October

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.   This might interest you: feel free to skip/ignore #13  https://www.yahoo.com/health/15-morning-mistakes-wreck-metabolism-150430034.html

Welcome to KoolKosher.

O-M-G Bake:  282 calories  7.7 g fat   2.8 g fiber   14 g protein  38 g carbs   271 mg Calcium PB GF  Think: Oh My Goodness! Or: Olive/Mushroom/Gouda! What Flavor!O-M-C Bake w: applesauce

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               1 black, oil-cured olive                                                                                                                                           ½ oz raw mushroom, chopped                                                                                                                            ¼ oz Gouda cheese, grated                                                                                                                                                          2 oz applesauce                                                                                                                                               nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                              6 oz green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

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

Clam-Stuffed Mushrooms:  205 calories   6.4 g fat   4.3 g fiber   18.4 g protein   20.2 g carbs   98 mg Calcium PB GF- if using GF bread   So we had these small portobello mushrooms in the ‘fridge, and I thought “Stuff them!” and they were good!   And very filling, despite the LOW calorie count.   clam-stuffed mushroomsoz mushroom caps [four 2-3” mushrooms]                                                                                                  ½ cup clam stuffing from Stuffed Clams **                                                                                                          2 oz tomatoes                                                                                                                                                               ½ oz SnapPea Crisps                                                      

**Stuffed Clam Stuffing:                                                                                                                                        1/2 c [2 oz] clams, diced                                         ½ slice 70-cal bread, diced                                                 2 1/2 oz [½ medium] tomato, diced                                  1 oz red bell pepper                                              1 ½ turkey meatballs, diced                                           1 ½ Tbsp plain non-fat yogurt                        garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper                                                                                                               This makes enough to serve 2 [two] for one stuffed clam dinner.  Or serve one person and have stuffing left over for stuffed mushrooms.

Poach the mushrooms briefly [2 minutes] in boiling water to cover. Using a paring knife, dig out any stem in the cap to create more of a cavity for the filling. Chop the stems and add to the clam stuffing. I used a large cookie-scoop to distrubute the stuffing into the caps. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes. Plate with the cool tomatoes and the crunchy Crisps. Easy to prepare, a treat to eat.

Different

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

We Fasters are different from other people: we have wonderful self-control; we are all at our target weight; we excel at everything we do.  Or maybe we aspire to those qualities.  If you would like some foods that are different from the run of the mill, try these.  The Watercress Sauce is a great item to have on hand. Do try it. And when was the last time you saw liver as a diet food? Turns out it is high in protein and low in calories.  Now that’s different!

Watercress ScrOmelette:  291 calories   8.2 g fat  2.5 g fiber   16 g protein   34.4 g carbs   235 mg Calcium   PB GF   Having Watercress Sauce in the freezer in handy cubes sure makes this meal a snap. And is it good!Watercress ScrOmelette w:peaches

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                        ½ Tbsp Watercress Sauce**, well drained                                                                                                                  ½ Tbsp low-fat ricotta, drained HINT: I set the sauce and cheese out to drain through a fine sieve the night before to make sure there was no extra liquid.                                                 1/8 tsp dry mustard                                                                                                                                                          1.5 oz peach, sliced or whole                                                                                                                       blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Combine the drained watercress, drained cheese, and mustard. Whisk in with the eggs and cook in a hot saute pan spritzed with olive oil or non-stick spray. Cook the way you like them and plate with the peaches. Pour the beverages and enjoy the summer taste of watercress all year long.

**Watercress Sauce:                                                                                                                                                      8 oz watercress, rinsed and trimmed of tough stems                                                                                   1 medium-large onion          1 tsp olive oil                1 cup vegetable stock                                                        Put the onion in a food processor and run until completely chopped.                                                 Heat oil over medium heat and cook onions for 10 minutes until softened.                             Process the watercress until finely chopped.                                                                                             Add to the onion and cook 5 minutes more.                                                                                               Stir in the stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve immediately or cool and store.                             I froze it in ice-cube trays and got about 18 cubes.                                                                                        The cubes were put in a bag for future use: in egg dishes; in sauces.

Liver & Onions:   273 calories   10.4 g fat    2.9 g fiber    25 g protein   20 g carbs       43.5 mg Calcium        When my father was away on business, my mother would serve us liver and onions which we came to regard as a special treat. Still a favorite on diner menus, still full of protein and Iron. Liver & onions4 oz beef liver                                                                                                                                                              2 tsp flour + salt + pepper                                                                                                                                     ½ cup onion, sliced                                                                                                                                                  ½ tsp butter                                                                                                                                                                   ½ cup green beans

Cook the onions in a non-stick saute pan with a little water and a spritz of oil to keep from scorching. Set the onions aside. Blot the liver on paper towels. Put 2 tsp flour on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge the liver in the flour. Melt the butter in the pan the onions were in, add some spritzes of non-stick spray, and cook the liver over low heat until done. If the pan gets too dry, spray it with non-stick spray. Meanwhile, cook the beans and salt them. Just before the liver is done, add the onions to the pan to heat.  A taste of home.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg next week I will continue the list of foods that are great with other foods
 black olive, oil cured
 gouda cheese
 mushrooms
 applesauce, unsweetened
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 four 2-3″ mushroom caps
 clam stuffing [posted 27 Nov, 2016]
 fresh tomatoes
 Snap Pea Crisps
 Sparkling water Sparkling water

Taste of Fall

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.      Have you read this? Amazing how it mirrors what Fasters eat.  Hmmmm… do I see a connection? https://www.yahoo.com/style/eating-want-lose-weight-093400700.html

Apple-Bacon Bake:  270 calories  6.3 g fat   3.5 g fiber   14 g protein  37 g carbs    220.5 mg Calcium PB GF   What a perfect taste of Autumn.Bacon:Apple Bake w: S-b&Pear

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               ¾ oz apple, peeled, cored, sliced thinly                                                                                                              1/8 oz bacon, diced                                                                                                                                                  1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, drained if too liquid                                                                                                      1 tsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                                                    ¼ tsp prepared mustard                                                                                                                                       sage  + salt + pepper  to taste                                                                                                                                                           ¾ oz pear OR 1/4 cup pear and strawberry compote                                                                         blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                   5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with cooking spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. In a saute pan, cook the bacon until done. Drain the fat from the pan and blot the bacon in paper towel.  In the same pan, saute the apple until softened. Put apple and bacon in the ramekin. Whisk the egg, ricotta, Parmesan, mustard, and seasonings together and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and the pear. How pleasant.

Fish Roasted with Vegetables: 234 calories  6.2 g fat  4.8 g fiber  29 g protein  16 g carbs   180.3 mg Calcium  PB GF  Delicious one-pan meal. AND it is low in calories and fat.

4 0z pollock or other white fish                                                                                                                         ½ slice bacon, sliced medium to thick                                                                                                                    2 oz carrots in 1/2” chunks                                                                                                                                                        2 oz Brussel sprouts cut in half                                                                                                                       2 oz cauliflower florets, cut in half                                                                                                                       3 oz cherry tomatoes, cut in half                                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Set the oven at 450 degrees F. Cook the bacon in an oven-proof pan, such as cast iron. Remove the 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 vegetables in their pan from the oven. If you think they will need more than 10 minutes more of 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. Make room in the pan for the fish so that it is sitting on the hot pan. 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.

Old N’Orleans

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

New Orleans has many meanings to many people. The song “Battle of New Orleans” [about the last battle of the War of 1812, no less!]; Mardi Gras celebrations; Anne Rice’s vampires; Bourbon Street; the Jazz and Zydeco music; Hurricane Katrina; and food.   As a major port city, Old New Orleans had foods of the continent and the world brought to its doorstep. Stirred together in a melting pot of Acadians, Indigenous Peoples, trappers and voyageurs, Africans, Spanish, and French, some interesting menus emerged. While many people think that a trip to New Orleans means excessive eating [they don’t call it The Big Easy for nothing], we can sample the local fare without remorse on a Fast Day and be the better for it. Bon appetit.

Cajun ScrOmelette:   283 calories   PB GF   The Cajuns of Louisianna are the same people as the Acadians of Maritime Canada. Summarily removed by the English from the lands they had settled, surviving Acadians were exiled or made their way to the area of New Orleans, then a French possession. The word ‘Cajun’ is an adaptation of the word ‘Acadian.’ Their music and cusine are similar and wonderful.

Cajun ScrOmelette w: orange

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                1 oz bell pepper                                                                                                                                                           3 Tbsp celery                                                                                                                                                            2 Tbsp onion                                                                                                                                                   Tabasco sauce, ad lib                                                                                                                                      Cajun seasonings , ad lib                                                                                                                                   1.5 oz orange slices                                                                                                                                             optional: black coffee or black tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                          optional: 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie

Chop the vegetables and combine with the seasonings. Put in a hot saute pan spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Cook until softened. Whisk the eggs with the Tabasco and Cajun seasonings, and scramble to perfection.  Pour the beverages, slice the oranges, and pass the Tabasco sauce.

Red Beans & Rice:  280 calories     1 g fat       9.2 g fiber      11.4 g protein    60 g carb  142.8 mg Calcium   PB GF  This is the old classic recipe for the ‘perfect protein’. We were afraid that we wouldn’t like it — it sounds bland — but it is good. Yeah, you’re right, the carbs are way high, but for a once-in-a-while this is OK. HINT: This is enough for 4 servings! Either have a gathering or cut the recipe or freeze for later.

Red Beans & Rice w: gr. beans

1 – 3/4 cups brown rice, cooked   [be sure you leave enough time to prepare]                                  ½ cup celery, chopped                                                                                                                                          ½ cup sweet yellow or other color pepper, diced                                                                                         1 cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                              2 cloves garlic, minced                                                                                                                                         ¾ cup crushed tomato                                                                                                                              oregano +  black pepper                                                                                                                                          1 and 3/4 cups red beans, drained and rinsed [Goya brand is very good]                                               ½ cup green beans or peas

Cook the rice. Saute the celery, pepper, and onions for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 5 minutes more. Add the tomato sauce and seasonings. Stir in the red beans and heat through. When the rice is done, add 1 and 3/4 cups to the mixture. HINT: if there is extra rice, it freezes well. Serve with the cooked green vegetable.  Pass the Tabasco!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 apple  +  pear Watercress Sauce: 8 oz watercress, onion
 bacon ricotta cheese
 ricotta & Parmesan cheeses dry mustard
 sage   +  mustard peach
optional smoothie optional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

 pollock or other white fish, 4 -5 oz 4 oz beef liver
 1/2 slice bacon, rawgreen beans
 carrots, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, onions
 Parmesan cheese + cherry tomatoes butter + seasoned flour
Sparkling waterSparkling water

K.I.S.S.

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

This is not an homage to a band wearing crazy make-up, but a return to the adage “Keep It Simple, Stupid.”  While some would bristle at the implication of being called an imbecile, I am aware that oft-times my recipes can get rather involved and complicated.  If you don’t care for cooking or you don’t have time, a long-winded recipe can be daunting. In these early weeks of back to school, when getting into new schedules is anxiety-producing, I propose the most simple of menus.  Originally created for our friend Lillian, these should find a place in your menu rotation any time you need to Keep It Simple.

Breakfast125 cal           1 two-oz hardboiled egg +   1 oz ham, 3% fat   +   ½ cup strawberries  + lemon in hot water or black coffee or black tea

LunchMinestrone Soup:  1 cup = 145.5 calories 3 g fat 5 g fiber 8 g protein 27 g carbs 86.4 mg Calcium  This recipe can be doubled easily. A fine dinner soup for a hot Summer day. Prepare in the cool of the morning so it can be served in the evening.  PB  GF [if you use GF pasta] 

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup carrot, chopped 
½ cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped 
3 slices pepperoni, chopped 
Prepare all these ingredients and put into a sauce pan together. Cook over medium heat until onions begin to wilt. 
½ cup sweet potato, cubed
½ cup zucchini, diced 
½ cup mushrooms, chopped
2 cups crushed tomatoes
 ¾ cup small white beans, canned
lots of sage and rosemary, chopped 1 cup water 
2 cups chicken broth/stock
Prepare the vegetables as described. Drain and rinse the canned beans. Add these to the pan, along with the water and broth. Cook at a simmer for about 20 minutes
NB: low sodium broth is preferred
1 oz pasta, whole wheat is preferred to boost fiber [orzo/ dinetelli/broken spaghetti]Add the pasta and cook until it is soft, 5-6 minutes.
2 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated  salt and pepper to tasteAdd remaining seasonings and adjust to taste. TIP: Soup is always improved by letting it sit for several hours before reheating and serving hot.

HINT: One serving is one cup, but you could go to 1¼ cups each. This recipe made 4 cups for me – multiple meals from one prep!

Dinner80 calories            2 oz chicken or turkey    +     2 oz green beans

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

Next week, I will give recipes for side-dishes
and oft-used combinations
1.5 two-oz eggs
  bell pepper
  celery
  onion
  Tabasco sauce + cajun seasoning
 Whatever you need for your hot beverage
 Whatever you need for your smoothie

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

   1.75 cups cooked brown rice
  Celery + bell pepper
  Onion + garlic
  Crushed tomato
  1.75 cups red beans, canned
  Green beans or green peas
Sparkling waterSparkling water
  

50th

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

I’ve been spending the weekend celebrating my 50th high school reunion.  Go Thundering Herd!! [yes, that was the school mascot and team name…] So it got me to thinking about the foods of our youth.  In our childhood and teenage years, we set the course for our eating that will last a life-time.  All that care-free chowing-down in high school and college leads many to over-weight in adulthood.  And that is why we are Fasting now, isn’t it?  Today’s menus are full of teenage flavor favorites, but designed for more adult eating. [And the bison in the burger was not from the Mascot.]  Here’s to the days of our lives and the time of our life.

Pizza Bake:    271 calories   6.8 g fat     2.5 g fiber      14 g protein    38.4 g carbs    267 mg Calcium PB GF Pizza for breakfast just got healthier and more delicious.

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                             salt + pepper to taste                                                                                                                                              1.5 Tbsp crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                                  1 thin slice pepperoni, minced   [1 slice = 9 calories]                                                                                     ¼ oz mozzerella chesse, grated                                                                                                                             ½ oz bell pepper, chopped                                                                                                                                  ¼ cup blueberries                                                                                                                                                   5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                          blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F.    Prepare your beverages. Poach the bell pepper in a little water in the microwave for 30 seconds. Put the cheese, pepperoni, and pepper in a lightly-spritzed ramekin. Whisk the egg with the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Pour the beverages, portion the berries, and consider how much nicer this is than a cold slice that tastes like cardboard.

Blue-Burger:  285 calories     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.Bison-Blue Burger w: bun & red slaw

4-oz ground bison meat, thawed                                                                                                       2 Tbsp blueberries, fresh or frozen                                                                                                 ¾ tsp Dijon mustard                                                                                                                        ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce                                                                                                               pinch garlic powder + large pinch black pepper                                                                               1 Martin’s potato slider bun                                                                                                                      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, trying not to squish the berries. Shape in a patty using a 4” muffin-cutter as a mold. Try not to pack the burger too much. 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.

Western Lands

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

Where does the West begin? Sounds like a question from a Zane Grey novel…  The concept of East and West is very Eurocentric: anything East or West of England/France/Germany.  In England, ‘to go West’ meant ‘to go away forever; to die’ because those who set off for the Americas or Australia would never be seen again.  Food that went off was said to have ‘gone West.’  The menus for today are from the Western US and from the Western Mediterranean. Both are from West of somewhere else.  By eating them, the hope is that your extra weight will Go West.  Good luck with that.

Western ScrOmelette:   299 calories   8.3 g fat   3.3 g fiber   15.8 g protein   42.8 g carbs   212.3 mg Calcium  PB GF  My father used to love a western sandwich for lunch on Saturday and I developed a taste for them too. Here’s all the flavor, without the bread.Western ScrOmelette

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                    1 Tbsp catsup, made without cornsyrup                                                                                                         1 oz green pepper                                                                                                                                                    ¼ cup raspberries OR 3 Bing cherries                                                                                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                               5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Prepare the beverages for the meal. Chop the green pepper and put it in a hot saute pan spritzed with olive oil or non-stick spray. Cook until soft. Whisk the catsup and eggs and scramble with the pepper. Salt and pepper to taste. Plate the fruit and tuck in.

Lamb With Mediterranean Vegetables:   295 calories   14 g fat   9.3 g fiber   22 g protein   40.5 g carbs  205.6 mg Calcium   PB GF  Here’s a fine meal, full of complex carbohydrates and good flavor.Lamb w: Med Veg, cheese, br rice

1 oz cooked lamb, ground                                                                                                                                                   1 cup Mediterranean Vegetables [see 20 April, ’17 ]                                                                                    ¼ cup cooked brown rice                                                                                                                                     ½ oz Gruyere cheese, grated

Cook the ground lamb, keeping it in biggish chunks rather than tiny flecks. Pour into a sieve to drain any fat, then rinse in hot water. Season the meat well with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Heat the Mediterranean Vegetables TIP: so much easier if they were waiting for you in the freezer. Preparing food ahead is such a good idea. Mix the lamb with the vegetables. Plate the rice, then pour the Lamb/Veg on top. Serve with the grated cheese.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg

1 hardboiled egg  

 Crushed tomatoes 1 oz ham 3% fat
 1 slice pepperoni + mozzerella cheese  ½ cup strawberries
 Bell pepper
 Blueberrries, fresh or frozen
Whatever you need for your smoothie lunch: ½ cup minestrone soup                                          
Whatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

 4 oz ground bison meat 1.5 oz chicken breast
Blueberries, fresh or frozen  2 oz green beans
 Dijon mustard + Worcestershire sauce
 Martin’s potato buns, slider size https://potatorolls.com/products/12-sliced-potato-rolls/
 Coleslaw
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Summer’s Last Fling

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

Tomorrow is Labor Day so this is the week-end for the third and last big “patriotic pig-out” of the Summer.  Labor Day picnics are notorious for their intake of vast quantities of food, as we subliminally stock up against the coming Winter. Oh get over it!  This is not the time to let down your guard.  You can eat well and still be in the spirit of the day.  Labor Day: the day to relax from your work, but not to relax in your Fasting.  Here are 2 good meals which take advantage of the Summer foods still available to us.                        And look at this article to help you to eat a healthy diet: https://ca.yahoo.com/style/4-foolproof-ways-eat-healthy-180000032.html

Parmesan-Chive Bake:   279 calories   7.5 g fat   3.7 g fiber   15 g protein   30 g carbs   275 mg Calcium   PB GF   While I was away for 10 days, Dear Husband invented this breakfast to take advantage of the fresh chives in the garden. Clever man. Parmesa-Chive Bake w: kiwi One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                            1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                         1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped                                                                                                                                   1.5 tsp reduced-fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                            1 oz kiwi fruit                                                                                                                                                           5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                    blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

First set the toaster oven to 350 degreese F.  My Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Whisk the egg with the cheeses and chives and pour into the ramekin. Bake in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Prepare the kiwi fruit, pour the beverages and have an easy day.

Hot Dog & 4-Bean Salad:  277 calories   10 g fat     3.6 g fiber  16.7 g protein  21 g carbs    75.7 mg Calcium   GF   Hot Dogs and summer salads go together, even for Fasters. This meal is very straight-forward, assuming the 4-bean salad has already been prepared.Hot Dog w: 4-bean salad

1 Hebrew National reduced-fat hot dog                                                                                                              1 deviled egg [hard-boiled egg who’s yolk has been creamed with yellow mustard and black pepper]                                                                                                                                                                 ½ cup 4-bean salad***    [When I prepared this, I forgot to add the 4th bean….still delicious]                                                                                                                                        2 oz tomato broiled with ½ Tbsp Parmesan cheese

***4-Bean Salad                                                                                                                                         2 cups green beans     2 cups yellow[wax] beans                                                                                2 cups canned kidney beans      2 cups canned garbanzo beans                                                     1 cup onions, chopped          1/3 cup cider vinegar                                                                           1/2 cup sugar            1/4 cup olive oil                                                                                                 Cook the fresh beans until tender.  Drain and rinse the canned beans.                                                   Combine with the onions. Salt and pepper to taste.                                                                  Whisk together the vinegar, sugar and olive oil.                                                                           Toss with the vegetables and refrigerate 4+ hours.

Grill or pan-cook the hot dog. Prepare the deviled egg. Broil the tomato and cheese and serve up the bean salad. Simple food at summer’s end.

Zucchini Days

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

It’s that time of year again: when you can’t leave the window down on a parked car for fear of someone leaving 10 pounds of zucchini in the back seat.  But there are so many good things for the Faster to do with zucchini! We will celebrate Zucchini Days at breakfast and dinner. Leave the car window down today.

Zucchini-Herb ScrOmelette: 293 calories   PB GF   Summer squashes were made to be combined with lots of herbs. Then add cheese: bliss! Zucchini ScrOmelette w: peach1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                     ¼ cup zucchini, grated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs or more!                                                                                                              2 Tbsp grated Jarlsberg cheese                                                                                                                        1.5 oz peaches                                                                                                                                                    blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpastureized apple cider

Put the zucchini and herbs into a lightly-spritzed non-stick saute pan. Cook until softened and most of the liquid is evaporated. Whisk the eggs with the cheese and pour into the pan. Sprinkle with the cheese and scramble it or cook as an omelette, hence ScrOmelette. Prepare the beverages and plate the peaches. Ahhhh. The taste of Summer.

Zucchini Quiche:   293 calories   13 g fat   1.9 g fiber   11.8 g protein   22 g carbs   118 mg Calcium   PB  My Aunt Betty introduced this recipe to our family years ago.  Since then, I have reduced the fat and increased the protein. HINT: The recipe makes 8 [eight!] servings, so it works well for entertaining. It will also freeze, so you could have 7 meals for the future! If freezer space is limited, cut the recipe and make only 1/3 of it, baking in a loaf pan. Then cut into 3 servings.Zucchini Quiche w: salad

To prepare Quiche: 3 cups zucchini, grated                                                                                                      2 Tbsp minced onion                                                                                                                                             1 clove garlic, minced – nothing wrong with more, if you wish                                                              1.5 cups ‘bisquick’ **                                                                                                                                                ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                             2 wedges Vâche qui Rit [Laughing Cow] cheese, cut into small pieces                                                     2 tsp marjoram or oregano                                                                                                                                   2 Tbsp parsley, minced                                                                                                                                      salt and pepper                                                                                                                                                             2 oz chicken/turkey breast, cooked and finely minced                                                                              ¼ cup olive oil                                                                                                                                                          3 eggs                                                                                                                                                                              2 Tbsp milk

Mix everything together and pour into a 9×13” pan which has been lined with parchment paper or spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until beginning to brown on top. Cut into 8 pieces.

**bisquick, makes 2 cups                                                                                                                                              2 cups white whole wheat flour           pinch of salt                             2 tsp baking powder                                           2 tbsp butter                     cut the butter into the dry ingredients

To prepare Meal: 1/8th of the baked quiche                                                                                                       1 cup lettuce in bite-sized pieces                                                                                                                          1 oz tomato                                                                                                                                                                ½ tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                           ½ tsp Balsamic vinegar

Whisk the oil and vinegar, toss with lettuce and tomato. Plate with the quiche. How easy was that?!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg  + lots of herbs 1.5 two-oz eggs 1 oz apple or pear
 Crushed tomatoes  1 Tbsp catsup, without cornsyrup
 Anchovy + Pear  Green pepper
 Low-fat cottage cheese  Bing cherries
 Tiny bit of cooked chicken
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 1 Hebrew National reduced-fat hot dog  1 oz ground lamb [leftover from a roast?]
 1 hard-boiled egg + yellow mustard  1 cup Mediterranean vegetables
 4-bean salad  ¼ c cooked brown rice [left-over or fresh]
 Tomato for slicing  ½ oz Gruyere cheese
 Parmesan cheese
Sparkling water Sparkling water

 

 

Chick-Chick-Chick

How this Fast Diethttp://the fast diet.co.ukLifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.  Start today with the help of a few pointers: http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/things-you-can-do-on-sunday-to-lose-weight-all-week.html/?a=viewall

Out in the henhouse, the chickens are laying well. The New Hampshire Red birds give us brown eggs daily and the Ameraucana birds have been giving us eggs in a lovely shade of blue. Our little flock of Meat Kings [birds to raise for eating] are growing up fast.  They are living the good life in their spacious house.  Eggs are good for the Faster, since they are high in protein and Calcium as well as being low in calories. Chicken meat also contains high-value protein, is low in fat and has no carbs.  For non-meat eaters, there is the Chickpea, another favorite source of protein, although higher in calories and carbohydrates.  With eggs, chicken meat, and chickpeas, one can Fast very well. “Here, chick-chick-chick!”

Chicken Provinçal Bake: 280 calories  5.4 g fat   3 g fiber   15 g protein   39 g carbs   221 mg Calcium   PB GF What wonderful flavors! Based on the dinner of the same name.

chicken provincal bake

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                  2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes, slightly drained                                                                                                     ½ anchovy [use canned fillets] rinsed and chopped                                                                                    1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese                                                                                                                                ¼ oz cooked chicken breast, minced                                                                                                      thyme, rosemary, pinch red pepper flakes                                                                                                                                  1 oz strawberry                                                                                                                                                        5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                        blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and set the toaster oven for 350 degrees F. Whisk together the first 6 ingredients,  and pour into the ramekin. Bake for about 15 minutes while you plate the fruit and prepare your beverages. Great way to start the day.

Chickpea Ragout with Halibut:    GF PB    A delicious way to enjoy seafood.   nb: entire batch of Chickpea Ragout has 484 calories, so divide into portions                          divided in 2: 242 calories 4.8 g fat 10.7 g fiber 11.7 g protein 40.3 g carbs 51.3 mg Calcium       divided in 4: 121 calories 2.8 g fat 5.3 g fiber 5.8 g protein 20 g carbs 26 mg Calcium

Halibut w: Chickpea Ragout

This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way. Although he doesn’t mean my kind of ‘Fast Food,’ Pepin has long been a proponent of healthy cooking. He presents this as a side dish, but for our purposes it is best prepared as a main course with seafood for more protein.              ½ tsp olive oil                ½ cup diced onions                         ½ cup scallions, chopped                               1 Tbsp garlic                       2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained                                         1 and ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned   [I like Goya brand]                                                                            ½ cup chicken stock                     ½ tsp salt + ½ tsp pepper

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Divide it in 4 portions. Keep one portion aside for today. TIP: Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.

Now add the fish and procede as directed.                                                                                                       4 oz halibut [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the tomatoes and chickpeas]  TIP: if you don’t have halibut, substitute one of the fish listed below:

4 oz swordfish [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the chickpeas]                   4 oz salmon [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the chickpeas]                        4 oz smelts [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the chickpeas]                           2 oz shad [if fish is raw, add to the pan along with the tomatoes and chickpeas]