Keeping Time

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

How do humans mark time? From the Stone Age to the Iron Age, it was by the sun, and where it is in the sky. Non-human animals are similar, in that they are active either all day or all night, their lives regulated by the hours of the sun. The idea of dividing the daylight time into segments brought us the shadow clock in Egypt, around 3500 BCE. The round sundial was invented circa 280 BCE by Aristarchus of Samos, a Greek astronomer and mathematician. The first clock that we would recognize, a mechanical clock, the Astronomical Orloj of Prague. It was originally designed by Mikuláš of Kadaň, a mechanic, and Jan Šindel, a mathematician/astronomer. They made a clock face to tell the hour, and an astronomical dial which showed the Earth’s position relative to the sun, moon, and planets. The first mention of the clock in print was on September 9, 1410. Soon, other cities wanted a mechanical clock on their town hall, and how people interacted with time changed forever. No longer did a man do ‘a day’s work’, for a day in Winter was shorter than a day in Summer. Now the employer could stipulate how many hours would be in that day — year in and year out. People’s lives were regulated by a machine that rang out the hours. The relationship of ‘first-world’ humans to the sun was shattered. The Orloj of Prague is a mechanical wonder, and has been enhanced over the years. Such an ancient mechanism has broken often. The first major repair was in 1552. In the first half of the 1600s, four wooden statues were added around the clock. In the 1700s, mechanical apostles were integrated into the design, making quite a show. The golden rooster first crowed in the 1800s. Today, this historic clock is a major tourist attraction in the old town of Prague, and our dependance on clocks is stronger than ever,

Our meals for the day are easy to prepare, so they will save you time!

Watermelon Breakfast Bowl: 200 calories… 6 g fat…5 g fiber… 6 g protein… 30 g carbs… 60.5 mg Calcium… PB Having some ripe watermelon on hand, I decided to turn a recipe for panzanella into a breakfast. I substituted farro [TIP: I always cook more farro than I need, and freeze the remainder in small portions to pull out as needed.] instead of bread for its hearty wholesomeness. It was a hit! I prepared it the night before and put it in the ‘frige. Next morning, with the feta on top, it was a cool, satisfying start to the day. HINT: this preparation serves two [2].

½ tsp fresh thyme leaves——-pinch red-pepper flakes——pinch ground black pepper—-2 T white wine vinegar—–1 T olive oilWhisk these together or put in a jar, cover and shake vigorously. Makes 3 T dressing 1 Tbsp: 39 calories.. 4.4 g fat… 0.5 mg Calcium 
2/3 cup farro, cooked [<60 g dry farro]—-½ tsp olive oil—-½ tsp fresh thyme leaves—pinch fine sea saltCook per package directions. Combine with oil, thyme, salt, and stir well.
1 cup watermelon in 1” cubes—-½ cup heirloom or ripe tomatoes—-½ cup seedless cucumberCut tomatoes in 1” cubes. Cut cuke in ½” cubess. In a big serving bowl, combine let sit. Drain off any excess liquid. 
Cooked, seasoned farroAdd these to bowl.
½ Tbsp dressingAdd dressing, salt and pepper. STOP HERE, CHILL
2 T. crumbled feta—–2 fresh basil leaves, tornDivide between individual bowls.Sprinkle with feta, garnish with basil leaves 

Lamb Kabobs: 227 calories… 6 g fat… 5 g fiber… 22 g protein… 31.4 g Carbs… 41 mg Calcium…  PB GF  This is so easy and so perfect for summer.

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

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

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

Lord Tennyson

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Often, when we asked our mother to ‘tell us a story’, she would recite poems. Long poems, that told a story. One such was The Lady of Shallot [1842 version] by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It was a wonderful tale — vivid imagery, knights, chivalry, and unrequited love. [Either it didn’t register at my age or my mother edited it out, but it was years before I realized that the Lady died at the end!] By dint of repetition, I memorized most of it. When my sister and I played the card game “Authors“, there he was again: Alfred, Lord Tennyson. He was born in 1809, into the family of a vicar with many children. Although money was tight, Alfred was sent to grammar school, where he was not happy. Home life wasn’t very happy either. But his father ensured that his precocious son had exposure to a wide range of literature. While yet a child, Alfred wrote poems in the style of several famous poets, which helped him to hone his craft. He and his brothers collaborated on a book of poetry, mostly written by Alfred, his first published collection. At Cambridge, Tennyson forged a deep friendship with Arthur Hallam who encouraged him to publish again in 1830. Mixed reviews drove the poet to despair, but they also caused him to revise poems, often for the better. All his life, Tennyson hesitated to publish, fearing criticism. Between 1831 and 1833, two deaths rocked his life: first his father, then his friend Hallam. What followed was his best-received work, In Memoriam, published in 1850, also the year of his marriage. Charge of the Light Brigade. The Lotos-Eaters. Crossing the Bar. The Passing of Arthur. Enoch Arden. Tennyson’s poems are romantic, often melancholy, and lyrical. They so captured the zeitgeist of the 1800s, that Queen Victoria named him poet laureate of England. Not long before his death, Tennyson was made a Baron — hence the “Lord” Tennyson. He was the most popular poet of the Victorian Era. My mother loved Tennyson’s work, and I was reading to her from Idylls of the King while she died. I haven’t read it since.

Our meals are quintessentially English, like Tennyson and his poems.

Ploughman’s Breakfast: 232 calories… 16.6 g fat… 2 g fiber… 13. g protein… 32.4 g carbs… 241 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  From The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet by Dr. Michael Mosley, this meal is a modern take on a traditional English meal, the Ploughman’s Lunch.

++ 2 oz apple slices ++++ 1 oz Cheddar cheese ++++ 1 oz ham ++++ ½ oz walnuts++++ 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] ++

Assemble the meal elements, and plate. Good start to the day!

Ham-Stuffed Fish   260 calories… 3.5 g fat… 23 g protein… 16 g carbs… 139 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread  Another recipe of unknown origin, found in the recipe drawer. Glad I saved it.

++ 4 oz perch or sole ++++ 1 oz sliced ham from the deli ++++ ½ tsp soy sauce ++++ ½ tsp sherry ++++ 1 egg white ++++ ½ piece of whole-grain 70-calorie bread ++++ 1 Tbsp finely-chopped or ground walnuts ++++ 1-2 oz carrots, julienned or sliced as coins ++++ 1 scallion, sliced thinly ++

Slice the fish so that it is in 2 pieces of equal length and thickness. Crumble the bread into the finest crumbs and blend thoroughly with walnuts. Whip the egg white until it is very frothy. Blend in the soy sauce and sherry. Make a ‘sandwich’ of the ham slice between the two pieces of fish. Dip in the egg mixture to coat, then dip in the breading. Cook in a heavy non-stick pan, sprayed with cooking spray, until fish is cooked – about 5 minutes per side. Cook the carrots. Plate the fish and carrots and sprinkle with sliced scallion.

Cheese Riot

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Food riots were not uncommon. This one was about grain.

In Nottingham, England, a Goose Fair has been held for centuries on October 2nd. The time to bring geese to market has been associated with Saint Michael’s Day in late September, hence the timing of the fair. Geese would have been raised and fattened in the surrounding countryside, then walked as far as 50 miles to the city of Nottingham. The fair turned into a celebration of all agricultural products, not just geese, and was well attended due to the many items on sale. In 1766, the cows must have had a bad year, because the price of cheese was elevated. Not only the cows, but farmers all over England and Ireland had bad crops. Food was hard to find, and prices soared. Because food was expensive, there was a lot of cheese for sale at the Goose Fair that year. There were rumors that merchants from Lincoln would arrive to buy the cheese for themselves, which made people anxious, and fair-goers were already angered by the prices of the cheese. It came in very large wheels, and each might cost $235, in today’s money. When the Lincoln men showed up, they were accosted by local lads, and push came to shove. The lads were jailed for disturbing the peace, and then the crowd got really riled up. They stormed the jail [gaol], demanding the release of these local ‘heroes’. The crowd became more unruly still — they began taking cheeses from market stalls and shops, and rolling them away down the street. When the mayor came out to read the riot act, he was knocked down by a cheese. Stores and warehouses were looted, fires were started, and the army was called in. Unfortunately, one man was killed and several others were shot by soldiers before the unrest was quieted a few days later. The Cheese Riot was over, but not forgotten.

Cheese is a wonderful food, full of protein and Calcium, low in carbohydrates. Naturally, our food choices feature cheese at breakfast and at dinner.

Cottage Cheese & Fruit: 164 calories… 3.5 g fat… 5 g fiber… 10 g protein… 26 g carbs… 61 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF This is from the Fast Diet book. You can see some other good recipes there, too. I added the pecans to this for deeper flavor and more protein. A lovely breakfast!

++ 4 oz pear slices [of which Comice is the best] ++++ 1/3 cup 2%-fat cottage cheese ++++ ¼ c. blueberries ++++ ½ Tbsp pecans, finely chopped ++++ 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] ++

Section the pear into slices and remove the cores. Do not bother to peel the pears. Fan the segments on a plate in a circle. Place the cottage cheese in the center, sprinkle with the berries and nuts. Pour the optional beverages of choice. Good stuff!

Palatschinken with Spinach-Cheese: 296 calories… 13 g fat… 4 g fiber…18 g protein… 28 g carbs… 402 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF flour  This Austrian crepe is as versital as the French version – fill it with something savory for dinner, or something sweet for breakfast on a Slow Day. The recipe is from Sydney Oland @ seriouseats.com

10 crepes8” nonstick skillet
2 cups 1%-fat milk…………2 two-oz eggsBeat in medium bowl with wooden spoon until combined. 
1 c white whole wheat flour……..Pinch saltBeat into egg-milk until mixed into a thick batter.
½ tsp butterMelt in skillet over medium-high, wipe out with paper towel. Save towel.
3-4 Tbsp batterAdd batter, swirl pan to distribute. Once golden, ~1-2 mins, flip + brown other side. Remove to plate.
½ tsp butterMelt, wipe out with paper towel. Cook the next crepe.
Cook remaining batter, wiping the pan in between with butter-infused towel. 

For the meal: ++ 2 palatshinken ++++ ½ cup spinach-cheese filling* ++++ 2 oz tomatoes: whole or sliced ++

Put 4 Tbsp filling on each palatschinken, arranging it into a log-shape running from side to side. Roll up and plate with tomatoes.

*Spinach-Cheese Filling:  ½ cup = 136 calories… 8 g fat…1 g fiber… 11 g protein… 5.3 g carbs… 303 mg Calcium…  PB GF This versitle filling is from Pilar Hernandez @ chileanfoodandgarden.com. It is great as a filling in Palatshiken or crepes, or mixed with eggs and baked as mini-quiches.

makes 4 cups, serves 8makes 2 cups, serves 4medium saucepan
For fresh spinach: 425g fresh spinachFor fresh spinach: 212 g fresh spinachPut spinach in boiling salted water over high heat. Return to boil, cook 4 mins.  Take off heat and drain through sieve.
If using frozen spinach:450+ g bag spinachIf using frozen spinach: 225+ g bag spinachThaw spinach in a sieve over a bowl to remove liquid. Weigh out 425 g.
Strain and press spinach to remove as much water as possible. Chop small.
425 g whole milk ricotta……1 c. grated cheese (Havarti, Swiss)…….nutmeg, salt + pepper225 g part skim ricotta…½ c. grated cheese (Havarti, Swiss)…..nutmeg, salt + pepperMix all cheeses in a large bowl. Add spinach, stir thoroughly, add seasonings.

Michael

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Michael, whose name means “Who is like God?”, was the Archangel. That translates as “head or chief of all the angels”. FYI: the word ‘angel’ means ‘messenger’. Confusingly, he is one of several ‘archangels’ — somewhere between two and seven are revered by different sects. You might think that Michael would be mentioned a lot in the Bible, but there are only four verses that actually name him: Jude 1:9,  Daniel 10:13, Daniel 12:1, Revelation 12:7-9. [The Angel Gabriel is mentioned more than that.] John Milton expanded on the Revelation verses by giving Michael a major role in Paradise Lost. In that 1667 epic poem, Michael is the warrior angel who goes into hand-to-hand combat with Lucifer/Satan/the Dragon, and throws him bodily out of Heaven. This is how Michael is usually portrayed in art, as in the famous statue on Paris’ Boulevard Saint Michel [Boul’Mich], on the Left Bank. Michael seems to have several roles. He is the advocate for Israel; he is a healer, especially linked to ‘healing waters’; he is the commander of God’s army; he is the Angel of Death who escorts souls to heaven; and he brings messages from Earth to God. Saint Michael’s Day is called Michaelmas, and was formerly a major time of celebration in Old Europe. Michael is the patron of soldiers, police officers, and others in dangerous jobs, also of France, Germany, and Ukraine.

The Feast of Saint Michael, September 29, is during the autumn mushroom season, so we will have some of them at breakfast. The barley harvest would be over, so some barley will be in our dinner salad.

Mushroom Bake: 145 calories… 6.6 g fat… 1 g fiber… 10 g protein… 9.5 g carbs… 102 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Goodness has everything to do with this delicious meal.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 2 Tablespoon ricotta ++++ 2 oz chantrelle/cepe or other ‘wild’ mushrooms ++++ 1½ tsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++++ 0.1 oz chopped prosciutto ++++ 1 oz peach OR pear OR apple ++++  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] ++

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 mushrooms and stir the cheeses together with the mushrooms and proscuitto. Whisk the eggs into the mushroom/cheeses and pour into the container. Bake 12-15 mins. Add a beverage and fruit, and you are ready for a bounteous day.

Tuna-Barley Salad: 230 calories… 4 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 26 g protein… 23.6 g carbs… 60 mg Calcium…  PB GF Here is a meal to fit any diet plan, with whole grains, vegetables, and heart-healthy tuna.  HINT: Serves 2 [two]

++ 2 oz quick barley ++++ 5 oz white tuna, drained ++++ 1.5 oz canned white beans ++++ 5 oz grape tomatoes ++++ 4.5 oz baby spinach or baby lettuce ++++ 1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated ++++   marinade: 2 tsp white wine vinegar ++++ 1 tsp olive oil ++

Cook the barley and combine it with chunks of tuna. Put salad greens and marinade in serving bowl and toss. Gently toss in the barley-tuna to combine. Put tomatoes on top, then sprinkle with Parmesan. Gosh its good – and filling!

Johann Strauss

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Vienna! Waltzes! But wait — this is not the Johann Strauss you are thinking of. This is the first of that name, the one who started it all. He was born in 1804, in Vienna, to a family of innkeepers. His parents died when he was still young, and he was apprenticed to a bookbinder. While learning his trade, Johann took viola lessons on the side, becoming proficient enough to form a trio with two friends when he was 19 years old. At the time, dance music was popular, both the highly choreographed “country” dances of society [the type one sees in Jane Austin movies or in Bridgerton] and “peasant” dances like the Ländler. In the former, partners hold hands and perform graceful steps and figures. In the latter, couples pair off, even daring to embrace each other — clearly a lower-class idea. By 1827, Strauss was leading his own group to great success, rivaling the efforts of his former band-mate. He composed music for marches and also for dances like the gavotte. The dance we call the ‘waltz‘ grew from the ländler, popularized in part by Strauss’ catchy tunes. In the meantime, he had married and his family was growing. Strauss took his 12-piece orchestra on many tours around Europe, fraying the fabric of his family life. When it became known that there was a mistress with eight children, Anna Strauss left her husband. Strauss had forbidden his sons to go into the music business, despite young Johann junior’s obvious talent. After the divorce, Anna encouraged her sons to become conductors and composers, rivaling their father. By the time of his death from scarlet fever on September 25, 1849, waltzing was all the rage, and Johann Strauss 1st had conquered Europe with his music.

Our meals today are based on typical flavors of Vienna: breakfast from a street-food sandwich, and dinner from Craig Claiborn’s International Cookbook.

Bosna Bake: 147 calories… 9.4 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 9 g protein… 7 g carbs… 52.6 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF I took the ingredients for an Austrian sandwich and mixed them with eggs. That’s turning snack food into a healthy breakfast.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 0.5 oz bratwurst, large dice ++++ 1 Tbsp onion, diced ++++ 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped ++++ 1 tsp ketchup ++++ ½ tsp prepared mustard ++++ ¼ tsp curry powder ++++ 1 oz strawberries ++++   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] ++

Put the sausage, onion, and parsley in a pan and saute them until onion is transluscent and sausage is cooked. Stir together the ketchup, mustard, and curry in a separate little dish. Whisk the egg, stir in the onion-sausage and pour into a lightly-spritzed ramekin or other oven-safe dish. Bake at 350 F. until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Before serving, dollop the eggs with the ketchup mixture, and plate with the strawberries. Yummy.

Viennese Chicken: 263 calories… 8 g fat… 4.4 g fiber… 30.4 g protein… 23 g carbs… 72 mg Calcium PB  GF – if using GF pasta and flour Craig Claiborn presented this recipe in his International Cookbook. It is easy to prepare and very good.

Dinner for 2, sauce for 4.Cast iron or heavy skillet
1 Tbsp butter——¾ cup onion, choppedCook until onion is transluscent but not browned.
Two 4 oz boneless chicken breastsAdd to pan, brown on both sides.
1 c green bell pepper——1 cup carrot——½ – ¾ c mushrooms——-¾ cup tomato——1 cup chicken stock——1 ½ tsp sweet paprika—-few grinds black pepper + 1 tsp saltChop pepper and carrot.Slice mushrooms.Dice tomato.Add all these to pan with chicken. Cover and simmer 25 mins until chicken and vegeables are tender.
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt, full-fat——1 Tbsp white whole wheat flourStir together, mix into vegetables until well-combined.
Remove 1¼ cup vegetables and sauce, freeze for another day. 
Per serving: ½ oz whole-grain pastaPlate chicken + sauce with pasta

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

1 two-oz egg = US large2%-fat cottage cheese
reduced-fat ricotta + prosciuttoblueberries, fresh or frozen
Parmesan cheese + wild mushroomspecans
peach or pear or applepear
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

quick-cooking barley + canned white tuna1%-fat milk + 2 two-oz eggs
baby spinach or lettuce + Parmesan cheesewhite whole wheat flour + sugar
white wine vinegar + olive oilbutter + 425 g fresh spinach
grape tomatoes + canned white beanspart-skim ricotta + Swiss cheese
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Horsetail Fern

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Let me introduce you to Equisetum arvense, commonly called the Field Horsetail. Perhaps this plant is coming up in your garden, and not recognizing it, you yanked it out as a weed. It looks like a young pine tree, and you can see how it got its common name. This ‘volunteer’ in my perennial garden always makes me smile. You see, it is one of the oldest plants in the world — a living fossil! Horsetails are the ancestors of modern ferns, and like them, they reproduce by spores instead of seeds. In a period of Geologic Time called the Mississippian by North American geologists, plants began to evolve and spread across the land. Many varieties of non-vascular plants, ones that had trunks that were soft and spongey inside, grew in forests. By 330 million years ago, one of the tallest was the Giant Horsetail, which grew to be 60 feet high with a 12-inch diameter trunk. Those specimens eventually died out as other plants took over, but there was a niche for its little [8-12 inch] relative, so they survived three wide-scale extinctions and are still alive today. Can you see why I am delighted to see these plucky little plants each year? I love a survivor! Like many plants slighted as mere weeds to be eradicated in the civilized garden, Horsetail Ferns were prized as medicine in the human past and perhaps deserve a second look today. The plants were ingested as a tea or a tincture. What can Horsetail Ferns do for you? This list is verified by scientific studies, albeit on a small scale which need further testing: treatment of osteoporosis; healing burns and wounds; lowering blood pressure; strengthening fingernails and hair; stopping bleeding; controlling urinary incontinence. Wow. Sounds like a substance that modern medicine needs to study more!

The survivability of this ancient plant makes it a ‘super plant’ deserving of a Superfood breakfast. Fossils of Horsetail Ferns have been found all over the world, from South America to Western India, source of our dinner.

SuperFood Bake: 132 calories… 5.6 g fat… 2 g fiber… 10 g protein… 11 g carbs… 53 mg Calcium…  PB GF  Hearty, easy, good-tasting, with many of your favorite superfoods baked into a fine breakfast. Whole grains and dark leafy greens at breakfast!

++ one 2-oz egg ++++ 2 Tbsp cooked quinoa ++++ ½ oz cooked kale ++++ 1 Tbsp cottage cheese, reduced fat ++++ 2 pinches of cayenne, sage, garlic powder, turmeric ++++ ¼ c wild blueberries, fresh or frozen ++++ 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] ++

Plan to cook some quinoa for a dinner a day or two ahead to have some left-over for this breakfast. Tip: The night before cook the kale, squeeze it out, and chop in well. In a small bowl, combine the quinoa, kale, cheese, and seasonings. Add salt to taste. Heat the toaster oven to 350 F. Spritz an oven-proof dish with cooking oil or spray. Whisk the egg, then stir in the mixed ingredients. Pour into the prepared dish and bake 12-15 minutes. Plate with the blueberries and serve with your choice of optional beverages. Power-packed!

Cafreal Masala Chicken:  298 calories… 8.6 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 22 g protein… 31 g carbs… 40 mg Calcium…  PB GF Indo-Portuguese fusion. Double the recipe, freeze the leftovers for a future meal!  HINT: serves 2

6 oz raw chicken meat, cut in large chunks…….
½ tsp salt…………1 Tbsp lime juice		Put chicken in a serving dish that can be heated over the cook-top. Toss with the salt and juice. Let sit 10 mins.
Half of a batch Cafreal Masala marinade**Stir in masala and let it sit 20-30 mins
1 Tbsp oil Add oil and cook slowly, uncovered, 20 mins. Cook, uncovered, until chicken is brown.
½ cup onions cut in thin rings……..cooking sprayIn a separate pan, saute the onions in cooking spray until they are soft.
Black pepperper serving: ½ cup cooked brown riceScoop the onions over the chicken, add black pepper and serve with rice.

**Cafreal Masala Marinade

4 servingsSpice grinder + blender
1 tsp coriander seeds……1 tsp cumin seeds……1 tsp black peppercorns….4 cloves….4 cardamom pods…..
½” piece of cinnamon stick or cassia bark		Grind whole spices to a powder in a spice or coffee grinder.
1″ piece of ginger…..4 garlic cloves……10-15g fresh coriander leaves and finer stalks…….4-5 green chillies (or to taste)..Roughly chop ginger, garlic, coriander, chilis and put into a blender. add ground spices to blender, and blitz. 
White wine vinegar (approx 40ml)Gradually incorporate vinegar until you have a fairly smooth paste.
Use immediately or store in an airtight jar. This masala will keep for months.

Passing: Grey Owl

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

“Passing” means living your life as someone you are not, and getting away with it.. The term can be used for people living as a member of another race or of a different sex. Archibald Stansfeld Belaney was born on September 18, 1888, in Hastings, England. His parents left him with his grandmother and aunts at a young age, when they moved to America. Little Archie was raised as a proper English child. Perhaps it was the stories he read about ‘American Indians’ that caused him to move to Canada when he was 17 years old. While working for a fur trapper, Archie married a woman of the Ojibwa tribe and learned their language. World War I saw him enlisting in the Canadian army. Belaney told people that he was the offspring of a Scottish father and an Apache mother. And they believed him. He served as a sniper but wounds sent him to convalesce back in Hastings. Belaney married a local girl, but left her in England when he returned to Canada after the war. There Archie was befriended by an Ojibwa, who taught him woodland survival. This is when Archibald began to style himself as “Grey Owl”. He married once again — never having divorced his previous wives — this time to an Iroquois teenager called Anahareo. One winter while trapping together, Grey Owl killed a female beaver. He was about to return to camp with the skin when Anahareo heard the beaver’s babies crying in their lodge. She scolded her husband for the cruelty of killing the mother and leaving her kittens to starve. Grey Owl adopted the little beavers and he became an ardent environmentalist henceforth. He embarked on a career of writing and public speaking that took him all over North America and to England in the 1930s. People were captivated by the supposed Native American, dressed in buckskin and carrying a pet beaver. He lectured twice in his native Hastings, and no one recognized him. His book The Men of the Last Frontier, 1932, was a plea for the conservation of the natural world, and a best-seller. As the first celebrity conservationist, Grey Owl was very influential. He was employed by the Canadian Forestry Service and Parks Canada, working to reintroduce beaver colonies in national parks. After Belaney’s death at age 49, his first wife outed him and the brouhaha began. Native Americans were angry, his books were taken from circulation, and newly-engaged environmentalists were confused by his dishonesty. He might have been a fake, but he left a genuine message of a better way to interact with the wild lands of Canada and the world.

Our day begins with a breakfast from Old England, land of “Grey Owl’s” birth, and ends with a meal of ingredients typical to the First Nations people whom Belaney so admired. Eating good food has nothing to do with cultural appropriation.

Ham & Mushroom Bake: 177 calories… 8.7 g fat… 4.6 g fiber… 14 g protein… 12.4 g carbs… 87 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB  GF A hearty, flavor-packed breakfast begins with ham and mushrooms. Although these are flavors of autumn, they can be enjoyed any time, especially on a Fast Day. 

++ One 2-oz egg ++++ 1 oz mushrooms, chopped… 1 oz roast ham or 3% fat deli ham, chopped ++++ 2 Tbsp Gruyere cheese, grated ++++ ½ tsp ground sage ++++ ¼ tsp savory ++++ ½ cup raspberries ++++ 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 toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Spritz some cooking spray into a ramekin. Grate the cheese. Chop the ham and mushrooms, and put them into the ramekin. Whisk together the cheese, egg, and seasonings, and pour that in too. Bake 12-15 minutes, depending on how well set you like your eggs. It will puff up and start to brown a bit. Heat your beverage, shake the smoothie, and portion the fruit. Off to a good start.

Squash-Cupped Bison Chili: 215 calories… 3.5 g fat… 7 g fiber… 14.5 g protein… 34 g carbs… 120 mg Calcium…  PB  GF What an easy, delicious, and satisfying meal. HINT: One squash is enough for 2 servings, so invite a fellow-Faster for dinner. Save the remaining chili for another meal later.

Bison Chili: per cup- 136 calories…3 g fat.. 5 g fiber.. 13 g protein.. 14.5 g carbs.. 57 mg Calcium.. ++ 4 oz ground bison ++++ 15 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced drained in a sieve [save the juice] ++++ 1 clove garlic, chopped ++++ 1 cup red onion, chopped ++++ ½ cup green pepper, chopped ++++ ¾ cup canned red or black beans, drained and rinsed ++++ 2-4 tsp chili powder ++++ ¾ tsp salt ++++ ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin ++  Cook the venison, onion, garlic, and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the chili is hot throughout. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. makes 4 one-cup servings

For tonight’s meal: ++ 5 oz delicata squash, seeds removed ++++ 1 cup Bison Chili or use Chili Non Carne for a vegetarian version ++++ 2 oz melon, as a garnish ++++

Weigh the delicata squash whole and uncut to get a sense of how much will be 5 oz. You will be cutting off the ends of the squash and removing the seeds, to produce a hollow tube of squash: about two inches of squash that will stand up on the plate. Put the squash in the microwave oven and cook it until it can be easily pierced with a skewer. Assemble by standing the squash cup in the middle of the plate and pouring the chili in and around it. Then position the melon. Unusual! Teriffic!

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

1 two-oz egg = US large + blueberries1.5 two-oz eggs 
cooked quinoa + cooked kalebratwurst sausage + onions
cayenne + sage + garlic powderparsley + ketchup + curry powder
sage + 2%-fat cottage cheesestrawberries + prepared mustard
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

6 oz raw chicken meat + lime juicechicken breast + whole-grain noodles
Cafreal Masala marinadecarrot + green pepper + tomato
oil + onions + cooking sprayonion + mushrooms + chicken stock
black pepper + brown ricepaprika + sour cream or low-fat yogurt
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The “Beagle” Has Landed

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

After a long voyage from England, followed by the perilous journey around Cape Horn, the HMS Beagle landed in the Galapagos Islands on September 15, 1835. The ship had been sent out by the British Admiralty to perform a hydrographic survey of the ocean around South America. On board was an extra crew member, the recent university graduate, Charles Darwin. He had been invited by the captain to be his ‘science officer’, to collect plant and animal specimens to take back to England. Darwin, an enthusiastic naturalist, accepted with pleasure. The young man had been considering a vocation in the clergy, but his eyes opened to new ideas while on the voyage. He found fossils of extinct beasts. He saw the sea floor lifted up to dry land by an earthquake. And on the Galapagos, he found birds similar to those on the mainland, but which had changed over time to fit their environment. Darwin collected thousands of samples, and created volumes of notes. By the time the Beagle arrived in the Galapagos, the trip had lasted five years. On the voyage home, Darwin compiled his notes and began to doubt the scientific doctrine of the time: that no life form ever went extinct; that the Earth had been formed 4000 years before in one event and hadn’t changed since; that nature was immutable and that species never changed. Darwin went on to write his explosive book The Origin of Species, and science hasn’t been the same since. Just as the landing of the Eagle on the moon in July, 1969, opened the door to new scientific discoveries and further expeditions, the landing of the Beagle in the Galapagos lit the spark that began a revolution in scientific thought.

The breakfast represents Darwin’s ideas at the start of the voyage: conventional, very English, conservative. The dinner, innovative and modern, is a metaphor for Darwin’s ideas at the end of his analysis of his findings.

FarmWife Mushroom Casserole: 127 calories… 2 g fat… 2 g fiber… 7 g protein… 33.5 g carbs… 83.6 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. – PB– Having read of this in The Fellowship of the Ring, I searched and searched until I found an approximation: this recipe in Theodora FitzGibbon’s A Taste of England.

++ ½ oz [one strip] American/streaky bacon ++++ ¾ cup assorted mushrooms, chopped ++++ 3 Tbsp chicken stock ++++ ¾ tsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce ++++ salt & pepper ++++ ½ Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich Thin ++++ ½ 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]++

In a small pan, cook the bacon partially. Remove from the pan, blot off the fat, and cut in strips. Pour off the bacon fat but return 1 tsp to the pan. Saute the mushrooms in the fat and remove them. Pour the chicken stock and Worcestershire into the pan and sprinkle in the flour while whisking to prevent lumps as it thickens. Add pepper. Put the bacon and mushrooms into the sauce and cook over low heat, until warmed through. Pour into an oiled oven-proof dish and bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Warm or lightly toast the Sandwich Thin. Place the bread on top of the mushroom pudding prior to serving.  NB: you can serve it out of the baking dish or turn it out on the bread on a plate. Enjoy with the pear and have a hearty day, even if you are not escaping from Black Riders.

Grapefruit-Avocado Salad: 289 calories… 20 g fat… 6.4 g fiber … 18 g protein… 15 g carbs… 75.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF This is delicious, nutritious, and satisfying. Real food. Good food.

++ 1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled ++++ 2.5 oz avocado [this was half an avocado], sliced in 4 pieces ++++ 3.3 oz pink grapfruit sections [you need 4 sections] ++++ 1.75 cups lettuce, sliced/shredded ++++ 1 oz cooked chicken breast [you could substitute 4 shrimp for a meatless meal] ++++ ½ tsp white wine vinegar + ½ tsp lime-infused olive oil + ¼ tsp ground ginger ++++ lemon finishing salt ++

Whisk the oil, vinegar, and ginger in a meduim-sized bowl. Add the lettuce and toss to coat with the dressing. Remove the lettuce to a serving plate, letting some of the dressing drip back into the bowl. Spread the lettuce evenly over the plate and sprinkle with the finishing salt. Starting at the center with the egg, arrange the grapefruit and avocado around the plate. Place the chicken as you wish. Brush the remaining dressing on the grapefruit and avocado. 

John Ware

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

When most people think of a “cowboy”, they picture a white American man [think Roy Rogers or Buffalo Bill Cody]. That’s too biased. When people think “cattle rancher”, they picture a Texas white man [think Richard King of Texas]. That’s too parochial. When people think “superb horseman”, one might picture the orphan boys who rode the Pony Express. That’s too limited. If you want someone who was all three at once, think John Ware — and then remember that he was Black. And Canadian. After being freed from slavery by the US Civil War, Ware went to Texas, where he learned about ranching and became a cowhand. In those days, cattle were raised far from the stockyards of Chicago and Omaha, so the animals had to be ‘driven’ [slowly walked] from their home ranch to a train terminus, then shipped to the slaughterhouse. These were known as ‘cattle drives‘ and they were feats of logistics. A bunch of cowboys had to control hundreds of steers for weeks on end, finding forage and water for them so they would be healthy at the end of the trail, all while avoiding predators or rustlers. One of the longest cattle drives ever was headed by John Ware, driving 3000 head of cattle from Texas to Montana in 1882. From there, he drove steers to the BarU Ranch in Alberta, Canada. Once Ware was in Canada, he stayed, working for large spreads at the dawn of cattle ranching in the province, as ranchers took over Indigenous lands. Like the Native population, Ware faced racism, but he worked hard and saved to buy his own land. Along the way, Ware gained a reputation as a master horseman, who had never been thrown by a horse; as a very hard worker; as an exemplary cowboy; as a pioneering rancher. He popularized the sport of calf roping/tie-down, which is now a standard event at any rodeo. By the 1890s, Ware had a wife, five children, and a cattle ranch of his own at the Red Deer River. In a terrible irony, his horse stepped into a badger hole on September 11, 1905, falling and crushing and killing Ware. He was named a National Historic Person by Canada.

Eggs ‘n’ sausage, at home or on a cattle drive. And as the iconic TV advert intoned: “Beef. It’s what’s for dinner.” What else?!

Sausage Bake: 142 calories… 10 g fat… 0.5 g fiber… 15 g protein… 8 g carbs… 39.4 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. –PB GF– Quick and yummy, can’t beat sausage and egg.

++1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 chicken breakfast sausage [33 calories/link], cooked ++++ 1 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese ++++ pinch marjoram + salt + pepper ++++ 2 oz unsweetened applesauce ++++  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] ++

Whisk the cheese with the egg and seasonings. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Dice the sausage and put it into the ramekin. Pour the egg mixture on top and bake in the toaster oven at 350F 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Pour a beverage, and plate with that lovely applesauce. Nice start to your day.

Mixed Sushi: 275 calories… 11.6 g fat… 5 g fiber… 16 g protein… 28 g carbs… 39 mg Calcium…  PB GF  Our younger son introduced us to this recipe. Imagine: ‘Sushi’ without raw fish or seaweed. Good use for leftover beef and avocado. HINT: This serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch or dinner another day. Made to be served at room temp.

++ 1 cup brown rice, cooked and cooled HINT: Make the day before and refrigerate or use leftovers from a previous meal. ++++ 1 tsp rice wine vinegar ++++ 1 egg ++++ 1 tsp soy sauce. ++++ 3 oz avocado, in long slices ++++ 1 oz grilled beef, in long strips OR substitute grilled chicken ++++ 2 oz smoked salmon, in long slices ++++ 2 oz cucumber OR zucchini in long slices. ++

Combine the rice with the vinegar and let sit. Whisk the soy sauce with the egg and cook the egg as a flat omelette in a lightly-spritzed non-stick pan. Remove from the pan and cut egg into long strips. Slice the avocado, beef, salmon, and cucumber in long strips, but not longer than the diameter of the bowl in which you will serve it. Put the rice into two bowls with a wide diameter. Distribute the rice evenly over the bowl. Lay the other ingredients on top of the rice in what ever arrangement pleases you. Serve with extra soy sauce and enjoy a quick meal.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large + uncured streaky bacon1.5 two-oz eggs 
mushrooms + garlic + scallion + baking powderroast ham [11%-fat] or 3%-fat ham
dry mustard + Worcestershire sauce + Parmesanmushrooms + Gruyere cheese
white whole wheat flour+ non-fat milk + green beansraspberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

salad greens + grapefruitdelicata squash: 5 oz per person
avocado + 2-oz eggmelon
chicken + lime-flavored oilBison chili or chili non carne 
white wine vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Galveston Hurricane

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. 

The city of Galveston, Texas is located at the northern end of a chain of barrier islands on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It was settled after the Texas Revolution in 1836, and became the premier port city of the state. It proudly welcomed thousands of immigrants and in 1880, Galveston was Texas’ largest city. The city was vibrant with its electric lights, opera house, state medical center, Coast Guard station, and fine architecture. For 64 years, the residents lived smugly in the assumption that no hurricane would ever strike that far West in the Gulf. Isaac Cline was the head of the local station of the young National Weather Service. On the morning of September 8, Cline noted that sea water was rising along the coast as the air pressure went down. This is what today we call ‘storm surge’: low air pressure causing the sea level to swell up, thus inundating the land. Knowing, therefore, that a storm was coming, he rode along the waterfront on his horse, telling people to head to higher ground or to stronger buildings. In truth, there was no ‘higher ground’ since the maximum elevation of Galveston Island was nine feet above sea level, and few heeded his warning. All day long the sea and the winds rose, flooding the coastal buildings. By that night, 120-mile-per-hour winds drove ocean waves onto the island. Rows of houses parallel to the shore went down like dominoes, damaging the rows of houses behind them. Eventually, the entire island and its proud city were under water. When the next day dawned, the destruction was incomprehensible. More than half of the city’s dwellings were destroyed, 8000-10000 people were dead. Clean-up began, as bodies were recovered from their splintered houses. There were so many dead that city officials put them on barges and had them towed out into the Gulf to be “buried at sea”. However, the next high tide brought the gruesome cargo back and piled the bodies high on the shore. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 remains the greatest hurricane disaster in the USA of all time. Isaac Cline, whose wife was among the dead, then lobbied the National Weather Service to coordinate weather data to predict storm tracks and provide warning to people in the path of potential disaster. This is why you will hear weather alerts on your phone, TV, or radio before a strong storm or tornado comes your way. Thank goodness for a well-staffed and well-funded National Weather Service! An engrossing book about the event is Isaac’s Storm, by Erik Larson, which I recommend to your attention.

Fresh fruits and lots of seafood — you must be in Galvaston!

Citrus Breakfast: 149 calories… 1.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 15.5 g protein… 19 g carbs… 118 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF Is this the breakfast you imagine when you think ‘go on a diet’? Does it look like starvation rations? Banish those thoughts! Delicious, nutritious, and filling because of the protein, this is a great breakfast for anyone, anyday. And it has tons of Vitamin C and A and D.

++ ½ cup 2%-fat cottage cheese ++++ 2 Tbsp fat-free plain or fat-free Vanilla yogurt++++  1 clementine, peeled and sectioned ++++ 2 Tbsp black currants -OR- blueberries ++++ 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] ++ 

Combine all the dairy and scoop it onto the plate. Pour fruit on top. If you plan for a busy morning, combine everything the night before and refrigerate it. Great for a grab-and-go meal. It is a vitamin-blast.

Fish Tacos: 266 calories… 2.6 g fat… 3.6 g fiber… 23 g protein… 37 g carbs… 118 mg Calcium…  PB The food truck staple is now available for a Fast Day. Add more spices to suit your taste.

++ two 6” corn tortillas ++++ 3 oz cooked fish HINT: next time you grill or broil fish, cook an extra 3 oz for this recipe. Wrap it and label and store in freezer until needed. ++++  ½ cup tomato, cubed ++++ ½ cup cabbage, chopped ++++ 1 oz red onion, sliced ++++ 1 Tbsp lime juice or salsa verde ++++ pinch chili powder + pinch cumin ++++ 1½ Tbsp plain yogurt ++

Combine the cabbage, tomato, and onion in a bowl with the lime juice and spices. Heat a large griddle or cast iron pan and put the tortillas in it until they are warm, pliable, and beginning to brown. Remove to your plate. Spread the tortillas with the yogurt. Divide the fish between the tortillas and add a splash of lime juice or salsa verde. Top with the vegetable slaw. If there is too much slaw to fit into the tortillas, serve it on the side. What a simple summer dish!