delicious recipes under 300 calories

Cookbooks: Mrs Beeton

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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.

Dear Husband and I have a thing about cookbooks — such variety! such cuisines! We don’t own thousands of them, but through our life together we have amassed several shelves-worth. We especially like the ones with a narrative along with the recipes. During the Pandemic, we read aloud from cookbooks to each other, since dining out was not an option. I am drawn to old books, so I am always on the look-out for older volumes of cookery. Today we will look at one of the English classics: Beeton’s Book of Household Management. Isabella Beeton first published her book in 24 monthly installments, from 1859-1861. The individual chapters were gathered into one volume in 1861. Thinking that “there is no more fruitful source of family discontent than a house-wife’s badly-cooked dinners and untidy ways”, Beeton provides seven chapters on running a household and bringing up children, as well as managing the servants, medical problems, and legal matters. The remaining 17 chapters are broken into food categories and recipes for them. Although she was only 25 years old when the book came out, Beeton wrote with an assurance that gave confidence to homemakers, young and old. The book was a runaway success, selling 60,000 copies in the first year. When reading David Copperfield, published 1849, one thinks that David’s wife, Dora, would benefit from copy of the book! Anyone reading Mrs Beeton’s work would know everything one needed to know about being the mistress of a household. Today, some topics are a quaint insight into life 140 years ago, but some of her ideas still ring true. For quick reference, all her topics are numbered, from #1, likening the housewife to the commander of an army, to #2751, about witnesses signing for a testator. In between we find #2149-2150: Bill of Fare for a Picnic of 40 Persons, and #118, a recipe for Cabbage Soup with a sidebar about the introduction of vegetables to England under the reign of Henry VIII.

Recipe #1338 is for Rhubarb Pudding. Mrs Beeton makes it with a lard crust and boils it. This one is easier, and suitable for breakfast. #1456 is a recipe for a plain omelette. We will improve upon that by adding morel mushrooms.

Rhubarb Pudding: 161 calories… 4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 14.5 g protein… 20.6 g carbs… 155 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF – if using GF flour Hayden Pearson has a wonderful dessert call “Blanche’s Super Rhubarb Pudding” in his iconic Country Flavor Cook Book. This is a scaled-down version that is fit for breakfast: slightly tangy, lightly sweet.

++6 Tbsp cooked, mashed rhubarb ++++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 egg white ++++ 1½ Tbsp sugar ++++ 2 Tbsp flour OR 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 2 Tbsp milk++++½ tsp baking powder ++++ per person: 1 slice Canadian Bacon [= ½ oz back bacon] ++++ 1 oz strawberries, sliced ++++ 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]++

Cut up 1 cup rhubarb and stew it in a little water. Drain thoroughly and mash. Measure the 6 Tbsp you need and save the remainder for another use. [Add to a smoothie; serve with yogurt] Whisk the egg and white, then add all the other ingredients [but not the bacon!] Spoon into a baking dish which has been sprayed with non-stick spray. HINT: I did all this the night before. A real time-saver. Bake at 350 F until the batter is firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. While the pudding bakes, cook the bacon and prepare the optional beverages. Plate topped with strawberries. Delicious.

Morel Mushroom Omelette: 269 calories… 18 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 18 g protein… 10 g carbs… 180 mg Calcium  PB GF  A mushroom omelette with bacon is a delicious treat. Morel mushrooms kick it up a few notches. You can use fresh morels or dried mushrooms that have been soaked in warm water until soft, then blotted dry.  HINT: This recipe serves two [2], but you could cut it if you wish, or double it to serve four [4]. 

4 two-oz eggs —-½ oz/3 Tbsp Parmesan-Reggiano cheese Whisk eggs, just to blend in the yolks. Grate cheese and stir it in.
1 c/2.3 oz morelsSlice morels lenthwise.
2 slices uncured bacon [30 cal/slice], cut into ½” pieces Cook in a non-stick pan until ‘lightly golden’, 2-3 minutes. Drain off all but ½-1 Tbsp fat.
1 scallion [1 oz], thinly sliced———-sliced morelsSaute scallions and morels in fat until softened and warm. Distribute evenly within the pan.
Egg-cheese mixture—————cooked baconPour in eggs without disturbing the other ingredients. Sprinkle with chopped bacon.
Cook until top is done to your liking. Fold and plate. 
2 oz zucchini OR Side salad with 2 Tbsp blueberriesToss the salad and plate with the omelette.

Scoville & His Units

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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.

Do you like it hot? We are talking about spicy foods today. I’m one of those people who will have a sneezing/coughing fit if there is too much black pepper in my food. Other people want food so spicy that they break out in a sweat. The spiciness of food is measured in Scoville Units, and today we will celebrate their deviser. Wilbur Lincoln Scoville was born on January 22, 1865. At age 14, he worked in a pharmacy, then went on to earn a Graduate of Pharmacy (PhG) degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. Three years later, Wilbur was on the faculty of his alma mater, where he wrote a seminal reference book, The Art of Compounding. After 15 years of teaching, Scoville was hired by Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals. At that time, capsaicin — the toxin in chili peppers that causes them to taste ‘hot’ — was used in a cream to alleviate arthritis and muscle pain. Scoville wanted to standardize the heat of the cream, so he set out to calibrate the hotness of peppers. Using green bell peppers as the baseline, volunteers were subjected to various dilutions of the spicy oils in a solution of sugar water — the Scoville Organoleptic Test. Based on how many drops of sugar water it took to neutralize a pepper’s heat, the Scoville Scale was created in 1912. You might not have heard of the man, but his legacy lives on as thrill-seekers want to try ever hotter chilis. As far as I am concerned, a little goes a long way. Scoville died in 1942 — not from eating peppers.


 Both of our meals today are flavored with spice blends — one from Arabia, one from India. When you prepare each blend, feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your taste for spicy heat.

Arabian Eggs: 153 calories… 7.5 g fat… 2 g fiber … 10 g protein… 12.5 g carbs… 58 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the eggs and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  Hawayij spice is widely-used in the cuisine of Saudi Arabia. And it clearly shows trade links to countries further East. Coffee [Coffea arabica is a native plant] and dates round out the flavors of the country. The sweet dates are a wonderful counter-point to the spicy eggs.

++1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid to store in the ‘fridge for next week. ++ 1-1½ tsp Hawayij spice ++++ 2 deglet noor dates  ++++ 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] ++

Whisk the eggs with the spice mixture and pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Turn down the heat. Leave the eggs undisturbed until puffy and the top is set. Remove from skillet, and serve folded or flat. Pour the beverages and enjoy the fruit/spice combination.

Curried Scallops: 244 calories… 8.4 g fat… 5 g fiber… 21.4 g protein… 12 g carbs… 109 mg Calcium…  PB GF Our son used make his own Indian curry powder, which is fabulous-tasting. He has moved on to Thai curries, but we still cook with his original powder. These scallops are delicious and filling. It is Dear Husband’s method.

++ ¼ pound sea scallops ++++ 2 Tbsp Indian curry powder** ++++ ½ Tbsp butter ++++ 1 Tbsp white wine ++++ 3-4 oz broccoli ++

Trim the scallops of the white tissue which may be on the side. Slice the scallops around the equator, so that each disk is half its thickness. Pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle a plate with the curry powder and dredge the scallops in the powder, coating on both sides. Choose a heavy saute pan which is just large enough to hold the scallops in one layer. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the butter and spray well with non-stick spray. Put scallops in the melted butter and cook on one side. Turn over and cook further, adding some more non-stick spray if pan seems too dry. When the scallops are done [this takes very little time], remove to your plate. Turn down heat and add the white wine to the pan to deglaze it, scraping up brown bits. Pour over scallops and plate the broccoli. A very easy and special meal.

**CGE Indian Curry Powder: Add to eggs or use to flavor seafood before sauteing. 2½ Tbsp corriander seed —- 2 tsp garlic powder —-1 Tbsp cumin seed—-2 tsp turmeric powder —-1 tsp ground ginger —-1 tsp green chili powder—- ½ tsp ground allspice—- 1 tsp salt —-1½ tsp dry mustard Grind everything together in a mortar + pestle or electric spice grinder.

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

buckwheat flour + skim milk + plain flour 1 two-oz egg + 1 egg white 
white whole wheat flour + dry yeast + buttersugar + white whole wheat flour
2 two-oz eggs + 3%-fat hamrhubarb + baking powder
sour Cherry syrup milk + Canadian bacon/back bacon
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

tilapia or other firm-fleshed white fish + egg4 two-oz eggs [serves 2] + Parmesan-Reggiono
white whole wheat flour + asparagus + paprikamorel mushrooms, fresh or dried
sweet potato + canola oilAmerican streaky bacon + scallion
garlic powder + lime juiceSide salad with 2 Tbsp blueberries
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Husband’s Day

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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. Welcome to The Meditation Body who is now Following.

January 19th marks a festival in Iceland called Husband’s Day. Some call it by its original name, Bóndadagur or Farmer’s Day, but with fewer people farming some think that “husband” was more encompassing than “farmer”. This is the day when the man of the house is fussed over and cosseted and thanked for all the good work he does during the year to support his family. Sound good? Not so fast! By tradition, on the first day of the month Þorri, the man of the house must arise at dawn. He puts on his shirt and puts one leg in his trousers. Then he goes outside — remember that this is Iceland in February!! Brrr!! — and runs/hops around the perimeter of the house, dragging his trouser leg behind him. That sacrifice to the god Thorr performed, he can go back inside. Presumably he will now get fully and warmly dressed, and bask in front of the fire while the womenfolk serve breakfast. This day has been celebrated since the 12th century. Because it is an ancient tradition, it is a time when traditional foods are served: Hangikjöt: dung-smoked lamb served with potatoes and white sauce; Harðfiskur: Dried fish is often enjoyed with butter; Blóðmör and Lifrarpylsa: Traditional blood and liver sausages. Mm-yum.

If you don’t enjoy dried fish or sheep’s heads or fermented shark, smoked foods are popular on Bóndadagur. Since Icelanders enjoy seafood, we will enjoy smoked salmon at breakfast and salmon cakes dinner. Be good to your Good Man, today and all days, and be grateful if you are in a supportive, loving relationship.

Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Toast: 206 calories… 12.4 g fat… 4 g fiber … 8 g protein… 20 g carbs… 33.5 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the plated food only, not the optional beverage.  PB A stacked, open-faced sandwich can be a delicious treat at breakfast. Smoked salmon and cucumbers make a winning combination.

++ 1 slice whole-grain bread, 70 calories  [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] ++++ 2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese ++++½ oz smoked salmon ++++ 4 slices cucumber OR  Swedish Cucumber Salad ++++ 2 oz strawberries OR 1 oz peach ++

Lightly toast the bread and spread it with the cream cheese. Top it with the samon and top that with the cucumber. Plate the fruit. Now try to top that for flavor!

Salmon Cakes: 233 cal… 10.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 21.7 g protein… 10.7 g carbs… 46 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread  Eating Well magazine is the source of this fine recipe of salmon with an East Asian flair. Serve with Corn-Tomato Salsa, a Side Salad, zucchini slices, or Coleslaw to add up to 61 calories, taking the total for the meal to 294 calories.

4 cakes. Sv 2Cast iron or non-stick pan. 1/3 cup measure 
1 c cooked salmon—-one 2 oz egg—2 Tbsp red onion—1 Tbsp coriander seeds—1 Tbsp chile-garlic sauce—1 Tbsp soy sauce—1 tsp 5-spice powderFlake the salmon. Whisk egg. Chop the onion finely. Crush or grind coriander – Use fresh cilantro if you have it Add other seasonings and combine well.
½ c/1 oz fresh bread crumbsFold in crumbs. Form in 1/3 c patties.
1 tsp sesame oilHeat in skillet over med-high. Cook cakes 3 mins per side.
½ cup coleslaw -OR- ½ cup Corn-Tomato Salsa -OR- 4 oz zucchini slices, cookedcoleslaw adds 41 calories, Salsa adds 61 calories, zucchini adds 40 calories

Martin Luther King

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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 King, Jr was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. When he was five years old, his father ‘Michael’ changed his first name and the name of his son from Michael to ‘Martin Luther’, after a trip to Germany. His father and grandfather had been Baptist ministers, and, following in their footsteps, Martin was graduated from Morehouse College, one of the HBCUs. He continued his education to earn a Doctor of Divinity degree from Boston University. While there, he met and married the remarkable Coretta Scott. While serving as pastor at a church in Montgomery, Alabama, King was asked to help organize a protest against racial segregation on city busses. By applying Mahatma Gandi’s tactics of non-violence with Christian teachings, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was a success and King gained prominence as a Civil Rights leader. He moved his family to Atlanta, where he joined his father on the pulpit of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. King then founded and lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to co-ordinate actions throughout the southern states. While Peter, Paul, and Mary were singing “Blowin’ In The Wind“, King was speaking and organizing all over the country, giving people hope that racial equality might be achieved. The 1964 March on Washington showed the strength in numbers of King’s supporters and his “I have a dream” speech showed the heights of his rhetorical abilities. That year, the Civil Rights Act was passed, followed by the Voting Rights Act the next year, both victories for the cause. Young activists within the movement thought that King was too passive, but he continued to urge non-violence. King was killed by an assassin in 1968. How curious that the very people who inveigh against ‘cancel culture’ are trying to cancel references to Dr King and the Civil Rights struggle in 2026.

Dr. King liked food. From Southern home cooking to food grabbed on the road, he liked it all. Our breakfast has links to the lunch counter meals that King enjoyed and that were famously occupied during the Civil Rights movement. Our dinner remembers that King did not distain a simple soup from a favorite Atlanta restaurant.

Egg-McArnold: 230 calories… 6.5 g fat… 5.6 g fiber … 13.5 g protein… 27 g carbs… 91 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg sandwich only, not the optional coffee. This, of course, is the Fasting version of a fast-food favorite. Works well for eating on-the-run. 

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 Arnold-brand multi-grain Sandwich Thin [or similar @100 calories] ++++ ½ oz Canadian Bacon or 1 slice Jones Brand @ 20 calories/slice ++++ 2 oz grapes ++++   Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ 

Open up the ‘sandwich thin’ and lightly toast it. Fry or poach the egg to your liking and cook the Canadian Bacon in the same pan. Assemble, using salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy it with your coffee in a to-go cup but don’t eat in the car – sit down and slowly savor this Fast food.

‘Therapeutic’ Chicken Soup: 278 calories… 3.4 g fat… 5 g fiber… 18.5 g protein… 36 g carbs…78 mg Calcium… PB The recipe is from It’s All American Food by David Rosengarten. Simple, filling, and Granma says it is good for you.  NB: One serving = 2 cups of soup! Feel free to reduce that amount — I find 1 cup to be satisfying.

2 oz/½ cup parsnips, diced ++++ 1 oz/¼ cup carrots, in small coins ++++¼ cup celery,diced ++++Prepare vegetables. 
1½ cups excellent chicken broth, homemade or purchased +++++ 3-4 Tbsp water++++ ParsnipsHeat stock to a simmer. Add parsnips, cook 5 mins.
carrotsAdd carrots, cook 5 mins. 
celeryAdd. Cook until vegetables are tender.
½ oz Pennsylvania Dutch noodlesCook noodles in water until just underdone. Drain. 
Cooked noodles ++++2 oz cooked chicken breastCut in ½” cubes. Add these, taste for salt + pepper. 
3 Tbsp parsley Add parsley and cook 5 mins.

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

whole grain bread @ 70 calories1.5 two-oz eggs 
smoked salmon + strawberriesHawayij spice
whipped cream cheeseDeglet noor dates
cucumber or Swedish cucumber salad 
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

salmon + one 2-oz egg + red onions + soy sauce1/4 pound scallops per serving
coriander/cilantro [either] + chili-garlic sauce Indian curry powder
5-spice powder + fresh bread crumbs + sesame oil broccoli
side salad/Corn-tomato salsa/coleslaw/zucchinibutter + white wine [2-3 Tbsp]
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Battle of New Orleans

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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. 

“In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip’
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans.”

Johnny Horton‘s lyrics and catchy tune are most Americans’ introduction [and limit of their knowledge] about the Battle of New Orleans, on January 8, 1815. Once the British had defeated Napoleon in 1812, they were freed to avenge their most bitter failure: the loss of the American colonies in 1783. So they started the War of 1812, first stopping American ships on the high seas and pressing men into service in the English navy. Then they attacked and sacked Washington, DC. Following a repulse at the port of Baltimore, the British planned to take the port of New Orleans as a back-door entry to regain their lost territory. The Americans caught wind of the plan and began to mobilize troops in November. Their leader was Andrew Jackson and he had no standing army. So he cobbled together businessmen, local militia, Choctaw Indians, sailors, smugglers, pirates, freed Black men, and sharpshooters from Tennessee and Kentucky to fight along side some US marines and soldiers. This collection of 5,000 men was soon to face 8,000 trained British troops. In late December, the British began moving up the Mississippi River, but were stopped by a night-time raid by Jackson’s men. The harrying tactic accomplished nothing, but it set the stage for the ensuing battle. The Americans went back up river, and built a wall of mud and cotton bales stretching East from the river to a swamp. Across the river, artillery were emplaced. Meanwhile, a new British commander had arrived. He was highly annoyed that the night-time raid had not been a British victory, so he pressed North to attack the American line. His first two attempts were futile, so he threw his troops into a full-on battle on January 8. When the smoke had cleared, the British casualties were 2034, US casualties were 71. The British withdrew and that was the last battle of the War of 1812. In fact, the War was already over, a peace treaty having been signed days before. But news traveled slowly, and 285 British soldiers died for nothing.

We will not eat the ‘bacon and beans’ of the song. Instead, our breakfast is inspired by French food, since New Orleans was a French possession until it was sold to the US in 1804. Because of New Orleanians’ love of seafood, stuffed clams are for dinner.

Ratatouille-Egg Toast:  301 calories… 6 g fat… 4 g fiber… 17 g protein… 31.4 g carbs… 212.4 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB  GF – if using GF bread.  Ratatouille, the French vegetable stew, is great with eggs for breakfast. And you can prepare it year-round. 

++ 1 piece 70-cal multi-grain bread [ Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] ++++ one 2-oz egg ++++ ¼ cup Mediterranean Vegetables, drained through a sieve as needed ++++ 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] ++

Toast the bread. Warm the vegetables briefly and spoon onto the toast. Fry the egg using a non-stick or cast iron pan and put the egg on top of the vegetables on the toast. Pour the beverages and you have a fine breakfast as well as a head-start on your 5 servings of vegetables for the day.

Stuffed Clams: 262 calories… 7.5 g fat… 5 g fiber… 28 g protein… 34 g carbs… 423 mg Calcium… PB  GF— if using GF bread crumbs If you served this to guests they would not consider themselves to be ill-used. The inspiration for this dish was a meal at the Georgetown Inn, Georgetown, PEI, Canada.

1 oz red bell pepper, slicedIn a small pan, cook pepper in a small amount of water. Reserve water.
2½ oz [½ medium] tomato—1½ purchased turkey meatballsChop cooked pepper, dice tomato and meatballs.
4 oz asparagus -OR- 2½ oz broccoli florets -OR- 2½ oz carrots -OR- 2½ oz cauliflower floretsChoose your vegetable and prep it for cooking. Add water to the pan in which you cooked the red pepper, then put in the cut vegetables.
½ c/2 oz clams, diced—½ slice 70-cal bread, diced—1½ Tbsp plain non-fat yogurt— garlic powder— thyme— salt & pepper–Combine these with the chopped pepper/tomato/meatballs and gently stir to combine.
Heap into two [2] large, clean, empty clam shells or oven-proof dishes which have been lightly sprayed with cooking oil. Bake 10 mins at 350F while the veg are cooking.
½ Tbsp Parmesan cheeseSprinkle cheese on the stuffed clams in the last minutes of baking. Plate with the vegetables.

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

Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal mix 1 two-oz egg 
reduced fat ricotta + cinnamonArnold-brand multi-grain Sandwich Thin or similar
blueberries/raspberries + nutmegCanadian bacon/back bacon @ 20 calories
pumpkin puree + maple syrupgrapes
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

15-16 oz can red beans + melonchicken breast meat, cooked + carrots
ground cumin + chili powderrich chicken broth + celery
16 oz can diced tomatoes + Italian sweet pepperparsnip + parsley
Cheddar cheese + onionEgg noodles
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Edward, the Confessor

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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.

Edward was an Anglo-Saxon, born around 1003 in Wessex, son of King Aethelred II and Emma of Normandy. His family fled Britain when the “Danes” [Vikings] took over much of the island in 1013, going to Normandy [originally settled by the Vikings who were Emma’s ancestors]. Then they returned to Britain, leaving again in 1016, after his father’s death. For many years Edward lived in Normandy, becoming quite Norman in his ways. At last, in 1041, Edward returned to Britain. With the help of his half-brother Hardicanute [a Viking son of Emma’s second marriage], Edward became King of Wessex. He was not a particularly strong ruler, although he kept the peace with the Danes. Edward married Edith, daughter of the puppet-master Godwine, who pulled the strings during the first 11 years of Edward’s reign. Edith and Edward had no children, leading to tales that Edward was too pious to procreate. The king was religious, though not excessively so. A pledge to the pope resulted in Edward’s building of Westminster Abbey, then outside of London. Edward was buried there after his death on January 5, 1066, and his shrine can still be seen. The lack of an heir caused confusion. Harold, son of Hardicanute/nephew of Edward, became king in 1066, a claim that was challenged by Edward’s cousin, William of Normandy. Edward seemed to have promised the crown to them both, as a negotiation tactic. William eventually settled the confusion at Hastings. After Edward’s death, legends of his piety grew, and miracles were attributed to him. He was canonized within a century, being named a ‘confessor’, designating a saint who was not a martyr.

Our meals are similar to foods that might have been eaten in Edward’s time, [OK — not the Asian flavors in the dinner…] when grains, sausage, and vegetables would be cooked together in a pot for many meals.

Cottage Breakfast w/egg: 213 calories…  8.6 g fat… 2 g fiber… 15 g protein… 20 g carbs… 84 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB  I wanted a breakfast that evoked a cottage in the English country-side, so here it is. The pan muffins are very good.

++ 1 pan muffin ++++ 2 oz applesauce ++++ one 2-oz egg: fried or hard-boiled or soft-boiled ++++ ¼ c 2%-fat cottage cheese ++++ 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] ++

Take one pan muffin from the freezer the night before and let it thaw. Cook the egg to your taste and warm the pan muffin. Dish the applesauce and plate with cottage cheese. Pour optional beverages. What a sweet and easy meal.

PAN MUFFIN each: 71 calories– 2.5 g fat– 1 g fiber –2 g protein– 11 g carbs– 8.5 mg Calcium— PB These are a dandy little bread to add to a breakfast plate. You will see them also in Roman Breakfast. HINT: I prepare 8 pan muffins from the 10-grain mufffin batter, to cook and freeze. I make remaining batter into full-sized muffins to enjoy on Slow Days.

1 cup dry Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal mix—-1¼ cup buttermilk/soured milk Combine cereal and milk in a small bowl. Let sit 10 minutes. 
1/3 cup butter —-1/3 cup sugar—1 two-ounce egg Cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the egg. 
1 cup unbleached flour— 1 tsp salt —1 tsp baking powder —1 tsp baking sodaAdd dry ingredients and cereal/milk mixture. Stir until just combined. 
2 Tbsp batter for each pan muffinPortion out batter onto a hot griddle or flat-bottomed pan spritzed with non-stick spray. Cook on both sides.

Vegetable-Sausage Bowl: 295 calories… 15 g fat… 4.4 g fiber… 10 g protein… 22.5 g carbs… 124 mg Calcium…  PB GF A riff on a recipe by Sarah Copeland in the New York Times, this fusion of German sausage and Asian flavors was a real hit at our house. Very quick to prepare and a great way to add vegetables to the diet.

2 servingsbig wok, skillet or cast-iron pan
½ oz almond slivers —- pinch Kosher saltAdd nuts, salt to pan, and stir until toasted, 1 min. Remove from pan and save.
1 tsp neutral oil—-2-3 celery stalks, sliced on bias -OR- ½ c thin zucchini slices —- ½ c. carrots, sliced in thin coins -OR- ½ c sweet pepper, in thin slicesHeat oil over med-high until shimmering. Add these and stir-fry until slightly softened, 1-2 mins.
1.5 tsp sesame seeds Sprinkle on seeds, toss until toasted, 1 mins. 
1 c. kale, without stems, fresh or frozen——1 c. torn lettuceChop kale roughly. Add greens to pan, stir to combine. 
1½ tsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar—- -2-3 T. waterAdd these, scraping bottom of pan. Cook until greens are lightly wilted, ~1 min
2½ oz bulk bratwurst sausageBrown in separate pan, breaking into small bits. Add.
½ c. cooked brown long-grain riceAdd to pan and stir well while rice heats. 
3 T. torn mint leaves—-1 tsp Go-Chu-Jang, Korean hot sauce —-1½ tsp soy sauceScatter with herbs, add soy sauce and hot sauce. Stir together, serve in bowls with reserved nuts on top.

Passing: Charley Parkhurst

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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.

Parkhurst ferries a slightly apprehensive passenger.

 “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. Charley Parkhurst was a rip-snortin’, rough-ridin’, rootin’-tootin’, six-gun-shootin’ stagecoach driver of the Old West. Being a stage coach driver, or ‘Whip’, was the job for only the strongest, bravest, most daring of men. They were highly respected, and little boys wanted to be just like them. Parkhurst was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire in 1812. Orphaned as a child, there were some hard years spent in an orphanage. Charley escaped and went to Rhode Island, getting employment at a livery stable. The boss took a shine to Parkhurst, teaching the youth about horses and coach-driving. When gold was discovered in California, Charley headed there and on the way, acquaintance was made with a man who owned a carting business. He hired the 37-year-old to drive delivery carts. Shortly after arriving in the Gold Fields, Parkhurst was kicked in the face by a horse, losing the use of one eye and earning the sobriquet “Cockeyed Charley”. Parkhurst reconnected with his old boss from Rhode Island, who ran a stagecoach line. Thus, Charley became a Whip. The other drivers soon recognized that, despite short stature and small hands, Charley was one of the best. Roads were muddy and rocky, steep and twisty through the mountains. Other dangers included bandits who wanted the bank strong-boxes that the coaches carried, plus bears, and mountain lions. Despite bad weather, floods, and washed-out bridges, Charley’s coaches were always on time, cargo and passengers intact. In 1868, Parkhurst registered to vote and participated in the election. Eventually, railroads took over the transport of people and goods, so Charley retired to a small property, farming in the summer and logging in the winter. When arthritis made motion less easy, Charley down-sized to the cabin where death finally overcame the famous coachman on December 28, 18–. Friends and neighbors had encouraged Parkhurst to see a doctor for his tongue cancer symptoms, but he refused. They found out why when they found him dead and began to prepare Charley for burial — Charley Parkhurst, who had been born “Charlotte”, was in fact a woman. Many of his friends refused to believe it. Parkhurst was so well-known, and the revelation so amazing, that newspapers across the country carried the obituary. Would Charley be considered a trans man today, or was Charley astonishingly adept at concealing his sex? [Before you try to correct me, ‘sex’ is determined by your chromosomes, while ‘gender’ is how you present yourself. Charlotte Parkhurst had the sex of a woman, but presented herself in the gender of a man.] Whatever. Does it matter? Charley showed that a woman can indeed do a “man’s job”, and that they can vote, too.

What did Charlie Parkhurst eat? Most likely simple, hearty foods found at a post stop while the horses were being changed, or meals prepared at home.

Ham ScrOmelette:  150 calories… 7.6 g fat… 1 g fiber… 12.4 g protein… 7 g carb… 45 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB  GF Here’s another classic of the breakfast table.

++ 1½ 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. ++++ ½ oz ground or chopped 3%-fat ham ++++ 2 oz melon or apple ++++ herbs to taste ++++ 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] ++

Chop the ham, slice the fruit, prep your 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. Pour your beverages, and you are off to a good start to your day.

Chicken/Turkey Dinner: 284 calories… 4.5 g fat… 9 g fiber… 31.6 g protein… 34 g carbs… 58 mg Calcium…  PB Perfect use for left-over roasted or lemon-marinated grilled chicken breast. Instead of potatoes, enjoy the crunch of high-fiber crackers. So low in calories that you may even have some lovely fruit for dessert!

++4 ounces roasted breast meat, without skin ++++ ½ cup/3 o z green beans ++++ 2 oz carrots, sliced as coins ++++ 2 pieces Finn Crisp crackers ++++ ½ cup sliced strawberries ++

Warm the cooked meat or not, according to your taste. Cook the vegetables and plate with the meat and crackers. Enjoy those strawberries as a sweet conclusion to the meal.

Roger II of Sicily

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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.

Roger the 2nd of Sicily was a Renaissance Man long before there was a Renaissance. He was born on December 22, 1095 in Sicily. But this is not the Sicily that we know today. The Greeks and Romans had made their mark on the island, long before the Common Era. The Byzantines [535 CE] and Arabs [827 CE] had also ruled there for a few centuries. The Normans, before they invaded England in 1066, set out to enlarge their sphere of influence. In 999 CE, they entered Sicily, then took it over under the sword of Roger’s father, Robert Guiscard. Roger became King of Sicily in 1130, and he was well-suited for the job. An excellent linguist, he spoke eight languages, including the patois of the local people. Roger was interested in art and science and geography, and during his reign, all the disparate cultures and religions lived in harmony. Roger was a Christian, but he was a cameleon. Instead of stamping out the other religions, he permitted them to carry on. Instead of imposing Norman French ways and language, Roger adopted some of their customs. He rewrote the feudal code and eliminated most slavery. In his glittering capital Palermo, Roger married a succession of wives, and also kept a harem. He had built the astonishing Cappella Palatina/Norman Chapel within the Norman Palace of his father. The mosaic interior was created by Byzantine Greeks and Arab craftsmen. It is visually stunning and unlike most churches of its day, it celebrates Bible stories and the glory of Roger II, rather than suffering saints. Christ is shown, not in shame on the cross, but in victory as the All-Powerful. Lettering on the walls is in Greek, Latin, and Arabic. Due to his embrace of Arab influences and his reluctance to go on Crusade, popes were wary of Roger, but he continued to grow in wealth and power. His sons administered lands on the Italian mainland, from Rome to the south. Then Roger conquered Tunisia, expanding his grip on trade throughout the Mediterranean. At his death in 1154, Roger was the most powerful ruler in all of Europe. His enlightened governance was not inherited by his sons, and they lost much of the territory and influence that their father had won. Clearly, Roger II of Sicily was one of a kind.

Our meals contains that most prized vegetable in modern Sicily: the eggplant, served in two tasty ways.

Caponata Bake:  165 calories… 7 g fat… 3 g fiber… 8 g protein… 15 g carbs…72 mg Calcium…  PB GF Caponata is a favorite dish in Sicily. Delicious and versitile, it can be enjoyed at breakfast or dinner.

1 two-oz egg +++ ½ cup caponata +++ ½ clementine +++ 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] ++

Stir together egg and caponata.** Pour into an oven-safe dish and bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit, and dream of sunny Sicily.

**CAPONATA: makes 2 cups  Jamie Oliver’s take on a Sicilian classic. 1 cup: 156 calories… 4.5 g fat… 6.5 g fiber…3 g protein… 20.4 g carbs…66.4 mg Calcium ½ cup: 78 calories… 2 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 1.4 g protein… 10 g carbs 33 mg Calcium ¼ cup: 36 calories… 1 g fat… 1.6 g fiber… 0.7 g protein… 5 g carbs… 16.6 mg Calcium

Can be served with whole-grain bread, on pasta, or polents, as a side for fish or meat.

2 cupsHeat oven to 400F.
2 tsp olive oil—2 c eggplants, in ¾” chunks— 1 tsp dried oregano/Italian herbs —  Sea saltAdd oil to a big pan over high. Toss these to coat in oil, add more if needed. Cook 4-5 mins, stirring at whiles. OR ROAST 10 MINS. – 
½ cup red onion—2 cloves garlic, finely sliced——–½ small bunch flat-leaf parsleyFinely chop onion + parsley.On cooktop, cook 2 mins in cooking spray.
1 Tbsp capers, drained—-6 pitted black olives——–1-2 T. herb vinegarAdd these, and cook until vinegar evaporates.
16 oz ripe tomatoes, OR 1½ c. canned diced toms—-cooked eggplantRoughly chop tomatoes, add to pan with eggplant, simmer 15-20 mins until tender.

Eggplant Patties w/ Onion Marinara: 273 calories… 4 g fat… 8.5 g fiber… 46 g carbs… 43 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread/flour/pasta Marcella Hazen, in her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, gives the recipe for the patties and a sauce in which to serve them. I added the pasta to the meal. 

++ 4 prepared eggplant patties**, portioned with a 1½ Tbsp scoop ++++ 1 oz pasta– If you use whole grain or high fiber pasta, so much the better ++++ ½ cup tomato-onion marinara ++ 

**Eggplant Patties: makes 7 when using a 1½ tsp scoop = 32 calories each —9 oz eggplant with skin still on— 2 Tbsp bread crumbs— 1 Tbsp spinach chiffonade — 1 tsp minced garlic — 1 egg yolk — 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan — 1 Tbsp white whole wheat flour —

Roast eggplant at 400F until soft, around 15 minutes. Peel it and cut in rough cubes. Put in a collander over a bowl and let it drain, pressing down lightly. Add to a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir with a fork until well-combined. Heat a skillet and spray with non-stick spray. Using a 1½ Tbsp scoop, put eggplant mixture into the hot pan, flattening it a bit. Cook on each side until starting to brown.

++ Tomato-Onion Marinara makes 1.5 cups  –1.5 c. onion, thinly sliced — 1.5 c. canned whole tomatoes — Salt + pepper — 

Spray a saute pan with non-stick cooking oil and heat it. Add onions and cook at medium-low until onions begin to turn golden. Add tomatoes, chopping them into smaller pieces with a plastic or wooden utensil. Cook until tomatoes have thickened a bit. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Boil the pasta while the patties are cooking. Heat the marinara, then add the cooked pasta. Put some of the sauce in the center of your plate and position the patties on top. Arrange the pasta and sauce around the center, as pleases your eye.

Baby Its Cold Outside

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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.

Lynn and Frank Loesser sing together.

Context is everything. It can take a song that was originally fun and flirty, and turn it into something scary and dirty. Such is the fate of “Baby, Its Cold Outside“. Frank Loesser, who went on to fame with Broadway favorites like Guys and Dolls, wrote the song in 1944. It was to be a duet between him and his wife, Lynn Garland, to sing at their housewarming party to signal that it was time to leave. Their friends loved it! At every party after that, the duo was asked to sing the song. Before you start clutching your pearls about the lyrics, you must understand the song. In the 1940s and 50s, a nice girl was to be home from a date by midnight. There was no thought of casually spending the night with your boyfriend — your reputation would be ruined. So the girl starts to make the ‘usual’ excuses [time to leave] and the guy gives the lamest excuse to stay [it is cold outside]. She continues to give reasons to leave [family expectations, societal pressures] while he keeps talking about the weather. Note: she never says “I don’t want to stay” — that’s because she DOES want to stay. Together they brainstorm reasons that she could give for not going home: no cabs, insufficient wardrobe, deep snow. The most controversial line — “What’s in my drink?” — was a convenient excuse of the era. But there is NOTHING in her drink except alcohol. The fact that they harmonize on the last line of each verse shows that they are on the same page. To people of a certain age, the lyrics are fun and consistent with the dating scene at the time they were written. We live now in a suspicious age, but we should not judge the past through that lens.

If it is cold outside where you are, consider this scramble from warm Provence for breakfast and a hearty soup for dinner.

Olive-Pepper ScrOmelette:  167 calories… 9 g fat… 2.5 g fiber…10.5 g protein… 6 g carbs… 29 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF I asked Dear Husband for a new omelette idea, and he suggested these flavors straight out of Provence.

++ 1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  ++++ 1 oz bell pepper, steamed and diced ++++ 1½ black olive, pitted and chopped ++++  1/8 oz [by weight] goat cheese/chevre], diced/crumbled ++++ 2 oz plum OR strawberries ++++  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] ++

Whisk the eggs [salt and pepper may not be needed due to saltiness of olives]. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. When the bottom of the eggs have set, add the vegetables and cheese. Fold over, and plate. Brew your optional beverage and take the optional previously-made smoothie from ‘fridge.

Soup Royaume: 152 calories… 0 g fat… 6 g fiber… 12.6 g protein… 24.6 g carbs… 84 mg Calcium…  PB GF A fine meal for winter, made hearty with autumn vegetables and lentils, it is named after the old lady who saved Geneva from invasion by the Savoyards. Add as much seasoning as you wish. Any soup can be improved by preparing it ahead and letting it sit for 8-24 hours. 

6 [six] servings of 1 cup each OR5 [five] servings of 1¼ cup each
2½ oz pork loin, raw or cooked, diced——½ cup onion, chopped—-3½ oz /½ c dry lentils**Put pork, onions, and lentils in a heavy saucepan and cook until browned.**small green lentils from France, if possible
3 oz rutabega/turnip, cubed—2 oz carrot, diced—3 oz parsnip, diced—3 cups chopped cabbage—–½ tsp mace—½ tsp dry mustard— 1 Tbsp caraway seed —salt & pepper—3 cups waterAdd these to the pan. Pour in water to cover the vegetables. Cover pan and simmer about 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.Taste for seasonings.
½ cup frozen spinach, choppedAdd the frozen spinach, and heat through.
Divide in 6 equal servings. Freeze what you don’t need today.
per serving: several leaves of fresh spinachRoughly chop the leaves and poke into the hot soup when serving. 

A Friend of Bill’s

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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.

“Are you a friend of Bill’s?” This seemingly innocuous question is an opening gambit that can lead to shared experiences and recovery from a debilitating disease. Who is Bill?? William Griffith Wilson was born and raised in Vermont, where his grandparents ran an inn. In the nineteen-teens, Bill met Lois Burnham, a summer resident of Vermont and attended Norwich University. There, Wilson was a recognized leader and he was trained in New York and Virginia in preparation for World War I. Before Wilson went off to war, he was made a second lieutenant and he married Lois. He also became depressed and started drinking, to ease social anxiety. Following the war, Wilson and his wife moved to Brooklyn. He continued drinking while he worked as a stock speculator. His drinking prevented him from graduating from law school. By 1933, Wilson had been committed four times to a New York hospital that treated alcoholism, but their methods did not help him. A meeting with an old drinking buddy, now sober, inspired Wilson to join a group that used spirituality and fellowship to help alcoholics. After that, a series of events lead him to sobriety: a spiritual experience, a phone call to a supportive person, and wishing to help another person to recover. With fellow sufferer, Bob Smith, Wilson formed a a group for mutual support, and on December 11, 1935, Bill took his last drink. The group was so successful that other groups started. In 1939, Wilson wrote a book called Alcoholics Anonymous, in which he outlined the 12-step program for sobriety in the group called AA. To maintain anonymity, group members would introduce themselves by their first names and last initial only, so Wilson became ‘Bill W’. If a member is looking for a meeting to attend, he/she might ask someone if they were ‘a friend of Bill’s’, a coded phrase to identify fellow AA member. You might hear a Friend of Bill’s being paged at an airport or on a cruise ship. AA has helped millions to get sober and stay that way. Today, there are 123,000 A.A. groups in 180 countries. That’s a lot of people trying to tame their addiction.

For Bill W’s military service in France, an omelette for breakfast. And a dinner from his native New England.

Basquaise ScrOmelette:  165 calories… 8 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 11 g protein… 11 g carbs… 82.5 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF This recipe, full of the flavors of the Basque region of SW France, comes to us from Salute to Healthy Cooking, published by the French Culinary Institute. Wonderful book from which we cook all year long. Note that this is a baked omelette, so the method is a little different. Faites bien attention.

++1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++2 Tbsp tomato sauce++++ 2 Tbsp bell pepper, chopped++++ 1 clove garlic or pinch granulated garlic++++ 2 tsp parsley, chopped ++++ 1 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated++++ pinch or two piment d’esplette+++++ 1½ oz apple or pear+++++  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]++

Heat the oven broiler. In an oven-safe skillet, put the tomato sauce, peppers, garlic, parsley, and 2 Tbsp water. Cook gently on the stove-top until the veg are soft and the water is evaporated. Remove from pan. Add a spritz of non-stick spray and heat the pan. Whisk the eggs with 2/3 of the tomato mixture and pour into the pan. As the eggs cook, gently lift the edge of the eggs and let uncooked egg flow underneath. Do not flip or fold the eggs. Top the eggs with the cheese and put the skillet under the broiler to finish cooking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Slide the omelette onto the plate OR serve it in the skillet and top it with the remaining tomato/pepper mixture.

Scallops with Sun-dried Tomatoes: 285 calories… 11 g fat… 5 g fiber… 28 g protein… 29 g carbs… 66 mg Calcium…  PB GF Jasper White offers this recipe in his book Cooking From New England. It is simplicity itself to prepare and a delight to eat.  HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two] diners.

Serves 2Prepare a mise in place, since the operations procede very quickly
½ c/¾ oz sun-dried tomatoes – NOT in oil Slice each tomato into 4 strips and put in a small bowl. Cover with hot water. Set aside to soak.
½# scallops salt + pepperTrim off any white tissue. Blot dry on paper toweling. If using sea scallops, cut in half along equator. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
1½ oz red lentil pasta Cook as package directs. Drain, reserving some water.
1 Tbsp olive oil—–1 Tbsp garlic, choppedHeat a saute pan until hot, then add oil. Immediately add scallops in one layer and garlic. Count 30 secs and turn scallops.
1 Tbsp lemon juice—1 tsp butter—-¼ c pasta waterCount 30 seconds and add the drained tomatoes, lemon juice, butter, and pasta water while stirring. Add more pasta water, as needed.
1½ Tbsp parsley/basil——cooked pastaChop the herbs. Count 30 seconds and add the cooked pasta. Heat through and add parsley. Ready to serve.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1 slice ‘Canadian’ or back bacon
OLIVE-PEPP SCROMapple slices or apple sauce
Pan Muffins: Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal mix +
butter + sugar + unbleached flour + leavening
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

SOUPE ROYAUMEJOTA
Sparkling waterSparkling water