losing weight

Something Fishy

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There are so many different, delicious ways to eat seafood, yet it amazes me that there are those who prefer not to eat the denizens of the waters.  Fish and shellfish have lots of protein while being low in calories. Steamed, broiled, baked, stewed: you don’t have to be a pescatarian to enjoy the benefits. The Fasting Lifestyle goes far beyond the can of tuna.    Want to see what the scientists say about intermittent fasting? Read this:   http://www.lift-heavy.com/intermittent-fasting/

Smoked Salmon Bake 292 calories   8.0 g fat   1.9 g fiber   15.2 g protein   44.6 g carbs   223.2 mg Calcium   PB   GF Gosh this is good. You must try it!smoked-salmon-bake

1 two-ounce egg                                                                                                                                                            ¼ oz smoked salmon, crumbled into pieces                                                                                                  2 Tbsp scallions, green & white parts, diced or sliced                                                                                        2-3 tsp chopped parsley                                                                                                                                         1 Tbsp chevre [goat cheese]                                                                                                                                      ¼ cup blueberries                                                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                                     5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Put the scallions and parsley into a heat-proof ramekin. Microwave for 30 seconds. Add the salmon. HINT: I did this the night before. Beat the goat cheese and egg together until the cheese breaks up into tiny lumps. Pour into ramekin and stir all together to mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Brew your beverage; dish the fruit; shake that smoothie; love that breakfast.

Fish Curry:  250 calories      1.6 g fat     8 g fiber      18.5 g protein     31 g carbs     72 mg Calcium   PB  GF    Based on Craig Claibourne’s “Anything Curry,” this is a meal we have enjoyed for years.Fish Curry w: brown rice

curry sauce [makes 3 cups sauce. you need 3/4 cup for tonight’s dinner]:   HINT: Prep the sauce any time you have an extra half hour in the kitchen.  Freeze it in 3/4 cup portions.                                         1 cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                                                          1 clove garlic, minced                                                                                                                                           1/2 cup celery, chopped                                                                                                                                          1 cup apple, peeled, and diced OR use unsweetened applesauce                                                           1-2 Tablespoons Indian curry powder                                                                                                                       3/4 tsp dry mustard                                                                                                                                                 1 bay leaf                                                                                                                                                                       3 cups fish stock                                                                                                                                                     1/2 cup water                                                                                                                                                     Spritz a sauce pan twice with cooking oil and add 2 Tbsp water. Saute the onion, garlic, celery, and apple until soft.  Sprinkle the curry and mustard on top.  Stir in the bay leaf,  broth, and water.  Let cook  until it measures 3 cups. Remove the bay leaf.  Measure out 3/4 cup for this recipe, then cool and freeze the remainder.

now complete the curry:                                                                                                                                                      1 oz carrot rounds                                                                                                                                                   1/2 cup cauliflower florets                                                                                                                                 2.5 oz cooked fish                                                                                                                                                     3 Tbsp peas                                                                                                                                                             1/4 cup  cooked brown rice  OR  boiled yellow lentils                                                                      garnish:   1/4 cup diced tomatoes   +   ¼ cup diced cucumbers

First, boil the rice or lentils. HINT: If using lentils, check the package for cooking time and plan ahead. Boil extra and freeze the remainder for next time you have this meal. Steam or boil the carrots and cauliflower. Warm the sauce [if frozen], add the fish, peas, cooked carrots and cauliflower. Plate with the rice or lentils, and top with tomatoes and cucumbers.

 

St Luke’s Summer

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In England it was so typical to enjoy a brief spell of warm weather around October 18th [the Feast of Saint Luke] that it became known as ‘St. Luke’s little summer.’  We can enjoy the mild weather and eat well to celebrate the days before Autumn asserts itself.

Smoked Sausage ScrOmelette: 299 calories    9.5 g fat   1.7 g fiber    16.6 g protein   33 g carbs 216.4 mg Calcium   GF   Having been gifted with the Dakin sausage, we decided to make it a breakfast. The sausage adds a nice smokey Autumnal flavor to the eggs.  If substututing another sausage, know that the Dakin sausage has 30 calories per ounce.smoked-sausage-scromlette

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                    1/2 oz Dakin Farm cob-smoked chicken sausage, diced                                                                                  1.5 tsp oregano and parsley, chopped                                                                                                               1 oz apple                                                                                                                                                        blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the prepared sausage and stir to heat . Whisk the eggs with the herbs and a grind of pepper and pour into the pan, stirring to incorporate the sausage. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Slice the fruit, pour your beverages and off you go.

Asparagus Soup     242 calories        10.7 g fat        7 g fiber      16.3 g protein      33 carb   PB     This fabulous soup is from Salute to Healthy Cooking and we have been loving it for years. Despite its rich taste, it is very low in calories and fat. HINT: the recipe makes enough for 6 servings. Freezes very well for easy meals later. I serve it here with Finn Crisp crackers covered with melted cheese. If you want to eliminate them, go ahead.asparagus soup

One and a half pounds asparagus                                                                                                                  ½ c onion, roughly chopped                                                                                                                                      1 cup potato in 1 “ dice                                                                                                                                            5 cups chicken stock                                                                                                                                             4 oz raw chicken breast cut into 4 pieces                                                                                                            salt & pepper                                                                                                                                                        per serving:      1 ½ tps Boursin cheese         4 pieces of Finn Crisp crackers                                                   ½ oz Swiss cheese [1 deli slice]

Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and cut spears roughly in half. Pour the chicken stock into a sauce pan. Add the onion and asparagus. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables so that it will steam/poach while the asparagus is cooking. Bring the liquid to a simmer and put on a lid. Remove the chicken when it is cooked and put it in the blender. When the vegetables are cooked, remove them and put in the blender. Cook the potato in the pot and cook until soft. Pour the stock and the potatoes into the blender with everything else. Blend until smooth. Return to the pan and season to taste. Cool and divide into 3 portions [or 6 portions if you are serving one] for the freezer.

To serve, thaw the soup and warm it gently [if frozen]. Adjust seasonings. Cut the slice of cheese into 4 strips, 4” x 2”, and put a portion on each cracker. Warm in the oven until cheese melts. Delicious in any season.

Ides of October

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To the Romans, the 3 days at the middle of any month were called the Ides.  All anyone thinks about are the infamous ‘Ides of March’ against which Julius Caesar was warned.  There is nothing sinister about the middle of October, so let’s eat [up to 600 calories], drink [lots of water], and be merry about our anticipated weight loss for tomorrow.

Red White and Blue       295 calories      1.4 g fat       3.8 g fiber     20 g protein           45 g carbs 504 mg Calcium      PG GF— if using GF bread      Ricotta is higher in protein and Calcium than cottage cheese, but you could substitute that if you wish.Red White & blue

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] cut into a star with the largest cookie cutter that will fit the bread                                                                                                                             large pinch of cinnamon sugar                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                            5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut your slice of bread with the star cookie cutter, freezing the scraps for use in Crab Cakes or Stuffed Clams or Crab-Stuffed Flounder. Sprinkle the bread with a small pinch of cinnamon sugar and toast it. Measure the ricotta onto your plate. Put the fruit on top. [I do not recommend stirring the fruit into the cheese, since it will ‘stain’ the cheese.] Top with a small pinch of cinnamon sugar and plate with the toast. Pour the hot beverage and the smoothie.

Lobster Thermador:    269 calories     13.4 g fat     5.5 g fiber       29 g protein     18.4 g carbs 130.5 mg Calcium    PB GF     Lobster is wonderful for the Fasting Lifestyle, whether you get it pre-cooked or raw. The damage comes when it is slathered in butter. I think that butter masks the clean, pure taste of the lobster, so I haven’t dunked my lovely crustacean in it for years. This recipe is so elegant yet lacks calories to such an extent that I have added a very French dessert course:  peaches and raspberries.Lobster Thermador

¾ cup lobster, cooked and cut into chunks                                                                                                      1 Tbsp heavy cream 2 Tbsp bechamel sauce [see: 1789, posted on July 13, 2016. I always keep béchamel sauce on hand, frozen in small amounts.]                                                                                  ½ tsp Dijon mustard                                                                                                                                                             flat-leaved parsley, chopped, for garnish                                                                                                         3 oz green beans                                                                                                                                            dessert: 1 oz raspberries  +  2 oz peaches, fresh or frozen, cut into cubes

Stir together the cream, bechamel, and mustard. Lightly fold in the lobster. Heap into a ramekin, sprinkle on the parsley, and heat at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cook the beans and put the fruits in a lovely bowl for dessert.

Progress Report: 3.5 Years

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We have been following the Fasting Lifestyle for 3 and 1/2 years.  How’s that working out? Both my husband and I have reached our weight goals AND HAVE MAINTAINED THE WEIGHT LOSS.  That’s the big story — lots of diets will help you to lose weight, but can you then keep it off? I’m here to tell you that on the Fast Diet, yes, you can. By restricting calorie intake to 600 calories [that’s calorie restriction] 2 days a week [that’s called intermittent fasting], and eating wholesome unprocessed food the rest of the week, we have been successful in our weight loss goals.

Are we fasting every day? no.  Are we eating some weird food? no.  Do we avoid entire food groups to keep the pounds off? no. Are we starving ourselves? no.

Mondays and Thursdays we Fast.  Sunday we have a roast for dinner.  Tuesday we eat the roast as leftovers.                                          roast-lamb-w-bordeauxWednesday we eat pasta. carbonara-pasta-roasted-veg-w-barbera-dalba

Friday we eat seafood.    Saturday we eat pizza. grilled-bluefish-w-rhubarb-sauce-aust-riesling forestreet-pizza   And we drink wine and we eat dessert.                                                                                   See, we eat real food, like real people and we still maintain our weight.  Does our weight ever vary? Of course it does — up 2 pounds, down 1.5 pounds — that’s normal.

Happy?  You bet!  Healthy? Yes!  Willing to continue the Fasting Lifestyle?  VERY MUCH SO!   If you are waffling about starting a diet, get on board and follow this food plan.  Happy rest of your life.

PS: If you want to see recipes for the foods we eat the other days as well as the wines to go with them, go to www.peterspicksblog.wordpress.com      It is posted every Friday.

Canadian Thanksgiving

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This event occurs on the second Monday of October, roughly around Columbus Day in the USA. Can you Fast and still Feast?  Let’s live it up with our Canadian neighbors while keeping our calories down. Here’s how:

French Toast   294 calories   6.7 g fat   3.2 g fiber   13.5 g protein   31 g carbs   260 mg Calcium HINT: This recipe makes French Toast for 2 people or two breakfasts. If serving one, prepare all the toast, but put the rest in a bag in the freezer for a really fast breakfast later.french-toast-maple-leafs

4+ slices 70-cal whole grain bread — When the bread has been cut to shape, there should be 4 ounces of bread      For today, I cut them out with a maple leaf cookie cutter                                                    one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                    2 Tbsp fat-free milk                                                                                                                                                 per person: 1 oz strawberries, fresh or unsweetened frozen                                                                        1 and ½ tsp maple syrup         [the REAL kind]                                                                                                                                        one 60-cal sausage I like Al Fresco brand chicken sage breakfast links                                       nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                          3 oz green or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whisk the egg and milk together. Cut the pieces of bread into appropriate shapes using a cookie cutter. [This step is important for the calorie count to come out right, so don’t skip it even if it seems too much like ‘crafty food.’ The bread that is left over can be fed to the birds or saved to make Stuffed Clams] Put the bread into a pan with a rim which is just big enough for the bread pieces. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the bread, making sure it is all wetted. Let stand OVERNIGHT. Also combine the strawberries and syrup.                                                                                                                                                               THE NEXT MORNING, cook the batter-soaked bread in a hot non-stick pan with a spritz of non-stick spray. Cook until browned on both sides. NOW PUT 1/2 OF THE PIECES ASIDE TO COOL. PUT INTO A BAG AND FREEZE THEM FOR A LATER DATE. Cook the sausage, too. Mash the berries a bit and add the maple syrup. Warm the mixture a little and smear onto the plated toast. Enjoy with the sausage, hot beverage of choice, and smoothie.

Turkey Dinner:   Go to the holiday table armed with the facts. I’m not going to tell you what to eat, but I will provide you with some nutritional facts for common foods:chicken-dinner-for-2

4 oz turkey breast, roasted, skinless: 153 calories                                                                                           ½ cup green beans:        21 calories                                                                                                                            ½ cup breadcrumb stuffing:       176 calories                                                                                                                                    ½ cup peas:         62 calories                                                                                                                                          ¼ cup mashed potatoes:         59 calories                                                                                                              2 Tbsp gravy:        16 calories                                                                                                                     pumpkin pie, 1/8th of a 9” pie:       316 calories                                                                                                                             The meal on the left in the photo has 206 calories.   The meal on the right, with stuffing, has 382 calories.  Eat as your conscience tells you, or have a real Fast Day tomorrow.

 

East & West

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On another day this week, eat the meals from another post.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

To divide the world into “East” and “West” is a Euro-centric construct, based on where you happen to be standing [or where you were born].  I raise the issue to get us thinking about variety in our diet: Asian food? European food? Together on the same day — why not? The Fasting Lifestyle embraces lots of cuisines.  Enjoy your food, enjoy the world, enjoy Fasting.

Ratatouille ScrOmelette   285 calories   9.4 g fat   2.8 g fiber    18.1 g protein   31 g carbs   297 mg Calcium PB GF, if using GF bread or no bread    This is one of my favorites!Mediterreanian ScrOmelette

1 ½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                                                                           1/4 cup Mediterranean Vegetables, drained + chopped                                                                           1/4 oz mozzerella cheese, grated                                                                                                                        ¼ slice multi-grain 70-calorie bread OR 1/4 Arnold Multigrain Sandwich Thin                            blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

HINT: the night before, thaw the Mediterranean Vegetables which we prepared June 1st “Because Its June!” Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the prepared vegetables and stir to heat . Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan, stirring to incorporate the vegetables. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Sprinkle the cheese on top while still warm or add to the eggs while still cooking. Dish up the fruit, toast the bread, brew your hot beverage, and pour the smoothie.

Shrimp Spring Rolls   281 calories   6.5 g fat   4.5 g fiber   22.4 g protein   29.4 g carbs   126 mg Calcium   GF    PB                           This is the same recipe as the Shrimp with UdonNoodles but without the noodles. The Spring Roll wrappers look like 8” disks of opaque plastic, but after soaking for 10-15 seconds in water, they become clear and very pliant. If you are not accustomed to wrapping spring rolls or egg rolls, you might want to practice using wonton wrappers which are easier to manipulate.Shrimp Spring Rolls

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

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

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

Just Dandy

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Are you feeling dandy?  or are you feeling annoyed with yourself [or the world in general] about your weight?  Time to start doing something about it.  If you follow the Fasting Lifestyle, I’m almost certain that you will see results. Will you, as the ads say, “Drop 5 pounds by the week-end” ? No, nor should you expect to.  But dropping 2-3 pounds a week, every week might make you feel just dandy too.                                                                           And here is a review of the Fast Diet by US News & World Report:  http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/fast-diet

Cheesy-Bake:   301 calories   7.7 g fat   3.7 g fiber   15 g protein   37.3 g carbs   307.8 mg Calcium PB GF This is the baked version of a cheese omelette which thinks that it is a cheese souffle! Delicious.  Don’t worry about the 301 calories for breakfast, today will still total <600 calories.cheesy-bake-w-apples-r-bs

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                             ¼ oz cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                                                            1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                        ¼ c raspberries [When I use frozen fruit, I portion it into its dish the night before, so it will be thawed by morning]                                                                                                                                       ½ oz apple, sliced                                                                                                                                                  blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water,                                                                        5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with olive oil or non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees. Stir the two cheeses together with a fork until blended and whisk with the egg. Without waiting, pour into the ramekin and bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed and beginning to brown. Prepare the fruit and beverages and enjoy a cheesy start to your day.

Spinach-Fish Timbale:  264 calories   7.4 g fat   6.6 g fiber     37.8 g protein    19.2 g carbs  341.8 mg Calcium PB [GF if you use GF bread] Seen in cookbooks, this recipe lends itself well to our uses.Spinach-Fish Timbales w: gr beans

½ cup blanched spinach [this used most of a 4.5 oz bag of fresh leaves]                                  nutmeg, salt                                                                                                                                                                        1 Tbsp onion/shallot, minced                                                                                                                              1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese                                                                                                                              5 oz sole or flounder or ocean perch fillets, skinned [this is 2 small fillets]                                             ½ slice 70-calorie bread, ground to crumbs HINT: use fresh bread crumbs: dried crumbs have more calories + carbs per volume                                                                                                         3 oz green beans

Heat the toaster oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the spinach but do not dry it. Put into a wide pan and put over medium heat with a lid. Check the spinach frequently, stirring,  and remove from heat when the leaves are wilted. There might be some liquid still in the pan. When the leaves are cool enough to handle, remove by the hand-full and squeeze the liquid out, saving it in the pan. Coarsley chop the spinach leaves and put into a bowl with the salt and nutmeg. Add the cheese to the warm spinach and stir until the cheese mixes in.

In the pan of spinach water, cook the onion/shallot until the water is gone. Combine the onion, bread crumbs, and spinach.

Lay the fish fillets out so that they make one long line, over-lapping by about an inch. Spoon the spinach stuffing on the fish to cover it. Spray the inside of a 1-cup ramekin or custard cup with oil or non-stick spray.

Roll up the fish as compactly as you can and put it into the ramekin. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Cook the green beans. When the fish is baked, hold the ramekin in one oven-gloved hand while you invert a plate over the ramekin. Flip it all over so that now the ramekin is upside down. Lift off the ramekin. Plate with the beans.

Mushrooms

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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.

This time of year, there are plenty of mushrooms. IF you know what to collect, they are your’s for the taking.  Find a friend who is knowledgeable or join a mycological society that goes out for forays. Learn to identify one type of mushroom reliably and the fun begins.  Mushrooms work nicely in the Fasting Lifestyle because they are nutritious and flavorful but low in calories when used correctly. Wild mushrooms can be found at farmers’ markets, too. Eat at breakfast and dinner when they are in season. Such a treat.

Mushroom ScrOmelette     297 calories    5.8 g fat     2.4 g fiber      15 g protein     33 g carb     212 mg Calcium   NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB   GF Mushrooms combine well with Parmesan cheese. Apples add the flavor of Fall.

1 ½ eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                 ½ oz fresh mushrooms, chopped                                                                                                                           ½ tsp grated Parmesan cheese                1 ½ oz of apple or 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] or lemon in hot water 

Chop or slice the mushrooms and saute with a little water in a skillet. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside. Now whisk the 1.5 eggs with seasonings to taste. Pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook, tipping the pan and lifting the cooked eggs until the bottom is set but the top is still moist. Top with the mushrooms and cheese, fold and plate. Serve with fruit, plus your beverage and smoothie. You are off to a good start.

Mushroom Tart: 268 calories 10 g fat 3.2 g fiber 22.6 g protein 16.4 g carbs 241 mg Calcium PB GF – if you eliminate the Arnold Sandwich Thin or substitute 25 calories of GF bread The Gunflint Lodge Cookbook supplied this recipe. Then, of course, I altered it to suit our requirements. But mostly, it is their’s!

mushroom-tart

1 small clove garlic         ¼ cup leeks, white and/or green parts, sliced                                                                                               6 oz mushrooms, cut into chunks or slices                      2 Tbsp white wine                                                                                                                                                two 2-oz eggs                     ½ cup fatfree milk                                                                                                                                                      ¼ cup Gruyère cheese, grated           ½ cup lowfat cottage cheese                                                                                                                                      1 and ¼ oz carrots                            ¼ Arnold Sandwich Thin

Sauté/steam the leeks, garlic, and mushrooms in a little water until soft. Add the wine and cook uncovered until the liquid is nearly gone. Season with salt and pepper. Put the vegetables into a lightly-oil-spritzed baking dish, and cover with the cheese. Whisk eggs, milk, and cottage cheese together and pour over everything in the baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees until the filling is set [knife stuck into center comes out clean]. Remove from oven and cool 15-20 minutes before eating. Prepare your carrots and slice the Sandwich Thin, toasting it if you wish. A tasty Autumn meal.

Summer Lingers

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Sometimes the Equinox brings cool rain and wind, sometimes balmy summer weather lingers for a bit. Whichever weather you are having, you can continue the Fasting Lifestyle with today’s menu.  The breakfast features Fall apples and smokey flavors, while the dinner uses up more of the ubiquitous zucchini.

Gravlax & Grannies: 299 calories    GF  PB   For an appetizer at the Inn at Saint Peters, we enjoyed their Smoked Trout with Apples. It occurred to me that this could be a fine breakfast for those who enjoy a savory/seafood taste in the a.m.  I substituted mackerel gravlax for the smoked trout, just because that was on hand, but it was a grey-brown instead of the lighter hue of the trout or the pink of a salmon.  Use what is available.gravlax-apples

2 oz mackerel gravlax or smoked trout or smoked salmon                                                                               2 oz Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced; each slice cut into 1/2-moons                                                 ¼ c blueberries plus a few raspberries                                                                                                               blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water                                                                                            5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider

Slice the fish with the grain to create thin slices. Arrange the fish and apples in overlapping slices around the plate. HINT: I did this the night before, covered it with clingwrap and put it in the ‘fridge. So quick the next morning!! Brew your hot beverage, blend or shake your smoothie, dish out those healthy blueberries, and breakfast elegantly.

Zucchini Fritatta  300 cal   21 g fat   3.5 g fiber   23 g protein   20 g carb   402 mg Calcium    GF PB       HINT: serves two, so save half for lunches or dine with a friend. Inspired by a recipe in Fresh Ways with Vegetables, part of a Time-Life series from 1986.Zucchini fritatta

3 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                               ¼ cup low-fat ricotta chesse                                                                                                                            thyme, salt, pepper to taste                                                                                                                                  3 oz mushrooms, chopped                                                                                                                                   2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed                                                                                                                       ¼ c. onion, chopped                                                                                                                                                 ½ pound zucchini, grated                                                                                                                                       1 tsp lemon juice                                                                                                                                                      2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                          1 and ½ oz mozzerella cheese, grated

Whisk the eggs, ricotta, salt, pepper, and thyme together. Heat the broiler. Cook the mushrooms, garlic, and onion in an oven-safe pan for 2-3 minutes, adding a bit of water if the mushrooms’ liquid evaporates.  Add zucchini and lemon juice and cook about 5 minutes, until vegetables are soft and all the liquid has evaporated. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the Parmesan. Smooth the surface of the vegetables in the pan and pour in the egg/ricotta mixture. Cook on the stove-top for 1 minute. Sprinkle with mozzerella and put under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Cut in half. Save that half for tomorrow or serve proudly to your dinner companion.

Lots of interest in the press these days about Intermittent Fasting [aka: the Fasting Lifestyle; the 5:2 diet; the Fast Diet].  Here’s what Scientific American says about it:  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-intermittent-fasting-might-help-you-live-longer-healthier-life/

Equinox

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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.

A lot of fictions surround the Equinox: an egg will balance on end; all the forces of nature are in balance; yada-yada.  Most simply, it is the moment on the astronomical calendar when Summer becomes Autumn [Autumnal Equinox] or when Winter becomes Spring [Vernal Equinox].  Just for fun on our Fast day, we’ll hark back to the old idea of ‘opposites in balance’ and enjoy meals from two very different and diverse locations: the New Mexico-Texas border and northern Scandinavia.  Why not?

Carne-Green Chili ScrOmelette    289 calories   13.5 g fat     2 g fiber   13.6 g protein  18.6 g carbs   59 mg Calcium      GF    Carne and Green Chilis are the co-stars of New Mexico cooking, whether at breakfast or lunch or at dinner.  The directions below are for an omelette, or as the name ScrOmelette implies, you could scramble it all.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl                                or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid                       and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                                                                            ½ ounce carne adavada       ½ oz roasted green chilies        1 – 1/2 oz apple or unsweetened apple sauce 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] or lemon in hot water

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

Baltic Bake:   280 cal   5.5 g fat   6.6 g fiber   11 g protein   29 g carbs  75.5 mg Calcium GF Believe it or not, this Fast Day recipe is from the book Two Fat Ladies Obsessions, but it won’t make you fat!   The meal has wonderful Eastern European flavors and is so simple to prepare that I assembled it in 16 minutes!!

baltic-bake-in-pasta-bowl

1.5 low-fat hot dogs [I like Hebrew National reduced-fat]            ½ cup canned sauerkraut, drained                                                                                                                                    ¼ c pickled beets, drained               ¼ c sliced onions                                                                                                                                                     ½ tsp horseradish           3 Tbsp white beans, drained and rinsed

Put the hot dogs [frozen or thawed] and onions in a saucepan with a little water or some juice from the sauerkraut. Heat until the dogs are cooked and most of the liquid is evaporated. Remove the dogs and add remaining ingredients to the pan to heat. Cut the hot dogs into 5-6 pieces and put them back in the pan until all ingredients are heated through.