Fast Diet recipes that are gluten free and plant based

Hobbiton Birthdays

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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 AHazard who is now Following.

September 22nd means one thing in our family: the birthday of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins. “Hobbit Week” is a time in September that contains the 22nd, so we are celebrating. My Dear Husband and I both discovered J.R.R. Tolkien‘s books in high school and by the time we met, we were devotees. Naturally, we read the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to our children [then 5 and 3-yrs old] and were thrilled by how well they followed the plot and loved the tales. In our family, a book completed together meant a specially-themed meal and so the Rabbit Stew was developed.                                   Hobbits are always mentioning how chubby they are — Fasting might be in order even if it is a birthday. Today the breakfast is a homey Hobbiton meal involving the Hobbits’ favorite tuber: the potato [sweet potatoes in this case].  The dinner is one we have enjoyed for decades: the meal that Samwise Gamgee [the name of our current cat] prepared in Ithilien.  The rabbit [cony] was supplied by the duplicitous Gollum and the vegetables would have been foraged by Sam. He never got to have his po-ta-toes [watch  clip from movie!] in the rabbit stew, but we put them in anyway.

Eggs In Sweet Potato Nests:  304 calories  10 g fat  3.1 g fiber  15.7 g protein  38 g carbs  298 mg Calcium  PB GF  Saw this discussed on line and decided to try it. Preparation is a little fussy but it is done the night before making for an easy morning. HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two]. I’m told these refrigerate well for another morning.Eggs in Sweet Potato Cups

Grate the sweet potato and cheese. Toss thoroughly in a bowl with the garlic. Divide among 6 muffin pan cups and push it around, pressing up the sides a bit. NB: I used a flexible non-stick muffin pan which worked well with no sticking. If you don’t have one, use liners or spray the muffin pans very well.  Bake the cups in a 375° F. oven for 10 minutes. Whisk the eggs with some salt and pour over the baked sweet potatoes. Sprinkle the egg with chopped watercress or parsley. HINT: I left this on a cool counter/refrigerator over night.Bake at 350 F. for 15+ minutes or until the eggs are set. Use a knife to loosen the egg nests but let them sit just a bit to firm up before removing them to the plates. Add cherries and the beverages and try this new flavor combo.

Hobbiton Rabbit Stew: 286 calories  6.8 g fat  3.9 g fiber  24.7 g protein  30 g carbs [30 g Complex]  41 mg Calcium   PB GF   This foraged meal, cooked over a campfire in Ithilien, is so easily prepared in your kitchen. Purists will note that the dried fruit, a gift from Faramir, was given to the Hobbits later, but it adds a nice flavor note to the meal. Doubles well.LOTR Stew + fruit

4 oz boneless rabbit meat, cut into bite-sized pieces                                                                                   2 oz carrots, sliced or cubed                                                                                                                                 2 oz potatoes, peeled and cubed                                                                                                                       bay leaf + thyme + lavender buds  + sage                                                                                                                      2 dried apricots +  1 piece dried pear [which is ½ of a pear]

Put the meat, vegetables, and herbs in a sauce pan and cover with water or broth. Cover and simmer until all is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the dried fruit on the side. Long live Frodo!

Summer’s “End”

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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 somekindof50 who is now Following.

Labor Day, in the USA and Canada, is celebrated on the first Monday in September. [In Kazakhstan, it falls on the last Sunday.]  The purpose of the day is to honor workers by giveing them a 3-day weekend as a bonus. Picnics, cook-outs, trips to the beach, and week-ends away were popular ways to celebrate. It used to be that public schools and colleges  would not start up for the Fall Semester until after Labor Day. Now, alas, it is just another day: many workers are at work; children returned to school the week before; and you are lucky to get two of the 3 days to yourself.  But still, it marks the ‘end of summer‘ in a cultural way.  Summer resorts and cottages close down, and wearing seersucker is frowned upon.  Today’s menus are very simple: you can Fast well without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Plus, the dinner’s left-overs will be splendid for breakfast on Thursday — another time-saver.  Hope you are having a good weekend.

Watercress Bake:   278 calories  6.4 g fat  2.7 g fiber  14.2 g protein  35 g carbs [32.6 g Complex] 251 mg Calcium  PB GF  Watercress is so versatile and so healthy. When you see it in the market, turn it into the Watercress Sauce seen in SIDEKICKS II from Oct 4, 2017 and freeze in small amounts [from ice cube size to ½ cup] for use all year ’round.Watercress Bake

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               1 cube Watercress Sauce, drained                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp ricotta cheese                                                                                                                                               1/8 oz mushrooms   [about 1 Tbsp chopped]                                                                                                      1 oz fresh peach + ¼ oz fresh blackberries [4-5 berries]                                                                             5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                           nearly-black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

The night before: take the cube of watercress sauce from the freezer and put it in a sieve over a small bowl overnight. Chop the mushrooms and cook in a little water for 15 seconds in the microwave. Next morning: Combine the cress, mushrooms, and ricotta. Spritz an oven-proof ramekin or other dish with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs and add the cress mixture. Whisk again and pour into the prepared dish. Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and the fruit. What a simple, sumptuous meal.

Salmon Quiche:  serves 6  Per serving: 110 calories  6 oz fat  0.5 g fiber  9.6 g protein  3.5 g carbs  56 mg Calcium PB GF  This goes together so quickly and tastes so nice, that I urge you to serve it at your next luncheon or guest occasion. Save some for Thursday’s breakfast.Salmon Quiche

6 eggs                                                                                                                                                                            2 oz salmon, cooked                                                                                                                                                  1 cup grated zucchini                                                                                                                                              2 Tbsp reduced-fat ricotta                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp plain fat-free yogurt                                                                                                                                ½ cup coarsly-chopped onion                                                                                                                            dill + salt + pepper to taste                                                                                                                                       salad, per serving:  48 calories   2.4 g fat  1.8 g fiber   1.3 g protein   6.2 g carbs   25 mg Calcium   1/2 tsp olive oil + 1/2 tsp flavorful vinegar                                                                                                           1 cup greens such as baby greens or mesclun                                                                                                  1 oz tomatoes, diced                                                                                                                                                               1 oz cooked, chilled beets                                                                                                                                        1/2 oz carrot, grated

Spritz an oven-proof quiche pan [I used one that is 8.5”diameter x 2” high] with non-stick spray. Crumble the salmon into the bottom of the pan and top with the zucchini and onion. Whisk the eggs with the ricotta, yogurt, dill, salt, and pepper. Pour into the pan and bake at 350 F. for around 30 minutes, or until puffed and set in the center.  Serve with a side salad and some local, seasonal vegetables.

Rosa of Lima

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a total of 600 calories. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday, another day of 600 calories.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

 Isabel Flores de Olivia was born on August 20, 1586, to a family of Spanish colonists in Peru.  To her parents’ dismay, she died with the name Rosa of Lima. Little did they suspect that she would become the first Catholic saint born in the ‘New World.’  The beautiful girl was slated for marriage, but defied her parents by wishing to become a nun.  They grudgingly agreed, permitting her to live a secluded life in a hut in their garden. There Rosa fasted, lived an ascetic life, and helped the sick and poor. Her elevation to sainthood was a boost to the faith of the inhabitants of Peru and all of South America.

Many foods we commonly eat today are from Peru, and in honor of Rosa, we will sample several. The breakfast contains tomatoes and anchovies, both typical ingredients which Rosa would have known.  The dinner contains Lima beans, of course, in a traditional meal of Western Hemisphere First Peoples.

Peruvian ScrOmelette:  289 calories…  8.3 g fat…   3 g fiber…  17.4 g protein…   37 g carbs… 231.6 mg Calcium…   PB GF  Traditional foods of Peru from land and sea combine with the new taste of coffee, now grown in the mountains.

Peruvian 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++++ 2 oz diced tomato, drained++++ ¼ oz [2 tsp] anchovies canned in olive oil, drained but not rinsed ++++2 oz melon OR mango ++++ optional: blackish coffee or blackish tea++++ optional: 5-6 oz green smoothie, fruit smoothie or pure apple cider++

Night before:After you dice the tomato, put it in a strainer over a bowl to reduce the moisture. In the morning: Chop the anchovies and add to the eggs. Spritz a non-stick pan with non-stick spray and add the tomatoes. This will cook them a bit and warm them. Whisk the egg/anchovy and pour into the warm pan. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Plate with the fruit, pour the beverages, and dream of the Andes.

Original Succotash w: Corn Mush

‘Original’ Succotash:  270 calories…  2.6 g fat…   9.3 g fiber…  18 g protein…  50 g carbs… 71 mg Calcium…  PB GF  The Mystic Seaport Cookbook  contains many quaint and curious old recipes. What follows is my combination of two of them. It is ‘original’ because it gets us back to what succotash once was [a maindish, not a side] and because it is my own version. HINT: This recipe makes 3 cups of succotash, which could be 3 servings.

++ ½ cup lima beans [Green Giant frozen Fordhook] ++++ ½ cup green/snap beans ++++ ½ cup corn kernels++++   ++++ ¼ cup canned navy beans ++++ 2 oz corned beef [New England style is grey because it contains no nitrates]   ++++ 1 slice cornmeal mush aka: polenta++++ sage + pepper + salt to taste [mind that the corned beef might be salty] ++

Cook the vegetables until they are tender. Drain the cooking water and reserve ½ cup. Mash the navy beans and whisk into ¼ cup vegetable water. Put all vegetables and the meat into a pan along with the mashed beans. Add sage and pepper to taste and more vegetable broth if you wish, and heat.  If it needs more salt, add it too. In a non-stick pan, saute the corn mush on each side until it is warm. Start with one cup of succotash, as it is very filling.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1.5 two-oz eggs1.5 two-oz eggs
tunacanned white beans [navy]
frozen spinachgreen onion   +   tomato
clementineshrimp
Mediterranean Vegetablesnectarine or peach
optional smoothieoptional hot beverage
optional hot beverageoptional smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

tuna steakschicken breast
red bell pepperssherry wine    +  angel hair pasta
zucchinicarrot  +  broccoli
cherry tomatoessherry wine [not cooking sherry]
olive oilBechamel sauce without cheese 
 Parmesan cheese
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Salad Days

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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.

Shakespeare coined the term ‘salad days‘ in the play Antony and Cleopatra in 1606. He used it to mean the time when we were callow, carefree, and young. Nowadays, it is used in the headlines of summer food articles, all touting beat-the-heat dinners.  Doesn’t Summer seem to be the very essence of the term ‘salad days’?  Indeed, we take advantage of the summer’s bounty and eat from the garden a lot these days, and salads seem cooler and lighter to eat when the weather is hot.  But beware! A nice healthy bowl of lettuces can be transformed into a danger zone by contaminated leaves [carrying Salmonella and other pathogens], not enough nutrition, and great lashings of fatty, sugary dressing.                                                                                                                                                Today we will eat a salad’s-worth of spinach at breakfast in baked eggs, since baking is a good way to kill bacteria. And for dinner a real salad with lots of nutrient-dense and delicious add-ins.

Spinach Fritatta:  276 calories  7.2 g fat  3.8 g fiber  16.4 g protein  35.6 g carbs [31.5 g Complex] 289 mg Calcium   PB GF  Whether it is breakfast or dinner, Spinach Fritatta checks off all the boxes.Spinach Frittata

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               1/6 cup [3 Tbsp] cooked spinach, squeezed and chopped    [equivalent of 2 cups raw spinach]                                                                                  1 Tbsp cottage cheese                                                                                                                                               1/8 oz [2 Tbsp] chopped scallions, white or green parts                                                                               ¼ oz Manchego OR Cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                             dash of grated nutmeg + dash of granulated garlic                                                                                             2 oz strawberries OR kiwi slice  + strawberry slice, as shown                                                           blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                  5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Cook the spinach, drain it, and squeeze it in your hands to remove excess water. [TIP: save the drained water for baking or for cooking vegetables/pasta] Chop the spinach and mix with scallions, both cheeses, nutmeg, and garlic. Lightly spray a baking dish with oil or non-stick spray. Pour the vegetable-cheese mixture into the dish and arrange so it is evenly distributed. Whisk the egg and pour over the mixture. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Plate with the berries and pour the beverages.

Santa Barbara Salad: 280 calories   13.3 g fat   5.7 g fiber   16.2 g protein   21.3 g carbs   105.8 mg Calcium PB GF From a Washington Post food column, this salad sings of California. HINT: This amount serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch later in the week.Santa Barbara Salad

½ head Boston or buttercrunch lettuce                                                                                                                  1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes                                                                                                                                        ½ medium apple, cored and diced                                                                                                                         ½ cup diced chicken breast                                                                                                                                       ¼ cup chickpeas                                                                                                                                                          1 oz soft goat cheese                                                                                                                                                  1.5 tsp pinenuts                                                                                                                                                                   1 Medjool date                                                                                                                                                                                1 hard-boiled egg, sliced                                                                                                                                          per serving: 1.5 tsp cinnamon dressing see SPICY from 23 May, 2018

First prepare the dressing and refrigerate. Next, toast the pinenuts until they just begin to brown. Take off heat and set aside. Shred the lettuce and put in a bowl along with all the other ingredients. Toss with 1.5 tsp dressing per serving. Play a Beach Boys song and wear your sunglasses.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
mushrooms tomatoes
1 crêpe [see Sidekicks II, 4 Oct, 2018] anchovies
mango or melon
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:

salt cod  + garlic cloves lima beans
potato  + cauliflower canned white beans
milk  + olive oil green snap beans
fennel seed  + black pepper corn kernels
carrot corned beef
slicing tomato polenta [Sidekicks II, Oct 4, 2017]
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Izaak Walton

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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.

“I have laid aside business, and gone a-fishing.”  Sounds like a familiar sign tacked on the door of a poorly-run country store.  Those words were penned by Isaac Walton who was born on August 9, 1593. He was a successful London clothier who’s claim to fame was his love of fishing. He was active in his church who’s vicar, John Donne, was Walton’s fishing buddy.  In 1653, he published The Compleat Angler, in which the fictional character Piscator [Walton’s alter ego] instructs a companion about fish, fishing, and the need to preserve the environment to keep the fish healthy.  A man ahead of his time. Today the name of his book is widely known by anglers all over the world and places sacred to trout fishers are named after him.  In the USA, the Izaak Walton League brings together avid fishermen who also speak to environmental protection. May the same be said of all of us.                                                                                                                                    Today’s menus feature trout, the fish which most people associate with Walton. Smoked trout with crisp apples for breakfast and trout sautéed with nuts for dinner.  If you can catch them yourself, Izaak would be smiling. If they were caught in a pristine country stream, so much the better.

Trout with Apples:   267 calories  3.9 g fat  2.4 g fiber  15.6 g protein  43 g carbs   199 mg Calcium PB GF At the Inn at Saint Peters, we enjoyed their Smoked Trout with Apples appetizer. It occurred to me that this could be a fine breakfast for those who enjoy a savory/seafood taste in the a.m. I substituted mackerel gravlax for the smoked trout, just because that was on hand, but it was a grey-brown instead of the lighter hue of the trout or the pink of a salmon.gravlax-apples

1 oz smoked trout [DuckTrap brand is very good]  OR  1 oz mackerel gravlax                                                  2 oz Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced; each slice cut into 1/2-moons                                                      ¼ c blueberries + 2 raspberries for color                                                                                                       blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water                                                                                                   5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider

Slice the fish with the grain to create thin slices. Arrange the fish and apples in overlapping slices around the plate. HINT: I did this the night before, covered it with clingwrap and put it in the ‘fridge. So quick the next morning!! Brew your hot beverage, blend or shake your smoothie, dish out those healthy blueberries, and breakfast elegantly.

Trout with Hazelnuts:  267 calories  18 g fat  3.3 g fiber  21 g protein  6.3 g carbs  75 mg Calcium   PB GF   From Savoie, France comes this recipe, via Anne Willem’s French Regional Cooking.  Hannibal is supposed to have dined on local trout as he crossed the Alps with his elephants. Very easy to prepare [the trout, not the elephants] and absolutely delicious.Trout w: hazelnuts + haricots

3 oz trout, skinned, boned and trimmed                                                                                                                                                           1 tsp butter                                                                                                                                                                        ½ oz hazelnuts, coarsly chopped                                                                                                                               2 oz French green beans [haricots]

Start cooking the beans. Heat a heavy saute pan and spray with non-stick spray. Put in the trout and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slowly [slow cooking will keep the fish tender] cook the trout on one side for about 3-4 minutes. Add the butter to the pan along with the nuts. Continue cooking everything slowly until the fish is done, roughly another 3 minutes. Drain and season the beans, plate them with the trout, and top the fish with the nuts in butter. Enjoy your culinary visit to the French Alps.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1two-oz egg
avocado 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
70-calorie whole-grain bread scallions
cottage cheese + Cheddar cheese
kiwi fruit + strawberry
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:

cooked and cooled brown rice Boston lettuce  + cherry tomatoes
1 two-oz egg apple  +  Medjool date
avocado  +  cucumber chick peas   +  chicken breast
grilled beef goat cheese + 1/2 hard-boiled egg
smoked salmon pine nuts  + shallot
soy sauce  +  rice vinegar cinnamon dressing [23 May, 2018]
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Emily Bronte

~ 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.                                                                       Welcome to loseweightmotv8  who is now Following.

 

Have you ever found that you were wandering over the Yorkshire Moors calling, “Heathcliff! Heathcliff!” OK, maybe not, but the yearning of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff for each other transcends time and leaps off the page at you.  Emily Brönte, under the pseudonym “Ellis Bell,” wrote the deathless novel Wuthering Heights in 1847.  Tomorrow will be the 200th anniversary of her birth. Like her heroine, Emily could not bear to be away from her Yorkshire home, even though she was supposed to go off to work to contribute to the family’s income.  She was a woman of conservative political beliefs who nonetheless was swept up in the Romantic Era‘s ideas of literature. Bronte was the daughter of a clergyman yet she wrote a book about a passionate, illicit love. Though she lead a sheltered life, Emily successfully played the stock market and ran a house on a frugal budget.  She died at age 30 having produced one book and several poems.

Kippers, preserved herring from Northern waters, would have been popular in Yorkshire, even away from the coast.  The economical Emily would have made sure that the parsonage was well supplied. Fish cakes, which also serve a household inexpensively, are what we will have for dinner. Is the wind howling around the house? Are there voices on the wind? Curl up with a good book.

Kippered Eggs w: cherries

Kippered Eggs:  294 calories  9.4 g fat   3 g fiber   18 g protein  34 g carbs [31 g Complex]  217 mg Calcium   PB GF   Kippers are traditionally served with eggs, but why not have them in eggs? We did and it is terrific!

++ 1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl                                   or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid                             and put it in the ‘fridge for next week  ++++ 1/2 oz kippered [smoked, salted, dried] herring  ++++ ¼ tsp dried mustard ++++ 1 tsp lemon or lime juice   ++++4 sweet cherries ++++  optional:  5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie  ++++ optional:  blackish tea or blackish coffee ++                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

The night before: Soak the kipper fillet in warm tap water for 30 minutes. Mince the fish. In a small bowl, combine the juice and mustard, then mix in the fish. Leave it until morning. Next morning: Put the fish with its flavorings into a lightly-spritzed hot non-stick or cast iron pan to warm. Whisk the eggs and pour over the fish. Let the eggs cook without disturbing them, then fold and plate with the cherries. The beverages are a nice counterpoint to the savory richness of the eggs and herring.

Fish Cake w: beets, salad

Fish Cakes:  212 calories  4 g fat  5 g fiber  9.6 g protein  34 g carbs  52 mg Calcium [food values for dinner using ONE 1/3 cup-size cake and side dishes.]    PB GF   This recipe is fromLegal Seafood Cookbook, from the restaurant chain in Boston, Mass. Fish cakes have been popular where ever there are folk who want a little fish to go a long way.    NB: The Fish Cake recipe produces 6 cakes, each 1/3 cup in size.  >>Each cake = 92 calories 1.7 g fat 0.8 g fiber 8 g protein 11.8 g carbs 22 mg Calcium                                                                                                                                                                         NB: The Fish Cake recipe produces 8 cakes, each 1/4 cup in size.  >>Each cake = 69 calories 1.3 g fat 0.6 g fiber 5.3 g protein 8.8 g carbs 16 mg Calcium                         1/3 cup green or white onion, chopped                                               1 2/3 cup mashed potatoes [no milk, no butter]                                                                              ¼ tsp dry mustard + salt + pepper                       1 two-oz egg                                                 2 Tbsp milk                                                                                                                                                                     6 oz cooked fish [cod, haddock, salt cod, salmon or a mixture], flaked into small pieces                                                           1 tsp butter                                                   ½ cup pickled beets                                                                                                                                                                                          1 cup baby greens or sliced lettuce leaves + ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp vinegar + salt + pepper

Combine the onion, potatoes, egg, seasonings, and milk, stirring well. Stir in the fish, gently but thoroughly. Using a 1/3 cup measure as a mold, portion the fish/potato mixture into 6 cakes. Put on a plate or cookie sheet while the pan heats up. Heat a heavy fry pan, such as cast iron, and spray with non-stick spray. Cook the fish cakes on one side, flattening them slightly with a turner. Remove from the pan and add 1 tsp of butter to the pan. Spread the butter around, return the fish cakes, and cook them on the other side until they are browned. Serve while hot. What you don’t eat today, let cool completely, then freeze with waxed or parchment paper between the cakes.

Hot Enough?

~ 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.

‘Hot enough for ya?’ [my father scorned people who said that.]  ‘Hotter than the hinges of Hades.‘ [my mother would say this one.] ‘Hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk.‘  ‘Some like it hot.’  ‘Hot town, summer in the city…‘  How hot has it been in your Northern Hemisphere location this summer?  Some people find it easier to diet in the summer, some the reverse. We find it easy to prepare simple foods which meet our requirements for a Fasting day as well as for enervating weather conditions.

The breakfast is based on ingredients from a favorite restaurant’s pizza. The pizza was baked in a brick oven and came sizzling to the table. In your own kitchen, under cooler circumstances, you can make a no-fuss breakfast.  The dinner is simplicity itself since the roasting was done in advance, and it can be carried to the nearest shady spot for consumption.

ForeStreet ScrOmelette:   278 calories   8.7 g fat   3 g fiber   15.8 g protein  35 g carbs  228 mg Calcium PB GF  Based on a pizza from one of our favorite Portland, Maine restaurants, these flavors are teriffic together.Forestreet Bake w: S-b

Three 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1 ½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                                                                                                         1/8 oz bleu cheese                                                                                                                                                                                               1/4 oz mushrooms                                                                                                                                                         1/8 oz leeks                                                                                                                                                                       1 oz pear                                                                                                                                                                      Blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water                                                                                             5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Spritz a non-stick pan with olive oil or non-stick spray. Slice the leeks and saute with the mushrooms until both are cooked. Whisk in the eggs and pour over the leeks and mushrooms. As the eggs begin to set, crumble the bleu cheese on top. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Plate with the pear, serve with the beverages of choice. Breakfast in a cool kitchen on a warm morning.

Pork Salad:   144 calories   4 g fat   2.4 g fiber   17 g protein   7 g carbs [6.8 g Complex]    43 mg Calcium  PB GF   When there is leftover meat from a roast, the easiest meal is to turn it into a salad with lots of yummy components. NB: I sprinkled each serving with 1/4 oz flax-seed corn chips which added 40 calories and only 4 g carbs.Pork Salad w: Flax-Corn Chips

2 cups salad greens, cut as chiffonade if leaves are large                                                                                             2.5-3 oz pork tenderloin, cooked, sliced                                                                                                       2.5-3 oz tomatoes                                                                                                                                                     1 oz red bell pepper, cut in 1/2” dice                                                                                                                    1 oz whole fresh cranberries, not dried                                                                                                             2 oz zucchini sticks                                                                                                                                                              1 tsp Balsamic vinegar + ½ tsp olive oil + 1 tsp blue cheese herb mustard

Prepare all the vegetables as described. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a wide bowl and toss with the greens. Plate the greens and decorate the salad with the other components. That was fast!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1.5  two-oz egg 1 two-oz egg
kippered herring low-fat cottage cheese
dry mustard radish sprouts
lemon juice avocado
cherries blueberries
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:

6 oz cooked fish 2 crepes [see Sidekicks I, 17 Sept ’17]
1 two-oz egg  +  dry mustard chicken breast
mashed potatoes  + butter carrots  +  chèvre/goat cheese
green or white onion low-fat cottage cheese
beets  +  salad greens Mediterranean Vegetables [see Sidekicks II, 4 Oct 2017 for recipe]
olive oil  + vinegar Herbes de Province or tarragon
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Bikini Season

~ 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.                                                                     Welcome to Jasmine Eclipse who is now Following.

Is there a connection among the atom bomb, swimwear, and the Fasting Diet? Yup.  On July 1, 1948, the US detonated an atom bomb on its test site named “Bikini Atoll” in the Pacific Ocean.  On July 5, 1946, Louis Réard debuted a novel 2-piece bathing suit in Paris. He had been beaten to the punch by a designer from the Riviera who called his skimpy suit “L’Atome” since the atom was the smallest particle known.  Réard dubbed his version “le Bikini”, after the site of the nuclear test.  The suit, made from 4 tiny triangles of fabric, was daring in its brevity and that it showed the wearer’s navel.  The name stuck but Réard, a mechanical engineer by training, had difficulty making many sales at his mother’s Paris lingerie shop because of social reaction. There was a popular song in  1960 about bikinis, but not until Ursula Andress rose from the sea in a white bikini did the look really take off.  The rest is history.

It is Summer in the Northern Hemisphere and people are going to the beach. Are you going in a muu-muu or a bikini? The Fast Diet will help you to get into a slimmer body better than any diet I’ve ever tried.  What you wear after you achieve your target weight is entirely up to you. Today’s breakfast is delicious and easy to prepare.  The dinner is full of the rich flavors of the French Riviera. Both are perfect for getting you onto the beach for a trim swim.

Citrus Breakfast:  290 calories   1.6 g fat  3.6 g fiber   21 g protein   48 g carbs [38 g Complex] 289 mg Calcium   PB GF  Is this the breakfast you imagine when you think ‘go on a diet’? Does it look like starvation rations? Banish those thoughts! Delicious, nutritious, and filling, this is a great breakfast for anyone, any day. And it has tons of Vitamin C and A and D.Citrus Breakfast

½ cup reduced-fat cottage cheese                                                                                                                          2 Tbsp fat-free French Vanilla                                                                                                                                                                                     1 clementine, peeled and sectioned                                                                                                                 2 Tbsp black currants                                                                                                                                             5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water

Combine all the dairy and fruit [or combine the dairy and garnish with fruit after plating]. Knowing that I would have a busy morning, I did this the night before and refrigerated it. Great for a grab-and-go meal. With the hot beverage and smoothie, it is a vitamin-blast.

Feta-Tuna-Bean Salad: 306 calories   14.6 g fat   5.3 g fiber   19.3 g protein   24 g carbs [23 g Complex]  230 mg Calcium  PB GF  This salad has a lot going for it. Perfect for a hot summer evening.Feta:tuna:bean:egg Salad

1 oz canned tuna, drained                                                                                                                                  1/4 cup white beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                                                 1 oz feta cheese, crumbled                                                                                                                                  2 oz tomatoes, cubed                                                                                                                                                         1.5 oz red bell pepper, cut as large dice                                                                                                            1 pitted ripe olives, sliced                                                                                                                                      1/2 hardboiled egg, in wedges or chopped                                                                                                                                 1-1/2 cups baby greens  OR full-sized leaves sliced cross-wise                                                                                                                                             1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice + lots of herbes de Province + pinch garlic powder

Prepare the vegetables as described above. Whisk the oil, lemon juice, herbs and garlic in a 2-cup bowl. Add the greens and toss gently but thoroughly. Place the greens in the serving bowl and nestle the tuna in the center. Arrange all the other ingredients on top in a manner that pleases you.

Tomatoes

~ 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.                                                                                         Welcome to mencanmakehomes who is now Following.

Tomatoes are such a ubiquitous food that it is hard to imagine a time when they were absent from world-wide cuisine and even feared as poisonous.  Tomatoes are native to South America, where they might still be growing wild in Peru. They were introduced to Europe in the 1500s by Cortès.  Botanically, they are members of the Nightshade Family, which includes the known poison deadly nightshade. Due to that association, this untried fruit was viewed with suspicion. But a few intrepid biologists/physicians/cooks were convinced that they were safe to eat, and their use caught on in Europe.  On July 28, 1820, Robert Gibbon Johnson in Salem, New Jersey made a rash announcement: he would sit on the courthouse steps and eat tomatoes!!  A crowd gathered, thinking/fearing/hoping [?] that he would die.  He didn’t and thereafter, tomatoes grew in gardens and in popularity.

Our meals today feature the famed ‘love apple’, with eggs and enchiladas.

Broccoli-Olive-Tomato ScrOmelette:  291 calories  8.6 g fat  4 g fiber   18 g protein   38 g carbs [36 g Complex] 252 mg Calcium  PB GF  Sometimes things in the ‘fridge say, “Put us in eggs for breakfast.” Who am I to deny their urging?Broc-Olive-Tom 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 into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                        1 oz broccoli                                                                                                                                                               1 Tbsp cottage cheese                                                                                                                                            1 oz tomato                                                                                                                                                               1/2 black olive                                                                                                                                                             ¾ tsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                  pinch of basil                                                                                                                                                             2 oz strawberries                                                                                                                                                 black coffee or black tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                            5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie

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

Enchiladas Suizas:  293 calories   9.9 g fat  11.2 g fiber  31.6 g protein  43.4 g carbs   261.7 mg Calcium   PB GF  Rick Bayless relates this recipe in his book Mexico One Plate At A Time. Delicious and easy to prepare. Avoid assembling too far in advance, lest it turn to mush.Enchiladas w: winter medley

2 six-inch corn tortillas [50 calories each]                                                                                                        2 0z [½ cup] shredded cooked chicken breast                                                                                                ½ cup enchilada sauce***                                                                                                                                        ¼ cup grated Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese                                                                                              1 oz broccoli florets   +   1 oz cauliflower florets   +   ½ oz carrot

***Enchilada Sauce        1 cup = 75 calories                                                                                                                       two 28-oz cans whole tomatoes            2 jalapeno peppers                                                                         3 tsp vegetable oil [canola]         1 cup chopped onion                                                                                   2 cups chicken broth

Roast the peppers in a dry skillet over medium heat about 5 minutes until splotchy                with black areas.   Put in a blender with the tomatoes and whirr until smooth.                            Cook onions in oil until golden, about 7 minutes.   Raise heat and add tomato puree.              Cook 10-15 minutes until thickened like tomato paste.                                                                           Add broth, cover partially and simmer 15 minutes until slightly soupy.                                    Season with ½ tsp salt.

Heat oven to 350 F. On an ungreased heavy skillet, place the tortillas and cook them until they begin to brown on one side. Flip in the pan and continue until each tortilla is pliable and slightly fragrant. Remove to a cutting board or baking sheet. Distribute the chicken between the tortillas, then roll up the tortillas, and place each in an oven-proof dish, seam-side down. Spoon the sauce over and around and between the enchiladas. NB: you don’t have to use all of the sauce. Extra could be frozen or added to eggs or soup. Sprinkle with cheese and put into oven for 20 minutes.  Cook the vegetables, drain and dress with salt and a splash of red wine vinegar. So good!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

reduced-fat cottage cheese 1.5 two-oz eggs
 clementine  crabmeat  +  catsup
 fat-free French Vanilla yogurt  Thai fish sauce
 black currants  Thai hot chili sauce
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:

 canned tuna   + feta cheese  momas   [see Feb 25, 2018 for recipe]
 canned white beans  + black olives  wontons + chicken broth [Feb 18, 2018]
 tomato  + red bell pepper  chicken + satay sauce
 hard-boiled egg    +  baby greens sugar snap peas
 olive oil    +  lemon juice  soy sauce
 garlic powder  + herbes de Province
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Cousteau

~ 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.   Welcome to SmartDiet who is now Following.

Jacques-Yves Cousteau — you know who he is.  If you are part of my generation, your interest in environmentalism and the ocean are probably due to him.  Back when I was teaching Oceanography, every student knew his name.  He was born on June 11, 1910 in South-Western France.  While growing up, he loved swimming and mechanical tinkering.  During WW2, Cousteau was in a spy ring as part of the French Resistance and during that same time, developed the ‘Aqua-Lung‘ with Émile Gagnan.  It was debuted in 1948, when the two engaged in the first underwater archeology project involving divers using what is now called ‘SCUBA’ gear.  He, his team, his mission, and his ship Calypso were popularized in the hit TV series The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, which opened the world’s eyes to the wonders beneath the waves.

In sea water, one is nearly weightless  — but not so on land.  Hélàs, out of the water, we are well-aware of our weight.  If you want to do something to transform your body, join me in Fasting 2 days each week.  It can make a big difference.  The featured breakfast uses flavors popular in Southern France: salt cod and garlic.  Put them in eggs for a taste of the sea from Marseille, Cousteau’s home port.  Dinner puts the fish in a ‘boat’: a tip of the hat to finned sea creatures and to Cousteau’s famous ship.

Marseille Omelette:  297 calories  8 g fat  2.6 g fiber  22 g protein  33 g carbs [29 g Complex] 231 mg Calcium PB GF   Garlic, tomatoes, salt cod, and lavender: all flavors of Marseille on your breakfast plate.Marseille Omelette

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           1/3 oz salt cod, soaked                                                                                                                                              1 clove garlic, minced                      large pinch dried lavender OR herbs de Province                                                                                       2 oz sliced fresh tomatoes             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]

                                                                                                                      The night before:  Soak the salt cod in water for 30-40 minutes, until softened. Mince and combine with the garlic and lavender. Next morning: Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs with the flavorings and pour into the hot pan. Instead of scrambling it, allow it to cook until the bottom is cooked and the top is firming up. Gently flip it to the other side to cook briefly. Plate with the tomatoes. Serve with the beverages of choice.

Cucumber Boats with Salmon: 258 calories  12.4 g fat   3 g fiber  20.4 g protein   19 g carbs   162 mg Calcium  PB GF  So easy for the summer or anytime.Cucumber Boat w: salmon and 3-bean salad

                                                   one 3.5 oz cucumber, of which you will use half to serve one person                                                                   1/2 Tbsp watercress sauce, optional         2¾ oz cooked salmon                      1 tsp Dijon mustard                                                  1/8 oz leek               ½ cup 4-bean salad 

Slice the leek and blanch until soft  in a little water in the microwave. In a bowl break up the salmon and combine with the sauce, mustard and leek. Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the seeds with a melon-baller. Mound the salmon into the cucumber boats and plate with the 4-bean salad.