delicious recipes under 300 calories

Blacked Out

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to Stacy H. who is now Following.

On November 8, 1965, there was a massive power outage in seven states of the North Eastern USA. It began during rush hour, which lead to further complications: 800,000 people in New York City stuck in subway cars; no streetlights or traffic signals; no elevators to move office workers from their skyscraper aeries. Power was off for up to 13 hours in some places. People feared that sabotage or maybe espionage was responsible, but the fault lay in a power relay on the Canadian side [sorry, Canada] of Niagara Falls that over-loaded, which caused a power surge, which overloaded circuits all the way down to New York. New Yorkers seem to have taken it in stride: they shared flashlights, helped neighbors, directed traffic, and came out on the streets for camaraderie. Few incidents of burglary or looting. Mostly, people remembered seeing the stars for the first time — which left them both fearful and awe-struck. I sure hope we can all come together in these difficult times, just as people did 55 years ago. We can show our better natures in a crisis.

Our meals today feature a classic breakfast from Manhattan, NYC, and a meal that could easily be put together if the power went out, leaving one at the mercy of whatever is in the ‘fridge.

Horseradish-Cheesy Bake: 143 calories 7.5 g fat 1 g fiber 8.7 g protein 7 g carbs 78.6 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the Bake and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  David Rosengarten’s unusual cookbook It’s All American Food takes the reader on a tour of American ethnic and regional foods, and tells you how to make those treats in your own kitchen. This recipe is from the Manhattan restaurant Barney Greengrass, where they are renowned for their breakfasts.

One 2-oz egg ½ Tbsp crushed tomato 1 Tbsp cheddar/horseradish spread*** 1 Tbsp chives, minced 2 oz apricots   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

***Cheddar-Horseradish Spread 4 [or more] tsp prepared horseradish [the kind in a jar] 2 Tbsp WisPride Cheddar spread OR Kraft Old English Cheddar spread  Cream together thoroughly. Save the rest for another day or another use.

Set the toaster oven at at 350 degrees F. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Vigorously whisk the egg, cheeses, and chives until well combined and pour into the ramekin. Put in the oven [it doesn’t need to be hot yet] and bake 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, brew your beverage of choice and prep the apricots. This will kick-start your day.

Cold Beef Plate:  292 calories 3.5 g fat 5 g fiber 28 g protein 33 g carbs 17.6 mg Calcium Here’s a simple, no-fuss meal. Use either meat from a roast or from the deli. Rather French, with the cornichons and Dijon mustard. Perfect during a power outage or at the end of a busy day.

3 oz cold, sliced beef roast — left-overs or slices from the deli ½ cup [about 3 oz] pickled beets 1 oz small pickles — cornichons preferred, but baby dill pickles will do 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 oz sourdough rye bread

Plate to your own aesthetic taste. But do plate it – avoid the temptation to stand in front of the open ‘fridge and just graze. Do it up right: sit down to enjoy it.

Foods in Wrappers, III

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

I am fascinated by similarities among diverse cuisines from around the world. In geology, a layer of sedimentary rock can stretch for hundreds of miles. The source material was the same, but as it was deposited, small variations creep in so that in some cases, the further you follow that stratum, the more it looks like a completely different rock. Around the world there are meals made of food in wrappers. All with different fillings, all with different seasonings, all with different wrappings: yet all those creative cooks had a similar inspiration: let’s take this and wrap it in an edible envelope! Today, we will look at four far-flung examples: from France, India, Mexico, and Italy.

Egg-Mushroom Galette/Crepe:  153 calories  6 g fat 2 g fiber 9 g protein 16.8 g carbs [11.3 g Complex] 39 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg crepe and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB This is yummy. The eggs are creamy, the mushrooms are earthy, and the crepe is nutty. See “Jean Baptiste” for recipe details.

Momos with Chicken: 222 calories 1.5 g fat 2 g fiber 15.4 g protein 30 g carbs [6.5 g Complex Carbs] 58 mg Calcium  PB  Steamed momos are one of the most popular street foods of Northern India, due to the influence of neighboring Nepal and the fact that they are delicious. Try them and you will agree. Looks long and complex, but it is do-able. See “Deli & Delhi” for preparation details.

Quesadillas : 295 cal 9 g fat 2.7 g fiber 19 g protein 31.4 g carb 211.5 mg Calcium  GF These are great. We return to this recipe often for a quick, enjoyable meal. And you can prepare and cook them ahead! Wrap in foil, and reheat them later. Thanks to Suzy M. for that tip. See For Gunn & Grommet for recipe details.

Tortellini with Black Kale:  209 calories 9 g fat 3.5 g fiber 10 g protein 24 g carbs [7.4 g Complex] 231 mg Calcium  PB  Packaged, dried tortellini is a handy item to have in the pantry. It makes for a fine Tuscan meal when pared with Black Kale. ‘Black Kale’ is also called ‘Dinosaur Kale’ or ‘Tuscan Kale.’ The recipe is from ‘thekitchn.’  Another very simple meal with a lot of appeal. An ounce of bread could be added while keeping the calories in line. See S.A.D. for recipe details.

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

1 two-oz egg + apricot1 two-oz eggs  + blueberries
prepared horseradishricotta cheese + onion
romano cheese + chivesmozzarella cheese
WisPride or Kraft Olde English CheddarJarlsberg cheese + herbs
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

left over roast or boiled beefbeef or pork or chicken meat
mustard + cornicionechickpea ragout
beets, fresh or pickled
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Fiesa!

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to hereketoketo who is now Following.

In the plaza of the campus of University of New Mexico is a sculpture garden. The principal work, named “Fiesta Jarabe,” is by Luis Jimenez. Curiously, the work is labeled twice as “Fiesa Jarabe.” This caused much discussion and debate on campus — what did he mean? When asked, the artist shrugged and said, “I forgot to put in the ‘t’.” It is a vibrant work which has stirred controversy ever since 1996 when it was installed: to aggressive, too macho, too sensual, skin-tones too dark. The artist planned it that way. Jimenez’ work celebrates the life of every-day Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in his colors and themes. Sadly, in 2006, he was killed when part of a massive work fell on him in his studio.

The Day of the Dead is one of the biggest holidays in Mexico and it happens November 1st and 2nd. We will celebrate by eating tostadas. “Tostada” refers to both the ingredients [must include something fried, usually the tortilla at the base] and the finished meal itself. At breakfast, the tortilla is ‘fried’ in a dry pan. At dinner, purchased tostadas [fried tortillas] make for a splendid simple supper.

Tostada : 165 calories 6.7 g fat 2 g fiber 9.6 g protein 15 g carbs [14 g Complex] 72 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  GF PB  Use some chili non carne to give this simple breakfast rich flavor. It will keep you going for hours.

one 6” corn tortilla [when you shop, be sure to get tortillas, which have 65 calories each — not wraps] one 2-oz egg 2 Tbsp chili non carne 1 Tbsp Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, grated   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Heat the toaster oven to 350F. Put the chili in a custard cup and put it into the oven to heat. Warm a dry cast iron skillet over med-high heat. Warm the tortilla in the pan on both sides until it is warm and pliable and starting to brown. Remove the tortilla and keep warm in a dish towel. Spritz the skillet with non-stick spray and fry the egg until it is done as you like it. Remove the egg. Spread the chili on the tortilla and return the tortilla to the skillet. Put the egg on the chili and sprinkle with the cheese. Put the pan into the hot oven until the cheese melts. Coffee with cocoa powder completes the Mexican theme. A meal to wake up your mouth.

Tostada for Dinner: 253 calories 13 g fat 5.6 g fiber 10 g protein 25 g carbs 119 mg Calcium  PB GF  Purchased tostada shells were the inspiration for this quick and easy meal. We will definitely enjoy this again!

1 tostada shell [fried corn tortilla @ 85 calories each]** La Real brand 1/3 cup chili non carne  1½ Tbsp Guacamole* ½ oz Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated ½ cup Mexican Vegetable Pickles 

Warm the chili and grate the cheese. Plate the tostada and spread it with the guacamole. Spoon the chili on top and spread that to the edges. Sprinkle with the cheese and plate with the pickled vegetables. Ready in minutes, with minimal fuss.

*GUACAMOLE: makes 1 cup 1 Tbsp =17 calories   PB GF   From Rick Bayless, so you know it is authentic. 1 jalapeno pepper 1 cup diced tomatoes 1½ avocados 1/3 cup minced onion ¼ c chopped cilantro leaves salt + lime juice + crushed red pepper to taste

Place the jalepeno in a hot cast iron pan without any fat or oil and cook it on all sides until it blisters and turns black in places. Remove, cool, and cut off the stem end. Slice in half and remove the white ribs inside, along with most of the seeds. Chop the pepper roughly and put into a food processor with the tomatoes. Scoop the pulp out of the avocados and put it in the processor along with the remaining ingredients. Combine until just a little chunky. Taste for seasonings. Freezes nicely.

**NB: if you can’t get tostada shells in your local market, here’s how you can make them from corn tortillas: https://www.thespruceeats.com/baked-crisp-tostada-shells-479060

Jumble

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

A ‘jumble’ is a confused mix of things — items that seem to be combined without plan. When one holds a ‘jumble sale,’ patrons can expect a display of miscellaneous items, previously used. [A ‘jumble sale’ in the UK, would be called a ‘rummage sale’ in the USA.] A ‘jumble’ is also a cookie. Sometimes menu planning can be a bit of a jumble: start with items that need to be used before going bad and add foods from a depleted pantry — these can lead to some interesting combinations of meals without a theme. It is good to use up left-overs and to rotate the items at the back of the cupboard. When one is staying at home more and going out [masked, of course] less for health reasons, one must use what one has, even if the planning seems to be lacking. During these seven months [!!] of ’emergency measures’, I go to the super-market only once every 3 weeks, and there is no popping out to pick up one missing ingredient. Use what you have! Stay healthy.

Heart-in-Heart: 150 calories 6 g fat 3 g fiber 9.6 g protein 17 g carbs [15 g Complex] 42 mg Calcium Egg + bacon + toast come to the table in a new guise.

1 slice whole-grain bread [Dave’s Good Seed] with a 2” heart cut out 1 slice Canadian bacon [Jones brand is good] with a 2” heart cut out 1 pullet or small egg [1.8 oz with the shell] 1 oz banana slices   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Spray an oven-safe pan with non-stick spray. Lightly toast the bread. Put it in the pan and position the bacon on top of it so the hearts align. Sprinkle a pinch of herbs of your choice into the hole. Break the egg into the heart-shaped hole. Strew with salt, pepper, and herbs. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes. Plate with the bananas.

Banh Mi: 300 calories 7 g fat 5 g fiber 20 g protein 36.7 g carbs 47 mg Calcium  PB  The recipe for this popular Thai/Viet street sandwich came in the mail from Eating Well’s ‘Shape’ magazine. Just a few tweeks and it works splendidly for a Fast Day. Dear Husband is a fan.

3 oz pork tenderloin, previously cooked or raw 1 tsp Asian sweet chili sauce + ½ tsp soy sauce 1½ oz cucumber, cut in 2-3” strips 1½ oz red sweet pepper, cut in 2-3” strips 1 oz carrot, shredded 1½ oz baguette slices, cut ¼” thick

Sesame-Ginger Dressing: 2 Tbsp pickle brine [from a jar of pickles] ½ tsp sesame oil + ¼ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground garlic + pinch sesame seeds

Slice the pork thinly and brush with Asian chili + soy sauce mixture.  If meat is uncooked, brush with the chili/soy mixture, then briefly saute until barely pink. Prepare the sesame-ginger dressing and set aside in a small bowl. Slice and grate the vegetables and toss in the sesame-ginger dressing. Slice the bread and arrange it on the serving plate. Top with pork, then with vegetables, then the dressing. Serve remaining slaw in a small dish. Done! We ate everything with our fingers.

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

1 two-oz eggNext week I will discuss 
Monterey Jack cheesea variety of foods:
chili non carneFind a new favorite from
65-calorie corn tortillathe archives.
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

fried tortilla = tostadaNext week I will discuss 
chili non carnea variety of foods:
guacamole + Monterey JackFind a new favorite from
Mexican Vegetable Picklesthe archives.
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Smallpox

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to Jeyran Main who is now Following.

Smallpox raged across the globe for millennia — mummies from the time of the Pharaohs show pock marks on their skin. Around the world it went, killing, blinding, and scarring people, seemingly incurable. In 1670, in the harem at Istanbul, wives and consorts were being successfully inoculated with live smallpox virus placed in a small cut to the skin. Lady Mary Montague, wife of the British ambassador to Constantinople [as the English called it], was thrilled to hear of the Turkish method — she had survived a disfiguring bout of smallpox but her brother died. Lady Mary insisted that her children be inoculated, and she took the surgeon and the method back to England. By 1722, people were being vaccinated in England and New England. Edward Jenner of England is the one who did the most to promote vaccination. He trained with a country doctor and knew that milkmaids, who often caught cowpox from cows, never caught smallpox. Using the cowpox virus, Jenner did scientific studies about the effectiveness of vaccination [he coined the word, based on the latin word for cow, ‘vaca‘] and promoted the idea widely. Although his 1797 article was rejected and detractors said that the vaccine would turn one into a cow, by 1802, his vaccination idea was recognized by the British government and President Thomas Jefferson of the US was recommending it, too. At last, on October 26, 1977, the UN declared that smallpox was finally eradicated in the world. The scourge was ended, which shows the benefits of a good, scientifically valid vaccine. When I was a child, everyone was vaccinated against smallpox at age 3. I remember it well, although I never developed the characteristic scar.

Since the Jenner vaccination came from milkmaids with cow-pox, we will start our day with two cheeses in our baked eggs. Small Pox traveled along trade routes to many countries. It probably reached Europe via India [funny: no one called it the India-Pox…]. A wonderful India-inspired meal that emerged in England is Kedgeree, which will be our dinner.

Cheesy-Bake: 144 calories 8 g fat 1 g fiber 12 g protein 7 g carbs [5.7 g Complex] 183 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  This is the baked version of a cheese omelette that thinks that it is a cheese souffle! Delicious.

One 2-oz egg ½ oz cheddar cheese, grated 1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese 1 oz grapes Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Spritz a ramekin with olive oil or non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Stir the two cheeses together with a fork until blended and whisk with the egg. Without waiting, pour into the ramekin and bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed and beginning to brown. Prepare the fruit and your beverages of choice, and enjoy a cheesey start to your day.

Kedgeree:  250 calories 6 g fat 2 g fiber 22 g protein 25.7 g carbs [5.7 g Complex] 101 mg Calcium  PB GF  This Anglo-Indian fusion dish is flavorful and quickly prepared.  HINT: The recipe serves two [2] people.

Here is a serving for one person.
3 oz smoked haddock [aka: finnen haddie]  ½ cup milk 
1 bay leaf 
¼ cup chopped onion  		Put these ingredients in a small pan with a lid. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the milk and save it. Remove the fish, skin it, and pull apart into large shreds.
2/3 cup cooked rice [White rice is OK but brown rice has more nutrition] 
1/5 tsp curry powder 
½ tsp turmeric		Add the cooked rice and spices along with the shredded fish to the milk and put on low heat, covered, until everything is warm.
5 oz asparagus cut into 1½” piecesCook separately until just tender. Add to the rice/fish.
2 hard-boiled eggsPeel + cut each into 8 pieces. Strew atop the plated meal. Add salt.

Last Gasp

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. 

It is the end of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere — the last warm breaths of the season still can be felt as the early afternoon sun shines on your back. The days are noticeably shorter, the leaves fall from the trees, and sometimes the heat comes on at night…yet the Last Rose of Summer is blooming. True, the Autumnal Equinox has passed and we are closer to November than to September. This is Summer’s Last Gasp, before the chilly, grey days ahead. As Ned Stark would say, “Winter is coming.” Before Summer ends, let’s mark the season with some foods that are appropriate.

Autumnal Equinox ScrOmelette:  147 calories 8 g fat 1.6 g fiber 10.6 g protein 12 g carbs [9 g Complex] 52 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  The mushrooms are for Autumn, the tomatoes are for Summer. This meal is for when the seasons overlap.

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  ½ oz mushrooms, chopped 1½ oz tomatoes, cubed/diced and drained 1 Tbsp scallion, chopped 1 yellow or other small plum OR 2 oz peach OR 3 oz strawberry  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Drain the tomato cubes in a sieve, overnight if possible. Put the vegetables in an oil-sprayed non-stick pan to warm them and to cook them a bit. Whisk the eggs and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Prepare the beverages and plate the fruit with the eggs. Savor your meal as you contemplate the change of the seasons.

Summer Vegetable Tortillas:  310 calories 9 g fat 8 g fiber 28.6 g protein 49 g carbs 210 mg Calcium  PB  Eating Well magazine is the source of these fine tortillas which are chock full of the flavors of the Summer garden.  HINT: Serves two [2]

1 cup eggplant in ½” dice 1 cup onion in ½ “ dice
½ cup corn
salt + pepper		Mix it all in a medium bowl, then put on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. (reserve the bowl) Spray the vegetables with cooking spray. Roast at 450 F for 10 minutes. 
1 cup zucchini in ½“ dice 1.5 cloves garlic salt + pepperCombine in the bowl. Add to the baking sheet and spray again. Roast until vegetables are soft and starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
½ c cooked chicken breast, shredded ½ c enchilada saucePut chicken and the vegetables in a saute pan. Stir in enchilada sauce and heat until warm. 
4 corn tortillas, warmed ½ c Monterey jack, shredded + chopped cilantro, lime wedgesPut ¼ of the filling on each tortilla. [save a bit for adding to eggs at breakfast] Top with cheese, serve with cilantro/lime.

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

1 two-oz egg1 two-oz egg 
ricotta cheese70-calorie whole-grain bread
Cheddar or Gruyere cheeseCanadian bacon/back bacon
raspberry or apple or grapesbanana
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

smoked haddock + onionpork tenderloin + sweet red pepper
hard-boiled eggs + bay leafAsian sweet chili sauce + cucumber
asparagus + curry powdercarrot + baguette slices + ground garlic
turmeric + cooked rice +milk pickle brine + sesame oil + ginger
Sparkling waterSparkling water

How to Stay

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Starting any new behavior is easy — staying on it is more difficult. Having gone through this myself, I have some tips for you. 1] If you haven’t done so, watch Michael Mosley’s TV presentation Eat, Fast, Live Longer. That’s what motivated us to get on board. 2] We talked about planning and purchasing ahead, so continue to do that. Make it easy for yourself to follow the diet. 3] Make the meal special. On my Home Page is a photo of a demitasse cup. It is the only one I have and I think it is very pretty. I use it on Fast Days only, filling it from a small pitcher of mocha cafe au lait. Make your Fast Meals an occasion — use the good dishes; put the sparkling water in a nice glass with a twist of lemon. 4] Slow down your meals. The little demitasse cup means that I have to stop my breakfast once in a while to refill the cup. Wait until you have swallowed your food before you cut your next mouth-full. 5] Set goals by the clock. From breakfast to noon, put no calories in your mouth. Then set the timer for two hours, and don’t eat during that time. When it rings, set it for another two hours. Its a mind-game, but it works. 6] Distract yourself. Plan projects for Fast Days which will keep you focused on the task for 2-3 hours, so you will think less about food. 7] Think about tomorrow, when you will weigh less and you can eat more freely. Rather than think “I can’t eat that today,” you can think, “I can eat that tomorrow.”

Today’s menus are typical for us on a Thursday: a savory scramble and a hearty soup. The nice thing about soup is that you get to store future meals in the freezer.

Capicola ScrOmelette:  147 calories 8 g fat 1.0 g fiber 13.8 g protein 7.5 g carbs [6.6 g Complex] 72 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF Capicola is a dried ham which is full of flavor yet low in fat and calories. It goes very well with 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 and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.   1/3 oz uncured capicola ham, sliced thinly large pinch oregano 1.7 oz apple   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Chop the capicola and slice the apple. Beat the eggs with the oregano. Heat a non-stick pan and spritz it with non-stick cooking spray. Put the capicola in the pan to heat very briefly, then pour in the eggs. Scramble or cook as you would an omelette. Serve with the beverages of your choice.

Czech Garlic Soup Česneková polévka: 194 calories 4.7 g fat 4 g fiber 9 g protein 27 g carbs [18.4 g Complex] 84 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF rye bread What could be better on a cool night than a cozy bowl of soup? This is a classic from czechcookbook, but feel free to make it your own. The calorie count is so low that you could add other vegetables or low-fat meat.  HINT: This recipe makes 8 cups of soup. One serving = 1 cup

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

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

1 two-oz egg + corn kernels + basil3 two-oz egg whites 
tomatoes + black beans + olive oil2 egg yolks + sugar
crushed red pepper + melon blueberries + raspberries
red onion + red wine vinegarother berries + Armagnac
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

corn kernels + beef steakchicken breast + polenta + green beans
tomato + canned black beans onion + red bell pepper + garlic
red onion + red wine vinegar green bell pepper + tomatoes + thyme
basil + olive oilred wine + piment d’esplette + olive oil
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Why to Start

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow is the 1st of the month which is a good day to start a good habit. Have your heard the news from health departments around the world? Recently, they have reported that being overweight is a contributing factor to deaths from COVID-19. Being obese doesn’t cause COVID, but it makes one more likely to be very ill or die from the disease. This is NOT fat-shaming. This is telling an unhappy truth. The National Institute of Health says so, as does the New England Journal of Medicine. The Lancet in the UK and the chief epidemiologist in France concur. If ever you needed a reason to lose weight, fear of COVID-19 could be it. You don’t need some bread-and-water crash died — you need a new style of eating. The Fast Diet is a lifestyle in which you change your diet two days a week. Surely you can do that, especially when your health is at risk. Yes, you can.

Try out these two simple meals: meat and bread for breakfast; bacon and eggs for dinner. Start the Fasting Lifestyle tomorrow. Need another reason? If all the days seem the same to you now, then you’ll find that the Fast Days punctuate the week and give you two days that are different from the others.

Czech Breakfast: 233 calories 5 g fat 3.8 g fiber 11.7 g protein 37 g carbs [18 g complex] 65.6 mg Calcium  NB: The food values are for the meal and fruit only and do not include the optional coffee. I’m told that the majority of citizens of the Czech Republic eat this for breakfast daily. Join them.

1 to 1.6 g sourdough rye bread 1 oz sliced ham, 3% fat ½ oz Hermelin cheese, or substitute Camembert 2 yellow plums, or other color of your choice   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  NO Smoothie today unless you forgo the coffee.

Whether you pile everything on the bread and eat it that way, or sample each item separatly, this is a hearty way to start the day. For those of you who start your day with lunch, this is for you.

Asparagus Omelette:  270 calories 14.7 g fat 3.3 g fiber 18 g protein 10 g carbs 178 mg Calcium  PB GF  Susan Herrmann Loomis comes up with another super dinner omelette. 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 the eggs, just to blend in the yolks. Grate the cheese and stir it in.
4 oz asparagus, tough stalk-ends snapped offCook until tender, about 7 minutes. Cut off the bud ends and slice the stalks thinly.
2 slices uncured bacon [30 cal per slice] cut into ½” pieces   Cook in a non-stick pan until ‘lightly golden’, 2-3 minutes.Drain off all but ½ Tbsp fat.
1 scallion [1 oz], thinly sliced
bud ends of asparagus		Saute in fat until transluscent and add the asparagus. Cook until hot. Add eggs without disturbing the other ingredients. Cook until the top is done to your liking. Fold and plate, garnished with bud tips.
1 cup Baby greens, sliced beets, 1/2 oz tomatoesToss with 1 tsp good vinaigrette.

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

1 two-oz egg + bacon1.5 two-oz eggs 
tomato + onion + Cheddaruncured capicola ham
green sweet pepper oregano
creole seasoning + apple/pearapple
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

water-canned tuna + celerybeef or chicken stock + egg
2% fat cottage cheese + oniongarlic + Swiss cheese
hot dog bun + corn on the cobpotatoes + parsnips + butter
4-bean saladrye bread +marjoram
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Saint Robert Flower of Knaresboro

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

A fun thing about delving into one’s genealogy is the discovery of some unusual characters in the family tree. One such find was St Robert of Knaresboro. A saint!! An eccentric hermit!! What fun. He was born in Yorkshire around 1160, the son of the Mayor of York. From an early age, Robert Flower knew he wanted a religious life, so he became a novice of the Cistercian Abby at Newminister while yet a child. He then decided that the life of a hermit was what he wanted. Robert was forced to move from place to place — he should be the Patron of Displaced Persons. Along the way, he gained a reputation as a holy person who gave good advice. He settled in Knaresboro, near York, in a cave that was chiseled from solid rock. People came to see him and to drink from his holy well — from King John to common pilgrims. Robert was never actually canonized as a saint, but the Trinitarian friars deemed him venerable and there are churches and stained glass windows dedicated to this kindly man who helped the poor and worked to free the prisoners. St Robert’s Cave is open to visitors.

September 24 is the day Saint Robert Flower died in 1208. You will ask why the breakfast planned for him relates to Tolkien‘s Hobbits. The first line of The Hobbit reads, “In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit.” Saint Robert lived in a hole in the ground. In addition, September 22 is the birthday of the Hobbits Frodo and Bilbo Baggins. Furthermore, St Robert’s father’s first name was “Took,” used as a surname for a prominent Hobbit family. Continuing that theme, the dinner is a simple soup prepared from the leftovers of a famous meal from the Azores: Cozido, cooked in a pot in a hole in the ground. Saint Robert Flower would have enjoyed its simplicity.

Hobbiton Breakfast:  217 calories 6 g fat 3.4 g fiber 5.7 g protein 29.4 g carbs [11 g Complex] 60 mg Calcium   NB: These values are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB  A simple-to-prepare and delicious combination of textures and flavors. For Halflings and Big People alike.

1 full-size or 2 half-size [from 3 Tbsp Scone ‘Mix’.] Seedy Scones*** ½ oz Camembert cheese   3 oz apple Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] 

***Seedy Scones: This makes 2 cups of ‘Mix’. 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup white whole wheat flour 3 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1.5 tsp cream of tartar 2 Tbsp unsalted butter buttermilk or sourmilk, as needed mixed seeds + a pinch of salt Combine the dry ingredients [except seeds] in a bowl. Cut in the butter until well incorporated. 

Prepare the Scone Mix. Take out 3 Tbsp [1.6 oz] of the mix and stir in just enough buttermilk or sour milk [1-1/2 Tbsp? 2 Tbsp?] to cause the dough to come together in a rough ball. TIP: store the remaining mix in the refrigerator in a glass jar with a lid. Ready to use when you wish. Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface. Pat out into one scone, or divide into 2 scones. Brush the surface with milk and scatter the seeds on top. Place in a buttered dish to bake  HINT: I did this the night before and left it on the counter to bake in the morning. Slice the apple and cheese. Bake the scone[s] at 400 F. for 7-10 minutes. Plate to please the eye. Serve with the beverage of your choice.

Cozido Soup: Cozido  is a specialty of the Azores island of Sao Miguel. Some of the dormant volcanoes still have warm magma and send out steam through vents and fissures. Local people lower cauldrons of meats and vegetables into steaming wells, then serve the cooked meal at restaurants or at home.. The serving for two at O Miroma in Furnas consists of vast quantities of beef, pork knuckles, blood sausage, carrots, potatoes, collards, cabbage, and turnips. Like a New England Boiled Dinner, but cooked in a volcanic vent! We took the remainders from our meal home. 

The next day, I put the bones, sausage, and juices in a pot with water and Piment da Queijo. While that simmered, I cut up the vegetables and meat into bite-sized pieces [discarding the blood sausage to which I have an aversion]. Combined, it provided a hearty, nourishing, and low-calorie soup for a Fast Day.

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

1.5 two-oz eggCamembert or Hermelin cheese
apple + heavy cream3%-fat ham
sugar + cinnamonsourdough rye bread
butter + peachplums, preferably yellow
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

green peppers + cucumber + garliceggs + streaky American bacon
white wine vinegar + tarragon Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
olive oil + shrimp + onionasparagus + scallion
piment d’esplette + dry white wineside salad with beet + tomato
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Saint Matthew

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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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Levi, son of Alphaeus, was born in Galilee and was raised as an observant Jew. Why he became a tax collector for the oppressive Roman Empire is anyone’s guess. As a consequence, he was shunned and reviled as a collaborator. In a stunning move, Jesus called him to be one of his disciples, a scene brilliantly and dramatically illustrated by Caravaggio’s ‘The Calling of St Matthew.’ When the ‘culture police’ complained, Jesus pointed out that his job was to reclaim the sinners, since the righteous didn’t need saving. Levi then came to be known as Matthew. Biblical scholars debate whether Levi is the Matthew mentioned in the Bible; whether the Gospel of Matthew was written by Levi or by one of his followers; whether it was written in Aramaic/Hebrew or in Greek; whether or not Matthew died as a martyr. At any rate, Matthew is considered the Apostle to the Jews: visiting Jewish groups in the region around Judea to convince them that Jesus was the Messiah. His Feast Day is October 21.

Foods to eat for Matthew’s Feast Day are Kosher, of course. Early Christian Jews observed the culinary cultural norms and holidays. Except for the tomatoes and Bell peppers, the ingredients would have been available in Judea and Syria in Matthew’s time.

Spinach-Mushroom-Feta Bake: 178 calories 10.7 g fat 1 g fiber 13 g protein 8 g carbs [3.8 g Complex] 214.7 mg Calcium  PB GF — if using GF flour Miri Rotkovitz presented this recipe via thespruceeats.com. It is her ‘dairy meal for Hannukka’. Her version is a dinner pie, complete with an olive oil crust. My version packs a punch of flavor at breakfast. HINT: This recipe makes two servings. The other half of it would be a terrific lunch on another day.

½ tsp olive oil + non-stick spray 2 cloves garlic, chopped = 2 teaspoons 3 oz mushrooms, chopped or diced 3 oz chopped, frozen spinach 2 two-oz eggs 2 Tbsp milk 1½ teaspoons flour 1½ oz feta cheese, crumbled   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Thaw the spinach in a sieve to remove extra water. Gently cook the olive oil in the oils until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the water they exude evaporates. Put the feta in a bowl, top with the spinach, then the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms/garlic cool before you stir the vegetables and cheese together. Combine the flour and milk in a small dish and heat in the microwave. Stir together to make a roux. Whisk the roux with the eggs. Put the vegetable-cheese mixture in an oven-proof dish which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Pour the egg mixture on top and bake at 350 F for 20-23 minutes. All the flavors meld together to create a savory way to start your day.

Felafel with Vegetable Salsa:  205 calories 5 g fat 7.7 g fiber 9 g protein 26.5 g carbs 139 mg Calcium   PB GF V   The felafel recipe is from Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. Perfect for a hot summer day or any day that you need a quick and easy meal.

6 falefel patties ½ cup diced fresh tomatoes ½ cup diced orange or yellow bell peppers 2 Tbsp red onion, chopped 1 Tbsp lemon juice  

Combine the chopped vegetables with the lemon juice. If frozen, warm the felafel. Let the vegetables ‘marry’ while the felafel warms. Plate the felafel and the salad.  Its that easy?!? Yes, it is.