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.
Spring will soon segue to Summer, so we will eat meals that begin with ‘s.’ Why not? Other words that begin with ‘s’: slim, svelte, sexy, self-satisfaction. These can describe you as you work on the healthier body which the Fasting Lifestyle can bring you. Keep at it. You can do it.
Salsa Chicken Bake: 291 calories 5.6 g fat 2.3 g fiber 17 g protein 34 g carbs 221 mg Calcium GF Salsa for breakfast? Porque no? Does looking at this photo make you want to smile? See? Another word with an ‘s’!
1 two-oz egg 1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese 1.5 Tbsp tomato salsa, drained if too liquid dash of salsa verde ½ oz chicken breast meat, cooked [from a roast, perhaps], minced oregano [Mexican if you have it] 1 oz strawberries blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider
Stir the cheese, salsas, and chicken together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the egg and seasonings. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Pour in the egg mixture and bake in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Brew your warm beverage; shake and pour the smoothie, portion those delicious strawberries, and enjoy a zesty start to your day.
Spinach-Fish Timbale: 264 calories 7.4 g fat 6.6 g fiber 37.8 g protein 19 g carbs 342 mg Calcium PB GF — if you use GF bread Seen in cookbooks, this recipe lends itself well to our uses.
½ cup blanched spinach [this used most of a 4.5 oz bag of fresh leaves] nutmeg, salt 1 Tbsp onion/shallot, minced 1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese 5 oz sole or ocean perch fillets, skinned [this is 2 small fillets] ½ slice 70-calorie bread, ground to crumbs HINT: use fresh bread crumbs: dried crumbs have more calories + carbs per volume 3 oz green beans
Heat the toaster oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the spinach but do not dry it. Put into a wide pan and put over medium heat with a lid. Check the spinach frequently and remove from heat when the leaves are wilted. There might be some liquid still in the pan. When the leaves are cool enough to handle, remove by the hand-full and squeeze the liquid out, saving it in the pan. Coarsley chop the spinach leaves and put into a bowl with the salt and nutmeg. Add the cheese to the warm spinach and stir until the cheese mixes in. In the pan of spinach water, cook the onion/shallot until the water is gone. Combine the onion, bread crumbs, and spinach.
Lay the fish fillets out so that they make one long line, over-lapping by about an inch. Spoon the spinach stuffing on the fish to cover it. Spray the inside of a 1-cup ramekin or custard cup with oil or non-stick spray. Roll up the fish as compactly as you can and put it into the ramekin. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Cook the green beans. When the fish is baked, hold the ramekin in one oven-gloved hand while you invert a plate over the ramekin. Flip it all over so that now the ramekin is upside down. Lift off the ramekin. Plate with the beans.
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.
Thinking of starting a diet but afraid of what you’ll have to give up? No more pizza! NO-O-O-O! Here are two facts: 1) on the 5:2 diet, you can eat the foods you like 5 days a week, even pizza; 2) today’s recipes give you the tastes of pizza as breakfast and dinner.
Pizza ScrOmelette: 291 calories 8.8 g fat 1.7 g fiber 15.6 g protein 35.7 g carbs 250 mg Calcium PB GF Your favorite flavors at breakfast – delicious.
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 3 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week ¼ oz bell pepper one 2” slice pepperoni 1/8 oz mozzerella cheese, grated 1 Tbsp crushed tomatoes 1 oz applesauce or fresh apple 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or pure apple cider blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water
Chop or dice the bell pepper and cook it in a pan spritzed with non-stick pan. Chop the pepperoni and stir it in with the cheese, tomatoes, and peppers. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. When the bottom of the eggs have set, add the cheese mixture and scramble to your heart’s content or fold like an omelette. Brew your beverage, portion the fruit, and take the previously-made smoothie from ‘fridge. Truly a treat.
Pizza with Vegetable Topping: 300 calories 13.3 g fat 4 g fiber 14 g protein 19 g carbs 269 mg Calcium PB Another winner from the Fast Diet book. The pizza shells are either whole grain wraps or corn tortillas. BE CAREFUL about the calorie and fat content when shopping! I get Herdez 8″ whole wheat fajita style tortillas. Each has 170 cal and 5 gm protein. Each person gets ONE of these pizzas. OR you could get Olé brand 6″ corn tortillas. Each of those has 65 cal and each person gets THREE AND a HALF pizzas.
1 whole wheat/whole grain tortilla at 170-cal [per person] 1-2 Tbsp tomato puree HINT: buy a can of puree and freeze in small portions 1 oz mozzerella, grated ½ oz mushrooms, chopped or sliced 1 ½ oz red pepper, cooked and chopped 1 oz spinach, steamed, squeezed and chopped 1 Tbsp red onion, chopped 2-3 pinches Italian herb mix + 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Set the oven at 400° F. Place the tortilla on an ungreased baking sheet and put it in the oven for 2 minutes to warm and stiffen. Put dollops of tomato purée on each tortilla and spread it around. Toss together mozzarella, mushrooms, red pepper, spinach, and onion. HINT: Sometimes I cook and chop all the veg and put them in a bag in the freezer to save time on a FAST day. Divide the mixture among the tortillas and sprinkle the seasonings on top. Bake for 5-10 mins at 400° F.
Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion
1 two-oz eggs
1.5 two-oz eggs
pear
Mushrooms, a few
Cooked asparagus [leftover from a prior meal, perhaps]
Ham from roast or deli
Proscuitto ham, ½ slice or less
¼ of an Arnold Sandwich Thin, multi-grain [optional]
How this Fast DietLifestyle 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.
Smoothie benefits: Fruit juice alone has lots of sugar. It is like drinking a soda-pop! But when you retain the fruit’s fiber, whether from fruit or vegetable, it changes the sugar’s effect on your body. Plus, the added fruit and/or vegetables give you a much-needed serving of the same. When drinking a green smoothie, by pureeing the greens, you are making them into their most digestible form. This means that all the micro-flora in your gut will thank you and that your lower intestines will be healthier and will work better.
BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES, TO DRINK INSTEAD OF JUICE *Fruited Green Smoothie: 77 calories 0.3 g fat 1.6 g fiber 1.7 g protein 31.3 g carb 30.7 mg Calcium PB GF HINT: this makes enough for three 6-oz servings, so it will save you time on the next 2 breakfasts. In the photo, the green smoothie is served with Tostada.
2 cups mixed greens – spinach, romaine, lettuce, chard – roughly chopped 2 oz banana, sliced 2 oz berries ½ apple or pear 12 oz tomato juice [such as Knudsen’s organic] 10 ice cubes
Put the fruit and greens in the blender and swirl it together on ”high” just long enough to break down the fruit and greens. Set blender to “low,” add the juice and ice cubes. Process until smooth. Put what you don’t drink today into a jar in the ‘fridge. Next time you use it, shake it well. If you think it has become too thick, feel free to thin it with water or OJ.
*M&Ms Fruit Smoothie: 80 calories 0.4 g fat 3.5 g fiber 4.2 g protein 16.2 g carb 131 mg Calcium This recipe is from the Fast Diet book, further quantified by me. PB GF HINT: this makes enough for 2 servings, so reserve the rest for another breakfast which will save you time.
6” of banana [3.0 oz] ½ cup plain, non-fat yogurt 2 oz fruit[either ½ cup mixed berries or 7 one-inch strawberries] 8-10 ice cubes Blend at low speed at first to break up the fruit, then at higher speed to blend. HINT: I make up ‘kits’ in advance. Into a freezer-safe container, I place all the ingredients except the ice cubes and freeze it days to weeks in advance. The night before a Fast Day, the Smoothie Kit comes out to thaw on the counter overnight. Much simpler. Kits shown in photo above.
*Fruit Smoothie, chez nous: 88 calories 0 g fat 0.8 g fiber 1.5 g protein 21.2 g carbs 15.2 mg Calcium PB GFHINT: enough for 4 [four] 5-6 oz servings 2 oz banana 2 oz fruit [all one variety or mixed; we like raspberries, strawberries, black currants, blueberries] 20 oz [2.5 cups] orange juice HINT: I make the fruits up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver! Put the fruit in the blender with 4 0z of the orange juice. Run it on “High” to break up the fruit and make it all smooth. Switch setting to “Low” and add the remaining juice. Run blender to combine the liquids. Save the rest in a jar for other mornings.
*Fruit Smoothie w/ greens, ME:74 calories 0.1 g fat 1.0 g fiber 0.5 g protein 16.5 g carbs 29.4 mg Calcium PB GF This is the smoothie that we have used for years, and then I added some spinach, so it is a synthesis of the 2 previous smoothies. HINT: this makes enough for several breakfasts, so make it once and use it often. A real time-saver.
2 oz banana 2 oz berries [black currants, strawberries, blueberries, red or black raspberries, blackberries – any combo] HINT: I make these up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver! 1 cup raw spinach or Swiss chard or kale or beet greens 1 and 1/2 cups orange juice or natural apple cider 1 cup tomato juice
Toss the fruit and greens into the blender. Add 1/2 cup orange juice. Process on high to blend the fruits and puree the leaves. Turn down to lowest setting and add the remaining juice. Process until smooth. Keep the setting on ‘low’ at this point, unless you like your smoothie with a huge head of foam!
MEAL-SIZED SMOOTHIES Banana Tofu Smoothie: 1.25 cups fat-free milk ½ cup firm tofu 6” banana 2 Tbsp sugar 4 ice cubes Put everything in the blender and wizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth. Cocoa-Banana version: add 2 Tbsp cocoa to above recipe.
*Strawberry Tofu Smoothie:Half Batch = 199 calories 3.4 g fat 3.7 g fiber 14.2 g protein 26 g carbs 360 mg Calcium 1.5 Batch= 300 calories 5.1 g fat 5.5 g fiber 21.3 g protein 39 g carbs 540 mg CalciumPB GF HINT:Makes 2 portions as part of a meal. Or one meal serving with 1/2 cup or so left over. To serve as a full meal, measure out 3/4 of the batch. I used to take this to work as part of lunch. 2 oz banana ½ c plain, fat free yogurt ½ cup sliced strawberries 2 Tbsp sugar 2.8 oz soft tofu, which is 1/5 of a package
Put everything in the blender and wizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth. If you want to, add another ½ cup of yogurt, or skimmed milk which will add more volume and bring the calorie count to 259. Then you might use it as an entire meal. Dust the top with freshly-grated nutmeg.
Ingredients for next week: breakfast
One ‘pan muffin’ [see ..Not by Bread.. II-7-’18]
Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain cereal
Advice about Fasting while traveling.
1 Applegate chicken sausage
[choose your own breakfast from archives]
Raspberries, fresh or frozen
Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverage
dinner
Hardboiled eggs [3 for two people; 1.5 for one]
Advice on coping with a dinner buffet while on the Fast diet
Onions garlic
[choose your own dinner from archives]
Garbanzo beans
Tomatoes, fresh or 1 can diced [some will be left over]
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.
Left-overs are a real boon to the cook and the Faster: they make lots of yummy other meals, some of which we can enjoy on a Fast Day. You might have some ham left from Easter or lamb from Passover, and here are easy ways to recycle them.
Green Eggs & Ham: 295 calories 8.8 g fat 16 g protein 25 g carb GF My husband always prepares these on the Thursday after Easter, when there is still ham from the roast and the chives are just beginning to come up.
Three 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1 ½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1 oz. ground or chopped ham 1 green onion, chopped white and green parts or use fresh chives 1.5 oz cantaloupe or ½ cup berries blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider
Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper to taste. Put the white part of the onion into a hot pan sprayed briefly with cooking oil. Stir around for a few seconds. Add the eggs. When bottom of eggs begin to set, sprinkle the ham & green scallions over the eggs, scramble to taste, and plate. Brew the beverage, pour the smoothie or cider, prep the fruit, and “Eat them! Eat them, here they are!”
Shepherd’s Pie with Lamb: 276 calories 12.3 g fat 2.1 g fiber 21.6 g protein 21.6 g carbs 52.8 mg Calcium GF The addition of mashed cauliflower is a great trick to lessen the carb count of mashed potatoes. Some people like to do this with mashed cauliflower only, but I enjoy the combo for a more authentic taste. HINT: serves 2. Freeze leftovers for another dinner or invite a guest.
1 cup roast lamb, ground or minced 1 two-oz egg, separated ½ cup mashed potatoes 2.8 oz [½ cup] mashed cauliflower ½ cup lamb gravy, as fat free as you can make it 3 oz peas
Add the egg yolk and gravy to the roast lamb, along with salt and pepper to taste. Whip the eggwhite until stiff and fold into the mashed vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Put the lamb mixture into an oil-spritzed oven-proof dish [2-3 cup capacity] and spread it out evenly. Smooth the mashed vegetables on top and ruffle it with a fork or spoon. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown a bit and the inside is hot. Cook the peas and plate the meal. Delicious way around leftover lamb.
Ingredients for next week: breakfast
1 two-oz egg
1.5 two-oz eggs
1 felafel patty from March 1, 2017
Scallion garlic
¼ cup blueberries
1.5 oz spinach Frozen or fresh
Tomato puree
Thai hot chile sauce Thai fish sauce
1 oz apple sauce or melon
Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverage
dinner
1 pound mussels
A slice or 2 roast pork
Marinara sauce [made with some of the tomato puree from breakfast]
How this Fasting Diet works: Eat these meals, and only these meals, tomorrow. Read the blog on Wednesday to see what we’ll eat on Thursday. The rest of the week, eat what you like, but sensibly. If you are like me, you will see results.
Tomorrow will be the birthday of a fine man who was my cousin’s ancestor. Not mine, but I would be proud to be his descendant. He was a true embodiment of the American Dream. Coming to America from Scotland with his wife and 6 children in 1849, he eventually built a tanning empire in upstate New York. A model citizen, he was devoted to his wife and said that he ‘owed far more of his success to her than to any one: that in every important transaction, he consulted her, not only as an equal but as his superior.’ As an employer, a community-member, and a family man he seems to be one of those exemplary beacons for us all. The Thanksgiving-inspired breakfast expresses my gratitude for his example. The dinner is a Scottish meal which our family has enjoyed for years. The dinner is a fine meatless dish, which goes with this article about the value of vegetables and fruit: https://www.yahoo.com/news/fruits-vegetables-linked-weight-loss-233030742.html
Turkey/Stuffing Bake: 279 calories 6 g fat 2.5 g fiber 15.6 g protein 38.7 g carbs 217.5 mg Calcium GF- if using GF bread Another in the dinner-for-breakfast series.1 two-oz egg ½ oz turkey breast, cooked or uncooked, diced ¼ slice of 70-calorie whole-grain bread [¼ oz], diced 1 Tbsp onions, diced 1 Tbsp celery, diced rosemary + thyme + sage + salt + pepper ½ tsp olive oil 1 oz pear 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider nearly-black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water.
In a saute pan, cook the onions, seasonings, celery, and turkey [if it is raw] in a little water and a ½ tsp olive oil until vegetables are softened. Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray [NB: this was prepared for 2 servings and was baked in an oval 5×7″ pan] and pour in the turkey mixture. Whisk the egg thoroughly and pour into the ramekin. Bake at 350 until puffed and starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the pear and prepare the beverages. Be thankful for the start of another good day.
Rumbledethumps: 243 calories 10 g fat 4 g fiber 12.6 g protein 19.5 g carbs 171.4 mg Calcium PB GF Where do you get a recipe with a name like that? Sundays At Moosewood, of course. Hearty meals like this, made with winter vegetables are common in Scotland and Ireland. HINT: The recipe makes enough for 2 servings. Wrap half in cling-wrap and foil and freeze for another dinner.
¼ pound potato 3 Tbsp skimmed milk 1.5 tsp butter ¼ tsp ground mace 2 egg whites ¼ pound cauliflower, cut into small florets ¾ cup cabbage, chopped ½ cup leek, sliced ¼ cup broccoli, chopped 1/3 cup cheddar, grated per person: ¾ cup salad greens 1 oz tomato ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp cider vinegar
Cut potato into chunks. Boil until tender and mash with the milk, butter, and mace. Let cool. Steam the cauliflower, cabbage, leek, and broccoli until cooked. Take off the heat. Remove the cauliflower when it is very soft and mash it into the mashed potatoes. Whip the eggwhites until stiff and fold into the potato/cauliflower mash. Taste for salt and pepper. Gently stir in the remaining steamed vegetables. Smooth into a lightly-spritzed baking dish. [choose the dish with the idea that you will be dividing this into 2 equal portions] Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees F. until the cheese is bubbly and just starting to brown. Whisk the oil and vinegar together and toss in the greens. Serve the cool, crispy salad with the hot, creamy rumbledethumps. Scottish comfort food.
How this Fasting Diet works: Eat these meals, and only these meals, tomorrow. Read the blog on Sunday to see what we’ll eat on Monday. The rest of the week, eat what you like, but sensibly. If you are like me, you will see results.
Lent is almost over, are you still Fasting? Do remember, it isn’t just about low calories [aka ‘calorie restriction’], it means low fat, low carbs, and high protein. Here are some meals that fill the bill.
Gravlax & Grannies: 267 calories 3.9 g fat 2.4 g fiber 15.6 g protein 43 g carbs 199 mg Calcium PB GF At the Inn at Saint Peters, we enjoyed their Smoked Trout with Apples. It occurred to me that this could be a fine breakfast for those who enjoy a savory/seafood taste in the a.m. I substituted mackerel gravlax for the smoked trout, just because that was on hand, but the lighter hue of the trout is more attractive. NB: the high carb count for this meal is due to the fruit, so these are high quality, complex carbs.
1 oz mackerel gravlax OR 1 oz smoked trout [DuckTrap brand is very good] 2 oz Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced; each slice cut into 1/2-moons ¼ c blueberries + 2 raspberries for color blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider
Slice the fish with the grain to create thin slices. Arrange the fish and apples in overlapping slices around the plate. HINT: I did this the night before, covered it with clingwrap and put it in the ‘fridge. So quick the next morning!! Brew your hot beverage, blend or shake your smoothie, dish out those healthy blueberries, and breakfast elegantly.
Mediterranean Vegetables w/grains & cheese: 281 calories 7.1 g fat 10.4 g fiber 16.4 g protein 40 g carbs 332 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF couscous or brown rice This is how to use some of the same vegetable mixture which we prepared for breakfast on Monday.HINT: If you have these delicious veggies in the freezer, then you are ahead of the game.
2 cups eggplant, peeled & cubed OR 1 and 1/2 cup bell peppers, cubed 2 cups tomato, cubed 2 cups zucchini, cubed 2 cloves garlic 1.5 tsp oregano ½ cup chickpeas, rised and drained per serving: 1 oz mozzerella, shredded + 1/4 cup brown rice or couscous, cooked
Prepare all the veg., and put them in a saucepan. Simmer, covered, until cooked through. If watery, remove lid and continue to simmer. Add oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and the chickpeas, and keep warm. Prepare the brown rice or couscous and place it on one side of the plate. Spoon 2 cups of the vegetables next to the couscous. Top with cheese and tuck into it! [After cooling, freeze the remaining vegetables in serving sizes.]
Ingredients for next week:breakfast– portions for one
One of the joke gifts you find in any ‘Olde Yankee Country Store’ is a round piece of wood the size of a silver dollar. On it are printed the words, “A Round Tuit.” And the product description touts, “Think of all the things you’ve put off doing until you got around to it. Now they’ll get done!” Have you been putting off starting on a new, healthier eating plan? Now is the time! Today’s foods are round, so you can finally get around to it.
Rounds: 273 calories 4.4 g fat 1.7 g fiber 12 g protein 39.4 g carbs 210 mg Calcium GF – if using GF bread HINT: If you prepare the ham patty** the day [or more] before, you save time in the morning.
1 ham patty ** 1 two-oz egg, poached OR fried 2 oz sliced apple, such as Granny Smith blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider
** Ham patty: 1.5 oz lean ham, minced ¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese, drained 1 egg white [1.5 Tbsp] ¾ oz whole-grain 70-calorie bread sage, salt, pepper
Combine and let sit for about 30 minutes to moisten all ingredients. Portion out using a 2 Tbsp coffee measure. Makes 5 patties. Cook in a medium-hot pan spritzed with oil until firm. Freeze or store in ‘fridge, if using soon.
Poach or fry the egg and warm the ham patty in the microwave. Slice the apple into rounds, rather than wedges. Arrange everything on the plate, heat your hot beverage, shake your smoothie. Shazam – breakfast in no time.
Lamb Patty with Swedish Cucumber Salad: 299 calories 17 g fat 0.5 g fiber 20.8 g protein 12.6 g carbs 68 mg Calcium GF The inspiration for this meal is from Craig Claibourne’s International Cookbook, long a family favorite.
one 4-oz lamb patty, available at markets or make your own using 90% lean lamb 1.5 tsp sugar 1 oz white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp cold water salt + freshly ground pepper + 1/4 tsp dill 1 cup sliced cucumbers
Combine the sugar, vinegar, water, salt, pepper and dill in a 3-cup container. Slice the cucumbers, spread them out on towels and pat dry. Stir the cukes into the liquid, wetting all the slices. Chill for at least one hour. Cook the lamb patty by grilling or baking or pan-frying in a non-stick pan. Season to taste. Plate the lamb with the cucumber salad for an all-around treat.
Ingredients for next week’s menus: breakfast for one portion-
How this Fast DietLifestyle 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.
Many a diner and small restaurant has lured customers with promises of ‘country cooking.’ Many cookbooks have been written about the way people cook in the countryside of France, England, Germany…..you get the point. For my taste, give me good tasting food made from fresh country products. And we can enjoy it on a Fast Day, too. Clean your plate.
Hash and eggs is a classic diner item. But our’s is healthy and delicious with black beans and sweet potato. From Joanne Harris’ cookbook of the French countryside, comes a recipe from the ocean and the fields. Yum! Read more about why we should do intermittent fasting in this article: http://news.yahoo.com/does-intermittent-fasting-benefits-science-suggests-yes-173453757.html
Sweet Potato Black Bean Hash:284 calories 5.6 g fat 7.6 g fiber 43.3 g carbs 278.3 mg Calcium PB GF Long-time friend and fellow bell ringer Jane Winslow inspired this recipe. She’s right: it is very good.
½ c. diced sweet potatoes [You could substitute ½ cup of diced winter squash, which lowers the calories, protein, and carbs] 2 Tbsp yellow onion, diced ¼ red pepper, sliced salt & pepper + ¾ tsp paprika + ¼ tsp cumin ½ cup spinach roughly chopped 3 oz black beans = ½ c. one 2-oz egg blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water NB: no smoothie today
Spritz olive oil in a small cast iron pan on medium heat. Add sweet potatoes, onion, red pepper, seasonings, and a little water. Cook on medium-low for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring. Add spinach and 2 more Tbsp water, and cook for an additional five minutes. Lastly, add the black beans and stir until all ingredients are well-blended. HINT: prep this far the night before. Heat before topping with a poached or fried egg.
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 one of Joanne Harris’ lovely cookbooks. 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 vegetables.
“When the hounds of spring are on winter’s traces…” wrote Swiburne and around mid-March my mother in Pennsylvania would quote it as spring began to make itself known. But here in New Hampshire, the winter often bites back at those pursuing hounds and reasserts itself. No matter what weather you are having, we will soldier on with our healthy eating: the hounds of health are on bad-habit’s traces.
Foo Yung ScrOmelette: 283 calories 8 g fat 2.5 g fiber 18 g protein 38 g carbs 241.4 mg Calcium PB GF Here we take the Cantonese classic and prepare it for breakfast. Filling and nutritious.
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. 2 Tbsp crab meat, canned or frozen or fresh 3/4 tsp soy sauce ¼ c mung bean sprouts ¼ oz mushrooms green parts of one scallion, sliced ¼ tsp ground ginger + splash of hot sauce 1 oz applesauce or pear blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie
The night before, combine the crab, soy, sprouts, mushrooms, ginger and hot sauce in a small bowl. Next morning, spritz a non-stick saute pan with oil or non-stick spray and briefly cook the crab mixture to heat it thoroughly. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour into the pan, scrambling to incorporate the crab mixture. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. [Alternately, cook like pancakes: put half of the egg in the pan, then distribute half of the crab mixture on top. When done on the bottom, turn to cook the top. Repeat with other half of ingredents.] Dish up the fruit, brew your hot beverage, and prep the smoothie. And your fortune cookie says: “You will lose weight.”
Burger Bun Dinner: 280 calories This makes it possible to have a hamburger in a bun and still be Fasting! Think Summer! SORRY, NO PHOTO
one 4-oz bison burger ½ oz mushrooms 1 tsp curried catsup one Martin’s whole wheat slider bun [90 calories] side veg to equal 50 calories: 2 oz boiled or baked beets = 24 calories 2 oz carrots = 23 calories 1/8 cup pickled beets = 19 calories 2 oz broccoli =20 calories 2 oz green beans = 18 calories 1 oz peas = 22 calories
In a cast iron or other heavy, non-stick skillet, put a healthy sprinkle of Kosher salt. Heat the pan over medium-low burner and add the bison burger. Cook 3-5 mins on one side, then the other. Slow cooking is the key to tenderness. When red juices no longer come out, it is done. Remove burger from pan and add the mushrooms to cook briefly. Center the burger on the slider bun, top with mushrooms and catsup. Plate with sides.
Ingredients for next week’s menus: for single portion servings breakfast:
1 two-oz egg
1 two-oz egg
sweet potato or winter squash
I ham patty [see recipe from “Pork & Poultry” Jan 18, 2017] ham, Egg white, low-calorie whole-grain bread, cottage cheese
red bell pepper spinach
NB: if you made the ham patties in January, you are in luck
Tomorrow will be the Vernal Equinox, the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Already we have sap dripping from the maple trees and the smelts will be running in the coastal rivers. Look into your crystal ball and see yourself in warm weather clothes. Keep Fasting to make your Springtime You a healthier person. For inspiration, read this: http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/fasting-the-secret-to-losing-weight.html/?a=viewall
Salsa Chicken Bake: 287 calories 5.6 g fat 2.3 g fiber 17 g protein 34 g carbs 221 mg Calcium GF Salsa for breakfast? Porque no? Do you see the happy face in the photo? Smile!
1 two-oz egg 1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese, drained if too watery 1 Tbsp tomato salsa, slightly drained if too watery dash of salsa verde ½ oz chicken breast meat [from a roast, perhaps] oregano [Mexican if you have it] 2 oz strawberries blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider
Stir the cheese, salsas, and chicken together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the egg and seasonings. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Pour in the egg mixture and bake in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Brew your warm beverage; shake and pour the smoothie, portion those delicious strawberries, and enjoy a zesty start to your day.
Smelts, pan-fried:276 calories 8.8 g fat 4 g fiber 33.3 g protein 14.2 g carb 120.6 mg Calcium PB GF —if using GF bread When Spring is near, the smelts swim up the rivers and into my frying pan!5 oz smelts, cleaned & boned 1 egg white ½ slice 70-cal whole-grain bread, ground to crumbs salt, pepper, thyme 1 tsp olive oil a dab of catsup or relish your choice of sides to total 45-50 calories: 2 oz cooked beets = 24 calories ¼ cup pickled beets = 37 calories 2 oz broccoli = 20 calories 2 oz snow peas =24 calories 2 oz green beans =18 calories
Trim tails and fins from the fish and remove the backbones. Whisk the egg white until frothy. Mix the seasonings with the bread crumbs. Dip the fish in the egg whites, then in the bread crumbs. ‘Pan fry’ in oil in a non-stick skillet until lightly browned and cooked through. Prepare your vegetables and season to taste. Plate it all and enjoy the bounty of Spring. Looks and tastes like a lot of calories, but it isn’t.
