Francois, premier

September 11, 2024March 16, 2025 ~ 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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Francis I [François 1er] of France was born on September 12, 1494, in Cognac [modern day Charente, then Aquitaine]. The Renaissance in Europe had begun, and he grew into it as he grew up. His education was wide-ranging and in depth: four languages, Italian art, geography, history; the arts of chivalry and dancing; philosophy, theology, and science. François ascended the throne in 1515, and set out to make his mark on the world. Many of the great issues of the future were begun during his reign: the Protestant Reformation, European expansion to the New World, the use of national languages as opposed to latin. At first, François was inclined to give the Protestants some leeway until 1534, when he thought they were out to overthrow him. François funded voyages of exploration in the Americas, and promoted the settling of what is now Canada. By decree, government offices were ordered to use French as the official language, keeping more thorough records and vital statistics. These issues brought France out of the Middle Ages and into the post-Medieval world. In art, he promoted the Italian style and he brought Leonardo da Vinci to France. In architecture, he built or redesigned what the world pictures when one hears of “French chateaux”: Chateau of Blois, Chateau of Chambord, Chateau of Amboise. These magnificent houses are the epitome of French Renaissance architecture and are marked with François’ emblem: the salamander. François premier was a womanizer and a humanist. He had been a hostage and a warrior. François tore down and he built up. He left an indelible imprint on France and was truly a man of the Renaissance.

We will enjoy some of the flavors of Charente, François’ home region: truffles at breakfast [preferably served with their famous Charentais melons], and oysters for dinner.

Truffled Omelette: 146 calories… 9.4 g fat… 1 g fiber… 9.5 g protein… 6 g carbs… 43.5 mg Calcium… PB GF Truffle cream adds amazing flavor to food and just a little gives a big kick. This is a simple meal with a complex taste.

++ 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 Tbsp truffle cream ++++ 3 oz melon OR 1¼ oz apple ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie[88 calories] ++

Whisk the eggs and pour into an oil-spritzed saute pan. Cook, undisturbed, until the eggs begin to set. Spread the truffle cream over half of the egg, fold the omelette, and cook further to your liking. Plate with the apple. TIP: there will be lots of truffle cream left in the jar. Portion it into smaller containers, label and freeze.

Oyster Plate: 267 calories… 15 g fat… 2 g fiber… 12.6 g protein… 21 g carbs… 144 mg Calcium… PB GF In my opinion, a plate of raw oysters and a salad make a wonderful dinner for a dieter.

+++ 12 medium raw oysters ++++ 2 oz spinach leaves ++++ ½ oz walnut meats ++++ 2 oz pickled beets, cubed ++++ ½ tsp olive oil ++++ ½ tsp Balsamic vinegar

Whisk the oil and vinegar in a wide bowl. Break the spinach leaves into the bowl and toss gently to cover with the dressing. Put the walnuts and beets in the bowl over the salad. Shuck the oysters and enjoy your special meal.

Famine

September 8, 2024September 7, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Walter Raleigh (1553 –1618) is said to have brought potatoes [Solanum tuberosum] from the Americas to Ireland in 1589. But he didn’t. Some say it was Francis Drake (c.1540-96), while others maintain it was Thomas Cavendish (1560-1592). However they got there, potatoes were being grown in Ireland before 1600. English aggression in Ireland had driven the resident Irish Catholics to the West Coast of the island. The soil there was poor, yet the climate was well-suited to growing potatoes. Because potatoes are a low-maintenance/high yield crop, a family could plant them in the Spring, then spend the Summer working to earn cash. Come Fall, the tubers could be stored to feed the family all winter. It is said that by 1830, every young Irishman would eat 5 Kg of potatoes each day. On September 9, 1845, a virus arrived from the mainland: Phytophtora infestans, aka: potato blight. It had been floating around potato crops in the Americas and Europe since 1842, and it hit Ireland with full force. The Great Famine ensued, and from 1845-52, one million people died as their principle source of nutrition shriveled in the fields. The British government responded by making wheat and barley grain less expensive, but that was not enough. Quack remedies proliferated, and the blight raged on. In the second year, even more areas were affected, and people emigrated to the USA, to England, to Australia. In all, 1 million people left Ireland, many too ill to survive the voyage. These departures substantially changed the populations of the US and Australia, and bolstered the Roman Catholic Church’s influence in those nations. Oddly, food exports from Ireland to England increased during the famine. Had that food been kept at home and distributed, the famine’s deadly results would have been minimized. Potato blight is still an issue today, and there is no ‘cure’ for it.

Our meals today involve potatoes, the versatile, flavorful, ubiquitous tuber that is eaten around the world.

Fish Cake Breakfast: 145 calories… 2.5 g fat… 2 g fiber… 9.5 g protein… 18.5 g carbs… 42 mg Calcium… PB GF Fish cakes have been a filling meal in North-Eastern North America centuries. In her 1832 cookbook, Lydia Maria Child promoted them for breakfast food. Great idea! HINT: Prepare the fish-potato mixture the night before. This breakfast deserves a revival.

++ 1 slice uncured American streaky bacon ++++ 6 Tbsp/rounded 1/3 cup Fish Cake mixture** ++++ 2 oz tomato slices ++++ ¼ oz fresh spinach ++++ 1 oz sliced strawberries or 2 Tbsp blueberries ++++Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Slice tomato and sprinkle with salt. Plate spinach leaves and top with tomatoes and fruit. Cook bacon and plate it. Pour most of the bacon fat from the pan and return the pan to a low heat. Using either a 1 Tbsp or 2 Tbsp measure, scoop out some of the fish cake mixture and put it in the pan. Flatten it slightly to form a disk and cook until browned and crisp on one side. Cook until crisp on the other side and plate with other ingredients.

** Fish Cake Mixture ++ 1/3 cup green or white onion, chopped ++++ 1+2/3 cup mashed potatoes [no milk, no butter] ++++ ¼ tsp dry mustard ++++ salt ++++ pepper ++++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 2 Tbsp milk ++++ 6 oz cooked fish [cod, haddock, salt cod, salmon or a mixture], flaked into small pieces ++

Combine the onion, potatoes, egg, seasonings, and milk, stirring well. Stir in the fish, gently but thoroughly.

Rumbledethumps: 243 calories… 10 g fat… 4 g fiber… 12.6 g protein… 19.5 g carbs… 171.4 mg Calcium… PB GF Hearty meals like this, made with winter vegetables are common in Scotland and Ireland. Families would gather at the table for this meal, and shout “Death to the Red Hag!” The Red Hag was famine. 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.

Jeune Genevois

September 4, 2024September 3, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

On the Thursday following the first Sunday in September, one will find a curious local holiday in Geneva, Switzerland: Jeûne Genevois. It means “Genevan Fast Day”, yet oddly, no one Fasts. Geneva has long been a city of Protestants. When the Protestant Huguenots were persecuted in France in 1567, the Genevans held a Fast Day [that is, literally a day of no eating] in solidarity with the suffering of their brethren. After the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, August 24, 1572, Genevans held another Fast Day, expressing their horror over the event. They made it an annual event. For some reason, plum pie [Tarte aux Pruneaux] became associated with the day, and in time one could eat plum pie on Jeûne Genevois — but nothing else. Eventually, most people forgot about the Fasting, and the holiday, but they kept on eating plum pie on the correct day. In 1966, the City of Geneva declared the day to be a public holiday — banks and schools are closed for sure, but are the bakeries open to sell plum pie? Later in September, the rest of Switzerland holds a “Federal Day of Thanksgiving, Repentance and Prayer”, but Genevans do not observe it. After all, they already had their special day, and ate their pie as well.

Plum Pie has a bit too many calories for a Fast Day, so we will improvise. There will be the beloved plums at breakfast and at dinner. We will not have to improvise or change our Fasting habits: calorie counts will be observed, as well as the holiday.

Plum Crepe: 147 calories… 5 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 18.5 g carbs… 172 mg Calcium… PB This recipe is the breakfast version of a plum dessert from south-western France, where the plum is the queen of fruits.

+++ 1 sweet crepe ++++ ¼ c plain, non-fat yogurt ++++ 1 Tbsp hazelnut meal/flour ++++ ½ black plum ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Plate the crepe. Stir the nut meal into the yogurt and mound it in the center of the crepe. Pit the plum, and place it skin-side up over the yogurt. Bon Appetit.

Roasted Chicken with Plums: 249 calories… 11.4 g fat… 1.6 g fat … 23 g protein… 12.5 g carbs… 21.5 mg Calcium… PB GF The website uncomplicatedchef.com provided this recipe. Not only is it uncomplicated, but it is easy to prepare. The flavor is wonderful – very European. Be sure to serve it every time the plums are ripe. HINT: This recipe serves 3 [three] on a Fast Day. [Two on a Slow Day]

Here is the entire batch, hot from the oven, to serve 3 diners.

Sv 3	Preheat oven to 400 F.
¾ #/12 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs +++++ 2 tsp whole grain mustard ++++ salt ++++ pepper	Cut meat into 12 large pieces. Toss these ingredients in a bowl, combine, let marinate 30 minutes.
10 oz black plums = 6 halves ++++ 4 oz/½ red onion, sliced ++++ 1 T fresh rosemary, chopped +++++ ½ tsp allspice ++++ 1.5 T olive oil	In a separate bowl gently stir these together. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to evenly coat.
Marinated chicken	Place chicken on a baking sheet.
Plums + onions more rosemary	Add plums + onions to baking sheet along with extra rosemary. Roast 20 mins, or until internal temp of chicken = 165F.

F-i-L

September 1, 2024August 31, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

My Father-in-Law was well-known for many things: he was a pediatric allergist; he was a noted breeder of gladioli; he was an artist; and he grew delicious sweet corn. His garden was his pride and joy — Dear Husband, his son, had to do all the weeding — and late summer meals often featured corn on the cob. My Father-in-Law was also handy in the kitchen: it was he, not his wife, who prepared special breakfasts for the family. His mother had trained in French cooking, and he must have learned from her. Perhaps he helped her in the kitchen of the country inn that his family ran. On occasion, he would take over from his wife to cook dinner. Bay scallops were one of his favorite meal for guests, cooked in a huge amount of butter. All in all, he was a very accomplished man of many parts. His patients have all grown up; his flowers have withered; two of his paintings hang on our walls; we still enjoy his recipes, and think about him when we eat corn.

In honor of his birthdate, September 2, we will enjoy his own cornmeal pancakes at breakfast and two of his favorite foods at dinner: scallops and corn together in one succulent meal.

Cornmeal Pancake Breakfast: 303 calories… 11.6 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 7 g protein… 32 g carbs… 72 mg Calcium… PB Pancakes are rarely a diet food, but these delicate delights fit into our guidelines. What a treat.

++++ 2 cornmeal pancakes, recipe for full batch below ++++ 1 chicken breakfast sausage [33 calories] OR 1 oz scrapple ++++ 1 Tbsp maple syrup ++++ Optional: blackish tea = 6 oz black tea with 3 Tbsp skim milk + ½ tsp honey [28 calories] ++++

Prepare the batch of pancakes. TIP: When cooled, wrap the other pancakes in a zipper bag to freeze for subsequent breakfasts. Cook breakfast meat on the griddle with the pancakes until crisp and brown. Plate with the pancakes and drizzle everything with maple syrup. Enjoy your tea with milk and honey.

Makes 12-14 pancakes	Griddle or large cast iron skillet
½ c yellow cornmeal ++++++ ½ c boiling water	Put cornmeal into a 1-Qt measuring cup and pour water over it. Stir briskly until blended.
1 egg, beaten +++++++ ½ c milk	Beat egg in a bowl, and add the milk. Stir/whisk to combine.
¼ c = half a stick butter	Melt butter and add, with egg-milk to the cornmeal-water. Whisk thoroughly until blended and smooth.
½ c white whole wheat flour ++++++ ½ tsp salt ++++++ 1 Tbsp sugar ++++++ 1 Tbsp baking powder	Whisk or sift these together to blend. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth. Let batter sit 15-30 mins – this is an important step.
	Heat griddle to medium-high. Spray it with non-stick spray or smear griddle with a bit of butter.
	Use 3-4 Tbsp batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the top surface of the pancake and break. Then cook on other side.

Scallop & Sweet Corn Pasta: 269 calories… 5 g fat… 4 g fiber… 25 g protein… 32 g carbs… 91 mg Calcium…
PB Kay Chun presented this recipe in the New York Times and it is an absolute winner! We enjoy this every summer, without fail. HINT: The recipe serves 2 [two].

Sv 2
1.5 oz whole wheat orzo pasta	Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Save ½ cup of pasta cooking water.
Heavy spray of PAM +++++ ½ # sea scallops +++++salt & pepper ++++++ 1-2 Tbsp pasta water +++½ tsp EVOO	Heat heavy saute pan on medium and spray with PAM. Dry scallops, season, + add to skillet in a single layer. Sear until golden, ~2 mins on one side. To prevent burning, add some pasta water. Add oil, turn scallops, cook 2 mins. Take from pan.
1 Tbsp lemon juice ++++ 2 Tbsp pasta water	Add juice and pasta water, and stir to lift browned bits in pan.
1 garlic clove	Slice garlic thinly, stir in, and cook ~1 min.
¾ c corn kernels ++++ 2 Tbsp sliced scallions ++++salt + pepper	Add these to skillet, season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until warm, ~4 mins. Liquids will evaporate.
	While corn cooks, cut larger scallops in ½, so pieces are all the same-ish size.
Cooked orzo +++++ scallops ++++ [pasta water]	Put these into pan and heat over low. Cook, stir until most liquid is absorbed, sauce thickens, and everything is warm, ~2 mins. Add water, ad lib.
2 Tbsp Parmi-Reggi cheese +++++ 2 Tbsp basil	Grate cheese. Chop basil. Off heat, stir in these, salt and pepper.
Basil leaves	Divide among bowls, garnish w/ basil.

Ishi

August 28, 2024August 27, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

On August 29, 1911, ‘Ishi’ walked out of the woods near Oroville, California. He was a member of the Yahi branch of the Yana Tribe , who had inhabited the area between the Sacramento River and Lassen Peak for centuries. Encroach-ment on tribal land by Spanish settlers in the early 1800s was followed by an invasion of Americans looking for gold from 1848 on. In 1840, the tribe’s population numbered around 1400. After massacres by gold-seekers in 1846, 1856, 1864-5, 1868, and 1871, the remaining Yahi went into hiding. Disease, accidents, and starvation killed the tribal members, until only Ishi was left. When he emerged from the forest, malnourished, in mourning, and disori-ented, he was taken under the wing of Alfred L. Kroeber who was director of the University of California Museum of Anthropology, then in San Francisco. Kroeber moved the man into the museum, as a ‘consultant’ on Yahi Tribal life and as a permanent exhibit. On weekends, White people would line up to watch Ishi knapp obsidian and make arrows. In his free time, he would hunt on the San Francisco peninsula and in Golden Gate Park. His true name was unknown, since he never spoke it: his people would never tell their name to a stranger, so he was called Ishi, meaning ‘adult man’ in his language. Ishi added to the Museum’s knowledge of the language and songs of the Yana, as well as giving practical demonstrations of Stone Age hunting techniques and tool-making. Was he happy living like that? Did he resent being put on display as ‘the last remaining wild Indian’? We will never know, since his command of English was limited. When he died of tuberculosis in 1916, he was cremated, according to his wishes. At first, his ashes were stored in a cemetery, but later Ishi’s remains were buried secretly in the woods where his tribe had lived.

Our foods honor the agricultural traditions of those tribes of Indigenous People who farmed. Corn, beans, and tomatoes were staple crops, as well as squash. Ishi’s people hunted large and small game, fished, and gathered native plants, such as acorns to eat.

Corn Scramble: 130 calories… 7.6 g fat… 1 g fiber… 10 g protein… 6 g carbs… 44 mg Calcium… PB GF Next time you enjoy corn on the cob for dinner, and cut off some of the kernels, and stir them into the eggs for breakfast. What a fine late summer meal!

1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ 2 Tbsp/ ½ oz cooked corn kernels ++++ 1 Tbsp chives ++++ 1 oz peach 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]

Put the corn and snipped chives into a non-stick pan spritzed with cooking spray for long enough to heat them. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper then pour over the corn and scramble to your liking. Plate with the peach.

Tomato-Corn-Black Bean Dinner: 274 calories… 9 g fat… 16.5 g protein… 34.5 g carbs… 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	Blanch corn 1 min in boiling water. Cool + cut kernels from cob. Put in a microwave-safe bowl.
1 c canned black beans	Drain + rinse beans, and add 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 microwave 45-60 seconds to warm slightly.
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 leftovers in the refrigerator. Freezes well.
	Plate ¾ cup corn salad per serving and arrange meat on top

Claude Debussy

August 21, 2024August 20, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Claude Debussy was born on August 22, 1862. He was named Achille, after his father who was a shop-keeper. At the time of Debussy’s birth, the art style of “Impressionism” was beginning. In time, Debussy would become the leading composer of Impressionistic music. His family was not well-to-do, and his father had revolutionary leanings. During the Franco-Prussian War, Claude and his siblings were taken to Cannes by their mother. His aunt paid for him to have piano lessons there. Meanwhile, his father sided with the Commune in Paris. Their home-grown anti-clerical socialism landed him in prison. A cell-mate was a musician who’s mother took little Claude as a student. He progressed so well, that three years later, at age 10, Debussy was admitted to the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris where he studied for 11 years. Professors and classmates thought him unfriendly and thought his music was strange. Yet Debussy won the coveted Prix de Rome, which permitted him to continue his studies in Italy. Soon, Claude decided that he would write his own kind of music, influenced by German and Russian composers and even by the music of Java. His approach to romance lead him to make liaisons with a string of women, each of whom he discarded abruptly, leading to scandal and social disapproval. He married for the last time in 1905 [after each could divorce a prior spouse]. By 1902, his music was gaining an audience, and his opera Pelléas et Mélisande was a success. Often Debussy’s work would be greeted with scorn, but later earn acclaim — for the same piece of music. His work reflected his love of nature, which lead some critics to call it ‘impressionist‘, although Debussy rejected the term. Still, his Clair de Lune [1890] and La Mer [1905] are so evocative of their subjects that they give the impression of a scene, as if looking at a painting by Monet or Turner.

Musical impressionism is linked to French Composers like Debussy and Ravel. Our foods today are very French and will give you an impression of the flavors of the country. Listen to some Debussy music while you partake.

Breton Breakfast: 195 calories… 14 g fat… 6 g fiber… 10.5 g. protein… 25 g carbs… 104 mg Calcium… NB: The food values shown are for the crepe, egg filling, and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB Here is one way to use the galette/crepe batter which you saw in SLOW DAYS: Crepes and you stored in the freezer. You need one galette per serving. Make some extras for a lunch or dinner later this week. Put some cooked galettes in a zipper bag in the freezer for another time.

1 galette ++++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 oz/3 Tbsp diced tomatoes ++++ 1 Tbsp/1 oz diced artichoke, canned or frozen ++++ 1/3 tsp curry powder [seafarers brought a lot of spices to Brittany’s ports] ++++ 1½ oz apples or applesauce ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Put vegetables and curry in a small sauce pan with any juice still in the tomatoes and cook uncovered until the veg are soft and the liquid has almost evaporated. HINT: do this the night before to save time at breakfast. If your crepe was cooked previously, warm it a little to take off the chill. Cook the egg by frying it in a lightly-oiled non-stick pan. Spoon the vegetable on the crepe, put the egg on top. Hold briefly, if needed, by covering with a domed lid while you pour the beverage and plate the fruit.

Basquaise Chicken: 265 calories… 4 g fat… 4.5 g fiber… 31 g protein… 21.5 g carbs… 87.5 mg Calcium… PB GF Basquaise sauce is a splendid flavor to accompany chicken. Having a batch in the freezer really simplifies meal prep.

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

*BASQUAISE SAUCE: makes 5 cups Excellent for eggs, chicken, fish, pork, polenta. ½ cup = 89 calories 5 g fat 3 g fiber 2 g protein 8 g carbs 21.4 mg Calcium

2 Tbsp olive oil	Heat the oil in a large sauce pan
1 cup onion ++++++ 2 cloves garlic +++++++++ optional: 2 oz Bayonne/Serrano ham/pancetta ++++++3 c./13 oz red bell pepper ++++++3 c./13 oz green bell pepper +++++4 c. tomatoes, seeded	Chop onions. Crush and chop garlic. Dice peppers and tomatoes. If using, dice the meat.Add these ingredients and cook over medium-low heat until peppers are tender, 8-10 minutes.
½ cup red wine +++++ 5 g ‘esplette’ pepper or ground cayenne pepper ++++ 2 tsp fresh thyme +++ ½ tsp salt	Add to the panSimmer 10 minutes more

POLENTA: Sv 12 recipe from Bob’s Red Mill…………….. 12 slices: each slice = 43 calories… 0.2 g fat… 1 g fiber 1 g protein… 9 g carbs… 0 mg Calcium

1 cup dry polenta ++++ 3 c water or vegetable stock ++++ 1 tsp salt

Bring salted water/stock to a boil in a 2-qt saucepan. Add the polenta, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition. Once all polenta is in the water, turn down the heat to its lowest [I used the smallest burner on its lowest setting] and cook 30 minutes. Stir often to prevent lumps, to scrape down the sides, and to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Unlike risotto, it does not need constant stirring. After 30 minutes, polenta will be very thick – the spoon should stand up by itself. Then cook 2-3 minutes more. Brush a very thin layer of oil on a 9×13” baking pan, and turn the polenta into it. Nudge polenta into corners and smooth out the top. Let it cool as the polenta solidifies. Before serving, cut into 12 squares. Heat a non-stick skillet and spray with cooking spray. Cook the polenta portions until they begin to take on a little color and are heated through. Individually wrap pieces and freeze cooked or uncooked, until needed.

Saute the chicken in a large pan spritzed with cooking spray, until it is almost cooked through. At this point, add the Basquaise sauce to the pan on one side of the meat and the polenta slice on the other side. Cover pan and continue to warm over very low heat. Cook the vegetables and plate them. Plate the chicken and spread with the mustard. Top with the sauce and plate the polenta. Simple and delicious.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	1.5 two-oz eggs
Camembert cheese	corn kernels
nutmeg + Dijon mustard	chives
strawberries or apples	peach
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

150-calorie fajita shell or wrap	left-over beef steak + tomato
roasted garlic + frozen spinach	corn [from the cob!] + basil
plain, fat-free yogurt	canned black beans + red onion
tomato + Parmesan cheese	oil + red wine vinegar
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

The Elements: Earth

August 18, 2024August 16, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

In Aristotle’s view, the 4 Elements are described by the 4 Properties.

A characteristic of humans is that we want to understand how things work and why. The Sicilian/Greek philosopher Empedocles in the fifth century BCE proposed that all things were made of 4 Roots: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Plato later called them ‘elements’, believing that the smallest unit of matter was an element. [Later, that smallest unit was called an ‘atom’.] In the fourth century BCE, the Athenian philosopher Aristotle [384-322 BCE] made careful observations of the natural world to try to figure out why things were as they were. He concluded that the natural world was composed of combinations of five basic elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether. The first four made up earthly things, while Ether made up celestial objects: the sun, planets, stars. Items that contained the Earth element had the properties of being cold and dry and solid and heavy. As a Platonic Solid, the Earth Element’s shape was a cube. Rocks and soil were made of 100% of the Earth Element. This is why a rock will fall to the ground if you throw it: the rock returns to its Element. Humans and land mammals were mostly Earth [they walked on the ground and decayed into soil upon death], although they also contained Fire, since they were warm-bodied. The Earth Element was associated with agriculture and fertility; with Autumn and melancholy; with goddesses such as Demeter and Ceres. This is how we got “Mother Earth”. Our planet is named after the Element, because agriculture depended on it. The 4 Elements were such a clever idea, that the concept endured for generations, until it was replaced by the thinking of Paracelsus (1493-1541). Eventually, scientists found out more about chemistry and biology, and the idea of the 4 Elements was discarded.

Foods are described as having an ‘earthy’ flavor. It is deep and rich and savory. Mushrooms and beets form the basis of our breakfast and our dinner, as we savor the flavor of the Earth Element.

Egg-Mushroom Galette/Crepe: 153 calories… 6 g fat… 2 g fiber… 9 g protein… 17 g carbs… 39 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods only, not the optional beverages… PB This is yummy. The eggs are creamy, the mushrooms are earthy, and the crepe is nutty.

1 galette/savory crepe ++++ one 2-oz egg ++++ 1 oz mushrooms, chopped ++++ 1 Tbspchives, chopped ++++ 1 tsp thyme ++++ generous dash of granulated garlic ++++ 1 oz strawberry OR ½ oz apple ++++ 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]

Warm the galette. Spritz the non-stick saute pan with oil or spray and gently cook the mushrooms. Put the chives, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in with the egg and beat it up. Scramble lightly with the mushrooms, keeping the eggs moist. Turn egg out on the crepe and fold the galette over the egg. Plate the fruit. Sip your beverages and have a very fine day.

Baltic Dinner: 293 calories… 5.5 g fat… 7 g fiber… 6.6 g fiber … 13 g protein… 33 g carbs… 86.4 mg Calcium… GF Believe it or not, this diet dinner is adapted from the book Two Fat Ladies Obsessions. The meal has wonderful Eastern European flavors and is so simple to prepare that once I assembled it in 16 minutes!!

++ 1.5 low-fat hot dogs [I like Hebrew National reduced-fat] ++++ ½ cup canned sauerkraut ++++ ¼ c pickled beets, drained ++++ ¼ c sliced onions ++++ ½ tsp horseradish ++++ 2 Tbsp canned white beans, drained and rinsed ++

Put the hot dogs [frozen or thawed] and onions in a saucepan with a little water or some juice from the sauerkraut. Heat until the dogs are cooked and most of the liquid is evaporated. Remove the dogs and add remaining ingredients to the pan to heat. Cut hot dogs into 5-6 pieces and put them back in the pan until all ingredients are heated through.

Cleopatra

August 11, 2024August 10, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

What do you know about Cleopatra? If you are basing it on Shakespeare’s play or the Elizabeth Taylor film, then you are perhaps under informed. Was she beautiful? Maybe. Did she sleep her way to the top? Nope. Was she just another pretty face? No way! Cleopatra VII was the descendant of a long line of pharaohs of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. They were really from Macedonia in Greece, but they had ruled Egypt for 10 generations. When her father died, 20-year-old Cleopatra and her 10-year-old brother became co-rulers. Following tradition, the siblings married — to keep it all in the family. [He died a few years later, and another brother was co-ruler.] As pharaoh, Cleopatra was a shrewd politician and tactician, steering the country through famine and into a stable economy. Her undoing was the fault of the Roman Empire and its succession struggles. Julius Caesar’s government had been threatened by rival Pompey, until the latter was murdered in Egypt at the Ptolemaian palace. The Romans invaded Egypt, and Cleopatra decided to side with the winner. She flirted, and she won his heart. Cleopatra and Caesar ruled together, and had a son, Caesarion. On the side, her brother was challenging her rule, so Caesar disposed of him. After Caesar’s assassination, there was competition between the dead ruler’s son Octavian and his father’s protege, Mark Antony. They divided the empire, with Antony taking the East — and Cleopatra too. They had three children together. At last, Octavian attacked the pair, at sea and on land. Seeing the end was near, Antony killed himself. Cleopatra committed suicide on August 12, 30 BCE, no doubt with poison, rather than an asp. How do male historians deal with strong, capable women? By reviling them as evil, wanton temptresses who corrupt men. Now you know the truth. Take it as you will.

Egyptian peasants ate bread and drank beer made from bread. The nobility ate a wide variety of fruits and dairy products, along with poultry and fish. Our breakfast is made entirely of foods known to ancient Egyp-tians, including the fruit and yogurt in the Berry Lassi. The dinner is similarly full of favorites of that era.

Cleopatra’s Breakfast: 187 calories… 8.5 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 19 g protein… 33.5 g carbs… 301 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB This meal is based on foods eaten by aristocrats in ancient Egypt. The salty cheese is a good foil to the sweet melon. Be sure to purchase whole-grain pita at 65-75 calories, or cut one to fit our requirements. To add some more Egyptian flavors, serve with the Berry Lassi, even thought that recipe is from India.

Whole-grain pita bread [75 calories or less] ++++ 5 oz watermelon, rind removed ++++ 1 oz halloumi ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] or or Berry Lassi [89 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Put the halloumi on a dry [ungreased] cast iron pan over medium-high heat and cook it until it is browned on both sides. Plate with the fruit and bread.

Cleopatra’s Supper: 292 calories… 7.6 g fat… 5 g fiber… 25.5 g protein… 30 g carbs… 59.4 mg Calcium… PB GF Ancient Egyptian nobles partook of a variety of foods, and four of them appear in this simple but delicious meal.

++++ One 2-oz hard-cooked egg ++++ ½ c chickpeas, drained ++++ 2 deglet noor dates ++++ 2 oz chicken breast, cooked ++++

Dice the egg and chop the dates. Cube the chicken and put everything in a bowl. Dust lightly with salt, and gently mix it all together before serving

Dominicans

August 8, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Monasticism flourished within the Christian Church in the post-Roman era in Europe. Monks and nuns belonged to different ‘orders‘, each with its own name and rules. One such group was the Dominicans who were approved by the Church in 1215. The order takes its name from its founder, Dominic de Guzman, who had been sent from Spain to southern France to preach. First, he set up a convent for women who had converted due to his preaching. Then he decided to train religious men to be good preachers, and what’s more, to have the learning to preach effectively. Because of this, the group called themselves the Order of Preachers. Before that, preaching was the privilege of bishops only. Dominic began with 16 members who agreed to live as mendicant friars: that is, men who traveled about [instead of living in monasteries] and who lived in poverty, accepting hand-outs from others. The group wore white robes covered by black capes and, in time, they came to be known as the Black Friars. The order valued learning, so soon the major universities of Europe had Dominicans on site. A smudge on the order’s reputation came with the Inquisition, when the Dominicans were the prosecutors. They were also prominent missionaries during the colonial era of European domination. Theologists, philosophers, educators, there have been many famous Dominicans in the past, and the order continues today around the world.

Because the Dominicans eschewed meat, our meals derive their protein from eggs at breakfast and from cheese and nuts at dinner. Both meals are from Southern France, where the Dominicans were founded.

Basquaise Sauce ScrOmelette: 153 calories… 9 g fat… 1 g fiber… 10 g protein… 2.5 g carbs… 50 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Basquaise Sauce takes eggs to a new level and it is so easy to use if you already have a batch in the refrigerator or freezer.

1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ 2 rounded Tbsp Basquaise Sauce** ++++ 1 oz apples Or ¼ cup blueberries ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Heat a non-stick saute pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper to taste and pour into the pan. As the eggs just begin to set, spread the Basquaise Sauce over half of the egg. Fold and continue cooking to your liking. Plate with the fruit and serve the beverage of your choice. Have a spicy day.

**BASQUAISE SAUCE: makes 5 cups ½ cup = 89 calories 5 g fat 3 g fiber 2 g protein 8 g carbs 21.4 mg Calcium Excellent for eggs, chicken, fish, pork, polenta.

2 Tbsp olive oil	Heat the oil in a large sauce pan
1 cup onion +++++ 2 cloves garlic +++++ optional: 2 oz Bayonne/Serrano ham/pancetta +++++ 3 c./13 oz red bell pepper +++++ 3 c./13 oz green bell pepper +++++4 c. tomatoes, seeded	Chop onions. Crush and chop garlic. Dice peppers and tomatoes. If using, dice the meat. Add these ingredients and cook over medium-low heat until peppers are tender, 8-10 minutes.
½ cup red wine +++++ 5 g ‘esplette’ pepper or ground cayenne pepper ++++ 2 tsp fresh thyme ++++ ½ tsp salt	Add these to the pan. Simmer 10 minutes more

Pear & Bleu Cheese Salad: 277 calories… 18 g fat… 5 g fiber… 17 g protein… 22 g carbs… 215 mg Calcium… PB GF Such a delightful melange of flavors!

2½ cups mesclun [baby greens] ++++ 2 oz pears ++++ 1 oz bleu cheese, sliced or crumbled ++++ 1½ oz tomato, cubed or cherry-type ++++ ¼ oz walnuts ++++ 1 oz cannelli beans, rinsed, drained ++++ 1 tsp olive oil ++++ ¾ tsp white Balsamic vinegar

Toast the walnuts by putting them in a heavy, dry pan and tossing/stirring over medium-high until the nuts become fragrant and slightly browned. Whisk oil and vinegar in a wide, shallow bowl. Add the white beans and the salad greens along with a pinch of finishing salt. Toss to coat with the dressing. Put onto the serving plate and garnish with the remaining ingredients. Amazing.

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

60 calories whole-wheat pita bread	3 two-oz eggs
watermelon	sugar + rice vinegar
halloumi cheese	soy sauce + funikake
Berry Lassi	cucumber + chives
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

cooked chicken breast	purchased Chinese dumplings: pork, chicken
2-oz hard-boiled egg	hoisin sauce
deglet noor dates	black vinegar
chickpeas	bok choy + soy sauce
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Toni Morrison

August 4, 2024August 2, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Chloe Wofford was born in 1931 in Ohio. Her neighborhood and schools were not segregated, yet racism was all around. At age 12, Chloe became a Catholic and took Anthony of Padua as her baptismal name. From then on, she was called “Toni”. She loved to read and at high school she participated in drama and the yearbook staff. Undergraduate studies at Howard University showed her other types of segregation, both on campus and in Washington, DC. Next came a Masters Degree, then teaching in Texas and at Howard where Toni met her hus-band. Despite divorcing after six years, she kept his last name, becoming Toni Morrison. While working as a fiction editor, Morrison wrote and published her first novel, the Bluest Eye, in 1970. By her third work in 1981, Toni was acclaimed as a writer of note and could quit her day job. Her most famous novel Beloved was made into a film and was the basis of an opera. Over her career, Chloe had many firsts: 1st member of her family to attend college; 1st Black woman to win Nobel Prize in literature; 1st Black person to earn a chair at an Ivy League university. Morrison often said that her real self was Chloe Wofford — that Toni Morrison was her writer’s name, not who she really was. Whatever her name was, Chloe/ Toni Wofford/ Morrison was a force in American Literature up until her death on August 5, 2019.

Morrison wrote about food a lot. It was a metaphor for love and life and the Black experience. Our breakfast is an old staple of Black Southern cuisine, and the dinner is for the author’s enjoyment of fish and fresh vegetables throughout her lifetime.

Hoe Cakes with Fruit & Egg: 183 calories… 5.6 g fat… 5.4 g fiber… 9.5 g protein… 23 g carbs… 44 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF This recipe harks back to Colonial Days in the American South. Everyone from enslaved people to President George Washington ate hoe cakes. HINT: This recipe makes 6 hoecakes – enough for 2 servings of 3 each. Originally this would be made with white cornmeal, but the yellow has more nutrition. NB: Hoe cakes were never ‘cooked on a hoe’ by farm workers, as some claim. Silly notion.

3 Tbsp yellow cornmeal – even polenta meal would do +++++ 2.5 Tbsp hot water	Combine by stirring well to make a mush.Let sit for 15 minutes
1 oz egg white ++++++ ¼ tsp yeast	Stir into the warm cornmeal mush and let sit for 1 – 12 hours.This was 125 ml in volume
2 Tbsp cornmeal +++++ 2 Tbsp water +++++ ¼ tsp salt	Mix into the cornmeal mush. If you take some up on a fork, it will sit on top with a little batter dribbling through. If it is not like this, add more cornmeal or more water. This was ½ cup in volume.
	Using 2 tbsp of batter per cake, drop onto a hot griddle sprayed with non-stick spray. This should make 6 cakes. Cook on both sides. Best if eaten while fresh.
¼ cup raspberries ++++ 1 tsp honey ++++ one 2-oz egg	Put the fruit and honey in a small dish and microwave for 30 seconds.Fry the egg.
Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]	Plate 2 of the Hoecakes with the egg and the other with the berry syrup.Pour with your beverage of choice.

Dear Husband enjoyed this very much and so will you.

Fish Roasted with Summer Vegetables: 288 calories… 5.6 g fat… 8 g fiber… 30 g protein… 18 g carbs… 186 mg Calcium… PB GF Delicious one-pan meal. AND it is low in calories and fat. Can you believe that a women’s magazine had a similar recipe for 425 calories!!

4 oz pollock or other white fish ++++ ½ slice [0.2 oz] American/streaky bacon ++++ 3 oz zucchini in ½” chunks ++++ 3 oz string beans, cut in half ++++ 3 oz eggplant, cut in cubes ++++ 3 oz cherry tomatoes, cut in half ++++ 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese ++++

Set the oven at 450 F. Cook the bacon in an 8” oven-proof pan, such as cast iron. Remove bacon, chop it and set aside. Put the prepared vegetables in the pan and toss to coat with the bacon fat. Salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove the pan of vegetables from the oven. If you think they will need more cooking, put them back in for 2-3 minutes. They will not be cooked through at this point. Turn oven down to 400 degrees F. Move the vegetables aside so the fish will sit on the hot pan, with the vegetables next to it. Salt and pepper the fish. Return the pan to the oven and bake 5-10 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fish. Sprinkle the entire contents of the pan with Parmesan cheese and bacon. You could eat it right from the pan.

	me on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Mya on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Peter Eppig on Robert Gould Shaw
	me on 10 Years of FASTing
	Karen Loudon on 10 Years of FASTing

Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet."

Join me in following the Fasting Lifestyle, with recipes & tips

Eating well with creative recipes while following the Fast Diet

Francois, premier

Famine

Jeune Genevois

F-i-L

Ishi

Claude Debussy

The Elements: Earth

Cleopatra

Dominicans

Toni Morrison

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