gluten free recipes for Fast Diet

Simple. Yummy.

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Simple foods are often the best: easy to prepare yet good to eat. Today we serve some meals which fill the bill. We can have good food and eat it too!  Got a craving for something else?  Eat it tomorrow. With the Fasting Lifestyle it all works to our benefit.

Green Eggs & Ham    295 calories      8.8 fat     15.9 pro      25.1 carb        GFgreen eggs & ham w: apple

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 and 1/2 oz apple or ½ cup berries NB: Northern fruits are more healthy than tropicals. Andrew Weil said so.                                                                                                                                 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 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!”

Beet & Bleu Cheese Salad   288 cal    11 g fat   5.3 g fiber   13.7 g protein       39 g carb  424 mg Calcium    GF  PB     This recipe takes me back to a little restaurant 2 blocks north of Notre Dame in Paris. Dinner at Au Bougnat was a treat and this meal evokes fond memories.Beet & Bleu Cheese Salad

2.5 oz beets, cooked, skinned, sliced or cubed, cooled                                                                            1 and 1/4 oz bleu cheese, cubed or crumbled                                                                                                      1.5 oz tomato, sliced or cubed                                                                                                                             3.5 walnut halves [or use slivered almonds if you don’t eat walnuts]                                                     1 oz white beans, rinsed and drained if using canned                                                                                2.5 c. salad greens                                                                                                                                                    3/4 tsp olive oil + 3/4 tsp balsamic vinegar                                                                                       garnishes: pansy, chive, or nastursum flowers; scallions

Assemble and prep all vegetable ingredients. Whisk oil and vinegar in a wide bowl. Put greens in the bowl and toss. Place in serving bowl and arrange the other ingredients on top. Add a few garnishes. Voila! A beautiful meal.

Street Food

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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.

Whether its hot dogs on Coney Island, soft pretzels with mustard in Philadelphia, or something you’ve never before eaten in Singapore, street food is fun, tasty, and easy to eat.  I present today’s menu as an homage to Fast food which could be street food: in Santa Fe or in Baltimore.

Breakfast Burrito   291 calories    11.9 g. fat   4.7 g fiber   18.7 g. protein    38 g. carbs  79.4 mg Calcium  GF    Inspired by breakfasts enjoyed at the Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque, N.M., this has all the tastes of the Southwest in a filling yet low-calorie meal.breakfast burrito

one 6” corn tortilla, MUST be 65 calories per tortilla                                                                                               one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               1 Tbsp roasted green chiles, available canned under the ‘Hatch’ brand                                              1 Tbsp carne adovada – this is boiled pork shoulder with hot spices. Make a batch and freeze it in small amounts or see if you can find it at a Mexican market.                                            Large pinch oregano, Mexican oregano if you can find it.                                                                   [Hot sauce to taste]                                                                                                                                                    1 tsp cheddar cheese, finely grated                                                                                                                   2 ¼ oz of apple                                                                                                                                                                             5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider.                                                        Black-ish coffee, black-ish tea, lemon in hot water

Whisk the egg with the chiles and carne. Heat a dry, well-seasoned cast iron pan and heat the tortilla until it is warm, soft, and just beginning to brown. Remove to a plate. Scramble the egg to your preference in a spritz of oil on your pan. Put the egg on top of the tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese on the egg and put it all in the toaster oven for about a minute. Douse with hot sauce if you wish, serve with the apple, smoothie, and hot beverage of your choice.

Crab Cakes:   275 cal     7.2 g fat   4.2 g fiber     27 g protein    19.7 g carbs  231 mg Calcium  PB    GF- if using GF bread                  Rock and Jonah crabs abound on the coast of New England and they are grand as crab cakes. This recipe is from Todd English’s Olive’s Table cookbook. Note: this is the full recipe and makes 5 cakes – more than you will eat at one meal. Prepare them all and cook as directed. HINT: This will provide a few future meals.crab cakes w: asparagus

½ pound crab meat                                                                                                                                                 2 T [1 oz] plain nonfat yogurt                                                                                                                           1 tsp Dijon mustard                                                                                                                                               2 Tbsp. chopped green or white onion                                                                                                                 1 T. parsley, minced                                                                                                                                             one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                              1 tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper                                                                                                                                     1 slice fresh 70-cal bread, crumbled                                                                                                                  4 T. flour, for dredging                                                                                                                                            2 tsp oil                                                                                                                                                                       5 oz asparagus                                                                                                                                                          1 tsp low-fat mayonnaise + few drops of lemon juice + pinch each of tumeric and garlic powder [this is your aioli dressing]

Gently combine 1st 8 ingredients in a bowl. Dust a large plate with the flour. Using a 1/3 c. measure as a mold, form the crab cakes and turn them out onto the flour. There should be 5 cakes. Dust the top of the cakes with some of the flour. Heat a non-stick skillet and add 2 tsp olive oil. Handling them carefully, cook the crab cakes until they are beginning to brown on the top and bottom. Cook the asparagus. Put aioli on crab cakes and asparagus.

One Fast Day serving = 1.5 crab cakes. Cool the others, wrap in cling wrap and freeze. Reheat in a toaster oven, since the cakes will have been previously cooked.

Flavorful Plants

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Everything is growing and blooming and looking wonderful outside, so let’s eat some meals made with plants.  Don’t get nervous, this food is full of flavor. The Fasting Lifestyle can be delicious for meat-eaters and plant-eaters alike.

Zucchini Nests w/ Egg   302 calories    8.9 g fat      3.9 g fiber      14.4 g protein     19.2 g carbs         228.7 mg Calcium       PB GF [if using GF bread]                           Found this recipe online [allaboutfitnesssite.wordpress.com], then I changed it to fit our calorie restriction requirements. Note that the egg used for the photo is a pullet egg, which weighs in a 1.5 oz instead of the 2 oz eggs we usually use. If you can find them, pullet eggs can be useful as they give you the egg flavor but with reduced fat and calories. Pullets, as you know, are merely young hens which lay small eggs until they grow up enough to lay larger eggs. HINT: This recipe makes enough for 2 nests which serve 2 people.Zucchini Nests w: Egg

1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                           ¼ cup diced onion                                                                                                                                                  2 tsp fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage, chopped                                                                                                  1 clove garlic, minced or pressed                                                                                                                  large pinch hot pepper flakes or 1 jalepeno, chopped                                                                                  1 c. zuchinni, grated on the coarse side of the box grater                                                                               2 tsp cider vinegar                                                                                                                                                   1 oz roasted red pepper                                                                                                                                parsley, chopped                                                                                                                                              salt and black pepper                                                                                                                                             per person:     1 egg [2-oz or pullet]                                                                                                                                             1/2 slice multi-grain 70-calorie bread                                                                                                     blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                  5 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie

In a non-stick pan, spritz lightly with olive oil or add 1 tsp.   Cook the onions until lightly browned, 4-6 minutes. Add the sage, garlic, and hot pepper and stir for 30 seconds. Add vinegar, zucchini, some black pepper, and ¾ tsp salt. Cover and cook about 6 minutes longer. Add roasted pepper and parsley. Cook 6 minutes longer ‘until zucchini is light brown.’ Mine never looked light brown, but it looked done to me! HINT: Do this part the night before to save time in the morning.

Next morning: Divide cooked vegetables into two heaps [scant ½ cup each].  Put one portion in storage, for another breakfast later in the week.  Put the other portion  in the saute pan and make an indentation in the top to form the nest. Cover and heat for 1 minute. Uncover and break egg into the ‘nest.’ Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then cover and cook on the stove top for 4-5 minutes longer or until the egg is cooked to your liking. Plate with the toast, pour your hot beverage and smoothie. Now that’s something different!

Felafel with Cucumber Raita 256 calories   10.2 g. fat   16 g. protein    33.5 g. carbs PB   GF        SORRY, NO PHOTO AT THIS TIME

5 felafel patties [see Because It’s June! June 1, 2016                                                                                              1 cup raw spinach                                                                                                                                                   1/2 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                       large pinch ground nutmeg                                                                                                                                4 oz plain, non-fat yogurt                                                                                                                                      1 scant cup cucumbers, cubed                                                                                                                                      1 tsp white wine vinegar                                                                                                                                    1 and  ½ tsp fresh mint, chopped or dried dill weed

Thaw out 5 of those felafel patties what we prepared on Sept. 9. Heat them in the toaster oven or in a non-stick pan on the stove. Do not cook them in oil. Cut the spinach into a chiffonade [make a pile of leaves and cut thinly across their width]and put into a bowl. Cube the cucumbers. Stir together the yogurt, vinegar, and dill or mint. Add the cucumber cubes and stir gently to combine. Toss the spinach with the olive oil and nutmeg. Plate it and love it.

Delicious

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Let’s eat some food that is delicious AND good for our health. Why not? You deserve it!

Ratatouille Omelette 285 calories 9.4 g fat 2.8 g fiber 18.8 g protein 31 g carbs 297 mg Calcium PB GF, if using GF bread or no bread  [sorry, no photo yet. check later]

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 cup Mediterranean Vegetables, drained + chopped                                                                              1/4 oz mozzerella cheese, grated                                                                                                                               ¼ slice multi-grain 70-calorie bread                                                                                                                      blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                      5 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Whisk the eggs and pour into a medium-hot non-stick skillet with a spritz of oil.  When the bottom of the eggs begins to set, distribute the vegetables and cheese over half the eggs.  Fold and continue cooking to desired

Red Beans & Rice    per serving:  280 calories    1.2 g. fat  9.2 g fiber   11.4 g. protein     59.6 g. carb    142.8 mg Calcium   PB GF   This is the old classic recipe, long touted as containing the ‘perfect protein’. We used to think it would be bland, but it isn’t!  Yeah, you’re right, the carbs are way over the top, but these are complex carbs so that’s good.  HINT: This is enough for 4 servings! Either have a gathering or cut the recipe or freeze for later meals.red beans & rice w: peas

1 and 3/4 cups brown rice, cooked                                                                                                                   ½ cup celery, chopped                                                                                                                                        ½ cup sweet yellow or any color pepper, diced                                                                                             1 cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                               2 cloves garlic, minced                                                                                                                                         ¾ cup crushed tomato                                                                                                                              oregano + black pepper  to taste                                                                                                                               1 and 3/4 cups red beans, drained and rinsed [Goya brand is very good]                                          per serving:       ½ cup green peas or beans     

Cook the rice.[This takes 30-45minutes]  Steam/sauté the celery, pepper, and onions in a little water for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 5 minutes more. Add the crushed tomatoes and seasonings. Stir in the red beans and heat through. When the rice is done, add 1 and 3/4  cups to the vegetable mixture. HINT: if there is extra rice, it freezes well. Serve with the cooked green beans.

 

 

 

 

Cinquo de Mayo

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This widely-celebrated holiday is greatly misunderstood.  When Napoleon Bonepart was working on being emperor of the world, he installed his sister and her husband on the throne of Mexico.  The pair were inept rulers and the populace rose up to depose them.  Decades later, on May 5, 1862, France invaded Mexico, which had defaulted on debts.  When a tiny force of locals defeated the French army, Voila! Cinquo de Mayo!  This year it occurs on a Fasting Thursday and you have two choices: Fast on a different day, or just binge.  [The latter is not recommended]

Here are several tried and true recipes for Mexican-inspired meals which are consistent with the Fasting Lifestyle.  Pick a breakfast, choose a dinner, skip the lunch/snacks, and maybe you can squeeze in a tiny shot of tequila [about 85 calories], if you are so inclined.  **

Tostada       PB  GF    posted in Mex-Morroc,              January 31, 2016                                                                       Breakfast Burrito  GF     posted in Seasonal Foods              September 27, 2015

Chile non Carne    PB  GF    posted in Go Wild            March 2, 2016                                                                          Chicken Quesadillas     GF      posted in Gunn & Grommet          April 13, 2016                                                     Seafood Tacos   PB  GF    posted in Amour Propre           February 21, 2016                                                             Chicken Cesar Salad     GF      posted in Oregano              April 6, 2016

 

**http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/cinco-de-mayo-10-alcoholic-drinks-avoid       This website tells of the calorie-bombs which pose as drinks for celebrating Cinquo de Mayo.  And it offers alternative beverages for any occasion, because eating in a healthy manner is an every-day idea.

Floralia

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The ancient Romans threw a 5 day festival in honor of Flora, the goddess of flowers and Spring.  In southern France, towns celebrate in early May with floral displays and parades of flower-bedecked floats. I like to recognize the season with meals based on flowers, fruits, and vegetables. We can celebrate Flora and the Fasting Lifestyle.  Put some fresh flowers on the table, use the flowered napkins, and eat your way to better health.

Ratatouille Eggs     292 cal       PB    [GF if you use GF bread]Ratatouille Egg-toast

1 piece 70-cal multi-grain bread [I use Nature’s Own]                                                                            one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                            ¼ cup Mediterranean Vegetables [see Saint Swithen’s Day from July 15, 2015]                                                                                    5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider                                         blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Toast the bread. Warm the vegetables briefly and spoon onto the toast. Fry the egg using a non-stick or cast iron pan and put the egg on top of the vegetables on the toast. Pour the beverages and you have a fine breakfast as well as a head-start on your 5 servings of vegetables for the day.

Shad with Chickpea Ragout    297 calories        13 g fat       7.5 g fiber       20 g protein    26.5 g carbs       62.7 mg Calcium      PB GF                                                                                                                                                    Shad fish used to be a highly-anticipated event of Spring. They ran up-river from the sea, heralded by the blooming of the Shad Bush [genus: Amelancher] , and were devoured for their flesh and roe. Now much more rare, their flesh is still delicious and full of Omega 3. The chickpea ragout is from Jacques Pepin and could be a meal in itself.Shad w: chickpea ragout

Chickpea Ragout         nb: entire batch has 484 calories, so break into portions      PB  GF  divided in 2: 242 calories 4.8 g fat 10.7 g fiber 11.7 g protein 40.3 g carbs 51.3 mg Calcium divided in 4: 121 calories 2.8 g fat 5.3 g fiber 5.8 g protein 20 g carbs  26 mg Calcium   HINT: If you aren’t serving 4 people, freeze the remainder in single serving portions.

This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way. Of course he doesn’t mean my kind of ‘Fast Food,’ but Pepin has long been a proponent of healthy cooking. He presents this as a side dish, which for our purposes is best prepared with seafood or another protein source. If you want to eat it on its own, top it with some cheese.                                                                                     ½ tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                          ½ cup diced onions                                                                                                                                              ½ cup scallions, chopped                                                                                                                                       1 Tbsp garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                          2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned, drained                                                                                         1 and ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned                                                                                 ½ cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                   ½ tsp salt  &  ½ tsp pepper

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, chicken stock,  salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. If using now, separate out your portion and keep warm. Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.

2 oz shad, boned                                                                                                                                                            1 Tbsp salsa verde I like Herdez brand: lots of flavor, next-to-no calories                                              2/3 cup chickpea ragout                                                                                                                                         3 oz snow peas

Put the shad in a small oven-proof dish and spoon the salsa verde on top. Turn the fish to coat on both sides. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. String the snow peas and steam or boil until tender-crisp. Warm the chickpea ragout [in microwave, if using ragout made before] and plate it all. So-o-o-o easy!

NB: Can’t find shad? You could substitute 4 oz of swordfish or halibut or smelts or 3 oz salmon

For Gunn & Grommet

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“How about a little cheese, Grommet?” Wallace the claymation character would ask.  “Many’s the long night I’ve dreamed of cheese,” sighed Ben Gunn in Treasure Island. And today they shall be satisfied!  Cheese provides necessary protein and Calcium and it tastes good too. Since the Fasting Lifestyle does not ban it, let us enjoy it.     Welcome to LSM, a fellow cheese-lover, who has resumed Fasting with renewed resolve.

Cheese Omelette  303 calories    10.1 fat   1.8 fiber     15.6 pro    28.7 Carb    232 mg Calcium  GFcheese omelette w: applesauce

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

Whisk the eggs with seasonings to taste. Grate the cheese. Put the eggs into a hot pan spritzed with cooking spray. Once the bottom of the eggs are set, sprinkle with cheese, fold and plate. Slice fruit, brew beverage, blend the smoothie or take it from the ‘fridge and shake it before serving.

Quesadillas 295 cal  9 g. fat  2.7 g fiber  18.8 g protein  31.4 g carb  211.5 mg Calcium   GFchicken quesadillas w: zucc+yam

2 six-inch corn tortillas HINT: Read the package! Make sure that each tortillas is 65 calories each or less.                                                                                                                                            ¾ oz monterey jack cheese, grated                                                                                                                   2 Tbsp non-fat cottage cheese                                                                                                                            2 Tbsp tomato salsa – drain it if it is very liquid                                                                                              large pinch Mexican oregano                                                                                                                                  1 oz [¼ cup] cooked shredded chicken breast                                                                                                    2 oz broccoli, steamed HINT: You could also serve with a slaw made of grated jicama and carrot seasoned with Salsa Verde.  -OR-  Steamed sweet potatoes and zucchini, as seen in photo above.

Heat a cast iron skillet and warm the tortillas on both sides until they are warm, pliant, and beginning to brown in spots. Remove and keep warm in a tea towel. Combine the cheeses, salsa, and oregano. Spoon half of the cheese mixture on each tortilla, then top with shredded cheese. Cook the broccoli. Fold over the tortillas and cook on both sides in the hot skillet until hot and toasty and melty. TIP: I sometimes need to put something on top of the folded tortillas to keep them folded as they begin to cook. No problem after they are flipped.

Read this before the upcoming weekend to help yourself to stay on track.    https://www.yahoo.com/health/how-screwy-weekend-eating-may-wreck-your-110056343.html

Green Eggs and Lamb

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Ham or Lamb for Easter? Whichever was on your table last Sunday can reappear in Fast meals this week.  How easy it is to continue the Fasting Lifestyle!

Green Eggs & Ham   295 calories      8.8 g  fat    15.9 g   protein      25.1 carb        GFgreen eggs & ham w: apple

3 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 and 1/2 oz apple or ½ cup berries NB: Northern fruits are more healthy than tropicals. Andrew Weil said so.                                                                                                                                      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 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!”

Moroccan Lamb:   277 calories      10.7 g fat      18.1 g. protein         30.6 g. carb         GF                Mint, cumin, and coriander will make your meal taste like a trip to Marrakesh.Moroccan Lamb

3 oz roast lamb                                                                                                                                                         ½ cup peas mint or cilantro                                                                                                                             1/3 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                            Moroccan seasoning or ground cumin                                                                                                      mint tea

Gently warm the meat by steaming or in a microwave. Cook the peas, drain and stir in a pinch of dried mint or dried cilantro. Heat the beans with the Moroccan seasoning or cumin to taste. This is best served with mint tea.

As I keep burbling on about how great the Fasting Lifestyle is, you might be sneering on the sidelines, saying ‘I don’t believe it.” Read this article from the Guardian, “Fasting facts: is the 5:2 diet too good to be true?”   http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2015/jan/27/fasting-facts-is-the-52-diet-too-good-to-be-true

Think Spring!

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Yup, Spring arrived last week-end.  Are you ready? Have you lost a few pounds? Are you working towards healthier you? Keep at it! Here are some recipes that make me think of Spring. And they fit into the Fasting Lifestyle by keeping the total calories for the day at 600 calories or less.

Shrimp Spring Rolls    281 calories       6.5 g fat         4.5 g fiber        22.4 g protein                     29.4 g carbs         125.9 mg Calcium       GF     PB                                                                                       OK, so spring rolls have nothing to do with the season of Spring, but I couldn’t resist. The Spring Roll wrappers look like 8” disks of opaque plastic, but after soaking for 10-15 seconds in water, they become clear and very pliant, more like cling-wrap. If you are not accustomed to wrapping spring rolls or egg rolls, you might want to practice using wonton wrappers which are easier to manipulate.Shrimp Spring Rolls

3 oz raw shrimp, cut in half across the body                                                                                                2 oz carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins or cut as julienne                                                               2 oz green cabbage, shredded or sliced                                                                                                              1 and 1/2 tsp soy sauce.                                                                                                                                                  1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                              1 oz chopped green onion                                                                                                                               Thai hot chili sauce                                                                                                                                               3 eight-inch Spring Roll wrappers                                                                                                               2 oz broccoli, steamed

Chop and prepare all the ingredients and put them in small dishes near the stove-top. Heat a cast iron skillet or wok until hot and add the oil. When it is hot, add the carrot and cabbage. Stirfry for 3 minutes on heat high enough to keep the vegetables sizzling. If the pan becomes dry, add some water. This is supposed to be a no-no in stir-frying, but we are cutting down on oil, OK? Add the shrimp and stirfry about 1 minute, until it is cooked. Add the scallion or cooked broccoli and soy sauce. Stirfry a bit longer until all is mixed and warm. Take off the heat. Remove the cooked mixture to a bowl. [if you want to, run it briefly through the food processor. This step is optional but it can make the mixture easier to roll.] Wipe out the pan and put a mere film of oil on it. Turn on the heat to medium-low.

Put a pie plate of warm water on the counter. Add one of the spring roll wrappers. When it is clear, remove it and lay it flat on a dish towel. Spoon 1/3 of the mixture onto the wrapper. Roll up a bit, then fold in the sides, then finish rolling. Put the roll in the warm pan. Repeat with the other rolls.  In the pan, turn the rolls until they are warm and slightly browned. Serve with a dollop of hot sauce or Thai curry sauce mixed with soy sauce.

Antipasto with chicken   282 calories      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.Amtipasto w: herbs

2 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them]                                       2 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy blocks of mozzerells for slicing]                                           2 oz roasted Chicken, shredded                                                                                                                          5 oz tomato slices                                                                                                                                                                  3 oz whole green beans, steamed, drained                                                                                                      1 ½ oz marinated mushrooms                                                                                                                             1/3 c. garbanzo beans, drained if canned                                                                                                           4 black olives, pitted and sliced              sprinkle on the red pepper                                                                                                                          3 slices pepperoni, chopped                     sprinkle on the garbanzo beans                                                                                                                         1 tsp flavored oil, salt, chopped fresh herbs

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.

Read this to help you to stay on track with Fasting and healthier eating: http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/6-secrets-from-people-who-are-effortlessly-skinny.html/?a=viewall

1. They don’t associate food with guilt or shame   Following a diet means that you’re following a strict set of rules that determine what, when, and how much you can eat. Maybe you can eat protein, but have a no carbs, no sweets rule. When you get off track, eat the wrong thing, or have a moment of weakness, you may throw in the towel and go on a full on binge or feel so guilty for getting off track that you put undue pressure on yourself. Effortlessly slim people don’t eat perfectly and are just as likely to delve into the doughnut box from time to time, but the difference is that they don’t dwell on their poor choices. Sure, they realize that they probably didn’t need to eat that fourth piece of pizza, but they don’t beat themselves up over one poor choice. Taking off the pressure removes the guilt and shame commonly associated with eating and allows you to quickly move on from mistakes and get back on track.

 

Saint Patrick

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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.
 

In honor of my mother-in-law and her mother, we celebrate the 17th of March with appropriate food.  The good saint, although he associated with Ireland, was not a native of the Emerald Isle. Most say he was born in England, but the Bretons say he was from Brittany.  

For breakfast, some eggs with a French flair and for dinner a lamb stew.  The lamb stew is in honor of Ireland, but the recipe has a French influence, rather like Saint Patrick himself.  Hold the Soda Bread and green beer for another day

Basquaise Omelette: 283 calories      PB  GF            This recipe, full of the flavors of the Basques region of SW France, comes to us from Salute to Healthy Cooking, published by the French Culinary Institute. Wonderful book from which we cook all year long. Note that this is a baked omelette, so the method is a little different. Faites bien attention.Basquaise Omelette

++ 3 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.     ++++    1.5 Tbsp tomato sauce  ++++1.5 Tbsp bell pepper, chopped                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  ½ clove garlic or pinch granulated garlic  ++++   2 tsp parsley, chopped   ++++ 1 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++++                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2 oz apple or 2.5 oz melon  ++++  blackish coffee or blackish tea ++++                                                                                      5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural cider

Heat the oven broiler. In an oven-safe skillet, put the tomato sauce, peppers, garlic, parsley, and 2 Tbsp water. Cook gently until the veg are soft and the water is evaporated. Remove from pan. Add a spritz of non-stick spray and heat the pan. Whisk the eggs with 2/3 of the tomato mixture and pour into the pan. As the eggs cook, gently lift the edge of the eggs and let uncooked egg flow underneath. Do not flip or fold the eggs. Top the eggs with the cheese and put the skillet under the broiler to finish cooking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Slide the omelette onto the plate and top it with the remaining tomato/pepper mixture.

Lambstew

Lamb Stew     291 calories…   6.5 g fat…   6 g fiber…   24.3 g protein…   29.5 g carb…  60 g Calcium…   GF    Another fine recipe ‘from’ Salute to Healthy Cooking.  The entire cookbook features healthy alternatives to popular French meals, but I needed to take out some potatoes and oil to make it fit into a Fast Day menu.  HINT: this serves 2 [two] people.      

Set oven to 350.  Sear the lamb cubes on all sides in a well-seasoned cast iron pan or non-stick pan without oil. Transfer cooked meat to a Dutch oven which is ovenproof. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In the non-stick pan, sauce the onions for 3 mins or until softened but not browned.  Sprinkle with flour and stir to combine.  Add wine, stirring to scrape up any brown bits. Pour into Dutch oven.                                                                                                    Add tomato paste and cold water, enough that it just covers the lamb. Add thyme and bay leaf.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and place in oven. Adjust heat so that the liquid does not boil. Bake with an occasional stir for 60 minutes.  Add the carrots, cover and bake 15 minutes.  Add the potatoes, cover and bake 45 minutes. Remove bay.   Meanwhile, put the pearl onions in a small pan with a pinch of sugar and enough water to come up the onions half-way. Cook at a simmer, swirling the pan a few times, for 10 minutes or until onions are tender and water has evaporated. Remove onions to a warm plate. Place the turnips with a pinch of sugar into the same pan. Add  water to cover the turnips by half. Simmer over medium-high heat, swirling the pan a few times, for 10 minutes or until turnips are tender and water has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and add to onions. Divide the onion/turnip mixture in 2 parts.       Serve half the lamb stew with half the onion/turnips as garnish along with a bit of parsley. Serve the remainder to your guest or put it right into a freezer box in the ‘fridge to cool, then freeze.    Good tasting and good for you.