dieting

Blacked Out

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Foods in Wrappers, III

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fiesa!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jumble

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smallpox

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Statue of David

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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 Malcolm Rae who is now Following.

David was one of the major characters of the Old Testament. He was the youngest son of Jesse; a shepherd lad. While he was still a youth, the invading Philistines looked as if they were going to defeat the Israelites. Their champion, the giant Goliath, challenged Israel’s champion to single combat. David volunteered to fight the giant. He was offered armor, but it was too big. Armed with only his slingshot, David faced his enemy and killed him with a single stone, then cut off his head. During the Renaissance, sculptors vied with each other to depict David. In 1440, Donatello showed his statue of David. It was the first bronze statue of the Renaissance. It depicts a boy who’s voice is still changing, standing with his foot on Goliath’s head. David looks thoughtful and, in a reference to Classical Greek art, he is nude. Thirty-five years later, Verrocchio produced a bronze on the same subject. This David is even younger and to avoid the criticism of prudes, he wears a tunic and a breastplate [that looks a bit like lingerie]. He has killed the enemy and stands with a hand on his hip and a cocky look as if to say, “I told you I could do it.” Here David represents the City of Florence, ready to defeat larger enemies. When most people think of a statue of David, they think of Michelangelo’s monumental work. In it, a larger-than-life nude man [not a young shepherd boy] casts a cool gaze at his distant opponent. The work, finished in 1504, is pure High Renaissance, designed to show that humans can achieve anything they put their minds to, through reason. In my opinion, the best of all of them is David by Gian Bernini. By 1623, the Renaissance gave way to the Baroque period of art, where motion and emotion replaced that measured calm of Michelangelo’s time. Here an older teenaged David gets ready to let-‘er-rip and you know Goliath is done for. Each statue tells the same story in its own way. Each is the triumph of their own time. Which one do you prefer?

Since David was a shepherd in Israel, our breakfast contains lamb and many flavors of the region. The dinner involves a stone, since that is how David killed Goliath.

Levantine Lamb Bake:  219 calories 14 g fat 1 g fiber 26 g protein 8 g carbs 108.6 mg Calcium   PB GF  Let’s take all the popular flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean and bake them with eggs. Great idea!! [If this sounds familiar, it is based on Lamb Gozleme, which was featured previously. If you had left-over filling (about 2 Tbsp) from that, you could use it.]

1 two-oz egg ¼ oz tomatoes, small dice 1/8 oz feta cheese, small dice 1 Kalamata olive, small dice 1/8 oz cooked lamb meat, small dice 1/8 oz spinach, chopped oregano + salt + pepper 2 oz peach or nectarine   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Prepare all the vegetables, meat, and cheese, and combine them well in a small bowl with the seasonings. Spray an oven-safe dish with non-stick spray and turn the bowl contents into the dish. Whisk the egg and pour over the other ingredients. Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit and pour the hot beverage. If I knew how, I’d say ‘delicious!’ in Greek, Turkish, Syrian, Palastinian, Hebrew, and Egyptian.

Stone Soup: 125 calories 1.4 g fat 4 g fiber 7.5 g protein 21 g carbs [21 g Complex] 55.6 mg Calcium   PB GF — if using GF bread or eliminating it.  A recipe based on the old French folktale about ‘making soup out of stones.’ And it tastes good, too. HINT: Makes 8 one-cup servings.

See the stone in the center, just under the bread?

½ pound stones, in large pieces – well scrubbed  2 quarts water 4 oz beef, diced 4 oz carrots, sliced 4 oz cabbage, sliced 4 oz parsnips, cubed 4 oz green beans, cut to 1” 4 oz red potato, diced 4 oz spinach, chopped 4 oz white beans lots of herbs + salt + pepper  to taste Optional: slice of artisinal rye bread  adds 100 calories

Put the stones in the water and bring to a simmer. Add the other ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve with the bread if you wish.

Henri IV

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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.

Henry of Navarre. Le Bon Henri. What ever you call him, Henry IV was the best king France ever had. He was born in Pau, in the Bearn region of far southern France. He was the King of Navarre and a Protestant. This latter fact made it impossible for him to be King of France. But by lineage, he was the heir to the throne. Eventually, he decided, “Paris vaut une messe,” [Paris makes it worth going to Mass] and he accepted the kingship in exchange for becoming a nominal Catholic. As King, he signed the Edict of Nantes which made the Protestant religion legal in France, ending, for the time being, the Wars of Religion. He provided street lights in Paris. He built the ‘Pont Neuf‘ [‘New Bridge’] in Paris in 1604, which is still standing. He insisted on stone buildings in cities to prevent fires. He promoted prosperity while minimizing social disparity, seeking a goal of ‘a chicken in every pot.’ [Yes, that is the origin of the political pledge.] Sadly, King Henri was assassinated on a street of Paris in 1610.

Hailing from Gascony, Henri would appreciate today’s menu choices. The breakfast highlights the fruits of the fertile South-West. The dinner is a nod to the Basque people of Aquitaine and their love of peppers.

Fruit Souffle Omelette:  128 calories 5 g fat 2.2 g fiber 8.7 g protein 9 g carbs [6.5 g Complex] 34 mg Calcium   PB GF  From the fruited hills and valleys of Gascony comes this dessert which, with a few tweeks, goes to the breakfast table.  HINT: This serves two. The recipe is difficult to cut to serve one, so enjoy it with a friend or save for dessert tomorrow.

2 egg yolks 3 egg whites ¼ c blueberries ¼ c raspberries ¼ cup goldenberries [feel free to substitute strawberries or cherries] 2 tsp [5 ml] Armagnac, the brandy of SW France 1 tsp sugar

If the fruit is frozen, put it in a sieve while it thaws to catch extra juices. Heat the fruit and sugar in a small saute pan. Add the Armagnac and flame it, gently swirling the pan to be sure all the alcohol is burned off. Remove from heat. Warm the oven to 375F. Find a saute pan that can be used on the cook-top and in the oven as well. Whisk the yolks with a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. Using a rotary or electric beater, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Whisk a bit of the whites into the yolks to lighten them, then fold the whites and eggs together. Pour into that saute pan which has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Cook on the cook-top until the bottom sets and starts to brown. Pour the fruit on top and put in the upper third of the oven. Cook until the eggs are set and puffed. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. A fine treat.

Chicken Basquaise: 263 calories 4 g fat 4.7 g fiber 31 g protein 21 g carbs [15 g Complex] 87 mg Calcium PB GF Here is another meal inspired by airplane [Air France] food. Once you have prepared the Sauce Basquaise, you can enjoy it as often as you like since the recipe makes lots. 

4 oz chicken breast ¼ c Sauce Basquaise++ 1 slice polenta  2 oz green beans OR 1.5 oz snow peas 1 tsp Dijon mustard

++SAUCE BASQUAISE:  makes 5 cups  1/2 cup = 89 calories 5 g fat 3 g fiber 2 g protein 8 g carbs [7.7 g Complex] 21.4 mg Calcium 

2 Tbsp olive oilHeat the oil in a large sauce pan
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped 
optional: 2 oz Bayonne/Serrano ham or pancetta, diced  3 cups red bell pepper, diced [2 large peppers, abt 13 oz]  3 cups green bell pepper, diced [2 large peppers, abt 13 oz]  4 cups tomatoes, seeded and diced		Add the onion, garlic, ham, peppers, and tomatoes. 
Cook over medium-low heat until peppers are tender.
½ cup red wine
5 g ‘esplette’ pepper or ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp fresh thyme
½ tsp salt		Add these to the pan and simmer 10 minutes more
Easy to prepare. Freezes well, but taste for seasoning after thawing.

Choose a saute pan with a lid. Add 3 Tbsp water, Sauce Basquaise, and the chicken. Cover and braise the chicken over low until it is almost cooked. Remove the lid to see if the sauce has cooked down to a thick consistancy. Continue to cook, without lid, if necessary. Cook the green beans separately. In a small fry-pan, cook the polenta slice on both sides using non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Plate with the sauce on top of the chicken and the dab of mustard on the side. A first-class meal.

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

1 two-oz egg  + tomato1.5 two-oz eggs  
feta cheese + Kalamata olivetomatoes
lamb meat + spinachapples + scallions
oregano + peach/nectarinemushrooms
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

beef + carrot + cabbageeggplant + onion + garlic
parsnip + green beanscorn kernels + zucchini
red potato + spinach + herbscooked chicken + Monterey Jack
white beans + stones [optional]corn tortillas + enchilada sauce
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Indigenous Peoples

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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 Colorful Sisters who are now Following.

‘Indigenous’ is from the latin word ‘indigenus,’ meaning ‘native.’ In North America, there are 562 recognized groups of Indigenous Peoples. Many more are in Central and South America, not to mention other areas around the world. The colonizers were amazed by native foods, taking them back to introduce to Europe. Corn [Zea mays], beans [Phaseolus vulgaris], and tomatoes [Solanum lycopersicum] subsequently entered into the cuisine of Spain, and then other countries. Corn, beans, and squashes were the foundations of indigenous agriculture and food culture — and where would we be today without them? Whether you call the original people ‘indigenous’ or ‘First Nations,’ October 10 is a day to celebrate their culture and foods.

The basic salad of three ‘American’ ingredients is a fine dish by itself. It can be added to other ingredients for a breakfast or a dinner. Very versatile! [I use the word ‘American’ to mean North, Central, and South America which took their name from Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian-Spanish merchant-explorer who visited the ‘New World’ much more extensively in the 1490s than did Columbus.]

Tomato-Corn-Black Bean Salad:  1 Serving = ¾ cup = 115 calories 4 g fat 5 g fiber 5 g protein 17 g carbs 30 mg Calcium  PB GF  For a real late Summer treat, you can’t beat fresh corn and tomatoes!  100Daysofrealfood provided the recipe and then I altered it a little. HINT: This makes 3 cups of salad. One generous serving = ¾ cup. As good as it is colorful.

1½ ears of corn  
1 c canned black beans, drained and rinsed 		Blanch the corn for 1 minute in boiling water. Cool + cut the kernels off the cob and put in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the rinsed beans to the bowl. 
4 oz tomato: cherry toms cut in half OR whole tomato cut in ½” dice
¼ cup red onion, diced 		Gently mix beans + corn with tomatoes + onion. Heat vegetables in the microwave for 45-60 seconds to make slightly warm.
¼ cup basil leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper 		In a small bowl combine the basil, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over the warmed vegetables and stir to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Summer Vegetable Bake:  129 calories 6 g fat 2.4 g fiber 8 g protein 11 g carbs 33 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg and hash only, not the optional hot beverage.  PB GF  Corn, beans, and tomatoes are native American foods and they all ripen in late Summer. They find themselves to be right at home in this breakfast.

1 two-oz egg ¼ cup corn-black bean-tomato salad [see above recipe] pinch of chili pepper 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 egg with the chili pepper. Heat the toaster oven to 350 F. Spritz an oven-proof dish with cooking oil or spray and put the corn salad into it. Pour the egg on top and bake for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the melon for a taste of Meso-America.

Tomato-Corn-Black Bean Salad Dinner: 274 calories 9 g fat 16.5 g protein 34.7 g carbs [34 g Complex] 63.4 mg Calcium  PB GF  For a real late Summer treat, you can’t beat fresh corn and tomatoes! The recipe is from 100Daysofrealfood and then I altered it a little. HINT: This makes 4 cups of salad. One generous serving = ¾ cup. As good as it is colorful.

1½ ears of corn 
1 c canned black beans, drained and rinsed		Blanch the corn for 1 minute in boiling water. Cool + cut the kernels off the cob and put in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the rinsed beans to the bowl. 
4 oz tomato: cherry tomatoes cut in half OR whole tomato cut in 1” dice
¼ cup red onion, diced		Gently mix beans + corn with tomatoes + onion. Heat vegetables in the microwave for 45-60 seconds to make slightly warm.
1 oz cooked beef, from steak or roast OR 1 oz roast pork Slice the meat very thinly and warm it briefly if it is cold.
¼ cup basil leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper		In a small bowl combine the basil, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over the warmed vegetables and stir to combine. If you are not serving 5 people, cool and store the leftovers in the refrigerator. 
Plate ¾ cup of corn salad per serving and arrange the meat on top

How to Stay

~ 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.

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

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

Capicola ScrOmelette:  147 calories 8 g fat 1.0 g fiber 13.8 g protein 7.5 g carbs [6.6 g Complex] 72 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF Capicola is a dried ham which is full of flavor yet low in fat and calories. It goes very well with eggs.  

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.   1/3 oz uncured capicola ham, sliced thinly large pinch oregano 1.7 oz apple   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Start

~ 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 Adeoye Emmanuel who is now Following.

How does one begin the Fasting Lifestyle? It isn’t difficult. You won’t have to count calories or calculate nutrients — if you use my recipes, I have done it for you. 1st: designate the day or days that you plan as Fast Days. Write it on the calendar. Have your phone or tablet remind you, just as you would any appointment. We like Monday and Thursday. 2nd: Look in this blog’s archives for breakfast menus and choose four for Mondays and four for Thursdays. Write them on the calendar. Now you know what to eat for 8 breakfasts in the month. We like a baked egg dish on Monday, and an omelette/scramble on Thursday. But there are eggless breakfasts too. 3rd: Do the same for dinners for Mondays and Thursdays, and write them on the calendar. We like seafood/meatless dinners on Monday and meals with meat on Thursday. There are vegetarian meals on this blog too. 4th: Go shopping for the ingredients, at least for the first week. While shopping, resist the temptation to put snack foods or highly processed foods into the basket — even on the Slow Days, you should cut down on those empty calories. 5th: If, like me, you are not a morning person, prep part of the breakfast the night before. If you rush home just before dinner time, choose a Fast meal that could be thawed out when you get home. Soup is often a good choice for Fasting. These behavior changes will help to prevent you from getting processed breakfasts on the run or take-out for dinner. You will save money too. 6th: Can you delay breakfast — even by an hour? Can you move up dinner/supper? If you usually breakfast at 7 am and dine at 8 pm, that’s a long stretch for a beginning Faster. See what you can do about that.

Try these meals tomorrow. They are fairly easy to prepare and they have a lot of flavor. Good flavor, good fiber, and eye appeal will help you to appreciate a meal more. Drink lots of water or tea, and get into Fasting.

Creole Bake: 137 calories 6.5 g fat 2 g fiber 8.4 g protein 11.6 g carbs [10 g Complex] 67 mg Calcium   NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Creole flavors add zip to the morning eggs.

1 two-oz egg 1 Tbsp tomato dice or puree 1.5 tsp onion, minced 1 Tbsp bell pepper, minced 1 Tbsp bacon, chopped and measured raw 1.5 tsp Cheddar cheese, finely grated Pinch file powder 1.5 tsp creole seasoning  2 oz pear or apple   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]

Put the tomato, onion, bell pepper, and bacon in a small pan and cook until the bacon is mostly cooked. Drain the bacon fat from the vegetables. HINT: You could do this the night before. Spritz an oven-safe pan with non-stick spray and set the oven to 350 F. Whisk the egg and then stir in the cheese, vegetables, and seasonings. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare your beverages of choice and slice the fruit.

Tuna Salad Sandwich, country-style:  Per Serving: 281 calories 9 g fat 4 g fiber 20 g protein 31 g carbs 91 mg Calcium   PB GF – if using a GF bun  Mayonnaise is a problem for me – I’d rather spend my calories on something else. So I came up with a different way to moisten my tuna salad, improving the protein and Calcium along the way. Try it. HINT: These amounts make enough for three [3] sandwiches. Dinner for three or dinner + two lunches.

One 5-oz can of white tuna in water [4.5 oz drained/ 115 g/ ¾ cup] 1 hard-boiled egg 4 Tbsp 2% milk-fat cottage cheese 2 Tbsp minced celery 2 Tbsp minced onion salt and pepper 3 hot dog buns   per serving:  ¼ cup 4-bean salad + ½ ear corn on the cob

Drain the tuna and turn it into a bowl. Break up the tuna with a fork. Chop the egg and add it to the tuna along with the cottage cheese, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Boil the corn for 8 minutes. Divide the tuna salad among the hot dog buns and plate with the vegetables.