delicious recipes under 300 calories

Kwanzaa

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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. 

Kwanzaa was developed in 1966 as a response to the Watts Riots of 1965. Professor Maulana Karenga, chair of Africana Studies at California State University, was distressed at the lack of unity among Black Americans and their estrangement from their African roots. After much research into the festivals of Zulu and Ashanti people, he proposed a new holiday: Kwanzaa, to run from December 26 to January 1. Each day features the lighting of a candle and a family discussions of certain principles, along with singing, dancing, and eating culturally-based foods. The seven principles are: Unity; Self-determination; Collective work and responsibility; Cooperative economics; Purpose; Creativity; and Faith. These are excellent values that we all can espouse. Kwanzaa has been embraced by people around the world, not just in the USA. Tomorrow will be Day 5 of Kwanzaa, a day of Purpose. Find a new purpose for your life, whether it is volunteering in your community or being purposeful about your health choices. Happy Kwanzaa to all those who celebrate.

Here I offer two breakfasts for Kwanzaa, from Northern Africa and from Southern Africa. Muhindi [corn] is one of the major symbols of Kwanzaa, so it is fitting to eat it in the Mealie Bread. Your family probably has its own favorite dinner menus, from Hoppin’ John to Cajun Catfish. It is all about family and the foods you share.

Moroccan Omelette: 135 calories 8 g fat 1.4 g fiber 10 g protein 7.7 g carbs 49 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Suggested by our First-born, this is the easiest breakfast to prepare. For the compete flavor profile, serve with mint tea as they do in Morocco.

1½ 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 tsp or more ground cumin ½ tsp or more paprika salt + pepper 1/2 clementine OR 5 Bing cherries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or MINT TEA or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Combine the cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small dish. Whisk just the eggs vigorously. Pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Turn down the heat. Sprinkle the eggs with the seasonings and leave undisturbed until puffy and the top is set. Remove from skillet, and serve folded or flat. Pour the beverages and enjoy the fruit as a counter-point to the spices.

Mealie Bread Breakfast: 190 calories 2.5 g fat 3 g fiber 13.4 g protein 25.4 g carbs 73 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF flour in mealie bread  Mealie bread is a staple in southern Africa. It is simple to prepare and you will like it. Here it makes a fine breakfast as one of four typically African foods and flavors: 1] mealie bread 2] watermelon [originally from Egypt] 3] coffee 4] chicken [several native species].

3 Mealie Breads** 4 oz watermelon 1½ oz chicken breast meat, cooked   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

**Mealie Breads: makes 24 pieces using a 1½ Tbsp scoop 1 piece = 73 calories 0.5 g fat 1 g fiber 1 g protein 5.6 g carbs 20 mg Calcium I cooked the batter as patties, scooped onto a griddle. Fine flavor at breakfast or dinner.

¼ c milk 2 Tbsp melted butter 1 two-oz egg ½ c white whole wheat flour ½ c cornmeal 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ tsp paprika 1 cup cooked corn kernels

Combine all the ingredients to form a moist, fairly thick batter. If too dry, add a little milk or water. If too wet, add a little flour. Heat a griddle to medium high and spritz with non-stick spray. Scoop batter onto it, then flatten out to make 3” patties. Turn when the bottom is set and a little brown, then cook the other side. When cool, they freeze well.

Prepare and cook the mealie bread or warm from the freezer. Cut chicken into strips and watermelon into chunks. Plate and enjoy with another African flavor: coffee.

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

1 two-oz egg + raw shrimp1.5 two-oz eggs 
tomato paste + chili powderleek + fresh tomato
turmeric + cilantro leavesgarlic powder + basil
scallion + strawberries or mangoclementine or apple
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

cornstarch + potato flakes + 2-oz eggdelicata squash + sweet potato
white whole wheat flour + red chiliolive oil + raw turkey breast + thyme sprigs
mixed seafood + canola oil + oyster saucered pepper flakes + sugar
pak choi or swiss chard + srirachacranberries + red wine vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

A Wonderful Life

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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.

After the end of World War II, the Hollywood people who had gone to war came home. One was Jimmy Stewart who was looking to revive his stalled acting career. He had entered the war as a Private who had an amateur pilot’s license, and was demobbed as a full Colonel with 20 combat missions over Germany to his credit. Another was Frank Capra, who had left off directing for major films to make ‘propaganda’ films for the US Signal Corps during the war. With 5 Academy Awards for prior films, it should have been easy for him to fit back into the industry. Capra hired Stewart to star in Its a Wonderful Life, released in 1946, on December 20. Like Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, also starring Stewart, this movie is about the virtues of small town life; the necessity for people to work together for the common good; the hard-working refugee families moving to America; and the importance of faith in higher ideals. As Roger Ebert said, the film is “a celebration of the lives and dreams of America’s ordinary citizens, who tried the best they could to do the right thing by themselves and their neighbors.” It was not a success. Maybe 1946 was not the time for a sentimental film. The movie was ‘rediscovered’ in the 1970s when the copywrite expired. Aired on TV, the film quickly became a seasonal Christmas favorite. It is sweet, and corny, and makes you feel good about doing the right thing. Watch it and celebrate the film’s 75th anniversary.

Frank Capra was a fierce defender of the American Dream. Our hash ‘n’ eggs breakfast is typical of the small-town diner menu. Since Capra was the son of immigrants, our dinner features Mediterranean flavors well known to the other travelers in steerage when his family came to America in 1903.

Sweet Potato-Black Bean Hash:  212 calories 4.5 g fat 9 g fiber  31 g carbs 96.5 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg and hash only, not the optional hot beverage. PB GF Long-time friend and fellow bell ringer Jane Winslow inspired this recipe. She’s right: it is very good.

½ c. diced sweet potatoes [You could substitute ½ cup of diced winter squash, which lowers the calories, protein, and carbs] 2 Tbsp yellow onion, diced 1.5 oz = ¼ red pepper, sliced salt + pepper to taste ¾ tsp paprika ¼ tsp cumin ½ cup spinach, roughly chopped 3 oz black beans = 1/3 c. one 1.8-oz egg  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   NB: no smoothie — too many calories for this recipe

Spritz olive oil in a small cast iron pan on medium heat. Add sweet potatoes, onion, red pepper, seasonings, and a little water. Cook on medium-low for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring. ALTERNATELY, you could roast these vegetables in a 400 F. oven for 10 minutes. Add spinach and 2 more Tbsp water, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Lastly, add the black beans and stir until ingredients are well-blended. HINT: prep this far the night before. NEXT MORNING: Heat the vegetable hash in the pan before topping with a poached or fried egg. Serve in the skillet or scoop onto a plate.

Feta Nicoise Salad:  243 calories 6 g fat 2 g fiber 16 g protein 25 g carbs 244 mg Calcium  PB GF  There is a lot of food on this plate – bring your appetite.

1½ romaine leaves OR 1-1/2 cup lettuce, sliced cross-ways ¼ cup green beans 1 scant cup cucumber OR zucchini, diced 1/4 c feta cheese, crumbled or diced 2 black olives, quartered 2 Tbsp canned chick peas, rinsed 1/2 oz sourdough bread 1 tsp flavorful olive oil + 1 tsp white wine vinegar

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

Hoxne Hoard

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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 detectorist, a hammer, and a mis-pronouncible location are in today’s story. The Romans occupied Britain from the rule of Claudius, 43 CE, until the fall of the Empire in the 400s CE. They built forts, baths, temples/shrines, roads, walls, and mansions. As the City of Rome was increasingly invaded by ‘barbarians,’ rule weakened in the distant provinces. England was threatened by the Saxons and the Angles, and the Roman patricians who ruled there were worried. Skip forward to December 16, 1992, in Hoxne [pronounced hox-on = what??!?!], Suffolk. A retired farmer is looking for a lost hammer using his metal detector. He scans the field and gets a signal from the device. A little digging and — this is not a hammer!! He has found an enormous trove of gold and silver objects. Authorities are alerted. The find is dug up in a huge clump with surrounding soil intact; it is dubbed the Hoxne Hoard; it is defined as ‘treasure.’ [As treasure, it is the property of traceable heirs. There were none.] The treasure had been buried by a very wealthy Roman family around 450 CE: coins, spoons, table ware, and jewelry had been packed in a wooden box. Archaeologists had a field day, the British Museum obtained a new display, and the detectorist received the value of his find as a reward. He also found the hammer.

The Romans loved figs, which they introduced to Britain, so we will have them at breakfast. The dinner should be from south of Rome, but it is as American as pineapples. Both are good meals.

Fig & Chevre Plate: 153 calories 8.4 g fat 2 g fiber 7.5 g protein 13.4 g carbs [12 g Complex] 163 mg Calcium  NB: The food values shown are for the cheese, egg, fig, and spinach, not for the optional beverages.  PB GF  Simple, elegant, and more filling than it looks. Figs and chèvre are a divine combination.

½ hard-boiled egg 1 dried fig = 0.65 oz = 16 g 1 oz chevre cheese ¼ oz baby spinach Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Rehydrate the dried fig by covering with water and microwaving or heating for 1 minute. Let the fig sit in the water for another few minutes, then cut in half. Arrange the spinach leaves in an oval. Dab the leaves with crumbles of the goat cheese. Plate the egg half and the fig halves.  HINT: I composed the plate the night before, covered it with a plastic bag, and kept it cool until breakfast. Instant breakfast!

Pineapple Pompeii: 286 calories 9.5 g fat 5 g fiber 15 g protein 40.6 g carbs 85.5 mg Calcium  PB GF This is served in South-Eastern Pennsylvania as a side dish to baked ham. The fanciful name is unique to the neighbor who gave me the recipe. I put the ham in the casserole to make a complete meal. HINT: Serves 6 as dinner.  This was a real hit at a pot-luck.

5 cups whole-grain bread cut in cubes four 2-oz eggs 1 Tbsp butter ¼ cup loosely-packed brown sugar 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained and saving the juice 2/3 cup 3%-fat ham, cut in ¼” dice   per person: 1 side salad with beets  

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the bread cubes and eggs to the bowl. Stir together to combine. Add the ham and drained pineapple. Stir to combine thoroughly. The batter should be moist, so you may need to add some of the drained pineapple juice to bring it to the right consistancy. Spray a 6×10” baking pan with non-stick spray and pour in the batter. Smooth it into the corners and bake at 350F for 25 minutes, until set and starting to brown on the top. Cut into 6 pieces. Serve with the Side Salad. Freeze the pieces that you don’t use today for another meal.

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

1 two-oz egg + onion + fresh spinach1.5 two-oz eggs 
red bell pepper + paprikakalamata olive
sweet potato or winter squashpepperoni slice
canned black beans + cuminwinter savory herb + pear
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Romaine lettuce + green beanscanned baked beans + onion
Cucumber + feta cheese celery + canned stewed tomatoes
black olivesbeef stock/brown stock + tabasco sauce
Olive oil + white wine vinegaroptional: hard-boiled egg + lemon slices
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Feast of Saint Lucy

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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 VanityHealthClub who is now Following.

The Feast of St Lucy is celebrated in Sicily, Lucy’s country of birth and martyrdom, but it is a really big deal in Sweden where the story takes a different turn. I first encountered this tale while reading the encyclopedia in 6th grade. During the Middle Ages, the region of Varmland, Sweden was experiencing a terrible famine. Crops had been poor the previous summer and it was now winter. Grain stores had run out and there was no bread. A young girl went out into the cold, starry pre-dawn darkness. Across the snowy fields she walked to the shore of Lake Vännern. She saw a light in the distance, and it grew brighter. A boat was coming toward her — its sole occupant, a woman standing in a white dress with a red sash, her head surrounded by stars in the sky. When the boat landed, the woman showed the girl that the boat was filled with bread that she had brought for the people. The girl took some bread for her parents and ran back to the village to tell people what she saw. When the villagers arrived at the boat, the woman was gone, but the bread was enough to keep them alive. They all agreed that it must have been a miracle wrought by Saint Lucy. Since then, on December 13 [which prior to calendar reform was the shortest day of the year] the eldest girl of a Swedish family wakes up early to take her parents sweet bread and coffee for breakfast. She might wear a white gown and have a crown of candles in her hair. Towns and churches will choose an official Saint Lucy for municipal celebrations. From Mallorca to Minnesota to Malmo, Lucy will appear to bring light and cheer to a dark season.

The Scandinavians are possibly the inventors of smoked salmon, so it is fitting to enjoy it with our breakfast. Saint Lucy is also a famous saint in Italy, thus our dinner will be from there.

Powder Mill Scramble: 141 calories 8.5 g fat 1 g fiber 11 g protein 6 g carb [5.6 g Complex] 50 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  This recipe is from Jerry Willis’ “Powder Mill Pond Restaurant” where it was a favorite. Alas, that restaurant is not more, but you can enjoy this at home.

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 smoked salmon ½ oz/ 2 Tbsp sliced scallion greens one clementine OR 2 oz melon  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk the eggs [salt and pepper may not be needed depending on the seasoning of your salmon]. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Before the eggs set, add the salmon and scallions. Scramble to taste. Prepare your optional beverage. Plate with fruit of choice.

Pasta with Puttanesca Sauce: 265 calories 5.5 g fat 8 g fiber 10.4 g protein 42 g carbs [~30 g Complex] 196 mg Calcium   PB  This rich sauce with the wholesome goodness of whole wheat pasta makes for a delicious meal. And it is so simple. Don’t cut corners: you need the whole-grain pasta for the protein and fiber of the meal.

1½ oz whole wheat pasta ½ cup puttanesca sauce 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese 2 oz green beans

Cook the pasta less time than the package directs, so it will be al dente [having a little white in the center when you bite into it]. Drain the pasta and add the sauce to the pan. The pasta will absorb the sauce while they both warm together. Plate with the beans and top with the cheese.

Carrie Nation

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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.

Do your guests drink too much at Thanksgiving, then do/say regrettable things and ruin the meal? Carrie Nation didn’t approve of such behavior. She became famous for her staunch stand against the making, selling, and drinking of alcohol. Caroline Amelia Moore was born on a farm family in Kentucky on November 25, 1846. The family moved around a lot — Kentucky, Texas, Missouri — with Carrie’s education being interrupted by illness and relocation. Sometimes the family took in boarders. One such was Dr. Charles Gloyd, with whom Carrie fell madly in love. After their marriage, his alcoholism became obvious and the couple separated before the birth of their daughter and Gloyd’s death the next year. Carrie received a teaching certificate and taught for four years. She remarried, to David Nation, in 1874 and they moved to Kansas. On the books, Kansas was a “dry” state, which Carrie was happy about until her husband told her that there was still a lot of drinking going on. Angered that such a useful law was being flouted, even by legislators, Mrs. Nation started a local chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperence Union [WCTU]. Together, they lobbied and prayed to close bars and other “joints” that sold liquor. They were also in favor of a woman’s right to vote. Her second marriage ended and Carrie Nation went on the warpath, throwing herself into the temperance cause. In 1900, she attacked a bar in Kiowa by throwing stones at the windows, then going inside and breaking bottles. She encouraged other women to join her while gaining much notoriety and many enemies. Her famous hatchet was given to her in 1901 so that she could continue her vision of God’s work. So formidable was she, that people believed her to be 6-feet tall, when in reality she was only 5’4″ in height. Yet bartenders quailed and cowered when she walked in. Though she was roughed up and jailed, Carrie [now Carry] Nation persisted until her retirement to Arkansas, where she opened a hostel for wives of alcoholics. She did not live to see the 18th Amendment passed in 1919 or the 19th Amendment in 1920. Carry A. Nation would have been pleased. Perhaps she would have buried the hatchet.

Our meals reflect a simpler time — or is that clouded by veils of nostalgia? On the farm, herbs and fresh eggs would have been on the table often, for family and boarders alike. The dinner is a Tex-Mex favorite, reminiscent of Carrie’s time in Texas. No booze in either meal.

Herb Scramble: 127 calories 7.5 g fat 0.6 g fiber 10 g protein 5.6 g carbs [4 g Complex] 47.5 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Take a walk in the herb garden, then put the herb garden in the breakfast.

3 two-oz eggs of which you will use 1½ eggs per person  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week  2 Tbsp chopped herbs: chives, rosemary, oregano, thyme, lavender salt & pepper to taste 2 oz canteloup or 3 oz strawberries or 2 oz grapes  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]

Whisk the eggs with the herbs and salt & pepper to taste. Pour into a hot pan sprayed with cooking oil. Scramble to your preferred degree, and plate with fruit. Pour the optional beverages and you have a simple, delicious breakfast.

Chili non Carne:  1 cup =133 calories 0.7 g fat 6.5 g fiber 7 g protein 10 g carbs 70 mg Calcium 1½ c. =199 calories 1 g fat 9 g fiber 9.4 g protein 14. g carb 120 mg Calcium The recipe is my mother’s, except that she added beef. And she served it on a heap of mashed potatoes, but we won’t do that on a Fast Day.  PB GF  HINT: This is enough for 4 one-cup servings OR two 1.5 cup servings with 1 cup left over. Save the remaining chili for a lunch or check other postings to see how we use it for breakfast. For 1½ cups chili served with cheese garnish and melon, as in photo: 276 calories 10 g fat 6 g fiber 13 g protein 19.4 g carbs 227 mg Calcium

15 oz canned red beans, drained and rinsed 16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced, not drained 1 cup chopped onion 1 green pepper, chopped 2-3 tsp chili pepper, or more if you like it hotter ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin   per serving: 1 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated, as a garnish + 2 oz melon

Saute the onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the stew is thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Serve one or one and a half cups for dinner tonight with the grated cheese on top, and melon on the side.

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

1 two-oz egg + one egg white1.5 two-oz eggs 
yellow cornmeal + yeastmozzarella cheese
raspberriesMediterranean Vegetables
honeystrawberries OR applesauce
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

1 pound mussels + salad greenschicken or turkey broth + chicken white meat
olive oil + lemon juice + tomatoParmesan cheese + white beans + carrot
feta cheese + kalamata olivesspaghetti or linguine + green beans
bouquet garni + splash white wine back bacon/Canadian bacon + Finn Crisp crackers
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Armistice

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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.

At 5 am, on November 11, 1918, the Armistice was signed. At 11 am, the fighting stopped. The armistice was not a peace treaty, but it was the official end to the fighting of World War I, the Great War. How sad that the Allies in that conflict thought that this would be ‘the war to end all wars.’ Surely, they said, no nation would ever want to go through that experience again! Surely, nations and their leaders would learn to avoid conflict in the future. The actual treaty was signed at Versailles in June of 1919. Unfortunately, the conditions of the agreement sowed the seeds of the next war. Rather than approach peace with the enemy ‘with malice toward none‘ [as Lincoln said at the end of the Civil War in the USA, which is still going on….], the victors imposed humiliating and debilitating conditions on defeated Germany. Blockades and partition exacerbated food shortages. The Allies thought that if they prevented Germany from being able to fight again, that there would be lasting peace. Instead, bitterness and anger built up in Germany during the 1920s, fueled by an economic recession. When the Depression hit in the 1930s, Germany was ripe for the jingoistic, racist demagoguery of Hitler. And the rest is history. How happy everyone was when the cease-fire was signed! How hopeful the world was that war would be banished forever! But the armistice lived up to its name: not peace, but a cessation of fighting for the time being. We need a better plan going forward. “War is not healthy for children and other living things.” True in 1966, true in 1916, true now.

Our menus for the day involve ingredients that might have been available in war-ravaged northern France where the Armistice was signed in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France.

Chevre & Spinach Bake: 132 calories 7 g fat 2 g fiber 9 g protein 9 g carbs [8.5 g Complex] 57 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  This one is really delicious. It makes a little bit of flavor go a long way.

1 two-oz egg 2 Tbsp cooked spinach, drained/squeezed and chopped 2 tsp creamy chevre cheese lemon-dill seasoning + salt + pepper 2 oz pear OR 2 oz apple OR applesauce  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]

If spinach is frozen, thaw it in a sieve and press down to remove water. If spinach is fresh, saute it in a little water until limp, then squeeze out the water. Chop the spinach and combine it with the cheese, and seasonings. Whisk in the egg and pour into a lightly-oiled or spritzed ramekin. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the beverages of your choice and plate the fruit. What a nice way to start the day.

Chickpea Ragout:  makes 2-1/4 cups  PB GF  This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way  As written below, this is NOT a vegetarian meal, since it contains chicken stock. With vegetable broth, it becomes vegan and vegetarian.

The entire batch has 484 calories, so divide into appropriate portions: if divided in 2: 242 calories 5 g fat 11 g fiber 12 g protein 40 g carbs 51 mg Calcium if divided in 3: 161 calories 4 g fat 7.5 g fiber 8.6 g protein 30 g carbs 37 mg Calcium if divided in 4: 121 calories 3 g fat 5 g fiber 6 g protein 20 g carbs 26 mg Calcium

½ tsp olive oil ½ cup diced onions ½ cup scallions, chopped 1 Tbsp garlic, minced 2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained 1½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper herbs to taste

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. If using now, separate out your portion and keep warm. Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.

If you wish to add more protein, then you could add chopped hard-boiled egg and/or grated Cheddar cheese. For a one cup serving of ragout with garnish, the food values would be: with 1/4 of a chopped egg: 259 calories 6 g fat 10.5 g fiber 13 g protein 40.4 g carbs 43 mg Calcium with 1/4 oz grated cheese: 270 calories 7 g fat 10.5 g fiber 13.4 g protein 40.4 g carbs 86 mg Calcium with both egg and cheese: 281 calories 8 g fat 10.5 g fiber 15 g protein 40.5 g carbs 93 mg Calcium

Servings for two, with choice of two garnishes.

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

1 two-oz egg2 two-oz eggs  + 1 egg white
1 buckwheat galette70-calorie whole grain bread
roasted green chilis, cannedmustard + 3%-fat ham + milk
pear or appleGouda cheese + herbs
Optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

2 six” corn tortillas + lime juiceolive oil + onion + mushrooms + garlic + carrots
fish filets + plain yogurt + cabbagepotato + celery + green beans + cauliflower
red onion + tomatovegetable broth + cornstarch + soy sauce + puff pastry
chili powder + ground cuminGouda Cheese + rosemary + thyme + [za’atar]
Sparkling waterSparkling water

About Saving Time

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

A day is defined as the 24 hour period during which the Earth turns once on its axis. [Formerly, it was the time it took for the sun to go once around the Earth, an idea disproved by Galileo in 1632.] A year is defined as the 365.25 days that it takes the Earth to orbit once around the sun. A month is around 1/12 of that time, roughly 30 days. Ancient people defined a month as the cycle of full moon to full moon, but that is only 28 days, and there are 13 full moons in a year, which doesn’t work out well. This is why the calendars had to be reformed in 46 BCE by Julius Caesar, who invented Leap Years. Calendar reform occurred again in 1582, under the direction of Pope Gregory. These times are set in fact. And then there is Daylight Savings Time [DST]. What a misnomer! The amount of daylight hours is determined by the season and by latitude. On the Equator, the sun rises and sets daily at 6 o’clock; while at the Arctic Circle, daylight hours vary wildly. You can’t ‘save’ daylight. Benjamin Franklin wrote a satirical essay in 1784, suggesting that the French government should force people to wake up at 6 am in the summer to gain extra hours of daylight. In 1895, a New Zealand entomologist proposed setting the clocks forward in October by two hours, so he could have extra time to hunt insects in the Summer. The town of Port Arthur, Canada [now Thunder Bay] changed their clocks ahead in July of 1908. They loved the idea. During World War I, Germany and Austria adopted a time change to save on lighting fuels for the war. Other European countries took up the idea, then dropped it after the Armistice. World War II saw us again fiddling with the clocks, and the idea stuck. The USA is one of 70 countries that observes DST: in March we ‘spring forward’ and set the clocks ahead one hour. In November, we ‘fall back’ and lose an hour of time and sleep. All for nothing, except to disrupt fragile sleep patterns. Often States have discussed changing the practice, but it remains. DST is a dumb idea in my opinion. Unite! You have nothing to gain but your sleep!

At any time of year, you might find yourself pressed for time. Our meals today are very quick to cook, so give them a try. They taste good too. Is it about time that you moved from thinking about the Fasting Lifestyle to actually doing it? You have nothing to lose but your extra pounds.

Ham & Cheese Bake: 137 calories 8 g fat 1 g fiber 10.6 g protein 3 g carbs 99.5 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. GF  This is the baked version of the ham&cheese omelette. Just as good, but with only one egg per person. Mmmmm….yummy.

One 2-oz egg 1/3 oz/ 2.5 Tbsp Jarlsberg cheese, grated 1/3 oz 3% fat ham [from deli], diced fresh parsley + dried sage + salt + pepper to taste 1 oz applesauce or 2 oz strawberries, whole or sliced, fresh or frozen  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]

Set toaster oven at 350 F. Grate the cheese and chop the ham. Whisk together the cheese, egg, and seasonings. Spritz some cooking spray into an oven-safe dish or ramekin or custard cup, and pour the egg mixture into it. Bake 12-18 minutes, depending on how well set you like your eggs. It will puff up and start to brown a bit. Heat your beverage, shake the smoothie, and portion the fruit. Enjoy a good start to a good day.

Taiwanese Shrimp Meefun: 270 calories 6 g fat 3 g fiber 19 g protein 33.6 g carbs 84.4 mg Calcium   PB GF  This recipe is from Susan Livia New York Times Cooking. Some recipes call for dried shrimp, some for smoked tofu. For convenience, I used frozen shrimp.  HINT: Recipe is enough for two [2]. Invite a fellow Faster or enjoy the other half of the recipe warm or cool for lunch or dinner later this week. Photo below shows one serving.

2 sv 
2 oz [brown] rice vermicelliSoak in cold water until softened, 5-10 mins. Drain, reserving water. Warm water for next step.
2 dried shiitakesSoak in warm water until hydrated + softened, ~10 mins. Drain, reserving water. Slice ¼” thick.
Cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten		Heat wok over medium, spray with PAM. Add egg, swirl to create a thin, even layer, + cook until set + cooked through, ~1 min. Cool egg slightly, then slice as julienne. Set aside.
1 tsp oil + 2 Tbsp water
2 T thinly sliced shallot soaked mushrooms		Put a wok on the stove + raise heat to medium-high. Add oil, water, mushrooms and shallots. Sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring often, until shallots begin to brown, 3-4 mins.
1 cup carrot, shredded + saltAdd carrot and salt, then cook, until softened but still crisp, 1-2 mins.
1½ c cabbage, shredded Add cabbage to wok. Season + cook, stirring,  1-2 mins until slightly wilted.
4 oz shrimp, fresh or frozen 1 Tbsp soy sauce
drained vermicelli
½- 1 c water from soaking ½ tsp white pepper 
julienned egg 		Remove shells from shrimp and cut them in pieces. Add to wok with soy sauce and drained rice vermicelli. Add water from steps 1 and 2, in ½ cup increments. Cook, stirring often, until noodles absorb the water, 5-6 mins. Season, add reserved egg and stir to combine. 
optional: Serve topped with chopped cilantro.

All Saints

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

October 31 is Hallowe’en, which is short for ‘All Hallows Eve.’ That means ‘the day before the Day of all the Holy Ones.’ The official churchy name for November 1 is ‘All Saints Day.’ So what is a ‘saint’? In the early days of Christianity, the term was used to include all believers. St Paul addressed a letter [Romans I:7] to “all that be in Rome, called to be saints…” to say that every member of the community of believers was a saint. Years passed and when Roman Emperors grew tired of Christians, a saint was synonymous with ‘martyr,’ one who died because of his/her faith [ex: St Perpetua; St Lawrence]. Centuries passed and Christians mostly thought of saints as dead people, though they often hailed the living as saints if they were holy hermits or seemed to perform miracles [ex: St Clair; St Robert]. Then there are saints who’s stories are used to explain or illustrate a certain point [St Wilgefort; St Veronica; St Christopher], but who never lived at all! Today the Roman Catholic Church has a vigorous vetting process for prospective saints — it is not as easy as it used to be. But when I think of saints, I start singing a hymn written by Lesbia Scott and put to music by John H. Hopkins. It sweetly goes back to the original idea of Paul to tell us that saints are everywhere and that even we can aspire to sainthood. Here’s the end of the hymn. Amen.

You can meet them in school, on the street, in the store, 
in church, by the sea, in the house next door; 
they are saints of God, whether rich or poor, 
and I mean to be one too. 

Lest one think of saints only as ‘dead Europeans,’ our meals will honor saints from other parts of the world. Many of the Caribbean Islands are named for saints, but oddly, there are no native saints. There are many ‘blesseds’ and ‘venerables’ from the Caribbean, and maybe they once enjoyed a breakfast like our’s. From India, there are several native-born Christian saints, so our dinner might have been familiar to them. If we each resolve to be more kindly, the world would be a better place. If you resolve to eat less, your weight will be in a better place.

Caribbean Breakfast: 228 calories 7.4 g fat 4.4 g fiber 5 g protein 40 g carbs [27 g Complex] 24.6 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB  Although the protein values are low, this makes for a lovely little tropical meal.

1.8 oz mango 1.5 oz roasted plantain slices 1.5 oz pineapple ½ oz goat cheese 1 coconut dumpling** Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] 

**COCONUT DUMPLINGS: makes 9  A Caribbean favorite.   Each: 73 calories 4 g fat 2 g fiber 1.6 g protein 9 g carbs 3.6 mg Calcium ½ cup [37 g] coconut, grated, unsweetened 1½ cups white whole wheat flour 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 Tbsp butter ¼ tsp salt 125 ml water [that’s correct: there is NO leavening. I think there should be…]

Put everything except the water in a bowl and work the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers. Once it is all incorporated, stir in the water with a fork. Knead slightly on a work surface and roll into a cylinder which is about 1-½“ in diameter. Slice off equal pieces. To cook them, bring a pan of heavily salted water to a strong simmer. Add several of the dumplings. They will sink to the bottom and stay there. After 10-15 minutes, remove them and put on a cloth towel to dry and cool. Cook remaining dumplings.

Tandoori Fish Curry w/ Naan: 294 calories 12 g fat 5.5 g fiber 18.6 g protein 29 g carbs [10 g Complex] 69 mg Calcium  PB An easy recipe, made from some off-the-shelf ingredients, that packs a lot of flavor into a meal. The naan is fun to make at home. If you have access to purchased naans, pay attention to the calorie count so it ‘fits’ our needs – cut the naan smaller if needed.

3 Tbsp ‘tandoori simmer sauce,’ purchased 3 Tbsp low-fat coconut milk, purchased 2.5 oz haddock or other firm-fleshed fish ½ cup small broccoli florets 1.6 oz carrots, sliced as coins 1 oz red bell pepper, sliced 1 naan bread @ 92 calories 

Put the sauce and coconut milk in a saucepan with a little water. Add the vegetables, cover the pan, and simmer until almost cooked. Break the fish into pieces and lay it on top of the vegetables. Cover and continue to simmer another 5 minutes until the fish is cooked. Warm the naan and serve. Delicious.

Moby Dick

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Moby Dick, originally titled The Whale, was published on October 18, 1851. Herman Melville’s epic was based on the author’s own experience at sea. Melville had crewed on a merchant vessel; served in the US Navy; participated in mutinies; been captured by cannibals in the South Seas; and been a harpooner on a whaling ship. When he wrote about ships and whaling, he knew what he was talking about. Melville had penned two previous novels: Typee and Omoo, both about the South Seas, both best sellers. So Herman was convinced that he could go to that well again. Moby Dick is about obsession [Captain Ahab’s pursuit of the whale] and madness [Ahab and the boy Pip]. The crew is a metaphor of the American melting pot, with different races and cultures coming together in friendship and understanding. The reviews were mixed, from ‘ill-compounded and absurd’ to ‘poetry in blubber,’ and sales were poor. Melville was despondent for the rest of his life, despairing that his goals of greatness and wealth would never be achieved. They weren’t. But in 1919, the Melville centenary started a re-evaluation of his work. Suddenly, Moby Dick was on high school reading lists and the Great White Whale became a metaphor for everything unattainable. Now the book is considered a classic and much ink has been spilled explaining it and comparing Ahab’s quest to all the human errors of the 20th and 21st centuries, from slavery to the Holocaust. Have you read it? You decide. I think it is time to read it again.

On a whaling ship, the food was abysmal: filling, but low in quality and monotonous. Dried beans, salt pork, and dried fish were often on the menu. Fresh fish were sometimes caught and when in port, fresh vegetables were added. Bad as the food was, whalers often ate more fresh fruit and vegetables than their countrymen back home during the winter. The sailors never would have seen eggs, but the pork and beans would be familiar, as would the salt cod for dinner.

Pork ‘n’ Beans ScrOmelette: 146 calories 8 g fat 1 g fiber 12 g protein 7 g carbs 50 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. As for the inspiration for this combination, I thought, ‘Well, why not?’ And it tastes good, too – the breakfast equivalent of a New England Saturday night supper.

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 baked beans, straight from the can ¼ oz pork tenderloin, raw or cooked [left-over from a previous dinner] ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce ¼ tsp HP sauce 1.5 oz strawberries, thawed or fresh   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]

If the pork is raw, mince it and combine with the beans and a little water. Put in microwave for 45 seconds.  If the pork is cooked, mince it and combine with the beans. Pour pork & beans to warm into a saute pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Whisk the eggs with the two sauces and pour over the pork and beans. Scramble to taste, seasoning with salt and pepper. By now the beverage is hot, the smoothie is shaken, and the strawberries are looking wonderful. Sit, eat, enjoy your breakfast at sea, as mariners never ate it.

Saint Kitts Salt Cod Stew: 243 calories 2.4 g fat 3.4 g fiber 39 g protein 14 g carbs 140 mg Calcium  PB GF A savory stew of salt cod and fresh vegetables is just the ticket for a filling meal any time of year. In the Carribean, this is served with a coconut dumpling, but they have a lot of calories and I’m not happy with the recipe.

This dumpling is not the coconut one favored in the Caribbean. The recipe can be found at …Not by Bread…

2 oz salt cod 2 oz bell pepper, any color 1 oz scallion 3 oz tomato 1 clove garlic ¼ c onion 1/3 c fish stock

Soak the fish over night in warm water to soften it and to remove some of the salt. Drain the fish, discarding the water, and flake or cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook the pepper, and the alliums in water or fish stock – NOT the soaking water – for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and fish, then cover and cook for 10 minutes. 

Robert The Bruce

~ 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.

Following the death of Alexander III in 1286, Scotland was in turmoil, with many contenders for the throne. King Edward I of England was asked to choose the next ruler [he chose Balliol], and many Scottish nobles pledged fealty to Edward, seeing him as a stronger leader. One of those nobles was Robert the Bruce. “But wait!” you say –“Isn’t Bruce the defender of Scotland?!?!” So who was Bruce, anyway? By 1306, Robert the Bruce, who’s family was originally from Normandie with the name ‘de Brus,’ had decided that he should be King of Scots. After killing his biggest rival, John Comyn, Bruce got himself crowned king. But he was off to a rocky start: several clans were related to Comyn and were against Bruce; several clans had backed William Wallace in the previous fighting and were against Bruce; and now Edward of England was against him too. Edward I died in 1307, but the winter of 1306/7 was a difficult one for Robert I of Scotland. Historians lost track of him, and that is the winter of the Spider Story. Bruce, separated from his men, was lying up in a cave/hut/forest glen. While worrying about his recent defeats, he sees a spider trying to build her web. She swings out to reach an attachment point and misses. Several times she tries and fails. When at last she succeeds, Bruce takes heart, thinking that if a spider doesn’t give up, he shouldn’t either. After a few years of guerrilla warfare, Bruce’s army won a victory against Edward II at Bannockburn in 1314. On October 14, 1322, the Battle of Byland was fought in Yorkshire. The victory for the Scots was a decisive one: the English were routed, and King Edward fled for his life to York. Another major defeat for the English. Finally, in 1327, the English made peace with the Scots. Robert the Bruce died in 1329. He did not die of leprosy, as has often been said. He did have a skin condition, but his exhumed bones showed no sign of the debilitating disease. Both de Brus and Comyn are branches on my Scottish family tree. Everyone is related.

Robert wanted to keep Scotland Scottish. So today we present meals with several Scottish food stuffs: oats, salmon, cabbage, cheese. Let it be noted that the potato was not present in Scotland in Bruce’s time, but it was embraced by the Scots at last, and we will eat it with gusto for dinner.

Bannock with Salmon & Applesauce: 190 calories 4.5 g fat 1.5 g fiber 9 g protein 30 g carbs `95 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB Oat Bannock are a traditional Scottish bread, and the Scots learned to smoke salmon from the Scandinavians. That’s how these items end up on the same plate together.

4 two-inch bannock   ½ oz smoked salmon 1/3 c low-fat vanilla yogurt 1/3 c unsweetened applesauce   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] 

Bake, or thaw and warm the bannocks. Stir together the yogurt and applesauce until blended, or serve with a marbled appearance. Plate it all with the salmon for a very fine meal.

Rumbledethumps: 243 calories 10 g fat 4 g fiber 12.6 g protein 19.5 g carbs 171.4 mg Calcium  PB GF Where do you get a recipe with a name like that? Sundays At Moosewood of course. Hearty meals like this, made with winter vegetables, are common in Scotland and Ireland. HINT: The recipe makes enough for 2 servings. Wrap half in cling-wrap and foil and freeze for another dinner.

¼ pound potato 3 Tbsp skimmed milk 1.5 tsp butter ¼ tsp ground mace 2 egg whites ¼ pound cauliflower ¾ cup cabbage, chopped ½ cup leek, sliced ¼ cup broccoli, chopped 1/3 cup cheddar, grated   per person: ¾ cup salad greens 1 oz tomato ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp cider vinegar

Cut potato into chunks. Boil and mash with the cauliflower, milk, butter, and mace. Let cool. Steam the cabbage, leek, and broccoli until cooked. Take off the heat. Whip the eggwhites until stiff and fold into the potato/cauliflower mash. Taste for salt and pepper. Gently stir in the remaining steamed vegetables. Smooth into a lightly-spritzed baking dish. [choose the dish with the idea that you will be dividing this into 2 equal portions] Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees F. until the cheese is bubbly and just starting to brown. Whisk the oil and vinegar together and toss in the greens. Serve the cool, crispy salad with the hot, creamy rumbledethumps. Good food.

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

1.5 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
1/4 oz pork loinmushrooms
canned baked beans + strawberriesrosemary + apple
Worcestershire sauce + HP sauceParmesan cheese
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

salt cod + bell pepperlean beef steak + corn starch
scallion + tomatooyster sauce + oil + cabbage
garlic + onion5 egg roll wrappers + carrot + onion
fish stock broccoli + scallion + onion + Sriracha
Sparkling waterSparkling water