mediterranean diet + Fast diet

Chanson de Roland

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyleworks: 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.

Roland blowing his war horn ‘Olifant’ to summon help at Ronceveaux.

Literature loves to take a real story and change it. The trouble begins when the populace believes the tale that is told and confuses it for the real events. An example is La Chanson de Roland, a romantic poem composed in 1100 CE. It relates an historical incident from 16 June 808, when the Frankish King Charlemagne was returning to France from a military incursion into Spain. The purpose of the raid was to subdue the Berbers/Moors/Muslims who had invaded Spain and had been testing the French border. Charlemagne had been very successful, making treaties with the Berbers and along the way attacking the Basques. Now it was time to return to France/Frankia and the army had to funnel through a mountain pass near Ronceveaux. The king assigned his right-hand man, Roldán [Roland, in modern French], who was not his nephew, to guard against any attack on the end of the long baggage train. Roldán deployed his men, watching for trouble in an obvious ambush spot, and trouble came in the form of the Basques, along with the Moors. With home advantage, the Basques easily defeated the rear-guard and plundered the wagons. This was the second Battle of Roncesveaux Pass, the first being in 784. The middle ages, longing for romantic tales, embraced the story of the tragic hero Roland. The poem Chanson de Roland tells of Roland, with his mighty sword Durandel in his hand and best friend Olivier by his side, being ambushed by the Moors, due to the treachery of Roland’s father-in-law. [another fabrication] In rhyming couplets, Olivier urges Roland many times to blow his famous ‘Olifant’ horn to call for help from the retreating army. Roland, not wanting to show weakness, refuses and stands his ground. He and all his men are slaughtered, and with his dying breath he sounds his horn. Charlemagne arrives too late and a hero is made into a myth. The poem was the first great example of a chanson de geste, a poem glorifying chivalry and the denial of personal satisfaction in pursuit of honor. The problem is, it gets the facts of the original story wrong. But then, Art often plays fast and loose with facts.

Our breakfast features fruits from the fertile valleys of south-western France, and the dinner uses chickpeas, a food introduced to Europe by the Berbers.

https://lrc.la.utexas.edu/eieol/ofrol/10

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland

Cherry Flamusse: 194 calories… 5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 11 g protein… 27.6 g carbs… 157 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF – if using GF flour This breakfast custard is borrowed from the dessert section of the cookbook, and it works very well either way! It is similar to a clafouti, but simpler. Served with cherries or any fresh fruit, it is sure to be a hit. HINT: This makes enough for 2 [two] servings: share with a friend or save the rest for a future breakfast or dessert. [As a dessert, without the clementine, one serving has 177 calories.]

++ 2 two-oz eggs ++++ 6 oz milk ++++ 4 tsp flour OR tapioca flour ++++ 1.5 Tbsp sugar ++++ 10 sweet cherries, pitted ++++ ½ clementine ++++ 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] ++ 

Spritz 2 ramekins or an oven-proof dish with 1.5 cup capacity with non-stick spray. Cut the cherries in half and arrange on the bottom of the dish. Whisk eggs until foamy, then add flour and sugar, whisking until there are no lumps. Stir in the milk and pour the batter over the cherries. Bake at 375 F. for 20 minutes. Turn the flamusse out of the dish so that the cherries are on top. Plate with the clementine sections, serve with the beverages. You won’t believe this is a ‘diet.’

Chickpea Ragout:  makes ~4 cups  PB GF  This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way. The entire batch has 484 calories, so divide into appropriate portions.  divided in 2: 242 calories… 5 g fat… 11 g fiber… 12 g protein… 40 g carbs… 51 mg Calcium... divided in 3:  161 calories… 4 g fat… 7.5 g fiber… 8.6 g protein… 30 g carbs… 37 mg Calcium…

++ ½ tsp olive oil ++++ ½ cup diced onions ++++ ½ cup scallions, chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp garlic ++++ 2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained ++++ 1½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned ++++ ½ cup chicken stock ++++ ½ tsp salt ++++ ½ tsp pepper ++++ optional: ½ oz feta or mozzarella cheese ++

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. If using now, separate out your portion and keep warm. Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions. optional: When serving, this may be topped with ¼ – ½ oz feta or mozzarella cheese to add 25-50 more calories + more protein.

Slow Days: Fettuccine with Mussels

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People who are new to Fasting often pose the questions: “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?” To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’ This feature will appear sporadically. 

Now for the answers. Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight. There are many comments on the Fast Diet Forum which attest to that. Once in a while you can splurge, as long as it isn’t everyday. For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet. As for how we eat, an example follows.

In Summertime, we eat mussels. “Rope-grown mussels” are a big industry where we vacation in PEI, Canada, and we take full advantage of them. Years ago, when we first started going to the local mussel processing plant to buy them, they sold for 50 cents/pound. Even though they are $2/pound now, they are worth it. One of our favorite ways to prepare them is a recipe from A Well-Seasoned Appetite by Molly O’Neil. You can prepare these with fresh mussels in their shells, or use cooked mussel meat that has been removed from the shells. We prefer the latter, and find it to be a good way to use left-over mussels from a previous feed. Very quick, very easy, very good.

A mise en place is always a good way to start.
Serves 3
1 T. olive oil
½ c water
½ c white wine
4 cloves garlic, minced		Add to a stock pot, bring to a strong simmer.
32 mussels in shellsAdd mussels to pot and cook until all shells are wide open. Remove from shells or not, according to preference. Strain liquid and save.
1-2 Tbsp whole wheat flour 
3 Tbsp water		Stir these into a paste, and whisk into strained pot liquor. Reduce cooking liquid to 1 cup.
6 Tbsp cream
pepper to taste		Add to reduced stock and warm over low heat until thickened. Add mussels to warm them.
2 oz whole-grain pasta/serving 1 Tbsp chopped parsley/servingPlate pasta, pour mussels-cream sauce over pasta.
Garnish with parsley. Serve with a crisp side salad.

Hot Weather Food

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

The climate is changing and it is not in our favor. The human body — and every other living thing — has an optimal range for healthy living. While there are animals and plants that live in hot-humid Equitorial land and water environments, most life on Earth is in more temperate zones. Modern humans [Homo sapiens, sapiens] came to their planet-altering maturity during the last Ice Age. Cold weather agreed with them. Have you heard that the planet is now the hottest it has been for the past 120,000 years? Yes, science does have ways to determine the temperature ranges from deep in times past. It would be prudent if we each changed our behavior to help to keep the climate cooler. Small changes today can add up in the future.

Are meals are chosen to deal with the heat. Miami, Florida is a hot spot. Our breakfast comes from there and it will power you through a hot day. The dinner is to be eaten at room temperature, much better than a hot meal at the end of the day.

Cubano ScrOmelette: 151 calories 8.5 g fat 0 g fiber 12 g protein 1 g carbs 71 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF  The famous Miami sandwich comes to the Fasting breakfast table, with every flavor intact!

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.  1/8 oz ham, diced ¼ oz Swiss cheese, diced ¼ oz pork, diced [this could be from a previous roast or a grilled tenderloin] ¼ tsp mayonnaise ¼ tsp mustard 1.5 tsp dill pickle, diced  1 oz melon 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]

Cut up the meats, and combine in a small dish. Dice the pickle and the cheese, and whisk with the mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Season to taste. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and heat it. Put the meat mixture into the hot sauté pan to warm, then add the eggs. Scramble together [or cook like an omelette] until the way you like it. Pour your beverages and enjoy a semi-tropical start to your day.

Zucchini Quiche Squares: 293 calories 13 g fat 2 g fiber 12 g protein 22 g carbs 118 mg Calcium PB My Aunt Betty introduced this recipe to our family years ago. Since then, I have reduced the fat and increased the protein. HINT: The recipe makes 8 [eight!] servings, so it works well for entertaining. It will also freeze, so you could have 7 meals for the future! If freezer space is limited, cut the recipe making only 1/3 of it, baking in a loaf pan. Then cut into 3 servings.

To prepare Quiche:  3 cups zucchini, grated 2 Tbsp minced onion 1 clove garlic, minced – nothing wrong with more, if you wish 1.5 cups ‘bisquik’ ** ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 wedges Vache qui Rit [Laughing Cow] cheese, cut into small pieces 2 tsp marjoram or oregano 2 Tbsp parsley, minced salt and pepper 2 oz ground chicken/turkey breast, cooked and very finely minced ¼ cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 2 Tbsp milk

Mix everything together, except the milk. If batter is too dry, add enough milk to make it moist enough. Pour into a 9×13” pan which has been spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Bake at 350F 30-40 minutes, until beginning to brown on top. Cut into 8 pieces.

**bisquik, makes 2 cups 1½ cups white whole wheat flour + ½ cup white flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 2 tbsp butter

Cut the butter into the dry ingredients, by hand or in food processor, and use as directed. Any leftover bisquick can be store in a jar on the pantry shelf for later use.

To prepare Meal: 1/8th of baked quiche 1 cup lettuce in bit-sized pieces ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp Balsamic vinegar + pinch salt Whisk the oil and vinegar and toss with lettuce, sprinkle with salt. Plate with the quiche. How easy was that?!

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

4 two-oz eggs = US large + milk1.5 two-oz eggs 
flour + baking powder + sugarchèvre cheese + herbs de Provence
white whole wheat flour + cream of tartarchorizo sausage
30-calorie chicken/turkey breakfast sausagemelon + Dijon mustard
plum or strawberriesoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

low-sodium soy sauce + mirin or sushi rice + sugartomato + hard-boiled egg
sake or sherry + raw chicken meat + scallionshot dog, 100-calories
buckwheat soba noodles + cabbage4-Bean salad + Parmesan cheese
sesame oil + sesame seedsyellow mustard + cottage cheese
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Slow Days: Meze Luncheon

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People who are new to Fasting often pose the questions: “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?” To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’ This feature will appear sporadically. 

Now for the answers. Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight. There are many questions asked on the Fast Diet Forum which attest to that. Once in a while you can splurge, as long as it isn’t everyday. For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet. As for how we eat, an example follows.

Friends were going to drop by for a summer luncheon. We see them only once a year and don’t really know their eating preferences, so we opted for a ‘grazing meal.’ Call it Mezedakia if you are Greek, call it Tapas if you are Spanish, call it Small Bites if you are writing the restaurant appetizer menu. A meal like this offers flexibility and choices for the people around the table, and this assortment is very much in the Mediterranean Diet mode. One can eat as much or as little as one wants. My kind of meal!

Top Row, left to right: Gozleme Bread, Felafel patties Second Row, left to right: Cucumber-Tomato salad, Tzatziki [white, with spreading knife], black olives, cherry tomatoes, watermelon chunks Bottom Row, left to right: Carrots in lemon marinade, za’atar chicken chunks, White Beans with capers

This menu has many make-ahead components, so there is no scrambling at the last minute. And here are the preparation notes:

Gozleme Bread: make ahead

1¼ c white whole wheat flour ½ tsp salt Mix in a 1-Qt-sized bowl. 
¼ c water ¼ c plain yogurt Combine 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.
Roll on a floured surface into flat breads. Divide into sizes for your recipe. Cook on an oil-sprayed skillet 3-4 mins per side until turning brown in spots.

FELAFEL: makes 25 patties  So convenient to have in the freezer for ‘instant’ meals.

2 cups canned chick peas [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them] 1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!] ¼ cup celery, minced ¼ c. scallions, sliced 1 two-oz egg 1½ tsp tahini ½ t. cumin ½ t. turmeric ¼ t. cayenne ¼ t. black pepper 1.5 t. salt

Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1½ Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later. Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be about 25 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use. 

Cucumber-Tomato Salad: make ahead What a Summer treat!

Sv 4
1 English cucumber, unpeeledTrim off ends of cuke, halve it lengthwise. Cut into ½” dice.
10 oz grape or cherry tomatoes
½ small red onion 		Dice tomatoes and red onion. Put all three veg into a bowl.
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
½ tsp Kosher or fine sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper		Whisk these together.Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to mix.
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley/dill /basilGently stir in the fresh herbs, if using. 
Serve immediately or chill in ‘frige 1-2 hrs to let the flavors meld before serving.

Tzatziki:  make ahead This is the traditional Greek condiment. Very refreshing. The recipe comes from themediterraneandish.com and

2½ cups
1 English cucumber or another variety Kosher saltGrate cucumbers whole if using English cucumbers. If using cucumbers with waxy skin, peel and cut in half before grating. Remove and discard seeds. Salt lightly.
Squeeze cucumbers in a clean cloth to remove liquid.
4-5 cloves garlic, minced  1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil		In a big bowl, combine garlic with these and mix. 
drained cucumber 2 c plain Greek yogurt 
Ground pepper + salt
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or mint 		Add drained cucumber mixture to the above bowl, then add these ingredients. Stir to combine.
Chill 30 mins -2 hrs before serving with fresh veggies and pita or chips

Carrots in lemon marinade: make ahead Prepare the marinade: In a wide bowl, whisk together 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, pinch of granulated garlic, pinch oregano. Cook small carrot sticks until tender and put them into the marinade while they are still hot. Stir at whiles, as the carrots cool on the counter.

Za’atar Chicken: make ahead or grill in front of your guests to show off your skills. Serve the chicken meat in large pieces or cut into 1-inch cubes and serve on picks.

Serves 4Serves 2
5 garlic cloves, pressed zest of 1 lemon 1/3 c yogurt ¼ c chopped fresh cilantro  
3 Tbsp EVOO
1½ Tbsp za’atar
1 Tbsp chopped oregano/marjoram   1¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper 		3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp yogurt 2 Tbsp cilantro
2 tsp EVOO 2 ½ tsp za’atar 1½ tsp marjoram 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 		MARINADE – In a large bowl or container, stir together these ingredients.
2¼# boneless, skinless chicken thighs2 thighs with legs, bonedAdd chicken and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2+ hrs or overnight.
Heat grill to medium or heat broiler with rack 3” from heat. If broiling instead of grilling, line sheet pan with foil for easier clean up. Take chicken from bowl, shaking off excess marinade, and grill/broil on one side until charred in spots, 5-8 mins. Flip, grill/broil  5-8 mins, until just cooked through.

White Beans with capers: make ahead Drain and rinse canned beans, such as navy or cannellini/white kidney. Stir in 1 Tbsp capers for every cup of beans, along with a pinch or two of salt. Let sit at room temperature to marry the flavors.

Comparing Plans: Mediterranean Diet

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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.

Dear Husband has decided, since his birthday is tomorrow, that he will shift his eating plan into a higher gear: in addition to Fasting two days each week, he would like the Slow Day meals to be more Mediterranean in nature. What a good idea! This ancient Way of Eating has been studied since the 1950s and causing double-takes for decades — how can they eat all that olive oil and wine and cheese and still be healthy??!?! It is not about what they do eat but what they do not eat: butter, cream, red meat, refined carbohydrates, processed foods, sweets. Is there any benefit to eating like a Mediterranean? Oh yes!! A large, long-term study in the US showed that a Mediterranean Diet lowers cholesterol, helps the body to regulate blood sugar, and reduces damaging inflammation linked to metabolic disease, all while keeping arteries flexible and free from plaque. AND it can promote weight loss. In sum, a Mediterranean Diet, along with other healthy lifestyle choices, seems to reduce early death due to heart issues by 80%. W.O.W. Dr, Michael Mosley, originator of the Fast Diet, highly recommends a Mediterranean Diet for everyone on Slow Days. How similar are the Fast Diet and the Mediterranean Diet? Let’s look at a comparison:

Is this food allowed on this diet…MEDITERRANEANOn Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, pork< 3 oz sv.Small servings
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkey3 oz svYes, preferred
Eggs Up to 7 per week Yes 
Beer, wine, cocktailsYes to wineOn Slow Days
Oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat bread/pasta Yesin moderation
Nuts + seedsYes, 3 sv/week in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas/kidney beans/lentils/chickpeasYes, 3 sv/weekYes 
Seafood protein, especially with Omega-3 fats3 sv/weekYes, preferred 
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruitsYes- 3 sv /dayYes 
BerriesYes Yes 
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuceYesYes 
Dairy: Cheese, milk, yogurt fat-free preferredSome 
Vegetable oils: olive, canolapreferred sourcesin moderation
Animal fat: butter, lard, or margarine substitutesno in moderation
Root vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, carrotsYesYes 
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppersYesYes 
Fat Only plant-based No 
Protein seafood-basedYes. lots 
Higher fiberYes Yes
Limit refined Carb intakeComplex carbs onlyComplex carbs only
Whole grains Yes !!Yes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake, bread, processed foodsNone or very limited amountsNot on Fast Day
Number of days per week to follow the regimin 7 of 72 of 7
Do calories matter?No Only 600 on Fast Days
Based on information from the Cleveland Clinic website.

There are many ways to add vegetables to your diet deliciously, such as Zucchini-Feta Fritters for breakfast [or dinner] and Felafel at dinner [or breakfast]. Try making changes to one meal a week, to conform to the new guidelines, then expand your repertoire to other meals.

Zucchini-Feta Fritters & Fruit: 178 calories….. 5 g fat… 3 g fiber… 8.4 g protein… 31.6 g carbs… 208 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF – if using GF flour  Savory with the feta, sweet with the melon – a flavor adventure for breakfast.

++ 4 zucchini-feta fritters ** ++++ 3 oz watermelon ++++ 2 Tbsp plain, fat-free yogurt  ++++  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] ++

Start the fritters the night before to allow the zucchini to drain thoroughly. Using 1.5 Tablespoons per fritter, place the batter on a hot griddle which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Flatten the fritters, and cook on both sides until well browned. Plate with the melon and yogurt. Serve with beverage of choice, noting their calorie count. [Refrigerate the remaining batter until you have time to cook and freeze the remainder.]

**Zucchini-Feta Fritters makes 23-24  each: 34 calories 1.5 g fat 0.3 g fiber 1.5 g protein 3 g carbs 34 mg Calcium  PB These are a yummy treat, at breakfast or as a pre-dinner nibble. 1-1/8 pound [18 oz] zucchini salt 1 two-oz egg 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled or diced ¼ cup fresh dill weed OR 2 Tbsp dried 2 Tbsp fresh parsley ¼ c white whole wheat flour ¼ cup self-rising flour Grate the zucchini and put it in a collendar over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and use your fingers to toss the zucchini to distribute the salt. Let sit several hours or overnight. Place the zucchini in a clean bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Combine well. Heat a griddle/large skillet and spray with non-stick spray.  TIP: I used a 1.5 Tbsp scoop, but a heaping tablespoon would do as well.  Make piles of the batter on the cooking surface, then flatten them, and cook until well-browned on both sides.

Felafel with Vegetable Salsa:  205 calories 5 g fat 7.5 g fiber 9 g protein 26.5 g carbs 139 mg Calcium  PB GF   The felafel recipe is from Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook.  Perfect for any time of year. Felafel is so convenient to have in the freezer for ‘instant’ meals.

6 falefel patties  ½ cup diced fresh tomatoes ½ cup diced orange or yellow bell peppers 2 Tbsp red onion, chopped 1 Tbsp lemon juice 

Combine the chopped vegetables with the lemon juice. Let sit while the felafel warms. If frozen, warm the felafel. Plate the felafel and the salad.  It’s that easy?!? Yes it is!

FELAFEL:  makes 26 patties each patty = 25 calories 

2 cups canned chick peas [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them] 1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!] ¼ cup celery, minced ¼ c. scallions, sliced 1 egg 1½ tsp tahini ½ t. cumin ½ t. tumeric ¼ t. cayenne ¼ t. black pepper 1.5 t. salt

Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1½ Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later. Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be about 25 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use. 

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

1 two-oz egg + apple or pearbarley flour + white whole wheat flour
Tattie Scone: mashed potatoes1 egg + plain fat-free yogurt + fat-free milk
egg white + milkbaking soda + baking powder + honey
white whole wheat flour + baking powderdried fig + grapes or melon
Optional smoothiedeglet noor dates + salt
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

smoked haddock=finnen haddie cooked chicken + mushrooms
onion + potatoBrussel sprouts + green beans
butter + milk + bay leafBarley pilaf: quick barley + whole wheat orzo
parsley + peas or asparagusstock + thyme + chives or scallions
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Slow Days: Greek Pizza

~ me ~ Leave a comment

People who are new to Fasting often pose the questions: “Can I really eat ‘anything I want’ on a Slow Day?” and “What should I eat on Slow Days?” To answer those questions, I have decided to add some blog posts to show some of the foods we eat on what the world calls NFDs [non-fast days] but which, in our house, we call ‘Slow Days.’ This feature will appear sporadically. 

Now for the answers. Can you really eat ANYTHING you want on a Slow Day? Not really. If you eat too many calories every Slow Day, you will not lose weight. There are many discussions on the Fast Diet Forum which attest to that. Once in a while you can splurge, as long as it isn’t everyday. For what to eat on Slow Days, Dr. Mosley recommends a Mediterranean Diet. As for how we eat, an example follows.

Every Saturday we enjoy pizza for dinner. Not store-bought, not delivered, but home-made. Mostly, we will prepare the red-sauce-mozzarella type, and we vary the toppings week to week. But once in a while, I suggest a “Greek” pizza. This variety was developed by a Greek immigrant who ran a pizzeria in New London, Connecticut in the 1950s. Since then, Greek Pizza has been popular in New England and eastern New York. Very regional. [I’m not going to get in the middle of which culture really invented pizza — I’d rather just eat it.] My version is based on reading many recipes, taking out the best bits, and putting them together in this recipe.

You will need two whole wheat pizza crusts, each 8″ in diameter. This takes [about 6 ounces of dough for each crust] Pat the crusts out on an oiled baking sheet. Preheat oven to 490F.

Salad Dressing makes 7 Tbsp dressing 1/4 cup virgin olive oil 1.5 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice large pinch oregano Shake together in a small jar with a lid. Brush each crust with 1 Tbsp of dressing. Save the rest for the salad.

Pizza Topping enough for 2 pizza shells thaw or cook 5 oz spinach. Squeeze it in your hands to expel extra liquid. 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella 1/2 tsp garlic powder pinch ground nutmeg pinch crushed red pepper. Toss lightly to combine, and divide between the pizzas.

8″ dough rounds, brushed with salad dressing
Pizzas topped and ready for the oven.
Baked and plated with a salad.

Garnish for each pie: 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 3 black olives, pitted and cut in half or quartered 2-3 cherry tomatoes, halved

Bake at 490F for 4 minutes on an oiled baking sheet on the upper of two oven racks. After the first part of baking, remove the pizzas from the baking sheet and move them to the bottom rack with no pan under them. This bakes the bottom of the pizza nicely. Bake 3-4 minutes longer, until the cheeses melt. Serve with a salad of greens which are tossed with the same salad dressing above. Try this pizza some time — I think you will enjoy it.

New Beginnings

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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 Abel Pacheco Cuernavaca Morelos who is now Following.

Last week, in a fit of enthusiasm, you made some New Year’s resolutions. Have you kept them so far? Most of us don’t — only 16% of people keep the resolutions that they made. So let’s start over… Was one of your goals to eat healthier meals this year? That is a safe, achievable thing to do. What do you mean by ‘more healthy’: Smaller portions? Lower fat? Less red meat? Fewer calories? All of those will lead to healthy outcomes. Here are some tips to make it work for you. #1– Start small. Rather than changing everything at once, try healthy meals one or two days a week, say: Monday and Thursday. #2– Tell lots of people about your goal. Ask them to check in with you periodically as to how the new plan is going. Better yet, get some of your friends to join you. You can check up on each other, even plan and share those healthy meals together. #3– Keep track of your progress. Remember when you were a kid and you looked forward to earning a star on the calendar for doing all your chores? Make note on the calendar of the days that you stuck to your goal. Having that visual can be an incentive to keep you going. #4– Get back on the horse. If you run off the rails, it isn’t the end of the game. Everyone goofs up once in a while. Get back to the plan instead of beating yourself up and thinking you are a loser. If healthy eating is your goal, I’ll help you by providing recipes twice a week, every week via this blog. Can’t hurt to try, can it? Now is the time.

These meals are delicious and easy to prepare. Plan your meals ahead of time and have the ingredients on hand. Prep ingredients the night before so that everything goes smoothly.

Parmesan-Chive Bake: 138 calories 7 g fat 2 g fiber 9.6 g protein 1 g carbs 112.6 mg Calcium   NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF  While I was away for 10 days, Dear Husband invented this breakfast to take advantage of the fresh chives in the garden. Clever man. 

One 2-oz egg 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated 1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped 1.5 tsp reduced-fat ricotta cheese 1 oz kiwi fruit  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

First set the toaster oven to 350 F. Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz an oven-proof dish with oil or non-stick spray. Whisk the egg with the cheeses and chives and pour into the dish. Bake in the toaster oven at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Prepare the kiwi fruit, pour the beverages and have an easy day.

Greens, Garlic, & Beans: 265 calories 6.6 g fat 12.6 g fiber 9.4 g protein 40 g carbs 95 mg Calcium  PB GF  Kay Chun, writing in the New York Times, inspired this recipe. It is very good.

2 servingsHeat oven to 350 degrees.
2 tsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large oregano sprig		In an oven-safe pot, combine these and heat over med until garlic is fragrant but not browned, ~1 min.
3 oz/4 cups collards- kale-Swiss chard- combo
¼ c water		Coarsely tear leaves, thinly slice stems. Add water to pan with some greens and stems. Add salt and pepper, and stir until wilted.
Kosher salt and black pepperAdd remaining greens and stems in batches, with salt and pepper, stirring until wilted before adding more.
1 cup canned beans, ex: kidney or butter beans Once all greens have been added, stir in shell beans.
¼ cup waterAdd water and bring to a boil. Cover and bake in oven until greens are tender, ~20 minutes. Discard oregano.
1 Tbsp minced shallot
½ tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped parsley		Add shallot, lemon juice and parsley to the pot, and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
3 oz cooked whole-wheat pasta 0R
½ c cooked brown rice/barley		Stir into cooked greens. 
Pinch of red-pepper flakes 
1 Tbsp chopped parsley		Sprinkle with red-pepper flakes and parsley. Serve warm or at room temp

Hometown Heroine: Bethulia

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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 A Star on the Forehead who is now Following.

Hannukka starts on December 19 this year. Candles will be lit and people will tell the story of the oil in the temple. But there is another story to tell, found in the “Book of Judith.” In Bethulia, lived a young widow named Judith. At that time, according to the story, Israel was a vassal state to Assyria, headed by King Nebuchadnezzar [in history, he is associated with Babylon, not Assyria]. After Israel refused to send troops to fight for him, the angry King sent Holofernes and his army to attack Jerusalem. But the road to the capital had to go through Bethulia, and the way was blocked. Holofernes besieged the city, cutting off their water. For 30 days the town held out. Judith called out the city fathers for suggesting a surrender; she accused them of lacking faith in God and said that if they wouldn’t act, she would. They dismissed her words and told the little lady to pray for rain. After much prayer for strength, Judith put on a fine gown and went with her maid-servant to Holofernes’ camp. The guards, impressed by her beauty and self-assurance, let her in and escorted her to Holofernes’ tent. She told him that she wanted to ally herself to his cause, saying that Israel would lose the battle when they committed a sin against God. Holofernes was quite taken by this apparent turn-coat. Judith stayed in the camp for four days, leaving every night to “go to the desert to pray for Holofernes’ victory.” On the fifth day, she appeared in the camp in all her finery with a bag containing cheese and wine. The General, smitten with her beauty, invited her to his tent for dinner. The cheese was very salty, so Holofernes drank a lot of wine — “more wine than he had ever drunk before,” and he fell into a stupor. Seizing the moment, Judith took his sword and cut off his head. The maid-servant put it in the food bag, and they calmly left the camp again and returned to Bethulia. [CSI interjection: did they change their blood-splattered clothes first??] Judith showed the head to the city leaders and counseled them to attack the Assyrians at dawn. In disarray without their leader, the invaders fled and Judith had saved the day. The Book of Judith never made it into the Christian Bible’s Old Testament, but the image of the pretty, brave, murderous woman became popular in art. It was first an allegory of the weak overcoming the strong [female David vs Goliath], then in the Renaissance it was the embodiment of drama and gore at the hands of two very capable women. In treatment by some female artists, it was the opportunity to rail against male oppression. Some of the most famous representations are by Cranach, Caravaggio, and Gentileschi.

by Lucas Cranach, 1530
by Caravaggio, 1599
by Gentileschi, 1620

Feta cheese is often part of a Hanukkah dairy meal, since it is salty. These two meals are delicious ways to use feta in cooking. My version of the dinner contains shrimp. Feel free to substitute a Kosher alternative if you wish. By having a ‘Dairy Hanukkah’ instead of oil-based foods, you can observe the holiday without the fat and calories. Save the latkes for a Slow Day.

Spinach-Mushroom-Feta Bake: 178 calories 10.5 g fat 1 g fiber 13 g protein 8 g carbs [4 g Complex] 214.5 mg Calcium   PB  GF — if using GF flour Miri Rotkovitz presented this recipe via thespruceeats.com and she recommends it as a ‘dairy meal for Hannukka’. Her version is a dinner pie, complete with an olive oil crust. My version delivers a lot of flavor at breakfast.  HINT: This recipe makes two servings. The other half of it would be a terrific lunch on another day.

½ tsp olive oil + non-stick spray 2 cloves garlic, chopped = 2 teaspoons 3 oz mushrooms, chopped or diced 3 oz chopped, frozen spinach 2 two-oz eggs 2 Tbsp milk 1½ teaspoons white whole wheat flour 1½ oz feta cheese, crumbled   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Thaw the spinach in a sieve to remove extra water. Gently cook the garlic in the oils until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the water they exude evaporates. Put the feta in a bowl, top with the spinach, then the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms/garlic cool before you stir the vegetables and cheese together. Combine the flour and milk in a small dish and heat in the microwave. Stir together to make a roux. Whisk the roux with the eggs. Put the vegetable-cheese mixture in an oven-proof dish which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Pour the egg mixture on top and bake at 350 F for 20-23 minutes. All the flavors meld together to create a savory way to start your day.

Zucchini-Feta Fritter Plate: 288 calories 7 g fat 2.4 g fiber 27 g protein 22 g carbs 285 mg Calcium  PB GF – if using GF flour A delightful meal for a busy day: delicious, savory, nourishing, and easy to prepare.

5 zucchini-feta fritters** 3 oz tomato, cherry-size or large ones sliced or cubed 3 oz shrimp, steamed or grilled previously 2 Tbsp plain yogurt Arrange on the plate and enjoy your stress-free evening meal.

**Zucchini-Feta Fritters makes 23-24  each: 34 calories 1.3 g fat 0.3 g fiber 1.5 g protein 3 g carbs 34 mg Calcium  1-1/8 pound [18 oz] zucchini salt 1 two-oz egg 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled or diced ¼ cup fresh dill weed OR 2 Tbsp dried 2 Tbsp fresh parsley ¼ c white whole wheat flour ¼ cup self-rising flour Grate the zucchini and put it in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and use your fingers to toss the zucchini to distribute the salt. Let sit several hours or overnight. Place the zucchini in a clean bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Combine well. Heat a griddle/large skillet and spray with non-stick spray. TIP: I used a 1.5 Tbsp scoop, but a heaping tablespoon would do as well.  Make piles of the batter on the cooking surface, then flatten them and cook until nicely browned on both sides.

Pheidippides, Marathon messenger

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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 Highwaypay who is now Following.

Everyone knows the story of the Battle of Marathon, which happened in September of the year 490 BCE, and of the messenger who raced the 25 miles to Athens with news of the outcome. Famously, he arrived, panting, at the Acropolis, announced the victory, and fell over dead. And people know that his name was Pheidippides. Or was it? Pheidippides was one of Athens’ professional couriers, a hemerodrome, or ‘day-long runner.’ In ancient Greece, the best way to communicate between city states was to send a runner with a message. Φειδιππίδης [his name in Greek] was one such man. When the Persians landed on the shores of Greece at field planted with ‘marathon’ — what we call fennel — the Athenian solons sent the 40-year-old Pheidippides to Sparta to ask for help. He ran the 150 miles in under 35 hours and delivered the message. The Spartans agreed to help, but would not start out for six days, as their practice was to fight by full moon. Since Athens needed to know that, Pheidippides had a meal and a nap and set out for Athens again. Thus he ran an ‘ultra-marathon’ — 300 miles/246 km — in four days. Sometimes he was running in his sleep and famously he had an exhaustion-induced vision of the deity Pan. All of this was recorded by the historian Herodotus who famously wrote about the Persian War. After the Greeks defeated the Persians, someone had to tell the home crowd, so a runner was sent, with the well-known result. But was it Pheidippides? Plutarch, writing much later, said that it was Thersippus. The 1879 Robert Browning poem names Pheidippides as the messenger, but omits the prior trip to Sparta, which was much more impressive. Organizers of the Modern Olympics in 1896, loving the romance of the fallen courier, included a 26.2 mile/42 km race called the Marathon. Maybe they thought the racers would die. The rest is history, as marathons are run all over the world, along with ultra-marathons and triathlons.

Our breakfast echoes the flavors of the Mediterranean, and provides protein for healthy muscles. Since modern marathoners like to ‘carbo-load’ the day before a race, our dinner involves a healthy pasta. In truth, hemerodromes ate figs, olives, cured meats, and a honey-sesame paste to keep them going.

Mediterranean Bake: 138 calories 2 g fat 1.4 g fiber 10.4 g protein 8.4 g carbs [7.5 g Complex] 55 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Oh! Those sunny flavors!

one 2-oz egg 1 Tbsp chevre cheese 4 Tbsp Mediterranean Vegetables without chickpeas  salt + pepper large pinch of Herbes de Provence 2 oz melon   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

Set the toaster oven at at 350 degrees F. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and spoon in the Med. Veg. Pop the ramekin in the warming toaster oven for 30 seconds to warm the vegetables. Whisk the egg with the cheese and seasonings. Pour in the egg mixture over the vegetables and bake in the toaster oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Brew your optional warm beverage, shake and pour the optional smoothie, plate the melon. A fine way to start the rest of your life.

Tortellini with Black Kale:  182 calories 7.6 g fat 3 g fiber 8 g protein 23 g carbs [7.4 g Complex] 164 mg Calcium   PB  Quick, unusual, and good tasting. Dear Husband approved and he ususally says he doesn’t like kale. The recipe comes from theKitchn.com  TIP: This recipe serves 2 [two]

Here is a serving variation: combine the cooked kale with the cooked pasta and the tomatoes, stir, and top with grated Parmesan. The whole-grain bread adds calories and fiber.

56 g dried cheese & spinach tortellini = 210 calories [Barilla brand is good] 3 oz black kale 2 clove garlic 1 tsp olive oil red pepper flakes black pepper ½ tsp kosher salt 2 tsp lemon juice 4 oz tomato 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese optional: 1 oz whole-grain bread

Preparation for the Kale for two people:

3 oz kale, preferrably Black aka Tuscan or dinosaur KaleUse your hands to pull the kale leaves from their stems. Coarsely chop the leaves. Rinse them, but do not dry.
1 tsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic
pinch red pepper flakes 		Heat oil in large, wide, high-sided sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not let the garlic brown).
¼ tsp kosher salt pinch ground pepper Add kale a few handfuls at a time, stirring as it starts to wilt, until all of the kale is added. Stir in the salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is just tender, about 5 minutes.
2 tsp Lemon juiceTake off heat, stir in the lemon juice, and plate.

For the Dinner: Bring a quart of salted water to the boil. As the kale is almost cooked, add tortellini [56 g (2/3 cup) to serve TWO] to the water. Cook 10 minutes, then drain and return to the pan. Add 2 oz diced tomatoes per person and 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese. Stir gently until tomatoes are warmed through. Place the pasta in the center of the plate and arrange the kale around it. Pour any remaining sauce over the pasta.

Dr Bircher

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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 Tamara Hoerner who is now Following.

Dr. M.O. Bircher

The 1800s saw many changes in the world and changes in people’s commonly-held beliefs. There were revivals in religion, leading to the start of many new sects. There were new discoveries in medicine regarding germ theory and vac-cines. And there were new ways of eating. On one hand, processed foods were developed, while on the other hand, people flocked to sanatoriums and health spas to change their diets. One such spa was the Vital Force Sanitarium, run by Maximilian Oscar Bircher. [The name acquired a hyphen when he married Elizabeth Benner.] Bircher was a trained medical doctor who became increa-singly interested in nutrition as a tool for making people well. A bout of jaun-dice convinced him that eating raw apples promoted health. From there, he developed the idea that fruits, nuts, and vegetables derived and stored sig-nificant ‘vital force’ from the sun — a force that was weakened when foods were cooked. Bircher gave up meat, claiming that, being dead, it introduced decay into the body. Bircher’s sanitarium was wildly successful. Patients were evaluated by the staff, then followed an individualized program of diet [raw food at every meal, preceded by a mixture of soaked oats and grated apples invented by his sisters]; exercise [working in the spa’s vegetable gardens]; hydrotherapy [cold baths and showers]; and brisk walks in the sunshine. The spartan routine of early-to-bed-early-to-rise, the rigor of the therapies, and the absence of alcohol, coffee, sweets, and processed food lead Thomas Mann to call it a ‘health jail.’ But it proved the theory that the harder people have to work to achieve a goal, the more they embrace it. Medical professionals scoffed at Bircher’s views of nutrition, but his idea that it was healthy to eat lots of fruits and vegetables was verified in the 1930s with the discovery of the importance of vitamins and minerals. The spa outlived Bircher’s death in 1939, but closed decades later. Today in Braunwald, one finds the Centre for Scientific Natural Medicine where ‘the tonic and balancing result of the water, the sun, the light, cold and warmth, as well as physical exercise, revive therapeutic properties in the patient; they help sustain the enlivening effect of the diet.’ They purport to treat an array of illnesses but I don’t know if they serve muesli.

For breakfast, Dr Bircher’s famous muesli, of course. Although Bircher called it d’Spys, people began to call it ‘muesli’ meaning ‘little mush’. Sounds better in German. For dinner, a meal heavy on the vegetables. Dr Bircher would have preferred that the vegetables would be raw, but a light steaming won’t hurt.

re Muesli: the following recipe is almost identical to Bircher’s own — I reduced the apple amount and added the blueberries. Modern-day muesli was first packaged in the 1950s. Today it is conceived as a mixture of overnight-oats, honey, lots of seeds, yoghurt, dried fruit, and nuts — packing tons of sugar and fat and calories. Dr Bircher would not approve.

Muesli: 211 calories… 7.4 g fat… 5.5 g fiber… 7.5 g protein… 33.5 g carbs… 117.6 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if oats are truly GF  This is a smaller, leaner portion of the original recipe of the Bircher-Benner muesli. It is truly a delicious and satisfying way to start the day.

1 serving
2 Tbsp rolled oats
4 Tbsp whole milk		In a cereal bowl, mix oats and milk, cover, and refrigerate overnight to soften the oats.
5 oz apple, with skin on
2 tsp lemon juice		Grate apple, mix with lemon juice. HINT: do this the night before. Next, morning, add to the oat mixture, stir to combine.
5 raw hazelnuts, or almonds, chopped
2 Tbsp blueberries		Sprinkle with nuts and berries, and serve.
Herbal tea, no sweetener, no milk Serve with herbal tea of your choice.

Antipasto with Tuna: 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.

++ 2 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [roast your own, slice and freeze them] ++++ 2 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ ++++ 3 oz tuna, packed in water, drained and broken into large chunks ++++ 5 oz tomato slices ++++ 3 oz whole green beans, steamed ++++ 1½ oz marinated mushrooms ++++ 1/3 c. canned garbanzo beans, drained ++++ 4 black olives, pitted and sliced ++++ 3 slices pepperoni, chopped ++++ 1 tsp flavored oil ++++ flavored 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.