Mother Ann Lee

February 28, 2024February 27, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

A daughter was born to John and Ann Beswick Lees on February 29, 1736, on Toad Lane Road, Manchester, England. John Lees worked as a blacksmith by day and as a tailor by night to keep his family fed. The parents, devout and respectable people, named their daughter Ann. Illiterate, like other girls of her social class, she started working in the textile mills at age eight. When she was 20 years old, Ann became the cook at a local hospital/insane asylum. This was a time of religious revival in Manchester, as well as the start of the Industrial Revolution. Ann’s father married her to his apprentice, Abraham Standerin/Stanley, when she was 25. Her marriage either contributed to or reinforced her aversion to sex, which she saw a sinful. An off-shoot of the Quaker sect had been formed by Jane Wardley, and Ann became an enthusiastic member. Their worship services began with silent reflection and ended with mass shouting, writhing, and dancing, hence their nickname “Shaking Quakers”. Members of the group were often arrested for bursting into non-Quaker church services to deride the congregants. One time, while Ann was imprisoned, she had a vision that she was the embodiment of Christ and that she would found a new church in the new land of America. With eight adherents, she sailed for New York in 1774. The group worked there to earn money to buy land, and in time moved upstate to Niskayuna. On the weird Dark Day of 1780, Mother Ann began to spread her egalitarian ideals of communal living without sex; of working for the common good while giving “hands to work and hearts to God”. In 1781, she undertook a tour of Connecticut and Massachusetts along with some followers including her brother William. They were met with curiosity, contempt, and sometimes violence — but their proselytizing resulted in the establishment of 8 Shaker Villages. Due to injuries incurred from mobs on their tour, William died within in 1784, and Mother Ann a few months later at age 48. In time, 6000 Shakers held her in reverence as their sect grew. She is buried at the Shaker Cemetery in Watervliet, New York.

The Shakers were known for their simple but very good food. It was fresh from the garden and always featured a lot of herbs for flavor, and often fruit. Wholesome products of a farm life.

Apple-Cheese Pancake Plate: 142 calories 3.5 g fat 2 g fiber 10.5g protein 17.5 g carbs 31 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF – if using GF flour The preparation is so simple – if the pancakes were already made. I cooked the batch the night before. Fine for a Fast Day breakfast or, on a Slow Day, add a bit of peanut butter.

2 Apple-Cheese pancakes ** 1 slice Canadian bacon [back bacon] 2 oz melon 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]

Cook the bacon, warm the pancakes, and plate with the melon. Perfect.

**Apple-Cheese Pancakes makes 10 ½ cottage cheese ½ c grated apple 1½ tsp honey 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour 1½ tsp almond meal 2 eggs, separated 2 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated dash lemon juice pinch cinnamon Stir together everything except the eggs. Add the egg yolks to the batter. Beat egg whites until stiff, then fold into the batter. Cook on a hot griddle, spooning out enough batter to make 10 pancakes. Cook both sides. Serve what you need for today’s meal, then cool and freeze the remainder.

Summer Vegetable Tortillas: 310 calories 9 g fat 8 g fiber 28.6 g protein 49 g carbs 210 mg Calcium PB Eating Well magazine is the source of these fine tortillas, chock full of the flavors of the Summer garden. HINT: This recipe serves two [2]. Photo below shows portion for one.

1 cup eggplant, ½” dice 1 cup onion, ½ “ dice ½ cup corn kernels salt + pepper	Mix it all in a medium bowl, then put on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. (save the bowl) Spray the vegetables with cooking spray. Roast at 450 F for 10 minutes.
1 cup zucchini ½“ dice 1.5 cloves garlic salt + pepper	Combine in the bowl. Add to the baking sheet and spray again. Roast until vegetables are soft and starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
½ c shredded cooked chicken breast ½ c enchilada sauce from jar	Put chicken and the vegetables in a saute pan. Stir in enchilada sauce and heat until warm.
4 corn tortillas, warmed ½ c Monterey jack, shredded chopped cilantro lime wedges	Put ¼ of the filling on each tortilla. [save a bit for adding to eggs at breakfast] Top with cheese, serve with cilantro/lime.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	1.5 two-oz eggs
leek + dill weed	salt cod + strawberries
lemon juice + salmon	Cheddar cheese
dab low-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt	instant potato flakes or mashed potato
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

2 chicken leg quarters + one back = 1 pound 9 0z	Gozleme bread
leeks + onion + carrots	ground lamb + tomato
prunes + thyme sprigs	onion + fat-free vanilla yogurt
bay leaf + quick-cooking barley	cider vinegar + garlic powder
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Aldo Leopold

January 10, 2024January 2, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Do you think that the natural world “as a community to which we belong”? Those are the words of Aldo Leopold, the father of wildlife ecology in the US. Born on January 11, 1887, and raised in Iowa, Aldo loved nature from the start. He observed, journaled, and sketched his environment throughout childhood. Leopold was graduated from Yale’s Forest School in 1909, and became an enthusiastic leader of the US Forest Service in the South West. There he established the first official wilderness area, Gila National Forest. A transfer to Wisconsin opened up new opportunities. He became the first ever Chair of Wildlife Management at University of Wisconsin. His family bought a run-down farm, the land exhausted and the buildings in ruin. Over many years, they revived the land by planting native species while living in “The Shack.” This became the inspiration for Leopold’s idea of the Land Ethic: living in harmony with nature and ethically co-existing with the natural world. A series of his essays were accepted for publication in 1948, and one week later, he died. But the work was published as A Sand County Almanac, considered one of the most important books for explaining the importance of nature to human life. He was right, you know. Humans are part of nature, not separate from it. What we do as individuals affects the entire natural world, right down to how you eat. Think about living ethically with the land, no matter where you live.

Ham and corn are popular products of Iowa, so we will start there for breakfast. A salad with pork and hard-boiled eggs is as close to the ground as it gets. Get a copy of A Sand County Almanac to peruse between meals.

Ham-Cup Egg with Corn: 140 calories 6.5 g fat 1.5 g fiber 10 g protein 11 g carbs 37 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Ham and corn are such a grand combination. Easy to prepare ahead for a quick breakfast.

1 two-oz egg 1 slice “Cottage Ham” [4” diameter thin slice of ham] I used North Country Smoke House brand at 21 calories/slice 1 Tbsp fresh polenta OR ¾ oz cooked corn kernals 1.5 tsp red bell pepper, diced Sriracha 3 oz watermelon 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]

Fit the ham into an oven-proof container that measures 3.25” in diameter and 1.25” deep. [I used a cleaned tuna can. It was perfect.] You will need to snip the ham on 2 sides and overlap the meat to make it fit better into the mold. Combine the polenta/corn with the diced pepper and season with Sriracha/salt/pepper to taste. Whisk in the egg and pour into the ham cup. HINT: I did this the night before and put it in the ‘fridge. Turn on the toaster oven to 350 F and bake the ham cups for 20+ minutes, until the filling is puffed and set. Prepare the optional beverages and the melon. Use a wide knife to loosten the ham cups from the mold before plating. Some of the egg will have oozed into the mold as it baked, but that is easy to remove too. This is a real treat!

Springtime Pork Salad: 247 calories 8.5 g fat 5 g fiber 18 g protein 27 g carbs 80 mg Calcium PB GF This is a delightful meal-salad, with clementines of Winter joining asparagus from Spring. HINT: this serves 2 so invite a friend.

4 cups romaine lettuce, sliced cross-wise 3 oz pork tenderloin, cooked 8 sections clementine 2 oz asparagus, cooked and cut into 1” pieces ½ two-oz hardboiled egg 2 Tbsp cranberry orchard nut medley 2 oz whole-wheat baguette dressing: 2 tsp plain yogurt OR mayonnaise 1 tsp Sriracha pinch garlic powder 2 tsp lemon juice

Slice pork into thin rounds. Slice or chop the egg. Whisk the dressing ingredients, and toss with greens in the serving bowl. Decorate with pork, asparagus, clementine, egg.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs = US large	1 two-oz egg + lemon-dill seasoning
canned white beans + scallion/green onion	chèvre cheese
shrimp + tomato	spinach, cooked or frozen
nectarine or peach	apple or pear
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

lobster tail + ripe plantains	barramundi fish + fresh spinach
fresh lime + olive oil	puttanesca sauce + Camargue rice + garlic
melon such as cantaloup	black olives + Dijon mustard + green beans
fresh spinach leaves	lemon zest + olive oil + red wine vinegar
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Giotto, Artist

January 7, 2024January 7, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Jean Brodie : Can anyone tell me: who is the greatest Italian painter? Jenny : Leonardo da Vinci, Miss Brodie. Jean Brodie : That is incorrect, Jenny. [Miss Brodie unrolls a print of Giotto’s painting “Flight Into Egypt”] The answer is Giotto. He is my favourite.

While taste in art is subjective, Miss Jean Brodie was on to something. Giotto di Bondone, born around 1265, changed art forever, affecting the work of every artist who followed. How did he do it? By depicting nature and the people in it realistically. When he was born, the predominant art style was the Sienese School which depicted stiff, idealized figures against patterned backgrounds in a 2-dimensional space. Realism and naturalism were not in fashion, Byzantine-style icons were.

Sienese Madonna and Child, 1270. The Lady’s body has no volume and her fingers are creepy. Baby is cute.

Giotto ‘began’ the Florentine School of art. He put figures with solid, rounded, 3-D bodies into naturalistic spaces. He used perspective before anyone else of his time. His characters had individual faces and contemporary clothing. He brought humanity into the scenes he painted, with people acting like people. Legend has it that he was discovered by the renowned artist Cimabue when Giotto was 10 years old. With his teacher, Giotto traveled. At the Basilica in Assisi, Cimabue began and Giotto finished a series of frescoes about Saint Francis. From that point on, he was in great demand, as an artist and architect. Giotto’s campanile in Florence is amazing. From Padua’s Arena Chapel, to Florence’s Santa Croce, to Rome, Giotto set up studios and taught assistants his style, thus spreading new ideas in art. How did he approach the Madonna and Child? A chubby baby sits on his mother’s arm, clutching her finger. A woman who has volume, and the dignity of an individual person. This is the genius of Giotto. He is my favorite.

Giotto died on January 8, 1337, but a trend to realistic art lived on. Our meals involve foods and flavors of northern Italy, with which he would have been familiar. As Giotto showed us realism in art, we will eat real food that is naturally-occurring, healthy, and traditional. Real food is real good.

Artichoke-Herb Bake: 136 calories 8 g fat 2.5 g fiber 9 g protein 7.5 g carbs 104.4 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg-bake and fruit only, not the optional hot beverage. PB GF Artichokes, fresh, fragrant herbs, ricotta cheese — we must be in Italy! Fresh strawberries, in season, are excellent at breakfast.

1 two-oz egg ¼ oz scallion, sliced across 2 tsp chopped mixed fresh herbs ½ oz artichoke hearts, canned in water, chopped 1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta 2 oz strawberries 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]

Prepare the herbs and vegetables. Put them in a bowl with the ricotta and stir to mix. Add the egg and stir it all together. Heat the toaster oven to 350 F. Spritz an oven-proof dish with cooking oil or spray and put the egg mixture into it. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the berries for the tastes of the Mediterranean.

Fish Parmesan: 245 calories 2.6 g fat 5 g fiber 31 g protein 11.4 g carbs 242.5 mg Calcium PG GF – if using GF breadcrumbs A new version of the restaurant classic, made suitable for Fasters. And it is delicious. For atmosphere, light the candle stuck in the wine bottle while you look at works by Giotto.

1 serving	Heat the toaster oven to 350F.
Non-stick spray 1 Tbsp milk	Spritz an oven-proof pan with non-stick spray or olive oil. Pour milk on a plate.
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated 1 tsp dried oregano and/or thyme ¼ oz whole-grain breadcrumbs, fresh not dried	Grate Parmesan. Crumble or process bread into crumbs. On another plate combine these with salt and pepper.
¾ oz mozzarella, grated 2 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese	Cream the cheeses together until well-combined.
4 oz fish, a firm-fleshed variety olive oil spray	Dip fish in milk on both sides. Dredge fish in crumb/cheese mixture to coat it completely. Put on pan, spray with oil.
	Bake fish 10 mins, until golden. Take out of oven. Preheat broiler.
¼ c. marinara sauce, homemade or purchased 2 tsp capers	Stir capers into marinara. Top fish with marinara sauce, then mound the cheese mixture over it.
	Broil for 5 minutes until the cheese is melty and starting to brown
2 oz green beans	Prepare beans and plate with the fish.

Christmas

December 24, 2023December 24, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Christmas, December 25th, is not about trees covered with ornaments. Christmas is not about presents in stockings or under said tree. Christmas is not about Santa Claus, with or without his reindeer. Christmas is not about how much you can buy and how many bargains you find. Christmas is not about eating cookies and cakes. Christmas is not about Charlie Brown and his little tree and his little friends. Christmas is not about singing carols, with or without hot chocolate, eggnog, or mulled wine. Christmas is about the birth of a baby boy sometime in March in 3 BCE, in Bethlehem, then in the Roman Empire, now in the Palestinian West Bank. That baby, born into a family of Jewish artisans — his mother a weaver, her husband a carpenter — was said by angels to be the son of God. That baby grew up to be Jesus Ben-Joseph of Galilee who became an itinerant preacher or rabbi [meaning teacher]. In his 33 years of life, he healed people who were sick in mind and body and spirit. He preached a gospel [meaning ‘good news’] of peace and reconciliation. He told anyone who would listen that the most important thing was to love one’s fellow humans as much as we love ourselves. He said that we should help the poor, the orphans, the widows. He said that we should feed the hungry and visit the prisoners. He said that rich people would never be members of God’s kingdom. He was at one point a refugee, and at the end, he was a political prisoner. The birth of that baby and the advent of his life’s work is what Christmas is all about. It is up to us to act as it that matters to us more than gifts, or trees, or commercial trappings.

Our breakfast has hearts, for a message of love. The dinner is easy to prepare and yummy — nice to eat as Winter begins.

Heart-in-Heart: 150 calories 6 g fat 3 g fiber 9.6 g protein 17 g carbs 42 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF – if using GF bread Egg + bacon + toast come to the table in a new guise.

1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread with a 2” heart cut out 1 slice Canadian bacon with a 2” heart cut out 1 small egg [1.8 oz with the shell] 1 oz banana slices OR ¼ cup blueberries 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]

Spray an oven-safe pan with non-stick spray. Lightly toast the bread. Put it in the pan and position the bacon on top of it so the hearts align. Sprinkle a pinch of herbs of your choice into the hole. Break the egg into the heart-shaped hole. Strew with salt, pepper, and herbs. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes. Plate with the fruit.

Eggplant Parmesan: 263 calories 5.6 g fat 5 g fiber 19 g protein 44 g carbs 203 mg Calcium PB GF I love eggplant parmesan but I can’t stand cooking all those slices in oil [!!] and then layering everything together. This preparation is just what I need. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] people. Dear Husband enjoyed this.

4 slices peeled eggplant to a total weight of 6.5 oz ¼ c part-skim ricotta cheese ½ cup reduced fat cottage cheese ½ oz egg 1½ cup canned whole tomatoes basil garlic powder 1 oz whole-grain linguine [or other pasta of your choice] 3 oz zucchini ribbons –OR– 2 oz spinach leaves

Sprinkle the eggplant slices liberally with salt and lay them in a collander on a plate and let sit 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta and cottage cheeses with the egg. Combine the tomatoes with the basil and garlic powder. Rinse the eggplant slices and bake at 375F on an oil-sprayed pan for 15 minutes or until tender. Spray two 8” oven-safe saute pans OR one larger pan with non-stick spray. Measure ¼ c of tomato into each pan and flatten it out. Lay two slices of eggplant, slightly over-lapping, on the tomatoes in the pans. Smear 1 Tbsp of tomato on each eggplant slice. Arrange 2-3 Tbsp of ricotta/cottage cheese mixture on each slice. Put any extra tomato sauce on top and then a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400F for 15+ minutes or until eggplant is soft. Use a vegetable peeler to slice zucchini into lengthwise ribbons. Cook the pasta for 4 minutes, then take off heat. Add the zucchini to the pasta and let it sit, covered, for another 2-3 minutes. If using spinach, add it to the pasta pan with one minute to go. I like to serve it all in the skillet in which it was baked, but you can plate it to your individual wishes. Melty and tender – just the way I like it.

Sax

November 5, 2023November 8, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Antoine-Joseph Sax should not have grown up, but he did and he changed the way music is played. Between his birth in Dinant, Belgium, on November 6, 1814, and his 14th birthday, young Adolphe fell from a height of three stories; drank a bowl full of acid-water; swallowed a pin; was badly burned in a gunpowder explosion; burned his side when he fell onto a hot frying pan; was almost asphyxiated from sleeping in a room where varnished furniture was drying; and was hit on the head by a cobblestone, then fell into a river and almost drowned. Maybe that is why he changed his name to “Adolphe.” His father, Charles-Joseph Sax, an excellent wood-worker, was hired by William I of Orange to re-design the wooden instruments of the Belgian Army’s band, such as fifes and bugles. Adolphe grew up in his father’s workshop and learned the trade first-hand. When he was 14, he improved upon the clarinet. Adolphe studied flute, voice, and clarinet at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Sax wanted to invent a range of new instruments that would cover a wide range of notes. Combining a reed [found in clarinets and oboes, both wooden wind instruments] with a wooden instrument that had larger fingerings, Sax produced a hybrid. He called it the ‘Saxphone’. He entered an instrument-building competition in Belgium in 1840, and when he did not win, he went to Paris, France. There he hoped to supply the French Army with new band instruments. He was off to a rough start until he met Hector Berlioz, composer and music critic. Berlioz was enraptured by the new sound of the saxphone and wrote glowing praise about it. The original instrument was made of wood, but soon Sax switched to brass, creating the ‘saxophone’ we know today. But wait! Not just one saxophone, but eight sizes of different ranges! Then Sax made a wide array of other brass instruments which defy description. The French Army Band adopted the saxophone right away and Sax should have been raking in the money. Unfortunately, he did not patent it until 1846, then spent many years and much money fighting off those who would copy his invention. Sax was a lousy money manager, going bankrupt three times. His invention is still in use — in brass bands, in orchestras, and in jazz bands. Yet Sax died in poverty. Even brilliant innovators need good financial advisors.

French meals today, for Adolphe Sax’s adopted nation.

French Toast: 187 calories 6 g fat 2.6 g fiber 12.6 g protein 15 g carbs 95 mg Calcium NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. HINT: This recipe makes French Toast for 2 people or two breakfasts. If serving one, prepare all the toast, but put the remainder in a bag in the freezer for a really fast breakfast later.

4 slices 70-cal whole grain bread one 2-oz egg 2 Tbsp fat-free milk per person: 1 oz strawberries, fresh or unsweetened frozen per person: 1½ tsp maple syrup per person: one 60-cal chicken breakfast sausage Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whisk the egg and milk together. Cut the pieces of bread into appropriate shapes using a cookie cutter small enough to cut two shapes from each slice of bread. [This step is important for the calorie count to come out right, so don’t skip it even if it seems too much like ‘crafty food.’ The bread that is left over can be fed to the birds or saved to make Stuffed Clams] Put the bread into a pan with a rim which is just big enough for the bread pieces. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the bread, making sure it is all wetted. Let stand OVERNIGHT. Also, mash the strawberries and stir into the syrup.

THE NEXT MORNING, cook the batter-soaked bread in a hot non-stick pan with a spritz of non-stick spray. Cook until browned on both sides. NOW PUT ½ OF THE PIECES ASIDE TO COOL. PUT INTO A BAG AND FREEZE THEM FOR A LATER DATE. Cook the sausage, too. Warm the mix of berries and syrup, and smear onto the plated toast. Enjoy with the sausage and beverage of choice.

Asparagus Omelette: 270 calories 14.5 g fat 3.5 g fiber 18 g protein 10 g carbs 178 mg Calcium PB GF Susan Herrmann Loomis comes up with another super dinner omelette. HINT: This recipe serves two [2], but you could cut it if you wish, or double it to serve four [4].

4 two-oz eggs ½ oz [3 Tbsp] Parmesan-Reggiano cheese	Whisk eggs, just to blend in the yolks. Grate cheese and stir it in.
4 oz asparagus, tough ends snapped off	Cook until tender, ~7 mins. Cut off bud ends and slice the stalks thinly.
2 slices uncured bacon [30 cal/slice], cut into ½” pieces	Cook in a non-stick pan until ‘lightly golden’, 2-3 minutes.Drain off all but ½-1 Tbsp fat.
1 scallion [1 oz], thinly sliced reserved bud ends cooked bacon	Saute in fat until transluscent and add asparagus. Heat until hot. Add eggs without disturbing the other ingredients. Sprinkle with chopped bacon.
	Cook until top is done to your liking. Fold and plate. Garnish with bud ends.
Side salad with beet and tomato	Toss the salad and plate with the omelette.

Autumn, defined

September 20, 2023September 16, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

We here in the Northern Hemisphere are now in the season of Autumn, or “Fall” as it is called in the USA. If you were to ask different people when Autumn begins, you would get a slew of different answers: Meteorological Autumn, one of the four three-month divisions of the year, begins September 1 and ends November 30. When the meteorologist on TV says “This was the warmest Fall on record,” it is based on temperatures from September, October, and November. This coincides roughly with…….. …..Astronomical Autumn, one of the four natural seasons of the year, begins at the Autumnal Equinox in late September [on the 23rd in 2023], and ends at the Winter Solstice in late December. You can see how this complicates the meteorologists’ calculation of total snow-fall in ‘winter’, since Autumn runs late into December. The start of Astronomical Autumn is the day of the Equinox: marked by equal hours of day/night. Seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth, which changes the angle of the sun’s rays. Skywatchers know that Autumn is here because it is the best viewing time for the constellations Perseus, Andromeda, and Pegasus which are found high in the dome of the sky at this time of year. For Scholars and Educators, Summer ends and Autumn begins when school resumes after a Summer break. In the US, this was usually after Labor Day, to permit farm children to help bring in the harvest. In recent years, the long, blissful Summer Vacation has been eroded more and more, and schools begin in August. Ask a Fashionista, and she will say that Autumn begins after Labor Day, when the wearing of white clothing stops. [Except that she probably lives in a city where ‘Urban Black’ is in fashion year ’round.] Store owners mark the start of Autumn by putting the Back To School goods on the bargain rack and hauling out the Hallowe’en goods. If they display Christmas items, this is called ‘rushing the season.’ Farm Stand owners in higher latitudes know that the turning colors of leaves, the availability of apple cider, and the display of pumpkins will attract local customers and tourists on a ‘Leaf-Peeping‘ expedition to stop in for Autumn’s start. Often seeing the first turning leaves causes people to think that Fall has begun. Coffee Roasters and Brewers know that Fall has begun when they issue their Pumpkin Spice flavored java and the seasonal Pumpkin Ale.

However you define Autumn, we can’t ignore the delicious ingredients that are available as the seasons change: summer vegetables and autumn’s offerings overlap, as traditional seasonal flavors combine in eggs for breakfast and on pizza for dinner.

Autumnal Equinox ScrOmelette: 147 calories 7.5 g fat 1.6 g fiber 10.6 g protein 12 g carbs 52 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The mushrooms are for Autumn, the tomatoes are for Summer. This meal is for when the seasons overlap.

1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ½ oz mushrooms, chopped 1½ oz tomatoes, cubed/diced, drained 1 Tbsp scallion, chopped 2 oz peach or plum or pear Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Drain the tomato cubes in a sieve, overnight if possible. Put the vegetables in an oil-sprayed non-stick pan to warm them and to cook them a bit. Whisk the eggs and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Prepare the beverages and plate the fruit with the eggs. Contemplate the change of the seasons.

Autumnal Equinox Pizza: 285 calories 8.5 g fat 6.4 g fiber 10 g protein 43.4 g carbs 96 mg Calcium PB A whole-grain pizza with flavors of the season is just what you need for the Autumnal Equinox in September. Summer’s tomatoes meet Autumn’s cured olives and meat. HINT: This 8” pizza will serve two [2] on a Fast Day.

6 oz whole-wheat pizza dough 3 Tbsp canned crushed tomatoes 4 black olives, chopped 1/3 oz prosciutto, chopped 4 tsp grated Parmesan per serving: side salad with cukes and beets

Heat the oven to 490F. Have one rack in the middle and one rack at the bottom position in the oven. Brush a baking sheet with enough olive oil to cover an area 8” in diameter. Press and stretch the pizza dough into an 8” round on the oiled baking sheet. If the dough won’t cooperate, let it rest for 2 minutes. Spread crushed tomatoes over the crust, leaving ½” around the edges. Distribute the olives and proscuitto on top, then sprinkle with Parmesan. Place the pizza on the baking sheet in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Use this time to prepare the salad. Now open the oven and see if you can lift the pizza off the pan with a turner. If the pizza is too floppy, return it to the oven for another minute or so. When the pizza is baked enough not to be floppy, take it off the baking sheet and put it on the lower rack, with no pan at all. Continue to bake another 3 minutes, until the top begins to brown. Remove the pizza to a rack to cool and ‘out-gas.’ It must be on a rack, not the cutting board or counter or plate. Remove the pizza to a cutting board and cut into 6 pieces. On each of two plates, place the salad and 3 pieces of pizza. A bit of Pizza Heaven on a Fast Day.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	1 two-oz egg
Scallions + Smoked salmon	scallions
chèvre /goat cheese — the soft kind	white whole wheat flour
parsley + blueberries	soy sauce + melon
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

salmon + garlic + milk	chicken stock + fresh ginger + cornstarch
clam juice/fish stock + leek	beef + garlic + ground coriander
cornstarch + green beans	red pepper flakes + onion
dill + nutmeg + cayenne + peas	broccoli + red bell pepper + brown rice
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Summer Soups

August 20, 2023August 16, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Warm, comforting hot soups are what we want in the winter, but have you tried soups in the summer? It is true that eating spicy food can help to cool the body on a hot day. Cool soups, with vibrant flavors, can be a delightful alternative to cooking or grilling. The best known summer soup is Gazpacho from Spain. Another famous cold soup is Vichyssoise, a hot French soup, made cold in New York City. And then there is Borscht. Ask anyone in eastern Europe, and they will tell you that their nation invented the soup. Most recipes are for a hot soup, but some cooks serve Borscht cold in the summer. Try a Summer Soup, one or more of them will end up in your warm-weather menus for years to come. And if you have a garden or a CSA share or access to a great Farmers’ Market, soups are a fine way to use fresh veggies.

A cool-as-a-cucumber soup starts off the day, and a well-seasoned noodle soup from Thailand makes a great meal at day’s end.

Cucumber Soup with Melon: ¾ cup serving = 78 calories 0.5 g fat 4.5 g fiber 11.5 g protein 8 g carbs 106 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the plated items only, not the optional beverages. PB GF The soup is lovely as is, but if you want to add more food, add a 1.5-oz slice of ham from the deli. Food value for ham: 68 calories 3.6 g fat 0.5 g fiber 7 g protein 1.6 g carbs 10 mg Calcium. Add optional beverages, and you have a cool, delightful meal to start a Summer day.

makes 3 cups. 4 servings of ¾ cup each
two 8” cucumbers [total weight = 21 oz]	Slice off both tips of the cucumber and remove half of the green peel. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Dice the cucumber.
2 oz mint leaves	Chop the leaves coarsely.
Piment d’esplette [or paprika or Aleppo pepper] salt & pepper to taste	Add these to taste to a food processor. Run the machine until the cucumber is very finely chopped.
200 grams/ 7 oz Fromage Blanc OR plain Greek yogurt	Add cheese/yogurt and run the processor to combine. Adjust seasonings.
8 oz canteloupe melon	Scoop into 8 Tbsp-sized balls
	Portion soup, garnish with two melon ball per serving
Optional: 1.5 oz sliced deli ham	Roll slice and plate next to bowl of soup.
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]

Thai Shrimp and Noodle Soup: 272 calories 2 g fat 4 g fiber 26 g protein 37.6 g carbs 82 mg Calcium PB This soup is superb, whether on a hot summer night or in the winter. HINT: serves 2. Invite a guest or save for a lunch later in the week. This soup is wonderful and spicy and filling.

6 oz raw shrimp, shelled, tails removed	Thaw shrimp in a bowl, then strain liquid from bowl into a 1-cup measure, adding water to bring volume to 1 cup. Put shrimp into a pan with the liquid, and simmer until opaque. Remove shrimp and cut in half cross-wise if large.
46 gm rice vermicelli noodles [that’s one small ‘bundle’ of noodles]	Bring shrimp-water to boil, add vermicelli, cover and take off heat. After 4 mins, drain, saving cooking water. Rinse and reserve noodles.
2 pinches crushed red pepper 1 Tbsp Thai fish sauce 2 Tbsp lime juice 2 tsp sugar 1 Tbsp Thai green curry paste	Put shrimp-water and these ingredients in a pan together. Warm while whisking to combine.
2 oz carrots, grated 1 c. spinach leaves, loosely packed	Coarsley chop spinach after measuring. Add carrots. Add spinach. Simmer until veggies are tender.
2 scallions, thinly sliced 1 oz grated carrot	Add shrimp. Serve soup warm or cold with garnish of chopped scallion and grated carrot.

The Dandy Horse

June 11, 2023May 30, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Prior to 1818, if you needed to travel, your options were limited to: horse-back, a wagon or carriage, or walking. Not surprisingly, most everyone walked. And, not surprisingly, those walkers did not usually go very far. But in Germany, two inventors tried to change that. Baron Karl Drais and Otto Schillinger came up with a wooden seat over two wheels. The rider would straddle the seat, stretch their legs to the ground, and move the vehicle forward with their feet [think: Flintstone car]. They called it the Laufmaschine, German for ‘running machine.’ To the language-challenged English speaker, it looks like ‘laugh machine.’ And people did laugh, but they also rode the machine. It was popular all over Europe despite the fact that, due to lack of adjustability, each machine had to be built to fit the owner. It was variously called the Draisienne and the derogatory Dandy Horse. An adjustable seat was developed, but it never caught on. As you will have guessed, the machine was improved in the 1860s by French inventors who added pedals and a chain drive. It was manufactured by the Michaud company and ushered in true human-powered transport. Today you will see toddlers riding a plastic version of the laufmaschine. Bicycles are making a come-back in urban centers and with the rise of E-Bikes, one can get quality exercise from childhood to old age.

People laughed at those riding a dandy horse. People who rode it no doubt laughed with glee. Our breakfast food involves laughing and our dinner will make you gleeful. Both meals are dandy. Burn a few calories today on a bike. Eat fewer calories today as you Fast.

Laughing Herb Bake: 129 calories 6.5 g fat 1 g fiber 9 g protein 6 g carbs 94 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.PB GF So rich! So creamy! So low in calories!

One 2-oz egg ½ wedge Laughing Cow low-fat cheese 2 Tbsp fresh herbs OR 1 Tbsp dried ½ Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese 3 oz melon Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Cream the cheeses together with the herbs. Whisk in the egg and salt/pepper to taste. Pour into the ramekin and bake at 350 F. 12-15 minutes. Plate the fruit, prepare the optional beverages, and find something that makes you laugh.

Korean Seafood Pancakes “Haemul Pajean”: 266 calories 2 g fat 5.6 g fiber 33 g protein 37 g carbs 88 mg Calcium PB What’s not to love about this pancake, plump with yummy seafood and served with a savory sauce?

¼ cup white whole wheat flour ½ cup water 1 egg white 1½ oz scallion, sliced 4½ oz cooked seafood – all one type or a mixture [ex: shrimp, chopped into ½” pieces, if large; lobster, chopped into ½” pieces or use smaller shreds; flounder, flaked] Per serving: 2 oz tomato dipping sauce** or commercially-available spicy sauce

Whisk flour, water, and egg white until well-blended. Combine the seafoods in a bowl with the scallions. Heat a non-stick pan [I found a ceramic pan to work very well] and pour in ½ of the batter. Swirl it around so that it covers the bottom. Quickly sprinkle half of the seafood/scallion mixture over the top of the pancake before it sets. Cook for 6-8 minutes, then flip and cook until beginning to brown. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Pile the cooked pancakes on top of each other and cut into wedges. Serve with tomato wedges and 2 Tbsp dipping sauce**.

**Dipping Sauce [HINT: THIS IS ENOUGH FOR 2-3 SERVINGS] 3 Tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp rice vinegar 3 Tbsp chives, chopped pinch crushed red pepper flakes pinch sugar Combine in a micro-wave-safe bowl and heat until sugar dissolves.

Elizabethvloed

November 17, 2021November 13, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Saint Elisabeth of Hungary, who’s Feast Day is November 17, must have had it in for the Netherlands, formerly called Holland. On November 19, 1404, a huge storm surge flooded many towns in parts of Holland and Flanders called Brabant. New dikes were built afterward, but they were not complete. On November 17, 1421, heavy rains had swelled the rivers and a north-westerly storm pushed sea water on land. Catastrophic floods resulted, somewhere between 2000 and 10,000 people died, and 30 towns were destroyed. And if that weren’t enough, there was a third event on November 18, 1424. Each of these inundations, due to their occurrence near the Feast Day, were called “Saint Elisabeth Day Floods.” The horror of those times is told in the story of the baby and the cat. During the flood, a man in Dordrecht saw a wicker cradle floating by on the wind-whipped water. The waves tipped the cradle to this side and that, yet it did not tip over. Inside the cradle was an infant girl and on top of the cradle was a cat. When the cradle tipped, the cat leaped to the other side, balancing the small vessel with its weight. The man pulled the cradle to safety and the cat ran away. There was nothing to identify the baby, and no one came to claim her. The City of Dordrecht adopted the girl, named her Beatrix [meaning “happy”], and paid for her upbringing and education. She grew up to marry a Jakob Roerom, and gave birth to three children. I hope she had a special place for cats in her home. Oddly, St. Elisabeth was known for helping flood victims during her lifetime…

The farm families of Brabant loved to eat and their fertile land provided their needs. The breakfast features bread, eggs, cheese, and ham — always on hand on the farm. At dinner, autumn vegetables shine in a marvelous pie. The cheese for both these meals should be Gouda or Edam or another fine Dutch cheese of your choosing.

Breakfast Casserole: 192 calories 6 g fat 2 g fiber 14 g protein 13 g carbs 69 mg Calcium NB: The food values shown are for the plated items only, not for the optional beverages. PB GF – if using GF bread This is my take on strata-type breakfasts. It is hearty, flavorful and very satisfying. HINT: This receipe makes enough for two [2] breakfasts. If serving one person, enjoy the rest of the casserole as a lunch or breakfast later in the week.

1¼ oz 70-cal. whole-grain rye bread, cut in ¼” dice two 2-oz egg + 1 egg white [1.5 Tbsp] ¾ oz minced 3%-fat ham 2 Tbsp Gouda cheese, grated ¼ c milk, skimmed herbs/seasonings of your choice ½ tsp mustard per person: 2 oz apple Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Spray an oven-safe dish or two ramekins with non-stick spray. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with milk, seasonings, and mustard. Stir in the bread, ham, and cheese. Stir ingredients together and pour into the dish. HINT: you should prep this the night before so that the bread will asorb the wet ingredients. Cover the ramekin and pop it in the ‘fridge for morning. Bake at 350º for 18-20 minutes. While it is baking, prep the fruit, and prepare your optional beverage.

Vegetable Pie: prepared with LATTICE + cheese: 1 Serving= 236 calories 9.4 g fat 4.6 g fiber 7 g protein 44 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF puff pastry. This excellent recipe is from allrecipes.com. To make it more Fast-friendly, I removed most of the oil and half of the puff pastry, and it still tastes wonderful. The grated cheese is my addition. HINT: This recipe makes enough for 3 servings. To serve 2, I used 2/3 of the cooked vegetables in an 8” casserole dish.

Vegetable Pie for two delicious servings.

Sv 3: 1 Sv= 1¼ cup	Preheat oven to 425 F /220 C
1 tsp oil + 1 tsp water ½ c onion 4 oz mushroom 1 clove garlic	Chop the vegetables. Heat oil+water in a large skillet/ saucepan. Add the vegetables and cook 3-5 mins, stirring often.
1 lg carrot, peeled ¼ pound potato, peeled one 7” stalk celery 1 c. cauliflower ½ c green beans 1½ c veg broth rosemary + thyme 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp black pepper	Dice carrots and potato. Slice celery and beans into 1” pieces. Cut cauliflower into florets. Add all vegetables to pan, then add broth. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook until vegetables are barely tender, ~5 mins. Season with salt and pepper. TIP: I added fresh thyme and rosemary, more salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of za’atar.
1 Tbsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp water	Mix until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir into vegetables, and cook until sauce thickens, ~3 minutes. TIP: can do day before. For 2 servings, remove 1¼ c of vegetable mixture, and freeze for a later meal
1 oz Gouda cheese, grated ½ sheet puff paste OR ¼ sheet, cut for lattice	Pour filling into a baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Roll out puff pastry and arrange over filling. If not using lattice, cut slits in the crust to vent steam.
	Bake until crust is brown and filling is bubbly, ~30 mins

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

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
tomato puree + parsley + onion	variety of fresh herbs
Bell pepper + cayenne	grapes or melon or strawberries
applesauce or apple
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

4 oz mackerel in two filets	one 16-oz can red beans + onion
tomatoes + lees	one 16-oz can diced tomatoes + green bell pepper
grainy mustard	cumin + chili powder
oregano + coriander	Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese + melon
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

About Saving Time

November 7, 2021January 30, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

A day is defined as the 24 hour period during which the Earth turns once on its axis. [Formerly, it was the time it took for the sun to go once around the Earth, an idea disproved by Galileo in 1632.] A year is defined as the 365.25 days that it takes the Earth to orbit once around the sun. A month is around 1/12 of that time, roughly 30 days. Ancient people defined a month as the cycle of full moon to full moon, but that is only 28 days, and there are 13 full moons in a year, which doesn’t work out well. This is why the calendars had to be reformed in 46 BCE by Julius Caesar, who invented Leap Years. Calendar reform occurred again in 1582, under the direction of Pope Gregory. These times are set in fact. And then there is Daylight Savings Time [DST]. What a misnomer! The amount of daylight hours is determined by the season and by latitude. On the Equator, the sun rises and sets daily at 6 o’clock; while at the Arctic Circle, daylight hours vary wildly. You can’t ‘save’ daylight. Benjamin Franklin wrote a satirical essay in 1784, suggesting that the French government should force people to wake up at 6 am in the summer to gain extra hours of daylight. In 1895, a New Zealand entomologist proposed setting the clocks forward in October by two hours, so he could have extra time to hunt insects in the Summer. The town of Port Arthur, Canada [now Thunder Bay] changed their clocks ahead in July of 1908. They loved the idea. During World War I, Germany and Austria adopted a time change to save on lighting fuels for the war. Other European countries took up the idea, then dropped it after the Armistice. World War II saw us again fiddling with the clocks, and the idea stuck. The USA is one of 70 countries that observes DST: in March we ‘spring forward’ and set the clocks ahead one hour. In November, we ‘fall back’ and lose an hour of time and sleep. All for nothing, except to disrupt fragile sleep patterns. Often States have discussed changing the practice, but it remains. DST is a dumb idea in my opinion. Unite! You have nothing to gain but your sleep!

At any time of year, you might find yourself pressed for time. Our meals today are very quick to cook, so give them a try. They taste good too. Is it about time that you moved from thinking about the Fasting Lifestyle to actually doing it? You have nothing to lose but your extra pounds.

Ham & Cheese Bake: 137 calories 8 g fat 1 g fiber 10.6 g protein 3 g carbs 99.5 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. GF This is the baked version of the ham&cheese omelette. Just as good, but with only one egg per person. Mmmmm….yummy.

One 2-oz egg 1/3 oz/ 2.5 Tbsp Jarlsberg cheese, grated 1/3 oz 3% fat ham [from deli], diced fresh parsley + dried sage + salt + pepper to taste 1 oz applesauce or 2 oz strawberries, whole or sliced, fresh or frozen Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

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 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 a good day.

Taiwanese Shrimp Meefun: 270 calories 6 g fat 3 g fiber 19 g protein 33.6 g carbs 84.4 mg Calcium PB GF This recipe is from Susan Livia New York Times Cooking. Some recipes call for dried shrimp, some for smoked tofu. For convenience, I used frozen shrimp. HINT: Recipe is enough for two [2]. Invite a fellow Faster or enjoy the other half of the recipe warm or cool for lunch or dinner later this week. Photo below shows one serving.

2 sv
2 oz [brown] rice vermicelli	Soak in cold water until softened, 5-10 mins. Drain, reserving water. Warm water for next step.
2 dried shiitakes	Soak in warm water until hydrated + softened, ~10 mins. Drain, reserving water. Slice ¼” thick.
Cooking spray 1 egg, lightly beaten	Heat wok over medium, spray with PAM. Add egg, swirl to create a thin, even layer, + cook until set + cooked through, ~1 min. Cool egg slightly, then slice as julienne. Set aside.
1 tsp oil + 2 Tbsp water 2 T thinly sliced shallot soaked mushrooms	Put a wok on the stove + raise heat to medium-high. Add oil, water, mushrooms and shallots. Sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring often, until shallots begin to brown, 3-4 mins.
1 cup carrot, shredded + salt	Add carrot and salt, then cook, until softened but still crisp, 1-2 mins.
1½ c cabbage, shredded	Add cabbage to wok. Season + cook, stirring, 1-2 mins until slightly wilted.
4 oz shrimp, fresh or frozen 1 Tbsp soy sauce drained vermicelli ½- 1 c water from soaking ½ tsp white pepper julienned egg	Remove shells from shrimp and cut them in pieces. Add to wok with soy sauce and drained rice vermicelli. Add water from steps 1 and 2, in ½ cup increments. Cook, stirring often, until noodles absorb the water, 5-6 mins. Season, add reserved egg and stir to combine. optional: Serve topped with chopped cilantro.

	me on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Mya on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Peter Eppig on Robert Gould Shaw
	me on 10 Years of FASTing
	Karen Loudon on 10 Years of FASTing

Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet."

Join me in following the Fasting Lifestyle, with recipes & tips

fasting

Mother Ann Lee

Aldo Leopold

Giotto, Artist

Christmas

Sax

Autumn, defined

Summer Soups

The Dandy Horse

Elizabethvloed

About Saving Time

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