cauliflower into florets. Add all vegetables to pan, then add broth. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook until vegetables are barely tender, ~5 mins. Season with salt and pepper.  
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp water
rosemary + thyme
Mix until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir into vegetables with herbs, and cook until sauce thickens, ~3 minutes.
TIP: can do day before. For 2 servings, remove 1¼ c and freeze for another use.
1 oz Gouda, grated ½ sheet puff paste OR  ¼ sheet, cut for latticePour filling into a baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Roll out dough and arrange over filling. If not using lattice, cut slits to vent steam.
Bake until crust is brown and filling is bubbly, ~25 mins

Frida Kahlo

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

Is there an artist more recognizable than Frida Kahlo? She is the icon of the strong woman; of innovative art; and of over-coming adversity. She was born in 1907, and suffered from polio as a child. Ever after, Kahlo wore long skirts to hide her atrophied leg. While attending the prestigious National Preparatory School in Mexico City, Frida first saw the famous Diego Rivera as he painted a mural. She told a friend that some day she would marry him. After a traffic accident that left her with numerous broken bones, she took up painting to keep her occupied while enduring life in a full-body cast. Frida most often painted herself — she said that she was the subject that she knew best. In 1928, Kahlo approached Rivera, asking him for advice on her career. They became romantically involved and married in 1929. A tempestuous relationship ensued. Their’s was an open marriage with separate studios and separate living arrangements. Both of them had other partners and there was so much arguing that no one was surprised that they divorced — only to remarry in 1940. Through it all, she painted: pictures filled with pain and symbolism; with anger and Mexican heritage; with suffering and nature; with sensuality and political fervor. In her lifetime, she was recognized as a fine artist, selling works to collectors in New York City and Paris. After she died on July 13, 1954, her reputation languished, only to be resurrected in the 1990s, followed by a sort of Fridamania. Today she is honored as one of Mexico’s greatest artists and as a major contributor to feminist ideology.

Our meals, are from Frida’s Mexico, probably a bit Americanized, as has been Frida’s legacy.

Mexican Bake: 124 calories 6.5 g fat 1.5 g fiber 8.4 g protein 8 g carbs 76 mg Calcium  PB GF Queso, adobo, Mexican oregano – how much more flavor can we pack into these eggs? Try this, it is good.

¼ oz queso fresco one 2-oz egg 1 Tbsp green or red New Mexico chili 0.2 oz roasted red pepper Mexican oregano ½ tsp adobo 1.5 oz mango OR 1 oz blueberries + 1 oz melon, diced   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 caloriesOptional: blackish coffee  [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Spritz a ramekin [for 2 people, Dear Husband prefers to use a 4×6” oval casserole] with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350F. Chop the roasted pepper and stir them into the chili, queso, and other flavorings. DO NOT ADD SALT. Whisk the egg and stir in the above mixture. Pour into the oven-proof dish and bake 12-15 minutes. Plate the fruit, prepare your beverage of choice. Eat con gusto/with pleasure.

Fajitas with Chicken + Vegetables: 286 calories 5 g fat 4 g fiber 24 g protein 35 g carbs 183 mg Calcium  PB GF – using corn tortillas  It is quick, delicious, and a good way to use vegetables. EatingWell is the source of this super easy meal.  HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] people.

1 tsp oil + 3 tsp water + 6 oz chicken breast
2 c.[9.5 oz] veg, including: 3 oz sweet pepper + 4 oz zucchini + 1 oz red onion + 1.5 oz broccoli
1 tsp chili powder + 1 tsp Adobo
Cut meat into strips or shred if already cooked. Cut vegetables into strips or other edible sizes. Heat oil in wok, stirfry meat, vegetables, water, and seasonings  ~ 7 minutes or until cooked and vegetables begin to brown
four 5” yellow corn tortillas @ 60 cal each Wrap in damp kitchen towel and nuke 30-45 seconds. -OR- Warm on a griddle or in a dry skillet until pliable and starting to brown.
3 Tbsp plain nonfat yog = 2 tsp per tortillaSmear yogurt on each tortilla. Divide the meat/veg among the tortillas.
1 lime
¼ c cilantro leaves
Serve lime on the side, squeeze juice on fajita contents. Sprinkle with cilantro.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs  + mixed herbs
1 slice whole-grain bread, 70 caloriesJarlsberg cheese
apple or melonzucchini
peach or applesauce
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

olive oil + onion + mushrooms + garlic + thyme1 pound dried green split peas
carrot + potato + green beans + caulifloweruncured streaky bacon
vegetable broth + cornstarch + soy saucethyme
puff pastry + Gouda cheese + rosemary, za’atar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Ape-Man & Monkey Trial

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to strategyninja2023 who is now Following.

In 1859, Charles Darwin published the book that was to change science forever, yet ruin his life: On the Origin of Species. It stated that plant and animal life were not static since the start of time, but changed bit by bit over time evolving into new forms of life. In 1871, he followed it up with The Descent of Man, saying that humans are animals just like any other, and that they too evolved — from a non-human ancestor. Cue the torches and pitchforks! Critics said, “Where is the proof? Where are the fossil remains of an ‘ape-man?” In 1856, fossils were found in the Neander River Valley of Germany that looked human — sort of — except they clearly had an ‘ape-like’ jaw and teeth. This was dubbed the Neanderthal [‘thal’ = ‘valley’ in German] Man. Was this the ‘missing link’ between apes and humans?? The issue was hotly debated for decades. On July 10, 1925, in Dayton, Tennessee, John T. Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution to his high school biology class. [Evolution was an approved part of the state curriculum, although the Butler Act forbad it.] A committee of town leaders had decided that the way to put Dayton on the map would be to stage a ‘show trial’ based on the hot-button issue of evolution. They were right. Media swarmed to the trial, due especially to the participation of two high profile lawyers: William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution and Clarence Darrow for the defense. The two former allies were poles apart on religion, and the highlight of the trial was when Darrow put Bryan on the witness stand, producing a confused set of answers about events from the Book of Genesis. The trial was famously [mis]represented on stage in Lawrence and Lee’s 1955 Inherit the Wind, made into a movie in 1960 [the clip of Darrow on the stand is from the film — not court transcripts]. The guilty verdict against Scopes, subsequently set aside by acquittal, did not end the controversy of creationism vs. evolution. In 2005, a case in Dover, Pennsylvania took on the constitutionality of teaching creationism. Evolution won. On July 11, 1997, German scientists used DNA to analyze the Neanderthal genome — a major step in determining the relationship between them and us. Results showed that Neanderthals were humans, Homo neanderthalensis, but not ancestors of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Analysis of Homo sapiens DNA, shows that most people of non-African origin carry some genetic material from Neanderthals. The study of the past, through archeology, paleo-biology, and geology, has much to teach us about human evolution. The Bible has much to teach us about religious evolution.

Our meals today are from the Eastern-Central part of the US, where the Monkey Trial was held. The foods are traditional and familiar, just the way the people liked it. William Jennings Bryan died of a heart attack five days after the conclusion of the trial — some say it was from over-eating at a turkey dinner.

Scrapple Scramble: 168 calories 14 g fat 2 g fiber 11.4 g protein 9.4 g carbs 64.6 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF – scrapple is supposed to be made with cornmeal and buckwheat flour, not wheat flour. Check the label.  This is a great way to use any left-over scrapple, in case you cooked too much earlier in the week.

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.   ½ oz scrapple, cooked, diced 2 Tbsp scallion or chives, sliced thinly 1.5 oz strawberries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Dice the scrapple and slice the scallion. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and cook the scrapple and scallion until they are warm. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the ingredients in the pan. Scramble to your liking. Plate with the strawberries and enjoy your beverage of choice. This is a real taste of South-Eastern Pennsylvania!

Turkey Dinner: One of the great American meals is “Turkey with all the trimmings.” This could be found at a country restaurant [often with white or yellowish gravy] or at the holiday table. What if you ate ‘some of everything’ as one commonly does? I’m not going to tell you what to eat, but I will provide you with some calorie counts for common foods:

4 oz turkey breast, roasted, skinless 153 calories
½ cup green beans21 calories
½ cup breadcrumb stuffing176 calories
½ cup peas62 calories
1/2 cup mashed potatoes118 calories
2 Tbsp cranberry sauce55 calories
4 Tbsp gravy32 calories
pumpkin pie, 1/8th of a 9” pie316 calories

Religions: Hussites

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

Jan Hus

A general world history course often rushes from the Middle Ages to the Protestant Reformation as if not much happened in between. Then up pops Martin Luther, 95 Thesis in hand, as if he were the first to want to reform the Roman Church. There were reforms of the monastic orders by Benedict in the 6th century and by Bernard in the 11th. But after one and a half millennia, the original thread of the Christian Church had become a bit tangled. Jan Hus had worked his way up from being a poor farmer’s son in Bohemia to being Rector at the Prague University. After reading the [banned] works of John Wycliffe, Hus saw flaws in the church hierarchy and he proposed changes to get it back to the original ways. At that time, the Roman Church was striving to overcome schisms and disunity, so they did not want to hear any criticism from the ranks.

Jesus’ church reforms, 30 CE The Roman church in 1400 CEHus’ reform ideas 1400 CE
Poverty for all preachersPopes and bishops lived lavish lifestyles, like princes with perks Poverty for all clergy
Said the church is not a place for buying and selling Selling indulgences to raise funds for churchesNo sales of indulgences
Preaching in local languages Preaching in latin onlyPreaching to Czechs in Czech 
Gave followers bread and wine at the Last SupperAt communion, priests got wine + bread. People got only bread.At communion, both bread and wine for all people.
He read scripture in his own languageAll bibles were in latin and translation was forbiddenBibles should be in local languaages for all to read.

His views against indulgences put him at odds with the King of Bohemia. His insistence on preaching in Czech angered the Church. Daily, he gained followers. Hus was called to the Council of Constance to discuss his views. They immediately condemned him [and the deceased Wycliffe] for heresy. Hus was burned at the stake on July 6, 1415. His ashes were shoveled into the river so there would be no veneration of his remains. Everyday Czechs were infuriated by his death. Hus was seen as a reformer and a patriot. The Hussites took arms against the Church and the King, engaging in the 14-year war of religion in which they defended the ideas of Hus. One Hundred years later, the Reformation began in Germany and two-thirds of Czechs left the Catholic church and became followers of Luther.

What was then Bohemia, became the western part of Czechoslovakia, and is now Czechia. But they still like the same food traditions that have been handed down through the centuries. Our breakfast and dinner are typical of foods from the time of Jan Has.

Bohemian Breakfast:  174 calories 9 g fat 4 g fiber 8.6 g protein 17.6 g carbs 130 mg Calcium  PB A typical farmer’s breakfast from Medieval Bohemia makes for a fine modern-day Fast meal. Very easy preparation.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce 1 oz Camembert cheese.

Lightly toast the bread. If you wish, lightly warm the applesauce to take off the refrigerator chill. Spread the applesauce on the bread and plate with the cheese. Simple, satisfying, delicious.

Czech Garlic Soup Česneková polévka: 194 calories 5 g fat 4 g fiber 9 g protein 27 g carbs 84 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF 100% rye bread  What could be better on a cold winter’s night than a cozy bowl of soup? This is a classic from czechcookbook, but feel free to make it your own. The calorie count is so low that you could add other vegetables or low-fat meat.  HINT: This recipe makes 8 cups of soup. One serving = 1 cup

1 Tbsp unsalted butter OR bacon fat  
7 cloves garlic
Chop garlic and saute in butter/fat in a stock pot.
7 cups water OR Chicken OR Beef Broth
1½ tsp salt
3 cups cubed potatoes  3 cups cubed parsnips
Peel potatoes and parsnips and cut in cubes. Add with salt and broth to the stock pot. Simmer 20 minutes, until vegetables are just under-done.Remove ½ cup soup stock and cool.
1 two-oz egg ½ cup of soup stock
1 tsp marjoram
Whisk egg, then whisk it into reserved soup stock. Return to the stockpot, stirring, and add marjoram. Taste for seasoning. Let sit in a cool place 8-24 hours.
Per person: ¼ oz rye/whole-grain bread Per person: ¼ oz Swiss cheese
Per person: side salad
Cut bread into cubes and toast them. Grate cheese over them while hot. Use to garnish the reheated soup at serving time. Add a side salad for more nutrients.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs1.5 two-oz eggs  + Mexican oregano
scrapple made with cornmeal + buckwheat queso fresco + New Mexico green chilis
Scallion roasted red pepper + adobo powder
strawberriesblueberries + melon
optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

roast turkey + ‘all the trimmings’chicken breast meat + yellow corn tortillas
an analysis of a feastcilantro + sweet peppers + zucchini
red onion + adobo powder + broccoli
chili powder + plain yogurt + lime
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Québec City

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

Quebec City, 1688.

When Samuel de Champlain sailed up the Saint Lawrence River in 1608, perhaps he thought that he had found the fabled Northwest Passage through North America to the Pacific. Instead he ended up in a place with a great potential. The broad river narrowed as it turned, and it was dominated by huge cliffs. Below the cliff was a low, flat area for landing boats. This was a natural fortress and on July 3, Champlain claimed it as the site for his trading post: fur trappers and explorers seeking trade. The area was called Québec, from the Algonquin language, meaning ‘where the river narrows.’ For a few years, it was run by distant France, but it 1645, it came under local control and grew into a real settlement: priests and nuns set up schools for the population influx. When Louis XIV named it the capital of New France, the town grew: bureaucrats, soldiers, and nobility seeking status and wealth. Government buildings and residences were built on the heights, surrounded by a palisade. The lower town bustled with merchants, tradespeople and their houses. In the mid-1600s, Québec City had a cathedral [Notre-Dame de Québec, 1647], the Jesuit College [1637] and a seminary [which became Université Laval]. Tensions between France and England lead to the Battle of Quebec in 1759, when British rule ensued. Trade in lumber became the new cash cow for the port as Québec tried to strike a balance between its French past and the modern British influence. They succeeded well: the Old Town, with its fortifications, its elegant upper town and tourist-quaint lower town, is a destination for those seeking a sojourn in the most European city in North America.

Preserved meat and local mushrooms no doubt were common menu items in early New France. If the colonizers had been smarter, they would have eaten more like their indigenous neighbors, as we will do at dinner.

Mushroom-Sausage Bake: 138 calories… 7.6 g fat… 0.5 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 6.5 g carbs… 40 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF This is a happy combination of flavors, especially when mushrooms are fresh.

1 chicken breakfast sausage at 33 calories each 1 two-oz egg ¼ oz mushrooms ¾ tsp Parmesan cheese, grated 1.5 oz unsweetened applesauce Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 caloriesOptional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Cook the mushrooms [if raw] by poaching in a little hot water for a minute, then chop. Slice sausage thinly. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350F degrees. Put sausage slices in the baking dish. Whisk the egg with the mushrooms and cheese, and pour into the ramekin. Bake 12-15 minutes. Spoon out the applesauce and pour the beverages.

Abenaki Feast: 281 calories 6 g fat 5 g fiber 27 g protein 36.4 g carbs 13 mg Calcium   PB GF This meal is made from ingredients available to the Abenaki People of Northern New England: corn, shell beans, salmon, and maple syrup. A fine feast for Indigenous Peoples and the rest of us too. The salmon I chose is from the West Coast, but that is because there is very little wild salmon left in the North-East.

3.5 oz salmon, such as wild-caught Sockeye 2 tsp real maple syrup ¼ c lima beans 1/3 c corn kernels

Choose a heavy saute pan with a lid and spray it with cooking oil. Place the fish in the pan and brush it with some of the maple syrup – using just enough to cover the fish but not so much that it runs into the pan. Salt and pepper it, cover and cook on medium-high for 4 minutes. Combine the vegetables, and warm them gently. Uncover the fish, brush with more syrup, cover and cook another 2 minutes. Brush on the remaining syrup, cook fish until it is done. Plate and enjoy a proper pre-colonial meal.

Slow Days: Meze Luncheon

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

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

Friends were going to drop by for a summer luncheon. We see them only once a year and don’t really know their eating preferences, so we opted for a ‘grazing meal.’ Call it Mezedakia if you are Greek, call it Tapas if you are Spanish, call it Small Bites if you are writing the restaurant appetizer menu. A meal like this offers flexibility and choices for the people around the table, and this assortment is very much in the Mediterranean Diet mode. One can eat as much or as little as one wants. My kind of meal!

Top Row, left to right: Gozleme Bread, Felafel patties Second Row, left to right: Cucumber-Tomato salad, Tzatziki [white, with spreading knife], black olives, cherry tomatoes, watermelon chunks Bottom Row, left to right: Carrots in lemon marinade, za’atar chicken chunks, White Beans with capers

This menu has many make-ahead components, so there is no scrambling at the last minute. And here are the preparation notes:

Gozleme Bread: make ahead

1¼ c white whole wheat flour ½ tsp salt Mix in a 1-Qt-sized bowl. 
¼ c water ¼ c plain yogurt Combine yogurt/water and stir into the flour until well-combined. Add a bit more water if too dry.
On a floured surface, knead ~3 mins, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let sit for a few mins on the counter OR overnight in a cool place.
Roll on a floured surface into flat breads. Divide into sizes for your recipe. Cook on an oil-sprayed skillet 3-4 mins per side until turning brown in spots.

FELAFEL: makes 25 patties  So convenient to have in the freezer for ‘instant’ meals.

2 cups canned chick peas [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them] 1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!] ¼ cup celery, minced ¼ c. scallions, sliced 1 two-oz egg 1½ tsp tahini ½ t. cumin ½ t. turmeric ¼ t. cayenne ¼ t. black pepper 1.5 t. salt

Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1½ Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later. Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be about 25 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use. 

Cucumber-Tomato Salad: make ahead What a Summer treat!

Sv 4
1 English cucumber, unpeeledTrim off ends of cuke, halve it lengthwise. Cut into ½” dice.
10 oz grape or cherry tomatoes
½ small red onion
Dice tomatoes and red onion. Put all three veg into a bowl.
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
½ tsp Kosher or fine sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Whisk these together.Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to mix.
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley/dill /basilGently stir in the fresh herbs, if using. 
Serve immediately or chill in ‘frige 1-2 hrs to let the flavors meld before serving.

Tzatziki:  make ahead This is the traditional Greek condiment. Very refreshing. The recipe comes from themediterraneandish.com and

2½ cups
1 English cucumber or another variety Kosher saltGrate cucumbers whole if using English cucumbers. If using cucumbers with waxy skin, peel and cut in half before grating. Remove and discard seeds. Salt lightly.
Squeeze cucumbers in a clean cloth to remove liquid.
4-5 cloves garlic, minced  1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
In a big bowl, combine garlic with these and mix. 
drained cucumber 2 c plain Greek yogurt 
Ground pepper + salt
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or mint
Add drained cucumber mixture to the above bowl, then add these ingredients. Stir to combine.
Chill 30 mins -2 hrs before serving with fresh veggies and pita or chips

Carrots in lemon marinade: make ahead Prepare the marinade: In a wide bowl, whisk together 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, pinch of granulated garlic, pinch oregano. Cook small carrot sticks until tender and put them into the marinade while they are still hot. Stir at whiles, as the carrots cool on the counter.

Za’atar Chicken: make ahead or grill in front of your guests to show off your skills. Serve the chicken meat in large pieces or cut into 1-inch cubes and serve on picks.

Serves 4Serves 2
5 garlic cloves, pressed zest of 1 lemon 1/3 c yogurt ¼ c chopped fresh cilantro  
3 Tbsp EVOO
1½ Tbsp za’atar
1 Tbsp chopped oregano/marjoram   1¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp yogurt 2 Tbsp cilantro
2 tsp EVOO 2 ½ tsp za’atar 1½ tsp marjoram 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper
MARINADE – In a large bowl or container, stir together these ingredients.
2¼# boneless, skinless chicken thighs2 thighs with legs, bonedAdd chicken and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2+ hrs or overnight.
Heat grill to medium or heat broiler with rack 3” from heat. If broiling instead of grilling, line sheet pan with foil for easier clean up. Take chicken from bowl, shaking off excess marinade, and grill/broil on one side until charred in spots, 5-8 mins. Flip, grill/broil  5-8 mins, until just cooked through.

White Beans with capers: make ahead Drain and rinse canned beans, such as navy or cannellini/white kidney. Stir in 1 Tbsp capers for every cup of beans, along with a pinch or two of salt. Let sit at room temperature to marry the flavors.

Celia Thaxter

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

Teen-aged Celia.

Celia Laighton was born in Portsmouth, NH, USA on June 29, 1835. Although a mainlander by birth, her life and legacy are tied to a tiny group of islands off the coast: the Isles of Shoals. When Celia was four years old, her father was appointed Keeper of the White Island Lighthouse and the family moved there. One might think that an isolated childhood on the two-acre rock would have been horrible for Celia, Oscar, and Cedric, yet they remembered it as an enchanted time, that “filled [her] with awe and wonder.” She loved the infinitely changing ocean, the shore birds, and the vagaries of weather. Celia and her brothers were educated by their parents, and from an early age Celia read the poems of Tennyson. Her father Thomas recognized his dream of building a hotel on another island, Appledore [formerly Hog Island] which he owned with his brothers. The family moved to the larger island in 1847, and, as Celia learned to swim and row and garden, her love affair with the islands deepened. A Summer visitor and investor in the hotel, Levi Thaxter, a highly educated 20-something who had aspired to the theater, became the children’s tutor. When he was 27 and Celia was 16, they married. At first they spent Summers on the Isles and Winters in Massachusetts, near his family. After the birth of their first son, Karl, Celia could not visit her family often and Levi, who survived a terrifying ship-wreck on the islands, refused to go back. Being separated from her parents, her Isles, and the ocean was a great trial for Celia. Two more sons followed, and Celia was even more tied to her house and children. And she despaired. While cooking one day, she began to compose a poem in her head. She showed it to Levi, who secretly sent it to his friend the editor of the Atlantic Monthly. It was published as Landlocked in 1860. Thus was born Celia Thaxter’s career as an author. That was a good thing, because her husband never did settle into a vocation. By turns he was a preacher, school-master, and declaimer of poetry, but not for any length of time, nor for much income. Eventually, disagreements over raising their disabled son Karl, Levi’s health, and Celia’s longing to see her family lead to separation: Celia and Karl to Appledore Island for the Summer; Levi and the two other sons off to Florida for the Winter. Celia helped at the family’s hotel, nursed her parents as they died, and wrote poetry. Her cottage was surrounded by the flowering plants that she loved and her salon included the A-list of literature of the time, as well as of art and music. Celia turned journalist when a shocking double murder occurred on Smuttynose Island, owned by the Laightons. She became a prose writer with her essay series Among the Isles of Shoals and An Island Garden, popularized through paintings by Childe Hassam. Celia campaigned unsuccessfully against the use of actual bird feathers in women’s fashion, even while her husband shot birds to sell to museums. She died in 1895 and is buried near her cottage. The family hotel and her cottage burned down in 1914, never to be rebuilt. But Celia’s garden has been revived on her plans and may be visited. Appledore Island is owned by the Shoals Marine Lab.

Celia Laighton Thaxter probably never ate an avocado, but seafood such as lobster and oysters would have been plentiful around her beloved Isles of Shoals, so we will eat these meals in honor of her.

Avocado-Lobster Bake: 145 calories 7 g fat 2 g fiber 11 g protein 10.5 g carbs 64 mg Calcium  NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages.  PB GF  When I thought that avocado and ricotta would make a nice bake, Dear Husband had one suggestion: add lobster! Well why not?

++1 two-oz egg++ ¼ oz avocado++ ¾ Tbsp ricotta++ ¾ oz lobster meat OR crab++ 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]++ 

Set the toaster oven to 350 F. Spritz a ramekin or other oven-proof dish with cooking spray and put the lobster meat on the bottom. Mash the avocado with the ricotta, then whisk in the egg. Pour over the lobster, season as you wish. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Slice the fruit and prepare the optional beverages. Sumptuous.

Baked Oysters: 267 calories 10 g fat 5 g fiber 14.6 g protein 31.5 g carbs 90.6 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF bread or omitting   Ordinarily, we like our oysters raw, but sometimes a change is delicious.  HINT: This preparation serves two [2] people.

++12 East Coast oysters++ 1 Finn Crisp cracker++ 2 oz chevre cheese++ ½ c cooked spinach++ Per serving: 1 oz oatmeal bread++ 1 Side Salad++

Remove one shell from each oyster and arrange on an oven-proof dish. Pulverize the cracker and sprinkle crumbs evenly on the oysters. Squeeze moisture from spinach and chop. Cream spinach with the cheese and distribute the mixture evenly over each oyster. Broil 5 minutes until starting to bubble. Serve with salad and bread. Yum.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large70-calorie whole-grain bread 
mushroomsunsweetened applesauce
chicken breakfast sausage @ 33 caloriesCamembert cheese
Parmesan cheese
apple sauce, unsweetened optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

wild-caught salmongarlic + potatoes + parsnips
genuine maple syrup beef or chicken stock + egg
lima beansmarjoram + rye bread
corn kernalsSwiss cheese + butter
Sparkling waterSparkling water