healthy dieting

Advent Challenge

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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.

Since Dear Husband and I enjoy celebrating holidays with appropriate foods, at Christmas and Advent we always fell back on favorites from our countries of ancestry: Germany, France, England, Ireland. Then one year, it occurred to me that many more nations than those were celebrating Christmas, and that it would be fun to stretch our culinary repetoire to include them. There are 14 countries that do not have Christmas as a national holiday, and five nations where it is illegal to celebrate Christmas. But aside from those, the majority of countries in the world have citizens who keep Christmas. Ever since that epiphany, we have challenged ourselves to eat foods in December from as many different countries as possible: there are 62 breakfasts and dinners in December. It is fun to sample different cuisines — in 2024, 36 countries were represented in our count, since we don’t do a different country every day. I do stretch the boundaries a bit, to include empires that no longer exist: Romans, Mongols; and some that exist in our hearts due to literature, like Tolkien’s Shire. Many of the recipes used for these meals are from my FAST Diet collection, so there is an added benefit — if you ate 300 calories at dinner for even 15 of the days in December, you would have more ‘room’ for eggnog and fruit cake. So many people dread the amount of weight that they gain in December, leading to doomed resolutions in January. By eating Fast meals more than two days per week, we keep our weight down and still enjoy the jolly season.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Here are some suggestions for meals from diverse cultures>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> France, https://fastingme.com/2025/05/07/antoine-laurent-de-lavoisier/ ————————————– Taiwan, https://fastingme.com/2025/04/06/mazu/ ————————————————————- Ireland, https://fastingme.com/2025/03/16/patrick-has-his-day/ —————————————————— The Frankish Empire, https://fastingme.com/2025/02/26/mayor-of-the-palace/ ———————————– Persian and Mongol Empires, https://fastingme.com/2025/02/09/end-of-an-empire/ ————————— Sri Lanka, https://fastingme.com/2025/01/15/pongol/ ——————————————————– Ukraine, https://fastingme.com/2024/12/15/carol-of-the-bells/ —————————————————- First Nations of America, https://fastingme.com/2021/10/10/dwellings-abenaki/———————— Russia, https://fastingme.com/2024/11/27/saint-herman/ ——————————————————— England, https://fastingme.com/2024/11/24/elizabeth-i/ ——————————————————— United States, Southern, https://fastingme.com/2024/11/13/booker-t-washington/ ———————- Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt, https://fastingme.com/2024/08/11/cleopatra/ ——————————- Canada, https://fastingme.com/2024/06/30/canada-day-3/ —————————————————— Roman Empire, https://fastingme.com/2018/10/14/diocletian/———————————————- Morocco, https://fastingme.com/2023/02/12/morocco/ ———————————————————— India, https://fastingme.com/2019/06/09/crossroads-indian-ocean/ —————————————— Germany, https://fastingme.com/2023/04/16/diet-of-worms/ —————————————————-Japan, https://fastingme.com/2021/02/24/plum-blossoms/——————————————————– Peru, https://fastingme.com/2018/08/22/rose-of-lima/ ———————————————————-

I could go on, but you get the idea. Enjoy your run-up to Christmas, but don’t forget that it isn’t about food or gifts or parties. It is about the coming of the Prince of Peace. The world needs a lot of that. Be an ‘instrument of peace‘ in your part of the world.

Chocolate

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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.

Chocolate! Around the world, people swoon over its luscious taste and mouth-feel, and July 7th is World Chocolate Day! Before you celebrate, you should know the story of this beloved treat. The Mayo-Chinchipe people of the upper Amazon region were harvesting and consuming cacao in 3275 BCE, and trade spread the practice around the region. They called it ‘xocoatl’ and it grew on trees in pods [upper left corner of photo]. After harvest, the white seeds were removed and set in the sun to ferment for seven days, then spread to dry in the sun while they turn brown. The seeds were skinned to reveal the nib, or edible part [lower left in photo]. Nibs were ground on a heated stone until they turned into a paste, then the paste was stirred into water mixed

with finely-ground cornmeal. This was not like your average cup of cocoa — the beverage was hot but bitter and highly prized. Special cups were made for serving, and a special whisk called a molinillo frothed it up, all to serve this caffeinated beverage to the elites. Spanish invaders tasted the drink — which they didn’t like — then took the recipe back to Europe around 1545. Eventually, sugar was added, the corn meal was subtracted, and a craze was begun. A taste for drinking chocolate was fostered by the Jesuits, who saw the beverage as a nutritious, filling food for a religious fasting day, of which there were 100 per year. The French court of Louis XIV loved chocolate, so in the mid-1600s, Chocolate Houses were establishments where the rich would go to socialize. Very fashionable. Soon, people in all the major capitals of Europe were enjoying hot chocolate. In 1828, Coenraad van Houten was able to separate cocoa solids from cocoa fat, producing cocoa powder. In 1847, Joseph Fry invented the chocolate bar. Today, chocolate is loved world-wide and most of it is grown in West Africa. In 2022, Americans ate 387,216 tons of the stuff, but the Swiss eat more chocolate per person than any other country — 8.8 kg per year. Hmmm — link to obesity? There are other issues around chocolate: problems in the supply chain due to weather and health of the cocoa trees that have inflated the price of chocolate, and the fact that cocoa farmers do not share in the wealth of the chocolate industry. ‘Responsible eating’ takes on a new meaning when discussing chocolate.

For breakfast, a modern version of the ancient Champurrado beverage — filling, but sweetened for modern taste. For dinner, a savory use for chocolate. Happy Chocolate Day!

Champurrado: 276 calories… 6.5 g fat… 1.4 g fiber… 11.6 g protein… 44 g carbs… 77 mg Calcium…  NB: This is a meal without the usual morning coffee or smoothie. PB GF  Here is an unusual breakfast, with a Mexican chocolate beverage as its centerpiece. The recipe for the Champurrado is from Rick Bayless, and it makes 5 servings.

++ 1 serving/1/5 of recipe below Champurrado** +++ 3 turkey breakfast sausages @ ~22 calories each ++++ 2 oz melon cubes ++

Prepare the Champurrado, divide into 5 portions. Pour one portion into a cup or mug or ramekin. If too thick, thin with hot water. Cook the sausage, and plate with the melon. TIP: I prepared the Champurrado the night before, portioned it, and put it in the ‘frige. I served it cold and it tasted like pudding!

**Champurrado  Makes 5 servings
3 oz sweetened Mexican chocolate——
½ c/8 oz masa harina —-1½ c water
Chop chocolate and put in a blender with these. Blend until smooth.
1 c non-fat milk—–
¾ c water—–		Strain into a saucepan, add these. Whisk over medium until it simmers and thickens, about 10 mins.
Portion into cups or mugs. Thin if needed.

Bison-Chocolate Chili:  per 1¼ cup: 291 calories… 11 g fat… 8.5 g fiber…22.5 g protein… 30 g carbs…284.4 mg Calcium… Bison, beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, chili peppers, and chocolate are all foods of the New World/the Americas. Why not enjoy them together in this flavorful chili! HINT: Makes 4 [four] one-cup servings.

++ 4 oz ground bison or turkey ++++ 15 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced drained in a sieve [save the juice] ++++ 1 clove garlic, chopped ++++ 1 cup red onion, chopped ++++ ½ cup green pepper, chopped ++++ ¾ cup canned red or black beans, drained and rinsed ++++ 2-4 tsp chili powder ++++ ¾ tsp salt ++++ ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin ++++ 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder ++  per serving: ¾ oz Cheddar, grated ++ 4 oz melon, cubed ++

Cook the bison, onion, garlic, and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the chili is hot throughout. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. After portioning into bowls, plate with the melon and sprinkle with cheese.

Anthony Trollope

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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.

Portrait of Anthony Trollope (1815-1882), English novelist, engraving.

 “The primary object of a novelist is to please, and this man’s novels have been found more pleasant than those of any other writer.” So wrote Anthony Trollope in his 1833 Autobiography. Indeed, his novels gave pleasure to many, many readers. Writing was his side-hustle. By day, Trollope was a postal employee. He was born on 24 April 1815, in London, England into a family of reduced circumstances. His father did not succeed as a country barrister due to his bad temper. Was he angry because all his ambitions seemed to go amiss? A lost chance at a noble title and bad investments lead to money troubles, so the family moved to Belgium where Anthony’s mother Frances supported the family by writing novels and travel books. After a miserable childhood, his choice between joining the Belgian army or working for the UK postal system was a no-brainer, so Trollope returned to England. He was not exactly Emplo-yee of the Month, but an open post within the system took him to Ireland. There Trollope’s life turned around. The 26-year-old became a Surveyor’s Clerk, traveling around the country, checking up on various post offices. He was quite good at that, and on long train trips he began to write. By 1850, his first three novels — the Irish stories — had been published. A visit to Salisbury Cathedral gave him the idea to pen a book about clerics, and so The Warden appeared in 1855. That lead to the popular Chronicles of Barsetshire books. Along the way, he championed the pillar-shaped Post Box, seen around the Kingdom to this day. How did he manage the two careers? By paying his servant extra money to wake him up at 5 am every day, so he could write 1000 words per hour from 5:30-7:00 am, then have breakfast and go to work. Some people were shocked at that idea, as it implied a mechanical rather than artistic thought process. But it worked for Trollope, who produced 47 novels. His postal inspec-tions had him traveling to foreign outposts of the Empire, so Trollope wrote travel books, in addition to short stories, biography, and criticism. In 1867, having amassed a large bank roll from his writing, he resigned as a civil servant to devote his time to running for office [he lost], and writing. Why were Trollope’s novels so successful? He wrote about “the commonplace”: details of everyday life and the “politics” of the vestry, the bank, and the tea table. As Trollope wrote, “A novel should give a picture of common life enlivened by humour and sweetened by pathos.” His work did that, showing us little insights into the minds and actions of relatable little people. Delightful.

 Frau Frohmann, from the short story about why she raised the prices at her country inn, might well have served a breakfast like this one. The lamb at dinner is a nod to Trollope’s son, whom he bankrolled to run a sheep ranch in Australia. In true Trollope family tradition, the venture failed.

Senefeier Sauce Omelette:  178 calories… 9.6 g fat… 3 g fiber… 12 g protein… 13 g carbs… 127 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF A popular German comfort food is the inspiration for this breakfast. Delicious and easy to prepare. 

++ 1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ ¼ cup frozen spinach ++++ 1½ Tbsp Bechamel Sauce ++++ 1 Tbsp grainy mustard ++++ large pinch nutmeg ++++ 1½ oz pear ++++  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] ++

NIGHT BEFORE: Put frozen spinach in a sieve so it can drain and thaw overnight. NB: if Bechamel is frozen too, measure it out and put into sieve with spinach. Stir together spinach, Bechamel, mustard, nutmeg. Whisk eggs and pour into a hot non-stick pan spritzed with olive oil or cooking spray. Lift edges of eggs as they cook, to let uncooked egg flow underneath. When top sets, spoon spinach mixture onto half of the egg and spread it to the edges. Fold and plate with the fruit. Splendid. Zippy.

Lamb With Mediterranean Vegetables: 295 calories… 14 g fat… 9 g fiber… 22 g protein… 40.5 g carbs… 205.6 mg Calcium… PB GF Here’s a fine meal, full of complex carbohydrates and good flavor. 

+++++ 1 oz ground lamb +++++++ 1 cup Mediterranean Vegetables ++++++ ¼ cup cooked brown rice ++++++ ½ oz Gruyere cheese, grated ++++

Cook the ground lamb, keeping it in biggish chunks rather than tiny flecks. Pour into a sieve to drain any fat and rinse in hot water. Season the meat well with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Heat the Mediterranean Vegetables TIP: so much easier if they were waiting for you in the freezer. Preparing food ahead is such a good idea. Mix the lamb with the vegetables. Plate the rice, then pour the Lamb/Veg on top. Serve topped with grated cheese.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
capicola hamdandelion greens
marinated artichokesbrown rice
blueberries + plain fat-free yogurtmelon + garlic
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Romaine lettuce + green beanschicken breast meat + asparagus
olive oil + cucumberbechamel sauce with cheese
feta cheese + black olives4 buckwheat galettes
plain fat-free yogurt + white wine vinegarraw vegetables: carrots, radishes, broccoli
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Star-Crossed Lovers: Gatsby and Daisy

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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.

My mother told me that there are seven basic plots in literature, and one of them is the story of the “Star-Crossed Lovers.” This plot centers around two people who are in love yet fate intervenes, in one way or another, to keep them apart. Shakespeare coined the term, implying that one’s astrology [one’s stars] controlled one’s destiny. In literature there are star-crossed lovers, and one such famous pair is found in The Great Gatsby, the story of Jay Gatsby and his yearning for the wealthy Daisy Fay. F. Scott Fitzgerald published his most famous novel 100 years ago, on April 10, 1925. Set mostly on Long Island, New York, it centers on the bachelor Gatsby, a mysterious young parvenu who lives an extravagant lifestyle on the north shore of the island. All of his partying and living large are an attempt to catch the eye of his youthful love, Daisy. They now live across the bay from each other, and Gatsby would stand at the end of his dock in the evening, gazing at the green light at the end of her dock. But in the intervening years, Daisy Fay has married. Her husband Tom Buchanan is a philandering lout, so we hope [along with Gatsby] that she will leave him. But she doesn’t/won’t/can’t. Gatsby’s life-long love and his years-long plan to amass a sufficient fortune to win Daisy’s acceptance, make the book a classic of the star-crossed genre. It is also emblematic of the decade of the 1920s: shallow, greedy, careless, hedonistic. The narrator of the book, Nick Carraway — Daisy’s cousin — is driven to near madness by the lifestyle and zeitgeist, and the tale ends in tragedy. As expected.

What were Americans eating during the Roaring 20s, when The Great Gatsby was set? Our breakfast was developed in 1926, in Louisville — hometown of Daisy Fay. Antipasto plates were popular in that decade, too, so we will enjoy one for dinner.

Hot Brown: 200 calories… 5.6 g fat… 3.6 g fiber… 9.5 g protein… 19.5 g carbs… 66.6 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods only, not the optional beverages. PB GF — if using GF bread  HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two], the photo shows one [1] portion. The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, is the origin of this delicious breakfast. Originally, it was a late-night snack, without an egg. But with the egg, it becomes a wonderful morning meal, with calories left over for a suitable brevrege. TIP: If you want to serve only 1 [one], whisk one egg and pour it into a 10” saute pan. Cook it flat until top is set. Fold the egg into thirds, then cut in half crosswise. Save the other half for an egg sandwich tomorrow, or slice it to garnish a salad or a stir-fry.

++ 2 slices uncured American bacon @ 30 calories each ++++ 2 slices 60-calorie whole-grain bread ++++ 2 oz turkey breast, sliced thinly ++++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 4 Tbsp Mornay sauce** ++++ 2 oz sliced tomatoes ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [85 calories] ++++   Optional:  5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Cut bacon strips in half, cook until as crispy as you wish. Drain. Pour out most of the bacon fat, then whisk the egg and cook as described in the TIP above. Toast the bread lightly. Spread lightly with Mornay sauce, all the way to the edges. Put cooked egg on top, smear with a bit of Mornay. Top with turkey, then with the tomato. Spoon the remaining Mornay sauce on top. Put under the broiler until sauce is bubbly and browning. Plate, then top with a criss-cross of bacon.

**Mornay Sauce: makes ½ cup ++ ½ cup Bechamel Sauce, no cheese ++++ ½ oz Swiss cheese ++++ 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++ Gently heat the Bechamel sauce in a small pan. Chop the Swiss cheese into small pieces, and stir both cheeses into the sauce until they melt. Take off heat and use now or store in the ‘frige in a jar with a lid.

Antipasto with Tuna or Smelts: 282 calories… 10.6 g fat… 9 g fiber… 20 g protein… 24 g carbs… 250 mg Calcium…  PB GF  This one is a keeper: simple, off the shelf, pretty on the plate, good to eat. The photo shows enough for 2 people. Invite a guest who is Fasting, too. When I made it with smelts, even my smelt-leery spouse was converted.

++ 2 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them] ++++ 2 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy mozzerella in blocks for slicing] ++++ 3 oz tuna, packed in water, drained and broken into large chunks OR 3 oz smelts, boned and fins removed ++++ 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 ++++ 3 slices pepperoni, chopped ++++ 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.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1 two-oz egg  + Indian curry powder
‘Canadian’ baconasparagus + cooked brown rice
pan muffin1/2 & 1/2 [10%-fat] cream
applesmoked haddock + nutmeg
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

catfish filet + Cajun seasoningbuckwheat soba noodles + 2-oz egg + garlic
slider buns [90 calories each]hot pepper flakes + oil + onion + sugar
tomato + celery seedsugar snap peas + scallions + lean pork
cabbage + carrot + mayonnaise + cider vinegarThai fish sauce + mung bean sprouts + cabbage
Sparkling waterSparkling water

George Pullman

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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.

George M. Pullman, 1888. Artist Allen & Ginter. Photo by Heritage Art

To be a Pullman Porter in the late 1800s and early 1900s was a coveted occupation. These were the employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company, owned and operated by George Mortimer Pullman. He was born on March 3, 1831, in upstate New York. His father Lewis was a carpenter who developed a mechanism for lifting buildings up off their foundations. George attended school up to 4th Grade, and then went to work. The family moved so that Lewis could work on the Erie Canal moving houses that were in the path of the canal. When his father died, George took over the business. Pullman then went to Chicago. He worked raising buildings as the city streets were built up higher than the previous grade to avoid flooding. After a stint in the gold fields of Colorado — where he made money not from gold but from the miners — Pullman returned to Chicago with money and backers to fund his big idea — a rail car where people could sleep comfortably and eat well while they traveled. He built the Springfield and the Pioneer in 1863. When President Lincoln was assassinated, Pullman offered the use of one of his rail cars to transport the coffin and the family from Washington to Illinois. Orders soon followed for Pullman’s unique cars. They were luxurious, and railroad companies would lease them from Pullman’s company. The cars came equipped with a small army of employees, the Pullman Porters, who carried luggage, showed customers to their compartments, served the food, shined the shoes, and turned down the beds. Pullman hired only Black men, and Black women as maids to assist female travelers. His idea was that these employees had been trained as house slaves prior to the Civil War, and would know how to give good service. At its peak, Pullman employed 7,242 porters and maids, making him the largest employer of Blacks in the country. Train passengers called them all “George”, as if they were the property of Mr. Pullman. Although they were underpaid, being a Pullman Porter was the best job a formerly enslaved man could get, and they became the foundation of a Black middle class. Pullman became exceedingly wealthy, traveling on his private rail car with his family among his mansions in three states. He died in 1897, and when he was buried, his coffin was encased in three feet of concrete, to deter grave-robbers and others who might defile his final rest.

The food served in the Pullman dining car was as good as that served in the best hotels. Eggs were often on the menu for breakfast, and salmon could be ordered for dinner.

Shirred Egg: 147 calories… 8.5 g fat… 2 g fiber… 10 g protein… 10 g carbs… 106 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF – if using GF bread  I learned to prepare this dish when working on my Girl Scout ‘Cooking’ badge. I still eat it because it tastes so good. Easy to serve to guests, as well.

++ One 2-oz egg ++++ 1 Tbsp half&half/whole milk ++++ salt & pepper to taste ++++ 1½ tsp Parmesan cheese ++++ half a slice of 70-calorie whole-grain bread, toasted ++++ 1 oz melon ++++ 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] ++

Heat the toaster oven to 325 F. Spritz a 1-cup ramekin with cooking oil or spray. Break the egg into the cup, and pour the half&half on top. Sprinkle with cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then let sit 2-3 mins. Plate with the toast and fruit. Serve with your choice of beverages.

Salmon with Roasted Tomatoes: 269 calories… 9.6 g fat… 3 g fiber… 33.5 g protein… 10.5 g carbs… 93.6 mg Calcium…  PB GF One of the earliest meals we made when starting the Fast Diet, this recipe hails from the Fast Diet book in a slightly altered form. Still a favorite. Quick and delicious.

++ 4 oz salmon ++++ 10 cherry tomatoes [5 oz] ++++ 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated ++++ 3 oz green beans or 2 oz sugar snap peas ++++ seasonings to taste ++

Spritz a small oven-proof pan with olive oil or non-stick spray. Put the salmon in the pan and sprinkle with seasonings of your choice. Arrange the tomatoes on/around the salmon. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes. Meanwhile steam the green vegetables. So easy. So yummy.

Saint Cross

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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.

Henri de Blois was born in 1699, 33 years after his grandfather William invaded England and conquered it. Henri was destined for the Church and became the Bishop of Winchester at age 28. One day, he took a walk in the water meadows along the River Itchen. He must have been deep in thought because he eventually realized that he was far from home, without food or drink. From nowhere, a milkmaid appeared with her buckets full of milk. Henri drank his fill of milk, and later ascribed the incident to a miraculous intervention by none other than the Virgin Mary herself. Inspired by this act of charity, he vowed to help the poor. He rebuilt a ruined church building along the Itchen and set up the Almshouse of Saint Cross in 1132. It stands beside the river, a walled enclave with a church, hall, porter’s lodge, Master’s quarters, and living spaces for 13 men. The original inhabitants were too frail to work, so they were provided with apartments and served three meals a day in the hall. When one died, another was chosen to replace him. In addition, 100 men would be given food at the gate each day. Pilgrims walking from Reading to Southhampton on Saint James’ Way/the Camino Ingles or on the way to Canterbury could stop at Saint Cross for lodging and the ‘Wayfarers’ Dole’ — bread and ale. Since the men at Saint Cross were not part of a religious order, the property was spared during the Reformation and subsequent religious wars in England. The Hospital of Saint Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty still stands. Today it houses 25 older men who apply for residency. They attend Matins every day and then live their lives within and without the walls of this beautiful, tranquil place. The church is a gem of Transitional Norman architecture. The Porteress will still portion out your Dole, and the Master will bless pilgrims on their way.

Saint Cross on the Itchen.
The Porteress doles out hospitality.
At left, the Master greets visitors.

The breakfast today might have been served at the Almshouse or even in Henri’s family’s native Normandy. The dinner is a hearty comfort food of Old England. All the ingredients might be grown by the Staff Farmer at Saint Cross in the modern era.

Chevre/Spinach ScrOmelette: 149 calories… 9 g fat… 1.4 g fiber… 12 g protein… 6 g carbs… 116 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Unbelievable how delicious this is! 

++ 1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ 1 Tbsp chevre cheese ++++ 3 Tbsp cooked spinach [HINT: I try to keep a small container of cooked spinach in the freezer]++++ pinch lemon-dill seasonings ++++ salt + pepper ++++ 2 oz apple OR applesauce, unsweetened ++++  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] ++

Strain and squeeze the spinach to get all the water out. Chop the spinach. Mix the spinach and chevre with the seasonings in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the eggs into the spinach/chevre and keep whisking until it is all mixed. Cook as you would for scrambled eggs in a lightly-spritzed pan. Portion the applesauce [unless you did this the night before], prep the hot beverage, shake or blend the smoothie and enjoy a really flavorful breakfast.

Cottage Pie: 219 calories… 7 g fat… 2 g fiber… 22 g protein… 15 g carbs… 35 mg Calcium… GF Cottage Pie is the beef version of Shepherd’s Pie. The addition of mashed cauliflower is a great trick to lessen the calorie and carb count of mashed potatoes. Some people like this with mashed cauliflower only, but I enjoy the combo for a more authentic taste. HINT: serves 2. Freeze leftovers for another dinner or invite a guest.

++ 1 cup roast beef, ground or minced ++++ 1 two-oz egg, separated++++ ½ cup mashed potatoes ++++ ½ cup mashed cauliflower ++++ ½ cup beef gravy, as fat free as you can make it ++++  per serving: 2 oz Summer squash OR 2 oz peas OR 1 cup lettuce + 1 oz tomatoes + ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp lemon juice ++

Add the egg yolk and gravy to the beef, along with salt and pepper to taste. Whip the egg white until stiff and fold into the mashed vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Put the beef mixture into an oil-spritzed oven-proof dish [2-3 cup capacity] and spread it out evenly. Smooth the mashed vegetables on top and ruffle it with a fork or spoon. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown a bit and the inside is hot. Whisk the oil and lemon juice in a wide bowl, add the lettuce and tomatoes, and toss gently.
 
Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
scallion + mushroomdill weed + smoked salmon
garlic + 3%-fat ham + parsleyleek + apple or pear
chicken liver pate + strawberrieslight sour cream, optional
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

4 oz mackerel per servingchicken breast meat, cooked
tomatoes + leeks2 egg whites + honey
grainy mustardwhite wine
oregano + corianderchicken stock + cabbage
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Malthus and his Theory

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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.

Was Thomas Robert Malthus a philosopher or an economist? Was he a sociologist or an environmentalist? Was he he a pessimist or a realist? Born on February 13, 1766, he grew up in a large family. Unhindered by a cleft palate and a speech impediment, Malthus trained at Cambridge in mathematics and then became a clergyman and a professor. His field of endeavor was described as ‘political economist’ — a new term for a professorship. Initially, Malthus was in favor of moves that aided the poor, such as the Poor Laws. He had a change of mind by 1798, when he published his “An Essay on the Principle of Population“, a refutation of his father’s optimism that conditions for people in the world would improve over time. Malthus’ research lead to his dire prediction that if unchecked, population growth would outstrip food production, causing famines. He knew that wars and disease would reduce population, but not enough. In contradiction of his Christian beliefs, Malthus proposed that people should marry later, use birth control, and that poor people especially should use any means to curb their birth rate. He was distressed by the lot of the poor and proposed that if they were helped economically, they would go on to produce more children which would exacerbate their poverty. Malthus was fascinated by facts and figures, and the more data he collected, the more he doubled down on his ideas. His writings made a big impact on English society, and they were much-debated. The idea of impending global famines resurfaced in Paul and Annie Howard Erlich’s 1968 best-seller The Population Bomb, causing college students to take a pledge to limit their offspring to only two. Was Malthus correct? Production of food is not the problem, it is the distribution. Aiding the poor does not make them lazy. Improved education for all and economic opportunities for women will help to bring down the birth-rate. Curiously, many countries today have falling births and aging populations, yet poverty persists. Where will this all end?

Fearing that humans would multiply like the Biblical ‘loaves and fishes’, Malthus developed his socio-economic theories to prevent wide-spread famines. That settles breakfast. One way that modern nutritionists propose to feed more people is to eat a more plant-based diet, of which our dinner is a prime example.

Loaves & Fishes: 146 calories… 3 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 12.4 g protein… 18 g carbs… 89 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. From the New Testament come descriptions of people eating bread and fish for breakfast and dinner. Try this for a change of routine. For authenticity, the fish should be charcoal-grilled, but that doesn’t work in my kitchen.

NB: I added some small Romaine lettuce leaves for color.

++ 2 oz smelts, boned, heads and fins removed ++++ 1½ tsp za’atar ++++ 2 tsp sumac powder ++++ 1.6 oz gozleme bread** ++++ 2 deglet noor dates ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or  mocha cafe au lait [75 calories] ++

Remove the heads, fins, and backbone from the smelts. Open them up and lay them flat on a cutting board. Combine the sumac and za’atar thoroughly and sprinkle half of it on the fish. Turn the fish over and sprinkle with the remaining spices. Heat a heavy skillet and spray it with cooking spray. Cook the fish on both sides until done. Plate with the bread and dates, and time-travel back to 32 CE on the shores of Galilee.

**Gozlema Bread makes six 1.6 oz flat-breads  1 of 6 sv = 26 calories… 0 g fat… 1 g fiber… 1.4 g protein… 5 g carbs… 20 mg Calcium…

1¼ c white whole wheat flour ++++ ½ tsp saltMix in a 1-Qt-sized bowl. 
¼ c water ++++ ¼ c plain yogurtCombine yogurt/water and stir into the flour until well-combined. Add a bit more water if too dry.
On a floured surface, knead ~3 mins, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let sit for a few mins on the counter OR overnight in a cool place.
Divide into 6 equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll into flat breads. Cook on an oil-sprayed skillet 3-4 mins per side until turning brown in spots.

Red & Green Shakshuka: 220 calories… 10.6 g fat… 5 g fiber… 11.6 g protein… 17 g carbs… 207 mg Calcium…  PB GF There is Red Shakshuka. There is Green Shakshuka. And here we have the happy combination.

++ ½ tsp oil ++++ ¼ c onion, chopped ++++ 3 Tbsp chopped celery ++++ 1 clove garlic, chopped ++++ 1/3 cup red or green sweet pepper, chopped ++++ 1½ cups fresh spinach ++++ ½ cup whole tomatoes, mashed ++++ 1/3 cup eggplant, cubed or cut as batons ++++ ¼ tsp cumin ++++ ¼ tsp paprika ++++ ½ tsp oregano ++++ 1 egg ++++ 1½ Tbsp Feta Cheese ++

Use a small cast iron or other skillet that has a lid. Cook the onion and celery in the oil until a bit softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the sweet pepper, tomato, and eggplant, along with the seasonings, and cook until tender. Put the spinach in the bubbling vegetables and stir/toss until leaves are softened but not limp. Turn down the heat. Make a slight indentation in the vegetables and crack an egg into it. Sprinkle with the Feta. Cover the skillet and cook for 8 minutes. Check to see if egg is done to your liking. If not, cover again and cook another minute or two. Serve in the skillet.  NB: You could cook two eggs on top for one person if you wanted to boost the protein. 290 calories / 15 g fat / 5 g fiber / 18 g protein / 17 g carbs / 235 mg Calcium

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

1 two-oz egg = US large + nutmeg1.5 two-oz eggs 
cooked spinach + 2%-fat cottage cheesecooked spinach
scallion + Manchego or Cheddar cheesechèvre/goat cheese
garlic powder + strawberriesapple or apple sauce, unsweetened
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

white whole wheat flour + egg white + capers1 cup minced roast beef + potato
fresh bread crumbs + 3 oz white fish1 two-oz egg + cauliflower
green beans + crushed tomatoesPeas or salad with tomato
lemon zest + mozzerella + basil1/2-cup low-fat beef gravy
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Jeune Genevois

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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.

On the Thursday following the first Sunday in September, one will find a curious local holiday in Geneva, Switzerland: Jeûne Genevois. It means “Genevan Fast Day”, yet oddly, no one Fasts. Geneva has long been a city of Protestants. When the Protestant Huguenots were persecuted in France in 1567, the Genevans held a Fast Day [that is, literally a day of no eating] in solidarity with the suffering of their brethren. After the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, August 24, 1572, Genevans held another Fast Day, expressing their horror over the event. They made it an annual event. For some reason, plum pie [Tarte aux Pruneaux] became associated with the day, and in time one could eat plum pie on Jeûne Genevois — but nothing else. Eventually, most people forgot about the Fasting, and the holiday, but they kept on eating plum pie on the correct day. In 1966, the City of Geneva declared the day to be a public holiday — banks and schools are closed for sure, but are the bakeries open to sell plum pie? Later in September, the rest of Switzerland holds a “Federal Day of Thanksgiving, Repentance and Prayer”, but Genevans do not observe it. After all, they already had their special day, and ate their pie as well.

Plum Pie has a bit too many calories for a Fast Day, so we will improvise. There will be the beloved plums at breakfast and at dinner. We will not have to improvise or change our Fasting habits: calorie counts will be observed, as well as the holiday.

Plum Crepe: 147 calories… 5 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 10.5 g protein… 18.5 g carbs… 172 mg Calcium… PB This recipe is the breakfast version of a plum dessert from south-western France, where the plum is the queen of fruits.

+++ 1 sweet crepe ++++ ¼ c plain, non-fat yogurt ++++ 1 Tbsp hazelnut meal/flour ++++ ½ black plum ++++   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]

Plate the crepe. Stir the nut meal into the yogurt and mound it in the center of the crepe. Pit the plum, and place it skin-side up over the yogurt. Bon Appetit.

Roasted Chicken with Plums: 249 calories… 11.4 g fat… 1.6 g fat … 23 g protein… 12.5 g carbs… 21.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF The website uncomplicatedchef.com provided this recipe. Not only is it uncomplicated, but it is easy to prepare. The flavor is wonderful – very European. Be sure to serve it every time the plums are ripe. HINT: This recipe serves 3 [three] on a Fast Day. [Two on a Slow Day]

Here is the entire batch, hot from the oven, to serve 3 diners.
Sv 3Preheat oven to 400 F.
¾ #/12 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs +++++ 2 tsp whole grain mustard ++++ salt ++++ pepperCut meat into 12 large pieces. Toss these ingredients in a bowl, combine, let marinate 30 minutes.
10 oz black plums = 6 halves ++++ 4 oz/½ red onion, sliced ++++ 1 T fresh rosemary, chopped +++++ ½ tsp allspice ++++ 1.5 T olive oilIn a separate bowl gently stir these together. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to evenly coat.
Marinated chickenPlace chicken on a baking sheet. 
Plums + onions
more rosemary		Add plums + onions to baking sheet along with extra rosemary. Roast 20 mins, or until internal temp of chicken = 165F.

F-i-L

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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 Yusif Ahmed who is now Following.

My Father-in-Law was well-known for many things: he was a pediatric allergist; he was a noted breeder of gladioli; he was an artist; and he grew delicious sweet corn. His garden was his pride and joy — Dear Husband, his son, had to do all the weeding — and late summer meals often featured corn on the cob. My Father-in-Law was also handy in the kitchen: it was he, not his wife, who prepared special breakfasts for the family. His mother had trained in French cooking, and he must have learned from her. Perhaps he helped her in the kitchen of the country inn that his family ran. On occasion, he would take over from his wife to cook dinner. Bay scallops were one of his favorite meal for guests, cooked in a huge amount of butter. All in all, he was a very accomplished man of many parts. His patients have all grown up; his flowers have withered; two of his paintings hang on our walls; we still enjoy his recipes, and think about him when we eat corn.

In honor of his birthdate, September 2, we will enjoy his own cornmeal pancakes at breakfast and two of his favorite foods at dinner: scallops and corn together in one succulent meal.

Cornmeal Pancake Breakfast: 303 calories… 11.6 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 7 g protein… 32 g carbs… 72 mg Calcium…  PB Pancakes are rarely a diet food, but these delicate delights fit into our guidelines. What a treat.

++++ 2 cornmeal pancakes, recipe for full batch below ++++ 1 chicken breakfast sausage [33 calories] OR 1 oz scrapple ++++ 1 Tbsp maple syrup ++++  Optional: blackish tea = 6 oz black tea with 3 Tbsp skim milk + ½ tsp honey [28 calories] ++++

Prepare the batch of pancakes.  TIP: When cooled, wrap the other pancakes in a zipper bag to freeze for subsequent breakfasts. Cook breakfast meat on the griddle with the pancakes until crisp and brown. Plate with the pancakes and drizzle everything with maple syrup. Enjoy your tea with milk and honey.

Makes 12-14 pancakesGriddle or large cast iron skillet
½ c yellow cornmeal ++++++ ½ c boiling waterPut cornmeal into a 1-Qt measuring cup and pour water over it. Stir briskly until blended.
1 egg, beaten +++++++ ½ c milkBeat egg in a bowl, and add the milk. Stir/whisk to combine.
¼ c = half a stick butterMelt butter and add, with egg-milk to the cornmeal-water. Whisk thoroughly until blended and smooth. 
½ c white whole wheat flour ++++++ ½ tsp salt ++++++ 1 Tbsp sugar ++++++ 1 Tbsp baking powderWhisk or sift these together to blend. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth. Let batter sit 15-30 mins – this is an important step.
Heat griddle to medium-high. Spray it with non-stick spray or smear griddle with a bit of butter.
Use 3-4 Tbsp batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the top surface of the pancake and break. Then cook on other side.

Scallop & Sweet Corn Pasta:  269 calories… 5 g fat… 4 g fiber… 25 g protein… 32 g carbs… 91 mg Calcium… 
PB Kay Chun presented this recipe in the New York Times and it is an absolute winner! We enjoy this every summer, without fail.  HINT: The recipe serves 2 [two].

Sv 2
1.5 oz whole wheat orzo pastaCook pasta in salted water until al dente. Save ½ cup of pasta cooking water.
Heavy spray of PAM +++++ ½ # sea scallops +++++salt & pepper ++++++ 1-2 Tbsp pasta water +++½ tsp EVOOHeat heavy saute pan on medium and spray with PAM. Dry scallops, season, + add to skillet in a single layer. Sear until golden, ~2 mins on one side. To prevent burning, add some pasta water. Add oil, turn scallops, cook 2 mins. Take from pan.
1 Tbsp lemon juice ++++ 2 Tbsp pasta waterAdd juice and pasta water, and stir to lift browned bits in pan. 
1 garlic cloveSlice garlic thinly, stir in, and cook ~1 min.
¾ c corn kernels ++++ 2 Tbsp sliced scallions ++++salt + pepperAdd these to skillet, season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until warm, ~4 mins.  Liquids will evaporate.
While corn cooks, cut larger scallops in ½, so pieces are all the same-ish size.
Cooked orzo +++++ scallops ++++ [pasta water]Put these into pan and heat over low. Cook, stir until most liquid is absorbed, sauce thickens, and everything is warm, ~2 mins. Add water, ad lib.
2 Tbsp Parmi-Reggi cheese +++++ 2 Tbsp basilGrate cheese. Chop basil. Off heat, stir in these, salt and pepper. 
Basil leavesDivide among bowls, garnish w/ basil.

Hieronymus Bosch

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to 1981lluciana and Healthy Desire who are now Following.

On August 8, 1516, Hieronymus Bosch died and the legends began. So did the forgeries. Bosch [not his real surname, but he chose it to honor his hometown ‘s-Hertogenbosch] was the most famous painter of his time. While he drew from the compositions of his predecessors, Bosch was the most copied artist for the next century — with many of those works ‘signed’ with his name. His ‘surreal’ style of art struck a real chord with his contemporaries. The late 1400s was a time of pessimism and the church preached that people should fear Divine Retribution. Savonarola with his bonfires was on the same wave-length. Bosch took this to heart since he was a religious conservative who thought that some clergy were part of the problem. His art spotlighted the sins of humankind, constantly repeating that repentance would help us to avoid a horrible punishment in Hell. Few artists were so inventive in their depictions of the netherworld as Hieronymus. One of Bosch’s most famous works is the Garden of Earthly Delights, a triptych begun in 1490. The left-hand panel shows the totally innocent Adam and Eve in Eden, while demons fall from Heaven as Lucifer is thrown out. The middle panel depicts a landscape with rather sex-less, nude, White and Black Barbie-doll figures disporting in all sorts of merriment — activities that will land them in the Hell depicted in the right-hand panel. There, those Barbie-dolls experience the horror of dreadful demons and cruel punishments. The artist was not all about monsters: he produced works on Biblical themes, such as Christ Carrying the Cross [in Vienna]; the Adoration of the Magi; and St Christopher Carrying the Christ Child which show his command of landscape perspective, color use, and depicting the human form. There are only about 20 works which have been attributed to Bosch and many more by his students and copiers.

To me, an hilarious aspect of the Garden of Earthly Delights painting is the giant fruit. In our house, if one picks a particularly large strawberry, it is dubbed ‘an Hieronymus Bosch berry.’ Our breakfast features strawberries and other fruits. To Bosch those represented lust and gluttony — to me, they represent a healthy breakfast. Our dinner involves good ingredients roasted under high heat, but no Fires of Hell are involved.

Red White and Blue: 150 calories 1 g fat 2.6 g fiber 14.5 g protein 20 g carbs [10.5 g Complex] 331 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF – if using GF bread Ricotta is higher in protein and Calcium than cottage cheese, but you could substitute that if you wish.

½ cup fat-free ricotta ¼ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen [if frozen, keep frozen until ready to use] ½ cup sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen [after slicing, put into a strainer to let the juices drain] 1 slice of 70-calorie multi-grain bread [Nature’s Own/ Dave’s Thin-Sliced] 2 large pinches of cinnamon sugar  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]

Fish Roasted with Vegetables: 290 calories 5 g fat 5 g fiber 29 g protein 16 g carbs 180 mg Calcium  PB GF Delicious one-pan meal. AND it is low in calories and fat. Can you believe that a women’s magazine had a similar recipe for 425 calories!!

4 oz pollock, halibut, or other white fish 1½ slice [0.2 oz] American/streaky bacon 2 oz carrots in ½” chunks 2 oz Brussel sprouts cut in half 2 oz cauliflower florets, cut in half or quarters 3 oz cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese 

Set the oven at 450 degrees F. Cook the bacon in an 8” oven-proof pan, such as cast iron. Remove the bacon, chop it and set aside. Put the prepared vegetables in the pan and toss to coat with the bacon fat. Salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove the pan of vegetables from the oven. If you think they will need more than 10 minutes more of cooking, put them back in for 2-3 minutes. They will not be cooked through at this point. Turn oven down to 400 degrees F. Move the vegetables aside so the fish will sit on the hot pan, with the vegetables nest to it. Salt and pepper the fish. Return the pan to the oven and bake 5-10 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fish. Sprinkle the entire contents of the pan with Parmesan cheese and bacon. You could eat it right from the pan.