fasting

Hans Christian Andersen

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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.

The Little Mermaid. The Ugly Duckling. The Snow Queen. The Emperor’s New Clothes. And 164 others… You know those stories and you know who wrote them: Hans Christian Andersen. But do you know the man? Hans Christian was born into poverty and low social status in 1805 in Odense, Denmark. His father read stories to him, and the child attended the local school. Until he was 14 years old, he worked. When tried for a career on stage, one of the directors of the Royal Theatre took him under his wing and sent him to a real school. Unhappy as that experience was, Andersen went on to university where he wrote a best-selling novel in 1828, a fantasy travelogue. Then he turned to play-writing, which was less successful, so he wrote more novels. A popular literary genre at the time was German Romanticism, characterized by menacing fantasy elements, and interactions with a scary-yet-compelling natural world. In 1835, Andersen found the writing style that made him famous: writing ‘fairy tales‘. His tales have several themes which indicate facets of Andersen’s life: alienation from society; sympathy for the poor; and unrequited love. His telling of tales was novel and refreshing — written for amusement, not moral education, the stories were modern in their tone, chatty in their narration. The critics were not impressed, but the public was. By the late 1830s, the King of Denmark awarded Andersen an annual stipend. More novels and travel stories ensued, and he was acclaimed all over Europe. Anderson had difficulty in social situations, even though he craved normal relationships. When he was invited to stay with Charles Dickens and his family, a two-week visit lasted five weeks, much to the dismay of the hosts. Anderson could be demanding, yet he lacked the self-awareness to see it. He died of liver cancer on 4 August 1875, and was hailed as a ‘national treasure’. His stories are still in circulation. They have been Disneyfied, turned into ballets, stage plays, and adapted by Hollywood. Try reading the originals for comparison, and see if you recognize them.

Our foods are typically Danish: delicious, easy to prepare, from the ocean.

Herring Plate: 195 calories… 8 g fat… 4.4 g fiber… 8 g protein… 13.5 g carbs… 33 mg Calcium…  NB: These values are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB If you like herring, this is the breakfast for you. It makes a nice change from morning eggs and it is prepared in no-time-flat. TIP: Do NOT eat herring if you are taking MOAI anti-depresent medicine, as herring is high in tyramine.

++ 3 Finn Crisp crackers ++++ 1.25 oz herring marinated in wine [not sour cream] ++++ 2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese ++++ 4 Bing cherries OR ½ cup strawberries, sliced ++++ 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] ++

Do I need to describe this preparation? Spread the cream cheese on the crackers and pile on the herring. Delicious and so satisfying.

Smørrebrød with Salmon: 257 calories… 8 g fat… 3 g fiber… 14 g protein… 28.6 g carbs… 48 mg Calcium…  PB A classic summer sandwich from Sweden: a delicious meal without heating the kitchen.

++ 1 slice [1½ oz] sourdough rye bread @ 110 calories TIP: the bread should be dense, not fluffy  ++++ 1 Tbsp whipped cream cheese ++++ 2-4 large leaves of fresh spinach ++++ 1½ oz thinly-sliced tomato, slice and salt about 30 minutes earlier for best taste ++++ 1-1½ oz smoked salmon [you have some calorie wiggle-room] ++++ ½ hard-boiled egg, sliced ++++ 1-2 oz strawberry ++

Spread the bread with the cream cheese and lay the spinach leaves on top. Place the tomato slices atop that. For the next layer, put down the salmon, topped by the egg slices. Plate with the berries and enjoy a hot Summer night meal.

National Weather Service

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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. 

You wake up and turn on the TV or radio or internet to find out what the weather will be for the day. Why? So you know what to wear, whether you need an umbrella, if the weather will interfere with your commute. And where does that forecast come from? It is the work of observers at weather stations all over the world. Every day weather balloons are sent up to map the upper air currents that propel an air mass in your direction. You see, while it is true that ‘weather is local’, the weather that you have today was probably the weather that another locale had 1 or 2 days ago — and somebody ‘downwind’ will have it tomorrow. This is the value of many monitoring stations. People used to think that weather conditions were the same everywhere at once, but that was proved wrong in the 1500s when Tycho Brahe directed simultaneous observations in Denmark and Poland. In 1849, the new telegraph service provided a means of sending weather data to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC for compilation. This was the beginning to weather maps that showed cold or warm air masses moving across the nation. Forecasting began in 1870, when the US Weather Bureau was created as an arm of the Army Signal Service’s Division of Telegrams and Reports. At first there was resistance to the idea of forecasting the weather, due to the perception of interfering with God’s power since the 3rd chapter of the Book of John says, “The wind blows where it wants… but [you] cannot not tell where it comes from, nor where it goes.” Then weather disasters ensued, showing the need for forecasting. The Weather Service was moved from department to department, and their job expanded to hurricane alerts and river flood warnings. Weather data was collected at airports, at military bases, from kites aloft, and from ships at sea as the need for accurate forecasting grew. From when to plant your garden to timing the D-Day Invasion, events large and small are weather dependent. Technology has advanced to include Doppler Radar, satellite feeds, and computer models. Now the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gathers the data and studies weather past, present, and future in an effort to prevent disasters. None of us can change the weather, but we need accurate information to live safely with it. Will recent personel cuts hamper forecasting? Time will tell.

Whether you live in the streets of New York City or on the plains and mesas of New Mexico, weather matters to you. Having a strong network of weather workers from coast to coast means accurate, timely forecasting. Volunteers, such as those with CoCoRaHS, can be a big help — please consider joining today.

Horseradish-Cheesy Bake: 143 calories… 7.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 8 g protein… 7 g carbs… 78.6 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the Bake and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF David Rosengarten’s unusual cookbook It’s All American Food takes the reader on a tour of American ethnic and regional foods, and tells you how to make those treats in your own kitchen. This recipe is from the Manhattan restaurant Barney Greengrass, where they are renowned for their breakfasts.

++ One 2-oz egg ++++ ½ Tbsp crushed tomato ++++ 1 Tbsp cheddar/horseradish spread*** ++++ 1 Tbsp chives, minced ++++ 2 oz pear or apricot ++++ 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] ++

Set the toaster oven at at 350 degrees F. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Vigorously whisk the egg, cheeses, and chives until well combined and pour into the ramekin. Put in the oven [it doesn’t need to be hot yet] and bake 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, brew your beverage of choice and prep the fruit. This will kick-start your day.

***Cheddar-Horseradish Spread  ++ 2 Tbsp WisPride Cheddar spread OR Kraft Old English Cheddar spread  ++++4 [or more] tsp prepared horseradish [the kind in a jar] ++ Cream together thoroughly. Save the rest for another day or another use.

Chili Verde with Beans: 265 calories… 3 g fat… 5.4 g fiber… 14 g protein… 31 g carbs… 169 mg Calcium…  PB GF In the great debate about what makes ‘authentic’ chili, beans are often the issue. Here, they are served as a ‘side dish.’  HINT: This makes enough for 3 [three] servings.

½ tsp oil ++++++  ½ cup red onion, choppedCook onion until softened.
3 cloves garlic, mincedAdd to onion and cook 1 minute more
2 Tbsp tomato sauce+++2 tsp green chili powder +one 4-oz can New Mexico green chiles+++1 tsp ground cumin +++ 1 tsp [Mexican] oregano ++++
½ cup salsa verde [purchased is fine] +++¼ cup water		Stir in tomatoes and cook 1 minute. 
Add chilis, seasonings, salsa and water.
Turn heat down to a simmer.
Enough cooked turkey or chicken to make 1½ cups shredded meat – about 200 g ++++ pinch or two saltShred poultry or grind it and add to the pan. Cover, simmer 10 mins. Add salt.
Per serving: 1/3 cup small white beans, canned +++++ chopped green onionPlate with scallions on top and the beans on the side.

With or without the beans, this would be great in flautas or fajitas or corn tortillas.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs + 1 egg white
hamstrawberries + 2%-fat cottage cheese
chivesgarlic powder + nutmeg
pineapple or appleManchego cheese + cooked spinach
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

beef from a roast or from the deli + onionsalami + white beans + red wine vinegar
garlic + canned whole tomatoes + celerycooked chicken breast + rosemary + sage
carrot + beef bouillon cubes + bay leafmozzarella + lettuce/wild greens
dried basil + Finn Crisp crackersradish + celery + garlic
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Hometown Heroine: Mercia

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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.

The Lady of Mercia, Æthelflæd.

In 874 CE, the Vikings were on the rampage in the Britain. They had taken York and Norfolk and were moving west into the interior. They captured the town of Derby in the Kingdom of Mercia, renaming it as Deorby. For the next few decades, the balance of power between the Viking/’Dane’ invaders and the Anglo-Saxon defenders was touch and go. In 879 CE, a new king of Mercia was crowned: Aethelred [his name means ‘noble counsel’]. Within two years, King Aethelred accepted King Alfred ‘the Great’ of Wessex as his liege lord. In 887, Aethelred married Æthelflæd [whose name means ‘noble beauty’], daughter of King Alfred. The pair were a ‘power couple’ in their time, fortifying towns against the Danes and endowing abbeys. After a decade of increased Viking incursions, Aethelred of Mercia died. His wife, Æthelflæd the Lady of Mercia/Myrcna hlaedige, took over the reins of government, since Mercia was not prejudiced against female rulers and they did not want a divisive power struggle. She took the battle to the Vikings, fortifying key towns [called ‘burhs’, pronounced ‘bruffs’], and making incursions to recapture territory. For the rest of her life, Æthelflæd lead the Mercian struggle against the Vikings, building strongholds to stall their advances, and leading troops in the retaking many towns like Derby in a battle in 917. She died on June 12, 918, and was buried at Gloucester. Æthelflæd’s death was widely reported around Britain, such was her repute. Her brother Edward of Wessex took over Mercia a few months later, uniting it with Wessex to form the kernel from which the future united England grew.

What did Anglo-Saxons eat? Onions, garlic, cabbage, turnips, mushrooms, beets, carrots, peas, green beans, barley, wheat, fish from rivers and ocean, small game. Sounds like stew to me — all day long. Foods were simmered in pots over a fire, flatbreads were cooked on hot stones. Both our breakfast and our dinner are in keeping with the foodstuffs available to Æthelflæd and her people.

Bannock with Salmon & Applesauce: 206 calories… 5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 9 g protein… 31 g carbs… 97.4 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB Oat cakes are found all over the British Isles. Were these the ‘cakes’ that King Alfred let burn while baking on the hearth?

++ 4 two-inch bannock ++++ ½ oz smoked salmon ++++ 1/3 c low-fat vanilla yogurt ++++ 1/3 c unsweetened applesauce ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Bake, or thaw and warm the bannocks. Stir together the yogurt and applesauce until blended, or serve with a marbled appearance. Plate it all with the salmon for a very fine meal.

Winter Soup: 236 calories… 3 g fat… 8.6 g fiber… 12 g protein… 45.4 g carbs… 80 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread  A hearty vegetable soup has been keeping people going for milleia. Easy to prepare, perfect for clearing out the vegetable drawer. HINT: 1 Serving = 1 cup. Makes 5 cups.

++ 1 quart beef broth ++++ 4 oz carrots, peeled and sliced or diced ++++ 4 oz rutabaga/yellow turnip, peeled and diced ++++ 4 oz parsnip, peeled and sliced or diced ++++ 4 oz onion, chopped ++++ 4 oz cabbage, chopped ++++ ¼ cup pearled ‘quick’ barley ++++ any herbs you wish, chopped ++

Prepare vegetables as described. Put everything except the barley in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer until all vegetables are soft. Add barley, herbs, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer until barley is cooked.

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

2 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
flour, preferably whole wheatchicken breakfast sausage @ 33 calories per link
sugar + milk, low-fat apple
10 sweet cherries + clementinesage
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

olive oil + onionAndouille sausage + chicken + ham chunk
garlic + scalliononion + brown rice + celery + file powder
tomato, fresh or canned + canned chickpeasgreen sweet pepper + garlic + crushed tomatoes
chicken stock + herbsred pepper flakes + Tabasco + Worcestershire
Sparkling waterchicken broth + cajun seasoning + Sparkling water

Bridget Bishop

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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.

(Original Caption) Illustration, “THERE IS A FLOCK OF YELLOW BIRDS AROUND HER HEAD,” depicting the accusation of a bedeviled girl during the Salem witch trials. Engraving by Howard Pyle.

Bridget Playfer was born in Norwich, England in the 1630s. She married her Samuel Wasselbe  in 1660, and they had one child who died in infancy. Bridget, pregnant with her second child, immigrated to Massachusetts Colony after the death of her husband. There she married a widower with three teenaged children, and they lived on Washington Street in Salem Town. [Salem Village is now the town of Danvers. Salem Town is now called simply Salem.] When he died, after 19 years of a volatile and probably abusive marriage, there were rumors that Bridget had done him in. She inherited the house and orchards, and then married a sawyer named Edward Bishop. In 1692, there was something odd in the air — or was it in the food? — in Salem Town: young women began to say that they were being afflicted by witches! There was no actual evidence of this, except that when the young women saw the ‘witches’, they screamed and writhed in pain. On April 16, Bridget Bishop was accused of witchcraft, and she was arrested on April 19 and put in jail. Although she was not the first to be accused, Bishop was the first to be tried. Why? It seems that a lot of people did not like her. Her trial began on June 2. Since she could provide no evidence that she was not a witch, Bridge Bishop became the first person to die when she was publicly hanged on June 10. Before the hysteria had run its course, 19 people had been executed. From those events came the term ‘witch hunt‘, meaning a sham accusation with no evidence of guilt. The infamous anti-communist investigations by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950s have been characterized as a ‘witch hunt.’ These days, no matter what the evidence, accused and arrested people will cry out that they are victims of a witch hunt, and that they are being persecuted by enemies. It all depends on the amount of evidence provided. In 2001, the government of Massachusetts officially exonerated Bridget Bishop.

The people of Salem Town were farmers and fisher folk. Our meals are simple and are the sort of foods that could be prepared in a pot over an open fire, as Bridget Bishop would have cooked.

Oatmeal Pudding: 258 calories… 4 g fat… 5 g fiber… 14 g protein… 36 g carb… 55.6 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. GF PB A riff on a recipe found in Marion Cunningham’s Breakfast Book, this can easily be prepared the night before. HINT: THIS MAKES ENOUGH FOR TWO [2] SERVINGS. Make them both, since two are as easy as one, and freeze the other.

++ ½ cup rolled oats, cooked in 1 cup water ++++ 2 tsp maple syrup ++++ ½ cup fat-free cottage cheese ++++ pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon ++++ 4 Tbsp. blueberries [fresh or frozen] ++++  Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Cook the oatmeal in the water. Take off the heat, 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 cooking for one, 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 hot beverage of your choice for a hearty, healthy meal.

Seafood Chowder: 275 calories… 11 g fat… 1 g fiber… 15 g protein… 16 g carbs… 117 mg Calcium… GF It freezes nicely, but it is great to share! Dear 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.

10 one-cup servings
4 strips thick-cut American streaky baconDice bacon. In a medium skillet cook it until crisp and brown. Remove bacon . 
1 Tbsp bacon fat+++++1 medium yellow onion, finely diced ~1 cupAdd onions. Cook slowly over low, stirring, until translucent – 10 mins?Put into a bowl with bacon.
1# baking potatoes, peeled + cut in ½” cubesIn a separate saucepan, cover potatoes with salted water and boil until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes, add to bacon/onions. [Save water for baking]
2# steamer clams in shells+++++1 Qt waterPut clams in a large pot with water. Heat to boiling, cover, and cook until clams open, 3 mins. 
Take out clams, leaving liquid in pot. Strain liquid through paper towel-lined sieve. Take clams from shells, cut into smaller pieces if necessary. Add to potatoes, onion, and bacon.
one 1½# lobsterPut strained broth back into empty pot, bring to a boil. Put lobster head-first into boiling broth. Cover and cook 20 mins. Remove lobster and let cool. Crack shell, remove meat. Cut into ½” chunks and add to potatoes.
1 pound scallops, trimmed++1 pound shrimp, peeledHeat broth until boiling. Add scallops, shrimp. Turn heat to low. Simmer ~3 mins, until scallops + shrimp are just cooked through.
++1 quart whole milk ++++4 Tbsp butter ++++++++
2 sprigs parsley+++++¼ tsp paprika++++salt + pepper to taste		Finely chop the parsley. Add all the previously cooked ingredients to the liquid, along with the milk, butter, parsley and seasonings. Heat until steaming but not boiling. Take off heat.
Cover and cool. Let soup sit in the ‘fridge or on a cool back porch 12-24 hrs.This enhances the flavors.
To serve, heat to steaming hot but do not boil.
Freeze what is left over in serving-size containers.

Ain’t I a Woman?

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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.

She was born into slavery and named Isabelle, then she became a famous voice in the fight for the abolition of slavery and the rights of all women. In 1797, New York was a slave-holding state, like so many others, when ‘Isabelle’ was born. Prevented from marrying her first love, forced to marry another man, lied to by her owner about his intent to free her, the woman walked off the farm one day into a life of freedom. Swept up in the Second Great Awakening of the early 1800s, she became an itinerant preacher and found her name: Sojourner Truth. She chose the name because she moved from place to place preaching the truth about God. Although unlettered and untaught, Sojourner had a stature [nearly 6 feet tall] and a voice that commanded attention. She was invited to be the only Black woman to attend the Women’s Rights Convention, held in Akron, Ohio in 1851. Many luminaries of the movement were there, forming committees and making speeches. Sojourner was going to address the group, but several women objected, so she made her statement from the steps of the Old Stone Church on May 29. While wealthy women politely debated women’s wages, Sojourner gave an impassioned rendition of what life was like in her world. Now considered one of the most famous women’s rights speeches in American history, her remarks have come to be known as “Ain’t I a Woman?”. In part, she said:

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?

She went on to live in Michigan with her daughters, lobbying for abolition and befriending members of the Seventh Day Adventists, until her death in 1883.

Although Sojourner Truth was not a vegetarian like her Adventist friends, our foods today will be plant-based, close to the ground, and delicious.

Sweet Potato-Black Bean Hash: 212 calories… 4.5 g fat… 9 g fiber…  31 g carbs… 96.5 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg and hash only, not the optional hot beverage. PB GF Long-time friend and fellow bell ringer Jane Winslow inspired this recipe. She’s right: it is very good.

++ ½ c. diced sweet potatoes [You could substitute ½ cup of diced winter squash, which lowers the calories, protein, and carbs] ++++ 2 Tbsp yellow onion, diced ++++ ¼ red pepper, sliced = 2 oz ++++ salt + pepper ++++ ¾ tsp paprika + ¼ tsp cumin ++++ ½ cup spinach, roughly chopped ++++ 4 oz canned black beans = ½ c. ++++ one 2-oz [US large] egg ++++ 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] ++

Spritz olive oil in a small cast iron pan on medium heat. Add sweet potatoes, onion, red pepper, seasonings, and a little water. Cook on medium-low for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring. ALTERNATELY, you could roast these vegetables in a 400 F. oven for 10 minutes. Add spinach plus 2 more Tbsp water, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Lastly, add the black beans and stir until ingredients are well-blended. HINT: prep this far the night before. >> NEXT MORNING: Heat the vegetable hash in the pan before topping with a poached or fried egg. Serve in the pan or scoop onto a plate.

Feta-Tuna-Bean Salad: 306 calories… 14.6 g fat… 5 g fiber… 19 g protein… 24 g carbs… 230 mg Calcium…  PB GF This salad has a lot going for it. Perfect for a hot summer evening.

++ 1 oz canned tuna, drained ++++ ¼ cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed ++++ 1 oz feta cheese, crumbled ++++ 2 oz tomatoes, cubed ++++ 1½ oz red bell pepper, cut as large dice ++++  2 pitted ripe olives, sliced ++++ ½ hardboiled egg, chopped ++++ 1½ cups baby greens ++++ 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice + lots of herbes de Provence + pinch garlic powder ++

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

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

rolled ‘old-fashioned’ oats 1.5 two-oz eggs 
nutmeg + cinnamonapple or applesauce
2%-fat cottage cheesefresh herbs
maple syrup + blueberriesVache qui Rit cheese 
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

American bacon + whole milk + 1 pound shrimpgreen bell pepper + cucumber + olive oil
onion + butter + 1.5 pound lobster, in shellwhite wine vinegar + dry white wine
parsley + baking potatoestarragon + garlic + onion
2 pounds steamer clams + 1 pound scallopsshrimp + piment d’emplette
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Fountain of Shame

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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.

Last week, I blogged about a very famous fountain. This time, I will discuss a very infamous fountain. Here is the story. In 1554, Francesco Camilliani was commissioned by Don Pietro di Toledo to design a fountain for his daughter’s villa in Tuscany. Given free reign, the architect designed an enormous, complex scene in multiple levels, with 48 statues of nymphs, satyrs, goddesses, gods, and other mythological figures. It took 30 years to build — and then the family rejected it because it was too big. What to do? It was advertised for sale, and the City of Palermo, Sicily [then a separate kingdom from Italy] decided to buy it, since they had no grand fountain of their own. The fountain was disassembled into 644 pieces, packed up, and shipped. When it arrived, a decision had to be made — where to put this gigantic structure?? The only square/piazza that was large enough was in front of the town hall, where the fountain fills the entire space with barely any room to spare — not good urban planning. Worse, one side of the Piazza Pretoria was taken up by a convent of Dominican nuns who were not amused by all that naked anatomical correctness outside their windows. The nuns exclaimed, “Che vergogna!” [“What a shame!”] And so the public came to call it the Fountain of Shame. The fountain is still there, the nuns left long ago. The fountain is walled off behind an iron railing, which opens at whiles for tourists. The water flow is shut off. What a shame.

Street-walkers are considered to be shameful by many, so what better for a discussion of the Fountain of Shame than two recipes that involve the famous Puttanesca Sauce of southern Italy. The name translates as ‘Streetwalkers’ Sauce’, but the real origin of Puttanesca Sauce is clouded in mystery, and may have nothing to do with Ladies of the Evening.

Puttanesca ScrOmelette: 150 calories… 8 g fat… 1.3 g fiber… 10 g protein… 8.5 g carbs… 60 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF This breakfast is based on the flavors of the iconic Naples pasta dish. When you make a dinner with that sauce, save some out to season these breakfast eggs.

++ 1½ two-ounce eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week  ++++ 2 Tbsp puttanesca sauce** ++++ ½ clementine OR 1 oz blueberries ++++  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 sauce into the eggs and scramble or cook as an omelette. Enjoy with the fruit, and optional beverages.

**PUTTANESCA SAUCE:  makes 4 cups 1 cup = 117 calories… 3.6 g fat… 5 g fiber… 3.4 g protein… 15 g carbs… 125 mg Calcium 1 Tbsp = 7 calories… 0 g fat… 0.3 g fiber… 0.2 g protein… 1 g carbs… 8 mg Calcium..

+++ 1 cup chopped onion ++++ 1 clove garlic ++++ 2 tsp olive oil ++++ 5 cups whole tomatoes, canned ++++ 1 cup mushrooms++++ 2 anchovies ++++ ½ cup black olives, canned are OK, calamatas are better ++++ 2 Tbsp capers +++

Cook the onions and garlic in oil and some of the tomatoes’ juice until transluscent. Add all the other ingredients, mashing the tomato to break into smaller chunks. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour to thicken.

Mackerel Puttenesca: 298 calories… 17 g fat… 3 g fiber… 22.6 g protein… 7.6 g carbs… 66.4 mg Calcium… PB GF Such an easy summer meal, especially if your sauce is left-over homemade or from the supermarket shelf. Delicious and satisfying. [Don’t be concerned about the fat: it is from the mackerel which is high in Omega 3, so it is good fat]  TIP: I fillet and broil the fish as soon as I get it home since the fatty mackerel does not keep well raw.

++ 4 oz mackerel or other rich, oily fish ++++ ¼ cup puttenesca sauce, homemade [see above] or from a jar ++++ 2 oz green beans ++

If using fresh fish, broil the fish for 4-5 minutes per side to cook it.  If using mackerel which has been frozen after cooking, thaw to room temperature. NB: Mackerel does not keep well in the fridge uncooked. If you have to buy mackerel prior to the day you will serve it, filet the fish and broil it as soon as you get back to the kitchen. Then you can hold it for a day or two, or freeze it for longer. Mackerel does not freeze well uncooked. Cook the green beans. Heat the sauce and mackerel together in a covered pan until warm. Plate. Done in minutes!

Three Coins in the Fountain

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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.

The most famous and most photographed fountain in Rome is the Trevi Fountain. Oddly, it is not named for the designer [Niccolo Salvi], nor the builder [Giuseppe Pannini], nor the one who commissioned the structure [Pope Clement XII]. The fountain and the plaza that contains it are named for the three streets [‘tre-vii’] that converged on the square. Pope Clement sponsored a competition for the design of a fountain in 1732, and the finished product was dedicated on May 22, 1762. The fountain is built of the local travertine rock, not from marble. Such public fountains were not for tourists’ photo ops, but to provide drinking and washing water for people in the neighborhood. There has been a fountain in that spot since the time of the Romans, and the water for it has been supplied by Acqua Vergine, one of the oldest Roman aqueducts, ever since. Curiously, the fountain was built onto the back of a pre-existing building — Poli Palace, originally a family home, now the Central Institute for Graphics. What does the fountain have to do with throwing coins over your shoulder?? In Roman times, sweethearts would go to fountains or springs to throw a coin in the water before the young man was to leave for an extended period of time — military deployment or a business trip. The coin was an offering to the deity of the water to insure the boyfriend’s safe return and his continued love. When the Trevi Fountain was completed, people couldn’t resist throwing coins into the large pool. I had always inferred from the song “Three Coins in the Fountain” that ‘3 coins’ meant that three people tossed in one coin each, in a hope for true love. But a tour guide in Rome said that each person has to throw three coins: the 1st insures that you will return to Rome. The 2nd is for your fondest wish. The 3rd is the hope of love and matrimony. To throw them, you turn your back on the fountain and toss them over your shoulder. So many people visit the spot every year, that the City of Rome is considering limits: tourists must reserve a time slot in advance, and pay 1-2 Euros for the privilege. Every few nights, the fountain is closed and all the coins are cleaned out. They are given to the charity Caritas, which uses the money in Rome to fund a food bank, welfare projects, and a soup kitchen. In 2022, the fountain yielded 1.4 million euros/$1.52 million USD. It is illegal to take coins from the Trevi Fountain, so throw them in instead.

A pizza flavored breakfast and a Caprese chicken are the perfect flavors for a Roman sojourn — even if it is only virtual.

Pizza Bake:  130 calories… 6.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 9.4 g protein… 8.4 g carbs… 93.7 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF  Forget the cold slice on a greasy box…. pizza for breakfast just got healthier and more delicious. 

++ One 2-oz egg ++++ salt + pepper to taste ++++ 1.5 Tbsp crushed tomatoes ++++ 2 thin slices pepperoni, minced ++++ ¼ oz mozzerella chesse, grated ++++ ½ oz bell pepper, chopped ++++ ¼ cup blueberries ++++  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] ++

Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Prepare your beverages. Poach the bell pepper in a little water in the microwave for 30 seconds. Put the cheese, pepperoni, and pepper in a lightly-spritzed ramekin or small oven-proof dish. Whisk the egg with the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and pour into the ramekin. Bake 12-15 minutes. Pour the beverages, portion the berries, and consider how much nicer this is than a congeled slice that tastes like cardboard.

Caprese Chicken: 289 calories… 15 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 35.6 g protein… 6.3 g carbs… 140 mg Calcium…  PB GF ‘Caprese’ means ‘from Capri,’ the fabled island off the West coast of Italy. In cooking, it often means the use of fresh mozzerella, basil, and tomatoes, as in this recipe. HINT: This recipe serves two [2]. The amounts can be cut in half for one person.

On a Slow Day, you can add some pasta to the menu.
8-oz chicken breast, boneless and skinless+++++++++++ ++++++++ Kosher salt ++++++ pepperPat chicken dry.  Remove tenderloin and save for another use. Put meat flat on cutting board and hold it down with a flat hand. Cut it lengthwise parallel to the cutting board, so you have two, equal, thinner pieces. Pound meat, if you wish, until it is as thin as you can make it. Season on both sides.
2 oz mozzarella, sliced ++++ 2 oz sliced tomatoes ++++6-8 basil leavesPut mozzarella, tomato slices and basil leaves on each breast piece. Enclose filling by folding chicken over it. You might need to fasten it shut with a toothpick/skewer or tie with kitchen twine. TIP: Chicken can be prepared to this point, covered + refrigerated up to 24 hrs 
Non-stick cooking spray ++++1½ tsp olive oil ++++++++ 2 garlic cloves, sliced Heat oil and non-stick spray in a 10-12” nonstick pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic, stirring, until golden, ~4 mins. Scoop out garlic and drain on paper towels, leaving oil in the pan.
Sauté stuffed breasts until golden on the bottom, ~4-6 mins. If breasts darken too quickly, lower heat. Flip and cook 4-5 mins. Cover, cook 2-3 mins, until chicken is cooked and filling is hot.
2 tsp Pesto ++++++++++ basil leaves ++++++++++++++++++ 3 oz asparagus per personCook asparagus. Carefully move chicken to the plates. Add pesto to pan juices and whisk. Pour pan juices over the chicken. Garnish with basil and cooked garlic. Serve with asparagus on the side.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs = US large1 two-oz egg + onion  + fresh spinach
blueberries or clementinered bell pepper + paprika
Puttenesca sauce : onion, canned whole tomatoes,sweet potato or butternut squash
garlic, oil, anchovies, black olives, caperscanned black beans + cumin
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

4 oz mackerel filetcanned tuna + canned white beans + olive oil
green beansfeta cheese + tomato + red bell peppers
Puttenesca sauce , homemade or cannedblack olives + hard-boiled egg + baby greens
lemon juice + herbes de province + garlic powder
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Saint Ivo

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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.

As I was going to Saint Ives, I met a man with seven wives. Each wife has seven sacks, Each sack had seven cats. Each cat had seven kitts. Kitts, cats, sacks, wives — How many were going to Saint Ives?

This traditional riddle, which dates in print from 1799, refers to the town of Saint Ives in Cornwall, England. That coastal town linked Cornwall by sea to Brittany, France — two regions connected in many cultural ways. One similarity is their veneration of Saint Ivo Helory of Kermartin, AKA: Ives, AKA: Yves. Saint Ivo was born in 1253, to the Lord and Lady of Kermartin — in those days, each town and its surrounding land was owned by its own ‘seigneur’ or Lord to whom everyone owed allegiance and taxes. At age 14, Ivo was sent to Paris to study law. Ten years later, he read canon law, then returned to Brittany. There, he became judge in clerical courts, and later, a priest. As a judge, Ivo strictly adhered to what was right and lawful — despite attempts to bribe him to do otherwise. He often protected the poor who came to his court, paying their fines and court fees, and acting as their lawyer in civil court. There are many anecdotes about Saint Ivo’s help to widows, the poor, and the falsely accused. He was so fair-minded and honest that it was said of him [in latin]: “St. Yves was a Breton, [“Sanctus Ivo erat Brito,]/A lawyer but not a robber, [Advocatus et non ladro,]/To everybody’s amazement [Res miranda populo]”. Ivo spent his life depriving himself of sustenance, and punishing his body to remind himself of the lives of the poor and to become closer to Jesus. After his death on May 19, 1303, he was revered as the ‘advocate of the poor’ to such an extent that he was canonized a mere 43 years later. Ivo of Kermartin is the patron saint of lawyers and of Brittany. He was buried in a simple tomb in the churchyard of his parish at Minihy. At the Cathedral of Tréguier there is a monument to Ivo, where the ancient Pardon of St Yves occurs every year on the Sunday before his Feast Day.

For the Feast of Saint Ivo, we will enjoy some foods with a Breton flavor, since both our meals contain artichokes — a prized agricultural product of Brittany.

Breton Bake: 149 calories… 6.5 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 9.4 g protein… 13.5 g carbs… 103 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given are for the egg dish and the fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Delicious. Filling. Different.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes ++++ 2 Tbsp artichoke hearts, canned or frozen ++++ ½ tsp curry powder ++++ 1 Tbsp fat-free ricotta ++++ 2 oz strawberries OR 1 oz applesauce, unsweetened OR 1 ++++  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] ++ 

Chop the artichoke hearts. Stir together the artichokes, tomatoes, curry, and ricotta. Whisk in the egg and pour into a ramekin which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, brew prepare any optional beverage and portion the applesauce. Enjoy your breakfast on the Cote d’Amor.

Summertime Pasta: 234 calories… 10.6 g fat… 6 g fiber… 9 g protein… 27.5 g carbs… 126 mg Calcium…  PB This excellent recipe is from Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin. It is indeed fast to prepare, and after a few alterations, it is fit for a Fast Day too. Excellent as it is, but if you want to add more protein, put in ¼ cup of shredded cooked chicken breast. HINT: The recipe as written serves two [2] persons.

Sv 2 
3 oz diced tomatoes +++++++ ¾ c/80 g diced zucchini +3 oz artichoke hearts ++++++1 oz diced mushrooms ½ tsp salt & black pepper ++++++ 3 Tbsp EVOOCombine everything in a microwavable glass bowl.
2 oz whole wheat pasta shells ++++++++++++++++++ water & salt20 minutes before serving, bring water and salt to a boil. Add pasta, cook about 7 minutes until al dente. Drain.
Microwave vegetables 2 mins or longer, until they are lukewarm.
¼ c ParmesanCombine pasta with warm vegetables, stir in cheese.
Fresh basil + edible flowersPlate and top with basil and edible flowers if you have them.

Saint Dymphna

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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.

Somewhere in Ireland in the 7th century CE, a pagan lord named Damon and his Christian wife had a daughter named Dymphna. She grew up to be a teenager as lovely as her mother. When her mother died, her father sank into a depression so disturbing that the king told him to remarry. All along, Dymphna had been caring lovingly for her increasingly deranged parent. Damon agreed to marry, but only if he could find a wife as beautiful as his beloved. By the time it was clear that such a one could not be found, the despairing widower began to think that his daughter was actually his wife. When Dymphna had to resist his advances one time too many, she fled Ireland with her confessor priest, trusted servants, and the court jester [why??]. They ended up in Geel, Belgium where the 15-year-old Dymphna set up a hospital for the poor and the mentally ill. The news of this reached her father, who hastened to Belgium. His men beheaded the priest to convince Dymphna to return with them, but when she refused, her father cut off her head too. The local people buried the martyrs and built a church over their graves. The church became a pilgrimage site. It burned down in the 1300s, and the Dymphnakerk that stands today was begun in 1349. Over the centuries, people with mental afflictions have journeyed to Geel to pray to Dymphna for help. Since the 1300s, there has been a gasthuis/hospice for pilgrims, once run by nuns, now a public psychiatric hospital that manages a unique program. So many people came to the town that the hospital was over-flowing. Townspeople agreed to host pilgrims and Geel has been running a program of family living for the mentally ill for centuries. After an evaluation at the public hospital, people are paired with families and live in a home setting as guests or boarders. They participate in family and community life. And they thrive. Host families receive a stipend and training. In 1862, a visiting doctor was amazed at “the extraordinary phenomenon presented at Geel of 400 insane persons moving freely about in the midst of a population which tolerates them without fear and without emotion.” Thanks perhaps to Saint Dymphna, the Geel model works.

Our breakfast is based on a dessert popular in northern France and Belgium. The dinner is a soup that is Irish through and through.

Apple Flamusse: 223 calories… 15 g fat… 4 g fiber… 17.5 g protein… 68.5 g carbs… 171.5 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB  This fine French dessert doubles as a splendid breakfast. And since the recipe serves 4 [four], it will serve the family.

++ 2 two-oz eggs ++++ 3 Tbsp sugar ++++ 40 g white whole wheat flour ++++ 200 ml milk ++++ 2¼ cup sliced apples ++++ 4 tsp butter ++++ 1 oz egg white ++++  per serving: 1 chicken sausage [33 calories each] ++++   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

>>>>Peel and slice apples. Saute in a smear of butter + 2 Tbsp water until softened. Spritz 2 ramekins or an oven-proof dish with 1.5 cup capacity with non-stick spray. Distribute the apples 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 15 minutes. Take from oven and decorate with egg white whipped with sugar to soft peaks. Return to oven until meringue is lightly browned. Serve with sausage and a hot beveage for a delicious start to your day.

Irish Leek & Potato Soup: 218 calories… 10 g fat… 3 g fiber… 7 g protein… 28 g carbs… 49 g Calcium…  PB GF Irish Pub Cooking is the source of this green soup, not to be confused with French Vichysoise.  HINT: serves 7-9. There are calories left over for a bit of whole-grain bread with the soup, or some fruit to round out the meal. Your choice.

4 Tbsp butter ++++++ 1 onion, chopped ++++++++++ 3 large leeks, trimmed ++++1.5 points russet potatoesChop onions. Clean, slice, and dry leeks. Peel and dice potatoes. Melt butter in soup pot. Saute these 5-10 minutes, stirring often.
3½ cups chicken or vegetable stockAdd stock to pan and bring to a simmer. Cover, simmer ~15 mins, until all is tender. 
3/4-1 cup frozen peasAdd peas to pot just long enough to defrost them.
Working in 2 batches, process soup until your desired consistency. It can be smooth, or chunky.
salt and fresh cracked black pepperSeason to taste.
>sour cream thinned with milk to be drizzle-able >snipped chivesServe piping hot with a drizzle of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
curry powder + crushed tomatoesbell pepper + blueberries
reduced-fat ricotta cheesecrushed tomatoes
artichoke hearts + applesaucepepperoni + part-skim mozzarella
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

tomatoes + zucchini + mushroomsraw chicken breast half
olive oil + Parmesan cheesebasil leaves + tomatoes
whole wheat pasta shellsgarlic + mozzarella cheese
artichoke hearts + edible flowerspesto + asparagus or broccoli
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Pullman Strike

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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.

George Pullman thought he had it made. His business of building Pullman Cars and then leasing them to railroad companies had been booming. He was concerned that the workers who built the train cars might be tempted to unionize or strike, so he decided to ‘sequester’ them. In 1880s, Pullman built a company town south of Chicago, Illinois. In a towering lack of originality or an excess of pride, he named it “Pullman”. The community was designed as a model town: its brick row houses had modern amenities such as electricity and indoor plumbing. There were libraries and schools and stores. To work for Pullman, you had to live in his town. To live in his town, you had to agree to abide by a strict moral code. Things went well until the financial panic of 1893. Pullman’s business suffered, so he laid off workers and cut the remaining salaries. But he refused to lower rents, or prices at the company stores. A delegation of workers met with Pullman to present a case for rent abatement, but he dismissed their plea and fired several of them. On May 11, 1894, workers in Pullman went on strike. Their list of grievances was soon overshadowed by labor issues on a national scale. Unhappy workers in Chicago went on strike and held violent rallies. The American Railroad Union declared a sympathetic strike that stopped rail travel from Chicago to the west coast. Annoyed by the stoppage of the US mail, which traveled by train, and alarmed by the uprising of the workers against big businesses, President Grover Cleveland sent soldiers to Chicago and other hot spots to quell the strikes. In all, forty people were killed and $80 million dollars of damage was done before the strikes ended in July. Pullman was widely criticized for his treatment of his employees. After he died in 1897, the town of Pullman was sold off piecemeal, many residents eventually buying their houses. The strike was a seminal moment in labor history in the US, showing labor unions their power and showing that the federal government to could intervene in nation-wide strikes. Today, the town of Pullman is a neighborhood in Chicagoland, and the Pullman Palace Car Company is no longer in business.

Our menu offerings are simple, hearty American foods that could have been served in a Pullman Car or on the kitchen tables of the workers in Pullman, Illinois.

Ham & Cheese Bake: 136 calories… 7 g fat… 4 g fiber… 10 g protein… 9 g carbs… 61 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  GF PB This is the baked version of a ham&cheese omelette. Just as good, only one egg per person.

++ One 2-oz egg ++++ 3 scant Tbsp Jarlsberg cheese, grated ++++ 1/3 oz 3% fat ham [from deli], diced ++++ dried sage, salt, and pepper to taste ++++1 oz applesauce OR 2 oz strawberries, whole or sliced, fresh or frozen ++++  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] ++

Set toaster oven at 350 F. Grate the cheese and chop the ham. Whisk together the cheese, egg, and seasonings. Spritz some cooking spray into an oven-safe dish or ramekin or custard cup, and pour the egg mixture into it. Bake for 12-18 minutes, depending on how well set you like your eggs. It will puff up and start to brown a bit. Heat your beverage, shake the smoothie, and portion the fruit. Enjoy a good start to the day.

Tomato Soup w/ Sandwich 289 calories… 5 g fat… 5.6 g fiber… 16 g protein… 30 g carbs… 210 mg Calcium…  PB GF Comfort food can also be low in calories. The soup recipe is from Fresh Ways with Soups and Stews, published by Time-Life Books. HINT: the soup is enough for 3 servings, so it is worth the time to make enough to freeze for later, rather than making a single serving.

Prepare Soup: 1 tsp olive oil ++++ 2½ cups onions, chopped ++++ 1 cup carrot, thinly sliced ++++ 1 tsp fresh thyme or ¼ tsp dried thyme ++++ 3 cloves garlic, chopped ++++ black pepper ++++ 28-oz can whole tomatoes with juices, coarsly chopped ++++ 1¼ cup unsalted chicken or vegetable stock ++++ ¼ tsp salt ++++

Heat the oil and 2 Tbsp water in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot, thyme, garlic, and pepper for 7-10 minutes or until onions are translucent, adding more water if needed. Add tomatoes their juice, stock, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Cool. Puree soup in food processor or blender. TIP: Pour 2 cups [2/3 of the amount] into freezer containers to cool before freezing.

Prep Sandwich: 1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [Nature’s Own Or Daves Killer Bread] ++++ ½-oz slice Swiss cheese ++++ ½ oz sliced ham, 97% fat free

Cut the bread in half. Cut the cheese in pieces the size of the bread pieces. Construct a sandwich of bread, ham, cheese, bread. Save out one bread-sized piece of cheese. Wrap the sandwich in foil and put in the toaster oven at 350F until cheese is beginning to melt on the inside. Unwrap the sandwich and put the cheese on top. Toast the sandwich so that the cheese becomes melted and might start to brown.

Finish Soup: 1 tsp ricotta or small-curd cottage cheese ++++ 1 tsp plain non-fat yogurt Put the soup in the serving bowl. Stir the cheese and yogurt together and dollop it in the middle of the hot soup. Use the tip of a knife to pull the mixture out from the middle in several radiating arms. A few grapes add a dash of color.