delicious recipes under 300 calories

Saint Lucy’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. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.How this Fast Diet

December 13 is one of our favorite days. I read the Swedish legend of Saint Lucy when I was in 6th grade and was charmed by the idea of a daughter taking breakfast in bed to her parents while wearing a wreath of candles in her hair. So I made a white robe [my mother never asked where that sheet went], and a pine-cone wreath, and wrote some new words to the tune of “Santa Lucia” — and the rest was history.  Saint Lucy visited our house annually when our sons were little [a new song was written then], and she will make an appearance this year too.  We devote the evening to decorating the Christmas Tree while enjoying an easy-to-eat dinner. It is possible to have a family celebration and still remain on the Fast Diet — try these menus.  Or, change your Fast Day to the day before the festival day or the day after.                                                                                                                     Since the original Lucy/Lucia was born in Sicily, we’ll prepare eggs with the flavors of that island.  For dinner we move to the Baltic region with a meal that followers of her northern version would recognize.

Sicilian ScrOmelette

Sicilian ScrOmelette:  298 calories  11 g fat  2.4 g fiber  19 g protein  31 g carbs 290 mg Calcium PB GF  A protein-packed salad meets eggs for breakfast.

1-½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                               ¼ oz salami sausage                                                                                                                                             ¼ oz mozzerella                                                                                                                                                         2 Tbsp chopped wild greens [ex: dandelion] or arugula                                                                          optional: blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                               optional: 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Chop the sausage, the cheese, and the greens, and combine them gently. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper, then pour into the heated pan. As the eggs set, sprinkle the sausage mixture over the eggs. Scramble or fold as an omelette and enjoy with the beverages of choice.

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Herring Salad:   278 calories    6 g fat   6.8 g fiber  16 g protein   24 g carbs   103 mg Calcium PB GF     Luchöw’s Restaurant will live in memory as long as a certain generation still breathes. And there was a lot to remember about it: the decor, the old-world service, the menu. Not a hokey tourist trap – it was the genuine article. This is one of their fine Old World recipes. NB: if you take a MOIA anti-depressent, be aware that herring has high amounts of tyramine. 1 -1/2 oz herring marinated in wine, drained                                                                                                                   1/4 cup beets, cooked, cooled and diced                                                                                                            1 -1/2 oz apple, peeled and diced                                                                                                                       1/4 cup white beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                                       1/2 hard-boiled egg, sliced                                                                                                                                     2 Tbsp onion, minced                                                                                                                                          1/2 oz dill pickle, chopped                                                                                                                                    pinch sugar   +  2 tsp vinegar, or more                                                                                                                1 cup lettuce, shredded

Whisk the vinegar and sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently until everything is well-incorporated. Taste to see if it needs more sugar or more vinegar. A herring-lover’s delight.

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

Search the Archives for a newBob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal
     favorite breakfast.cottage cheese   +   nutmeg
maple syrup    +  cinnamon
blueberries or raspberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

Search the Archives for a newHaggis filling [Spicy II, 12-Sept-2018]
           favorite dinner.rice spring-roll wrappers
lettuce  +  carrot +  cherry tomatoes
flavorful oil  + good vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Emily Dickinson

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

If you were to list New England poets, Emily Dickinson would be right up there. And yet, no one heard of her work until after she was dead.  The Belle of Amherst Massachusetts was born on 10 December, 1830, smack-dab in the middle of a cultural revolution. In religion there was the Second Great Awakening. In politics, there was the growing abolitionist movement. In literature, there was Emily Dickinson penning poems in obscurity as she baked [one poem written on a chocolate wrapper] or cleaned [one poem written on the label for silver polish]. She kept house for her lawyer father and brothers and, according to legend, hardly ever went further afield than the garden of the family home. Her correspondence took her far away as she wrote to distant friends. After her death, her sister had her poems published, leaving readers bemused and/or excited by her verse.  In 1955, her collected works and her letters were printed and Emily Dickinson were rediscovered by an enthusiastic audience.  The poem that haunts me the most is The Bustle in a House, one of her most approachable poems about death. Dickinson wrote that she thought in a ‘New-England-y’ way. So true.                                                                                                                        Emily Dickinson did the cooking in the household, and I approve of good food made from scratch.  When she wrote to her ‘mentor’ H.W. Higginson describing her cooking for the household, she said, “People must have puddings.” In that spirit, breakfast is based on a French pudding, the flameuse which Emily would have liked.  And dinner is an old New England favorite.

Cherry Flamusse:   291 calories     5.3 g fat    2.2 g fiber   15.4 g protein   46.7 g carbs [34 g Complex]  316 mg Calcium   GF – if using GF flour   This breakfast custard is borrowed from the dessert section of the cookbook, and it works very well either way! It is similar to a clafouti, but simpler. Served with cherries or any fresh fruit, it is sure to be a hit. HINT:This makes enough for 2 [two] servings: share with a a friend or save the rest for a future breakfast or dessert. [Without the morning beverages, the dessert has 177 calories.]Cherry Flamusse

2 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                                     6 oz milk                                                                                                                                                                   4 tsp flour OR tapioca flour                                                                                                                                    1.5 Tbsp sugar                                                                                                                                                         10 sweet cherries, pitted                                                                                                                                      ½ clementine                                                                                                                                                                                                              blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                  3 oz  green smoothie or fruit smoothie

Spritz 2 ramekins [or an oven-proof dish with 1.5 cup capacity] with non-stick spray. Cut the cherries in half and arrange on the bottom of the dish. Whisk eggs until foamy, then add flour and sugar, whisking until there are no lumps. Stir in the milk and pour the batter over the cherries. Bake at 375 F. for 20 minutes. Turn the flamusse out of the dish so that the cherries are on top. Plate with the clementine sections, serve with the beverages. You won’t believe this is a ‘diet.’

Red Flannel Hash:  249 calories   9.2 g fat   1.9 g fiber  12.6 g protein  17.8 g carbs [16 g Complex]  43 mg Calcium  PB GF   This is a venerable New England farm meal, with the recipe coming from Hayden Pearson’s Country Flavors Cookbook.Red Flannel Hash

1 cup cooked diced beets (1/3” dice)                                                                                                                 1/3 cup diced potatoes (1/3” dice)                                                                                                                        ¼ cup diced onions                                                                                                                                                      2 slices Canadian Bacon/back bacon, diced                                                                                                                                                                                              one 2-oz egg lots of salt and pepper to taste

Cook, peel, and dice the beets and set aside to cool. [HINT: do this the day before]  Peel and dice the potatoes. Put potatoes into a pan of tap water and put the pan on the burner. Turn on the heat and let the pan sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the water starts to boil around the edges. Take off the heat and leave potatoes to cool in the water. Then drain and set aside. Dice the onions and bacon. Spray a saute pan with non-stick spray and add the Canadian bacon. Cook it as crisp as you wish, or not so crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside. Add the onions with 2-3 Tbsp water, and cook until the onions are transluscent and the water is mostly gone. Now put the potatoes in the pan with the onions, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the potatoes are cooked. Add the beets and bacon to the pan and continue to cook until heated through. Meanwhile, fry the egg: sunnyside-up or over easy as you prefer. Plate the hash and top with the egg. Country dining.

Francisco Xavier

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

Francisco Xavier was a well-traveled man! Born in 1506 in the Navarre Region, now part of Spain, he went to Paris to study theology at the Sorbonne.  There he met Ignatius of Loyola and Pierre Favre. In 1534, they formed the Society of Jesus, aka: the Jesuits.  Their burning desire was to take their message of religion to the world.  Hearing that the Portuguese king wanted missionaries for his outposts, Xavier volunteered. Traveling by sea around the tip of Africa, he preached and taught in Goa, in Malacca, in the Maluku Islands, and in Japan. His next stop was to be China, but a fever killed him on December 3, 1552.                                                                                                                                                               Our meals today will follow in St Francis’ goals and journey. Since he died on an island off the coast of China, our breakfast is the Chinese-inspired Fu Yung Bake.  For his pan-Asian agenda, there is the All-Asian meal of Dim Sum, with its contributions from India, Thailand, and China.

Fu Yung Bake:  294 calories  5.7 g fat  2.9 g fiber  18 g protein  41 g carbs [25 g complex]  349 mg Calcium  PB  Straight out of China, a no-fuss bake.Fu Yung Bake

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                              2 Tbsp crab meat                                                                                                                                                   1 tsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                                             3 Tbsp sprouts [I used broccoli sprouts, but suit yourself]                                                                        2 tsp semolina flour                                                                                                                                                  pinch ground ginger + pinch granulated garlic                                                                                            1 Tbsp scallion, sliced across for garnish                                                                                                          1 clementine                                                                                                                                                         blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water                                                                                           5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider

Mix the crab meat with the soy sauce. Combine the semolina with the ginger and garlic powder. Lightly oil or spritz an oven-proof dish. Distribute the crab over the bottom of the dish, then sprinkle the sprouts over top. Whisk the egg with the seasoned semolina and pour over the sprouts and crab. Add salt and pepper if you wish. Bake at 350° F. for 12 minutes. Plate and top with the scallion. Enjoy with the clementine and pour the beverages.

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

2 oz raw chicken cubes                                                                                                                                           1 tsp prepared Satay Sauce                                                                                                                                 ½ tsp creamy peanut butter                                                                                                                                    2 Momos [see Deli & Delhi, 25 Feb- 2018]                                                                                                                     2 Wontons [see Go West 18 Feb- 2018]                                                                                                               2 tsp chicken stock                                                                                                                                                  1 oz Chinese BBQ Pork for steamed buns [46 calories/oz]                                                                             2 oz tomato

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

Gertrude Jekyll

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

Tomorrow will be the birthday of Gertrude Jekyll, the English gardener who was born in 1843. The Jekylls [pronounced ‘GEE-kal’] were a talented and well-connected family. She chose gardening as her life’s work [how many Victorian ladies had a ‘life’s work’?] and became hugely influential in the design of garden landscapes. Her training at art school taught her to view the land with an Impressionist’s eye, to understand perspective, and to have a strong knowledge of color theory — of great importance in garden design.  400 gardens on 2 continents, 1000 articles, and 4 books have helped us to remember Jekyll to this day. Her well-crafted gardens have been restored at Munstead Wood [be sure to click this link to see the garden].   “The best purpose of a garden,” wrote Jekyll, “is to give delight and to give refreshment of mind, to soothe, to refine, and to life up the heart in a spirit of praise and thankfulness.” Jekyll’s concept of the ‘perennial border‘ is a joy to behold and set the standard for all time, whether or not you recognize her hand at work.                                                                                                                         For Gertrude Jekyll’s love of all things grown in gardens, our meals are heavy on the herbs and plants.  Herbs flavor the eggs at breakfast and the dinner contains 5 vegetables [!] plus the pepper sauce. Be sure to plant herbs, even on a window sill, and to include herbs in your foods for flavor.  I plant rosemary all over the garden, so pleasant is it to know that at every few steps one may draw the kindly branchlets through one’s hand, and have the enjoyment of their incomparable incense; and I grow it against walls, so that the sun may draw out its inexhaustible sweetness to greet me as I pass, said G. J.

Ricotta-Herb ScrOmelette: 294 calories  7.8 g fat  2.6 g fiber  17.6 g protein  35 g carbs  234.5 mg Calcium  PB GF  Easily prepared with ingredients on hand.Ricotta-Herb Scromlette w: applesauce

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                               1 Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese, drained in a sieve overnight                                                                        1 ½ Tbsp fresh herbs – any ones you have – chopped                                                                                  salt & pepper                                                                                                                                                            1.5 oz applesauce                                                                                                                                               blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                      5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Whisk the cheese and herbs into the eggs and scramble or cook as a folded omelette. Enjoy with the hot beverage, smoothie, and applesauce.

Fish Kabobs:  236 calories  8 g fat  4.3 g fiber  27 g protein  22 g carbs [all Complex]  77 mg Calcium  PB GF  Any firm fish will work for this simple meal. The Fresh Polenta is from Jacques Pepin and it is a keeper.Fish Kabobs w: fresh Polenta

3.6 g firm fish [swordfish, tuna, halibut], cut in 1-2” cubes                                                                             1 oz eggplant cut in 1” chunks, skin left on                                                                                                       1 oz cherry tomatoes                                                                                                                                               3/4 oz red or yellow bell pepper, cut in 1” squares                                                                                        2 tsp Pimenta do Queilo or other red pepper sauce                                                                                     ½ cup fresh polenta***                                                                                                                                                ½ cup side salad

Combine the pepper sauce with 2 tsp water in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Toss the eggplant and bell pepper in the pepper sauce and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove the bell peppers and microwave the eggplant 45 seconds longer. Cool the vegetables and save the marinade. Prepare the polenta.*** Assemble the kabobs on skewers and brush with remaining marinade. Sprinkle with a little dalt and pepper. Broil 4 minutes, then turn the kabobs, brush with marinade, and broil for 4 minutes more. Prepare the side salad and plate to applause.                                                                                                                                                 

***Fresh Polenta: 1 serving = 1/3 cup = 80 calories                                                                                                    1.25 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen                       1 tsp unsalted butter                                       freshly-ground pepper + salt                                                                                                                          Puree the corn in a blender until smooth                                                                                                       [it won’t be like whipped cream, but you shouldn’t see whole kernels].                                             Put butter in a warm pan, then add the corn, pepper and salt.                                                            Cook about 30 seconds or until it becomes thicker.

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg    + crab meat 1 two-oz egg
soy sauce  +  ginger  + scallions Mediterranean Vegetables [see Sidekicks II, posted 4 october, 2017]
semolina flour   + sprouts chèvre [goat] cheese
garlic powder   +   clementine herbes de Province   +  melon
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

Chicken breast   +  chicken stock 2# beef chuck/shoulder
2 momos [25-Feb-’18]  + satay sauce beef stock  + onions
2 wontons [18-Feb-’18] + peanut butter  sweet paprika + tomato paste
1 oz Chinese BBQ Pork  + tomato green beans + egg noodles [optional]
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Rick’s Cafe

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

In the dark days of WW2, Churchill and FDR needed a place to meet. News blackouts forbade revealing the location, but one clever radio reporter began his story by saying, “I was over at Rick’s Cafe the other night…”  And everyone knew that he was in Casablanca. Such was the power of the popular movie of that name which was released November 26, 1942.  Bogie, as cynical night-club owner Rick Blaine, and Ingrid Bergman, as resistance-fighter Ilsa Lund, were the star-crossed lovers of the tale, with Dooley Wilson singing “As Time Goes By” in the background. The plot follows several memorable characters and a classic love triangle.  Who is not stirred by the scene where they sing the Marseillaise to counter the Nazis? Who is not in tears during the airport scene?

Our menu today will echo the plot of the movie.  We’ll have a breakfast right out of a Parisian charcuterie, because Rick and Ilsa fell in love there and because “We’ll always have Paris.” And since the entire movie revolves around people trying to evacuate to Lisbon, our dinner will feature Portuguese Fish & Chips in honor of Ilsa and Victor’s escape.

Charcuterie Bake:   278 calories  10 g fat  3.2 g fiber  17 g protein  37 g carbs  198 mg Calcium GF  One Sunday, we invited friends over for what we call a “French Lunch” – bread, sausage, cheese, fruit, wine, and good fellowship. My Dear Husband thought, “I know what breakfast will be.” And he was correct: left-overs reborn as breakfast.Charcuterie Bake w: pears

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                            1/2 oz chorizo sausage                                                                                                                                          ½ Tbsp chèvre cheese, the creamy type                                                                                                             ¼ tsp Dijon mustard                                                                                                                                                large pinch Herbes de Province                                                                                                                         1-1/2 oz pear                                                                                                                                                       blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water                                                                                                       5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider

Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Cut the sausage into a small dice. Cream together with the goat cheese, mustard, and herbes. Spritz an oven-proof ramekin/dish with olive oil or non-stick spray. Whisk the egg with the sausage mixture and pour into the dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes while you pour the beverages and slice the pear. As simple as the meal which preceeded it.

Portuguese Fish & Chips:  260 calories  6.3 g fat  4.7 g fiber  24 g protein  28 g carbs [27 g Complex]  60 mg Calcium   PB GF – if using GF flour  From our favorite dinner place in Souris, PEI, 21 Breakwater comes this house specialty from the chef’s native cuisine. The batter is so light that it lets the lime-infused fish shine through. The recipe takes little time to accomplish. I have described it in detail so you can be successful.Portugese Fish & Chips

3 oz tilapia or hake                                                                                                                                                    1 fl. oz lime juice or lemon juice                                                                                                                               1 egg white + 1 egg yolk                                                                                                                                                    2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour                                                                                                                        3 oz sweet potato, peeled                                                                                                                                                      ½ tsp canola oil                                                                                                                                                                                  ½ tsp granulated garlic                                                                                                                                           ¼ tsp paprika black pepper                                                                                                                                  2 oz asparagus

Marinate the fish in the lime juice with a pinch of salt and pepper for up to 30 minutes. Set the oven to 425 F. Peel the sweet potato and cut lengthwise into 1/4” slices. Cut each slice into 1/4” sticks. Put the oil in the non-stick pan that you will use to cook the fish. Add the potato sticks to the pan and toss about to coat with oil. Combine the granulated garlic, paprika, and pepper, and sprinkle on the potato sticks. Toss to distribute the seasonings. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil with the dull side up. Spray liberally with non-stick spray. HINT: You could do this 1-2 hours in advance.Distribute the potatoes on the pan so they do not touch. Put in oven for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, put the asparagus on to cook. Take the fish from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge lightly with flour. Whip the egg white into soft peaks. Fold in the egg yolk and remaining flour from dredging the fish. Heat the non-stick pan and spray with non-stick spray. Remove the fries from the oven and turn them over. Return to oven for 10 minutes more. Dip the fish in the egg batter so that it is coated on all sides. Cook the fish on one side over medium heat for 6 minutes, then on the other side for 6 minutes or until fork tender. When fries are done, turn off oven, open the door, and leave the fries in there for up to 5 more minutes. Plate all that good food and live it up.

Mushrooms

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for an all-day total of 600 calories or less. On Thursday, eat meals that total of 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 SistaSoul who is now Following.

Mushrooms are wonderful. From the standpoint of a naturalist, the life-history and growth-habits are fascinating.  As a forager, I enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

Wild Mushroom assortment
Chanterelles, Meadow Mushrooms, and Fairy Ring Champignons await cooking

As a locavore, how can one resist the foods that grow within a few miles of home?  As a cook, I love their flavor and the way they go well with so many other ingredients.  As a Faster, I can appreciate how a few mushrooms in a dish will elevate the flavor without raising the calorie count.  When it comes to foraging, you must learn from a reliable source — in person. You cross-reference before you pick: where it grows [under spruce trees? on the grass?]; the recognizable traits [color of gills, ring or no ring, texture of stem]; what it is growing on [wood? soil? other?] to be sure of your identification. No one has ever sickened from eating mushrooms at our house. September and October are the best — Fall Chanterelles, Horse Mushrooms, Meadow Mushrooms, Fairy Ring Champignons, the occasional Field Bluwit.  Some are huge!

LArge Mushrooms
These are Horse Mushrooms, Agaricus arvensis.

Some are tiny!  And for the rest of the year, our meals are delicious with the mushrooms we froze in season. Hope you will enjoy mushrooms in our baked eggs for breakfast and in our Vindaloo dinner.  In the latter, if you wish to make the dish vegetarian, just eliminate the pork and keep the mushrooms.

O-M-G Bake:  282 calories   7.7 g fat   2.8 g fiber   14 g protein   38 g carbs  271 mg Calcium NB: Food values are for plated items only, not optional beverages.  PB GF  Think: Oh My Goodness!  Or: Olive-Mushroom-Gouda.  What Flavor!

O-M-C Bake w: applesauce

1 two-oz egg                        black olive, oil cured                                                                                                                                                               1                    ½ oz raw mushroom, chopped, poached in enough simmering water to cover for 20 sec.                                                                                                                                      ¼ oz Gouda cheese, grated                                 2 oz applesauce                                                                                                                                                nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                 6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

First set the toaster oven to 350°F. My Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray.  Pit and chop the olive. Put the olive and mushroom in the ramekin. Whisk the egg with the cheese and pour into the ramekin. Bake in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Dish up the applesauce and pour the beverages. Delicious.

Pork & Mushroom Vindaloo: 250 calories  7 g fat   5 g fiber  21 g protein   15 g Carbs   52.5 mg Calcium   PB GF   This unique curry dish comes from southern India. If you can’t find packaged Vindaloo Seasoning, you can prepare your own. HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two].

Mushroom-Pork Vindaloo

1.5 Tbsp Vindaloo seasoning, feel free to use more                                                                                                                       2 cloves garlic             ½ tsp fresh ground ginger            2 tsp canola oil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ¾ cup onions [2.5 oz]                    3 Tbsp cider vinegar               ½ tsp sugar                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               5 oz pork tenderloin or turkey breast [1.25 cups cubed]                7 oz mushrooms [200 g]                                                                                                                                            3 oz broccoli florets, steamed                     ½ cup cooked brown rice

Press the garlic and stir into the vindaloo powder. Combine with the vinegar. Marinate the meat in that mixture for 30-60 minutes. Saute the onions in the oil until beginning to brown. Add the ginger, then add the sugar right away. Pour in the meat with the marinade and stir-fry until the meat is almost cooked. Add the mushrooms and cook over low heat until the sauce is thick. Plate with the rice and top with the broccoli.

Alice

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Alice in Wonderland? Alice Cooper? No, Alice Margaret Ziegler who was born on November 15.  Were she still with us, she would celebrate her 99th birthday tomorrow. My mother would not have wanted to see her 99th year.  When she was a young woman, she couldn’t imagine wanting to be 40!  Born, raised, and educated in Pennsylvania, she moved to Maryland, Texas, and Connecticut as my father changed jobs. “Whither thou goest” was high on her list of wifely priorities. She loved gardening, herbs, reading the classics, crossword puzzles, English history, Mozart, dancing, poetry, ice cream, hot dogs, and my father. I see her in a look in my sister’s eye.  We often quote her aphorisms. She is still with us.  Since she was a devoted Anglophile, she would approve of Kippered Eggs for breakfast. And for dinner, the meal I used to prepare for her birthday: Chicken and Dumplings.  Here’s to wonderful memories of my wonderful mother.

Kippered Eggs w: cherries

Kippered Eggs:  294 calories  9.4 g fat  2.7 g fiber  18 g protein  34 g carbs [31 g Complex] 217 mg Calcium  PB GF  Kippers are traditionally served with eggs, but why not have them in eggs? We did and it is terrific!

1-½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                                               0.4 oz kippered [smoked, salted, dried] herring                                                                                          ¼ tsp dried mustard                                                                                                                                                    1 tsp lemon or lime juice                                                                                                                                              4 sweet cherries                                                                                                                                                          5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                         blackish tea or blackish coffee or hot water with lemon

The night before: Soak the kipper fillet in warm tap water for 30 minutes. Mince the fish. In a small bowl, combine the juice and mustard, then mix in the fish. Leave it until morning. Next morning: Put the fish with its flavorings into a lightly-spritzed hot non-stick or cast iron pan and warm them. Whisk the eggs and pour over the fish. Let the eggs cook without disturbing them, then fold and plate with the cherries. The beverages are a nice counterpoint to the savory richness of the eggs and herring.

Chicken & Dumpling w: peas

Chicken & Dumplings: 293 calories 6.8 g fat 4.6 g fiber 37.8 g protein 30 g carbs 67 mg Calcium PB  This was a real hit in my parents’ Central Pennsylvania home and it is still a favorite with us. Be aware that it is best made over 2 days, but it basically cooks by itself with a few busy bouts by you. Worth the time and effort. AND this recipe serves 4 [four] people, so have a party serving this great make-ahead meal. If you serve one or two, make the whole thing anyhow, package and freeze the remainder.

3 pound whole chicken, preferably a fowl for greater flavor, although you will get more meat from a fryer                   ½ cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                          1/3 cup carrots cut as coins                                                                                                                                  ½ cup celery, chopped                                                                                                                                                   bay leaf  + 3 peppercorns                                                                                                                                                           1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce                                                                                                                                     2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour                                                                                                                              4 dumplings [see ..Not by Bread.. II-7-’18]                                                                                                            per person:   ¼ cup green peas 

Cut up a 3 pound chicken into leg quarters, breast quarters, back, wings. In a large pot, brown the chicken in a little oil on all sides. Add the vegetables, bay leaf and pepper and water to cover. Simmer on the cooktop for 45 minutes. Add 2 tsp salt, cover, and simmer for another 45 minutes. Strain off the stock and let the fat rise to the surface to cool. Discard the fat. Reserve the vegetables. Cool the chicken and remove the skin. Pull off the meat in chunks: you will use 17 oz meat by volume.   You could stop here.  HINT: save any remaining stock and chicken for excellent soup.  You could stop here.

Measure ¼ cup of stock and whisk in the 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour to form a paste. Meausre 1.5 cups stock and pour into a stovetop-safe serving dish along with the Worcestershire sauce. Add the flour water paste and stir to incorporate. Put the vegetables and chicken meat into the dish and adjust seasonings to taste. You could stop here. When ready to serve, prepare the dough for the dumplings. Heat the chicken mixture and place 4 dollops of dumpling dough on the warm chicken. Let it all bubble gently for 15-20 minutes, then cover the dish and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes. Steam the peas and pour over the top of the dish before bringing to the table. Serve this simple classic proudly.

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
oil cured black oliveParmesan cheese
Gouda cheesechive  +  kiwi fruit
mushrooms   +  applesaucericotta cheese, reduced fat
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

Vindaloo seasoning  + garlicchicken breast   +  Parmesan cheese
mushrooms   + pork  +  gingerfresh bread crumbs  + cottage cheese
canola oil  + onion  +  cider
vinegar		mozzarella  + salad greens + carrot
broccoli   +  brown rice   + sugarmarinara sauce [see Saucy, 6 Dec-’17]
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Indian Summer

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Here we are on the other side of Fall: it is darker, the color is gone from the leaves, and as Ned Stark would say, “Winter is coming.”  And yet… along comes a warm day or two to get our hopes up.  “Indian Summer,” as it is called around here, is a spell of warmer weather following the killing frost.  One can imagine the early Europeans, trying to hack an existence out of the New England landscape, going into despair as the cold weather arrived.  “This is not like England,” they’d moan. “We should have more time to get ready for winter!”  “Not to worry,” their First Nations allies [at that point in time they still had not thoroughly alienated the locals] would rejoin, “There will be more warm weather.”  And since they were correct, the Europeans dubbed it Indian Summer.  The Old Farmer’s Almanac says that it begins this year on November 12, so let’s enjoy it.                                   In honor of those warmer days, we will enjoy some foods of summer once again.  Breakfast will include melon, which is available Summer and Fall, paired deliciously with prosciutto which is the product of Autumn. For dinner, a chance to grill again by putting tuna and summer vegetables on the flames. And although we are talking about Fall in northern New England, these recipes will whisk you off to a sunny Mediterranean diet.

Prosciutto & Melon Plate:  266 calories  7.3 g fat   2.2 g fiber  23.6 g protein   36 g carbs [24 g Complex]  294 mg Calcium   PB GF  Once again the Inn at Saint Peter’s inspires a breakfast! Nothing beats the salty-sweet flavor combination of this meal. HINT: I plated everything the night before and stored the plates in zipper-close bags in the refrigerator.Prosciutto-Melon Plate

4 oz canteloupe melon [Charentais melon would be fabulous!]                                                              1 oz thinly-sliced prosciutto                                                                                                                                     ¼ cup red onion pickle                                                                                                                                        0.1 oz shavings of Parmesan cheese                                                                                                            fresh basil or mint leaves OR crumbled dried basil                                                                                                          drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction, optional                                                                                       blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                               5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut the melon into bite-sized cubes [8 pieces look well on the plate]. Cut the prosciutto into 8 long strips [mine were 1”x4”]. Arrange the melon and ham in a circle on the plate with the red onion in the center. Shave off curls of Parmesan and place them on top. If using fresh herb leaves, tuck them in here and there. If using dried herbs, rub the leaves in your palms to crumble over the plate. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if you wish. Serve with your chosen beverages. Wonderful flavors, however you combine them on your fork.

Tuna with Grilled Vegetables:  244 calories   7 g fat  3.9 g fiber  29 g protein  14.6 g carbs  [10.6 g Complex]  32.5 mg Calcium  PB GF  The recipe comes from the Fast Diet Book and it is wonderful. An exemplar of the Mediterranean Diet.tuna & grilled veg

6 oz tuna steak                                                                                                                                                          4 oz red bell peppers                                                                                                                                               5 oz zucchini  or summer squash                                                                                                                                  2 oz cherry tomatoes                                                                                                                                               1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                        splash of lemon juice

Cut the peppers into long strips. Same with the zucchini. Toss all the vegetables with the olive oil. Cook the tuna and vegetables on a grill pan or grill, 3 minutes on each side. Serve with the lemon juice. Delicious and quick.

The Dead Have Their Day

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

Tomorrow in Mexico people will observe the Day of the Dead. While this sounds macabre to non-Mexicans, it is a family day for visiting cemeteries and honoring the dead, as seen in the movie Coco. Our meals today have a theme of death/celebration /Mexico, told in two stories.  No sugar skulls or pan dulce for a Fasting Day.

Placerville, California was a mining town, named after ‘placers‘ which are gold nuggets found in stream gravel.  Incorporated in 1854, it was formerly called ‘Hangtown‘ since frontier justice was doled out there. Often. One day a Sourdough [if you think that’s a loaf of bread, follow the link] walked into a hotel.  Bragging that he had struck it rich, he demanded the most expensive meal they could serve him.  What was it?  Eggs [the going price was 1 small gold nugget per egg], bacon [also a scarce commodity], and tinned oysters [an extravagance!]. It was dubbed the Hangtown Fry.  You can still order it in Placerville, and tho’ the locals think it is awful, we found it to be delicious.

‘Enchiladas’ are as Mexican as can be. The name derives from the origin of the dish: ancient Aztecs prepared corn tortillas and dipped them in chili sauce before frying them on a griddle.  In Rick Bayless‘ words, the tortillas were “en-chilied”, or enrobed with chilis: hence ‘tortillas enchiladas.’ So enchiladas are not a meal, they are an ingredient. The Enchiladas Suizas which we offer for dinner, were first offered in the 1950s in Mexico City. The name means ‘Swiss Enchiladas’ due to the cheeses inside. They are easy to prepare and fun to eat.

Hangtown Fry:  296 calories  9 g fat  2.5 g fiber  18 g protein  34 g carbs [31 g Complex] 224 mg Calcium  GF  Turns out, this meal has nothing to do with being hanged and everything to do with striking it rich.Hangtown Fry

3 two-oz eggs of which you will use 1 ½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                                                                                                                                                2 shucked fresh oysters, chopped                                                                                                                                 1/2 slice ‘American’ bacon, uncured if possible                                                                                                     1-1/2 oz strawberries -OR- 3 cherries                                                                                                       blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water                                                                                                  5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasteurized cider

Dice the bacon and cook it in a hot pan until almost crisp. Add the oysters and cook a second or two longer. Whisk the eggs with salt, and pepper. Pour over the bacon/oysters in the pan and scramble or cook as an omelette. Plate with the fruit and serve with the beverages of choice. Full of flavor.

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

2 six-inch corn tortillas [50 calories each]                                                                                                                2 0z [½ cup] shredded cooked chicken breast                                                                                                ½ cup enchilada sauce: see SPICY II from 12 Sept 2018                                                                               ¼ cup grated Cheddar or Monterey jack                                                                                                          1 oz broccoli florets +  1 oz cauliflower florets  +  ½ oz carrot

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

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg Next Wednesday, I will offer 12 Tips to
Pan Muffin [..not by Bread, 7 Feb ’17] help you to keep on Fasting.
applesauce
Choose a breakfast from the Archives
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

cabbage   + onion  + rutabaga/turnip Watch for my 12 Tips!
carrot  +  parsnip  + dried green lentils
pork loin  + frozen spinach
fresh spinach as well
mace  +  dry mustard  + caraway seed Choose a dinner from the Archives
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Boswell

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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.

In the story ‘A Scandal in Bohemia‘, Sherlock Holmes refers to Dr. Watson as “my Boswell,” saying he would be lost without him.  And who is Boswell? The son of a Scottish judge, James Boswell was born on October 29, 1740, into the time of the Scottish Enlightenment. In his heart he yearned to leave Scotland due to its provinciality and up-tight religious views.  While staying in London, the young lawyer was introduced to Samuel Johnson, noted author, essayist, wit, and man-about-town, at a bookshop. Their friendship lasted for 20 years, during which time they traveled and socialized. All the while, Boswell took notes. Johnson joked that it was as if Boswell were spying on him. After Johnson’s death, Boswell dug into his own journals and wrote The Life of Samuel Johnson, L.L.D.  It has been called ‘the greatest biography ever written’ for its lively style and Boswell was hailed as ‘the first of biographers.’  Indeed the noun ‘Boswell’ means ‘one who records in detail the life of a famous contemporary.’  If Johnson is famous today, it is because Boswell made him so.                                                                                                                                           We will celebrate Boswell by serving the foods of his rejected land: Tattie Scones and Cullen Skink, both as Scottish as Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.

Tattie Scone w: egg, pears

Tattie Scone with Egg:  286 calories   5.4 g fat  3.6 g fiber  13.3 g protein   47 g carbs   210 mg Calcium   PB  Tattie Scones have been part of a Scottish Breakfast ever since potatoes were considered fit to eat. Easy to make with left-over boiled or mashed potatoes.

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               1 tattie scone, see not by bread… Feb 7 2018                                                                                               2 oz pear                                                                                                                                                                     5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                     nearly-black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Prepare the Tattie Scone and keep warm or re-warm. HINT: Prepare the night before and cook them, too. Fry the egg to your liking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Plate the scone, top with the egg. Plate the fruit and pour the beverages. Almost instant, if you made the scone beforehand.

Cullen Skink

Cullen Skink:  228 calories   4.5 g fat  2.9 g fiber  26 g protein  20 g carbs  161 mg Calcium  PB GF  We found this old Scottish recipe to be divine!!  Despite the low calorie count, it is very satisfying. Comfort Food with a Scottish dialect.

3 oz finnen haddie [smoked haddock]                                                                                                               3 oz milk                                                                                                                                                                small pinch ground cloves                                                                                                                                bay leaf                                                                                                                                                                              ¼ cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                           2 oz potato, diced                                                                                                                                                                            2 oz asparagus in 2” slices                                                                                                                                                        1 tsp butter                                                                                                                                                            parsley  for garnish

Skin the fish and put it in a small pan with the milk and bay leaf. Cook gently until the fish is warm. Remove the fish from the milk and break it into large pieces. Add the onions, potatoes, and cloves to the milk along with a little water. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Run the milk and vegetables through the blender/food processor/VitaMix [or use immersion blender] to a fine puree. Cook the asparagus. Return the fish to the pan with butter and the puree and heat. Add pepper to taste. Plate the fish, cover it with the ‘soup’, sprinkle with parsley, and arrange the asparagus around the sides. You will want to eat this again!