Slow Days: Turkey Roulade

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 FastDiet Forum which tell that tale.  But once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t every day.  For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet.  As for how we eat, an example follows.

Turkey Roulade, meat

American Thanksgiving is coming up so of course we will eat turkey.  But an entire turkey is too much for two people with smaller appetites, so we have a work-around.  We order a 15-pound turkey from our butcher at Roy’s Market and have it cut in two pieces lengthwise. The two halves are then brined.  One half goes in the freezer for later while the remaining breast [skin still intact] and thigh are boned [skin to stock pot].

Turkey Roulade, butterflied

The leg is saved for a future meal of Turkey Leg Confit.  The carcass is put into the stock pot along with the wing tip, and the giblets. [The resulting stock of course forms the basis of gravy and turkey soup]. The breast is butterflied.

Turkey Roulade, ready to roll
Turkey Roulade, roasted

Stuffing is prepared according to my mother’s recipe. Some is baked in a small dish and 2-3 cups are saved out for the turkey.  Arrange the dark meat overlapping on the white meat so it forms a fairly uniform rectangle. Strew with salt. Distribute the stuffing over the meat, keeping it 1-2″ from the long edges. Roll up the meat with the stuffing inside and place the wing [For wing lovers like me!] across one end. [weight = 4.5 pounds]  Tie ‘like a Genoa sail,’ says Dear Husband.  Extra hands may be needed for this. This is done the evening before Thanksgiving and refrigerated.  The next day, the roulade is baked at 425° F for 30 minutes, then at 325° for up to 45 minutes. Slice 1″ thick and serve with all your favorite sides. So easy to serve. The perfect way to feed two people [three if a son comes home] for one feast, and 2 meals of left-overs.Turkey Roulade, slicedTurkey Rouldad, plated

Happy Thanksgiving!  We have much for which to be thankful.  We need to remember that every day and help those around us who are less fortunate.

Slow Days: Pork Schnitzel

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 FastDiet Forum which tell that tale.  Once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t every day.  For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet.  As for how we eat, an example follows.

KJL, a local butcher shop offers breaded pork schnitzel, and who can resist?  If this treat is not deep fat fried, it can be very healthy, as well as quick to prepare. “Schnitzel” is not a recipe as in ‘Wiener Schnitzel‘ or ‘Jaeger Schnitzel,’ but rather refers to a thin cut of meat, whether veal or pork, made thinner by pounding.Pork Schnitzel, mise

From the freezer, I took some watercress sauce with cream [top] and some apples sautéed  in butter and sugar [bottom]. The sugar was a good flavor foil to the tartness of the watercress.  Fresh mushrooms [center] were added to those to make a sauce.

The schnitzels weighed 5.25 oz each, so I cut them in half after sautéing in some butter and cooking spray. I ate 1/2 of one, while Dear Husband ate two halves. [The other half went for lunch another day.]  Fresh beets and roasted little potatoes rounded out the meal. Delicious and so simple.Pork Schnitzel, plated

Slow Days: Pizza with Leek & Bleu Cheese

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 FastDiet Forum which tell that tale.  But once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t every day.  For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet.  As for how we eat,  an example follows.

When the boys were young, I’d make home-made, personal-sized [8″ diameter] pizzas and we’d all watch Star Trek, The Next Generation every Saturday.  Memories are made that way.  The boys are dispersed to their own homes [one of them still makes pizza], and we continue to eat pizza, every Saturday. This one is based on a recipe from Fore Street, a favorite restaurant in Portland, Maine. Forestreet Pizza recipe

I make my own pizza shells from scratch. Sometimes I use the recipe from Gourmet magazine, which makes 2. Often I use the Neapolitan recipe from Peter Reinhart‘s American Pie, which makes six balls of dough, 5-6 oz each. I freeze balls of dough to use next week. NB: ordinarily I sauté the mushrooms and leeks before I put them on the pizza.  For some reason I didn’t do that this time.  It was crunchier as a result. Next time, I’ll sauté them.Feor Street Pizza, miseFore Street Pizza, plated

I usually eat 3 pieces of pizza, while Dear Husband eats all of his. This was enjoyed with a Dutcher Crossing red wine and a good friend as a guest.

Slow Day: Lime-marinated Chicken

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 FastDiet Forum which tell the tale.  But once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t every day.  For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet.  As for how we eat,  an example follows.

Lime-marinated chicken came to us from our younger son and his friend Angela, both of whom are very handy in the kitchen. Lime marinade for chicken:pork    The marinade is simplicity itself, but the meat must sit in it for 4+ hours  — so plan ahead.  What seems to be a puny amount of marinade grows into a lot more as time goes on.  Use it for basting.  The chicken can be grilled or baked. note: I skinned half of the chicken to account for varying tastes.  Fine either way.Lime-marinated chicken, mise

Served with sliced tomatoes and potato salad, this is one of those prefect Summer meals.

Lime Marinated Chicken, plated

PS: We always use this for chicken, but our son says it is fabulous with pork, too.

Slow Days: Pan Bagne

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 FastDiet Forum which tell the tale.  But once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t every day.  For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet.  As for how we eat,  an example follows.

Pan Bagne means ‘bathed bread.‘  It is a layered sandwich which is ‘bathed’ in an olive oil dressing. Pan Bagne recipe

We like it for 2 reasons: a] it is delicious;  b] it should be made a day or two ahead of when you need it.  Easy to prepare, once you have assembled the ingredients, Pan Bagne makes a delightful meal for summer entertaining or for a picnic.

Pan Bagna, mise

We especially like it as end-of-the-road food: for when we have traveled long hours to our vacation cottage.  After unpacking, the Pan Bagne is brought out [after 2 days of traveling in the cooler], sliced, and served with a chilled drink and a sigh of relief. Here it is offered up with A Rossignol Estate Saint Jean White.Pan Bagne, plated

Slow Days: Stuffed Haddock

People who are new to Fasting often pose the question:  “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 FastDiet Forum which tell the tale.  But once in a while your can splurge, as long as it isn’t every day.  For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet.  As for how we eat,  an example follows.

We had arrived back home after a few days away, and needed a quick meal. A trip to the local fish market gave us the idea of stuffed haddock, always a favorite.  There were odds and ends of items in the ‘fridge: some snap beans, a little lettuce, some pickled vegetables [see SPICY, posted 12 Sept, 2018], and some leftover artisan bread.  Herbs from the garden and a nice Rossignol Estate Winery L’Acadie Blanc‘ rounded out the meal.

Here’s the mise en place:stuffed haddock, ingredients

Here is the plated meal:Stuffed Haddock plated

Happy Slow Day.