Hot Enough?

July 25, 2018July 21, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

‘Hot enough for ya?’ [my father scorned people who said that.] ‘Hotter than the hinges of Hades.‘ [my mother would say this one.] ‘Hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk.‘ ‘Some like it hot.’ ‘Hot town, summer in the city…‘ How hot has it been in your Northern Hemisphere location this summer? Some people find it easier to diet in the summer, some the reverse. We find it easy to prepare simple foods which meet our requirements for a Fasting day as well as for enervating weather conditions.

The breakfast is based on ingredients from a favorite restaurant’s pizza. The pizza was baked in a brick oven and came sizzling to the table. In your own kitchen, under cooler circumstances, you can make a no-fuss breakfast. The dinner is simplicity itself since the roasting was done in advance, and it can be carried to the nearest shady spot for consumption.

ForeStreet ScrOmelette: 278 calories 8.7 g fat 3 g fiber 15.8 g protein 35 g carbs 228 mg Calcium PB GF Based on a pizza from one of our favorite Portland, Maine restaurants, these flavors are teriffic together. Forestreet Bake w: S-b

Three 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1 ½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1/8 oz bleu cheese 1/4 oz mushrooms 1/8 oz leeks 1 oz pear Blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Spritz a non-stick pan with olive oil or non-stick spray. Slice the leeks and saute with the mushrooms until both are cooked. Whisk in the eggs and pour over the leeks and mushrooms. As the eggs begin to set, crumble the bleu cheese on top. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Plate with the pear, serve with the beverages of choice. Breakfast in a cool kitchen on a warm morning.

Pork Salad: 144 calories 4 g fat 2.4 g fiber 17 g protein 7 g carbs [6.8 g Complex] 43 mg Calcium PB GF When there is leftover meat from a roast, the easiest meal is to turn it into a salad with lots of yummy components. NB: I sprinkled each serving with 1/4 oz flax-seed corn chips which added 40 calories and only 4 g carbs. Pork Salad w: Flax-Corn Chips

2 cups salad greens, cut as chiffonade if leaves are large 2.5-3 oz pork tenderloin, cooked, sliced 2.5-3 oz tomatoes 1 oz red bell pepper, cut in 1/2” dice 1 oz whole fresh cranberries, not dried 2 oz zucchini sticks 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar + ½ tsp olive oil + 1 tsp blue cheese herb mustard

Prepare all the vegetables as described. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a wide bowl and toss with the greens. Plate the greens and decorate the salad with the other components. That was fast!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1.5 two-oz egg	1 two-oz egg
kippered herring	low-fat cottage cheese
dry mustard	radish sprouts
lemon juice	avocado
cherries	blueberries
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

6 oz cooked fish	2 crepes [see Sidekicks I, 17 Sept ’17]
1 two-oz egg + dry mustard	chicken breast
mashed potatoes + butter	carrots + chèvre/goat cheese
green or white onion	low-fat cottage cheese
beets + salad greens	Mediterranean Vegetables [see Sidekicks II, 4 Oct 2017 for recipe]
olive oil + vinegar	Herbes de Province or tarragon
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Robin Hood

July 15, 2018July 10, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Sing along with me: “Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen./ Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men./ Feared by the bad, loved by the good/ Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood.” That of course, was the theme song to the TV series Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Richard Green. I loved that show! Yet even more, I was enraptured when watching the movie The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn. [There is NO BETTER movie about Robin Hood.] Robin Hood was my childhood hero. I read the Howard Pyle book and everything I could get my hands on about “Robin of Locksley.” Was he real or was he popular sentiment grown into urban legend? There are many ‘facts’ about him and his life, as well as many historians who say he is fiction. I certainly want to believe that his spirit is real and alive across time and space.

We will feast on foods associated with the good man: an egg dish named after him and a salad of venison, made from the King’s own deer of Sherwood Forest.

Robin Hood Egg: 291 calories 6.6 g fat 3.1 g fiber 20.6 g protein 55 g carbs [48 g Complex] 272 mg Calcium PB What this breakfast has to do with the legendary outlaw, I don’t know. At least no robbery is involved – you can keep your wallet and your waistline.

½ Arnold multi-grain Sandwich Thin one 2-oz egg 1 slice Jones-brand Canadian bacon [round, 1 oz = 20 calories] 2 oz slice of tomato

Slightly toast the sandwich thin and plate it. Season the tomato slice and broil it. Lightly cook the Canadian bacon while you fry the egg in a pan spritzed with non-cook spray. Assemble the layers in your order of preference and pour the beverages. Tuck [not Friar Tuck] in with knife and fork.

Venison Salad: 270 calories 8.5 g fat 6 g fiber 31 g protein 33 g carbs [30 g Complex] 118 mg Calcium PB GF If you have access to venison, this is a great way to celebrate Robin Hood. venison-salad-w-tomatoes

3-½ oz roasted venison ¾ oz marinated mushrooms 1 oz roasted red pepper 1 slice dried pear, chopped 2 cups lettuce 1 tsp olive oil + ½ tsp balsamic vinegar 3 oz broccoli, fully cooked or blanched and cooled 2 oz tomatoes

Slice the roasted venison into pieces less than 1/2” thick. Whisk the olive oil and vinegar together, then toss with the lettuce and mushrooms. Place on a salad plate. Arrange the meat on the salad and arrange the red pepper, tomatoes, and broccoli on top. Dice the pear and sprinkle over all.

Calvin

July 8, 2018February 15, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Jean Calvin [aka Jehan Cauvin] was born on Monday, July 9, 1509. Little did his parents in the town of Noyon, Picardie know of the tremendous impact their son would have on their country’s society and religious life. Destined for the clergy, Calvin grew up in the shadow of Martin Luther’s ideas to reform the Church. His father’s falling out with the local church elders steered young Jean to the law. In the 1530s, Calvin grew into a new theology, a synthesis of the ideas of Luther, Zwingli, and other leaders of Protestantism. Through studies in Basel, Switzer-land and Strasbourg [then in Germany] Calvin went on to organize and codify the new church. From the Cathedral of Saint Pierre in Geneva [where you can still see ‘Calvin’s Chair’], he oversaw the training of priests, the writing of liturgy, and the spread of the Reformation through his homeland. For the next hundred years, France was torn apart by religious wars as the Protestant Huguenots fought with the Catholics to worship as they pleased.

Calvin believed in predestination, but you are not pre-ordained to be over-weight. Enjoy eggs baked with the Camembert cheese of North-Eastern France for breakfast, as a way to begin Fasting. And since Picardie borders the ocean, mackerel will be our dinner and I’m sure Calvin would approve.

Camembert Bake: 146 calories 10 g fat 0.5 g fiber 9 g protein 6 g carbs 90 mg Calcium PB GF The best-known cheese of Normandy stars in this egg dish. Easy to prepare and so delicious. I hope you will try it.

One 2-oz egg ½ oz Camembert 1 tsp Dijon mustard grating of nutmeg 2 oz strawberries OR 1.5 oz apple slices optional: blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut the cheese [rind and all] into small chunks and leave to soften at room temperature. Stir in the mustard and nutmeg. Whisk the egg, then stir in the cheese mixture. Pour into an oven-proof dish that has been spritzed with non-stick spray and bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes. When the beverages are ready, plate with the fruit.

Mackerel with Gooseberry Glaze: 276 calories 16 g fat [Omega 3 fat!] 1 g fiber 22 g protein 7 g carbs 26.7 mg Calcium PB GF This popular dish from Normandy usually features fresh gooseberries. Here in the USA, those are less common, so we make a glaze of gooseberry jelly. The zucchini picks up the color of green gooseberries.

3 oz mackerel, frozen cooked or fresh fillets 2 tsp gooseberry jelly/jam 3 oz zucchini ribbons

Heat the oven to 300 F. Put frozen or fresh fish on a baking tray and brush with melted jelly. Using a potato peeler, carve long, thin slices from the length of the zucchini until you have 3 oz. Toss the ribbons with salt and pepper. Place the ribbons on the baking tray in a heap [if they are in a thin layer, they will over-cook]. Bake for 5 minutes. Rearrange the zucchini so that the bottom layer is now on top. Bake 5 minutes more, or until the fish is thawed or cooked. Plate the fish with the zucchini ribbons and enjoy a meal of remarkable flavor.

Raffles

July 4, 2018July 5, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

If I said “Raffles,” would you think of buying a ticket for a prize at a charity event? If you had thought internationally, you would think of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles; and Singapore; and the Raffles Hotel; and perhaps a well-known beverage. Sir Thomas was born July 5, 1781, to a merchant ship captain who never found success. His son’s story was like a Horatio Alger tale as told by Dickens. Young Tom became an apprentice and worked his way up to be tapped by the East India Company as the right sort of fella to find a new trading port in the “Orient.” Under his directions, a tiny town became Singapore, now an independent city-state on the Strait of Malacca. In 1887, the Sarkies brothers started a hotel in Singapore and named it The Raffles Hotel. The hotel became famous, associated with comfort, international trade and intrigue, as attested by films shot there. And then there is the famous cocktail, the Singapore Sling, said to have been invented in the Raffles Bar.
Our menu today is typical of the foods of singapore. Breakfast is based on a well-loved street food, while dinner is the ultimate ‘melting pot’ meal of the Malacca crossroads: Dim Sum.

Chilli-Crab ScrOmelette: 296 calories 7.8 g fat 2.9 g fiber 23 g protein 37 g carbs [34 g Complex] 217.6 mg Calcium PB GF The inspiration for this breakfast is a popular street food of Singapore. When I read the ingredients, I was inspired to add those flavors to eggs. Marvelous!! Chilli-Crab ScrOmelette

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1 Tbsp catsup ¾ tsp Thai red chili paste 1.5 tsp soy sauce ½ oz crab meat pinch granulated garlic + chopped chives 1.5 oz strawberries 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Combine the catsup, chili paste, soy sauce, crab, and garlic, stirring well to mix thoroughly. Heat a non-stick pan and spritz with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with the seasonings and pour quickly into the pan. Put a lid on the pan and cook undisturbed until the eggs are cooked and set. Fold the eggs as you plate them with the berries. The beverages of your choice will round out the meal.

Dim Sum: 302 calories 5.6 g fat 1.1 g fiber 32 g protein 30 g carbs 28.5 mg Calcium I like to think of Dim Sum as the Asian version of Spanish Tapas or Greek Meze: tastes of several different delicious foods. With prepared parts in the freezer, this meal is easy to assemble. Dim Sum Plate

2 oz raw chicken cubes 1 tsp prepared Satay Sauce ½ tsp creamy peanut butter 2 Momos, stashed in freezer [see Deli & Delhi, 25 Feb- ’18] 2 Wontons, stashed in freezer [see Go West, 18 Feb- ’18] 2 tsp chicken stock 1 oz Chinese BBQ Pork for steamed buns [46 calories/oz] 2 oz tomato

Thaw the chicken. Cream the Satay Sauce with the peanut butter and mix with the chicken meat. Let sit several hours. Thaw the momos, the wontons, and the pork. Combine the stock with 2 tsp water and put the wontons in the broth. Put over heat until the wontons are heated through. Remove them and continue to heat the stock until reduced back to 2 tsp. [Using ceramic soup spoons, I put 1 tsp of stock in each spoon and topped it with a warm wonton.] Thread the chicken onto a skewer and broil for 10-15 minutes, turning to cook the other side. Place the momos in a steamer for about 15 minutes, until they are cooked through and the wrappers are translucent. Heat the pork in the microwave for about 1 minute. Slice the tomato and plate the Dim Sum components in the manner of your choosing.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
Camembert cheese	Finn Crisp crackers
Dijon mustard	herring marinated in wine
strawberries or apples	whipped cream cheese
	Bing cherries
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

mackerel	2 crêpes [Sidekicks, Sept 17, ’17]
gooseberry jam or jelly	ham, 3% fat + Jarlsberg cheese
zucchini	Dijon mustard
	asparagus OR lettuce + tomato
	Béchamel sauce, no cheese [Sidekicks I, Sept 17, ’17]
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Tomatoes

June 27, 2018June 27, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Tomatoes are such a ubiquitous food that it is hard to imagine a time when they were absent from world-wide cuisine and even feared as poisonous. Tomatoes are native to South America, where they might still be growing wild in Peru. They were introduced to Europe in the 1500s by Cortès. Botanically, they are members of the Nightshade Family, which includes the known poison deadly nightshade. Due to that association, this untried fruit was viewed with suspicion. But a few intrepid biologists/physicians/cooks were convinced that they were safe to eat, and their use caught on in Europe. On July 28, 1820, Robert Gibbon Johnson in Salem, New Jersey made a rash announcement: he would sit on the courthouse steps and eat tomatoes!! A crowd gathered, thinking/fearing/hoping [?] that he would die. He didn’t and thereafter, tomatoes grew in gardens and in popularity.

Our meals today feature the famed ‘love apple’, with eggs and enchiladas.

Broccoli-Olive-Tomato ScrOmelette: 291 calories 8.6 g fat 4 g fiber 18 g protein 38 g carbs [36 g Complex] 252 mg Calcium PB GF Sometimes things in the ‘fridge say, “Put us in eggs for breakfast.” Who am I to deny their urging? Broc-Olive-Tom ScrOmelette

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1 oz broccoli 1 Tbsp cottage cheese 1 oz tomato 1/2 black olive ¾ tsp Parmesan cheese pinch of basil 2 oz strawberries black coffee or black tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie

Dice the tomato and drain in a strainer, overnight if possible. Drain the cottage cheese overnight if it is very liquid. Steam the broccoli and chop it finely. Chop the black olive. Into a hot saute pan spritzed with non-stick spray, add the tomato, broccoli, and olive. Stir until warmed. Whisk the eggs with the cottage cheese and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Scramble or fold as an omelette, hence ScrOmelette, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Prepare the beverages and plate the berries. Bliss.

Enchiladas Suizas: 293 calories 9.9 g fat 11.2 g fiber 31.6 g protein 43.4 g carbs 261.7 mg Calcium PB GF Rick Bayless relates this recipe in his book Mexico One Plate At A Time. Delicious and easy to prepare. Avoid assembling too far in advance, lest it turn to mush. Enchiladas w: winter medley

2 six-inch corn tortillas [50 calories each] 2 0z [½ cup] shredded cooked chicken breast ½ cup enchilada sauce*** ¼ cup grated Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese 1 oz broccoli florets + 1 oz cauliflower florets + ½ oz carrot

***Enchilada Sauce 1 cup = 75 calories two 28-oz cans whole tomatoes 2 jalapeno peppers 3 tsp vegetable oil [canola] 1 cup chopped onion 2 cups chicken broth

Roast the peppers in a dry skillet over medium heat about 5 minutes until splotchy with black areas. Put in a blender with the tomatoes and whirr until smooth. Cook onions in oil until golden, about 7 minutes. Raise heat and add tomato puree. Cook 10-15 minutes until thickened like tomato paste. Add broth, cover partially and simmer 15 minutes until slightly soupy. Season with ½ tsp salt.

Heat oven to 350 F. On an ungreased heavy skillet, place the tortillas and cook them until they begin to brown on one side. Flip in the pan and continue until each tortilla is pliable and slightly fragrant. Remove to a cutting board or baking sheet. Distribute the chicken between the tortillas, then roll up the tortillas, and place each in an oven-proof dish, seam-side down. Spoon the sauce over and around and between the enchiladas. NB: you don’t have to use all of the sauce. Extra could be frozen or added to eggs or soup. Sprinkle with cheese and put into oven for 20 minutes. Cook the vegetables, drain and dress with salt and a splash of red wine vinegar. So good!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

reduced-fat cottage cheese	1.5 two-oz eggs
clementine	crabmeat + catsup
fat-free French Vanilla yogurt	Thai fish sauce
black currants	Thai hot chili sauce

Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

canned tuna + feta cheese	momas [see Feb 25, 2018 for recipe]
canned white beans + black olives	wontons + chicken broth [Feb 18, 2018]
tomato + red bell pepper	chicken + satay sauce
hard-boiled egg + baby greens	sugar snap peas
olive oil + lemon juice	soy sauce
garlic powder + herbes de Province
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Mixed up

June 3, 2018May 30, 2018 ~ me ~ 2 Comments

Do you have those days when things seem all mixed up and normal tasks don’t seem normal at all? With luck, those are infrequent, although those who study the brain counsel us not to get in a rut. Learn a new skill; go home a different way; eat with the other hand. Shaking up the routine can build new neural networks in the brain, which is good for brain health. Fasting is also good for brain health. One study showed that mice who ate a calorie restriction diet actually grew new neurons! I’m all for that.

Today’s meals mix it up a bit. The eggs are flavored with the green chiles of New Mexico — but instead of rolling it in a tortilla, we’ll use a French buckwheat crêpe. The dinner is a sushi which is not in rolls and does not contain raw seafood. The word ‘sushi’ really means ‘sour-tasting rice’ and we do serve rice here with lots of delicious toppings as an Edo-style scattered sushi.

Green Chile-Egg Crêpe: PB The bite of the green chiles, the nutty taste of the crêpe, the rich taste of egg: what a remarkable flavor combination. Eat with a fork or pick it up in your hand. Green Chili-Egg Crepe

1 crêpe [see SIDEKICKS I, Sept 17, 2017 for recipe] one 2-oz egg 2 Tbsp roasted green chiles 1 oz pears blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider

Whisk the egg with the chiles and pour into a 6” cast iron pan or small saute pan spritzed with non-stick spray. [If serving two, pour egg mixture into a 4×6” oven-proof dish spritzed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 F. for 12 minutes] Cook the egg by gently lifting the edges to allow un-cooked egg to flow underneath. Meanwhile, gently heat the crêpe: wrap in a tea-towel and put in the microwave for 1 minute OR put in an un-greased saute pan over low heat for 1 minute, then turn over for another 30 seconds. Plate the crêpe with the fruit, put the egg on top of it, then fold over. Pour the beverages and put some zip in your morning.

Mixed Sushi: 286 calories 8.5 g fat 3.6 g fiber 18.8 g protein 33.7 g carbs 39 mg Calcium PB GF Our younger son introduced us to this recipe. Imagine: ‘Sushi’ without raw fish. Good use for leftover beef and avocado. HINT: This serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch/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 meal 1 tsp rice wine vinegar 1 egg 1 tsp soy sauce + pinch sugar [sugar is optional] 3 oz avocado, in long slices 1 oz grilled beef, in long strips OR substitute grilled chicken breast 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 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.

SPICY

May 23, 2018April 23, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Variety’s the very spice of life, said William Cowper. While it is true that some dieters eat nothing on Fast Days [aka water fasting] and some like to eat the same menu every Fast Day just to simplify things, we like to spice it up. That’s why there are so many different recipes on this site. Now the spices one adds to foods can transform something humdrum into something amazing. There is no sauce in the world like hunger, said Cervantes. That’s why on a Fast Day, good food tastes extra delicious because we go into those meals hungry, which is wonderful. Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate, said Plautus. And while you are at it, try some of the spicy items below.

AIOLI DRESSING makes 3 tsp 2 tsp olive oil mayonnaise 1 tsp Sriracha pinch granulated garlic 2 tsp lemon juice Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Store what you don’t use in the refrigerator. PERFECT FOR THE SENEGALESE TUNA-AVOCADO SALAD SALAD FROM DECEMBER 20 2017

CINNAMON DRESSING: makes 4.5 tsp ½ shallot [¾ oz] , minced 1 Tbsp olive oil 1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar or raspberry vinegar 1/2 tsp cinnamon Shake together in a jar. Refrigerate until needed. Use often. JUST RIGHT FOR THE SANTA BARBARA SALAD FROM DECEMBER 3 2017

CLAM STUFFING: Makes 2 cups. clam-stuffed mushrooms 1 cup clams, fresh or frozen 1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread 5 oz tomato 2 oz red bell pepper 3 turkey meatballs 3 Tbsp plain yogurt 1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated thyme + garlic + salt Pulse in food processor until diced. EXCELLENT STUFFED IN MUSHROOMS FROM OCTOBER 1 2017

GINGER-GARLIC PASTE makes about 3 Tbsp 2 oz garlic cloves, sliced 1 oz ginger root, sliced ½ oz flavorful white vinegar Put in a food processor and whirl it until paste-like. Scrape the sides often. Do not add water. Store remaining paste in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. ESSENTIAL FOR CHICKEN MOMAS FROM FEBRUARY 25 2018

VEGETABLE SALSA: Makes one heaping cup. ½ cup = 22 calories 0.1 g fat 1.8 g fiber 1.2 g protein 6 g carbs 14.7 mg Calcium ½ cup diced fresh tomatoes 1/2 cup diced red or yellow bell peppers 2 Tbsp red onion, chopped 1 Tbsp lemon juice Toss all the ingredients together. Feel free to add fresh herbs or whatever spices you wish. FABULOUS WITH FELAFEL

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg	1 two-oz egg
white whole wheat flour	Arnold multi-grain sandwich thin
yellow cornmeal	Canadian bacon
French Vanilla yogurt	grapes
strawberries + blueberries
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

hot dog [110 calories]	pita bread [140 calories]
baked beans + zucchini	6 felafel patties [Stocking Up, Jan 4 ’18]
hard-boiled egg	Vegetable Salsa [Spicy, May 23 ’18]
low-fat mayonnaise + mustard
celery + carrots

Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Roi Soleil

May 13, 2018February 15, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Louis XIV, Louis the Great, The Sun King [Roi Soleil] was the longest-reigning monarch in French or European history: 72 years. How did he achieve that? By being crowned king on May 14, 1643, when he was 4 years old. If you watch the TV series Versailles, you get the sense of a monomaniac on the throne — being hailed as supreme ruler while a toddler might do that to you! Louis was the driving force of French culture of his era, gathering artists [Le Brun], architects [Mansart], landscapers [LeNôtre], musicians [Lully], and playwrites [Molière] to his court to create works which still dazzle us today. And Louis did not simply pay them to get on with it, he collaborated, suggested, and astonished his contemporaries with his range of knowledge and skill. He was a wonderful <touche à tout> but not the best of kings. The Château de Versailles is his masterpiece of French Baroque style. In honor of Louis, our eggs are full of rich dainties and named after the church where French kings were traditionally crowned. The dinner features oysters, which Louis loved [wagon-loads of bivalves were moved from the coast to Versailles weekly] and sparkling wine. [A purist would say that Champagne as we know it had not been developed in the time of Le Roi Soleil, but Limoux from southern France had been around since 1531.]

Saint Denis ScrOmelette: 295 calories 9 g fat 3.1 g fiber 18 g protein 35 g carbs 215.4 mg Calcium GF James Beard’s comprehensive volume American Cooking gives us the recipe for this breakfast. Delicious, and rich, and wonderful. Worth getting up for.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1 Tbsp leek or scallion, minced ½ clove garlic, minced ¼ oz mushrooms ¼ oz ham [3% fat], minced 1 tsp chicken liver OR chicken liver pate parsley for garnish 4 Bing cherries blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the leek, garlic, and mushrooms and stir to cook. Whisk the eggs with the ham and pate and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Cook as thoroughly as you like. The hot beverage is brewed, the smoothie is shaken, and the fruit is plated. Breakfast fit for a king.

Oyster Feast with Bubbly: 272 calories 10 g fat 2 g fiber 12.5 g protein 16 g carbs 83 mg Calcium PB Got something BIG to celebrate: how about a plate of raw and baked oysters with a salad AND a glass of bubbly? This serves TWO, since a celebration deserves company.

18 medium Eastern oysters, raw 9 tsp chevre cheese 4 saltine crackers as medium-fine crumbs 3 cups lettuce 2 Tbsp raw herbs, [such as thyme, rosemary, chives], chopped 1 oz grated carrots 3 oz tomatoes, cherry or standard 1-1/2 tsp olive oil + 1-1/2 tsp good vinegar + pinch flavored salt per person: 4 oz Sparkling Wine [such as Champagne]

Turn on the broiler. Shuck the oysters, discarding the upper shell, but keep the oyster in the bottom shell. Carefully put half oysters on an oven-proof pan. Sprinkle each of those oysters with a pinch of the cracker crumbs. Then put 1 tsp of the chevre on each oyster. Top with the rest of the crumbs. Slide under the broiler until the cheese begins to soften and brown just a bit. In a wide bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and herbs. Toss lettuce and carrots with the dressing, add a pinch of salt and top with tomatoes. Plate the raw and baked oysters with the salad, pour your bubbly. Salut!

Rustic

May 9, 2018April 26, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

“Rustic” has several connotations. As an adjective, it means ‘typical of the countryside’ . As a noun, it is a slighting implication that a person is uncultured and a little slow. Think of Shakespeare’s ‘Rustics’ who stage a play in MidSummer Night’s Dream. ‘Rustic furniture’ is fashioned from unfinished wood or in woodland themes. ‘Rustic decor‘ comes in and out of style. Stonework which is ‘rusticated‘ is rough-hewn. Rustic food, on the other hand, can make your mouth water. The thought of a well-stocked picnic basket is enough to warm the heart of Yogi Bear or The Water Rat. Marie Antoinette played at being a shepherdess and Manet’s Déjeuner sur l’Herbe glorifies the idea of a <fete champetre>, tho’ I do hope the woman puts her clothes on before going home! Let’s celebrate rustic foods for breakfast and dinner. If warm enough, eat outside.

Rustica Scromelette: 292 calories 8.9 g fat 1.4 g fiber 16 g protein 33 g carbs 270 mg Calcium PB GF One of our favorite dinners for a Slow Day is Pasta Rustica. So why not enjoy those flavors at breakfast? The cheese, the herbs, and the eggs combine with a real WOW in the morning. rustica-scromelette

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ½ Tbsp crushed tomatoes ½ Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese 1/8 oz mozzerella, chopped 1/3 oz onion, chopped ¼ clove garlic, minced or pressed basil + oregano + salt + hot pepper flakes HINT: I combined the tomato, cheeeses, herbs and spices the night before. You can also prepare the melon beforehand. 1 oz melon blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the prepared onion and garlic and stir to cook briefly . Whisk the eggs with the cheeses and seasonings and pour over the onions in the pan. Scramble to your favorite degree of doneness. Plate the fruit, prepare the beverages. You are in for a treat.

Cottage Pie: 219 calories 7 g fat 1.8 g fiber 21.7 g protein 15 g carbs 35 mg Calcium PB GF Cottage Pie is the beef version of Shepherd’s Pie. The addition of mashed cauliflower is a great trick to lessen the calorie and carb count of mashed potatoes. Some people like this with mashed cauliflower only, but I enjoy the combo for a more authentic taste. HINT: serves 2. Freeze leftovers for another dinner or invite a guest.

1 cup roast beef, ground or minced 1 two-oz egg, separated ½ cup mashed potatoes ½ cup mashed cauliflower ½ cup beef gravy, as fat free as you can make it 2 0z peas OR 1 cup lettuce + ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp lemon juice OR cider vinegar + 1 oz tomatoes

Add the egg yolk and gravy to the beef, along with salt and pepper to taste. Whip the eggwhite until stiff and fold into the mashed vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Put the beef mixture into an oil-spritzed oven-proof dish [2-3 cup capacity] and spread it out evenly. Smooth the mashed vegetables on top and ruffle it with a fork or spoon. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown a bit and the inside is hot. Whisk the oil and lemon juice in a wide bowl, add the lettuce and tomatoes, and toss gently.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1.5 two-oz eggs	1.5 two-oz eggs
3% fat ham + Bing cherries	ground cumin
leek + garlic	Bing cherries
mushroom	mint tea
chicken liver pate
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

9 Eastern oysters	ground lamb
chèvre cheese	Mediterranean Vegetables [see Sidekicks I, 17 Sept. 2017 for recipe]
Saltine crackers	brown rice
lettuce + oil + lemon juice + herbs	Gruyère cheese
5 oz sparkling wine

Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Anniversary V

April 11, 2018July 26, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Five years ago, my Own Dear Husband and I made an important decision: it was time to start the Fast Diet. We had seen the TV show and were inspired to read the book. Then what did we do? 1. We chose some recipes from the Fast Diet Book to try for dinners. 2. I calculated the calorie count for some favorite breakfasts. [Since you read this Blog, you know that is all done for you] 3. We wrote on the calendar what we would eat on our Monday and Thursday Fast Days. 4. We weighed ourselves and recorded body measurements. And then we jumped in: the first day wasn’t too bad, though we did opt for an earlier-than-usual dinner! And the pounds came off… 9 combined pounds the 1st month, then a plateau, then 16 pounds after 5 months. When we realized that we’d need new clothes for a wedding, we were hooked. Fasting is now a Lifestyle to be continued for years and years. In today’s blog, I am posting the meals we ate on our first day as Fasters: an old favorite Ham Scramble and a recipe from the Fast Diet book itself. Join us for the next 5 years, won’t you?

Ham ScrOmelette: 286 calories 8 g fat 1.7 g fiber 16.6 g protein 35.2 g carb 219 mg Calcium PB GF Here’s another classic of the breakfast table. PM scramble or Ham omelette? w: apple

1 ½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1/2 oz. ground or chopped ham 1.5 oz melon or 1.5 oz apple blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water 5-6 oz green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Chop the ham, slice the fruit, brew your hot beverage. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. When the bottom begins to set, distribute the ham over half of the eggs. {OR warm the ham briefly in the hot pan, pour in the whisked eggs and scramble together until cooked.] Fold the omelette and cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Shake up the smoothie, pour your beverages, and you are off to a good start to your day.

*Feta Nicoise Salad: 243 calories 6.0 g fat 2.2 g fiber 15.8 g protein 25 g carbs 244 mg Calcium PB GF From Michael & Mimi’s first book comes this delicious recipe. There is a lot of food on this plate – bring your appetite. Feta Nicoise Salad copy

5 romaine leaves OR 1 cup lettuce, sliced cross-ways ¼ cup green beans 1 scant cup cucumber OR zucchini, diced 1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled or diced 1.5 black olives, quartered 1 tsp flavorful olive oil + 1 tsp white wine vinegar optional: 1/2 oz French bread

Steam the green beans, cool and set aside. Slice the romaine crosswise into 1” strips. Prepare the other ingredients as described. Pour the oil and vinegar into a wide, shallow bowl and whisk briskly. Put all the other ingredients in the bowl and toss gently to coat with dressing. Welcome to southern France for fine dining.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

Canadian/back bacon	1.5 two-oz eggs
applesauce, unsweetened	pork loin
Bannock [see …Not by Bread.. 7 Feb ’18]	baked beans
	Worcestershire Sauce + HP Sauce
	Strawberries or melon
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

3 oz smoked haddock [finnen haddie]	green or white onion
onion	mashed potatoes, no butter or milk
potato	egg + dry mustard
butter	butter
milk	beets, fresh or pickled
parsley + bay leaf	lettuce + oil & vinegar
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

	me on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Mya on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Peter Eppig on Robert Gould Shaw
	me on 10 Years of FASTing
	Karen Loudon on 10 Years of FASTing

Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet."

Join me in following the Fasting Lifestyle, with recipes & tips

calorie restriction menus

Hot Enough?

Robin Hood

Calvin

Raffles

Tomatoes

Mixed up

SPICY

Roi Soleil

Rustic

Anniversary V

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