Eating your way to a slimmer body with the 5:2 diet

Memorial Day

~ me ~ Leave a comment

Here’s how this diet works: Tomorrow, eat this menu and nothing else except unsweetened drinks.  On Thursday, eat the foods which will be posted on Wednesday.  The remainder of the week, sensibly eat whatever you want to.

In the US, the last Monday of May is Memorial Day, when graves of fallen soldiers as well as those of family members are decked with flowers.  Parades are popular in towns large and small, and in our tiny town, the air is loud with military rifle salutes and the haunting sound of “Taps“.  Then it is time for the cook-outs! Ah…. the first patriotic over-eating of the summer.  Not so fast — Monday is a Fast Day. For breakfast, that springtime staple, asparagus.  And for dinner, the standard hot dog meal.  While waiting for the parade to start, consider this: Weight-Loss Tips: 10 Ways You Can Cut 500 Calories Each Day     http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/weight-loss-tips-cut-500-calories-day.html/?a=viewall   Of course, on a Fast Day we’re eating only 500-600 calories!

Asparagus-Proscuitto Bake:  274 calories   6.2 g fat  3 g fiber   13 g protein   40 g carbs   226.7 mg Calcium  PB GF   This is such a great flavor combination as an appetizer, that it must be wonderful with eggs…. and it is!  Yum!

Asparagus:Proscuitto Bake w: pear

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp [1/3 oz] thinly sliced, cooked asparagus                                                                                             ½ Tbsp [1/8 oz] proscuitto, thinly sliced or diced                                                                                                        1.5 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                                 1 oz pear or apple                                                                                                                                           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. Whisk together the asparagus, meat, cheese, and egg and pour into the ramekin. Add salt and pepper to taste, bearing in mind that the meat is salty. Bake 12-15 minutes. Slice the pear, prepare the beverages. Nice way to start the day.

Memorial Day Hot Dogs & Beans    272 calories   GF   In the olden days, before Fasting, we ate hot dogs on Memorial Day, so we won’t stop now. Baked beans are high in protein, low in fat, so they fit right in with a Fast Diet.Memorial Day franks & beans

1 dog per person {Hebrew National has a reduced fat hot dog at 100 calories each}                                                                                                                                                                      1/3 c baked beans [I use canned, low-fat beans if I can find them] HINT:  Freeze the remainder for another meal. If you want them again for a Fast meal, freeze in batches of 1/3 c, rather than the remains of the entire can.                                                                                   mustard and/or pickle relish                                                                                                                                SIDE DISHES, to total 85 to 105 calories, your choice:                                                                                                                                    >>2 oz zucchini, sliced diagonally and grilled                                    10 calories                                                                                                                                   >>one 2-oz egg, hard-boiled: cut in half, remove yolk, mash with 1/2 tsp yellow mustard  + salsa verde; spoon the mashed yolks back into the whites    2 halves = 75 calories        1/2 =  38                                                                                                                                                                  >>1/2 cup sliced/shredded cabbage + 1/4 cup grated carrot + 2 tsp made-with-olive-oil mayonnaise + 1 and 1/2 tsp cider vinegar                               3/4 cup = 50 calories        1/3 cup = 25           >>2 oz tomatoes, whole cherry tomatoes or slices                            10 calories                                          >>1 oz carrot sticks                                                                                       12 calories

Cook the dogs in a little frying pan with a bit of water. [Of course you could grill the dogs.] Remove the dogs, add a tad more water and cook the zucchini in the same pan. [You could grill the zucchini, too.] That way the zucchini have a little sausage taste to them. Heat the baked beans [nuke ’em], and prepare the other side dishes.                                                                                Fasting on a holiday just got easier. Having non-Fasters over for the cookout? Ask them to bring the side dishes [potato salad, green salad, but not chips & dip] and let your guests eat them.

Pizza-Pizza

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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.

Thinking of starting a diet but afraid of what you’ll have to give up? No more pizza! NO-O-O-O!  Here are two facts: 1) on the 5:2 diet, you can eat the foods you like 5 days a week, even pizza;  2) today’s recipes give you the tastes of pizza as breakfast and dinner.

Pizza ScrOmelette: 291 calories   8.8 g fat   1.7 g fiber   15.6 g protein   35.7 g carbs   250 mg Calcium    PB  GF    Your favorite flavors at breakfast – delicious.Pizza 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 3 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                              ¼ oz bell pepper                                                                                                                                                                                one 2” slice pepperoni                                                                                                                                         1/8 oz mozzerella cheese, grated                                                                                                                          1 Tbsp crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                                      1 oz applesauce or fresh apple                                                                                                                            5-6 oz fruit smoothie or pure apple cider                                                                                                  blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Chop or dice the bell pepper and cook it in a pan spritzed with non-stick pan. Chop the pepperoni and stir it in with the cheese, tomatoes, and peppers. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. When the bottom of the eggs have set, add the cheese mixture and scramble to your heart’s content or fold like an omelette. Brew your beverage, portion the fruit, and take the previously-made smoothie from ‘fridge. Truly a treat.

Pizza with Vegetable Topping:       300 calories    13.3 g fat      4 g fiber        14 g protein     19 g carbs       269 mg Calcium   PB    Another winner from the Fast Diet book. The pizza shells are either whole grain wraps or corn tortillas. BE CAREFUL about the calorie and fat content when shopping! I get Herdez 8″ whole wheat fajita style tortillas. Each has 170 cal and 5 gm protein. Each person gets ONE of these pizzas. OR you could get Olé brand 6″ corn tortillas. Each of those has 65 cal and each person gets THREE AND a HALF pizzas.Pizza

1 whole wheat/whole grain tortilla at 170-cal [per person]                                                                                         1-2 Tbsp tomato puree HINT: buy a can of puree and freeze in small portions                               1 oz mozzerella, grated                                                                                                                                                         ½ oz mushrooms, chopped or sliced                                                                                                                1 ½ oz red pepper, cooked and chopped                                                                                                                        1 oz spinach, steamed, squeezed and chopped                                                                                             1 Tbsp red onion, chopped                                                                                                                                   2-3 pinches Italian herb mix  + 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Set the oven at 400° F. Place the tortilla on an ungreased baking sheet and put it in the oven for 2 minutes to warm and stiffen.  Put dollops of tomato purée on each tortilla and spread it around. Toss together mozzarella, mushrooms, red pepper, spinach, and onion. HINT: Sometimes I cook and chop all the veg and put them in a bag in the freezer to save time on a FAST day. Divide the mixture among the tortillas and sprinkle the seasonings on top.  Bake for 5-10 mins at 400° F.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz eggs 1.5 two-oz eggs
pear Mushrooms, a few
Cooked asparagus [leftover from a prior meal, perhaps] Ham from roast or deli
Proscuitto ham, ½ slice or less ¼ of an Arnold Sandwich Thin, multi-grain [optional]
Grated Parmesan cheese raspberries
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

Hot dog: low fat, 100 calories 1.5 cups sauerkraut
1/3 cup baked beans 1 Dakin cob-smoked sausage
1 hardboiled egg + ½ tsp yellow mustard + salsa verde 1.5 cup raw collard greens
2” carrot + chopped cabbage + Hellman’s mayonnaise with olive oil + cider vinegar Caraway seeds + unsweetened applesauce
onion
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Triangular Treats

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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.

Geometry is my favorite branch of mathematics.  It was such a breath of fresh air to take that course in 9th grade and really understand what was going on!  You see, I have a ‘geometry brain‘ as opposed to an ‘algebra brain.’  Such things exist! Triangles were always easy, with their three angles adding up to 180° and their complimentary angles.  In honor of the line of thinking beloved of Pythagorias and Euclid, today’s food will be in the shape of triangles.  Whether or not it has to do with their 3-sidedness, they are delicious and fun to make.

Chinese Pancakes ‘Jian Bing’: 300 calories   6 g fat   3.5 g fiber   15 g protein   59 g carbs 202.7 mg Calcium  PB  GF – if you use GF flour   This delicious treat is a popular Chinese street-food. And now it is popular in our household. Quick to cook and fun to eat. The crisp tart apple is a nice foil to the salty-spicy food. HINT: this recipe makes 4 pancakes, of which 2 will do for the breakfast. Save the remaining 2 to eat cold for lunch tomorrow.

jian-bing-w-granny-smith

1/3 cup all-purpose flour                                                                                                                                      1.5 Tbsp white whole wheat flour                                                                                                                       1 Tbsp semolina flour                                                                                                                                                     2 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                           ½ cup water                                                                                                                                                                    ¼ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts                                                                                   Kosher salt                                                                                                                                                                      2 tsp Srarcha sauce + 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce                                                                                                           per person: 1 oz tart, crisp apple                                                                                                                              blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water                                                                     5-6 oz fruit or green smoothie or natural apple cider

Whisk together the flours, water, and one egg until lumps are gone. Hint: this can be combined the night before. Whisk again in the morning. In a separate bowl, beat the other egg thoroughly. In a custard cup, combine the hot sauce and soy sauce. Using a good non-stick pan, add 2 brief puffs of non-stick spray, then wipe with a paper towel. [Keep the paper towel handy.] Heat the pan and add 3-4 Tbsp of batter, swirling the pan quickly to distribute the batter evenly to make a thin pancake that coats the bottom of the pan. Let cook for a minute or 2, then spoon some of the egg on top and smear it around. Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and one Tablespoon of the scallions. Cook until the egg on top is a bit set, then flip the pancake over. Brush the hot sauce mixture on top. Cook for 30 seconds, fold the pancake in 4ths, and plate. Use the paper towel to wipe the pan and repeat the cooking process until all the batter and scallions are gone. NB: I had whisked egg left over. If your hot beverage is brewed, your apples are sliced, and the smoothie is ready, then you are set for a real good start to a new day.

Ham & Cheese Crêpes, Street-Food Version: 272 calories   9 g fat   1.8 g fiber  21 g protein    25 g carbs      212 mg Calcium     NB: The photo shows a meal for 2 [TWO]. Or dinner today, lunch tomorrow.  This is the familiar street-vendor lunch in Paris, except that the food values will not break the bank on a Fast Day.  Very quick and easy to prepare if you had made the crêpe batter before and have it thawed out.  HINT: can be prepared in advance and rewarmed later.  Good for traveling or for a make-ahead.Ham & Cheese Crepes

2 crêpes, using batter recipe below**                                                                                                  2 oz sliced deli ham                                                                                                                                    1/2 oz deli sliced Swiss cheese                                                                                                                 1 wedge “Laughing Cow” [Vache Qui Rit] cheese at room temperature                                                      2 oz tomatoes

Spread the Laughing Cow cheese on one half of each crêpe. Lay the ham on the cheese side of each crêpe and top with the Swiss cheese slices.  Fold in half.  Heat a heavy skillet, adding maybe a spritz or 2 of non-stick spray.  Lay the folded crêpes on the hot skillet to heat one side, then flip to heat the other side. You want the cheese to get melty.  Fold each crêpe once more into tidy triangles, and push down on with the turner to flatten them.  Plate them with the tomatoes and voilà!

**Crêpe Batter, makes 15 6″ crepes                                                                                                      1 cup all-purpose flour           2/3 cup buckwheat flour                                                                      1 and 3/4 cup water           1/2 tsp salt            1 egg

Whisk the flours, salt, and water together.  Vigorously whisk in the egg.                                       Let batter sit at room temperature for 30+ mins or overnight in the ‘fridge.                           Heat a 6″ cast iron skillet. Add a spritz of non-stick spray,                                                                       then wipe with a paper towel.  Save the towel in case you need to spritz again.                      Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the hot pan, then quickly swirl the pan to spread the batter.  Cook until the sides curl up, then flip it over.                                                                          Remove from pan when it begins to brown.                                                                                   Cook as many as you need for this recipe,                                                                                     then maybe a few more for another meal this week.                                                                Freeze the remainder for the next time we need them.                                                                 HINT: fully-cooked crepes also freeze well in a zipper-lock bag.

Rolling Along

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a total of less than 600 calories in the day. 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.

To continue our series of food of certain shapes, today everything is rolled.  Are you rolling merrily along with your health plan? I hope so. I am currently hiking along Hadrian’s Wall in England, something I never dreamed I’d be doing at my age. [I always compare myself to my mother at the same age. She liked a good walk in the woods, but 84 miles in 8 days was a bit beyond her.] But after training for this, I think it is doable.  Fitness and weight control with the Fasting Lifestyle. Wahoo!

Japanese Rolled Eggs: 290 calories 8.6 g fat 1.9 g fiber 36 g carbs 245 mg Calcium PB GF Number One Son prepared these for us as part of a larger Japanese breakfast, and they are amazing. I added the crab and leek, since today this is the main attraction.Japanese Rolled Eggs w: leek & crab, S-bs

1 ½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                                                                       2 Tbsp crab meat, frozen or fresh                                                                                                                        2 Tbsp leek, finely sliced                                                                                                                                   ½ Tbsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                                     ¼ tsp sugar                                                                                                                                                               1.5 oz strawberries                                                                                                                                              5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                            blackish tea or blackish coffee or hot water with lemon

Spritz a non-stick pan with non-stick spray. Cook the crab and leek until you can smell the leek, but don’t brown it. Remove from pan and set aside. Beat the egg with the soy sauce and sugar, and divide into 2 parts. Spritz the pan again and reheat. Put half of the egg in the pan and swirl/tip the pan to spread it out into a rough round. Distribute the crab and leek all over the egg. When top of egg is set enough that it is still moist but won’t jiggle much, roll the egg into a roll from one side of the pan to the other and leave it there. Pour the remaining egg in the pan and cook until almost set. Roll the roll across the pan again to incorporate the newly-cooked egg. Outside of the egg should be a little brown due to the soy sauce. Prepare the beverages and fruit and enjoy your meal from Japan.

Beef Egg Rolls:     per roll    136 cal    4.6 g. fat    9.4 g. protein    17.5 g. carb     HINT: the recipe makes 5 [five] egg rolls. Eat 2 of these with the roasted broccoli for a fine meal today.  Put the remainder in a zipper bag in the freezer: have one for lunch some day, the other 2 for another Fast Day.Beef Egg Rolls

2 oz lean beef steak OR  lean pork tenderloin                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce                                                                                                                                                                1/2 tsp powdered ginger, or fresh, chopped                                                                                                                               1 clove garlic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             1/2 cup carrot, sliced 1/4” thick                                                                                                                              1/2 cup sliced onion                                                                                                                                                1.5 cups cabbage, shredded                                                                                                                                              1 scallion, roughly chopped                                                                                                                                5 egg roll wrappers                                                                                                                                                                        1 tsp oil                                                                                                                                                                            2 oz broccoli in large florets                                                                                                               Sriracha sauce + soy sauce, together in a little dipping dish

Combine the beef, oyster sauce, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. In a heavy-bottomed pan or wok, stirfry the carrot, onion, and cabbage in ¼ cup water for 3 minutes. Add the beef with the marinade and cook until beef is done.  Toss in the scallion and stir.  Run the whole thing through a food processor to chop it coarsely. Following the directions on the wrapper package, fill and roll the egg-rolls. [if you end up with filling left-over, fill another wrapper and save for a lunch OR, if it is about ¼ cup, save it to make a ScrOmelette next week.]   Turn the oven on to 375 degrees F.   Warm the oil in a clean, flat-bottomed, oven-proof pan. Put the egg rolls and broccoli in the pan and roll them to coat with oil. Cook gently over warm heat until warm. Put the pan in the hot oven and bake until the egg rolls are getting crispy and the broccoli is tender-crisp. You will want to turn the rolls once while baking. Serve with the sauces for dipping.

Ingredients for next week’s meals.  breakfast:

2 two-oz eggs 1.5 two-oz eggs
strawberries, fresh or frozen Crushed tomatoes [1 Tbsp]
5 Tbsp flour + 1.5 Tbsp whole wheat flour + 1 Tbsp semolina 1 slice pepperoni bell pepper
3 scallions crisp, tart apple mozzerella
Sriracha + soy sauce Unsweetened applesauce
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:

3 buckwheat crepes: buckwheat flour, white flour, egg      see recipe at “Holy Crêpes” on October 13, 2015 One 8” whole wheat tortilla: 170 calories or less
1 oz ham 3% fat Tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
Jarlsberg cheese mozzerella
3 Tbsp bechamel sauce without cheese: see recipe at “Hemispherical” Feb 22, 2017 Mushrooms red bell pepper
Tomato, fresh Raw spinach onion
Sparkling water Sparkling water

 

Square Meal

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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.

A number of years ago, when round hay bales were introduced, a student told me this joke: “Round bales were outlawed in Vermont! The cows couldn’t get a square meal.”  That’s a knee-slapper.  You can get a square meal this week with these menus.  Both are easy to prepare and good to eat.

Buttermilk Baked Eggs: 293 cal 9.8 g fat 8.2 g fiber 15.2 g protein 39.7 g. carb 253 mg Calcium This recipe is from Marion Cunningham’s The Breakfast Book. All I added were the sides. Great book full of good recipes.Buttermilk Baked Egg w: S-b

1 slice 70-cal whole-grain bread                                                                                                                        one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                              2 Tbsp buttermilk                                                                                                                                            1 oz [¼ c.] mixed berries, fresh or thawed OR 2 oz strawberries                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water                                                                               5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut out a hole from the middle of the bread using a 2” cookie cutter or juice glass. HINT: put the ‘hole’ in a sandwich bag in the freezer. Save for Dutch Breakfast later on. Toast the bread lightly. HINT: this step could be done the night before. Or cut and toast the bread weeks in advance and freeze. Lightly spray an oven-proof pan with cooking spray and put the toasted bread in it. Break the egg over the bread so that the yolk lands in the hole. Carefully spoon the buttermilk over the egg and bread. Season to taste. HINT: you could prep this far and refrigerate over night. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Meanwhile put the fruit in a small dish, brew your beverage, pour your fruit smoothie and you have a terrific breakfast!

Tuna Melt: 309 calories      14.5 g fat      2.9 g fiber     33.1 g protein     24.6 g carbs      300.5 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF bread    One of my favorite comfort foods. tuna-melt-copy1 slice 70-calorie multi-grain bread [I like Nature’s Own]                                                                          1/2 of a 5-0z can of water-pack tuna, drained                                                                                                  1 Tbsp onion, finely chopped                                                                                                                                1 Tbsp celery, finely chopped                                                                                                                               1 pinch celery seed  +  salt  +  pepper                                                                                                                     1 and 1/2 tsp low fat or ‘made with olive oil’ commercial mayonnaise                                                    1 slice Swiss cheese, the deli kind                                                                                                                         1/2 cup baby spinach OR romaine lettuce, shredded                                                                                                                  1 oz tomato, cubed                                                                                                                                                  1/2 tsp lemon juice   &   1/2 tsp olive oil   &   pinch of salt

Combine the tuna, onion, celery, celery seed, and mayo as you would for tuna salad. Toast the bread. Spread the tuna mixture over the bread and top it with the cheese. Toast or broil until cheese is melting. In a wide bowl, whisk the oil and lemon juice. Toss the lettuce and tomato with the dressing and relax while you dine.

Sunny Italy

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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.

Last Spring, I went on a package tour of Italy to revisit some favorite places and to see some new sights.  Major binge, you are thinking?  A chance to depart from the Fasting Lifestyle and eat myself silly?  Nope.  I’ll show you how to eat from the hotel buffet, still maintain the 5:2 pattern, AND return home without gaining a pound.  I’ll assume that you will be doing a lot of walking when you go on vacation, just as I did. That helps to mitigate the effects of the occasional gelato stand.

Fasting in Florence Fasting in FlorenceThe breakfast buffet was tempting and since it was the same day after day, I could promise myself a treat tomorrow if I wanted it.  On a Fast Day, I could choose hard-boiled egg, ham, cheese, fruit, blood orange juice, and even a cappuccino. [Without the fancy coffee, this is the breakfast that I call Dutch Breakfast [Nov 9, ’16]  That breakfast gave me the fuel to tour all day and skip lunch.

The Dinner Buffetbuffet dinner

The hotel or cruise ship buffet may be your down-fall unless you are strategic. Remember: this is a Fast Day. Tomorrow you can eat more liberally.  Step one, eat a big salad with no dressing.  Salt, pepper, lemon juice — those are fine but avoid the creamy or prepared dressings.  Step two, half a plate of vegetables, the other half is meat or seafood.  Those are sirloin tips and shrimp on my plate.  Step three, don’t go back for seconds.  Step four, avoid the dessert table and drink lots of water.

Ingredients for next week’s meals:  breakfast

One slice whole-grain 70-calories bread 1.5 two-oz eggs
1 two-oz egg 2 Tbsp crab meat, canned or frozen
strawberries, fresh or frozen Leek
buttermilk Soy sauce sugar
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

1 slice whole-grain 70-calories bread Cabbage     carrot       scallion
Onions celery celery seed Soy sauce oyster sauce
5-0z can of water-packed tuna Roast beef, 1.75 oz
Tomato lemon juice olive oil Olive oil
1-oz slice or Swiss cheese or Gruyere Ground ginger
Lettuce Three 7” spring roll wrappers
Made with olive oil mayonnaise asparagus
Sparkling water Sparkling water

May the Force…

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Tomorrow will be May The Fourth, which Star Wars Fans recognize as a day to celebrate since the words sound like “May the Force….be with you.”  Yeah, it’s a stretch.  Anyhow, since the only food you ever see anyone eat in the entire film series is the ghastly-looking blue smoothie which Aunt Beru prepares on Tatooine, I thought that today we should talk about smoothies.

Smoothie benefits:  Fruit juice alone has lots of sugar. It is like drinking a soda-pop! But when you retain the fruit’s fiber, whether from fruit or vegetable, it changes the sugar’s effect on your body. Plus, the added fruit and/or vegetables give you a much-needed serving of the same. When drinking a green smoothie, by pureeing the greens, you are making them into their most digestible form. This means that all the micro-flora in your gut will thank you and that your lower intestines will be healthier and will work better.

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES, TO DRINK INSTEAD OF JUICE                                                            *Fruited Green Smoothie:    77 calories    0.3 g fat    1.6 g fiber      1.7 g protein     31.3 g carb    30.7 mg Calcium    PB GF     HINT: this makes enough for three 6-oz servings, so it will save you time on the next 2 breakfasts.  In the photo, the green smoothie is served with Tostada.

Tostada w: green smoothie

2 cups mixed greens – spinach, romaine, lettuce, chard – roughly chopped                                       2 oz banana, sliced                                                                                                                                                  2 oz berries                                                                                                                                                                                   ½ apple or pear                                                                                                                                                       12 oz tomato juice [such as Knudsen’s organic] 10 ice cubes

Put the fruit and greens in the blender and swirl it together on ”high” just long enough to break down the fruit and greens. Set blender to “low,” add the juice and ice cubes. Process until smooth. Put what you don’t drink today into a jar in the ‘fridge. Next time you use it, shake it well. If you think it has become too thick, feel free to thin it with water or OJ.

Smoothie kits

*M&Ms Fruit Smoothie:    80 calories      0.4 g fat       3.5 g fiber       4.2 g protein      16.2 g carb     131 mg Calcium      This recipe is from the Fast Diet book, further quantified by me.   PB GF   HINT: this makes enough for 2 servings, so reserve the rest for another breakfast which will save you time.

6” of banana [3.0 oz]                                                                                                                                                ½ cup plain, non-fat yogurt                                                                                                                                  2 oz fruit[either ½ cup mixed berries or 7 one-inch strawberries]                                                         8-10 ice cubes                                                                                                                                                            Blend at low speed at first to break up the fruit, then at higher speed to blend.  HINT: I make up ‘kits’ in advance.  Into a freezer-safe container, I place all the ingredients except the ice cubes and freeze it days to weeks in advance. The night before a Fast Day, the Smoothie Kit comes out to thaw on the counter overnight. Much simpler.  Kits shown in photo above.

Fruit Smoothie, chez nous

*Fruit Smoothie, chez nous:      88 calories      0 g fat       0.8 g fiber      1.5 g protein      21.2 g carbs       15.2 mg Calcium PB GF          HINT: enough for 4 [four] 5-6 oz servings 2 oz banana                                                                                                                                                                             2 oz fruit [all one variety or mixed; we like raspberries, strawberries, black currants, blueberries]                                                                                                                                                                  20 oz [2.5 cups] orange juice                                                                                                                                     HINT: I make the fruits up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver! Put the fruit in the blender with 4 0z of the orange juice. Run it on “High” to break up the fruit and make it all smooth. Switch setting to “Low” and add the remaining juice. Run blender to combine the liquids. Save the rest in a jar for other mornings.

*Fruit Smoothie w/ greens, ME:       74 calories        0.1 g fat         1.0 g fiber        0.5 g protein 16.5 g carbs      29.4 mg Calcium      PB GF   This is the smoothie that we have used for years, and then I added some spinach, so it is a synthesis of the 2 previous smoothies. HINT: this makes enough for several breakfasts, so make it once and use it often. A real time-saver.

 2 oz banana                                                                                                                                                                                  2 oz berries [black currants, strawberries, blueberries, red or black raspberries, blackberries – any combo] HINT: I make these up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver!                                                                                                                                                                          1 cup raw spinach or Swiss chard or kale or beet greens                                                                                          1 and 1/2 cups orange juice or natural apple cider                                                                                          1 cup tomato juice

Toss the fruit and greens into the blender. Add 1/2 cup orange juice. Process on high to blend the fruits and puree the leaves. Turn down to lowest setting and add the remaining juice. Process until smooth. Keep the setting on ‘low’ at this point, unless you like your smoothie with a huge head of foam!  

 MEAL-SIZED SMOOTHIES                                                                                                                     Banana Tofu Smoothie:                                                                                                                                    1.25 cups fat-free milk                                                                                                                                                ½ cup firm tofu                                                                                                                                                         6” banana                                                                                                                                                                                     2 Tbsp sugar                                                                                                                                                                       4 ice cubes                                                                                                                                                                Put everything in the blender and wizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth.                                                                                                                         Cocoa-Banana version: add 2 Tbsp cocoa to above recipe.

*Strawberry Tofu Smoothie: Half Batch =  199 calories   3.4 g fat  3.7 g fiber   14.2 g protein    26 g carbs     360 mg Calcium   1.5 Batch=  300 calories  5.1 g fat    5.5 g fiber     21.3 g protein     39 g carbs     540 mg Calcium PB GF   HINT: Makes 2 portions as part of a meal. Or one meal serving with 1/2 cup or so left over.   To serve as a full meal, measure out 3/4 of the batch.      I used to take this to work as part of lunch.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2  oz banana                                                                                                                                                               ½ c plain, fat free yogurt                                                                                                                                     ½ cup sliced strawberries                                                                                                                                                   2 Tbsp sugar                                                                                                                                                                        2.8 oz soft tofu, which is 1/5 of a package

Put everything in the blender and wizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth. If you want to, add another ½ cup of yogurt, or skimmed milk which will add more volume and bring the calorie count to 259. Then you might use it as an entire meal.  Dust the top with freshly-grated nutmeg.

Ingredients for next week:  breakfast

One ‘pan muffin’ [see ..Not by Bread.. II-7-’18]
Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain cereal		Advice about Fasting while traveling.
1 Applegate chicken sausage [choose your own breakfast from archives]
Raspberries, fresh or frozen
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your hot beverage

dinner

Hardboiled eggs [3 for two people; 1.5 for one]Advice on coping with a dinner buffet while on the Fast diet
Onions garlic[choose your own dinner from archives]
Garbanzo beans
Tomatoes, fresh or 1 can diced [some will be left over]
Swiss cheese or Gruyere
Sparkling waterSparkling water

New Year’s Resolutions

~ me ~ 1 Comment

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

Let’s resolve to be healthier this year. Let’s resolve to eat better this  year.  Let’s resolve to lose some weight, and be healthier, and eat better this year.  That sure sound like following the Fasting Lifestyle.  How? prepare the following meals tomorrow.  That means eating the 300-calories-or-less breakfast. Skip lunch but drink lots of water.  Black coffee and tea are fine too. Then eat the 300-calorie-or-less dinner, again with water. Next Sunday, read the next blog in the series and Fast again. Rinse and Repeat.

Basquaise Omelette:     147 calories…    8 g fat… 2 g fiber… 10.4 g protein… 9 g carbs… 80.5 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the Omelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.   PB GF  This recipe, full of the flavors of the Basques region of SW France, comes to us from Salute to Healthy Cooking, published by the French Culinary Institute. Wonderful book from which we cook all year long. Note that this is a baked omelette, so the method is a little different. Faites bien attention.

Basquaise Omelette

3 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 and 1/2 Tbsp tomato sauce ++++  1 and 1/2 Tbsp bell pepper, chopped ++++ ½ clove garlic or big pinch granulated garlic ++++ 2 tsp parsley, chopped ++++ 1 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++++ 2 oz apple or 3 oz melon or 2 oz pear ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Heat the oven broiler. In an oven-safe skillet, put the tomato sauce, peppers, garlic, parsley, and 2 Tbsp water. Cook gently until the veg are soft and the water is evaporated. Remove from pan. Add a spritz of non-stick spray and heat the pan. Whisk the eggs with 2/3 of the tomato mixture and pour into the pan. As the eggs cook, gently lift the edge of the eggs and let uncooked egg flow underneath. Do not flip or fold the eggs. Top the eggs with the cheese and put the skillet under the broiler to finish cooking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Slide the omelette onto the plate and top it with the remaining tomato/pepper mixture. Alternately, if you prepare the omelette in an 8″ cast-iron skillet, you could serve it from there, as shown in the photo.

Pork Somen Noodles   260 calories…   6 g. fat…   11 g. protein…     28.8 g. carb… PB Found on the back of a bag of somen noodles, this recipe is quick and easy and good to eat. HINT: this is enough for TWO. Dine with a friend or enjoy for lunch another day.

pork somen noodles

2 oz somen noodles ++++ 1 qt water ++++  1 tsp oil ++++ 1- 1/2 cup cabbage, shredded OR 1 cup snow peas ++++ 1 cup carrot, shredded ++++ 2 scallions, sliced diagonally ++++ 4 oz roasted pork tenderloin,  sliced into matchsticks   HINT: this uses pork which was cooked previously.  OR you can use raw pork** ++++ 2 cloves garlic, sliced  ++++ 2 Tbsp soy sauce

Heat the water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse, and cool. Slice the pork into 1/2” rounds, then slice cross-wise into sticks. Heat a heavy frying pan or wok. Add the oil and heat it. Add the cabbage, carrots, and scallions. **If using raw pork, add it now.  Stirfry for 1 minute. Then add 1-2 Tbsp water and continue to stirfry for 1 minute more. Add the cooked pork, garlic, noodles, and soy sauce. Saute until contents are warm.

Christmas Eve

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

Just today I was asked if I would be Fasting this week of Christmas. Well, I’ll admit that I’m glad that Christmas will be on a Friday, not Thursday. Fasting can occur as usual on a special day with a little thought. plan A: If you know you must go for the whole Feast for dinner,  have a regular Fast Day until then: a 300 calorie breakfast, no lunch, lots of water, and be sensible in eating at dinner.  plan B: French toast for breakfast and seafood chowder for dinner. The chowder [first posted November 25, 2015] is what we eat on Christmas Eve every year — delicious, out of the freezer [if you made a batch before Thanksgiving in November], and something that you look forward to, instead of feeling deprived.

French Toast    300 caloriesChristmas Tree French Toast

HINT: This recipe makes 4 [four] slices of French Toast. Prepare all 4, but put the other 2 in a bag in the freezer for a really fast breakfast later.                                                                                                         4 slices 70-cal whole grain bread, with a Christmas Tree cut-out                             one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                    2 Tbsp fat-free milk                                                                                                                  2 oz strawberries, fresh or unsweetened frozen                                                                   1 and 1/2 tsp maple syrup                                                                                                         one 60-cal sausage — I like Al Fresco brand sage breakfast links                         nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                      green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whisk the egg and milk together. Cut the pieces of bread into Christmas Tree shapes, using a cookie cutter. [This step is important for the calorie count to come out right, so don’t skip it even if it seems too much like ‘crafty food.’  Feed the remaining bread to the birds or save for preparing Stuffed Clams, [Aug. 9 , 2015] Put the tree-shaped bread into a rimmed pan which is just big enough for the 4 bread pieces. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the bread, making sure it is all wetted. Let stand OVERNIGHT. Also combine the strawberries and syrup in a microwave-safe bowl.

The next morning, cook the batter-soaked bread in a hot non-stick pan with a spritz of non-stick spray. Cook until browned on both sides. Cook the sausage, too. Mash the berries a bit and add the maple syrup.   Warm the mixture a little and smear onto the plated toast. Enjoy with the sausage, hot beverage of choice, and green smoothie.

Seafood Chowder   275 calories  11 g. fat  15 g protein   16 g carb  GF This makes 10 one-cup servings. It freezes nicely, but it is great fresh! My husband found the recipe in Yankee magazine. He prepares this every year. It is wonderful. The directions look long and involved but the results are worth it.Seafood chowder on Wedgewood tile

4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced                                                                                     1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced                                                                                   1 pound baking potatoes, peeled + cut in ½” cubes                                              2 pounds steamer clams in their shells                                                                            one lobster, 1 and ½ pounds                                                                                                                                1 pound scallops                                                                                                                            1 pound shrimp, peeled                                                                                                                                      1 quart whole milk                                                                                                                   4 Tbsp butter                                                                                                                                   2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped                                                                                         ¼ tsp paprika plus salt + pepper to taste

In a medium skillet or saute pan cook the diced bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon and reserve. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp fat and add the onions. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring, until translucent [10 mins?]. Set aside with the bacon in a large bowl.

In a separate saucepan, cover cubed potatoes with salted water and boil until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the bacon/onions.

Put clams in a large pot and add 1 quart water. Heat to boiling, cover, and cook until clams open, about 3 minutes. Remove the clams but leave the liquid in the pot. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel. Remove the clams from their shells and cut them into smaller pieces if necessary. Add to the potatoes, onion, and bacon.

Put the strained clam broth back into the empty pot and bring to a boil. Add the lobster head-first into the boiling broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lobster and let cool. Crack the shell to remove the meat. Cut the meat into 1/2” chunks and add to the previous ingredients.

Heat the broth until boiling. Add the scallops and shrimp. Reduce heat to low. Simmer about 3 minutes, until the scallops + shrimp are just cooked through.

Add all the previously cooked ingredients, along with the milk, butter, parsley and seasonings. Heat until steaming but not boiling.

Cover and cool. Let the pot sit in the ‘fridge or on a cool back porch for 12-24 hours. This really enhances the flavors. When ready to serve, heat to steaming hot but do not boil. Freeze what is left over in freezer containers which are the same size as a serving.

Lots of Veggies

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Many people resist dieting because they think that diet = vegetables = privation = bland food. Not so!  The Fast Diet permits a great variety of foods, as long as the menus are full of protein and are low in fats and carbs. And we can eat our veggies in creative ways!

Vegetable Scramble    295 calories          PB          HINT: use left-over vegetables or prepare them the night before for a quicker preparation.

Vegetable Scramble w: toast, apple

½ cup chopped green pepper     ½ cup chopped zucchini  ½ cup chopped tomato          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 3 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week        2-3 oz apple ½ piece of 70-calorie whole-grain bread       USE GLUTEN FREE BREAD IF YOU WISH                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   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] or lemon in hot water 

Put the raw vegetables in a small saute pan with a few tablespoons of water. Simmer until vegetables are cooked and the liquid is evaporated. Pour eggs into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Before the eggs set, add the cooked vegetables. Scramble to taste. Brew your beverage and take the previously-made smoothie from ‘fridge. Plate with fruit.

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup: 1 cup = 145.5 calories 3 g fat 5 g fiber 8 g protein 27 g carbs 86.4 mg Calcium   PB  GF [if you use GF pasta] This recipe can be doubled easily. It is a fine dinner soup for a hot Summer day or in the cold of Winter. Prepare it from leftover vegetables to reduce the cooking time.  HINT: One serving = one cup, but you could go to 1 ¼ cups each. This recipe made 4 cups for me – several future meals from one recipe!

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. 
NB: if using left-over cooked carrot and celery, add them in the next step.
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		NB: low sodium broth is preferred
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: if using left-over cooked sweet potato, zucchini, and other vegetables, add them to the broth after 10 minutes of cooking.
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 taste		Add remaining seasonings and adjust to taste. TIP: Soup is always improved by letting it sit for several hours before reheating and serving hot.