fasting

Fish or Cut Bait

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

So we are into early March now, 67 days into 2018.  Remember 3 months ago — when you resolved that you would finally take action to lose some weight?  How’s that going for you? Well the time is now:  Fish or cut bait! Or as Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no ‘try.'” The Fast Diet [aka: 5:2 diet, IF] is the one to ‘try.’  And to stay with for the rest of your life.  To paraphrase Charles Dederich, ‘Tomorrow is the 1st day of the rest of your life.’  Tomorrow is also the anniversary of the patenting of the telescoping fishing pole. In honor of our fishing theme, both breakfast and dinner will contain fish:  healthy and nutritious!  To obtain that fish, someone had to fish.  Make up your mind to improve your health by losing weight on the Fast Diet.

Maritime ScrOmelette:  307 calories   8.7 g fat   2.5 g fiber   20 g protein   33 g carbs [27.8 g Complex Carbs]   244 mg Calcium   PB GF   Between the salt cod and the potatoes, this breakfast is a taste of the Canadian Maritimes. And then you add the cheddar to kick it into high gear.  Flavor-packed.Maritime ScrOmelette w: melon

1 ½ 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 salt cod                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp mashed potatoes  OR  1.5 tsp instant potato flakes                                                                                                                                       1/8 oz Cheddar cheese                                                                                                                                         ½ tsp savory                                                                                                                                                                1 oz melon                                                                                                                                               blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                   5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

The night before, put the salt cod in a bowl of water for 30-45 minutes. Drain and cut or flake the fish into small pieces.                                                                                                                                In the morning, stir the cod, potatoes, and Cheddar together. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. As the eggs start to cook, scramble in the cod mixture along with savory, salt, and pepper Cook as long as you like. Prepare the beverages and plate the fruit. Listen to some good fiddle music.

Fish & Polenta with Zucchini Ribbons:  261 calories  5.6 g fat  3.9 g fiber  32 g protein  23 g carbs [Complex]  225 mg Calcium  PB  The polenta needs to be made ahead. Simple to prepare and delicious and filling [even though I forgot to add the cheeses!].Fish w: Polenta & Zucchini Ribbons

1 slice of polenta [that’s 1/6 of the recipe from SIDEKICKS II Oct 4, ’17 ]                                              3 oz zucchini ribbons                                                                                                                                             1 oz roasted red peppers                                                                                                                                       1 clove garlic                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                                     4 oz firm fish filets, skinless and boneless                                                                                                 large pinch herbes de Province or thyme                                                                                                           1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated                                                                                                                                                    ½ oz mozzerella, grated

Slice the garlic as a julienne. Using a potato peeler, make lengthwise cuts on the zucchini to produce thin ‘ribbons.’ Cut the slice of polenta in half so it is about 1/3” thick. Heat a heavy skillet and spray with a non-stick product. Lay the fish on the skillet and sprinkle with pepper and and salt. Cook on one side, then flip to the other. Add the polenta to the pan at this point. Cook it in the hot pan on both sides until it is warm and beginning to brown. Remove cooked fish and polenta and keep warm. Put the garlic in the pan and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the other vegetables, herbs, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Stir to combine until everything is warm, about 45 seconds – the zucchini will be just barely cooked. Plate the fish and polenta slices, spoon the vegetables around the polenta, then sprinkle with mozzerella.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg    +  strawberries 1 Pan Muffin [Not by Bread, Feb 7, ’18]
 Gruyere cheese  pear        +      chicken
 roasted vegetables  radish
 marinara sauce [SAUCY, Dec 6 ’17]  cucumber
 Worcestershire sauce  Medjool date
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 4 oz white fish  Canadian or back bacon
 1/2 slice bacon chicken breast
 Parmesan   +  carrots  romain lettuce
 cherry tomatoes  oregano [Mexican or Greek]
 Brussel sprouts  Parmesan
 cauliflower  olive oil & lemon juice
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Windy City

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                             Welcome to Barry & Kelly who are now following.

In 1837, Chicago, Illinois became a city.  The name ‘Chicago’ comes from a French corruption “Chicagou” of an Illinois-Miami Indian word meaning ‘wild garlic’ in reference to Allium tricoccum plants which grew all over.  From that culinary beginning the city acquired several monikers: The Windy City [due to blovating politicians or maybe the weather];  Second City [in comparison to New York];  That Toddlin’ Town [from a Frank Sinatra song]; the City of Broad Shoulders [from Carl Sandburg’s poem Chicago]. What with the architecture, the Fire of 1871, the sports teams, the music — there is a lot to say about this city.  But if I said, “Chicago food,” the answers that would matter most would be: “Deep dish pizza and Chicago Hot Dogs.”  The Pizza was developed by Pizzeria Uno in 1943, and is beloved by the native sons/daughters.  The Hot Dog has been a meal-in-a-bun since The Great Depression and is described as ‘having been dragged through the garden’ due to the many vegetable toppings that make up ‘the works.’  We are Fasting today, so we will forgo the crust of the pizza and the bun of the hot dog, but will retain all the flavors of those iconic meals.

Pizza Bake:  271 calories  6.8 g fat  2.5 g fiber  14 g protein  38.4 g carbs  267 mg Calcium  PB GF  Forget the cold slice served from a greasy box…. pizza for breakfast just got healthier and more delicious.pizza Bake

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                         salt + pepper to taste                                                                                                                                             1.5 Tbsp crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                               1 thin slice pepperoni, minced                                                                                                                          ¼ oz mozzerella chesse, grated                                                                                                                               ½ oz bell pepper, chopped                                                                                                                                                ¼ cup blueberries                                                                                                                                                    5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

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

Chicago Hot Dog:   272 calories   16.4 g fat   2 g fiber   11 g protein   14 g carbs  36 mg Calcium PB GF   This is the real deal: every single flavor found in a Chicago bun, without the bun. Delicious and filling, wherever you live.Chicago Hot dog

2 all-beef hot dogs [Hebrew National reduced-fat]                                                                                              3 oz fresh tomato, sliced in 8 wedges                                                                                                                         2 oz dill pickle spears, you should have 2-5 pieces of pickle                                                                                 celery salt                                                                                                                                                                     2 Tbsp chopped onions, raw                                                                                                                               2 tsp relish [neon green relish is traditional]                                                                                                  2 ‘sport peppers‘ OR 3 pepperoncini, sliced in two                                                                                         ¼ tsp poppy seed                                                                                                                                              yellow mustard

Cook the hot dogs any way you want. In a wide, shallow bowl place the hot dogs in the center. Place pickle slices along side and between the hot dogs. Now arrange the tomatoes around the edge. Sprinkle it all with celery salt, especially the tomatoes. Dollop with relish and distribute the onions all over. Arrange the peppers on top and drizzle with mustard. Add the poppy seed. Wear your favorite Chicago team jersey and tuck in to the dinner.

Saint David

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

Tomorrow will be the Feast of Saint David, Patron Saint of Wales. He was a pious monk to whom many miracles are attributed.  He was a famous faster, sometimes subsisting only on leek soup [which is delicious!] and never consuming alcohol.  Because the leek is one of the emblems of Wales, our meals will feature that versitle Allium.  The eggs for breakfast are scrambled with leeks and Welsh cheese. Try to find Caerphilly, the only Protected Status cheese in Wales.  The dinner is not one of St David’s soups, but a nod to the long history of eating sea products from the coastal waters of Wales: mackerel with leeks. David’s famous quote, “Do the little things,” applies well to Fasting: focus on a simple diet of nutritious foods, Fast twice a week, cut out the snacks, and you will succeed in weight loss.   Enjoy your leeks, think about St David, and enjoy the video of the singing of Cwm Rhondda.

Welsh ScrOm w: melon

Welsh ScrOmelette:   297 calories   9.3 g fat  2.5 g fiber  16.7 g protein  35 g carbs [33 g Complex Carbs]  252 mg Calcium  PB GF  This is a real taste sensation and a great way to start the day. Reward yourself: find the correct cheese.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                             0.3 oz Cheddar cheese, preferably Caerphilly or Red Dragon                                                             ¾ oz sliced leeks, white and green                                                                                                                     1 oz melon                                                                                                                                                      blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                        5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Slice the leeks across the leaf and wash well under running water.  Put into a small sauce or saute pan, add a few tablespoons of water, put on the lid and ‘sweat’ the leeks until they soften, about 10 minutes. HINT: I did this the night before. Cut the cheese into small dice. When ready to cook, spritz a non-stick pan with cooking spray and add the leeks. Cook about 10 minutes more until limp and maybe beginning to brown on the edges. Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper, and a pinch of thyme. Pour over the leeks in the pan, scramble until cooked. Then sprinkle the cheese over the eggs at the last minute. Serve with melon and beverages of your choice. Fabulous.

Mackeral stuffed w: leeks

Mackerel stuffed with Leeks:   285 calories   15.7 g fat   1.6 g fiber   22 g protein   9.3 g carbs 46.5 mg Calcium   PB GF   This is from Joanne Harris & Fran Warde’s delightful The French Market. If you are lucky enough to get fresh mackerel, this one’s for you.

Two 2-oz mackeral fillets to total 4 oz per serving                                                                                     salt & pepper                                                                                                                                                                          2 tsp grainy mustard, like ‘country Dijon’                                                                                                      oregano                                                                                                                                                                      ¾ of an ounce of sliced leeks                                                                                                                                                           ground coriander                                                                                                                                                          3 oz tomatoes, sliced OR sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slash the skin of the fish and season the skin-side with salt and pepper. Turn the fillets over and spread each one with mustard, then sprinkle with oregano. Put one fillet skin-side down on the baking pan and pile the leeks on top of it. Sprinkle with a little coriander and more pepper, if you like. Put the other fillet on top of the leeks, with the skin-side up. Press down a little on the fish to compact it a bit. Roast for about 12 minutes, until the fish is opaque. Meanwhile, slice the other vegetables. What a lovely meal!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 mozzerella cheese salt cod
 crushed tomatoes instant potato flakes
 1 slice pepperoni cheddar cheese
 blueberries  +  bell pepperstrawberries
optional smoothieoptional hot beverage
optional hot beverageoptional smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 2 all-beef hot dogsMediterranean Vegetables [SIDEKICKS II oct 4, 2017]
 fresh tomato1 slice polenta [ SIDEKICKS II oct 4, 2017]
 dill pickle  + poppy seed fillets of firm white fish
 onions  + celery seed herbes de Province
 sport [medium-hot] peppers
 yellow mustard + hot dog
relish
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Lincoln

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                          Welcome to Vinayak who is now Following.

Tomorrow will be the birthday of Honest Abe;  the Great Emancipator;  the Rail-Splitter.  In other words: Abraham Lincoln, born 12 February 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. Most people would associate the great man with the state of his birth or with Illinois, which he served as State Representative and Congressman before his election to president.  Lincoln is well-known for his statesmanship and his oratory, but I want to  trace his family back to its roots in the Oley Valley of Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Abraham, was born there, confusing tourists no end, then he moved his family to Virginia, and Kentucky.  My father and the future POTUS have a common ancestor, making me a 2nd cousin 5 times removed; and the Lincoln family were close neighbors to my mother’s ancestors in Oley.  Therefore I can say with some authority that today’s menus would have been very familiar to the Lincoln family, since these foods are from SE Pennsylvania too. President Lincoln was a very slender man.  Eat like this, and you could become slender, too.

Scrapple Bake:   288 calories   7.4 g fat    6 g fiber   14 g protein   39 g carbs    220 mg Calcium PB  GF Scrapple is one of the specialty foods of the “Pennsylvania Dutch” people of South Eastern Pennyslvania. Excellent for breakfast, served as a side dish like sausage or combined with an egg in this bake. Scrapple Bake w: R-bs1 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                            1/2 oz scrapple,  sliced 1/4″ thick                                                                                                                                                         ½ oz scallion, chopped                                                                                                                                          ½ cup raspberries + 1 Tbsp fat-free vanilla yogurt                                                                              blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

The night before: bake the scrapple in the oven until firm. Dice it and combine with the scallion. Next morning: set the toaster oven at 350 F. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Scatter the scrapple and scallion in the ramekin. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the scrapple. Bake 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, portion the berries and dollop the yogurt on top. Brew the hot beverage and pour the smoothie. A fine, homey breakfast.

Chicken & Dumplings: 293 calories 6.8 g fat 4.6 g fiber 37.8 g protein 30 g carbs 67 mg Calcium PB This was a real hit in my parents’ Central Pennsylvania home and it is still a favorite with us. Be aware that it is best made over 2 days, but it basically cooks by itself with little busy bouts by you. Worth the time and effort. AND this recipe serves 4 [four] people, so have a party serving this great make-ahead meal. If you serve one or two, make the whole thing anyhow, package and freeze the remainder.Chicken & Dumpling w: peas

3 pound whole chicken, preferably a fowl although you will get more meat from a fryer                                                ½ cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                                  1/3 cup carrots cut as coins                                                                                                                                   ½ cup celery, chopped                                                                                                                                        bay leaf                                                                                                                                                                         3 peppercorns                                                                                                                                                           2 tsp salt                                                                                                                                                                         1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce                                                                                                                                             2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour                                                                                                                           4 dumplings [see ..Not by Bread.. II-7-’18]                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup green peas per person

Cut up a 3 pound chicken into leg quarters, breast quarters, back, wings. In a large pot, brown the chicken in a little oil on all sides. Add the vegetables, bay leaf and pepper and water to cover. Simmer on the cooktop for 45 minutes. Add 2 tsp salt, cover, and simmer for another 45 minutes. Strain off the stock and let the fat rise to the surface to cool. Discard the fat. Reserve the vegetables. Cool the chicken and remove the skin. Pull off the meat in chunks: you will use 17 oz meat by volume.   You could stop here. HINT: save any remaining stock and chicken for excellent soup.

Measure ¼ cup of stock and whisk in the 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour to form a paste. Meausre 1.5 cups stock and pour into a stovetop-safe serving dish along with the Worcestershire sauce. Add the flour water paste and stir to incorporate. Put the vegetables and chicken meat into the dish and adjust seasonings to taste. You could stop here. When ready to serve, prepare the dough for the dumplings. Heat the chicken mixture and place 4 dollops of dumpling dough on the warm chicken. Let it all bubble gently for 15-20 minutes, then cover the dish and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes. Steam the peas and pour over the top of the dish before bringing to the table. Serve this simple classic proudly.

Agatha

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                                Welcome to masterchefu who is now Following.

Tomorrow will be the Feast Day of Saint Agatha.  That’s a name you don’t hear much any more…  She lived in Sicily and Malta. Legend says she was a beautiful young woman who refused to marry due to her faith. [Agatha thought that she could serve God better by staying single and dedicating her life to religion.] Victimized by a Roman official, she died most cruelly, and is remembered for her steadfastness. Agatha could be a symbol of both the modern ‘MeToo‘ movement and the campaign against breast disease. Due to her association with the island nation of Malta, breakfast features the flavors of traditional Maltese foods.  Due to her being the patroness of those with breast diseases, it is common to prepare foods shaped like breasts on February 5.

Maltese ScrOmelette:   293 calories  8.4 g fat   3.5 g fiber   18 g carbs   252 mg Calcium  PB GF Between the fish and the vegetables, these flavors have “Malta” written all over them.Maltese ScrOmelette

1 ½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                                                                   1/4 oz cooked tuna                                                                                                                                                                         2 Tbsp frozen spinach                                                                                                                                               2 Tbsp Mediterranean Vegetables, chopped    [see Sidekicks II from October 4, 2017]                     ½ clementine                                                                                                                                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                5-6 oz green or fruit smoothie or unpasteurized apple cider

Thaw and chop the spinach, and drain it through a small sieve. Break the tuna into small bits. Combine all vegetables with the tuna. Heat the ingredients briefly in an oil-misted non-stick pan, then pour in the whisked eggs. Cook to your preference. Serve with the fruit and the beverages of choice. Sunny flavors!

Fish Timbale:   276 calories   17.3 g fat   1.6 g fiber  23.5 g protein   8 g carbs   95 mg Calcium  PB GF   Sounds high-falutin’ but really very easy.  Made with two types of fish, it is a good use of leftovers.Fish Timbale w: chard

2 Tbsp spinach                                                                                                                                                                    1/2 Tbsp shallot                                                                                                                                                           1 and 2/3 oz mackerel or salmon                                                                                                                                     1.3 oz haddock or cod                                                                                                                                           3/4 oz egg [either pullet egg or an egg white], well-beaten                                                                                                    1/3 oz white beans                                                                                                                                                            2 Tbsp cream                                                                                                                                                                   1 oz chard                                                                                                                                                                   1/8 tsp olive oil nutmeg + granulated garlic

Wash the spinach and leave water on the leaves. Put in a lidded pan along with the chopped shallot. Put on the lid and let cook until the spinach is limp. Remove, chop, and squeeze the water out of the spinach. Thoroughly mash the white beans and add the cream. Stir the spinach + shallot into the bean + cream. If fish is raw: Put in a pan with a little water. Cover and steam until fish is cooked. Flake the fish and combine with the other ingredients, except the chard. Turn into a spritzed ramekin and bake at 400 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsley chop the chard and cook it in a little water until done. Drain and season with nutmeg and granulated garlic. Run a knife around the sides of the timbale and invert the plate over it. Turn the plate right-side-up and remove the timbale. Plate the chard.

“D” is for Delicious

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                                                  Welcome to Coach Ashield who is now Following.

Are you finding Fasting to be easy? Are you eating good, wholesome, high quality food that is delicious? Everybody should eat delicious food every day, in my opinion. In our A-B-Cs of Fasting Food, we have done ‘comfort’ so now on to Delicious.  The Dutch Baby is not a meal for everyday, but it is yummy.  The Danish Stuffed Cabbage might be a variant of the Turkish/Greek stuffed grape leaves called ‘dolmas‘.  But some say there is a Danish connection to ‘dolmen‘, an ancient stone structure. They all begin with ‘D’ and are dee-licious.

Dutch Baby:   306 calories   8.2 g fat   5.9 g fiber   13.5 g protein   46 g carbs   253 mg Calcium PB  This fabulous confection, in its full-blown form, has long been a special treat at our Sunday breakfast table. It comes from Marion Cunningham’s Breakfast Book.  Low in fat, it seemed a good fit for a Fast Day, if only I could shoehorn it into the calorie limit. Here is the result.   HINT: This recipe makes 2 [two] Dutch Babies. Invite a friend.Dutch Baby

3 oz egg   nb: this is one egg plus part of another egg. Ex: one 2-oz egg + one egg white                   ¼ cup milk                                                                                                                                                              ¼ cup white whole wheat flour                                                                                                                               2 tsp melted butter                                                                                                                                                  per person: ¼ cup raspberries                                                                                                                                 6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or unpasturized apple cider                                          blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Set the toaster oven at 450 F. Spritz two custard cups [3.5” to 4.5” in diameter] with non-stick spray. Vigorously beat together the egg, milk, flour and butter. Pour into the cups and bake fro 15 minutes. They should puff up high and turn golden brown. Remove from custard cups, and plate immediately, as they sink from their former heights. Spoon raspberries on top an dust with a mere whiff of confectioner’s sugar.

Danish Stuffed Cabbage:  282 calories  5.7 g fat   5.7 g fiber  35 g protein  25 g carbs  125 mg Calcium   GF – if using GF bread  Craig Claiborne’s International Cookbook provided this recipe. Its history involves a Swedish king and the Ottoman Empire. Very royal origin for a very common meal. The original recipe involves hollowing out an entire head of cabbage, but here it is adapted for fewer people.  Recipe doubles or triples easily.  Actually, I found this to be too much to eat!Danish Stuffed Cabbage

4 oz turkey meat, raw                                                                                                                                             2 oz pork meat, raw                                                                                                                                             2.75 oz veal, raw   OR equal volume of turkey meat                                                                                   ½ cup fresh bread crumbs [from whole-grain 70-calorie bread]                                                           2 oz milk                                                                                                                                                                   1 oz  [2 Tbsp] egg white                                                                                                                                                     sage + salt + pepper                                                                                                                                                    4 whole cabbage leaves from a whole head                                                                                                 1/3 c pickled beets                                                                                                                                                                     1 tsp mustard + 1/2 tsp horseradish

Put the meats, sage, salt, and pepper in the food processor and mince. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and cook the meat until it doesn’t look raw. Cool meat. Combine the bread and milk, stir, let sit until soggy. Add the egg white and meats and stir to combine well. Set aside.                                                                                                                                                          To prepare the cabbage: Remove the coarse, shop-worn outer leaves from the head of cabbage. Cut off the stem end and discard.  Put the head of cabbage in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. When the outer layer begins to cook, take out the head and gently remove the outer leaf. Return the cabbage to the pan of simmering water. Continue to remove the outer leaves as they cook, until you have 4. [Store the remaining cabbage in the ‘fridge for another use.]   If you use them at this point, the cabbage leaves will still have some crunch to them.  If you want them to be more limp, put the leaves back into the water and simmer them to the desired point.                                                                                    Cut a 2″-deep ‘V’ at the base of each leaf to remove the thickest part of the leaf’s rib. Orient the leaf so the V is away from you. Put ¼ cup filling on the leaf. Fold the near side over the filling, tuck in the sides, and continue to roll. Place seam-side down in an oven-proof dish large enough to hold all four rolls. Pour some of the water in which you poached the cabbage into the dish until it comes 1/2-way up the rolls. Put on a lid or foil and bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes or until heated. Plate with the pickled beets and the mustard/horseradish. Fit for a king.

“C” is for Comfort

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

This is a continuation of the posts which show, I hope, that Fasting meals are as easy a A-B-C.  How to begin the Fasting Lifestyle?  From this blog site, choose your favorite 2 breakfast menus: have one on Monday, one the following Thursday.  Then find your favorite 2 dinner menus: plan on one for Monday, one for Thursday.  Repeat the following week, or choose a different breakfast and dinner.  Plan 1st, then eat.  Then weigh and repeat. Soon Fasting will become your new comfort zone.

Cheesy-Bake:   144 calories   7.8 g fat   1 g fiber   12 g protein   7.3 g carbs [5.7 g Complex]  183 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  This is the baked version of a cheese omelette that thinks that it is a cheese souffle! Delicious.

cheesy-bake-w-apples-r-bs

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                           ¼ oz cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                                                                1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                             ¼ c raspberries, fresh or frozen [When I use frozen fruit, I portion it into its dish the night before, so it will be thawed by morning]                                                                                                        ½ oz apple, sliced                                                                                                                                 Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Spritz a ramekin with olive oil or non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Stir the two cheeses together with a fork until blended and whisk with the egg. Without waiting, pour into the ramekin and bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed and beginning to brown. Prepare the fruit and optional beverages, and enjoy a cheesy start to your day.

Chickpea Ragout with Cod:   213 calories   3.6 g fat  5.3 g fiber  25.8 g protein  20 g carbs  44 mg Calcium  GF PB   This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way. Although he doesn’t mean my kind of ‘Fast Food,’ Pepin has long been a proponent of healthy cooking. He presents this as a side dish, but for our purposes it is best prepared as a main course with seafood for more protein. 

Halibut w: Chickpea Ragout

½ tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                            ½ cup diced onions                                                                                                                                                 ½ cup scallions, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 Tbsp garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                           2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained                                                                                                  1 and ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned                                                                                                  ½ cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                        ½ tsp salt   +   ½ tsp pepper                                                                                                                                 4 oz cod** fillet. fresh or frozen

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Divide it in 4 portions, each about 3/4 cup. Keep one portion aside for today. TIP: Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.

** If you can’t get cod, use one of these:    4 oz swordfish               4 oz salmon           4 oz halibut            4 oz smelts         2 oz shad     4 oz haddock         4 oz tilapia          4 oz flounder

B is for Baked

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                              Welcome to Arch’t. Michael who is now Following.

Baking is an ancient way to prepare food, with ovens being used in ancient Egypt. Continuing our A-B-Cs of Fasting meals, we’ll enjoy baked eggs and baked beans tomorrow. We find baked eggs to be a wonderful choice for a Fast breakfast: easy to prepare, delicious, and infinite in their variety.  And while we are having food that is easy to prepare, few meals go together as quickly as baked beans with hot dogs.  It’s “easy a A-B-C.”

Bleu Cheese Bake:  292 calories  7.3 g fat  2.3 g fiber  14.3 g protein  37 g carbs  250.7 mg Calcium   PB GF  You’ll go ga-ga over these flavors!Bleu Cheese Bake w: R-b applesauce:yog

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                             ¼ oz bleu cheese, crumbly rather than creamy                                                                                                 1 Tbsp fatfree cottage cheese, drained                                                                                                                   2 oz applesauce, unsweetened, with 2-3 raspberries mixed into it                                                         5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                  Black-ish coffee, black-ish tea, or lemon in hot water

Mash the cheeses together with a fork and whisk in the egg. Bake in a lightly-spritzed ramekin at 350° F. until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Dish up the applesauce, pour the smoothie, pour your beverage.

Beanie Wienies:  300 calories   4.3 g fat  8.6 g fiber  14.3 g protein  43 g carbs  74 mg Calcium PB GF My husband grew up eating this with his childhood chums. What could be simpler? And the carb count is due to the good fiber of beans and carrots. So complex.

1 reduced fat hot dog [we like Hebrew National all beef franks]                                                            ¾ cup canned baked beans                                                                                                                                  1 oz carrots, cooked or raw

Put the baked beans in a small sauce pan. Cut the hotdogs into 1” pieces [on the diagonal, my husband would say] and add to the pan. Warm thoroughly. Plate with the carrots.

Hamilton!

~ me ~ 2 Comments

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the birthday of the Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Yes, that Hamilton: the one on the $10 bill; the first Secretary of the Treasury; founder of the; the one who was shot by Aaron Burr; and the one currently made famous by Lin Manuel Miranda’s hit musical.  He was born in Charlestown, Nevis [West Indies] in 1755/57, raised in St Croix, and educated in New York City. Hamilton had a meteoric rise through the ranks of the Continental Army, being a brilliant artillery officer, he was named George Washington’s aide-de-camp at age 20.

A convincing writer, he penned most of the “Federalist Papers” and went on to form the Federalist Party. His political work earned him the animosity of Vice President Burr, ending in their fateful duel in 1804.

Our meals today reflect Alexander Hamilton’s life: part Caribbean, part Colonial America. What else would you expect from this complex, influential man?

Welsh Rabbit ScrOmelette:  300 calories    10 g fat   2.5 g fiber   16.8 g protein   32 g carbs 258.7 mg Calcium  PB GF   The origional version of this recipe is served in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia at Chownings Tavern. We love Welsh Rabbit/Rarebit for a homey supper, just as people did in Colonial Days.  And here are the same flavors in breakfast form.

Welsh Rabbit ScrOmelette w: pear

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                                                                                                   ¼ oz Cheddar cheese                                                                                                                                               1 tsp Worcestershire sauce                                                                                                                                  ½ tsp dry mustard                                                                                                                                                   1 oz pear or strawberries                                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                       5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Grate the cheese and stir in the Worcestershire and mustard. Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and heat over medium-high. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. Add the cheese mixture and scramble or let cook then fold as an omelette. Prep the fruit and the beverages and ponder the rebellious days of Colonial America.

St Kitts Fish Stew: 307 calories     2.5 g fat      4.4 g fiber       42 g protein       31 g carbs           279 mg Calcium  PB    This typical Caribbean recipe is made with salted fish. No doubt it was food of the enslaved African population. Plan ahead to leave time for soaking the fish overnight.St Kitts Fish Stew

2 oz yellow bell pepper, cut as 1/2”x2” pieces                                                                                                          1 oz scallion, sliced in 1/2” pieces                                                                                                                                                   1 clove garlic                                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup onion, coarsly chopped                                                                                                                           2 oz salt cod                                                                                                                                                                                              3 oz tomatoes [cherry or slicing-type], cut in chunks                                                                                   1/3 cup fish stock +/or water                                                                                                                                      1 dumpling**                                                                                                                                                          

** Dumpling                                                                                                                                                             2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour   +  3 Tbsp flour   [or 5 T. flour]                                                               2/3 tsp baking powder                  pinch salt                                                                                                pinch sugar                          7 tsp milk nutmeg                                                                                       Combine all the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk with a fork.                                                   The batter should be stiff but not dry. [add a little water if needed]

Soak fish overight in water. Next day, drain and cut into pieces 1”x2”. Prepare the batter for the dumpling**.  Put the broth/water, bell pepper, scalion, garlic, and onion in a saute pan and bring to a simmer. Place the dumpling on the vegetables so that it is not sitting in the broth. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Then put the fish around the dumpling and top the fish with the tomatoes. Cover the pan and keep at a simmer for 10 minutes. The dumpling should be firm to the touch when it is fully cooked. Check to see if it is done. Taste the dish to see if it needs salt [!!]. Different, delicious, and very pretty.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1 two-oz egg
 bleu cheese  chicken sausage
 fat-free cottage cheese  pan muffin [10-grain cereal, buttermilk, butter, baking powder, sugar, unbleached flour]
 applesauce + raspberries
 raspberries
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 1 hot dog [Hebrew National reduced fat]  grilled sirloin steak [4 oz for 2 servings]
 canned baked beans  mushrooms      +   red wine
 carrots, raw or cooked  creamed onions
 peas
 puff pastry [part of a frozen sheet]
 thyme
Sparkling water Sparkling water

A is for Apple …

~ me ~ 2 Comments

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                             Welcome to sanoncpa who is now Following.

…and that is as American as apple pie. Mary Azarian‘s primer A Farmer’s Almanac depicts life in Northern New England via woodcuts.  “A” is of course for “Apple” and this year we had a bumper crop.  Today, our recipes begin with “A” and they illustrate how easy and delicious it is to follow the Fasting Lifestyle, starting with apples in the breakfast.

Apple-Bacon Bake:   270 calories  6.3 g fat  3.5 g fiber  14 g protein  37 g carbs  220.5 mg Calcium  PB GF   What a perfect taste for Autumn or any time of year.Apple-Bacon Bake w: pears

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               ¾ oz apple, peeled, cored, sliced thinly                                                                                                          1/8 oz bacon, diced                                                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, drained if too liquid                                                                                                         ¼ tsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                                 ¼ tsp prepared mustard                                                                                                                                                                      pinch of sage                                                                                                                                                                 ¾ oz pear                                                                                                                                                           blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with cooking spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F.  In a saute pan, cook the bacon until done. Drain away the fat and blot the bacon in paper towel. Chop the bacon. In the same pan, saute the apple slices  until softened but not mushy. Put apple and bacon in the ramekin. TIP: This can be done the night before to save time and effort in the morning.  Whisk the egg, ricotta, Parmesan, mustard, and sage together, and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and the pear. How pleasant.

Antipasto with Tuna: 282 calories  10.6 g fat  8.7 g fiber  20 g protein  23.7 g carbs 250 mg Calcium  PB GF  This one is a keeper: simple, off the shelf, pretty on the plate, good to eat. The photo shows enough for 2 people. Invite a guest who is Fasting, too.  The amounts shown in the recipe are for ONE person.Amtipasto w: herbs

1 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them]                                        1 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy blocks of mozzerells for slicing]                                                         2 0z tuna, packed in water, drained and broken into large chunks                                                              2.5 oz tomato slices                                                                                                                                               1.5 oz whole green beans, steamed, drained                                                                                                                       3/4 oz marinated mushrooms                                                                                                                                3 Tbsp garbanzo beans, drained if canned                                                                                                        2 black olives, pitted and sliced                                                                                                                          1.5 slices pepperoni, chopped                                                                                                                                1/2 tsp flavored oil  [optional]                                                                                                                               salt +  chopped fresh herbs to taste

Prepare the ingredients and keep separate. On a platter, arrange the ingredients in rows as shown in the photo. Suit your own artistic nature as to what goes where. Be liberal with the fresh herbs.