Fasting Lifestyle

The “Beagle” Has Landed

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

After a long voyage from England, followed by the perilous journey around Cape Horn, the HMS Beagle landed in the Galapagos Islands on September 15, 1835. The ship had been sent out by the British Admiralty to perform a hydrographic survey of the ocean around South America. On board was an extra crew member, the recent university graduate, Charles Darwin. He had been invited by the captain to be his ‘science officer’, to collect plant and animal specimens to take back to England. Darwin, an enthusiastic naturalist, accepted with pleasure. The young man had been considering a vocation in the clergy, but his eyes opened to new ideas while on the voyage. He found fossils of extinct beasts. He saw the sea floor lifted up to dry land by an earthquake. And on the Galapagos, he found birds similar to those on the mainland, but which had changed over time to fit their environment. Darwin collected thousands of samples, and created volumes of notes. By the time the Beagle arrived in the Galapagos, the trip had lasted five years. On the voyage home, Darwin compiled his notes and began to doubt the scientific doctrine of the time: that no life form ever went extinct; that the Earth had been formed 4000 years before in one event and hadn’t changed since; that nature was immutable and that species never changed. Darwin went on to write his explosive book The Origin of Species, and science hasn’t been the same since. Just as the landing of the Eagle on the moon in July, 1969, opened the door to new scientific discoveries and further expeditions, the landing of the Beagle in the Galapagos lit the spark that began a revolution in scientific thought.

The breakfast represents Darwin’s ideas at the start of the voyage: conventional, very English, conservative. The dinner, innovative and modern, is a metaphor for Darwin’s ideas at the end of his analysis of his findings.

FarmWife Mushroom Casserole: 127 calories… 2 g fat… 2 g fiber… 7 g protein… 33.5 g carbs… 83.6 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. – PB– Having read of this in The Fellowship of the Ring, I searched and searched until I found an approximation: this recipe in Theodora FitzGibbon’s A Taste of England.

++ ½ oz [one strip] American/streaky bacon ++++ ¾ cup assorted mushrooms, chopped ++++ 3 Tbsp chicken stock ++++ ¾ tsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce ++++ salt & pepper ++++ ½ Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich Thin ++++ ½ oz pear ++++  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]++

In a small pan, cook the bacon partially. Remove from the pan, blot off the fat, and cut in strips. Pour off the bacon fat but return 1 tsp to the pan. Saute the mushrooms in the fat and remove them. Pour the chicken stock and Worcestershire into the pan and sprinkle in the flour while whisking to prevent lumps as it thickens. Add pepper. Put the bacon and mushrooms into the sauce and cook over low heat, until warmed through. Pour into an oiled oven-proof dish and bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Warm or lightly toast the Sandwich Thin. Place the bread on top of the mushroom pudding prior to serving.  NB: you can serve it out of the baking dish or turn it out on the bread on a plate. Enjoy with the pear and have a hearty day, even if you are not escaping from Black Riders.

Grapefruit-Avocado Salad: 289 calories… 20 g fat… 6.4 g fiber … 18 g protein… 15 g carbs… 75.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF This is delicious, nutritious, and satisfying. Real food. Good food.

++ 1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled ++++ 2.5 oz avocado [this was half an avocado], sliced in 4 pieces ++++ 3.3 oz pink grapfruit sections [you need 4 sections] ++++ 1.75 cups lettuce, sliced/shredded ++++ 1 oz cooked chicken breast [you could substitute 4 shrimp for a meatless meal] ++++ ½ tsp white wine vinegar + ½ tsp lime-infused olive oil + ¼ tsp ground ginger ++++ lemon finishing salt ++

Whisk the oil, vinegar, and ginger in a meduim-sized bowl. Add the lettuce and toss to coat with the dressing. Remove the lettuce to a serving plate, letting some of the dressing drip back into the bowl. Spread the lettuce evenly over the plate and sprinkle with the finishing salt. Starting at the center with the egg, arrange the grapefruit and avocado around the plate. Place the chicken as you wish. Brush the remaining dressing on the grapefruit and avocado. 

For, lo, the Winter is past…

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

“Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing birds has come. And the voice of the turtle[dove] is heard in the land.”

The 10th century BCE author of the Song of Songs [Solomon did not write it, although the piece is often called the Song of Solomon] had his own idea of when winter ended: rain over, check; flowers bloom, check; songbirds return, check; turtledoves sing, check. Does that define the end of winter where you live? Here in April in Northern New England, the Peepers are singing, the daffodils have begun to bloom, and the snow remains only in shaded hollows. It is not yet time to plant vegetables, except for cold-hardy ones like peas and spinach. Easter has come and gone, but snowfall can come as late as May… Still, the sun rises higher in the sky each day, and the earth becomes warmer. Sap Season is over and the maple trees are in flower. Winter is clearly over and Spring is underway. May will bring apple blossoms, and after the lilacs bloom, the hot weather comes to stay. For now, we will savor the mild sunny days, the absence of biting insects, and the awakening of the land after its winter dormancy. Rise up, my friends, come outside into the garden, and be rejuvenated.

Our meal offerings are all about Springtime, from ingredients suggesting the Vernal Equinox to a crunchy green dinner salad.

Vernal Equinox Bake: 249 calories… 8.4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 14 g protein… 17 g carbs… 212 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  For the change of seasons, a breakfast with cured meat [to represent Winter] and artichokes [to stand for Spring]. Simple and flavorful.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ ½ oz capicola, diced ++++ 1 oz artichoke hearts, marinated and purchased in a jar ++++ 1 clementine OR ¼ cup blueberries ++++ ¼ cup plain, fat-free yogurt ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or  berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Drain the artichokes and chop them. Spritz an oven-proof dish with non-stick spray and sprinkle the capicola and artichokes on the bottom. Whisk the egg with salt and pepper, pour it into the dish, and bake at 350F. 12-15 minutes. Combine the fruit with the yogurt in a ramekin and plate with the egg bake. Serve with the optional beverages and be happy that Spring is on the way.

Feta Nicoise Salad: 192 calories… 12 g fat… 2.4 g fiber… 7 g protein… 29.5 g carbs… 163.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF  There is a lot of food on this plate – bring your appetite.

++ 2 large romaine leaves OR 1½ cup lettuce, sliced cross-ways ++++ ¼ cup green beans OR 1.5 oz colorful sweet pepper ++++ 1 scant cup cucumber OR zucchini, diced ++++ ¼ c feta cheese, crumbled or diced ++++ 3 black olives, quartered ++++ 1 tsp flavorful olive oil ++++1 tsp white wine vinegar ++++ 1 tsp plain fat-free yogurt ++

Pour oil, vinegar, and yogurt into a wide, shallow bowl and whisk briskly. Steam the peppers or green beans, drain, and put into the dressing to cool. Slice the romaine crosswise into 1” strips. Prepare the other ingredients as described. Remove peppers from bowl of dressing, and put all the other ingredients in the bowl. Toss gently to coat with dressing, then garnish with peppers/beans. Welcome to southern France for fine dining.

Pie Day

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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. Welcome to a Fasting Lifestyle.

There is PI Day on March 14, celebrating the mathematical number 3.14 [and so on],  which is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. But now we are talking about PIE Day, to celebrate the eating of pie. Those of us in Northern New England do love our pie — any time of day. E. B. White once wrote:

“To foreigners, a Yankee is an American. To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner. To Northerners, a Yankee is a New Englander. To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter**. And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast.”  [**Here in New Hampshire, we take great exception to that!]

When our far-flung sons come home for a visit, we serve pie for breakfast, so they can reassert their Yankee-ness. But I digress. January 23 is National Pie Day. Why? Because a teacher from Colorado proclaimed that his birthday was “National Pie Day” in the 1970s. The American Pie Council [????!] has sponsored the celebration since 1986. You can look online for the ‘favorite dessert pie in the USA’, and you will get many different answers. The top 5 pies seem to be: Apple, Cherry, Pumpkin, Pecan, and Blueberry, in no particular order. For dinner, one could enjoy Chicken Pot Pie, Shepherd’s Pie, Spanokopeta — need I say more? Eat pie! You can even do it on a Fast Day!

A good wholesome fruit pie is a fine way to start the day, and a meat pie is splendid at dinner. Our breakfast of Flameusse is a pie with flavor but no fuss. The dinner is a classic, re-invented.

Blueberry Flameusse: 206 calories… 5.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 14 g protein… 24.5 g carbs… 143.5 mg Calcium…  NB: the food values given are for the plated items only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  Fruit + eggy batter = flameusse. This meal is very simple and very good. I urge you to try it since I am sure you will like it.  HINT: this serves 2 [two]

.++ 2 two-oz eggs ++++ 6 oz skimmed milk ++++ 1 oz [by weight] = 4 tsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 1.5 Tbsp sugar ++++ ½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen ++++ 1 chicken breakfast sausage @ 33 calories each ++++ 1/2 of a clementine ++++Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] 

Spritz 2 ramekins or an oven-proof dish with 1.5 cup capacity with non-stick spray. Distribute the blueberries over the bottom of the dish. Whisk eggs until foamy, then add flour and sugar, whisking until there are no lumps. Stir in the milk and pour the batter over the berries. Bake at 375 F. for 20 minutes. Serve with the sausage and a hot beveage for a delicious start to your day.

Steak & Mushroom Pie: 277 calories… 5 g fat… 7 g fiber… 27 g protein… 25.6 g carbs… 34 mg Calcium…  PB Two very compatible flavors together again, topped [not encased] in puff pastry. Similar to a meal enjoyed at The Sign of the Angel in Lacock, Wiltshire, England. A real treat. HINT: recipe serves 2 [TWO], photo shows one serving.

++ 4 oz grilled sirloin steak [leftover from a previous meal, perhaps] ++++ 1.5 cups mushrooms ++++ 1 Tbsp red wine ++++ ¼ cup creamed onions ++++ ½ tsp thyme ++++ salt & pepper to taste ++++ 1/6 sheet puff pastry [Pepperidge Farm brand, frozen sheets are easy to find and use] ++++ per person: 1/3 cup peas ++

Thaw the frozen puff pastry for 40 minutes on the counter. Rewrap and return one sheet to freezer. Remove one of the sheets, unroll it carefully, and cut the sheet into 6 squares. [TIP: stack the remaining 5 pieces with waxed paper or cling wrap between the layers. Pop into a zipper bag and freeze for later use.] Cut the steak into ½”-1” cubes. Combine the meat with the mushrooms, wine, onions, seasonings in an oven-proof dish just large enough to hold the meat mixture yet large enough to be topped with the puff pastry. Heat the meat mixture until it is warm. Lay the puff pastry on top, decoratively slitting the crust. Bake at 400 F. about 15 minutes, until the crust is well-browned. Cook the peas and imagine that you are in an English country restaurant.

Cheese

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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.

Eight to 10 thousand years ago, people were eating cheese. At least, that’s what the archeologists tell us. The early cheesemakers were pastoralists, with flocks to milk. Perhaps some milk was stored in a bag made of a mammal’s stomach, and residual rennet turned the milk to cheese. Good a guess as any. During the Roman Empire, many cheeses were being made in Italy, and the legions exported a taste for the product to far-flung outposts. Medieval monks made cheese. Centuries later, as Europeans colonized the New World, cheese was introduced to new areas. For a long time, cheese-making was mostly an activity for household consumption, with perhaps some extra to sell. The first commercial cheese factory in the USA was operated in western New York State in 1851. Today, there are around 2000 different cheeses made in the world. One of the oldest types is Roquefort, mentioned by Pliny the Elder in 70 CE.  Pont l’Eveque was cited in a poem from 1200 CE. Whether you like a fresh cheese [cottage/pot cheese], or a soft cheese [Brie/Camembert], or a hard cheese [Emmental/Cheddar], there is a cheese for every taste. My favorite is Cabécou, a goat cheese from  Périgord in South-Western France.

Cheese in eggs, cheese in a salad…. There are so many ways to consume this healthy dairy food. Yes, it is high in fat, but the high protein and Calcium are a bonus. Plus, cheese is low in carbohydrates, so it can be enjoyed in moderation by most of us. Even on the Fast Diet.

Cheese ScrOmelette:  154 calories… 9.6 g fat…  1 g fiber… 12 g protein… 5 g Carb… 108 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF What a classic. Why not eat this often?

++ 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. ++++ ¼ oz cheese, ex: Cheddar or Gruyere ++++ 1.5 oz apple or 2.5 oz strawberries ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait  [65 calories] ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Whisk the eggs with seasonings to taste. Grate the cheese. Put the eggs into a hot pan spritzed with cooking spray. Once the bottom of the eggs is set, sprinkle with cheese, fold and plate. Slice fruit, prepare optional beverages, and have a grand day.

Chef’s Salad: 296 calories… 15.5 g fat… 4.6 g fiber… 16.7 g protein … 5 g carbs… 255 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF cracker  This salad has been part of our repetoire for many years, yet we never ate it on a Fast Day. Now we can, and so can you.

++ 1½ cups mesclun/mixed salad greens ++++ ½ c chopped cabbage ++++ 1½ oz 4%-fat ham, cubed ++++ 1½ oz cheese, cubed – Jarlsberg or Mozzarella ++++ 1 oz cherry tomatoes ++++ 1 tsp olive oil ++++ 1 tsp wine vinegar ++++ ¼ tsp Dijon mustard ++++ 1 piece whole-grain Wasa bread ++

Whisk oil, vinegar, and mustard in a single-serving salad bowl. Toss greens and cabbage in dressing. Strew ham, cheese, and tomatoes over top, and enjoy your salad with a crisp cracker.

Louis Braille

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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.

Louis Braille was born in Coupvray, France on January 4, 1809, the son of a harness-maker. When Louis was three years old, he pierced his eye with an awl while playing with leather in his father’s shop. A resulting infection spread to his other eye and he was blind by age five. His ability to learn at the village school earned him a scholarship to the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. Louis continued to be an excellent student there. When he was 12, he heard about a method for soldiers to ‘read’ communications in the dark — a method developed by Charles Barbier that involved raised patterns of dots on paper. The army didn’t want the idea, but Louis Braille improved it and made it his own. He perfected it by age 16, and published a book called Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots for Use by the Blind and Arranged for Them. In 1833, he became the first blind teacher at the Institute. In addition to instructing algebra, history, and geography, Braille was an accomplished organist. He was hired at churches in Paris, and toured the nation to perform. The Institute published the first ever book in the Braille Alphabet, but a subsequent director banned the use of the Braille system. Despite that, the Braille system eventually caught on and was used throughout the world. Louis taught until 1850, when tuberculosis made him too ill. He died two years later: inventor, teacher, musician. Louis Braille’s limitation did not limit him.

How successful would you be at eating if you couldn’t see what was on your plate? Our breakfast stays on the fork well, and the dinner can be eaten with the hands.

Mushroom-Bleu Cheese ScrOmelette: 137 calories 8.4 g fat  0.6 g fiber  10.4 g protein  6.6 g carbs  66.7 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  Based on ingredients loved in France, these flavors are delicious together.

Three 2-oz eggs, of which you will use 1½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up the eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.    ¼ oz bleu cheese     ½ oz mushrooms ¼ oz leeks 1 oz pear      Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]    Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

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. 

Ham & Cheese Street Crepes: 272 calories 9 g fat 2.4 g fiber 21 g protein 25 g carbs 212 mg Calcium  NB: The photo shows a meal for 2 [TWO]. The recipe below is for one serving. This is the familiar street-vendor lunch in Paris, except that the food values will not break the bank on a Fast Day. Very quick and easy to prepare if you had made the crêpe batter before and have it thawed out. HINT: can be prepared in advance and rewarmed later. Good for traveling or planning ahead.

Two galettes per person, this plate serves 2 diners.

2 buckwheat galettes  2 oz sliced deli ham  ½ oz deli sliced Swiss cheese              1 wedge “Laughing Cow” [Vache Qui Rit] cheese at room temperature   2 oz tomatoes 

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

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

1 two-oz egg = US large + scallion1 two-oz egg  + red bell pepper
canned artichoke hearts in water4″-diameter thin, round slice ham
reduced-fat ricotta Fresh polenta or cooked corn kernels  
mixed fresh herbs + strawberriesSriracha + watermelon
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

4 oz firm-fleshed fish + green beansromaine lettuce + cooked pork tenderloin
Parmesan cheese + mozzarella cheeseclementine + asparagus + hard-boiled egg
marinara sauce: homemade or purchasedcranberry orchard nut medley + garlic powder
2%-fat cottage cheese + fresh bread crumbsmayonnaise/yogurt + sriracha  + lemon juice  
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Pearl Harbor

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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.

“…December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy.” Those words by President Franklin Roosevelt summed up the feelings of most Americans. The infamous act, of course, was the Japanese sneak attack on the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i. The US was caught flat-footed as 353 Japanese bombers swooped over the harbor, staffing and bombing, damaging 21 American ships and killing 2,403 U.S. personnel. The nation was taken by surprise — shock and disbelief reigned. Long protected by the giant ‘moats’ of two oceans, Americans felt separate from [read “above”] the world and immune to attack. They did not understand that the animosity that launched the attack had been long in coming. When the US forced Japan to join the modern world in 1853, the Land of the Rising Sun looked around and saw opportunities for gain. They decided to become a world power. By the 1930s, the Japanese had fought with Russia, and invaded China. Setting their sights on resource-rich South-East Asia, the only thing in their way was the USA which had slapped them with trade embargoes for their aggression. The December 7th attack was designed to deter the US. “Remember Pearl Harbor” became a rallying cry as US isolationism ended, and men lined up to fight in a new war and women flocked to serve as well. The Pearl Harbor Memorial is visited by 1.8 million people each year. They still remember.

The attack on Pearl Harbor, instead of making the Americans back off, had the opposite effect. It galvanized the nation, forcing it to enter World War II on two fronts: in Europe and in the Pacific. The average citizen saw it as a way of preserving American life, whether that was living in the bayous of the Gulf Coast, enjoying Cajun food; or being able to go to the neighborhood diner in the Mid-West to eat a favorite meal in peace.

Cajun ScrOmelette: 142 calories 7.6 g fat 2 g fiber 10.5 g protein 10 g carbs 73 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF  The hallmark of Cajun cooking is the sofrito of bell pepper, celery, and onion. Here they are along with the iconic Cajun Seasoning and Tabasco sauce. Cue the Zydeco music.

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  1 oz bell pepper 3 Tbsp celery 2 Tbsp onion Tabasco sauce, ad lib  Cajun seasonings, ad lib 1.5 oz orange slices  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

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

Liver & Onions: 273 calories 10.4 g fat 3 g fiber 25 g protein 20 g carbs 43.5 mg Calcium PB GF When my father was away on business, my mother would serve us liver and onions which we came to regard as a special treat. Still a favorite on diner menus, still full of protein and Iron.

 

4 oz beef liver 2 tsp flour + salt + pepper ½ cup onion, sliced ½ tsp butter ½ cup green beans

Cook the onions in a non-stick saute pan with a little water to keep them from scorching. Set the onions aside. Blot the liver on paper towels. Put the flour on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge the liver in the flour, and shake off any extra. Melt the butter in the pan the onions were in and cook the liver over low heat until done. If the pan gets too dry, spray it with non-stick spray. Meanwhile, cook the beans and salt them to taste. Just before the liver is done, return onions to the pan to reheat.

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

1 two-oz egg = US largemackerel gravlax or smoked trout
salami sausageGranny Smith apple
mozzarellablueberries
wild greens or arugula raspberries
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

eggplant + bread crumbs + onion chicken breast + part-skim ricotta cheese
spinach leaves + garlic + egg yolkcilantro = sriracha
Parmesan cheese + whole grain pasta Swedish cucumber salad  + sugar snap peas
white whole wheat flour + canned whole tomatoescherry tomatoes + Finn Crisp
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Islets of Langerhans

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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, a second 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. Welcome to henash01 and zeefur and DonnyFood and getbetterhealthforlife.com who are now Following.

Search the atlas or Google Maps as you will, you will never find the Islets of Langerhans, as they are located in your pancreas. Part of the Endocrine System of your body, they release hormones which regulate how the body functions. One of the most important of these is insulin. When one eats, the amount of glucose in the blood rises. To counter-act that, the Beta Cells in the Islets release insulin so that the blood will not have too high a content of glucose. When the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin to keep up with the sugars, the result is diabetes — a break-down in carbohydrate metabolism. Childhood Diabetes [known as Type I] used to be a death sentence and adult-onset diabetes [Type II] had no happy outcomes. Diabetes was first noted by doctors in 552 BC and the Greek physicians gave it its name. Called the ‘Sugar Sickness’ later in Europe, it was known to be helped by eliminating sugar from the diet, yet still there was no cure. On January 11, 1922, Canadian researchers Frederick Banting, and Charles Best injected an insulin extract into a young patient. The child’s blood sugar levels were reduced a bit. A further refinement of the insulin extract, improved by J.B. Collip, turned out to be the key to the cure. The trio were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work. Diabetes is still very much with us. The Standard American Diet, which pushes highly processed foods, is much to blame. By eating a diet low in Simple Carbohydrates; high in Complex Carbohydrates and colorful vegetables; and by lowering your weight, pre-diabetes can often be reversed. One of the reasons that Dr. Michael Mosley developed the Fast Diet was because he was pre-diabetic. And it worked!

What are some foods that are good for lowering blood glucose? Cold water fish, such as salmon; leeks; shrimp; butternut squash; red curry paste; and spinach are all good foods for keeping high blood glucose low. And look at that — today’s meals contain those very ingredients! Fasting and focusing on wholesome food choices can reduce your risk of needing supplemental insulin. Now is a good time to join the Fasting Lifestyle.

Leek & Salmon Bake: 129 calories 7 g fat 1 g fiber 10 g protein 7 g carbs [7 g Complex] 64.5 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Simply delicious. 

One 2-oz egg ½ oz salmon [could be leftover from a previous meal] 1/3 oz leek, sliced thinly cross-wise 1 tsp low-fat sour cream OR plain Greek Yogurt dill weed to taste dash lemon juice 1 oz pear OR ¼ cup blueberries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Spritz an oven-proof ramekin [for 2 people, Dear Husband likes to use a 6×4” oval casserole] with non-stick spray and set the oven for 350 degrees F. Slice the leek and put in a microwave-safe dish. [NB: if the fish is raw, cut it into small pieces and put it in the dish, too] Cook in microwave for 30 seconds at high heat to soften the leek. Add to the ramekin. Whisk the egg with the sour cream, dill, lemon juice, and salt/pepper to taste. [NB: some people find dill to be a very strong flavor] Pour over the salmon/leek mixture and bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare your beverages of choice and dish the berries. Have a wonderful breakfast and a wonderful day.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup:  253 calories   9 g fat 4 g fiber 19.4 g protein 24 g carbs 112 mg Calcium  GF PB  Found in the Toronto Globe & Mail, this recipe makes a lot of delicious soup. It freezes beautifully, so you can enjoy it often. Don’t forget to add 3 oz of chopped shrimp and ¼ cup chopped spinach to each serving. HINT: makes 6 cups of soup. Save out one cup for dinner and freeze the rest in portion-sized servings.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt 		Heat oil in large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, and salt. Cook about 10 minutes or until onions have softened.
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
4 tsp Thai red curry paste, or more to taste		Stir in ginger and curry paste. Cook for a minute or two longer
2½ # butternut squash, peeled, seeded, sliced ½ ” thick [about 6 cups]
3 cups water or unsalted chicken broth		Add squash and water/stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
1 lime, zest and juice Zest and juice the lime. Put 1 tsp of zest and 1 tbsp juice in the pot. Save remaining zest and juice.
½ cup ‘lite’ unsweetened coconut milkWhen squash is tender, stir in coconut milk. Puree the soup with a blender or food processor until smooth.
Return to pot, reheat, adjust flavor with more lime juice and/or curry paste.
per bowl: 3 oz chopped cooked shrimp 
¼ cup baby spinach cut as chiffonade		For each serving, stir spinach + shrimp into hot soup. Serve when spinach is just wilted.

How to Stay

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Starting any new behavior is easy — staying on it is more difficult. Having gone through this myself, I have some tips for you. 1] If you haven’t done so, watch Michael Mosley’s TV presentation Eat, Fast, Live Longer. That’s what motivated us to get on board. 2] We talked about planning and purchasing ahead, so continue to do that. Make it easy for yourself to follow the diet. 3] Make the meal special. On my Home Page is a photo of a demitasse cup. It is the only one I have and I think it is very pretty. I use it on Fast Days only, filling it from a small pitcher of mocha cafe au lait. Make your Fast Meals an occasion — use the good dishes; put the sparkling water in a nice glass with a twist of lemon. 4] Slow down your meals. The little demitasse cup means that I have to stop my breakfast once in a while to refill the cup. Wait until you have swallowed your food before you cut your next mouth-full. 5] Set goals by the clock. From breakfast to noon, put no calories in your mouth. Then set the timer for two hours, and don’t eat during that time. When it rings, set it for another two hours. Its a mind-game, but it works. 6] Distract yourself. Plan projects for Fast Days which will keep you focused on the task for 2-3 hours, so you will think less about food. 7] Think about tomorrow, when you will weigh less and you can eat more freely. Rather than think “I can’t eat that today,” you can think, “I can eat that tomorrow.”

Today’s menus are typical for us on a Thursday: a savory scramble and a hearty soup. The nice thing about soup is that you get to store future meals in the freezer.

Capicola ScrOmelette:  147 calories 8 g fat 1.0 g fiber 13.8 g protein 7.5 g carbs [6.6 g Complex] 72 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF Capicola is a dried ham which is full of flavor yet low in fat and calories. It goes very well with eggs.  

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.   1/3 oz uncured capicola ham, sliced thinly large pinch oregano 1.7 oz apple   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Chop the capicola and slice the apple. Beat the eggs with the oregano. Heat a non-stick pan and spritz it with non-stick cooking spray. Put the capicola in the pan to heat very briefly, then pour in the eggs. Scramble or cook as you would an omelette. Serve with the beverages of your choice.

Czech Garlic Soup Česneková polévka: 194 calories 4.7 g fat 4 g fiber 9 g protein 27 g carbs [18.4 g Complex] 84 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF rye bread What could be better on a cool night than a cozy bowl of soup? This is a classic from czechcookbook, but feel free to make it your own. The calorie count is so low that you could add other vegetables or low-fat meat.  HINT: This recipe makes 8 cups of soup. One serving = 1 cup

1 Tbsp unsalted butter OR bacon fat   
7 cloves garlic 		Chop garlic and saute in butter/fat in a stock pot.
7 cups water OR Chicken Broth OR Beef Broth
1½ tsp salt
3 cups cubed potatoes 
3 cups cubed parsnips 		Peel potatoes and parsnips and cut in cubes. Add to broth and salt in the stock pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are just under-done. Remove ½ cup soup stock and cool.
1 egg
1 tsp marjoram		Whisk the egg, then whisk it into the reserved ½ cup of soup stock. Return to the stockpot, stirring, and add marjoram. Taste for seasoning. Let sit 8-24 hours.
Per person: ¼ oz rye or whole wheat bread, cubed
Per person: ¼ oz Swiss cheese
Per person: side salad		Toast the cubes of bread. Grate the cheese over them while hot. Use to garnish the reheated soup when serving.

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

1 two-oz egg + corn kernels + basil3 two-oz egg whites 
tomatoes + black beans + olive oil2 egg yolks + sugar
crushed red pepper + melon blueberries + raspberries
red onion + red wine vinegarother berries + Armagnac
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

corn kernels + beef steakchicken breast + polenta + green beans
tomato + canned black beans onion + red bell pepper + garlic
red onion + red wine vinegar green bell pepper + tomatoes + thyme
basil + olive oilred wine + piment d’esplette + olive oil
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Chicken Corn Soup Supper

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Every August, small country churches in my family’s area of South-Central Pennsylvania used to put up the signs: Chicken Corn Soup Supper. Organized and run by the ladies of the church [with some help from the men-folk], these can be at once a social event, a cherished link to the agrarian culture, and a major fund-raiser. In August, the sweet corn is ripe and half of the laying flock is 2-years old which means that the stars are aligned for Chicken Corn Soup. The best broth is from older chickens [fowls], so they would be dispatched early in the morning and stewed for hours. The chickens’ meat, off the bones and shredded, would be added to the broth, along with the herbs and onions they were cooked with. Kernels from sweet corn [as opposed to the taller, coarser field corn], and chunks of potatoes would be be added. One hot August evening many years ago, Dear Husband and I attended one of these dinners at an old stone chapel near Newville, Pa. Tressle tables and benches were set up the lawn, covered with butcher paper. You squeezed in among the other diners and partook of the delights of the table: a big bowl of hot soup, dinner rolls fresh from the oven, butter, iced tea, and cake or pie for dessert. The air was conditioned by the breeze in the Black Locust trees and the entertainment was the hum of cicadas. All around, a sense of contentment as the rhythm of the seasons was observed.

Here is my attempt at the tastiest soup of August, and a breakfast that a busy farm wife could assemble in minutes, from her kitchen garden, while she stewed the fowl and let the bread rise.

Allium Bake: 136 calories 6.6 g fat 1.2 g fiber 10 g protein 9 g carbs 108 mg Calcium   PB GF  The genus Allium contains all the onions and their relatives. This bake contains three of them along with two cheeses for even more flavor and goodness.

One 2-oz egg ½ oz sliced leek, green +/or white parts ½ oz minced onion 1 Tbsp minced chives 1 Tbsp cottage cheese 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 2 oz peach Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water    Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Spritz an oven-proof ramekin [for 2 people, Dear Husband likes to use a 6×4” oval casserole] with non-stick spray and set the oven for 350 degrees F. Slice/chop the leeks and onions. Spray a skillet/saute pan with non-stick spray and cook the alliums until they are limp. Put them, along with the chives and any seasonings you like, in the prepared oven-safe dish. Whisk the egg with the two cheeses and pour over the alliums. Bake for 12 minutes or until done as you like it. Plate with the peach, pour your beverage of choice, and savor a flavorful day.

Chicken Corn Soup:  159 calories 4 g fat 2 g fiber 12 g protein 20 g carbs 21.6 mg Calcium NB: the above food values do not include the optional bread   PB GF – if using GF bread or eliminating it.

1½ cups corn cut from the cob [about 3 ears] 1½ cups potato, cut in ½ inch cubes 3 cups rich chicken broth ½ cup water from cooking the corn and potato ½ cup raw chicken meat, cut in small pieces many sprigs thyme + 1-2 sage leaves one ½-inch slice onion salt & pepper to taste   per serving:  ½ hard-boiled egg   Optional: 1 slice [1 oz] sourdough bread [add 100 calories]

Pour the chicken broth into a sauce pan, adding the onion and thyme. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until it cooks down to 2-½ cups. Let stand off heat. Put the corn in a skillet with water half-way up the sides of the ears. Cover with a lid and steam for 5 minutes. Remove the corn and add the potato cubes to the water. Cook the potato for 10 minutes or until tender. Remove the potato from the water and save the cooking water. Chop the chicken and put it in the hot chicken stock to cook off the heat. Cut the kernels off the corn cobs and measure the volume. Remove the thyme sprigs and the onion from the stock, and chop the onion. Put the corn and potato into the stock, along with the chopped onion and any thyme leaves you can remove from the boiled sprigs. Add ½ cup of the corn/potato water to the soup. Gently heat the soup until the chicken is cooked. Taste for seasonings. One portion = 1 cup. Top each portion of soup with chopped hard-boiled egg and a bit of parsley. If you wish, serve with a slice of sourdough bread. Freeze the remainder. This is truly the taste of Summer. Cue the cicadas.

“How to Succeed”

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

On October 14, 1961, the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” had its debut. The show was a cynical look at the business world, where whom you know and naked ambition could carry you far. Some of its popular tunes included “I Believe In You” and “The Company Way“. The original role of the striving J. Pierrepont Finch was created by Robert Morse, then played in 2011 by Daniel Radcliffe. With music by Frank Loesser and a book by Abe Burrows, it was a sure-fire hit. The show was based on a satirical ‘how-to’ book written in the 1952 by Shepherd Mead who really did work his way up from the mail room to the vice-presidency of his company.

Today, I want to discuss how to succeed at Fasting or ‘the Fasting Lifestyle’ as we like to think of it. Why do we Fast? There are many benefits of intermittent [not everyday] fasting: lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar, and lower weight. Furthermore, there is a reduction of HGH [human growth hormone]. This means that your body has a chance to rest and repair — rather like a good night’s sleep but more significant. The decrease of calories for many hours [600 calories in 36 hours, which includes one Fast Day + sleep hours before and after] gives the body a real break from its usual revved-up pace. Do this twice a week, because two Fasts are better than one.

How do you begin the Fasting Lifestyle? Start by choosing your days. You might do ONE day per week and see how you like it — say, Monday. Look at some of the previous posts and decide what you will eat that day. Write on the calendar that you will Fast that day and what you will eat — that makes it more of a commitment. Go shopping for the items necessary to prepare the breakfast and the dinner. If you keep it similar to what you usually eat, it might be a better transition.

Eggs scrambled with ham and served with applesauce will keep you going for hours.

Then do it. Weigh yourself before breakfast and write it down. Eat breakfast as late as you can and eat the second meal of the day about eight hours later. If you eat within an eight-hour window, you will maximize your weight loss. Weigh yourself the next morning to see how well it worked.

How do you STAY on the plan? I think that a key is to plan your meals ahead. Hide any foods that are of low nutritional value, so they won’t tempt you. Stick to eating protein-rich foods that will keep you full, such as eggs, lean meat, and fish high in Omega-3. Fill your plate with fruits and vegetables so your mind thinks you are eating a lot.

Tuna with Grilled Vegetables is a wonderful dinner.

Keep busy on Fast Days, so boredom doesn’t convince you that you are hungry. Keep your goals in mind. It is really rather easy to say ‘NO’ to empty calories on a Fast Day: one because you have your goals firmly in mind and because you could always eat it tomorrow. This is only two days a week, my Friends. You can do it. I believe in you.