Lammas Returns

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.

It is fun to have special occasions to punctuate the year. Ancient people, who told time by the sun and its position in the sky, observed that twice a year, the day and night were the same length [we call those “equinoxes”]; and that one day was exceptionally long and one day was equally short [we call those “solstices”]. They held great holidays at those times, to honor the sun. Then, half-way between those days, there were other holidays, giving eight in total, spaced through the year at 1.5 month intervals. Lammas, the Harvest Festival, is one of the four minor celebrations. Since the early Christian church had a way of preempting the non-Christian festivals, the former Celtic holiday of Lughnasa became “Our Lady’s Mass” or “Loaf Mass” [the word ‘lady’ means ‘loaf-kneader’], which was slurred into “Lammas”. The celebration of Lammas begins on August 1st and lasts 2-3 days. Celebrate!

The Lammas festival is all about the harvest, especially grains. If it weren’t a FAST Day, we would enjoy Lammas Bread — but we can have that tomorrow since Lammas is a multi-day occasion! Today we will indulge in ripe summer vegetables, at breakfast and at dinner — and even include a hearty slice of whole-grain bread.

Broccoli-Olive-Tomato ScrOmelette: 150 calories… 8 g fat… 2 g fiber… 13 g protein… 9 g carbs… 91 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beveragesPB GF Sometimes things in the ‘fridge say, “Put us in eggs for breakfast.” Who am I to deny their wishes?

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 oz broccoli +++++ 1 Tbsp cottage cheese ++++ 1 oz tomato ++++ ½ black olive ++++ ¾ tsp Parmesan cheese ++++ pinch of basil ++++ 2 oz strawberries ++++   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]

Dice the tomato and drain in a strainer, overnight if possible. Drain the cottage cheese overnight if it is very liquid. Steam the broccoli and chop it finely. Chop the black olive. Into a hot saute pan spritzed with non-stick spray, add the tomato, broccoli, and olive. Stir until warmed. Whisk the eggs with the cottage cheese and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Scramble or fold as an omelette, hence ScrOmelette, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Prepare the beverages and plate the berries. Bliss.

Sicilian Caponata: 282 calories… 14.5 g fat… 9 g fiber… 8 g protein… 35 g carbs… 95.5 mg Calcium… PB  GF – If using GF bread  From Jamie Oliver, a taste of Summer in Sicily. Lots of fresh vegetables go into this meal, and it is delicious. Do not be put off by the high fat content: the olives and almonds contribute most of it, and those are healthy fats.

True to form, I forgot to add the garnishes! It was still delicious…
Adaptation = 2 cupsHeat oven to 400 F.
2 tsp olive oil ++++++ 2 c eggplants, in ¾” chunks ++++1 tsp dried oregano/Italian herbs ++++++ Sea saltPut eggplant and seasonings on a small, rimmed baking sheet or on a cast iron skillet. Drizzle with oil and stir to mix. Roast 10 MINS. Take from oven.
½ cup red onion ++++++ 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced ++++ ½ small bunch flat-leaf parsleyFinely chop onion + parsley.In saute pan on cooktop, cook these 2 mins in cooking spray.
1 Tbsp capers, drained +++++6 pitted black olives ++++ 1-2 T. herb vinegarAdd these to the pan, and cook until vinegar evaporates.
16 oz ripe tomatoes, OR 1½ c. canned diced ++++ cooked eggplantRoughly chop tomatoes, add to pan with eggplant, simmer 15 mins until tomatoes are tender.Take off heat.
Parsley leaves ++++++ 2 T. slivered almondsLightly toast almonds. Add pepper/ salt/vinegar to taste, top with these.
1 oz Wh-grain bread Serve on bread Or on pasta OR as a side dish 

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

1 two-oz egg = US large + egg white1.5 two-oz eggs 
yellow corn meal Basquaise Sauce: bell pepper + tomato + garlic >>>>
yeast + honey>>onion + red wine + esplette pepper + thyme
raspberriesblueberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

4 oz pollock or white fish/servingsalad greens + pear
bacon + Parmesan cheesebleu cheese + walnuts
cauliflower or broccoli + carrotscannelli beans + tomato
Brussel sprouts + cherry tomatoesolive oil + white balsamic vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Tainan

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.

In the 1500s, Portuguese traders in western Asia sailed past an “Ilha Formosa,” or beautiful island. Had they stopped there, they would have found it inhabited by indigenous Austronesian people who had been there for 15,000 years. Life on the island changed in 1624, when ships from the Dutch East India Company landed. Their goal was to establish a trading foot-hold in Asia, so they built Fort Zeelandia on land that they called ‘Taiwan’ — perhaps derived from the native Sirayan word for ‘meeting place’. The city that grew up around the fort became Tainan, the oldest city of the island nation of Taiwan. Meeting place indeed! Although the Dutch controlled the island, in 1661 waves of Chinese from Fujian arrived. Twenty years later, the Qing Dynasty of China extended its dominion over the land. From 1895-1945, the Japanese were in charge. Then in 1949, Chang Kai Shek and his anti-Communist followers arrived. Since then, the island has been called the Republic of China, although the government on the Chinese mainland does not accept their independence. Every time a new ethnic group took over, a new language would be imposed on the citizens. Today, there is an effort to revive the indigenous languages. Tainan City has the oldest Confucius Temple [1665] and the oldest Mazu Temple [1683] on the island. The city is known for its ancient streets and houses, as well as for its lively street food scene. All this year, Tainan will be celebrating its 400th anniversary with festivals, exhibitions, and special events.

For the Dutch, who started it all, a very Dutch Breakfast. For dinner, a very Taiwanese shrimp dish. Happy Birthday, Tainan.

Dutch Breakfast 210 calories… 10 g fat… 3.6 g fiber… 14 g protein… 16 g carbs… 164.5 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. GF – if using GF bread  This meal is inspired by a breakfast I enjoyed in Amsterdam in 1969. It was memorable because it is so good. Dear Husband’s opinion? “This is one of my favorite Fast breakfasts.”

++++ one 2-oz egg, hard-boiled or coddled HINT: the hardboiled egg can be made days before  ++++ ½ oz ham, 3% fat ++++ ½ of an Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich Thin [50 cal] OR ½ slice 70-cal multi-grain bread [35 cal] OR one “Holland Rusk [30 cal] ++++ [½ oz cube] Jarlsberg cheese [if you used less bread, you could have more cheese] ++++ 2 oz fresh peach or melon OR 1.5 oz apple or pear ++++ Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++OR ++Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [75 calories] ++++

Warm the ham in a skillet, toast the bread, prepare your beverage, slice the fruit, cube the cheese. Are you ready to savor?

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]. Enjoy the other half of the recipe warm or cool for lunch or dinner later this week.

2 servings Non-stick skillet. Wok.
2 oz rice vermicelliSoak in cold water until softened, 5-10 mins. Drain, save water and warm it. 
2 dried shiitakesSoak until hydrated + softened, ~10 mins. Drain, reserving water. Slice ¼” thick.
Cooking spray +++++ 1 two-oz egg, lightly beatenHeat skillet over medium, spray with PAM. Add egg, swirl to create a thin, even layer. Cook until set + cooked through, ~1 min. Remove egg, cool, slice thinly. 
1 tsp oil ++++++ 2 T shallot, thinly sliced ++++++ soaked mushrooms Put a wok on stove + raise heat to medium-high. Add these and 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, shreddedAdd cabbage to wok. Season + cook, stirring,  1-2 mins until slightly wilted.
4 oz shrimp +++++++ 1 Tbsp soy sauce ++++ drained vermicelli ++++++soaking waterCut shrimp in pieces and add to wok with soy sauce, 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.
½ tsp white pepper +++++++ Reserved cooked egg  +++ cilantroSeason with pepper, add reserved egg and stir to combine. Serve topped with chopped cilantro.

Religions: Baha’i Faith

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.

The early 1800s, were a time of religious ‘awakening’ around the world. In North America: Adventists, Shakers, and Latter-Day Saints. In Europe: Revival movements occurred. In Persia [modern Iran], Siyyid ‘Alí-Muhammad was a merchant who might well have been unaware of religious stirrings in other lands. In the spring of 1844, he met a traveler at the gates of his city of Shiraz, and invited him home for dinner. They talked all night, delighted to find in each other a kindred spirit in their views of life and spirituality. The next morning, Siyyid declared that he was the “gate [‘Bab’] to God”, that soon 17 other people would spontaneously recognize him as such, and that this would be the start of a new phase of religion. To them, he preached about the unifying of all the world’s religions and that people would live in peace, prosperity, and spiritual harmony. The words of “The Bab” spread widely. He was not the one to lead the people to this new world, but another would arise. Clerics all over Persia called for his death, which happened by firing squad in 1850. After the Bab’s death, his disciple, a young nobleman named Mírzá Husayn ‘Alí, declared himself to be the one who would manifest the teachings of the new religion. He was given the name Bahá’u’lláh (“the Glory of God” in Arabic], and he is the founder of the Bahá’í Faith. The founder was imprisoned in turn, then exiled from Iran. He spent the rest of his life writing and teaching while in an out of prisons. Bahá’u’lláh’s many writings set forth the new religion’s laws and beliefs: unity of the races; equality of men and women; elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth; harmony of science and religion; and several other ideas. Despite pogroms in the past which killed tens of thousands of Bahá’ís, today there are 5 million faith members world-wide, and they are the largest religious minority in Iran.

On July 25, 1942, the Bahá’í Faith arrived in Jamaica in the person of Dr. Malcolm King. Since 2003, that date is celebrated as Bahá’í Day. To celebrate, we feature the flavors of the Caribbean at breakfast, and a traditional Persian meal at dinner.

Caribbean Breakfast: 228 calories… 7.4 g fat… 4.4 g fiber… 5 g protein… 40 g carbs… 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 [NB: that’s correct: there is NO leavening. I think there should be… Use your judgement]

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 1½“ 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.

Persian Chicken Kababs: 282 calories… 9 g fat… 4 g fiber… 24.5 g protein… 27 g carbs… 69 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread or none When served as a street food, ‘Jujeh Kabab’ is popular in Iran. The recipe is adapted from one found at tappersia.com.  HINT: serves 2 [two].

Sv 2
2 T. saffron in ¼ c hot watersteep saffron in a bowl with water until cool.
6 oz chicken breastcut chicken in 1” pieces, add to saffron 
1 onions, cut in large chunks +++++ saltSprinkle salt on cut onion. In a bowl, knead onion chunks with hands until softened. Add to chicken.
¼ tsp red pepper ++++ ¼ tsp black pepper ++++ 1 tsp turmeric +++ 1 tsp paprika ++2 T. plain, nonfat yogurtAdd spices to yogurt, and toss well with chicken pieces. Put in ‘fridge 1 hour
1 T. olive oil ++++ Add to chicken, stir it all, refrigerate 4-12 hrs.
1 bell pepper, cut in 1” chunksPut chicken on skewers, alternating with bell pepper and onion chunks, until all are used.
Grill over charcoal or gas or broil.
1 oz lavash bread per servingUse lavash to nudge the foods off the skewers, then eat it all.

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

1 hard-boiled two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
Holland Rusk  or 50 calories whole grain breadbroccoli + tomato
3%-fat ham + Jarlsberg cheeseblack olive + 2%-fat cottage cheese
melon or appleParmesan cheese + strawberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

rice vermicelli + raw shrimpeggplant + oregano + red onion + capers
dried shiitake mushrooms + peanut oilItalian parsley + garlic + black olives
shallot + carrot + cabbage + 2-oz eggherb vinegar + 1# ripe tomatoes
soy sauce + pepper + cilantro/parsleyslivered almonds + artisan whole-grain bread/pasta
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Edward Hopper

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. Welcome to travelexotica who is now Following.

Edward Hopper was of the ‘Realist’school of painting. He was born on July 22, 1882, as the Impressionists’ new style was sweeping the art world. Depicting the “world as it was” had been a style in the US since John Copley in the 1700s. It progressed through the landscapes of the Hudson River School to the in-your-face realism of George Bellows. By the time Hopper visited Paris in 1906, Cubism and Abstract art were on the rise. After art school classes steeped in the Old Masters, he found the Impressionists to be a revelation, changing his color choices and brush strokes as a result. But water lilies and fields of flowers with lovely women were not Hopper’s subject matter. In the 1920-30s, his work began to gain notice, due in part to Early Sunday Morning which made a splash with its strong lines and colors. His work is about isolation and loneliness. And mystery. Whether we see people in their apartment [as if we glimpse them from the elevated train as it flies by], or a house at dusk, the mood is brooding, as if something is going to happen. He and his wife Jo divided their time between New York City and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Painting in oil or watercolor, Hopper pursued his muse in an effort to escape boredom. He enjoyed painting houses, with windows and doors [and the view in or out] taking a major role in the scene. In Hopper’s best-known work, Nighthawks, we look into the diner, as if from a 1st floor window, through the diner’s huge plate-glass windows. The people can’t see us and do not know that they are being watched — would it matter to them? Such is the emotional tug of Hopper’s work. Dear Husband and I are big fans. To the end, he considered himself an Impressionist.

Why a “Winter Solstice Bake” for Edward Hopper? Because of the cold, thin, wintry light that illuminates his paintings. And for dinner? A meal for the Nighthawks at the diner.

Winter Solstice Bake: 141 calories… 7.6 g fat… 1.3 g fiber… 9 g protein… 12 g carbs… 51 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beveragesPB GF  For the change of the seasons, a meal to mark the occaision. The olives represent Autumn and the cured meat evokes Winter. A great combination any time.

One 2-oz egg ++++ ¼ oz proscuitto ++++ 2 Kalamata olives ++++ 1 clementine ++++ pinch of winter savory or rosemary ++++ 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]

Chop the meat and the olives. Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs. Stir in the meat and olives, and pour into the ramekin. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit and pour the beverage of choice

Meatloaf: 236 calories… 11 g fat… 5 g fiber… 23.5 g protein… 13.4 g carbs… 40 mg Calcium… PB Here it is – meatloaf, the kind my mother used to make and you can eat it on a FAST DAY! Amazing!

one 3-oz slice of meatloaf** ++++++ ½ cup peas +++++ 2 Tbsp beef gravy 

Prepare and bake the meatloaf. Slice into 6 pieces. Plate and enjoy one serving now, with peas and gravy, of course. Cool, wrap and freeze the remainder for a Slow Day or another FAST Day.

**Meatloaf one 18-oz loaf Makes 6 slices, serves 6
½ of a whisked egg [0.9 oz] ++++ 3 Tbsp milk +++++ 1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs, NOT dried ++++++ 2 Tbsp minced onion +++++ ½ pound [8 oz] ground beef ++++ ¼ pound [4 oz] ground veal +++++ ¼ pound [4 oz] ground lean pork ++++ 1 tsp salt + pinch of pepper Combine the ingredients thoroughly. Pat gently into an ungreased 4×8” loaf pan. 
Bake 20 minutes at 350 F.
Pour off and discard any fat before removing from pan. 

Nelson Mandela

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.

He was born as Rolihlahla Mandela on July 18, 1918, in village called Mvezo. When he was in elementary school, his teacher gave all the children a “Christian” name, so henceforth he was called “Nelson.” As Nelson grew older, native Africans became more and more disenfranchised by the White minority government. Black people were crowded into ‘reserves’, and voting rights were taken away. After his father’s death, the 9-year-old Nelson was sent to live with another family. He completed secondary education and was enrolled in the only Black college in South Africa. Nelson enjoyed everything at Fort Hare University College — the athletics, the scholarship, the friendships — all except the food. For participating in a demonstration for better meals, he was booted out. Life in Johannesburg lead to meeting a wider circle of people who also wanted more rights for the Blacks. He began to study the law and married for the first time. In 1948, the government of South Africa imposed apartheid with its draconian segregation rules. Mandela co-founded the only black-owned law firm in the country and was a member of the African National Congress [founded in 1912]. An arrest in 1956, lead to the end of his first marriage, but during the trial, Mandela met and married Winifred Madikizela. He became more convinced that peaceful resistance would not work against apartheid, although he never committed violence. In 1961, he was arrested again, for treason and inciting rebellion. Put on trial with fellow ANC leaders, they might have faced the death penalty. In his statement from the dock, Mandela said, “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” He was sent to Robben Island Prison for 18 of his 26 years of imprisonment, where he demonstrated great stoicism and dignity. Mandela’s release in 1990 was heralded the world around. The next year, apartheid was annulled after decades of inter-national condemnation, and he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with FW de Klerk. In 1994, Mandela was elected as the first freely-elected president of the Union of South Africa — who else could they possibly have chosen?

For breakfast, a South African favorite that incorporates corn — the American type which was introduced in the 17th century. When Mandela and his fellow Africans suffered under laws that oppressed “Blacks”, we must remember that the laws lumped all ‘non-whites’ in together, including the many immigrants from India. For dinner, a food typical of India. You can add a little corn to it, to make it more African. July 18 is International Nelson Mandela Day.

Mealie Bread Breakfast: 190 calories… 2.5 g fat … 3 g fiber… 13.4 g protein… 25.4 g carbs… 73 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF – if using GF flour in mealie bread  Mealie bread [meaning ‘made from corn’] is a staple all over southern Africa. It is simple to prepare and you will like it. Here it is part of a breakfast containing four typically African foods and flavors.

3 Mealie Breads** ++++ 4 oz watermelon ++++ 1½ oz chicken breast meat, cooked ++++  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

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.

**Mealie Bread:  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 Southern Africa is the land of Mealie Bread. I cooked it as patties, scooped onto a griddle.
A 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.

Tandoori Chicken and Vegetables: 265 calories… 5 g fat… 9 g fiber… 20 g protein… 32.6 g carbs… 99.5 mg Calcium… PB GF TIP: You can buy jars of tandoori sauce in most supermarkets. Be sure it does not contain corn syrup or sweeteners. Aim for 70-80 calories/quarter cup

2 oz chicken, cooked or raw ++++ ½ cup eggplant, cubed ++++ 2 oz broccoli ++++ 2 oz bell peppers, cut in chunks ++++ 2 oz zucchini, sliced or cubed ++++ 2 oz carrots, sliced ¼” thick or use ‘baby carrots’ cut in quarters ++++ ¼ cup brown rice, cooked ++++ ¼ c tandoori sauce, store-bought ++++ ++++ 2 Tbsp plain, non-fat yogurt ++++

Cook the vegetables together in a little water until they are tender. Add the chicken and the sauce. Warm it all. If the chicken is raw, be sure to cook it through. Either stir the yogurt into the sauce or serve it atop the meal. Plate the brown rice [warm it if cold] and serve the chicken and vegetables on top. Perfect for eating on a hot night or a cold one.

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

1 two-oz egg = US largemango + pineapple + vegetable oil
kalamata olivesplantains + goat cheese
clementinegrated unsweetened coconut + butter
winter savory or rosemarywhite whole wheat flour
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

egg ++ non-fat milksaffron + chicken breast
onion ++ lean ground beefonion + red pepper flakes + black pepper
ground veal +++ lean ground porkturmeric + paprika + olive oil
peas +++ beef gravyyogurt + bell pepper + lavash bread
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Going Green

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.

What does ‘green’ mean to you? Is green the color of envy? Green is the color of money. Does it evoke nature? To the physicist, green is a wave of visible light who’s length is 495–570 nm. To the envi-ronmentalist, ‘going green‘ means that you do what you can, at home or on the road, using green energy for a sustainable future. Ask a politician about the Green Party, just to see what they will say. Green is the particular color of Islam, found on flags and mentioned in the Quran. Artists know that green is a color made of varying combinations of yellow and blue, which makes it a ‘secondary’ color. Green is considered to be soothing. Hospital walls are painted green, as are the rooms back-stage to calm down the actors. Pastoral villages used to have a ‘green’ in the center, where townspeople could pasture their cows or outdoor meetings could be held. Green is the color of safety, as a green traffic light means that it is safe to proceed. A ‘Green Card‘ in the USA gives the holder permission to live and work in the country, even though they are not citizens. Green means many things to many people. It is my favorite color, even though Kermit The Frog said that its not that easy being green

Our meals today feature two famously green food items: avocados and spinach. These meals are so good that others will envy your choices, but you will eat them with calm because they are beneficial for your health.

Guacamole Eggs: 145 calories… 11.4 g fat… 1 g fiber… 11 g protein… 5 g carbs… 45 mg Calcium…  PB GF Avocado and eggs are a very good combi-nation. Both are high in fat, but the plant fat helps to mitigate effects of the animal fat. Here, we use Haas avocados.

Three 2-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.++++ 3 Tbsp Guacomole, homemade** or purchased ++++ 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]

**Guacamole: ……makes 1 cup…….. 1 jalepeno pepper, chopped [Remove seeds for less hotness] ++++ 1 cup diced tomatoes, canned or fresh ++++ 1½ avocados ++++ 1/3 cup minced onion ++++ ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves ++++ salt + lime juice + hot pepper flakes to taste

Peel, seed, and mash the avocados. Stir in the other ingredients and mash again or pulse in the food processor.

Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour them into a pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Cook, without stirring or scrambling, until the top is almost set. Spread the guacamole on half of the eggs, then fold the omelette over. Serve with optional beverages. Mocha coffee would be the more traditional choice for a Mexican food theme.

Ham Florentine Crepes: 299 calories… 11 g fat… 5.6 g fiber… 15.6 g protein… 33 g carbs… 307 mg Calcium… PB Peter Christian’s Tavern was a very popular New Hampshire restaurant and their cookbook was a local best seller. The restaurant has closed but Peter Christian’s Recipes is a goldmine and it served as the source of this meal. Very easy if the galettes/crepes and Bechamel sauce are pre-made.

Ham Florentine Fillingmakes 1½ cups ½ cup no-cheese Bechamel Sauce ++++ 1 cup ham in ¼” dice ++++ 1 cup [5 oz] cooked spinach, fresh or frozen ++++ ½ cup chopped celery ++++ ¼ cup chopped onion ++++ celery salt + dill + granulated garlic + basil Be sure to squeeze the spinach until most of the liquid is out of it. [save the liquid] Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and add some of the spinach liquid. Cook the celery and onion until onions are transluscent, adding more spinach liquid as needed. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low heat until warmed through. 

For the Dinner: 2 galettes/crepes ++++ ¾ cup Ham Florentine filling ++++ 1 oz carrots + 1 oz cauliflower florets + 1 oz broccoli florets

Set the oven to 250 F. If the crepes are frozen, thaw and wrap in a tea towel. Put them in the oven as it warms. When the crepes are soft and pliable, lay them on a baking sheet, covered with the tea towel. Warm the Ham Florentine filling and spoon over half of each crepe. [I saved out a bit of the filling.] Fold the crepes over the filling and pat in place. Put the crepes in the oven until warmed through. Top with reserved filling before serving.

Medical Fasting

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Two days each week, eat meals with a calorie total of less than 600 for the entire day. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle!

The other week, there was a memorial service for our friend Suzy M. She was a lively, engaging woman who threw herself into living life — until her life was cut short by colon cancer. The best way to detect colorectal cancer is by getting periodic colonoscopies. Too many people avoid that proce-dure because they think it sounds horrible [hello! you are sound asleep for it and it does not hurt] or they dread ‘The Prep’ [the bowel-cleansing regime that precedes the process.] That Prep involves ‘fasting’ for medical purposes, and taking prepa-rations that hasten bowel evacuation. The first time I did this, it meant drinking a saline solution that made me want to vomit. Not useful. The second time, it involved drinking polypropoylene glycol in water, which is tasteless but boring. So I evolved my own method which is more palatable and spread over 3 days. My method is based on the doctors’ suggestions on how to Prep, but tweeked to make it more flavorful and less drastic.

First, I mix up some ‘Elixir’: 6 cups water, 1/4 cup honey + 1/4 cup cider vinegar. Set aside. Then, I make some Leek Broth: 2 cups cleaned, trimmed, sliced leeks cooked in 3.5 cups water. After the soup is cooked, strain out the leeks [save to top a pizza or as an add-in for eggs], divide the liquid into two portions, and refrigerate. This is from the book French Women Don’t Get Fat in which the author, Mireille Guiliano, describes how this soup helped her to lose weight when she was a pudgy, unhappy teen. The soup is very flavorful. We make it here not for weight loss but because it is ‘filling’.

On C-day minus 3, one eats foods very low in fiber: croissants or white toast with ham for breakfast, along with orange juice and coffee/tea. For dinner, a crab cake or broiled fish with summer squash and white rice or plain pasta.

On C-day minus 2, one again eats meals that are very low in fiber. An egg for breakfast, along with orange juice and coffee. For lunch, cottage cheese. For snack, cheese.

For C-day minus 2 dinner, 2.5 oz chicken breast meat, cubed + 2.5 oz cooked white rice + 1/2 cup chicken stock. Combine the rice, and the meat, and the stock and heat until warmed through. This produces a flavorful chicken-rice stew.

The reason for these days of low fiber, is so that when you get to the last day, when laxatives are taken, there is very little left in the bowel to get rid of.

After dinner, mix three different beverages and store them in quart jars in the ‘fridge: ………………………………….. A] Combine 32 oz White Cranberry or White Grape Juice with 60 g of Polyethylene Glycol …………………………….. B] Combine 32 oz of Elixir with 60 g of Polyethylene Glycol …………………………………………………………………………. C] Combine 32 oz water with 60 g of Polyethylene Glycol

C-Day minus 1: This is the true ‘Fasting Day’, since you will have no solid food, no caffeine, no dairy, and no alcohol. For “breakfast”, a cup or two of herbal tea with honey [but no dairy] plus one cup of Leek Broth, warmed with some added salt.

At 10 am, take two [2] tablets of Ducolax  [bisa-codyl] laxative. At 11 am, Drink 8 oz of Mixture C [the water one]…. At 11:20 am, Drink 8 oz of Mixture A [the juice one] …. At 11:40 am, Drink 8 oz of Mixture B [the Elixir one] …. At 12 noon, Drink 8 oz of Mixture C …. At 12:20 pm, Drink 8 oz of Mixture A …. At 12:40 pm, Drink 8 oz of Mixture B …. At 1:00 pm, Drink 8 oz of Mixture C …. At 1:20 pm, Drink 8 oz of Mixture A …. At 1:40 pm, Drink 8 oz of Mixture B …. At 2:00 pm, Drink 8 oz of Mixture C …. At 2:20 pm, Drink 8 oz of Mixture A …. At 2:40 pm, Drink 8 oz of Mixture B……………………. C-day minus 1 dinner: one cup of Leek Broth mixed with 1 cup Beef Bouillon from a bouillon cube.

And you are done with the Prep. I have had very good success with this method: a cleaned bowel, with no explosive diarrhea, no abdominal cramps. At least, that is how it works for me. Good luck. If you are over 40 years old, haven’t had a colonoscopy ever or in more than 10 years, please, schedule one now.

The Declaration

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.

What is July 4th? In the USA, it is called ‘Independence Day’ which would imply that on that day in 1776, we were officially and finally free from Britain’s rule. Nope. No way. Not true. After six years of war, the USA became an independent country after Lord Cornwallis surrendered his army at Yorktown. Then there was some diplomatic wrangling, and a treaty was signed on September 3, 1783. THAT was our true “Independence Day”. So what are we celebrating on July 4th? The Fourth of July, 1776 was the day that the Declaration of Independence was read in public for the first time. The document had been debated and thrashed out by the Continental Congress over months of work. Thus, the citizens of the English Colonies were announcing to the British King that they wanted to be free from the rules and taxes and regulations that had been imposed on them. The document lists 27 grievances against the King and concludes that “We, therefore, the Representa-tives of the united States of America… do… solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States”. So that is what July 4th is all about — along with fireworks, some parades, picnics, backyard cook-outs, and lots of eating.

Our meals for the Glorious 4th are in keeping with the spirit of the day: the colors of the flag, and the family gathering to grill dinner.

Red White and Blue150 calories… 1 g fat… 2.6 g fiber… 14.5 g protein… 20 g carbs… 331 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB  GF – if using GF bread Ricotta is higher in protein and Calcium than cottage cheese, but you could substitute that if you wish.

½ cup fat-free ricotta ++++ ¼ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen [if frozen, keep frozen until ready to use] ++++ ½ cup sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen [after slicing, put into a strainer to let the juices drain] ++++ 1 slice of 70-calorie multi-grain bread [Nature’s Own/ Dave’s Thin-Sliced] cut into a star with the largest cookie cutter that will fit the bread ++++ 2 large pinches of cinnamon sugar ++++  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]

Cut your slice of bread with the star cookie cutter. TIP: freeze the scraps for use in Crab Cakes or Stuffed Clams or Crab-Stuffed Flounder cf. Sprinkle the bread with a small pinch of cinnamon sugar and toast it. Measure the ricotta onto your plate. Put the fruit on top. [Tip: Better not to stir the fruit into the cheese, since it will ‘stain’ the cheese.] Top with a small pinch of cinnamon sugar and plate with the toast. Pour the optional beverage. Huzzah!

Blue-Burger: 290 calories… 6.5 g fat… 5 g fiber… 27.5 g protein… 27 g carbs… 100 mg Calcium … The winter 2004 issue of Eating Well magazine was the inspiration for this recipe. But this version suits our Fasting needs a little better. It is yummy.

++++ 3-oz ground bison meat ++++ 4 Tbsp blueberries, fresh or frozen ++++ 1.5 Tbsp egg white ++++ ¾ tsp Dijon mustard ++++ ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce ++++ pinch garlic powder + large pinch black pepper ++++ 1 Martin’s potato slider bun ++++ cherry tomatoes, grilled ++++ ½ cup coleslaw ++++ 

Thaw the meat and break it up in a bowl. Add the blueberries and all the flavorings. Gently combine ingredients with your fingers, without squishing the berries. Shape in a patty using a 4” muffin-cutter as a mold. Try not to pack the burger too much, but it does need to hold its shape. Broil or grill 4-5 minutes per side. Serve on a toasted potato bun. Grilled cherry tomatoes are nice as a topper. And don’t forget the coleslaw.

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

next week, I will…1.5 two-oz eggs 
..discuss medical…jalapeño pepper, onion
fasting.diced tomatoes
1.5 avocados, cilantro
optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

no-cheese Bechamel
Next week, I will…ham, spinach, dill
be discussing fasting…celery, onion, dill,
for medical reasons.2 galettes, garlic powder
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Oh, Canada Day

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. Welcome to shoppexng who is now Following.

Since July 1, 1982, Canadians have been celebrating “Canada Day”. This is their national holiday. Canada was officially ‘created’ on July 1, 1867, when the British North America Act was signed. Prior to 1982, the country had celebrated “Dominion Day” on July 1st. Since its ‘discovery’ by Europeans in the 1500s, the region had first been called “New France”, with the area around Quebec City called ‘canada’ — a misappropriation of the Iroquois word for ‘village’ or ‘settlement’. From 1841, it became the Province of Canada, property of the monarch of the United Kingdom. On July 1, 1867, several eastern provinces banded together to form a ‘confederation’ — this is often hailed as the birth of the nation of Canada, celebrated since 1868. Subsequently, they called it “Dominion Day”. It does not mark an ‘independence day’, unlike the 4th of July in the US or Bastille Day in France. It represents the union of the provinces into one governmental entity. As the Canadian gover-nment expresses it: “Canada Day is a day to reflect on what it means to be Canadian, to share what makes us proud and to celebrate in our own way. This pride is reflected in as many ways as there are Canadians. Canada Day highlights the richness of our land, our diversity, our culture, our contributions, but above all, our people.”

Our meals are from across the vastness of Canada. The breakfast features mushrooms from the forests of the North-West, with toast from prairie-province grains. The dinner is from the oceans that lap the nation from coast-to coast-to coast.

Egg-Mushroom Toast: 156 calories… 6 g fat… 2.6 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 16 g carbs… 69 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values shown are for the toast, egg, mushrooms, and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF – if using GF bread  This is yummy. The eggs are creamy and the mushrooms lend a mysterious layer of flavor. I like this better than poached eggs.

1 piece 70-cal multi-grain bread ++++  one 2-oz egg ++++ ½ oz mushrooms, chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp chives, chopped ++++ 1 tsp thyme ++++ 1 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]

Toast the bread. Spritz the non-stick saute pan with oil or spray and gently cook the mushrooms. Put the chives, thyme, salt, and pepper in with the egg and beat it up. Scramble lightly with the mushrooms, keeping the eggs moist. Turn out over the toast and plate the fruit. Sip your beverages and have a good day.

Mussel Feast: 279 calories… 12.6 g fat… 0.6 g fiber… 34 g protein… 11 g carbs… 117 mg Calcium…  PB GF We love mussels and eat them fresh all summer long in Canada. Fresh mussels are available all year ’round, and frozen mussels are good for use with a sauce.

1 # mussels in shells = 1 quart ++++ ½ cup water ++++ ¼ c white wine ++++ flavorings: celery, onion, rosemary, thyme, garlic ++++ 1½ cup salad greens ++++ ¼ oz feta cheese ++++ 2 oz tomatoes, cubed ++++ 2 kalamata olives, halved ++++ ¾ tsp olive oil ++++ ½ tsp lemon juice ++++

Rinse the mussel shells in case they are muddy. Discard any mussels which are open and do not close when rapped gently on the counter. In a large sauce pan [provide room for an increase in volume as the mussel shells open] bring the water to a boil with the wine and flavorings. Add the mussels, put on the lid and cook the mussels for 10 minutes. With a long-handled spoon, stir so that the mussels from the bottom are now on top. Continue to cook for another few minutes, until all mussels are open. Discard any which refuse to. Strain out the mussels and place in the serving bowl. Pour the broth over all. In a salad bowl, whisk the oil and lemon juice to form a dressing. Toss with the greens and plate with feta+ tomato+olive topping. After you eat the mussels, drink the flavorful broth. Tastes like Summer to me.

Helen Keller

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.

On June 27 in 1880, a healthy baby girl was born into the family of Colonel Arthur Keller of Tuscumbia, Alabama. Little Helen grew strong and happy until a high fever struck when she was 19 months old. From then on, the child was unable to see or hear. Since there was no way to communicate with her, Helen grew up like a wild thing — flailing out at people, grabbing food off of others’ plates, locked away from life in her world of darkness. When she was eight, a teacher was brought to her. Twenty-year-old Annie Sullivan, a graduate of the Perkins School for the Blind, had trained in sign language and and set out to open up the world for Helen. They lived together in a cottage on the Keller property for two weeks. Annie spelled out words in Helen’s hand, but the child did not associate the finger games with ideas or concepts. At last, Annie spelled out W-A-T-E-R while Helen’s hand was in water — and the connection was made. This is the most famous scene in the film The Miracle Worker, a bio-pic of Annie Sullivan, made in 1962 — and it is true. Helen was a quick learner, mastering words and eventually being graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College — all with Annie Sullivan by her side. Keller became well known early on from her books: The Story of My Life (1902) and Optimism (1903). She was a social activist: advocating for women to vote, for better education for the blind, and for world peace. With Jane Addams, she was a founder of the American Civil Liberties Union in 1920. Throughout her life, Keller was an inspiration to blind and sighted people alike, touring and speaking around the world. If a blind and deaf person could learn to write and speak and have an active, useful life, then anyone could achieve their goals! Helen Keller refused to be limited by her disabilities.

Our menus have nothing to do with Alabama or Helen Keller’s upbringing. But these meals are what I would want to eat if I couldn’t see my plate, being mostly food to pick up in the hands.

Sweet Potato Pancake Plate: 122 calories… 2 g fat… 2.6 g fiber… 9.4 g protein… 26.4 g carbs… 27 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF – if using Brown Rice Flour These potato pancakes are fine as a side dish, and they hold their own as the star of this breakfast.

2 potato pancakes *** ++++ 2 oz applesauce ++++ one 30-gram slice Canadian bacon/back bacon = 2 slices Jones brand ++++ 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

Warm the pancakes, the applesauce, the bacon, and plate. Savory and delicious.

***Potato Pancakes  makes 8-10   8 oz sweet potato, peeled and grated…. 2 oz egg, whisked…. 2 Tbsp minced/grated onion…. ….4 tsp white whole wheat flour OR brown rice flour …. ½ tsp salt Combine ingredients while you heat a griddle or heavy skillet. Melt a dab of bacon fat or olive oil in the pan, then spray with non stick spray. Drop the ‘batter’ in 10 piles [I used a ¼ cup measure] on the griddle, then flatten them out to a diameter of 3-4”. Cook on one side, then flip to cook on the other. Save the remaining pancakes for a side dish tomorrow or as part of lunch.

Pork Steamed Buns with Chinese Cabbage: 281 calories… 7 g fat… 4 g fiber… 10 g protein… 46.7 g carbs… 152 mg Calcium…  PB  First you prepare the buns, steam them, and freeze what you don’t eat fresh. Then you can enjoy them ‘instantly’ by warming them and quickly stir-frying the cabbage or bok choy. Delicious!  HINT: recipe makes 20 buns, so lots for future meals.  Freeze what you do not use for dinner today.

For the dinner: 2 pork steamed buns**… 1 serving Chinese cabbage*

20 filled **Pork Steamed BunsBamboo steamer in a wok or large cast iron skillet
1 teaspoon active dry yeast ++++¾ cup warm waterIn the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook (you can also use a regular mixing bowl and knead by hand), dissolve yeast in the warm water. 
1 c all-purpose flour++++1 c white whole wheat flour ++++ 1 c cornstarch ++++ 4 tablespoons sugar++++3 Tbsp canola or vegetable oilSift together the flours and cornstarch, and add it to the yeast mixture along with the sugar and oil. Turn on the mixer to the lowest setting and run it until a smooth dough ball is formed. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hours.
2½ teaspoons baking powder
2-3 tsp water
Add leavening and turn on mixer to lowest setting. If dough looks dry and leavening won’t mix in, add some water. Gently knead dough until it is smooth again. Cover with damp cloth and let rest 15 mins. Set up your steamer in the wok.
Roll dough into a long tube and divide it into 20 equal pieces. Press each piece of dough into a disk about 4½” in diameter.
Chinese BBQ pork: purchased or homemadePut some filling on each disk and pinch buns closed. Put each bun on a parchment paper square. I steamed them in 2 separate batches using a bamboo steamer (be sure water does not touch buns during steaming). Once water boils, put buns in steamer and steam 12 minutes over high heat.
Each = 123 calories… 3.4 g fat… 1 g fiber…3.5 g protein… 18 g carbs… 48 mg Calcium

*CHINESE CABBAGE:  PB GF This is a fine dish to accompany a variety of foods from Chinese dumplings to fish.

Serves 2
Non-stick spray ++++1 clove garlic, sliced Spray a heavy pan and cook garlic over medium heat 30 seconds.
½# cabbage, shredded/thinly-sliced +++2 Tbsp water Stir in cabbage and water. Cover and cook 1 minute.
1½ tsp soy sauce Add, cover and cook 1 minute.
1½ tsp fish sauce  ++++ 2 Tbsp waterTurn up heat, add sauce along with more water. Cook, uncovered, until cabbage is tender and liquids have evaporated
Each serving = 35 calories … 0.1 g fat… 2 g fiber… 2.7 g protein… 7.5 g carbs… 56 mg Calcium

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

1 two-oz egg = US largefat-free ricotta cheese
mushrooms + applestrawberries
chives + thymeblueberries, fresh or frozen
1 piece 70-calorie whole-grain bread1 piece 70-calorie whole-grain bread
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

1 pound mussels + splash white wine4 oz ground bison meat + Coleslaw 
celery.onion.rosemary.garlicblueberries, fresh or frozen + egg white
tomato + feta cheese + kalamata olivesDijon mustard + Worcestershire sauce 
salad greens + olive oil + lemon juicegarlic powder + Martin’s potato buns, slider size
Sparkling waterSparkling water