My Fair Lady

March 14, 2021November 22, 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. Welcome to Foodquipo and healthtips953 who are now Following.

In 1913, G. Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion debuted. On March 15, 1956, the Lerner and Loewe musical version, My Fair Lady, debuted on Broadway. Initially, Shaw had not wanted to release the rights to turn his play into a “comic operetta.” Rogers and Hammerstein, the original choice to adapt it, backed out. After Shaw died in 1950, the rights were secured. A teenaged Julie Andrews was cast as ‘Eliza Doolittle,’ and a man who couldn’t really sing, Rex Harrison, was cast as ‘Professor Higgins.’ On the first night of previews in New Haven, Connecticut, Harrison was spooked by the idea of singing with an orchestra in front of an audience — he retreated to his dressing room, refused to go on, and the show was almost canceled. But he relented, all was well, and the rest was history. My parents bought the original cast album and I memorized every song. In the late 50s, they took my sister and me to see our first Broadway show: My Fair Lady. When it finally closed on September 29, 1962, it was the longest running play of all time, and Eliza had thrown the slippers for many miles across the stage.

If you were to ask Professor Higgins who the most important characters in the musical were, he would naturally say himself and his fellow ethno-linguist Colonel Pickering, formerly of Her Majesty’s Army in India. Thus, our breakfast is a very English combination of flavors for Higgins and our dinner would pique the taste memory of Pickering.

Ham-Cup Eggs: 143 calories 7 g fat 1.4 g fiber 11.6 g protein 9 g carbs [7 g Complex] 68 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. GF Easy to prepare ahead and easy on the taste buds.

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 cottage cheese 1½ tsp Parmesan cheese, grated 2 oz apple 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]

Fit the ham into an oven-proof container that measures 3½” in diameter and 1¼” 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 cheeses and season with herbs/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 beverages and the apple. 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 breakfast was a real hit.

Indian Vegetables with Turkey and Naan: 299 calories 13 g fat 6 g fiber 17.6 g protein 31 g carbs [28 g Complex] 78 mg Calcium PB GF — if your Naan is gluten free This delicious meal needs 2 things in advance: Rogan Josh Sauce and Naan breads, both of which you can purchase. In a few weeks, I’ll show you how to make your own Naan, which is fun and easy.

1 naan flatbread, 106 or fewer calories/piece 3 Tbsp Rogan Josh Sauce ½ cup zucchini, in ½” dice ½ cup cauliflower, in ½” pieces ½ cup tomato, in ½” dice 2 oz ground turkey [I used 15% fat but would have preferred a lower fat option] ¼ tsp Indian curry powder

Cook the vegetables and turkey in a little water until vegetables are softened and turkey is fully cooked. Drain, saving the cooking water for baking or soup stock. Add the sauce and curry powder to the vegetables- meat, and heat gently. Warm the naan in the oven or on a hot, dry skillet. Plate to suit your preference — on the Naan, under the Naan, beside the Naan. W.o.w.

Blizzard of ’88, New York

March 10, 2021February 25, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The USA has had some wild weather in the past year, including a snow storm in the state of Texas. People thought that was pretty horrible [and it was, especially as the people and infrastructure were unused to cold], but what would they have done in New York in the White Hurricane of 1888? The storm was preceded by warmth and rain — and then the temperature dropped. Snow began on March 11, continued all night and into the next day and the next. The wind howled, piling the snow impossibly high [52 feet/16 meters in Brooklyn]. Such snow! Forty inches [100 cm] in New York City, coming down impossibly fast and wind-blown. When it was all over, 200 people had died in the city alone, 100 more died at sea, and 100 others in the countryside. In the city, office and store workers had set out to work in the morning and never made it home. Since the trains and trolleys were stopped, those workers had to walk home in the evening — often trying to go 20 blocks in freezing temperatures, wearing inadequate clothing. A shop girl, in thin leather boots and layers of cotton petticoats, had a daunting task plowing through the snowy sidewalks. Many poor souls, men and women, were so exhausted that they sat down on door steps to rest, died of hypothermia where they sat , and weren’t discovered until the snow melted. The storm moved off to the North-East, blanketing New England and the Canadian Maritimes. Nowadays, all it takes is 4 inches of snow to paralyze a major city, but the subways still run underground and the communication wires are safe underground, too. Lives lost. Lessons learned.

Let us peer into the life of a shop girl or factory worker in New York City in 1888. Breakfast and dinner in a cold-water flat with no electricity meant foods that could be stored briefly or bought at a food stall. Thus breakfast might be bread and hard-boiled egg with leftover meat from dinner and the evening meal of soup from a vendor on the way home from work.

Shop Girl’s Breakfast: 231 calories 9 g fat 4.6 g fiber 14.5 g protein 27.5 g carbs 7 mg Calcium PB The Industrial Revolution brought young women by the thousands from the farm to the city, to work in the factories and as shop girls. Breakfast would have been served cold, made from dinner leftovers and other foods that required little preparation or refrigeration.

1 slice whole-grain bread [no white bread on her budget] 1 two-oz hard boiled egg 1 oz of chicken dinner sausage 1 oz onion, sliced 2 prunes — aka: dried plums [0.6 oz] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea

Slice the sausage and the onion. Place in a small pan with some water and a spritz of non-stick spray. Cook until the water has evaporated, sausages have browned a bit, and the onions are limp. TIP: This could be done the night before. And, unlike our Shop Girl, you can reheat the sausage-onion in the morning. Toast the bread lightly and top with the sausage-onion mixture. Plate with the egg and the prunes. Only blackish coffee or tea for our Shop Girl – no stop at Starbucks on the way to work for a fancy brew.

Soup Royaume: 152 calories 0.3 g fat 6 g fiber 12.6 g protein 24.6 g carbs 84 mg Calcium PB GF A fine meal for winter, made hearty with autumn vegetables and lentils, it is named after the old lady who saved Geneva from invasion by the Savoyards. Add as much seasoning as you wish. Any soup can be improved by preparing it ahead and letting it sit for 8-24 hours. HINT: This recipe makes 6 [six] servings of 1 cup each.

2½ oz pork loin, raw or cooked, diced ½ cup onion, chopped 3½ oz [½ c]dry lentils**	Put pork, onions, and lentils in a heavy saucepan and cook until browned. **small green lentils from France, if possible
3 oz rutabega/turnip, cubed 2 oz carrot, diced 3 oz parsnip, diced 3 cups chopped cabbage ½ tsp mace + ½ tsp dry mustard 1 Tbsp caraway seed + salt & pepper 3 cups water	Add the rutabega/turnip, carrot, parsnip, cabbage and seasonings to the saucepan. Pour in water to cover the vegetables. Cover the pan and simmer for about 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Taste for seasonings.
½ cup frozen spinach, chopped	Add the frozen spinach, and heat through.
Divide in 6 equal servings.	Freeze what you don’t need today.
per serving: several leaves of fresh spinach	Roughly chop the leaves and poke into the hot soup when serving.

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

1 two-oz egg	1 slice Canadian or back bacon
4″ diameter thin slice ham	pan muffin [make ahead]
Parmesan cheese + apple	apple or apple sauce
cottage
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

naan bread @ 106 calories	frozen spinach + tuna + peas
ground turkey + zucchini	garlic + onion + olive oil
Rogan Josh Sauce + tomato	anchovy + puff pastry
cauliflower + Indian curry powder	mediterranean vegetables
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Good Queen Anne

March 7, 2021November 22, 2021 ~ me ~ 1 Comment

When Anne Stuart was born in 1665, she was never expected to be a queen. Neither was her older sister, Mary. They were the nieces of the deposed King Charles II and spent much of their childhood in France. Although their father was a Catholic, he raised his daughters as Protestants. Charles was returned to power, and then Ann’s father ascended to the throne as James II. Meanwhile, Mary married William of Orange and moved to Holland. When James was deposed for his Catholicism, Mary and William were sent for to reign over England. When they died without an heir, Anne and her husband George became the monarchs, on March 8, 1702. What did she achieve as Queen? Anne created the United Kingdom by putting Scotland under control of the Crown and, by working with a two-party Parliament, she became the more modern type of Queen that we have today. But what makes her ‘Good Queen Anne’ to me, was her welcoming of French Huguenots [Protestants] to England since their religion was outlawed in France. The DeTurk branch of my family were given financial assistance and helped to move to the English colony of New York. A family named deBenneville was ‘adopted’ by Anne, and she took a particular interest in their son George, advocating his advancement. He eventually moved to Pennsylvania and married into my mother’s family. Thus, due to Anne’s kindly and generous interventions, several branches of my family tree were preserved.

For Anne’s French childhood, we will enjoy a breakfast of French flavors. For dinner, a meal fit for a queen who enjoyed hunting at her Hampton Court palace.

Chicken Provincal Bake: 139 calories 5 g fat 2 g fiber 10.5 g protein 10.5 g carbs [9 g Complex] 47.5 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF What wonderful flavors! Based on the dinner of the same name.

1 two-oz egg 2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes, slightly drained ½ anchovy, canned fillets, rinsed and chopped 1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese ¼ oz cooked chicken breast, minced thyme + rosemary pinch red pepper flakes 2 oz strawberry Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Spritz an oven-proof dish with non-stick spray and set the toaster oven for 350 degrees F. Whisk together the first 6 ingredients [not the berries!] and pour into the dish. Bake for about 15 minutes while you plate the fruit and prepare your optional beverages. Great way to start the day.

Game Pie: 293 calories 8 g fat 4 g fiber 37 g protein 14 g carbs 62 mg Calcium PB GF – if using a GF bread or omitting the bread This is a real treat. Various game meats can be found at some markets or online. We had these bits and bobs in the freezer, remaining from previous meals.

If you don’t have four different varieties of game, two types will do.

1½ oz quail or pheasant ½ oz rabbit liver 1 oz wild boar loin 1½ oz turkey: domestic or wild, cubed ½ tsp Dijon mustard ½ oz cranberries 2 Tbsp rich broth of any sort ½ oz peas 1 oz egg ½ oz onion, minced pepper + salt + mace ¼ Arnold Multi-grain Sandwich-thin [½ of one slice] 1 oz carrot coins

Put the quail, liver, boar, mustard, cranberries, broth, and egg in the food processor and chop. Add water if it is dry. Remove to a bowl and add the turkey, onion, peas, and seasonings. Pat into an oven-safe dish that has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Nestle the sandwich-thin on top and bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes. Serve with the cooked carrots and a bit of mustard.

Comparing Plans: MIND Diet

March 3, 2021November 22, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Paleo and Keto diets are all the rage, but it seems to me that the MIND Diet should be better-known. It was developed in 2015 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago from two widely-regarded diets: the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet. The name is a real smash-up: Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. As that implies, the diet has genuine benefits for those who wish to forestall neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Furthermore, although it is not an eating plan aimed at weight-loss/body health, it could help to lower cholesterol and weight. Since Dr Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet for Slow Days, it is remarkably easy to merge this with a Fasting Diet. Dear Husband and I tried it out, designing a month-long plan of eating, and were glad to see how easy it was to follow. According to a study of 900+ seniors, those who followed the plan religiously reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s Disease by 53%. Those were less punctilious, still reduced their risk by 35%. Those are great numbers. I’m up for that. The chart below shows how nicely the MIND and FAST play together.

Is this food allowed on this diet…	MIND	On Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, pork	No	Yes
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkey	8 oz/week	Yes, preferred
Eggs	Yes	Yes
Beer, wine, cocktails	5 oz red wine daily	Only on Slow Days
Grains: brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole cereal	Yes	Yes, in moderation
Nuts + seeds	3 oz/week	Yes, in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas	4 oz/week	Yes
Seafood protein	8 oz/week or more	Yes
Tropical fruits	limited	Yes
Berries	Yes, often	Yes
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuce	1 oz/day or more	Yes
Cheese	No	Some
Vegetable oils: olive, canola	Yes	Yes, in moderation
Animal fat: butter	No	Yes, on Slow Days
Root vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, carrots	Yes	Yes
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppers	Yes	Yes
Higher fat	No	No
Colorful vegetables	Yes	Yes
Higher fiber	Yes	Yes
Daily Carb intake	unmetered	Keep it low
Complex carbohydrates: whole grains	3oz/day	Yes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake	No	Not on Fast Day
16:8 intermittant fasting recommended	Yes	Yes
Number of days per week to follow the regimin	7 of 7	2 of 7
Do calories matter?	No	Yes, 600 on Fast Days

source: https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/mind-diet

Our meals today draw from ingredients that hew to the guidelines of the MIND Diet: whole-grain bread and a brightly-colored vegetable for breakfast, followed by beans with leafy greens for dinner. The soup also makes for a fine lunch, which is another time to eat your healthy ingredients.

Bruschetta Toast: 210 calories 12 g fat 4 g fiber 9.5 g protein 20 g carbs [12 g Complex] 56 mg Calcium PB This one was a serendipidous invention and it turned out to be yummy.

1 slice whole-grain seedy bread [Dave’s Killer Bread is great] one 2-oz egg 3 Tbsp Bruschetta sauce – strain it if too liquidy 1 oz pear Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Toast the bread lightly and pan-fry or poach the egg. Spread 2 Tbsp of the bruschetta on the toast and top with the egg. Dollop the remaining bruschetta on the egg. Plate the fruit. Eat with knife and fork or with your hands. A taste sensation.

Bruschetta Sauce: makes 2 cups	1 cup= 285 calories 28.5 g fat 3 g fiber 2 g protein 10 g carbs 2 mg Ca
½ pound plum tomatoes 3-4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic + 1 scallion ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes + ½ tsp salt 1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped 1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped 1 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped	Core and quarter the tomatoes. Peel and crush the garlic. Slice the scallion. Put all of these ingredients into a food processor and pulse off and on to make a chunky sauce.
½ pound plum tomatoes	Core and quarter the tomatoes. Add to the above and pulse a few more times.
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar	Pour the tomato-herb mixture into a bowl and stir in the vinegars.

This is the sauce that I mentioned in SlowDays: Bruschetta https://wordpress.com/post/fastingme.com/14162

Three-Bean Soup: 241 calories 3 g fat 29 g fiber 16 g protein 39 g carbs [32 g Complex] 134 mg Calcium PB GF A cold evening and a bowl of bean soup – so satisfying and delicious. HINT: This recipe produces 11 cups of soup. One serving = one cup A fine way to use up some of those beans that you hoarded when the Pandemic began.

1 cup dry navy beans** 1 cup dry kidney beans** 1 cup dry soldier beans** 2 Tbsp salt + water to cover beans 4 oz ham bone or ham hock, with some meat 1 cup onion, chopped 28 oz crushed tomatoes 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp dried basil 3 Tbsp lemon juice + salt + pepper to taste per serving: 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves cut as chiffonade **Any combination of beans will do. Add other types of beans or pulses, such as lentils, to create a 5-10 bean soup.

Rinse the beans in a collander under running water. Put them into a large bowl or cook pot and cover with 3-4” of water. The beans will double or triple in size as they absorb the water. Add salt and let the beans sit overnight. Next day, drain the water and discard. Put the beans in a large cook pot along with 1½ quarts water and the meaty bone. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cover. Let cook slowly for 2 hours. Add the onion, tomatoes, and flavorings. Fish out the ham bone and cut the meat from it. Dice the meat, add back to the pot, and simmer slowly for one hour. Serve with ½ cup fresh baby spinach leaves stirred into the hot soup in each serving bowl at the last minute.

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

1 two-oz egg + lots of fresh herbs	1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled
Crushed tomatoes + low-fat cottage cheese	1 slice whole-grain dark bread @ 70 calories
anchovy + cooked chicken meat	chicken dinner sausage
pear	2 prunes + onion
Optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

quail/pheasant + rabbit liver + peas	cabbage + onion + rutabaga/turnip
Dijon mustard + fresh cranberries + egg	carrot + parsnip + dry green lentils
rich broth + turkey + onion + wild boar	pork loin + frozen spinach + fresh spinach
mace + carrot + Arnold Sandwich Thin [100 calories]	mace + dry mustard + caraway seed
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Boticelli

February 28, 2021November 22, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Sandro Boticelli [born March 1, 1445 as Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, but called ‘boticelli’ or ‘little barrel’] was yet another of the great artists of Florence, under the patronage of the Medici Family. He painted in the Renaissance style from 1470 to 1500. True to his time, he depicted religious themes, figures from Greek mythology, and society people in the style of Classical figures. His paintings are full of light and motion and beautiful people. He had many patrons and his skills were in great demand, but Sandro fell under the spell of the ascetic clergyman Savonorola, and he began to consider his mythological scenes to be irreverent. Some say he burned them, some say he refused to take new commissions. For whatever reason, Sandro’s style changed; he was not hired so often, and he was eclipsed by his contemporaries until his death in 1510. His posthumous legacy was obscured as well, until the late 1800s when there was a resurgence of interest in Florentine Renaissance art, permitting Boticelli again to take his place among the greats.

One of Boticelli’s most famous works is Primavera, an enormous painting showing the Goddess Venus with a retinue of Springtime characters. Off to the right, the cold winds of winter attempt to disrupt the revels but to no avail. This painting is on display in the Uffizi Gallery’s Boticelli Room along with The Birth of Venus, the other most-famous of Sandro’s works. It shows the nude Venus being wafted across the water on a giant scallop shell, new-born of the sea’s foam. Our breakfast is all about Spring [even though it will be a few weeks until the Equinox], and our dinner features sea scallops, of course.

Vernal Equinox Bake: 249 calories 8.4 g fat 2 g fiber 14 g protein 17 g carbs [5.5 g Complex] 212 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF For the change of seasons, a breakfast with cured meat [to represent Winter] and artichokes [to stand in for Spring]. Simple and flavorful.

1 two-oz egg 1/4 oz uncured capicola, diced 3/4 oz artichoke hearts, marinated and purchased in a jar 1 Tbsp reduced-fat cottage cheese 1/4 cup blueberries or strawberries + 2 Tbsp plain, fat-free yogurt 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 artichokes and chop them. Spritz an oven-proof dish with non-stick spray and sprinkle the capicola and artichokes on the bottom. Whisk the egg with salt and pepper, pour it into the dish, and bake at 350F. 12-15 minutes. Combine the fruit with the yogurt in a ramekin and plate with the egg bake. Serve with optional beverages and gaze upon Primavera by Sandro Boticelli.

Scallops with Peas: 260 calories 9 g fat 5 g fiber 26 g protein 11 g carbs 153 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF flour in the Bechamel Salty scallops and sweet green peas are a wonderful combination. Very simple to prepare. Low enough in calories to add a Side Salad if you wish. Perch a picture of Birth of Venus on the table so you can see it as you dine.

¼ pound dry sea scallops 1½ Tbsp chives, chopped ¼ c Bechamel sauce, no cheese ½ cup frozen green ‘English’ peas 1 tsp lemon zest 1½ Tbsp Romano cheese, grated Optional: side salad

Put the frozen peas in a bowl or cup to thaw. Pat the scallops dry and cut them in half along the equator. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat the pan over medium-high. Pan-sear the scallops, 1-2 minutes per side, adding some salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low. Add the Bechamel, zest and chives to the pan, along with a little water or white wine to increase the liquid. Add the peas and most of the grated cheese. Heat thoroughly but gently and spoon into scallop shells or ceramic baking shells. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and briefly broil or bake to melt the cheese on top. Serve with Side Salad, adding 36 calories.

The Dialogue

February 21, 2021October 17, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Galileo was in a quandary. He wanted to write about the new discoveries in the solar system, those of his pen-pal Johannes Kepler and ideas of his own. The work of Kepler, who showed the truth of the Copernican System, had been banned by the Church in 1616. Now Galileo wanted to help the average person to understand why the new ideas were correct. But Pope Urbain VIII and the Inquisition had hampered him: he was on probation for his previous writings and was forbidden to write in support of Kepler’s ideas. So Galileo composed a new book in 1632. It was written in Italian, not latin, so everyone could read it. It was penned in the form of a novel rather than as a scientific tome. He called it The Dialogue of Two Chief World Systems. The plot revolves around three travelers who meet by chance on the road. Over four days of walking, they talk about the new ideas in astronomy. Salviati, an ‘intellectual’ [who stands in for Galileo], is a proponent of the new philosophy and he debates with Simplicio [the ‘simpleton’] who adheres to the Ptolemaic system, while Sagredo, a truth-seeker, listens and asks questions. By the end of the book, the ideas of the Church have been shot full of holes and the reader will probably conclude that Salviati is correct. Pope Urbain VIII was furious. It seemed that Galileo had cast him as the Simpleton! Galileo was put on trial in 1633, and convicted of heresy. He was forced to recant all the ‘false’ ideas that he had published previously, his books were burned, and he spent the rest of his life under house arrest until his death. Three-hundred fifty years later, in 1992, Pope John Paul II officially pardoned Galileo and apologized for the Church’s objections to his ideas.

In honor of the three interlocutors of the dialogue, our breakfast and our dinner each contain three principle flavorings. Peruse this summary of The Dialogue, to understand the points that Galileo makes in the book.

O-M-G Bake: 141 calories 7.4 g fat 1 g fiber 8.7 g protein 9 g carbs 110 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Think: Oh My Goodness! Or: Olive-Mushroom-Gouda. What Flavor!

1 two-oz egg 1 olive, chopped ½ oz raw mushroom, chopped ¼ oz Gouda cheese, grated 2 oz applesauce 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]

First set the toaster oven to 350 degreese F. Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Put the olive and mushroom in the ramekin. Whisk the egg with the cheese and pour into the ramekin. Bake in the toaster oven at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Dish up the applesauce and pour the beverages. Delicious.

Tuna-Bean-Garlic Salad: 261 cal 7 g fat 5.5 g fiber 33 g protein 33.4 g carb 152.5 mg Calcium PB GF This is from the Fast Diet book. Great meal. HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two]

1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed one 5-oz can light tuna in water, drained and flaked 2 cloves garlic, chopped 4 oz tomato, left whole if bite-sized or sliced salt + pepper + thyme + parsley 3 oz spinach or mixed greens 1 tsp lemon juice + 1 tsp white wine vinegar + 1 tsp olive oil 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Gently stir the beans, tuna, and garlic together. In a wide, shallow bowl whisk the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Stir ½ tsp of the dressing into the bean mixture. Toss the greens and herbs with the remaining dressing, then stir the bean mixture into the greens. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Michaelangelo

February 17, 2021February 19, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

What was the World of Art into which Michaelangelo was born on March 6, 1475? It was the height of the Italian Renaissance of the Quattrocento. Boticelli, Fra Lippi, and Masaccio were painting in Florence which was the center of the Art World. Ghiberti and Donatello were leading influences in sculpture, and Bruneleschi had wowed the world with the building of the dome of the Florence Cathedral. All of them were fascinated with the mathematics, optics, and physics of linear perspective: Science was influencing Art with the optimism of ‘We can do anything because we know math’ attitude. 25 years later, Michaelangelo was already recognized as a genius, having created his Pieta — a masterpiece of pathos and sculptural plasticity [making marble look like soft skin or draped fabric]. Enter the Cinquecento. Now art was more interested in the human form and in showing emotion. The Dying Slave, 1513 is the perfection of those concepts. From 1500 until his death on February 18, 1564, some of the most amazing pieces of art were created: sculptures, like the statue of David; frescos, such as the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; architecture, Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome for example. Michaelangelo influenced artists for centuries after his death, which should come as no surprise. Genius in others is inspirational — we may never reach those heights, but we learn a lot through the effort.

The meals presented today are from the geographic milieu of Michaelangelo: the Western Italian Mediterranean. Olive oil, tuna, vegetables, olives, cured meats, cheeses — the artist and his contemporaries cooked with these ingredients every meal. Michaelangelo cared little about his appearance, nor about food, but that won’t stop us from eating well.

‘Pan Bagne’ ScrOmelette: 149 calories 10 g fat 1 g fiber 11.4 g protein 6 g carbs 63 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Pan Bagne is a wonderful layered sandwich which we enjoy in the summer. Each of the 7 layers is a distinct yet complimentary flavor. This recipe combines several of the components, without all the oil, tuna, and bread. The result is delicious at breakfast.

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 black olive, pitted and chopped ½ Tbsp creamy chevre cheese 1 Tbsp crushed tomatoes ½ Tbsp spinach, cooked and chopped ¼ tsp dried basil 2 oz strawberries or 1 oz apple Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Stir and cream the olive, cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and basil until nicely blended. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Continue whisking as you add the vegetable/cheese mixture and blend as thoroughly as possible. Scramble to taste. Brew your beverage and shake the smoothie. Slice the apple and settle in for a flavorful meal.

Ham Florentine Crepes: 299 calories 11g fat 5.6 g fiber 15.6 g protein 33 g carbs 307 mg Calcium PB “Peter Christian’s Tavern” was a very popular New Hampshire restaurant and their cookbook was a local best seller. The restaurant has closed but Peter Christian’s Recipes is a goldmine and it served as the source of this meal. Very easy if the crepes and Bechamel sauce are pre-made.

2 crepes/galettes ¾ cup Ham Florentine filling 2 oz carrots-broccoli-cauliflower

Set the oven to 350 F. If the galettes/crepes are frozen, thaw and wrap in a tea towel. Put them in the oven as it warms. When the crepes are soft and pliable, lay them on a baking sheet, covered with the tea towel. Warm the Ham Florentine filling and spoon over half of each crepe. [I saved out a bit of the filling.] Fold the crepes over the filling and pat in place. Put the crepes in the oven until warmed through. Top with reserved filling before serving with the Winter Vegetables.

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

1 two-oz egg	two egg yolks + 4 egg whites
black olive	milk + baking powder
mushrooms + Gouda cheese	white whole wheat flour + white flour
applesauce	sugar + cream of tartar + canned plums
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

canned garbanzo beans [chickpeas]	broccoli/cauliflower + onion
5-0z cam tuna in water + garlic	carrot + kale/chard + sesame/canola oil
tomato + thyme + parsley + vinaigrette	any meat + brown rice + garlic
babygreens/spinach + Parmesan cheese	packaged Japanese curry sauce
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Galileo

February 14, 2021October 10, 2025 ~ 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. Welcome to The Good Life Now and Chanaka and pipanddip who are now Following. Join us in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Galileo Galilei was born on February 15, 1564. He was a true Renaissance Man: poet, musician, popular professor, astronomer, inventor. His biggest claim to fame had to do with what he saw in the Solar System through his telescope. [Galileo did not invent the telescope, no matter how often he said it. He did improve and enlarge the instrument, making it more suitable for astronomical use.] Beginning in 1610, Galileo began publishing books about his observations: the moon had mountains and craters [described as looking like small-pox scars]; the sun had dark spots on its face [likened to pimples in his notes]; Venus waxed and waned in brightness as it went through phases [like our moon; Mars did not]; Jupiter had a Great Red Spot [now recognized as a cyclonic storm]; Jupiter had four moons circling around it [making Earth seem puny with only one]. From his notes and calculations, he gave proof to an idea previously proposed by Copernicus and Kepler: the sun was in the center of the Solar System — not the Earth. Why was this a religious and cultural bombshell? Because everyone in Europe had been told since the time of Aristotle and Ptolemy that the Earth was the center of the universe. Later theologians said that this showed that Earth was singled out and blessed by the Almighty. Despite the fact that many Churchmen [including a future Pope] attended Galileo’s ‘telescope parties’ where everyone took turns looking at the planets through the device, the Church did not like these seemingly heretical ideas. Galileo was put on warning by the Inquisition and forced to recant his ideas. He was a man of strong faith and he would rather pretend to abjure his new discoveries than be banned from the Church forever.

We will start our day with flavors of Florence, Galileo’s beloved home town, and end the day with flavors of the Mediterranean region: tuna with grilled vegetables.

Ham Florentine Bake: 133 calories 6.5 g fat 1 g fiber 8 g protein 6 g carbs 61.5 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF This bake is so flavorful that you will be amazed by the tiny calorie count. Same ‘ham Florentine’ used to fill crepes for dinner. Same kind of deliciousness.

1 two-oz egg 2 Tbsp ham Florentine filling** 2 oz applesauce Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] or natural apple cider Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water

Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Spritz an oven-proof dish with non-stick spray. Whisk the egg and stir in the ham Florentine filling. Pour into prepared dish and bake for 12-15 minutes. Portion the applesauce and pour your choice of beverages. This is a breakfast to prepare often.

**Ham Florentine Filling: makes 1.5 cups ½ cup no-cheese Bechamel Sauce 1 cup ham in ¼ ” dice 1 cup [5 oz] cooked spinach, from fresh or frozen ½ cup chopped celery ¼ cup chopped onion pinches of celery salt + dill + granulated garlic + basil Be sure to squeeze the spinach until most of the liquid is out of it. [save the liquid] Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and add some of the spinach liquid. Cook the celery and onion until the onions are transluscent, adding more spinach liquid as needed. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat until warmed through.

Tuna with Grilled Vegetables: 244 calories 7 g fat 4 g fiber 29 g protein 14.6 g carbs [10.6 g Complex] 32.5 mg Calcium PB GF The recipe comes from the Fast Diet Book and it is wonderful. Very Mediterranean, too.

5 oz tuna steak 4 oz red bell peppers 5 oz zucchini 2 oz cherry tomatoes 1 tsp olive oil lemon juice

Cut the peppers into long strips. Same with the zucchini. Toss all the vegetables with the olive oil. Cook the tuna and vegetables on a grill pan or grill, 3 minutes on each side. Splash with lemon juice before plating. Delicious and quick.

Comparing Plans: Paleo

February 10, 2021November 1, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Since 2002, there has been buzz about the Paleolithic or Caveman Diet**. This was first proposed by academics in the field of nutrition and physiology. While researching what foods our ancient [prior to 10,000 years ago] hunter-gatherer ancestors would have eaten, they wondered if we would be better off eating that way today. Their conclusion is that if we ate like the ancestors, we could skip obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Reay Tannahill, in her Food in History [Crown Publishers, 1989] discusses hunting, fishing, and gathering opportunities of that time, when most people died before age 40. What’s on the Paleo menu? Meat, of course, and vegetables. What is not on the plate? Processed foods, grains, sugar, dairy, salt. [In the early days of this diet, beer, wine, and modern fruits were taboo, but today they are permitted.] This is an antidote to the S.A.D. that has caused so many health problems in the world. The FAST diet has much in common with the Paleo diet: low glycemic load, emphasis on protein, lack of processed food. Many of the menus that I have shown you are similar to Paleo Diet meals. To compare the similarities, here’s a chart:

Is this food allowed on this diet…	PALEO	On Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, pork	Yes: grass-fed	Yes
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkey	Yes	Yes, preferred
Eggs	Yes	Yes
Beer, wine, cocktails	Wine, maybe	On Slow Days
Grains, starches: rice, wheat products, pasta, cereal	No	in moderation
Nuts + seeds	Yes	in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas	No	Yes
Seafood protein, especially with Omega-3 fats	Yes	Yes
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruits	Yes	Yes
Berries	Yes	Yes
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuce	Yes	Yes
Dairy: Cheese, milk, yogurt	No	Some
Vegetable oils: olive, canola	Yes	in moderation
Animal fat: butter	No	in moderation
Root vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, carrots	No white potatoes	Yes
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppers	Yes	Yes
Fat	40% of diet	No
Protein	30% of diet	Yes. lots
Higher fiber	No	Yes
Daily Carb intake	30% of diet	Keep it low
Whole grains	No grains	Yes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake, bread, processed foods	No	Not on Fast Day
16:8 intermittant fasting recommended	Yes	Yes
Number of days per week to follow the regimen	7 of 7	2 of 7
Do calories matter?	No	Only 600 on Fast Days

sources: https://thepaleodiet.com and https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/paleo-diet/detailed-paleo-diet-food-list-what-eat-avoid/

Bison ScrOmelette: 147 calories 8g fat 0.4 g fiber 14.5 g protein 4 g carbs [2 g Complex] 48.5 mg calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. GF Bison meat is a fine source of protein and is more healthy than beef. You should try it.

Paleolithic people ate bison. You can too — depending on availability…..

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 0.6 oz ground, cooked bison ½ Tbsp [0.1 oz] sliced scallion ½ Tbsp spaghetti sauce 1 oz melon 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]

Briefly warm the bison and scallion in a saute pan spritzed with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with the spaghetti sauce and pour over the meat/scallion in the pan. Cook in your desired way: scramble or omelette. Plate with the melon and listen to Bing Crosby sing ‘Home on the Range.’

Chicken Stir-fry: 268 calories 7 g fat 6.5 g fiber 28 g protein 21 g carbs 113 mg Calcium PB GF From the official FastDiet.com website! You just know it has to be a keeper.

4 oz raw chicken breast 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp olive oil 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced 1 clove garlic, crushed 1.5 cups cabbage, sliced 1 cup carrots, julienned ½ cup snow peas OR 2 oz asparagus OR 2 oz bell peppers OR 1 oz broccoli

Cut chicken into strips and marinate in lemon juice and soy sauce while you prepare the vegetables. Stir-fry the vegetables in oil and 2 Tbsp water for 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Count to 30 and add the chicken and marinade. Stirfry 1-2 minutes more to cook the chicken through.

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

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs + apple
Ham Florentine mixture: spinach, Bechamel sauce, ham, onion	cooked spinach
applesauce	black olive + basil
	goat cheese/chevre
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Tuna steak + olive oil	1/2 cup Florentine Filling — prepared for Monday’s breakfast
red bell pepper	2 galettes/crepes
zucchini
cherry tomatoes + lemon juice
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

***cultural sidebar: Fred Flintstone, a candidate for any sort of diet, was certainly not following the Paleolithic Diet.

Lucky Lindy

February 3, 2021November 1, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

On February 4, 1902, Charles Lindbergh was born. I don’t know if that was a particularly auspicious date, but he came to be known as “Lucky Lindy.” He, of course, was the first person to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean and he did it to win the Orteig Prize of $25,000. After flying in radio silence [the ‘Spirit of St. Louis‘ did not have a radio] for 36 hours, a massively sleep-deprived Lindbergh landed in Paris to be greeted by a jubilant crowd and great acclaim. Eight other aviators had vied for the prize and died. Lindy was Lucky indeed. From that point, his life took several different turns. He married Anne Morrow, daughter of an ambassador, who became his co-pilot and a celebrated author. The drama of the kidnapping and murder of their first son shocked and riveted the attention of the world. Many good-will tours took the couple to Europe in the 1930s, where Lindbergh was tasked with assessing the status of the German air force to see if it was a threat to the Allies. His reports were glowing, which began to make experts think that he was pro-Nazi. Lindbergh, like his father, was anti-war and he did indeed admire the Germans. He continued to be against the war in Europe. Lindbergh keynoted at rallies, speaking with xenophobic and racist statements against the US becoming involved and for putting ‘America First.’ After Pearl Harbor, he was assigned [without rank] to help with the aviation efforts in the Pacific Theater. He flew 50 combat missions — was that fueled by his previous claim in 1940 that “No nation in Asia has developed their aviation sufficiently to be a serious menace to the United States at this time”? — one wonders. After the war, Lindbergh received the Pulitzer Prize for the book The Spirit of St. Louis, advocated for the World Wildlife Fund, and retired to Hawaii where he died in 1974.

Lindberg took a bottle of water and a bag of sandwiches on his 36-hour flight. I’m guessing they were ham and cheese sandwiches, and that’s what we find in our eggs for breakfast. Since the Lindbergs retired to Hawaii, our dinner includes the pineapple: Hawaii’s famous fruit.

Ham & Cheese ScrOmelette: 165 calories 10 g fat 2 g fiber 13 g protein 5.6 g carbs [4.6 g Complex] 111 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF You can prepare this as an omelette or as scrambled eggs. Either way, its a winner.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ¼ oz Jarlsberg cheese 1-½ oz apples ¼ oz ham [Fat and calories for this recipe based on roast ham. Use 3% fat ham, to lower both those values] 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]

Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and heat it. Put the ham into the hot saute pan to warm it briefly, then add the eggs and cheese. Scramble together [or cook like an omelette] until the way you like it. Plate with the fruit, prepare your optional beverage, and enjoy the goodness of ham&cheese.

Chicken with Limes: 283 calories 7.6 g fat 3 g fiber 23 g protein 35 g carbs [29 g Complex] 61 mg Calcium PB GF Limes, chicken, and pineapple were added to the ecosystem of Tahiti by various visitors, and were promptly incorporated into the cuisine. We served this at a dinner party and no one would have guessed that it was a Fasting meal. Here is the one-serving method for <Poulet avec Limettes.>

3 oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless, and cut in 2 pieces across the width thyme + salt + pepper 1 lime: ½ of it zested and juiced; ½ of it sliced ¼ cup chicken stock ½ tsp sugar + 1 tsp cornstarch [cornflour] ½ oz heavy cream 3 oz slice of pineapple, fresh or canned in light juice ¼ cup brown rice, cooked

Marinate the chicken in the lime juice, zest, salt, pepper, and thyme in the ‘fridge for at least 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and put 1/3 of the marinade into one small container and the remainder into a sauce pan. We grilled the chicken briefly and then removed it to a plate while the pineapple and lime slices were grilled. If you are not grilling today, put the pineapple and lime slices under the broiler until they are a little charred and hot all the way through. Meanwhile, add the stock and chicken to the pan with the marinade and heat it until the chicken is mostly cooked. Remove the chicken and keep warm. Bring the liquids to a boil and reduce by 1/3 of the volume. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and remaining marinade. Reduce the heat and stir until thickened. [This happens rather quickly] Return the chicken to the pan, add the cream. Stir to combine and to coat the chicken with the sauce. Plate with the rice and pineapple and lime slices for a taste of Hawaii.

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

	1.5 two-oz eggs
Next week I will talk about soups.	ground bison meat
Choose a new favorite breakfast	melon + scallion
from the Archive	spaghetti sauce
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Presenting 3 soups for the Fasters.	raw chicken + soy sauce
	lemon juice + olive oil + carrots
	fresh ginger + garlic + cabbage
	snow peas or asparagus or broccoli
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

	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

My Fair Lady

Blizzard of ’88, New York

Good Queen Anne

Comparing Plans: MIND Diet

Boticelli

The Dialogue

Michaelangelo

Galileo

Comparing Plans: Paleo

Lucky Lindy

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