Fast Lifestyle on a Plant-based diet

Mediterranean Idyll

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Let’s go South for the day.  To Southern France, that is, the land of Province, the Midi, and fields of lavender. Nothing like a sunny sojourn to banish the dark of a winter’s day. Enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean and continue the Fasting Lifestyle on your way to a healthier you.

Ratatouille Eggs   292 cal                      PBRatatouille Egg-toast

1 piece 70-cal multi-grain bread [I use Nature’s Own]                                                                               one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup Mediterranean Vegetables [see July 15, 2015]    last time I made some, I froze a portion                                                 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider                                      blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Toast the bread. [If using frozen veg, thaw in a strainer and let the excess water drain out.] Warm the vegetables briefly and spoon onto the toast. Fry the egg using a non-stick or cast iron pan and put the egg on top of the vegetables on the toast. Pour the beverages and you have a fine breakfast as well as a head-start on your 5 servings of vegetables for the day.

Langostino with Garlic:   261 calories     3.4 g fat     9.2 g fiber  26.1 g protein 34.7 g carb   PB    GF       I wish I knew the source of this recipe, because I really like it. ‘Langoustine’ is either a large shrimp or the tail of a Norway lobster, according to LaRousse. Sometimes you find them frozen and when I see them, I buy them. HINT: the amounts shown serve TWO people. This is a good meal to share and more difficult to cut down for one serving. If you are into leftovers, make the whole thing and enjoy it for lunch on a Slow Day.

Langostino w: garlic

1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                   2 cloves garlic, chopped + pinch of hot pepper flakes                                                                 5 oz langustino chunks or 4.5 oz cleaned shrimp                                                                         5 oz broccoli florets or asparagus, cut into 2” pieces                                                                    1 cup cabbage, sliced [3 oz]                                                                                                                     2 Tbsp dry white wine                                                                                                                    salt & pepper                                                                                                                                             15 oz tomatoes, coarsley chopped or canned diced tomatoes                                                      ¾ c white beans, rinsed and drained                                                                                             ½ cup fish stock

Pour the tomatoes through a sieve, saving the juice that drains out. Heat the oil in a saute pan or wok. Add the garlic and hot peppers to the pan along with the broccoli [or asparagus] and cabbage. Saute for 3-4 minutes. If the pan gets too dry [ie: no sound of cooking], add some reserved tomato juices and/or some of the fish stock. Pour in the wine, then sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Cook to reduce the wine to almost gone. Add the beans, tomatoes, and fish stock. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add the langostine and cook to thicken the broth.

The prep is fussy, the cooking is quick, the result is delicious. If you wish, serve with a side salad of 1 cup baby greens, sprinkled with a quality vinegar and herbs. Or stir the greens into the saute pan at the last minute to wilt them.

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

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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: 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.

Number One Son

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Today is the birthday of Number One Son, so we will celebrate with a breakfast that he might not like and a dinner he would enjoy.  The breakfast involves blueberries which he stopped eating when he saw that the insides were actually green and gooey-looking. But he does like oatmeal. The crab cakes are a real winner and a family favorite.

Oatmeal Pudding      295 cal       2.6 g. fat          12.1 g. protein      49.7 g. carb      GF PBoatmeal pudding w: green smoothie

A riff on a recipe found in Marion Cunningham’s Breakfast Book, this can easily be prepared the night before. NB: THIS MAKES ENOUGH FOR TWO [2] PERSONS OR 2 [two] MEALS FOR ONE PERSON

½ cup oatmeal, cooked in 1 cup water                                                                                                      2 tsp maple syrup                                                                                                                                             ½ cup fatfree cottage cheese                                                                                                                  pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon                                                                                                                     4 Tbsp. blueberries [fresh or frozen]                                                                                 …………………………….                                                                                                                                           per serving 1  oz of watermelon per person                                                                                            5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                          blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Cook the oatmeal in the water. Take off the heat and stir in the maple syrup and nutmeg. While it is still a little warm, stir in the cottage cheese. Let sit to cool. HINT: I did this part the night before while cleaning up after dinner. If making one portion, pour half of the pudding into a freezer container and top with 2 Tbsp blueberries. Freeze it. HINT: make the entire batch, eat half of it today and freeze the rest for a really simple-to-prepare breakfast for another day. With the remainder, stir in 2 Tbsp blueberries and pour the pudding into a ramekin. Nuke it for a minute to heat through – longer than that and it will bubble over. Serve with the melon, smoothie, and hot beverage for a hearty, healthy meal.

Crab Cakes:     250 cal        4.7 g fat         24.0 g protein                14.2 g carbs   PBCrab Cakes w: beans

Rock and Jonah crabs abound on the coast of New England and they are grand as crab cakes. This recipe is from Todd English’s Olive’s Table cookbook. Note: this is the full recipe and makes 5 cakes – more than you will eat at one meal. Prepare them all and cook as directed. HINT: This will provide a few future meals.

½ pound crab meat                                                                                                                                                      2 T [1 oz] plain nonfat yogurt                                                                                                                        1 tsp Dijon mustard                                                                                                                                      2 Tbsp. chopped green or white onion                                                                                                      1 T. parsley, minced                                                                                                                                           1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                         1 tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper                                                                                                                                 1 slice fresh 70-cal bread, crumbled   [I like Nature’s Own wholegrain]                                                                                                        4 T. flour                                                                                                                                                                   2 tsp oil                                                                                                                                                                 4 oz green beans                                                                                                                                                    1 tsp low-fat mayonnaise + few drops of lemon juice + pinch each of tumeric and garlic powder [this is your aioli dressing]

Gently combine 1st 8 ingredients in a bowl. Dust a large plate with the flour. Using a 1/3 c. measure as a mold, form the crab cakes and turn them out onto the flour. There should be 5 cakes. Dust the top of the cakes with some of the flour. Heat a non-stick skillet and add 2 tsp olive oil. Handling them carefully, cook the crab cakes until they are beginning to brown on the top and bottom. Cook the green beans.  Put aioli on crab cakes.

One Fast Day serving = 1.5 crab cakes. Cool the others, wrap in cling wrap and freeze. Reheat in a toaster oven. Since the cakes will have been previously cooked, they need only to be reheated at this point.

Last Call for Vegetables

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Frost may hit this weekend, so the fresh vegetables will be disappearing. Time to use them for a Fast Day breakfast and dinner. The breakfast also uses some of those crepes that we stored in the freezer last week. This all fits into our Fasting Lifestyle — lots of fresh veg, good flavors, high protein, ease of preparation.

Breton Breakfast:        310 calories                  PB                                                                                  Here is one way to use the crepe batter which we made last week and you stored in the freezer. You need one crepe per serving. Make some extra for a lunch or dinner later this week.Breton bfast w: apple

1 crepe                                                                                                                                                                  1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                       ¼ cup diced zucchini                                                                                                                                     ¼ cup diced tomatoes                                                                                                                                            ¼ cup diced bell pepper, any color you want                                                                                        1/4-1/3 tsp curry powder [seafarers brought a lot of spices to Brittany’s ports]                              2 oz apple                                                                                                                                                             5-6 oz green smoothie or apple cider                                                                                                   blackish tea or coffee or hot water with lemon

Put the 3 vegetables and the curry in a small sauce pan with a bit of water and cook uncovered until the veg are soft and the liquid has evaporated. If your crepe was cooked previously, warm it a little to take off the chill. Cook the egg by frying it in a lightly-oiled non-stick pan. Spoon the vegetable on the crepe, put the egg on top. Hold briefly, if needed, in a warm oven while you pour the smoothie and warm beverage, and while you slice the fruit.

Antipasto with Tuna: 282                                                               PB  GF                                         This one is a keeper. Simple, off the shelf, pretty on the plate, good to eat. The photo shows enough for 2 people. Invite a guest who is Fasting, too.Amtipasto w: herbs

2 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them] 2 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy blocks of mozzerells for slicing] one 5-0z can tuna, packed in water, drained and broken into large chunks 5 oz tomato slices 3 oz whole green beans, steamed, drained 1 ½ oz marinated mushrooms 1/3 c. garbanzo beans, drained if canned 4 black olives, pitted and sliced 3 slices pepperoni, chopped 1 tsp flavored oil, salt, chopped fresh herbs

Prepare the ingredients and keep separate. On a platter, arrange the ingredients in rows as shown in the photo. Suit your own artistic nature as to what goes where. Be liberal with the fresh herbs.

Holy Crepes

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In the 1970s the crêpes really hit the pan in the USA. Restaurants featuring the French ‘pancakes’ were very popular, giving the impression that this type of food was newly invented.  Au contraire, mon ami. The original crêpes come from Brittany, the peninsula in NW France where they grow buckwheat instead of wheat. Buckwheat crêpes are seldom seen in the US, and the tourist food from street corners in Paris use crêpe batter without it.

Crêpes are easy to make, without fancy equipment, and lend themselves to a variety of healthy fillings. By using a combination of unbleached wheat flour and buckwheat flour, you get a crêpe which is lighter in texture and in flavor. The batter can be made ahead and frozen. Or the crepes themselves can be made ahead and stored for a few days in the ‘fridge.

Crêpe batter   1 batch makes 16 crepes, each using ¼ cup batter      each crepe =  55 calories   0.8 g. fat   2.4 g. protein  9.9 g. carbs       PB   The recipe is from Susan Herrmann Loomis’ terrific book, French Farmhouse Cookbook.                                

1 cup unbleached flour                                    ¾ cup buckwheat flour                                                                                                                                         1 ¾ cup water                2 eggs               ½ tsp sea salt                                                                                                                                                              

Vigorously whisk the flours and the water until batter is smooth. When you lift the whisk, the batter should fall off in ‘ropes.’ Let sit for 2 hours or over night. HINT: batter could be divided into 1 cup or ½ cup portions and frozen. If using frozen batter, whisk it vigorously after it thaws. Heat a small cast-iron pan or ceramic saute pan. Lightly spritz with oil.  {If your pan is well seasoned or you use a ceramic pan, you should not have to oil the pan more than once.}  Dip a ¼ cup measure into the batter and let the extra drain off. Grasp the handle of the cook pan with one hand as you slowly pour the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan in a swirling pattern to let the batter form a circle roughly 6” in diameter. Don’t get hung up on perfectly round or perfectly flat. Watch the crêpe cook and look to see when the edges start to dry and curl a bit. Using a heat-resistant bur non-scratching tool [I use my fingers], lift the crêpe and turn it over. Cook the other side until done. Time will vary, depending on the heat of your pan. Lift the cooked crêpes out, put it aside, and cook the next one. HINT: if storing them for later today or tomorrow, let them cool on a tea towel, then stack and store in a plastic bag.

What shall we do with the crepes? Are you getting ideas already of what to put inside? Stay tuned in future weeks to put your frozen crêpe batter into use.

Some of that…

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Sampling different cuisines is something I enjoy. One of my challenges as a meal-planner is to mix it up and have a lot of variety. You don’t have to sample everything I post, but if you are an adventurous eater, then you can say, “I’ll have some of that today.”  AND you can still lose weight.

Laughing Herb Omelette 287 calories                                                                             PBLaughing Herb Om w: apple

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                                                                         1/2 section Vache Qui Rit [Laughing Cow] cheese                                                                             1.5 Tbsp fresh herbs — your choice                                                                                                              3 oz apple                                                                                                                                                             ½ slice bread  Nature’s Own is still my go-to for Fast Day                                                                 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                              blackish tea or blackish coffee or hot water with lemon

Whisk the eggs and herbs together. Take the cheese from the ‘fridge [HINT: keep it cold so that it will slice better] and slice it into as many thin slices as you can. Spritz a hot non-stick or cast iron pan with cooking oil and pour in the eggs/herbs. When the bottom begins to set, lay the cheese slices over half the surface of the eggs. Cook to your degree of doneness, fold and plate. Slice apple, toast bread, shake up the smoothie, pour your hot beverage and laugh along with the cow.

Red Beans & Rice   280 calories   1.2 g. fat    13 g. protein    57.5 g. carb   PB    GFRed Beans & Rice w: gr. beans

This is the old classic recipe for the ‘perfect protein’. Yeah, you’re right, the carbs are way out of control, but for a once-in-a-while this is really good. HINT: This is enough for 4 servings! Either have a gathering or cut the recipe or freeze in 1 cup portions for later.

2 cups brown rice, cooked                                                                                                                        ½ cup celery, chopped                                                                                                                                 ½ cup sweet yellow pepper, diced                                                                                                              1 cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                     2 cloves garlic, minced                                                                                                                                  ¾ cup tomato sauce                                                                                                                            oregano,   black pepper                                                                                                                                 2 cups red beans, drained and rinsed [Goya brand is very good]                                                   ½ cup green beans per serving

Cook the rice. Spritz a non-stick pan with oil and saute the celery, pepper, and onions for 5 minutes, adding a bit of water if it seems dry. Add the garlic and cook 5 minutes more. Add the tomato sauce and seasonings. Stir in the red beans and heat through. When the rice is done, add 2 cups to the mixture. Serve with the cooked green beans.

This is for you, D.C.P.

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Today is the birthday of our good friend DCP who recently said, “It’s easier for you to Fast — you like eggs.”  For those of you who would rather not see an egg on the plate at breakfast, try these. Many are Plant-based and all are Fasting-friendly. Many of the recipes are high in Carbs, so be careful to pair with a low-carb and high protein dinner. Happy Birthday, DCP.                                                                                                                Nordic Breakfast, September 20                                                                                      French Toast, September 6                                                                                                     Toad in the Hole, July 9                                                                                                     Cottage Cheese and Pears, July 2                                                                             Improper English, May 17                                                                                              Oatmeal Pudding, May 26                                                                                                   Rotate these meals through your Mondays and Thursdays, and you won’t repeat for three weeks.  Of course some people like to eat a favorite again and again. Go for it!  But keep Fasting.  Hmm… those breakfasts look so good, I might even eat one on a Tuesday!

‘

it

Happy October

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On October first, even in Northern New England, we still have some fresh vegetables around to incorporate in meals. Fruit and vegetables are one of the key-stones of a Fast Diet.  They add bulk, texture, variety, and a bit of sweetness to a meal. Eat up.

Basquaise Omelette: 283 calories                                      GF  PB                                            This recipe, full of the flavors of the Basques region of SW France, comes to us from Saulte 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.                                                                 3 Tbsp tomato sauce, such as Hunt’s                                                                                                           2 Tbsp bell pepper, chopped                                                                                                                          ½ clove garlic, minced or pinch granulated garlic                                                                                2 tsp parsley, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 ½ tsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                  3 oz apple or 4.5 oz melon                                                                                                                                                                      5-6 oz natural apple cider or green smoothie or fruit smoothie                                              blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

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.

Felafel with Cucumber Raita 276 calories   10.2 g. fat   16 g. protein   33.5 g. carbs     PB GF

5 felafel patties [see Sept 9]                                                                                                                                                             1 cup raw spinach                                                                                                                                           1/2 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                             large pinch ground nutmeg                                                                                                                         4 oz plain, non-fat yogurt   if yogurt is runny, put it in a strainer and let it set for 15 mins                                                                    1 scant cup cucumbers, cubed                                                                                                                  1 tsp white wine vinegar                                                                                                                                 1 ½ tsp fresh mint, chopped or dried dill weed

Thaw out 5 of those felafel patties what we prepared on Sept. 9. Heat them in the toaster oven or in a non-stick pan on the stove. Do not cook them in oil. Cut the spinach into a chiffonade [make a pile of leaves and cut thinly across their width]and put into a bowl. Cube the cucumbers. Stir together the yogurt, vinegar, and dill or mint. Add the cucumber cubes and stir gently to combine. Toss the spinach with the olive oil and nutmeg. Plate and love it.

Old and New

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Here’s a new breakfast for you and a twist on a dinner classic.  With the last blog post in mind, check the nutritional values of these meals, separately and together.

Nordic Breakfast 297 calories    11.7 g. fat           15.5 g. protein       34.8 g carbs       PB         This is based on a recipe from the Fast Diet book, but I always thought it looked like a puny anount of food.  After a few tweeks, this will fill you up!Nordic Bfast

3 slices of Finn Crisp crackers                                                                                                                   2 oz smoked salmon                                                                                                                                          2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese                                                                                                                     2 rings red onion, thinly sliced                                                                                                                      ½ cup raspberries                                                                                                                                            1 oz apple                                                                                                                                                 blackish coffee                                                                                                                                         NOTE: no smoothie or cider today

Carefully spread the cream cheese on the crackers. Divide the salmon among them. Arrange the onion rings atop the salmon. Slice the apple and pour your hot beverage. Skip the aquavit.

Quiche:      291 calories      17.7 g. fat           24.7 g. protein               11.8 g. carb       GF  PB                         I suggest serving this meal on a day when you have eaten one egg or none for breakfast. Eggs are good for us, but you don’t want to over-d0 it with any ingredient.quiche w: tomato

One and a half 2-0z eggs HINT: Here is a way to use the eggs left over from last Thursday’s omelette.                                                                                                                                   2 oz skimmed milk                                                                                                                                       2 oz swiss cheese, grated                                                                                                                              1.5 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                              3/4 oz cooked asparagus cut in 1/2” pieces                                                                                              1 oz cooked broccoli, coarsely chopped                                                                                                   1/2 Tbsp onion, chopped                                                                                                                                3 oz tomato, sliced                                                                                                                                    herbs, salt, pepper

If not using left-over vegetables, steam the vegetables to cook until tender. Set the oven at 400. Lightly oil 3 wells of a standard muffin pan. Put water [1/2”] in the ungreased, empty wells. Or use a mini-muffin pan and plan to use about 6 of the wells. Grate the cheese and toss lightly to combine. Beat the eggs and milk together and add the seasonings. Feel free to use lots of basil and thyme! Spoon equal portions of the vegetables into the prepared pans. Then top with cheese mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the veg and cheese. Bake until puffed and golden brown and a thin knife stuck in the center comes out clean and dry. Let the quiches cool while you slice the tomatoes. Serve each quiche on a tomato slice or next to them.