Fasting Lifestyle

New Year’s Eve

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Yup, sure enough — New Year’s Eve is on a Thursday, a Fast Day, this year.  What to do? You have choices:           1] blow off the diet, splurge to your heart’s content, and hate yourself on Jan 1;                                                           2] observe a Fast Day on Wednesday or Friday instead of Thursday;                         3] eat strategically on Thursday so you can ‘have your weight loss and eat it too.’   Here’s how:

Vegetable Omelette: 283 calories…  9.5 g. fat…  19.5 g. protein…  30 g. carb PB  [GF if you eliminate the piece of bread or substitute a GF bread]  Take advantage of the goodness of vegetables and use up some left-overs at the same time! Win-win.

++ 1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week ++++  1/2 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++++ 2 tsp red onion, chopped ++++   1 oz cooked summer squash/ green beans/ broccoli, diced ++++   HINT: prepare extra vegetables at dinner on Wednesday or Sunday and save for this meal the following Fast Day ++++  ½ slice 70-cal bread ++++ salt, pepper, herbs of your choice ++++  1.5 oz strawberries ++++  5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider  ++++ blackish coffee or blackish tea ++

Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and stir the onions until they are soft. Dice the cooked vegetables and add to the pan to warm. Whisk the eggs and pour them into the pan, stirring to mix with the vegetables. As bottom of eggs begins to set, put the cheese, salt and pepper on the eggs. Cook to your liking, fold and plate with the fruit and toasted bread. Pour your beverages and have a great day.

Now make sure that you drink lots of water today or tea to avoid being hungry or dehydrated.  SKIP LUNCH, just as you would on any Fast Day.

AT THE PARTY:  Stick to the shrimp cocktail.  Fill half your plate with the shrimp and half your plate with vegetables from the veggie platter. Do not eat the veggie dip!  Cocktail sauce is OK, and try dipping the veggies in it too.  About drinking: Sparkling wine has 88 calories per small glass, so have some. Avoid the mixed drinks, the hard alcohol, and the punch — too many calories.  Are your hosts considerate enough to provide sparkling water?  Good for them! Alternate your glass of bubbly with glasses of water. [You do know that a hang-over is mostly due to dehydration, don’t you?]  Less booze means more will power. Just saying.

NEXT DAY BREAKFAST: try the Nordic Breakfast, September 20, 2015. Easy to prepare and very filling.

Happy New Year to you all.  Keep following in 2016 for more new recipes and tips. Tell your friends.  Please remember that the Fasting Lifestyle is not only about losing weight — it is about improving your over-all health while safely losing 1-2 pounds per week. You might find this reading useful:

http://mashable.com/2015/12/28/body-positive-new-year/#g5OgjZ7ptkqd               With a new year comes the all-too-familiar pressure to lose weight. As the ball drops at midnight, the diet industry gears up to welcome women who mark Jan. 1 as the day they will begin restricting and training their bodies into the slim ideal. It’s all a part of the “New Year, New You” mantra we have been taught to value as gospel.

While the pressure to shrink your body is a constant for women year-round, the value of thinness is especially emphasized when New Year’s resolutions are thrown into the mix. It’s a time of year when hating yourself is made easy, packaged and sold by the diet industry as flaws in need of fixing. Many of us buy into it — but we don’t have to.

Body positive activists are constantly advocating for radical body love, but that work takes on undeniable significance this time of year. These women shout above the negative noise, working to build up collective body confidence and self-love in a world where women are constantly marked as needing improvement.

“It’s time for us to stop setting New Year’s resolutions altogether and to start setting revolutions instead — to, rather than resolving ourselves to ‘self-improvement’ defined by systems set up to oppress us, revolt against them. Set goals in terms of treating yourself with more compassion, take more fashion risks, enjoy more time at the beach, go out for brunch more — do all the things that you keep promising yourself you’ll do when you lose ‘X’ number of pounds.

“You don’t need to lose weight to experience your best self. You just need to resolve yourself to living the life you imagine –- in exactly the skin you’re already in. You’d be amazed at how that mental shift can be the best choice you’ve ever made in terms of health and happiness.”  Melissa Fabello, managing editor at Everyday Feminism and body acceptance activist

 

Meat

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Some people cannot bear to try a new diet if they think that they will have to give up meat. A friend’s husband once told her that she could try cooking ‘gourmet food’ as long as he got his gourmet meat with his gourmet potatoes.  Well on Fast Days the potatoes are out, but today meat is in.

Ham Omelette   291 calories   8.8 fat   15.9 pro    25.1 carb    GFHam omelette w: cider + apple

3 small 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 oz. ground or chopped ham                                                                                            2 oz of melon or 1.5 oz apple                                                                                       blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon with hot water                                            5-6 oz green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Chop the ham, slice the fruit, brew your hot beverage. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. When the bottom begins to set, distribute the ham over half of the eggs. Fold the omelette and cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Shake up the smoothie, pour your beverages, and you are off to a good start to your day.

Bison Burger  293 calories

Bison Burger
bison burger, curried catsup, mushrooms, green beans, beets

one 4-oz bison patty [not beef. Venison is a good substitute if you have it]    1 oz sliced mushrooms                                                                                        1.5 tsp of catsup                                                                                                    ½ cup green beans                                                                                                    2 oz pickled beets

Sprinkle a small, hot, ungreased skillet with Kosher salt.  Cook one 4 oz bison burger  on one side for about 3 minutes. Flip it and cook until done as well as you’d like.  Put on a plate to stay warm. Sides: Add some water to the pan and stir/ cook the mushrooms until soft.  Meanwhile, in a separate pan, cook the green beans until soft.  To serve, put the ketchup on the burger, top with mushrooms. Arrange those colorful sides on the plate and get ready for some good eating.

Anna Meets the King

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One of my favorite musicals was The King and I, wherein the proper English governess goes to Siam to teach and is involved in culture clashes of epic proportions.  Today’s menu juxtaposes  the English poached egg  with a butternut squash soup with Thai flavors. A happy meeting.

Poached Egg on Toast   303 calories                                    PBPoached Egg on Toastone slice of 70-cal bread                                                                                                                  one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                         one and 1/2oz of apple or 2 oz melon                                                                               5 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or unpasteurized apple cider        blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

If using an egg poacher, lightly spray the egg cup and heat the water to a simmer. Toast the bread. Poach the egg for 3-4 minutes, according to your preference. Slide the egg onto the toast, season to taste, and enjoy with your hot beverage, fruit, and the smoothie.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup   260 calories/ one cup    GF PBThai butternut squash soup

Found in the newspaper in Nova Scotia, this recipe makes a lot of delicious soup. It freezes beautifully, so you can enjoy it again and again. Don’t forget to add 3 oz of chopped shrimp to each serving.

HINT: makes 8 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                                                                                                                                       1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated                                                                                      1 tsp Thai red curry paste, or more to taste                                                                      2.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped [about 6 cups]             3 cups water or unsalted chicken broth                                                                           1 lime, zest and juice                                                                                                             1 cup unsweetened coconut milk                                                                                         per bowl: 3 oz chopped shrimp [raw or cooked – it will cook as the soup is heated]                      1/4 cup baby spinach cut as chiffonade [strips]

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, and salt. Cook about 10 minutes or until onions have softened. Stir in ginger and curry paste. Cook for a minute or two longer. Add squash and water/stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Zest and juice the lime. Put 1 tsp of zest and 1 tbsp juice in the pot. Save remaining zest and juice. When squash is tender, stir in coconut milk. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Return to pot, reheat, adjust flavor with more lime juice and/or curry paste. For each serving, stir spinach and chopped shrimp into hot soup. Serve when spinach is just wilted.

North Meets South

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Different cuisines have always fascinated me: how the flavors and the textures vary with available ingredients and the climate.  With the Fast Diet, variety is the key to staying interested.  Keep with it and reap the rewards. Breakfast from the South of Europe, dinner from the North.

Creamy Greek Omelette 309 calories 10.3 g. fat 18.9 g. protein 30.9 g. carb The feta lends a tang to the eggs, while the cottage cheese gives a wonderful melting texture. A real treat.Creamy Greek Omelette w: S-Bs

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.                                                                                                                                      3/8 oz feta cheese                                                                                                                    1 ½ Tbsp cottage cheese                                                                                                Greek oregano, salt, pepper                                                                                                 ½ slice 70-calorie bread [I like Nature’s Own multigrain]                                                one and a half oz strawberries or apple                                                                          5 oz fruit smoothie [March 15, 2015] or natural apple cider                                                              blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Mince the feta and combine with cottage cheese and oregano. Spritz a non-stick skillet with oil or non-stick spray and heat the pan over medium-low heat. Beat the eggs well with 1 spoonful of the cheese mixture using a rotary mixer. Pour the eggs into the pan and let cook undisturbed until the edges set. Lift the edges gently to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath. Before the top surface sets, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put dollops of the cheese mixture on half the omelette and make an attempt to spread it out. Fold the omelette in half and continue to heat in the pan. Filling will heat and may ooze out a bit. Brew and pour your beverages. Plate the fruit and the omelette. Oh yum.

 

Baltic Hot Dog Dinner:   302 cal     12.1 g fat    11 g protein   27.3 g carbs Believe it or not, this is from the book Two Fat Ladies Obsessions. The meal has wonderful Eastern European flavors and is so simple to prepare that I assembled it in 16 minutes!!hot dog:kraut in pasta bowl

2 low-fat hot dogs [I like Hebrew National reduced-fat]                                      ¼ c sliced onions                                                                                                                   ½ cup sauerkraut, fresh or from a can or from a bag                                                    ¼ c pickled beets                                                                                                                   ½ tsp horseradish                                                                                                                  2 Tbsp white beans, drained and rinsed

Put the hot dogs [frozen or thawed] and onions in a saucepan with a little water or some juice from the sauerkraut. Heat until the dogs are cooked and most of the liquid is evaporated. Remove the dogs and add remaining ingredients to the pan to heat. Cut the hot dogs into 5-6 pieces and put them back in the pan until all ingredients are heated through.

Saint Nicholas

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Today is the Feast of Saint Nicholas, the father of the Christmas stocking and the origin of the traditional “Father Christmas” and “Santa Claus.”  He was a bishop in Turkey, possibly being of Greek origin. On this day in Holland, Germany, Hungary, and many other countries, Saint Nicholas himself visits houses leaving presents for children.  Give yourself the present of good health and long life. Stay with the Fasting Lifestyle today, even though you celebrate a Feast Day with a breakfast from Holland and a dinner from Greece.

Dutch Breakfast    308 calories     6 g fat       10.7 g protein       22 g carbDutch b-fast w: S-Bs + Ruskone 2-oz egg, hard-boiled or coddled HINT: the hardboiled egg can be made days before                                        [that’s a baked egg in the photo]                           ½ oz ham, low-fat from the deli                                                                                           ½ of an Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich Thin [50 cal] OR ½ slice 70-cal bread [35 cal]                                                         OR one “Holland Rusk” [35 cal]                                                   1/8 oz [1/2” cube] cheese if you used less bread, you could have more cheese                     2 oz melon or apple or pear                                                                                               5-6 oz fruit smoothie [March 15, 2015] or green smoothie [June 10, 2015] or unpasturized apple cider        blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Warm the ham in a skillet, toast the bread, brew your beverage, slice the fruit, cube the cheese. Prepare the smoothie or take the other half of the smoothie recipe from ‘fridge and shake it to mix.

Meze Meal  297 calories  10 g. fat   36 g protein   21.8 g carb   PB GFMeze Meal w: shrimp, ‘Meze’ is the Greek equivalent of Spanish Tapas. Very ‘Mediterranean Diet.’ Well, we don’t live on a vast inland sea, but we’ll take good low calorie, low fat, delicious food where ever we can find it. There are lots of good recipes in the book Meze by Rosemary Barron.

1/4 cup white beans    &   ½ Tbsp capers                                                                      1 oz marinated mushrooms                                                                                                3 oz tomato, cubed   &   generous pinch Greek oregano                                            3 oz cooked shrimp [or 2 oz cooked chicken breast]                                                           1 oz mozzerella cheese [or use feta, same amount]                                                      1 ½ oz lemon-marinated carrots                                                                        marinade: 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice + pinch of granulated garlic + pinch oregano

Combine the white beans with the capers in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the tomatoes and the oregano. Slice the carrots into small logs or coins and cook until tender. Drain and combine with the marinade in a small jar with a lid. Shake well, remove the lid and let the carrots cool in the marinade. Attend to the shrimp by cooking it and removing the shells, if necessary. Drain the marinade from the jar and pour it over the shrimp. Plate the ingredients to please the eye. Look at photos of the Agean Sea….and try to imagine Santa Claus in that setting.

Delicious Sounds Good…

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After lots of family and fuss over Thanksgiving week-end, let’s treat ourselves to some delicious food that will slim you down again.  These menus are rich in flavor yet low in calories. Sounds good to me.

Egg-Mushroom Toast 290 caloriesmushroom-egg toast w: apples & gr smoo

This is yummy. The eggs are creamy and the mushrooms lend a mysterious layer of flavor. I like this better than poached eggs.

1 piece 35-cal bread OR 1/2 piece 70-cal bread                                                          one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                          1 oz mushrooms, chopped                                                                                                      1 Tbsp chives, chopped                                                                                                         1 ½ oz of apple                                                                                                             blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water                                                  5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider

Toast the bread. Spritz the non-stick saute pan with oil or spray and gently cook the mushrooms. Put the chives, salt, and pepper in with the egg and beat it up. Scramble lightly with the mushrooms, keeping the eggs moist. Turn the eggs out over the toast and plate the fruit. Sip your beverages and have a good day.

Baked White Fish  265 cal   8.7 g. fat    36.4 g. protein   14.2 g carb        Another winner from the Fast Diet book.  PB GFFish baked with Cheese

6 oz firm white fish fillets such as haddock                                                                 1/2 oz cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                           3 oz broccoli florets                                                                                                                 1 oz parsnip, sliced as coins                                                                                                  1 cup salad greens                                                                                                                  ½ tsp lemon juice +  1/2 tsp olive oil + 1/2 tsp low-fat mayonnaise

Heat the oven to 400. Put the fish in an oven-proof dish which has been lightly smeared with olive oil. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli and parsnips. Whisk the juice, oil, and mayo in a salad bowl. Add the lettuce and some fresh or dried herbs. Toss the salad. How easy it is to be healthy!

A Word From the Experts

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When a new diet comes out, some people are quick to jump on the latest fad. They don’t often think of the nutritional merits of the plan.  Others stand back and sneer and say it can’t be as good as it seems.

When the Fast Diet was proposed, it was the same way: proponents, like me, were quick to try it and tout its benefits. Nay-sayers could not believe that dieting only 2 days a week would work or that the other claims [fasting was good for you and promotes the growth of new brain cells] were true.

Don’t just take my word for it, here are some recent reports about the topic.

“You Can Grow New Brain Cells. Here’s How.                         TED Posted: 10/19/2015 04:29 PM EDT | Edited: 10/19/2015 04:29 PM 

Can adults grow new neurons? Until relatively recently,  experts believed the answer was no.

But as neuroscientist Sandrine Thuret explains in a new TED Talk, humans can indeed generate new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis. More importantly, doing so has a range of important benefits, including  improving mood, increasing memory formation and preventing the decline associated with aging…..

Thuret also explains how dietary habits are crucial to new neuron growth. Practices that  increase neurogenesis include:

*Calorie restriction of 20 to 30 percent                                                      *Intermittent fasting (i.e., spacing the time between your meals)                                                                                         *Intake of flavonoids, which are contained in dark chocolate or blueberries                                                      *Omega-3 fatty acids, present in fatty fish, like salmon

Conversely, some dietary habits have a negative impact on neurogenesis, like diets rich in high saturated fat and alcohol consumption. “

Does any of that sound familiar?  Calorie restriction and fasting are key components of the Fasting Lifestyle!

Does Intermittent Fasting Have Benefits? Science Suggests Yes          http://news.yahoo.com/does-intermittent-fasting-benefits-science-suggests-yes-173453757.html                                                 By Charles Q. Choi

Instead of eating three square meals a day, an eating schedule that involves “intermittent fasting” could help fight not just obesity but many related diseases of modern life, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s, researchers say.

The advice given on fighting obesity usually focuses on consuming fewer calories and exercising more. The benefits of such foods as vegetables, fruits, nuts, fiber and fish, and the value of reducing or eliminating snacks are often also touted.

However, mounting evidence reveals that other key aspects of diet — when and how often people eat — can also play a major role in health. In fact, the most common eating pattern in modern societies of three meals daily, plus snacks, is abnormal from the perspective of human evolution, an international group of researchers wrote in an article published online Nov. 17 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  More and more research shows that intermittent fasting could have benefits, they said.

“Fasting alone is more powerful in preventing and reversing some diseases than drugs,” said Satchidananda Panda, an associate professor of regulatory biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, California, and one of the co-authors of the article.

Ancient hunter-gatherers often ate only intermittently, the researchers noted in their article. This suggests that the ability to function at a high level both physically and mentally during extended periods without food may have been crucial in human evolution, and that the human body may have adapted to perform at its best with intermittent fasting.  Such intermittent fasting could consist of eating 500 calories or less either two days each week, or every other day, or not eating breakfast and lunch several days each week, the researchers said.

Prior research suggests that in animals, intermittent fasting can fend off or even reverse such illnesses as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders. Animal studies suggest that intermittent fasting provides these benefits by allowing the body to respond better to stress that might otherwise damage it. For example, fasting could starve tumors, reduce inflammation, or improve the removal of damaged molecules and other components of cells, the researchers said.  “Intermittent fasting helps the body to rejuvenate and repair, thereby promoting overall health,” Panda told Live Science.

In addition, the body may respond better to meals eaten at some times of the day rather than others because of the body’s circadian rhythms. In the years before artificial light, people depended on natural patterns of day and night, with food primarily eaten during the day and fasting occurring at night. This means that eating at certain times of the day may be healthier for the body’s metabolism — for example, in 2013, two studies in humans suggested that eating meals earlier in the day improved weight loss in overweight and obese people.

Panda said that it may be challenging for people to fast intermittently, instead of eating three meals every day. Eating breakfast is often promoted as a weight-control aid, but recent evidence has suggested it might not be, the researchers said.

Future research needs to further explore the benefits and drawbacks of different types of intermittent fasting in a variety of populations. “Its effectiveness in both preventing and reversing diseases, as well as interaction with standard medications for chronic metabolic diseases, should be tested in appropriate volunteer groups,” Panda said.

Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.

For The Adventurous

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Sometimes we eat food that is quick; that is familiar; that spells comfort for us; that is what we’ve had before.  And sometimes we want to do something completely different! For those of you who are adventurous, here we go. And believe it or not, we are still on the Fast diet — even with baked beans and spring rolls!

Improper English     265 cal.     4.3 g. fat       17.2 g. protein          47.5 g. carb                               A “proper English” is the full Victorian breakfast, serving every conceivable food you can imagine. This version leaves out the eggs and kippers [how improper!], but keeps the protein-rich baked beans along with the rest of the usual stand-bys.Improper English

¼ cup baked beans                                                                                                                                      one 50-60 calorie sausage                                                                                                                             ½ piece of 70-cal toast                                                                                                                                     ½ of a 2.5” diameter tomato                                                                                                                            1 oz mushrooms                                                                                                                                                a few grapes or strawberries                                                                                                                         5-6 oz fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider                                                                        blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Cut the tomato around its equator and put one half away for later. Salt the tomato and put under the broiler until it softens. Cook the sausage and mushrooms in the same pan to heat through. Heat the beans – perhaps in the microwave. Toast the bread and brew the hot beverage. Pour the smoothie and plate everything. Cheerio!

Shrimp Spring Rolls 290 caloriesShrimp Spring Rolls

This is the same recipe as the Shrimp with Udon Noodles but without the noodles. The Spring Roll wrappers look like 8” disks of opaque plastic, but after soaking for 10-15 seconds in water, they become clear and very pliant. If you are not accustomed to wrapping spring rolls or egg rolls, you might want to practice using wonton wrappers which are easier to manipulate.

3 oz raw shrimp, cleaned and cut in half across the body                                                                                            2 oz carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins or cut as julienne                                                        1½ oz green cabbage                                                                                                                                            1 1/2 tsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                                1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                          1 oz chopped green onion [or 2 Tbsp steamed chopped broccoli]                                              Thai hot chili sauce                                                                                                                                          three 8″ Spring Roll wrappers

Chop and prepare all the ingredients and put them in small dishes near the stove-top. Heat a cast iron skillet or wok until hot and add the oil. When it is hot, add the carrot and cabbage. Stirfry for 3 minutes on heat high enough to keep the vegetables sizzling. If the pan becomes dry, add some water. This is supposed to be a no-no in stir-frying, but we are cutting down on oil, OK? Add the shrimp and stirfry about 1 minute, until it is cooked. Add the scallion or cooked broccoli and soy sauce. Stirfry a bit longer until all is mixed and warm. Take off the heat. Remove the cooked mixture to a bowl. [if you want to, run it briefly through the food processor. This step is optional.]                                            Wipe out the pan and put a mere film of oil on it. Turn on the heat to medium-low.               Put a pie plate of warm water on the counter. Add one of the spring roll wrappers. When it is clear, remove it and lay it flat on a dish towel. Spoon 1/3 of the mixture onto the wrapper. Roll up a bit, then fold in the sides, then finish rolling. Put the roll in the warm pan. Repeat with the other rolls. In the pan, turn the rolls until they are warm and slightly browned.    Serve with a dollop of hot sauce.

Meals on a Raft

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The hash house waitress used to yell, “Adan and Eve on a raft!” when she called in an order of poached eggs on toast.  Putting food on some sort of bread-stuff is popular in many cuisines, and some people would say that you can’t eat carbs while dieting. Not so. On the Fast Diet complex carbs are fine in moderation, as long as they are accompanied by lots of protein. Even though this menu has carbs in both meals, the total for the day is 62 g. carbs — far below what is considered ‘usual’ for a day.

Tostada : 308 calories       7.6 g. fat            18.1 g. protein        39.7 g. carbs         GF     PB            HINT: Use some of the chili non carne [See November 4 posting for recipe] to give this simple breakfast rich flavor. It will keep you going for hours.Tostada

one 6” corn tortilla                                                                                                                                      one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                       2 Tbsp chili non carne   [November 4 Blog Post]                                                                                                                 2 tsp Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                    hot beverage of your choice – hold the cream and sugar                                                                  5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Heat the toaster oven to 350. Put the chili in a custard cup and put it into the oven to heat. Warm a dry cast iron skillet over med-high heat. Warm the tortilla in the pan on both sides until it is warm and pliable and starting to brown. Remove the tortilla and keep warm in a dish towel. Spritz the skillet with non-stick spray and fry the egg until it is done as you like it. Remove the egg. Spread the chili on the tortilla and return the tortilla to the skillet. Put the egg on the chili and sprinkle with the cheese. Put the pan into the hot oven until the cheese melts. Brew your beverage, pour the smoothie and wake up your mouth.

Tuna Melt:        274 calories       10.9 g. fat          24.7 g. protein          22.2 g. carbsTuna melt

1 slice 70-cal. bread                                                                                                                     1/2 of a 5-0z can of water-pack tuna, drained                                                                      1 Tbsp onion, finely chopped                                                                                                    1 Tbsp celery, finely chopped                                                                                                         1 pinch celery seed, salt, pepper                                                                                                1 and 1/2 tsp low fat mayonnaise                                                                                             1 slice Swiss cheese, the deli kind                                                                                              1/2 cup romaine lettuce, shredded                                                                                       1/2 tsp lemon juice & 1/2 tsp olive oil

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

Chili Time!

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As the weather gets colder, we want to curl up with some warm, spicy food. Chili! Here are two recipes which we enjoy: Venison Chili and Chili Non Carne. The second is the springboard for a breakfast next week. How easy is that!?

Venison Chili:     297calories            5 g. fat             35.6 g. protein            GF                        HINT: This is enough for 2 one-cup servings. Save the remaining chili for another dinner later or invite a fellow-Faster for dinner.venison chili w: melon

½ pound ground venison                                                                                                                             16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced                                                                                          1 clove garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 cup red onion, chopped                                                                                                                            1/2 green pepper, chopped  and seeded                                                                                                    1 cup canned red beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                          2-4 tsp chili                                                                                                                                                         ¾ tsp salt                                                                                                                                                             ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin                                                                                                                                 per serving: a small slice of melon, as a garnish

Cook the venison, onion, garlic, and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the chili is hot throughout. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Serve one cup for dinner tonight with the melon on the side.

Chili non Carne:     277 calories    3.5 g. fat    15.6 g. protein      48 g. carbs   PB    GF              HINT: This is enough for 2 one-cup servings. Save the remaining chili for a lunch or watch for future postings to see how we use it for breakfast!   The recipe is my mother’s, except that she added beef. And she served it on a heap of mashed potatoes, but we won’t do that on a Fast Day.

15 oz canned red beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                         16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced                                                                                           1 cup chopped onion                                                                                                                                            1 green pepper, chopped                                                                                                                                2-3 tsp chili pepper, or more if you like it spicy                                                                                                    ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin                                                                                                                               per serving: 1 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated, as a garnish

Cook the onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the stew is thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Serve one cup for dinner tonight with the grated cheese on top.