The Dead Have Their Day

October 31, 2018October 20, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Tomorrow in Mexico people will observe the Day of the Dead. While this sounds macabre to non-Mexicans, it is a family day for visiting cemeteries and honoring the dead, as seen in the movie Coco. Our meals today have a theme of death/celebration /Mexico, told in two stories. No sugar skulls or pan dulce for a Fasting Day.

Placerville, California was a mining town, named after ‘placers‘ which are gold nuggets found in stream gravel. Incorporated in 1854, it was formerly called ‘Hangtown‘ since frontier justice was doled out there. Often. One day a Sourdough [if you think that’s a loaf of bread, follow the link] walked into a hotel. Bragging that he had struck it rich, he demanded the most expensive meal they could serve him. What was it? Eggs [the going price was 1 small gold nugget per egg], bacon [also a scarce commodity], and tinned oysters [an extravagance!]. It was dubbed the Hangtown Fry. You can still order it in Placerville, and tho’ the locals think it is awful, we found it to be delicious.

‘Enchiladas’ are as Mexican as can be. The name derives from the origin of the dish: ancient Aztecs prepared corn tortillas and dipped them in chili sauce before frying them on a griddle. In Rick Bayless‘ words, the tortillas were “en-chilied”, or enrobed with chilis: hence ‘tortillas enchiladas.’ So enchiladas are not a meal, they are an ingredient. The Enchiladas Suizas which we offer for dinner, were first offered in the 1950s in Mexico City. The name means ‘Swiss Enchiladas’ due to the cheeses inside. They are easy to prepare and fun to eat.

Hangtown Fry: 296 calories 9 g fat 2.5 g fiber 18 g protein 34 g carbs [31 g Complex] 224 mg Calcium GF Turns out, this meal has nothing to do with being hanged and everything to do with striking it rich.

3 two-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 2 shucked fresh oysters, chopped 1/2 slice ‘American’ bacon, uncured if possible 1-1/2 oz strawberries -OR- 3 cherries blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasteurized cider

Dice the bacon and cook it in a hot pan until almost crisp. Add the oysters and cook a second or two longer. Whisk the eggs with salt, and pepper. Pour over the bacon/oysters in the pan and scramble or cook as an omelette. Plate with the fruit and serve with the beverages of choice. Full of flavor.

Enchiladas Suizas: 293 calories 9.9 g fat 11.2 g fiber 31.6 g protein 43.4 g carbs 261.7 mg Calcium PB GF Rick Bayless relates this recipe in his book Mexico One Plate At A Time. Delicious and easy to prepare. Assemble just before baking, lest it turn to mush. Enchiladas w: winter medley

2 six-inch corn tortillas [50 calories each] 2 0z [½ cup] shredded cooked chicken breast ½ cup enchilada sauce: see SPICY II from 12 Sept 2018 ¼ cup grated Cheddar or Monterey jack 1 oz broccoli florets + 1 oz cauliflower florets + ½ oz carrot

Heat oven to 350 F. On an ungreased heavy skillet, place the tortillas and cook them until they begin to brown on one side. Flip in the pan and continue until each tortilla is pliable and slightly fragrant. Remove to a cutting board or baking sheet. Distribute the chicken between the tortillas, then roll up the tortillas, and place each in an oven-proof dish, seam-side down. Spoon the sauce over and around and between the enchiladas. NB: you don’t have to use all of the sauce. Extra could be added to eggs or soup. Sprinkle with cheese and put into oven. Cook the vegetables, drain and dress with salt and a splash of red wine vinegar. So good!

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg	Next Wednesday, I will offer 12 Tips to
Pan Muffin [..not by Bread, 7 Feb ’17]	help you to keep on Fasting.
applesauce
	Choose a breakfast from the Archives

Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

cabbage + onion + rutabaga/turnip	Watch for my 12 Tips!
carrot + parsnip + dried green lentils
pork loin + frozen spinach
fresh spinach as well
mace + dry mustard + caraway seed	Choose a dinner from the Archives

Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Boswell

October 28, 2018July 9, 2019 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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.

In the story ‘A Scandal in Bohemia‘, Sherlock Holmes refers to Dr. Watson as “my Boswell,” saying he would be lost without him. And who is Boswell? The son of a Scottish judge, James Boswell was born on October 29, 1740, into the time of the Scottish Enlightenment. In his heart he yearned to leave Scotland due to its provinciality and up-tight religious views. While staying in London, the young lawyer was introduced to Samuel Johnson, noted author, essayist, wit, and man-about-town, at a bookshop. Their friendship lasted for 20 years, during which time they traveled and socialized. All the while, Boswell took notes. Johnson joked that it was as if Boswell were spying on him. After Johnson’s death, Boswell dug into his own journals and wrote The Life of Samuel Johnson, L.L.D. It has been called ‘the greatest biography ever written’ for its lively style and Boswell was hailed as ‘the first of biographers.’ Indeed the noun ‘Boswell’ means ‘one who records in detail the life of a famous contemporary.’ If Johnson is famous today, it is because Boswell made him so. We will celebrate Boswell by serving the foods of his rejected land: Tattie Scones and Cullen Skink, both as Scottish as Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.

Tattie Scone with Egg: 286 calories 5.4 g fat 3.6 g fiber 13.3 g protein 47 g carbs 210 mg Calcium PB Tattie Scones have been part of a Scottish Breakfast ever since potatoes were considered fit to eat. Easy to make with left-over boiled or mashed potatoes.

One 2-oz egg 1 tattie scone, see not by bread… Feb 7 2018 2 oz pear 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider nearly-black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Prepare the Tattie Scone and keep warm or re-warm. HINT: Prepare the night before and cook them, too. Fry the egg to your liking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Plate the scone, top with the egg. Plate the fruit and pour the beverages. Almost instant, if you made the scone beforehand.

Cullen Skink: 228 calories 4.5 g fat 2.9 g fiber 26 g protein 20 g carbs 161 mg Calcium PB GF We found this old Scottish recipe to be divine!! Despite the low calorie count, it is very satisfying. Comfort Food with a Scottish dialect.

3 oz finnen haddie [smoked haddock] 3 oz milk small pinch ground cloves bay leaf ¼ cup onion, chopped 2 oz potato, diced 2 oz asparagus in 2” slices 1 tsp butter parsley for garnish

Skin the fish and put it in a small pan with the milk and bay leaf. Cook gently until the fish is warm. Remove the fish from the milk and break it into large pieces. Add the onions, potatoes, and cloves to the milk along with a little water. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Run the milk and vegetables through the blender/food processor/VitaMix [or use immersion blender] to a fine puree. Cook the asparagus. Return the fish to the pan with butter and the puree and heat. Add pepper to taste. Plate the fish, cover it with the ‘soup’, sprinkle with parsley, and arrange the asparagus around the sides. You will want to eat this again!

Saint Crispin

October 24, 2018August 10, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The first time I encountered the name ‘Crispin’ was in the Little Golden Book named Mr Dog. The dog of the title named himself Crispin and lived by himself. I loved that book and so did our second son. Years later, I found out that Crispin was a saint who’s feast day is October 25. He and his brother Crispian were missionaries to France in the 3rd century. They proselytized by day and made shoes by night to support themselves. They were killed on October 25, 256. That date became associated with the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, when 30,000 French infantry and calvary got bogged down in the mud and let 6000 English archers and soldiers defeat them. Enter Shakespeare, writing the play Henry V. In Act IV, scene 3, Henry has the unenviable task of giving a pep talk to his out-numbered army. Of course it is the wonderful St. Crispin’s Day speech, made vivid by such actors as Lawrence Olivier, and Kenneth Branagh.

Now a Crispin is also an apple, so in honor of the Feast of St Crispin and of Agincourt, we will have meals with apples — starting with a very English breakfast and ending with a dinner one could find in France or England.

Bannock & Bacon: 284 calories 3.8 g fat 3.2 g fiber 18.7 g protein 43.6 g carbs [33 g from fruits/vegetables] 176.5 mg Calcium PB For years we have enjoyed this on Slow Days, only to find that it fits for Fasting, too. We dip the bannock into the applesauce. Yummy!

3 two-inch bannock 2 slices Hormel Canadian Bacon OR Jones brand [ back bacon of 60-70 calories] ½ cup applesauce, unsweetened optional: blackish coffee or blackish tea optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural cider

Prepare the bannock according to the recipe and bake. Warm and lightly brown the Canadian bacon. Plate the applesauce and pour the beverages. Simple and delicious.

Pork with Apples: 273 calories 8 g fat 4 g fiber 22.7 g protein 19 g carbs 84 mg Calcium PB Long a favorite combination in lands where local meats and local fruits are blended in hearty meals. The flavor of pork with apples is a winner.

3 oz pork tenderloin, raw or cooked 2 oz round slices of apple, unpeeled + ½ oz cubed apples, unpeeled 4 fl. oz chicken stock 4 Tbsp Béchamel sauce, no cheese thyme/sage + salt + pepper to taste 2 oz broccoli florets 1 oz carrots

Poach the apple slices in the stock until they are tender. TIP: if cooking for 2, this may require poaching in 2 batches. Remove slices and reserve. Slice th pork into rounds about 1/4” thick. If pork is raw, braise it briefly in the hot stock, and remove from stock. Put 1 Tbsp stock in the oven-proof pan in which you will cook the dinner. Combine diced apples, Béchamel, seasonings, and remaining stock in the sauce pan, stirring until apples are soft and sauce is medium-thick. Adjust seasonings. Arrange alternating slices of pork and apple in the baking pan. Nap with the sauce and bake at 350 F. until warmed through, about 20 minutes. Steam the vegetables and enjoy a hearty winter meal.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
one Tattie Scone [not by bread… Feb 7 ’18]	2 shucked oysters
pear	bacon
	cherries

Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

Smoked haddock, aka: finnen haddie	2 corn tortillas, 65 calories each
onion	Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
potato	Enchilada Sauce, see SPICY II 12-Sept-2018
butter + parsley + bay leaf	cooked chicken
milk	broccoli + carrot + cauliflower
asparagus or peas
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Smooth as…

October 21, 2018March 17, 2020 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

“Smooth as butter” is a pilot’s term for a good airplane landing. Did you ever hear that the Earth is as “Smooth as a billiard ball“? How about ‘Smooth as a smoothie”? Ever since the 1960s, smoothies have seen increased popularity. But not all smoothies are created equal: some are good for you and some might as well be a glass of sugar water. Today we’ll dive into the blender for an investigation of smoothies.

Smoothie benefits: Juice alone has lots of sugar. It is like drinking a soda-pop! Next time you see an article about the ‘benefits of the juice diet,’ run the other way. But when you add fiber, whether from fruit or vegetable, it changes the sugar’s effect on your body. In other words, a smoothie made from whole fruit is good for you. Plus, the added fruit and/or vegetables give you a much-needed serving of the same. When drinking a green smoothie, by pureeing the greens, you are making them into their most digestible form. This means that all the micro-flora in your gut will thank you and that your lower intestines will be healthier and will work better.

Breakfast Smoothies: Fruit Smoothie: 88 calories 0 g fat 0.8 g fiber 1.5 g protein 21.2 g carbs 15.2 mg Calcium PB GF HINT: enough for 4 [four] 5-6 oz servings 2 oz banana 2 oz fruit [all one variety or mixed; we like raspberries, strawberries, black currants, blueberries] 20 oz [2.5 cups] orange juice HINT: I make the fruits up in ‘kits’ and keep them in the freezer. They could go into the blender frozen or leave the ‘kit’ on the counter overnight to thaw. Another time-saver! Put the fruit in the blender with 4 0z of the orange juice. Run it on “High” to break up the fruit and make it all smooth. Switch setting to “Low” and add the remaining juice. Run blender to combine the liquids. Save the rest for other mornings.

Berry-Yogurt Smoothie: 88 calories 0 g fat 0.9 g fiber 2.8 g protein 18 g carbs 91.5 mg Calcium PB GF Dear Husband was inspired to create this, in an effort to get more Calcium and less orange juice into our diet. HINT: Makes 4 [four] servings 1 cup yogurt, plain and low-fat 2 oz banana 2 oz mixed berries 4 oz fruit juice with solids in it 8 oz orange juice HINT: I combine the fruits and put those in the freezer as ‘kits.’ Put the yogurt, fruit, and fruit juice in the blender/VitaMix/container for using immersion wand. Whiz it on HIGH until everything is blended and no bits of berry are seen. Add orange juice and blend on low. Put what you don’t use today into the ‘fridge for another day.

Lunch/Meal Smoothies Green Milk: 136 calories 0.6 g fat 1.5 g fiber 10 g protein 24 g carbs 337 mg Calcium PB GF I drink this for lunch daily to ‘keep the trains running.’ On Fast Days, I eliminate the dates. 8 oz low-fat milk ½ oz dates 1 oz spinach, fresh or frozen Put everything in the blender/VitaMix or container suitable for using with an immersion wand. Whirl on low speed at first, to break up the ingredients, then at the speed that will pulverize everything to a lovely shade of green.

Banana Tofu Smoothie: 182 calories 2 g fat 1.5 g fiber 9 g protein 32 g carbs 250 mg Calcium PB GF This is what I always took for lunch when I was teaching. Kept me going all afternoon. HINT: This serves two. 1.25 cups fat-free milk ½ cup firm tofu 6” banana 2 Tbsp sugar 4 ice cubes grated nutmeg Put everything in the blender and whizz it on “Low” until it is all blended. Then run it at a higher speed until it is smooth. Top with grated nutmeg.

Luke

October 17, 2018October 30, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Saint Luke was an outsider. He was indeed included in the circle of preachers chosen to work with St. Paul, but he was different. By birth and upbringing, he was Greek and a gentile. By training, he was a physician, a man of ‘science.’ His heritage made him valuable as a messenger to the non-Jews in any crowd and his training made him a credible witness when he wrote his Gospel and Acts of the Apostles. Much is attributed to him: interviews with Mary, mother of Jesus; the painting of her portrait; the long trip to Rome in company with Paul; preaching throughout the Mediterranean region. I like Saint Luke. His writing is descriptive and lovely. It is he who gives us the anecdotes of the Annunciation and the familiar details of the Nativity. Where would Charlie Brown’s Christmas be without Linus reciting the famous passages from the Gospel of Luke? In honor of his Feast Day and of Saint Luke’s Little Summer, we will enjoy a ScrOmelette made with Greek flavors and an evening meals of lamb [lots of symbolism there!] with Summer vegetables.

Greek ScrOmelette: 291 calories 9.6 g fat 2.5 g fiber 18 g protein 33 g carbs [28 g Complex] 250 mg Calcium PB GF Feta cheese is so lovely with eggs.

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, pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid, and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. 1/3 oz feta cheese, reduced fat 1 Tbsp tomato puree large pinch of cinnamon + of oregano 1 Tbsp pomegranate seeds -OR- 1.25 oz applesauce, unsweetened Blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Cream the tomato puree with the feta cheese and seasonings, then whisk in the eggs. Scramble or cook as an omelette. ALTERNATIVELY, Combine the tomato-cheese-seasoning. Whisk the eggs and pour into a hot pan. When the bottom of the eggs begins to set, distribute the tomato mixture over half of the egg. Continue as for a folded/rolled omelette. Prepare the beverages and spoon out the pomegranate/applesauce for a real taste of Greece.

Lamb Kabobs: 227 calories 6.2 g fat 5 g fiber 22 g protein 31.4 g Complex Carbs 41 mg Calcium PB GF This is so easy and so perfect for summer. Lamb Kabobs w: corn relish

3 oz lamb leg in cubes 1 Tbsp tomato juice OR water + granulated garlic + crumbled rosemary 1.5 oz red bell pepper, in 1-1/2” chunks 1.5 oz zucchini, sliced 3/4” thick, then cut in quarters 1 oz red onion, cut in chunks ¾ cup Corn-Tomato Salsa***

***Corn-Tomato Salsa 1.5 cups 1 cup corn kernels 1 cup diced tomato 2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper 2 Tbsp diced red onion 2 Tbsp cider vinegar 1/8 tsp dry mustard 1/8 tsp tumeric ¼ tsp sugar 2 dashes ground cumin

Combine the tomato juice, garlic, and rosemary with the lamb. Stir to coat and set aside to marinate for 30-60 minutes. Prepare the vegetables and Corn Salsa while the meat sits. Impale the vegetables and lamb chunks on skewers, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan [indoors] or an outdoor grill and cook the kabobs on all sides. The meat will brown and the vegetables will begin to char a bit. Plate with the salsa for a very colorful meal.

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

Next Monday, I will offer several	Bannock [not by Bread.. 7 Feb ’18]
recipes for Smoothies and will	Canadian or back bacon
discuss their health benefits	applesauce
choose a meal from the Archives
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

ditto	pork tenderloin + baking apples
	chicken stock + thyme + sage
choose a meal from the Archives	Béchamel sauce [Sidekicks I, 17 Sept ’17]
	broccoli + carrot
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Diocletian

October 14, 2018November 26, 2025 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

He was a man of humble origins who worked his way through the bureaucracy, becoming Emperor and before he was done, 1000s of members of a peaceful religion died. No, not Palpatine, although the parallels are many. This was Diocletian. Talk about an Evil Emperor! His skill as an administrator set the Roman Empire on a better footing after years of instability, true. But his growing obsessions and delusions of grandeur eventually caused him to order the extermination of all the Christians because they would not worship him. He reigned from 284 to 305 CE, with the major persecutions being in 304. Diocletian retired to his palace and pottered around in the garden, growing cabbages, until his death in on October 8, 311. His palace is still there in Split, Croatia, and the locals still eat a meal very similar to our dinner menu below.

Our meals use ingredients the Romans would recognize — even the cabbage in the Danish recipe!

Roman Breakfast: 270 calories… 3.5 g fat… 4 g fiber… 14.2 g protein… 41 g carbs… 187 mg Calcium… PB Though a bit unusual, this is a very good plate of breakfast, based on foods available to Roman patricians in the days of the Empire. It is satisfying and flavorful. Try it.

++1 Pan Muffin ++++ 1 oz pear ++++ 1 oz cooked chicken ++++ 1 oz radish ++++ 1 oz cucumber ++++ ½ medjool date = ¼ oz ++++ optional: blackish coffee or blackish tea ++++ optional: 5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasteurized apple cider ++

Dice all the fruits and vegetables. Add a good finishing salt and gently stir to combine. HINT: I did this the night before and refrigerated the mixture. Prepare the pan muffin or take from freezer with time to thaw/heat. In the time it takes to brew the coffee, you can plate the muffin and the fruit-veg mixture. Romans did not drink smoothies or coffee, but we will. Hope you’ll enjoy your throw-back breakfast.

Danish Stuffed Cabbage: 282 calories… 5.7 g fat… 5.7 g fiber… 35 g protein… 25 g carbs… 125 mg Calcium… PB GF — if using GF bread crumbs Craig Claiborne’s International Cookbook provided this recipe. Its history involves a Swedish king and the Ottoman Empire. Very royal origin for a common meal found all over, where ever cabbages are grown.

++4 oz turkey meat, raw ++++ 2 oz pork meat, raw ++++ 2.5 oz veal, raw ++++ ½ cup fresh bread crumbs [from whole-grain 70-calorie bread] ++++ 2 oz milk ++++ 1 oz egg white ++++ sage + salt + pepper ++++ 4 whole cabbage leaves from a whole head ++++ 1/3 c pickled beets ++++ dab of mustard ++

Put the meats, sage, salt, and pepper in the food processor and mince. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and cook the meat until it doesn’t look raw. Cool meat. Combine the bread and milk, stir, let sit until soggy. Add the egg white and meats and stir to combine well. Set aside. Put a head of cabbage in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. When the outer layer begins to cook, remove the outer leaf. Return the cabbage to the pan of simmering water. Continue to remove the outer leaves as they cook, until you have 4. [NB: now you have the rest of the cabbage to use for something else] Return them to the poaching water and cook until very limp. Cut a ‘V’ at the base of each leaf to remove the thickest part of the leaf’s rib. Orient the leaf so the ‘V’ is away from you. Put ¼ cup filling on the leaf. Fold the near side over the filling, tuck in the sides, and continue to roll. Place seam-side down in an oven-proof dish large enough to hold all four rolls. Pour some of the water in which you poached the cabbage into the dish until it comes 1/2-way up the rolls. Put on a lid or foil and bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes or until heated. Plate with the pickled beets and a dab of mustard. Fit for a king. Or an evil emperor.

Crossroads: Atlantic

October 10, 2018April 6, 2024 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

For millennia, the Atlantic Ocean was terra incognita, the uncharted edge of the world. Even though the Norse and maybe the Irish crossed the Atlantic, they left no record of their voyages. [Except the Voyage of Brendan, which is disputed.] Then came the 15th century, when Prince Henry the Navigator sent out ships to find the way to Asia. Previously unknown islands became valuable jumping-off bases, for repair and resupply of ships, or as sites from which to control shipping lanes. The Açores, Bioko, Madeira, Cape Verde, Saõ Tome & Principe — these specks on the map were mostly discovered by the Portuguese but changed hands many times as the other great powers vied for dominance. The island of Bioko, for example, had an indigenous population, then the Portuguese took over, then Dutch, then Spain, then England, ending with self-rule by Equatorial Guinea. The cultural and culinary influences are noticeable in all these locales.

Today we celebrate these cross-roads and their foods. The Azorean breakfast features cheese [introduced by the Flemish], pimento sauce [the Portuguese], Kiwi fruit [from China via New Zealand], and tea [for the British taste]. Bioko [formerly Fernanda da Po] gives us a stew with ingredients from South America [beans and potatoes] and Europe [cabbage], combined in a local way.

Azorean Omelette: 250 calories 10.7 g fat 0.9 g fiber 17 g protein 13.5 g carbs [6 g Complex] 276 mg Calcium PB GF When on vacation in the Azores, these local ingredients made for a wonderful breakfast. When at home, just as fine.

1-1/2 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 oz Azorean cheese OR Gouda 1 oz Pimenta da Queijo 1 oz kiwi fruit optional: blackish coffee [Portugese or Brazilian] or blackish tea [from the Gorreana Tea Plantation]

Grate/shred the cheese. Whisk the eggs with the pepper sauce and turn into a lightly-oiled nonstick pan. Sprinkle the eggs with the cheese and cook as you would an omelette. Plate with the fruit and serve one of those delicious beverages. Excellent.

Jota: 169 calories 4.5 g fat 7.4 g fiber 11.5 g protein 25.7 g carbs [23 g Complex] 83.5 mg Calcium PB GF The flavors of Africa and Portugal meet in this bean stew. Very satisfying. HINT: This recipe is enough for 4 [four] 1-cup servings.

1-1/2 cups sauerkraut, drained 1-1/2 cups canned red beans, drained and rinsed bay leaf 4 oz red potatoes, cooked and diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 oz smoked ham hock, cubed ½ cup+ vegetable broth or water Optional: 1 clove garlic, crushed + 1 tsp flour + 1 tsp oil Optional: raw leaves of baby spinach

Spray a heavy sauce pan with non-stick spray and cook one of the garlics until golden brown. Add the sauerkraut to the pan with the broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes. In another pan, heat the beans with the bay leaf until warm. Remove half of the beans and put them in a food processor with the cooked garlic and half of the potatoes. Puree, adding water/broth to adjust the liquids. Add the puree, whole beans, potatoes, and meat to the pan with the sauerkraut. Taste for seasonings. Add some water/broth to bring the volume to 4 cups. Optional: Simmer the other garlic clove in 1 tsp oil until brown. Remove garlic and whisk in 1 tsp flour, then add some stock to make a roux. Stir into the stew as a traditional thickener. Optional: When the soup is in the bowl, tear the spinach leaves into bits and poke them into the hot liquid to add some extra color, texture, vitamins.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion

pan muffin [see Not by Bread, 7 Feb 2018]	1.5 two-oz eggs
cucumber + medjool date	feta cheese, reduced fat
chicken + radish	tomato puree + cinnamon
pear	pomegranate seeds + oregano
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

veal + pork + turkey	cubed leg of lamb + red bell pepper
milk + sage + cabbage	zucchini + red onion + garlic powder
fresh bread crumbs + pickled beets	rosemary + sugar + corn + cumin
mustard	tomato + cider vinegar + dry mustard
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Hot Time in the Old Town

October 7, 2018October 26, 2018 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

“Chicago Fire.” Those words could conjure a restaurant; a TV series; a soccer/futbol team; a popular children’s ditty; or an event from 1871. I never went to that restaurant, I don’t watch the TV show, and I don’t follow soccer. But I did grow up singing that song and being told that a cow kicking over a lantern [due to the carelessness of the owner] was the cause of the Great Chicago Fire of October 8, 1871. Chicago was a fast-growing city, buildings quickly thrown up with wood for framing and wooden sidewalks. Population density was high in the city center and some famous new buildings, like the storied Palmer House Hotel, had just opened. At 9 pm, a fire began in the southwest corner of the town. Fanned by a SW wind, the flames eagerly fed on the dry structures ahead of it and spread rapidly. By the time it was out, 31% of the population was homeless, and the city center was destroyed. The fire had consequences and beneficial outcomes: new building codes and architects flocking to the city to begin the ‘Great Rebuilding.’ This lead to the “Chicago School” of architecture, some of which is seen today during the delightfully interesting ‘architectural river cruise‘.

The foods today recognize post-fire Chicago. Immigrants have flocked to the city, not always receiving a warm welcome. But they helped the city to grow and flourish and they added their foods to the culture. There are now more Mexicans in Chicago than in the city of Veracruz! So, the breakfast features Mexican Pickled Vegetables. The dinner spotlights the famous Chicago Hot Dog, born of the stock yards and the German workers there.

Mexicali Bake: 271 calories 7 g fat 3.8 g fiber 13 g protein 38.7 g carbs 234 mg Calcium PB GF Remarkable how the bright pickle flavor and the creamy cheese compliment each other. Mexicali Bake w: grapes 1 two-oz egg 2 Tbsp Mexican Pickles, chopped [see Spicy II, 12 September, 2018 for recipe] 2 Tbsp Cheddar cheese, grated pinch cumin + big pinch oregano [Mexican oregano if you have it] grapes nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water 6 oz green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and set the toaster oven at 350° F. Put the pickles in the ramekin and cook in microwave for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the cheese over the pickles. Whisk the egg and seasonings together, and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, brew the hot beverage, shake your smoothie, and plate the fruit. What a bright and delicious day this will be.

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

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

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

Preaching to the Birds

October 3, 2018December 30, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Giovanni di Bernardone, nicknamed “Francesco” [the Frenchman], had a dilema. Should he pursue a life as a Christian preacher or leave the world to become a hermit? He asked his spiritual advisors and they sent word that his path was as a preacher. He was on the road with friends when he received that message and knew he had to start preaching right away. So he went into the field where a large flock of birds were assembled and to the amazement of his colleagues, Francesco began to preach to the birds about being grateful for the gifts which God had given to them. This incident was charmingly depicted in art by Giotto in 1297, in poetry by Seamus Heaney, and in music by Franz Listz. The preacher went on to become Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology. I have always been fond of Francis and his simple view of faith and nature because he seems so genuine. And as a lover of nature, I wish more people would think and act ecologically.

We will celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis tomorrow by eating eggs of birds with a popular Italian vegetable, melanzane [aubergine]. And for dinner, no animals will be harmed in the preparation of our watercress soup.

Aubergine ScrOmelette: 152 calories 7.6 g fat 2 g fiber 10.5 g protein 11 g carbs [10 g Complex] 64.7 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Eggplant and tomatoes are such a part of late summer, that you want to eat them with everything. Eating local foods in season is a real treat.

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 to store in the ‘fridge for next week. 1¼ oz eggplant 1¼ oz fresh tomatoes, diced OR same amount of canned, diced tomato ¼ oz onion OR 1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped 1¼ oz pear large pinch Herbes de Province + pinch crushed red pepper flakes Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait[65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Chop the eggplant and onion. Simmer the vegetables and herbes in the tomato sauce in a covered pan until they are tender. If too thick, add a little water. Whisk the eggs with the vegetables and put into a hot pan spritzed with cooking spray. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Slice the pears and prepare your beverages. Savor the summer.

Watercress Soup: 157 calories 5.4 g fat 2.9 g fiber 8.4 g protein 22 g carbs [19 g Complex] 63.5 mg Calcium PB GF Jacques Pepin’s Good Life Cooking is the source of this recipe and the stream that flows to the beach is the source of our watercress. So low in calories, you might want to add some Finn Crisp crackers for filling fiber or the Caprese Salad for more protein. HINT: This recipe makes 5 cups of soup which serves 4-5 people.

2 tsp canola oil 4 oz [weight, not volume] watercress leaves and tender stems 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped 2 cups onion, coarsely diced ¾ tsp salt 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2-1/2 cups good stock – vegetable/chicken/beef 10 oz [weight, not volume] potatoes, peeled, cut in 2” chunks OR 12 oz white potato total 2 oz [weight, not volume] sweet potato, peeled and cut in chunks per serving: 1 Tbsp chèvre cheese optional: Caprese Salad– 46 calories 2.2 g fat 0.6 g fiber 3.9 g protein 2.6 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium PB GF ½ oz mozzerella cheese, thinly sliced + 2 oz tomato, thinly sliced and sprinkled with salt + fresh basil leaves There should be equal numbers of cheese slices as tomato. Arange the cheese, tomato, and basil in overlapping on the plate.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the cress, celery, onion, and garlic, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Put the stock, salt and potatoes into the pan and bring to a boil. [NB: my stock was very dark, which changed the color of the soup to a darker shade of green] Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool slightly then puree in blender/food processor or with imersion wand. If not thoroughly pureed, run through a sieve. Heat the soup before serving. In the bowl, put the chevre in the center, let it soften a bit, then swirl it into the soup. Serve the salad on the side.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
Mexican Pickled Vegetables [see SPICY 2, 12 Sept 2018]	Pimenta da Queijo sauce
Cheddar cheese	Gouda or Azores cheese
cumin + oregano	kiwi fruit
pear or apple
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

2 all-beef hot dogs, 110 calories each	Smoked ham hock
tomato + dill pickle spears	sauerkraut
onion + peperoncini	garlic
hot dog relish	canned red beans
yellow mustard	red potatoes
celery seed + poppy seed	raw spinach
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

The Little Flower

September 30, 2018September 27, 2018 ~ me ~ 2 Comments

Who is the Little Flower? Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. How did she get to be a saint? By paying attention to the little things. The petted daughter of a well-to-do family in Normandy, she grew up with a strong faith. But at age 14, on Christmas Eve, she had an epiphany: rather than thinking of herself, she should consider the feelings of others. When she entered the convent, she sought a quiet, simple life of devotion. But she found her calling to be doing everything with joy so that others could be happier. Her ‘little ways’ were noticed and she was asked to write down her philosophy to share with other nuns of the Carmelite order. She often used flowers as a metaphor for humility, and became known as the “Little Flower.” With my surname of Flower, it is no surprise that I would be drawn to Saint Thérèse. But the main appeal is her simple approach to happiness. We can learn a lot from that. How can you achieve your goal of losing weight? By paying attention to the little things: Fasting Days twice each week; avoiding low-nutrition foods; eating mindfully; taking time to savor the taste of food as you eat it; being happy in even small successes in weight loss. In honor of good Saint Thérèse, our breakfast features Camembert from Normandy, of course. And dinner evokes Springtime, when the flowers start to bloom.

Camembert Bake: 287 calories 10 g fat 2.5 g fiber 14.3 g protein 35 g carbs [32 g Complex] 241 mg Calcium PB GF The best-known cheese of Normandy stars in this egg dish. Easy to prepare and so delicious. I hope you will try it. Camambert Bake

One 2-oz egg ½ oz Camembert 1 tsp Dijon mustard grating of nutmeg 2 oz strawberries OR 1.5 oz apple slices blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut the cheese [rind and all] into small chunks and leave to soften at room temperature. Stir in the mustard and nutmeg. Whisk the egg, then stir in the cheese mixture. Pour into an oven-proof dish that has been spritzed with non-stick spray and bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes. When the beverages are ready, plate with the fruit.

Springtime Shrimp Salad: 192 calories 7 g fat 3.6 g fiber 17 g protein 17 g carbs 114 mg Calcium PB GF In Spring, the clementines are decreasing in the markets and the asparagus is increasing. A salad with shrimp is delightfully delicious, even if in Autumn you have to swap out some ingredients. Springtime Shrimp Salad

2 cups mesclun OR baby greens 2.5 oz cold-water shrimp 8-9 sections clementine OR other citrus 1-3/4 oz asparagus OR green beans ¾ oz mango ½ hard-boiled egg 2 tsp Spicy Aioli Dressing [see SPICYMay 23 ’18 for recipe]

Prepare all the ingredients, cutting or cooking as necessary. Combine the Dressing and measure 2 tsp into a large bowl. Toss the salad greens with the Dressing and a pinch of salt. Turn onto the serving plate and arrange the other ingredients atop the greens. Enjoy the colors and flavors of Spring. If you can, sprinkle some little flowers on the salad: pansies, violets, flowers from herbs blooming in your garden.

	me on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Mya on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Peter Eppig on Robert Gould Shaw
	me on 10 Years of FASTing
	Karen Loudon on 10 Years of FASTing

Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet."

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The Little Flower

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