fasting

Mayor of the Palace

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

The Franks originated in the lower Rhine River valley. From the 400s CE, they began to poke and prod at the Northern borders of the Roman Empire. Some of them moved into the Empire, some became soldiers. As the Romans’ power weakened, the Franks pushed harder, taking over northern Gaul by 500 CE. They were a flexible group, adopting some Roman ways and customs, and converting to the new Christian religion. One Roman custom that suited them was that of assigning one person to be in charge of a large household, especially that of the ruler. In latin, this person was the “major domus” [major domo in later times], to the Franks he was the “mayor of the palace”. We might think of this as the “estate manager”, but he was more than that. During times of children inheriting a throne, the Mayor of the Palace would be tutor, advisor, defender, and regent. And so their power grew — the power behind the throne. Pepin, son of Carloman, became a leading noble in Austrasia. By 613, he had enough clout that he and other nobles withdrew their support from their king, and gave it to a neighboring ruler. Ten years later, Pepin was named Mayor of the Palace at Austrasia under the child king, Dagobert I. He served for 11 years, and then retired. Pepin’s daughter married the son of the Bishop of Metz, starting a noble dynasty. After Dagobert’s death, Pepin returned as Mayor of the Palace in 639, and no doubt people were glad. He was appreciated as a good ruler who wisely negotiated inheritance disputes, kept the clergy honest, and treated people fairly. He died on February 27, 640, and was so venerated that he was called a saint [although not officially]. Pepin’s feast day is February 21. His grandson became Pepin of Herestal, founder of Carolingian line of kings, and ancestor of Charlemagne.

The Franks grew leeks and cabbages. Like all Northerners, they would have smoked fish to preserve it. They enjoyed chicken and wine, which they learned from the Romans. Many meals, such as Spumeum, were borrowed directly from the Empire. Our meals incorporate those elements.

Leek & Smoked Salmon ScrOmelette: 149 calories… 8.6 g fat… 0.7 g fiber… 11 g protein… 7 g carbs… 57 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF This classic flavor combination makes for a superb breakfast.

++ 1½ two-ounce eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ ½ oz smoked salmon ++++ ¾ oz leeks, sliced thinly ++++ dill ++++ salt + pepper ++++ 1 oz applesauce or apple OR blueberries ++++  Optional: 1 tsp light sour cream per serving [adds 4 calories] ++++ 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 hot saute pan with non-stick spray and stir in the leeks, salmon, and dill to soften the leeks and warm the salmon. Whisk the eggs with salt + pepper, then pour into the pan and scramble to your taste or prepare as an omelette. Pour the beverages and dish the applesauce. Meals like this make Fasting easy.

Spumeum: 285 calories…4 g fat…4.6 g fiber…26 g protein…45.5 g carbs…60.5 mg Calcium PB GF– if using GF bread or omitting  A dish that was popular at the court of the Merovingians, this originated with the Romans – as you might guess from the name, which comes from the latin word for ‘foamy’. The idea for this meal, and the suggested ingredients, are from medievalists.net.

Oops! Forgot to put the bread in the bowl!

++ 3 oz ground chicken thigh meat ++++ 1 tsp honey ++++ 2 Tbsp/1 fl oz white wine ++++ 2 Tbsp/1 fl oz egg white ++++ 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour ++++ 2 oz cabbage, shredded ++++ herb savory ++++ 0.8 oz whole-grain artisan bread ++  optional: Thai fish sauce

Start by putting the cabbage in a little water over low heat to cook. Stir the honey and wine into the meat, along with 1 Tbsp flour. Put a saute pan with salted water on the stove to heat. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold in 1 Tbsp flour. Fold the whites into the meat mixture, season with salt and herb savory. When the water is simmering, place two oval mounds of the meat ‘mousse’ into the water. Cover and poach until the meat is cooked through. By now the cabbage will be soft, so take it off heat and salt it. Plate the Spumeum, surrounded by cabbage. Dust with more savory. If you wish, add a dash of Thai fish sauce – which is identical to the Roman’s favorite seasoning called garum.

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

1 two-oz egg = US largewhole-grain pita bread + olive oil
apple or strawberries + Parmesan cheesesalad greens or fresh spinach
70-calorie whole grain breadanchovy + red wine vinegar
1/2 & 1/2 or blend creamchickpeas + smoked herring
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

4 oz salmondried tortellini — cheese or spinach
Parmesan cheesegarlic + tomato + lemon juice
cherry tomatoesBlack/Tuscan kale + olive oil
green beans or sugar snap peasParmesan cheese + red pepper flakes
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Charles Le Brun

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

Charles Le Brun was born on February 24, 1619, and greatness ensued. His father, a successful sculpture, put him in art school at an early age and when he was 11, his talent earned him a spot in the studio of Simon Vouet, Painter to the King. At age 15, Charles’ work caught the eye of Cardinal Richelieu who sent him to Rome to study. When Le Brun returned, he received commissions from the most influential men of the time. Le Brun helped to found the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, and the Academy of France at Rome. In 1662, the French Crown took over the tapestry factory of Gobelins, and Le Brun was installed as Director. Under his leadership, not only tapestries but furniture, upholstery fabric, and decorative items were designed and made for use at the Palace of Versailles. His artistic vision defined the French Baroque through the Louis XIV Style. The king was so impressed by Le Brun that he hailed him a the foremost painter in France. The artist, who preferred large historical paintings that told a story, covered the walls of the palace with classical scenes, but his portraits and altarpieces show his talent as well. When his greatest champion at the court, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, died, Le Brun’s star faded. He became depressed and left the court. He died at the Gobelins factory in 1690. Single-handedly, Le Brun’s work embodied the elegance and grandeur of the French Royal Court. No one could have done it better.

Our breakfast is kingly in its use of pate or foil gras, and the oranges could have come from King Louis’ own orange grove. The dinner is very French, from the waters of the West Coast.

Saint Denis Bake: 121 calories… 3.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 10 g protein… 7.4 g carbs… 46 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF James Beard provided the recipe, the famous church north of Paris provided the name. Sumptious.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 Tbsp scallion or leek, chopped ++++ ¼ oz mushroom, chopped ++++ ½ clove garlic, chopped ++++ ¼ oz 3% fat ham, chopped ++++ ¼ oz chicken liver pate ++++ 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped ++++ 1 oz orange slices OR 2 oz strawberries ++++  Optional: blackish coffee[53 calories] or blackish tea or  mocha cafe au lait  [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Put the chopped vegetables and ham into a non-stick pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray or oil. Stir-fry over medium heat until the scallion and garlic are limp and the mushroom liquid has evaporated. Cool a bit, then stir in the liver pate and the parsley. Whisk the egg with the cooked mixture, add salt and pepper, and scrape into an oven-safe dish or ramekin which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the berries and have a royal breakfast.

Mackerel Stuffed with Leeks: 285 calories… 16 g fat… 1.6 g fiber… 22 g protein… 9 g carbs… 46.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF This is from Joanne Harris & Fran Warde’s delightful French Market. If you are lucky enough to get fresh mackerel, this one’s for you.

++ Two 2-oz mackerel fillets to total 4 oz per serving ++++ salt & pepper ++++ 2 tsp grainy mustard, like ‘country Dijon’ ++++ oregano ++++ ¾ ounce sliced leeks ++++ 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 and plate the other vegetables. What a lovely meal!

End of an Empire

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

Hülegü locks the Calif in a cell filled with gold.

For 500 years, the Abbasid Caliphate had been living the good life. Initially, the Persians were followers of Zoroaster, and they were part of many empires – from the Greeks to the Parthians. In 651 CE, Persia came under the influence of Muslim Arabs. Their capital at Bagdad, founded in 762 CE, saw a flowering of intellect, attracting scholars, poets, artists, astronomers, and the top medical minds of the era. There were some periods of instability as various strong men vied for rule, but on the whole the Abbasid Caliphate preside over the Golden Age of Islam. Meanwhile, far to the East, the Mongols were riding rough-shod over the landscape. Literally. Hülegü, grandson of Ghengis Khan, had been assigned to invade the Persian Empire. So he did. In January of 1258, his army besieged Bagdad. There had been an exchange of letters previously, Hülegü threatening to sack the city if they did not surrender [“I will not leave a single person alive in your country, I will turn your city, lands and empire into flames.”], and the Calif al-Musta’sim thinking it was just trash talk. On February 10, the Mongol horde took the city. A few days later, the sacking began. Some estimates say that 2 million citizens were killed, but Hülegü admitted to only 200,000. The Mongols went on to threaten Eastern Europe while Bagdad rebuilt. Today it is the capital of Iran. Time to reread Oyzamandius by Shelley.

Our breakfast is based on favorite Persian flavors. Our dinner would have been favored by the conquering Mongols.

Jeweled Rice: 228 calories… 4.2 g fat… 0.3 g fiber… 6 g protein… 39.3 g carbs… 8 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  Ancient Persians adored rice, and nuts grew abundantly on the hillsides. Let’s combine them for breakfast a Persian would love. The glistening honey-coated nuts give this meal its name and its flavor.

++ ½ c cooked brown rice ++++ 1 oz nut-honey mix, such as Buram brand ++++  Optional: blackish coffee  [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Take the rice off the hob or warm it, if pre-cooked. Warm the nut-honey mix, and stir to blend with the rice. Prepare hot beverage of choice and be transported back to Islam’s Golden Age.

Cod for the Khan: 223 calories… 2.4 g fat… 6 g fiber… 24.6 g protein… 28 g carbs… 176 mg Calcium…  PB GF This meal is based on ingredients from a Mongol Carp Soup. Instead of boiling, the fish is pan-cooked and it tastes good.

Marinated Cod: ++ 4 oz cod fillet ++++ ¼ tsp brown pepper, ground ++++ ¼ tsp coriander seed, ground ++++ 1½ tsp onion, chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp Chinese wine or sherry ++ >>>> Stir together the spices, onion, and wine in a glass pie plate. Marinate the cod, turning often, for 30-60 minutes.

The Dinner: ++ marinated cod ++++ 1 cup foraged greens: dandelion leaves, chickweed, chives, sheep-sorrel, spinach ++++ ¼ cup onion, chopped ++++ ¼ cup brown rice, cooked ++++ 1 Tbsp chives, chopped ++++ splash of vinegar ++ >>>> Spray a small cast iron pan with cooking spray and add the cod. Cook over medium for 4 minutes, turning to heat both sides. Pour in the marinade, cover, turn down heat and cook for 6-7 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillet. Chop the greens roughly. Put onion in a small pan with ¼ cup water and simmer until transluscent. Add the greens, turn down heat, cover, and simmer to wilt the greens. Heat the cooked rice and stir in chives. Test fish to see if it ‘flakes’ [when a fork is brushed over the side of the fish, the meat comes off in flakes]. Salt to taste and add a splash of vinegar. Plate the fish with the rice and greens, pouring extra pan juices over the fish and rice.  Don’t get delusions of ruling the world.

Chopsticks

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

In the early 1970s, Dear Husband and I were dining in a Chinese restaurant. A near-by diner asked, “Did you learn to use chopsticks while serving in Vietnam?” Well, Dear Husband had never been to Vietnam [high Draft Number], so he said “No.” The man kept pressing the question for some reason, which was a touchy one in that time, so we ignored him. In fact, Dear Husband learned to use chop-sticks when dining in New York’s Chinatown. The ability to eat with sticks seems to say something salient about the diner. Chopsticks [ kuàizi, 筷子, in Chinese] are an ancient utensil. They were probably used in China 5000 years ago. There are two origin stories. In one, cooks began to cut meat and vegetables in small pieces. These cooked faster and made table knives unnecessary, so chopsticks were used. In the other, Confucius, a vegetarian, discouraged knives at meals since they were used in violence against humans and animals. Take your pick. From China, the use of chopsticks spread to Japan, Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam. Each country has its own style of chopsticks and its own rules on how to use them. Chopsticks are also used to prepare food, from stirring a soup to moving around a stir-fry. Did you know that using them is good for your memory, and it involves more than 50 muscles? Chopsticks have been made of bamboo, various other woods, jade, and silver. It is fun to learn a new skill and to get in touch with another culture — try it.

Lore: A Chinese superstition has it that if you find an uneven pair of chopsticks at your table, you will miss the next boat, train or plane that you are trying to catch. In Japan, if a husband or father went to war and the family members miss him, they would bring out his chopsticks when they eat. An old Korean superstition has it that the closer to the tip one holds a pair of chopsticks, the longer they will remain unmarried.

Our meals are from Japan and China, so both can be eaten with chopsticks, although the breakfast — being a long roll — would benefit from being cut into smaller pieces. Not sure about your chopstick skills? Watch the tutorial — improve your small motor skills and celebrate Chopsticks Day, 2025.

Jian Bang  [Japanese Rolled Eggs]: 149 calories… 8.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 13 g protein… 6 g carbs… 72.6 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF Number One Son prepared these for us as part of a larger Japanese breakfast, and they are amazing. I added the crab and leek to make a good thing even better. Yup, guilding the lily.

++ 1½ two-ounce eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week ++++  2 Tbsp crab meat, frozen or fresh ++++ 2 Tbsp leek, finely sliced ++++ ½ Tbsp soy sauce ++++ ¼ tsp sugar ++++ 1 oz peach OR 1½ oz strawberries ++++ 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 non-stick pan with non-stick spray. Cook the crab and leek until you can smell the leek, but don’t brown it. Remove from pan. Beat the egg with sugar, and divide into 2 parts. Spritz the pan again and reheat. Put half of the egg in the pan and swirl/tip the pan to spread it out into a rough round. Distribute the crab and leek all over the egg. When top of egg is set enough that it is still moist but won’t jiggle much, roll the egg into a roll from one side of the pan to the other and leave it there. Pour the remaining egg in the pan and cook until almost set. Roll the roll across the pan again to incorporate the newly-cooked egg. Plate and serve with soy sauce. Prepare the beverages and fruit and enjoy your meal from Japan.

Liver with Oyster Sauce: 272 calories… 12 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 26 g protein… 12.5 g carbs… 55.3 mg Calcium… GF From our first ‘real’ Chinese cookbook, Classical Chinese Cooking, which taught me to love liver with oyster sauce.  HINT: The full recipe serves three [3]. “Serve in a casserole dish to emphasize its deliberate and savory coarseness,” says the cookbook.

serves 3 ¾# beef or pork liver++++ 1 tsp soy sauce++++3 Tbsp oyster sauce ++++1 Tbsp sesame oil ++++ ½ tsp sugar serves 2 ½# beef or pork liver++++ 1 tsp soy sauce ++++ 1½ Tbsp oyster sauce ++++2 tsp sesame oil ++pinch sugarCut liver into large chunks. Combine other ingredients, add liver, marinate 2-3 hours. Drain meat, reserving marinade.
3 oz Snow peas per person 4 oz Snow peas=48 calories –OR– 1 serving Chinese CabbageBlanch in boiling water 1½ mins, drain, keep warm. OR Chinese Cabbage* [see below]
1 spring onion, sliced +++++++ 2 slices ginger, chopped ++++ 2 tsp neutral oil1 scallion, sliced++++++ 2 slice ginger, chopped ++++ 1 tsp oilHeat oil in wok or heavy skillet, adding a spritz of cooking spray as well. Saute these 1 min.
Marinated liverAdd liver to pan, saute 1 min. 
marinade +++++++++++++ snow peas OR Chinese Cabbage ++Add marinade, stir, and cook less than 3 mins, until liver is cooked and sauce is bubbling. Take off heat, top with snow peas OR serve with Chinese Cabbage*.

*CHINESE CABBAGE Each serving = 35 calories … 0.1 g fat… 2 g fiber… 2.7 g protein… 7.5 g carbs… 56 mg Calcium

Serves 2
Non-stick spray +++++ 1 clove garlic, sliced Spray a heavy pan, cook garlic over medium 30 secs.
½# cabbage, shredded/thinly-sliced ++++2 Tbsp water Stir in these. Cover and cook 1 min.
1½ tsp soy sauce Add, cover and cook 1 min.
1½ tsp fish sauce ++++  2 Tbsp waterTurn up heat, add these. Cook, uncovered, until cabbage is tender and liquids have evaporated

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

1/2 cup cooked brown ricesmelts or other small fish
1 oz nut-honey mix, such as Buram brandza’atar + deglet noor dates
Gozleme bread: white whole wheat flour
+ plain nonfat yogurt
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

4 oz cod fillet + brown pepper olive oil + onion + bell pepper
coriander seed + Chinese wine or sherryspinach + eggplant + tomato + cumin
brown rice + onionpaprika + oregano + 1-2 eggs
dandelion or other wild greensfeta cheese + celery
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Buddy Holly

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

What was the day the music died? February 3, 1959. That was the night that a small airplane took off in a snow storm and crashed in Iowa. On board were the original ‘Rock Stars’ — the pioneers of Rock ‘n’ Roll — Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper [aka: Jiles Perry Richardson Jr.], and Ritchie Valens. The best known of the group was Buddy Holly, born Charles Hardin Holley [sic] in Lubbock, Texas in 1936. His family were all musical, and his older brother, who called him ‘Buddy’, taught him to play guitar. Holley formed performing groups when he was still a child, but after he saw Elvis on stage, Holley knew that he wanted be a professional singer, too. In high school, he was a regular on a local radio show. At age 19, he bought the Fender Stratocaster guitar which became his trademark. Holley signed a recording contract, but he wanted more creative control. Incidentally, it was Decca Records that misspelled his last name, making him forever after “Buddy Holly”. Holly struck out for New Mexico, where he worked with an independent recording studio, and there he really hit his stride. He performed with a group called the Crickets [the name “Beatles” was derived from that], cutting their first hit “That’ll Be the Day” in 1957, followed by “Peggy Sue“. The group adopted a ‘preppy’ clothing style, and Holly established the composition of a Rock ‘n’ Roll band: lead guitar, drums, rhythm guitar and bass guitar. Appearances on Ed Sullivan and American Bandstand lead to international tours. It was a whirl-wind life for the young man: touring, marriage, song writing, touring, solo albums, recording, more touring, producing. Holly separated from the Crickets and in 1959, he formed a new group. They were part of the hectic tour that lead up to the plane crash, though none of the three new band-mates was on the plane with Holly. Contrary to Don McLean‘s song, the music didn’t really die in the accident: Buddy Holly influenced John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Kieth Richards, Bruce Springsteen, and Elvis Costello — an astounding legacy.

Our breakfast, made with New Mexico green chilis, is a nod to Clovis, New Mexico, where Holly did a lot of his recordings. Our dinner is a meal that Holly and his fellow musicians might have eaten at a diner on a break from their long rides on the tour bus.

Green Chili Scramble: 137 calories… 7 g fat… 1 g fiber… 11 g protein… 10 g carbs… 59 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Ever since his grad school days in New Mexico, Son v.2.0 urges us to put roasted green chilis in everything. The taste with eggs is classic.

++ Three 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1½ 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. ++++ 1½ Tbsp roasted green chilis from New Mexico ++++ 1½ oz navel orange OR 1½ oz apple ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or  berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Whisk the eggs with the chilies along with salt & pepper to taste. Scramble to your taste in a non-stick-pan spritzed with cooking spray. Plate with the fruit and dream of the New Mexico landscape.

Tuna Melt: 300 calories…  18.5 g fat… 3 g fiber… 33 g protein… 24.6 g carbs… 300.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using gf bread For a quick, comforting meal, you can’t beat tuna melt.



+++1 slice 70-calorie multi-grain bread  [ex: Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread] ++++ ½ a 5-oz can of water-pack tuna, drained ++++ 1 Tbsp onion, finely chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp celery, finely chopped ++++ 1 pinch celery seed ++++ salt ++++ pepper ++++ 1½ Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese OR BECHAMEL ++++ 1 slice Swiss cheese, the deli kind ++++ ½ cup romaine lettuce, shredded ++++ 1 oz tomato, cubed ++++ ½ tsp lemon juice ++++ ½ tsp olive oil ++


Combine the tuna, onion, celery, celery seed, and mayo as you would for tuna salad. Toast the bread. Spread the tuna mixture over the bread and top it with the cheese. Toast or broil until cheese is melting. In a wide bowl, whisk the oil and lemon juice. Toss the lettuce and tomato with the dressing and relax while you dine.

Croissants

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

When in Portland, Maine, we always buy croissants like this at Standard Baking Company.

The croissant is practically synonymous with eating in France. Of course, they are made around the world now, from supermarkets to premium bakeries. What is the origin of these tasty, toasty, flakey pastries? In the 13th century, there was a yeasted, crescent-shaped bread called kipferl [crescent] that was popular in Austria. Legend has it that while the Ottoman Turks were besieging Vienna in 1683, bakers, at work in the predawn, heard digging and thus thwarted an attack on the city walls. For their assistance, the bakers were granted the right to bake their rolls in a crescent shape [the crescent is the sign on the religion of Islam]. Probably apocryphal, since the crescentic rolls predate that. Stories abound concerning how the kipferl came to France. Did Marie Antoinette import them from her homeland? Did Viennese bakers, striking for higher wages, move to Paris? No, and no. In the early 1800s, a baker named August Zang set up shop in Paris. At his ‘Boulangerie Viennoise’, he sold the pastries of his home city, including a flakier version of the original kipferl, made with brioche dough. The locals enjoyed ordering those ‘croissants’ [crescents], as they dubbed them, and the tradition began. A century later, Sylvain Claudius Goy recorded the recipe that made the croissant what it is today — laminated puff pastry layers that melt in your mouth and make an excellent vehicle for Brie or fruit jam. oh. Sorry….I’m supposed to be promoting FASTING. But with the Fasting Lifestyle, you can eat croissants on Slow Days. BTW, the pastries with chocolate inside are not ‘chocolate croissants’ — they are chocolotines or pains au chocolate, depending on where you are in France. And the general word in France for edibles of this sort is ‘Viennoiserie’, just so you know. FYI: In the King Arthur Cook Book, there are two different methods for making the dough these days: Croissants de Boulonger [with yeast and fewer laminations] and Croissant de Patissier [full-on puff pastry].

January 30, 2025 is International Croissant Day. One might not think it possible to eat croissants on a Fast Day, but here are some menus to do just that. In both meals, they are paired with figs — very French. I’m not sure that I would eat both of these meals on the same day, due to their low fiber and protein, but you can decide.

Croissant & Fig: 186 calories… 8 g fat… 2 g fiber… 5 g protein… 23.5 g carbs… 37.5 mg Calcuim… PB  Who would have thought that one could even think of a croissant on a Fast Day?!? How ’bout half a croissant with some figs enrobed in dried ham? Ooh-la-la! That is a good breakfast! Dear Husband loved the fig-ham combo.  HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] people.

++ 1 plain croissant weighing 2.5 oz ++++ 4 fresh figs or 4 dried Turkish figs [total weight = 2 oz/80 g] ++++ 0.7 oz Prosciutto ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

Hours before: soak dried figs in water until they are soft. [Not necessary if you have fresh figs.] Gently heat the croissant. Slice the Prosciutto into four lengthwise strips and wrap them around the figs. Cut the warm croissant in half cross-ways. Distribute the food between the two plates, and enjoy with a hot beverage.

Goat Cheese with Figs: 287 calories… 20.6 g fat… 2 g fiber… 18.5 g protein… 25 g carbs… 57.5 mg Calcium…  PB Joanne Harris, in her French Market cookbook, offers this as a salad. But we saw it as a Summer dinner and we were very pleased with it. Easy to prepare – as long as you can find fresh figs.

++ 3 fresh figs, each ~½ ounce ++++ ½ oz Bayonne or Serrano ham ++++ 1 oz chevre cheese, a creamy type ++++ 4 fresh mint leaves ++++ salt & pepper ++++ ½ plain croissant

Cut the stems from the figs. Cut down into the fig, from top to almost-the-bottom. Make another cut at right angles to the first, so that the fig now is a bud with four petals. Slice the ham into ¼” slices and chop the mint leaves. Cream together the cheese, ham, and mint, along with some flavorful salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 3 equal portions. Open the petals of the figs and spoon the cheese mixture into the center. Warm the croissant and plate it with the figs.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs 1 two-oz egg  + crab meat
apple or orangesoy sauce + ginger
New Mexico roasted green chilisbean or other sprouts
garlic powder + pear + scallions
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Slice 70-calorie multi-grain breadbeef liver + soy sauce
canned tuna + onion + celerysesame oil + sugar + fresh ginger
Reduced-fat mayonnaise or Bechamel saucecanola oil + oyster sauce
Swiss cheese + side salad + tomatosnow peas OR cabbage-garlic-soy sauce-fish sauce
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Viollet-Le-Duc

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

By Xabi Mendoza, in homage of Le-Duc

Notre-Dame de Paris was in ruins, and decisions had to be made. Should the old cathedral be torn down? This was not April, 2019, when the church went up in flames. This was 1842. Notre Dame then was not in good shape since its building 682 years before. Worse, the angry citizens really trashed the place during the French Revolution. But now it was the age of Romanticism, when old things were of value and people, influenced by Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame [in French, Notre-Dame de Paris] had a new interest in preserving the church. Enter Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. He was born in Paris on January 27, 1814, into a family of architects. From his youth, Eugène was interested in how buildings were put together. He learned from architects, from builders, from traveling the country to visit historic places, from sojourning in Italy. When he was only 28 years old, Viollet-Le-Duc and colleague Jean-Baptiste Lassus were given the chance to rescue Notre-Dame. Having restored another church, Le-Duc had an idea of how to proceed, which was handy since Lassus died soon afterward. Le-Duc’s idea of restoration was not to put a structure back the way it was before. He wrote: “To restore a building is not to preserve it, to repair, or rebuild it; it is to reinstate it in a condition of completeness which could never have existed at any given time.” In other words, make it the way Le-Duc, an ardent medievalist, thought that it ought to be. He added windows and ornamentation. Most famously, he created the spire over the transept and the Chimerae on the roof. Through several changes in national government, Le-Duc continued to find favor and work ‘restoring’ buildings. In addition to Notre-Dame, he worked on nine other churches, two town halls, six castles, and the walls of Carcassonne. Le-Duc’s work and writings influenced generations of architects and artists. He died in 1879.

Our meals are from France [of course], with breakfast from Western France, and dinner from the South near Carcassonne.

Pissenlit ScrOmelette: 142 calories… 8 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 12 g protein… 4.6 g carbs… 121 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Susan Loomis found this recipe in the Dorgogne Region of France, and included it in her French Farmhouse Cook Book. If you like slightly bitter greens, you’ll enjoy this.  HINT: This recipe is for 2 [two] servings. Use the rest, wrapped in a crepe or galette for lunch tomorrow.

++ 3 two-oz eggs ++++ 1 Tbsp water ++++ 1.4 oz/ 40 g/ 2 cups dandelion leaves, trimmed and washed ++++ ½ tsp garlic, minced ++++ 1 slice/0.7 oz uncured bacon ++++  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] ++

First collect your dandelion leaves, which I did the day before. Cut the leaves off just below the ground surface.  TIP: You could just purchase the leaves. Trim off any dead leaves and roots. Put the leaves in a large bowl of cold water and agitate the water to remove any soil. TIP: You can do this the day before.

Dice the bacon and mince the garlic. Heat a saute pan to medium, and cook the bacon for 4 minutes: it will be almost cooked, but not crisp. There should be only a little fat in the pan – pour off any extra. Add the garlic and continue to cook 1½ minutes: the garlic should not be browned. Take the dandelions out of the water and give them a brief shake before adding them to the saute pan. Cook 4 minutes, stirring now and again, until leaves are wilted. Whisk the eggs with the water, plus some salt and pepper. Pour over the dandelions and rearrange them if they are not evenly distributed. As the eggs set, lift one side of the omelette and let the liquid egg run underneath to cook. Put a lid on the pan and cook for two minutes more. Fold and plate the omelette.

Camargue Bowl:  288 calories… 4 g fat… 10 g fiber… 23.5 g protein… 29 g carbs… 98.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF This meal is all about the flavors and products of the central Mediterranean coast of France, the Rhone Delta: vegetables from the sunny gardens, garbanzo beans [introduced by the Berbers], shrimp from the shallows, and Camargue rice from the marshes. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] and it is worth making the whole thing.

++ 1½ cups Mediterranean Vegetables, without chickpeas ++++ 1 cup chickpeas ++++ 4.5 oz shrimp, shelled, tails removed, cut in ½” pieces if large ++++ ½ cup cooked red Camargue rice ++

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, if canned. Gently heat the Vegetables and chickpeas until warm. Place the shrimp on top. Cover the pan and heat further until the shrimp are cooked, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice and heat through. Heap the servings into bowls and love it.

George Fox

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

George Fox was a Dissenter. After the Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1500s, they took a dim view of all who did not toe their religious line. Thus the Puritans and other groups were called Dissenters. Fox grew up in a community of Puritans in Leicester-shire, England, where his father was a prosperous weaver. From a young age, George was religious and serious. He was sent to work as a shepherd, and he enjoyed the quiet and simplicity of that life. By his late teens, George was annoyed by people who lived in wealth, far from his idea of a Christ-like life. Over the next few years, his ideas coalesced around worship without clergy, where each participant was free to hear the voice of God for him/herself. In 1652, while on Pendle Hill in Lancashire, Fox had a vision of a huge crowd of people who thought as he did, so he set out to find them. He became an itinerant preacher and gathered a group of believers who were willing to go out to preach also. Fox was an accomplished and convincing speaker, and he inspired many to join him, despite the fact that vocal Dissenters could be imprisoned or beaten due to their beliefs. He and his wife, the widow Margaret Fell, were often in jail. Nonetheless, The ideas of the Society of Friends [nicknamed ‘Quakers’] spread far and wide, many members going to the New World for religious freedom. Fox decided to visit them and he traveled extensively — Barbados, Jamaica, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania. He conversed with the powerful [Thomas Cromwell], the influential [William Penn], and the ignored [American natives], yet remained humble and true to his convictions. George Fox died on January 13, 1691, and was buried at Quaker Gardens, Islington, UK.

Our breakfast is from northern England, home of George Fox. The dinner is from Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love, founded by Quakers and influenced by them for hundreds of years.

Kipper Bake: 138 calories… 7.5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 11 g protein… 5.4 g carbs… 90.4 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PG GF  Kippers and eggs are a classic combination for breakfast, and here they are in an easy bake.

One 2-oz egg ++++ ½ oz kippered herring ++++ ¼ tsp dry mustard, such as Colman’s ++++ 1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese ++++ 1 oz apple ++++ Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] 

The night before: soak the kippered herring in warm water for 1-2 hours. Remove from water, rinse, and flake or chop finely.  In the morning: Spritz a ramekin or other oven-safe dish with non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Whisk everything, except apple, together and pour into the baking dish and bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit and have a fine day.

Philly Cheesesteak en Casserole: 264 calories… 11 g fat… 1 g fiber… 33.7 g protein… 11 g carbs… 263 mg Calcium…  GF The iconic street food of Philadelphia has been made over for Fast Day. By the way, provolone is the original cheese for this dish – NOT Cheeze-Whiz.

+++ 2½ oz rare roast beef, shaved ++++ 0.8 oz Provolene cheese ++++ 1 oz onions, sliced ++++ 1½ oz broccoli florets ++++ 1 slice 70-80-calorie whole-grain bread [Martins’ is the best] +++

In a small skillet sprayed with non-stick spray, cook the onions in a little water until they are limp but not browned and set them aside. Take a slice of Martin’s potato bread and cut out a bell shape using a 3-4” cookie cutter. Lightly toast the bread. Add the beef to the pan and cook the meat while chopping at it with a metal turner. Add the onions when the beef is grey-colored and soft. Boil/steam the broccoli while the meat cooks. Lay the cheese over the meat and take the pan off the heat. The cheese will melt onto the beef. Make room in the pan for the broccoli and top with the bread bell. Enjoy your taste of Philadelphia while you hum the theme to Rocky.

Fort Sumter

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

Fort Sumter, December 1860. NPS photo.

Fort Sumter is on an island in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, USA. It was built after the War of 1812, to strengthen the defense of the harbor, since the town of Charleston had been a key site in the War of Independence in the 1770s. It was named after Thomas Sumter, an heroic fighter in the Revolution. But as the 1800s advanced, independence of other sorts came into question: many in the US wanted independence for the many enslaved people of the American South, and the slave owners of the South wanted the independence to do live as they pleased. As the fort neared completion in the late 1850s, the separatists in South Carolina told the US President Buchanan to remove the troops from the fort, and from nearby Fort Moultrie. He refused, and the fort was besieged. The soldiers there held out from December into January, but supplies were running low. A ship was sent from New York, with soldiers, ammunition, and food, but on January 9, 1861, as it neared the fort, it was fired upon. The ship retreated. In early April, the new President Lincoln told the South Carolinians that he would resupply the fort. The South Carolinians said that would be a declaration of war. The South began a bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12, and on April 13, the 80 soldiers on the island struck their flag, and left the fort. The American Civil War had begun.

Thomas Sumter’s name was surely based on the word ‘sumpter’. The word originally meant a pack animal, but it became an occupation. Sumpters operated traveling grocery stores around the nation during peacetime, and during wars, they often sold food and sundries to soldiers. A popular item that a sumpter would sell to soldiers was an egg — at exorbitant prices. Eggs are more available to most of us, so we will have them for breakfast. Much better for us than the local Charleston favorite — Krispy Kreme doughnuts! The dinner is made with two popular food items of the Carolinas: ham and sweet potatoes.

Egg-Salad Toast: 167 calories… 8 g fat… 4.5 g fiber… 12 g protein… 22 g carbs… 101 mg Calcium…  PB Toast ‘n’ Egg for breakfast takes a new twist. If you must grab-and-go, this is a good choice. 

1 slice whole-grain bread [70 calories, 3 g fiber] ++++ one hardboiled 2-oz egg ++++ yellow Sriracha, ad lib ++++ 1 Tbsp reduced-fat ricotta -OR- reduced-fat cottage cheese ++++ 1 oz sliced tomato OR halved cherry tomatoes ++++ 2 oz strawberries -OR- 1 oz blueberries ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Slice the tomato and salt it to develop flavor. Shell the egg and mash it with a fork on a plate. Squirt some Sriracha on it, add the ricotta, and continue to mash and squirt until you get the consistancy you like. Add salt and pepper and herbs to taste. Lightly toast the bread and spread with the egg salad. Top with the tomato and plate with the fruit. Wholesome and hearty.

Ham Dinner: 297 calories… 8 g fat… 6 g fiber… 19 g protein… 40 g carbs… 41.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF This is a classic Easter Dinner in many homes, as well as being a popular diner order. From the succotash to the sweetened sweet potato to the pineapple garnish, this meal is a classic.

++ 3 oz ham, sliced 3/8” thick ++++ ¼ c. lima beans ++++ ¼ c corn kernels ++++ 1 oz sweet potato ++++ 1 tsp brown sugar ++++ ¼ c canned pineapple ++

Cube the sweet potato and simmer in a small pan until tender, ~10 mins. Heat the ham slice in a non-stick pan over medium, until ham begins to brown. Heat the vegetables together. When the ham is cooked and the sweet potato is tender, plate the ham and drain the potato. Put the potato in the ham’s pan, along with a bit of the potato water. Stir to incorporate the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Then stir in the brown sugar until the potato is covered with the sugar. Plate everything, putting a pinch of salt on the vegetables. Place the pinapple chunks on the ham and tuck into an all-American meal.

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

1 two-oz egg = US largeuncooked brown rice
kippered herringfat free milk
dry mustard powder + appledry, sweetened coconut flakes
reduced-fat ricotta
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

shaved rare roast beef106-calorie Naan bread + onions
provolone cheeseRogan Josh sauce + zucchini
broccoli + onionstomato + cauliflower
Martin’s potato bread or whole-grain breadIndian curry powder
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Boxing Day

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

It has nothing to do with pugilism, or large corporate stores, or containers made of cardboard or wood — so why is December 26 called “Boxing Day” in the United Kingdom? The term’s origin seems to be a bit of a mystery. There are three suggestions of how the day got its name. 1] In the Middle Ages, churches would gather money all year, designated as ‘alms for the poor’. The donations would be put into the ‘poor box’, and the box would be opened on Christmas Day. The day afterward, the money would be distributed to the needy: the money from the box was given on Boxing Day. 2] In the Victorian Era, servants worked day and night for their employers — including Christmas Day. But the next day was a day off for the workers, and they would go home [most lived in the neighborhood] carrying foods and gifts in a box to give to their family members: there was a box of gifts on Boxing Day. 3] On the day after Christmas, employers would give their employees gifts: a gift in a box on Boxing Day. I can help thinking that the word is a contraction of something else…but I can’t figure our what it was. It is a difficult celebration to export: of the former British possessions, Canada, Australia and New Zealand celebrate it. Boxing Day is an official holiday where it is observed and in modern times it is a day to watch football, get together with friends, and eat Christmas leftovers. And of course, it is in no way related to the Feast of Saint Stephen, which is also on December 26.

Just as Boxing Day is unique to the UK, certain foods are also associated with the UK. We will have two of them to eat on Boxing Day.

Toad in the Hole: 157 calories… 1.4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 9 g protein… 50 g carbs… 28 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. – PB – This whimsically-named meal is of old English origin – Kenneth Graham crossed with Beatrix Potter? It begins with a Yorkshire Pudding batter which you need to prepare in advance. The Yorkshire Pudd recipe is from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook. HINT: make the batter the night before to save time in the morning.

Yorkshire Pudding batter: ++ one 2-oz egg ++++ ½ cup white whole wheat flour ++++ ½ tsp salt ++++ 1 Tbsp high gluten flour ++++ ½ cup fat-free milk ++

Mix all the ingredients together and let the batter stand at room temp for 30-60 minutes or in ‘fridge overnight. You will need ¼ cup of the batter per person. HINT: The remainder can be frozen in 1 cup or ¼ cup batches for future meals. When it is time to use the batter, beat it with a rotary beater until it is frothy.

To prepare the breakfast: ++ 1 chicken breakfast sausage [@ 50 cal/link] ++++ ¼ cup Yorkshire Pudding batter, well beaten [prepare the batter the night before and refrigerate] ++++ 2 oz pear or apple ++++Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Heat the oven/toaster oven to 425F. Cook the sausage, using a bit of water in the bottom of the pan since the sausage will render no fat. Pour out any remaining water from cooking the sausage. Spritz 5 holes of a mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray. Dice the sausage or slice into 20 pieces, and distribute it equally into each muffin hole. Beat the batter until it is foamy, adding crumbled sage. Pour the batter into the pan over the sausage bits. Pop the pan into the oven for 15 minutes. Slice the fruit, prepare optional beverage, and settle down to a quickly-prepared, fun-to-eat meal.

Cold Beef Plate: ..292 calories… 4 g fat… 5 g fiber… 28 g protein… 33 g carbs… 17.6 mg Calcium…  — PB GF —  Here’s a simple meal. Use either meat from a roast or from the deli. Sounds rather French, with the cornichons and Dijon mustard, but rosbif is as English as a Bramley apple.

++ 3 oz cold, sliced beef roast ++++ ½ cup [about 3 oz] pickled beets ++++ 4 small [0.8 oz total] cornichons ++++ 1 tsp Dijon mustard ++++ 1 oz sourdough rye bread ++

Plate to your own aesthetic taste. Do it up right, sit down to enjoy it while listening to music by Elgar.

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

2 two-oz eggs = US largebanana
olive oil + garlic blueberries
mushrooms + frozen spinachplain, fat-free yogurt
milk + flour + feta cheeseorange juice OR crushed rhubarb
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional Earl Grey tea

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

salad greens + fresh parsleyparsnips ++ onion
celery + walnut halves + applecarrot ++++ garlic ++++ sesame oil
hardboiled egg + cooked lambbrown rice ++++ turkey/chicken/pork
Horseradish dressingJapanese curry sauce 
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