Comparing Plans: Mediterranean Diet

February 15, 2023February 14, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: 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…	MEDITERRANEAN	On Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, pork	< 3 oz sv.	Small servings
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkey	3 oz sv	Yes, preferred
Eggs	Up to 7 per week	Yes
Beer, wine, cocktails	Yes to wine	On Slow Days
Oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat bread/pasta	Yes	in moderation
Nuts + seeds	Yes, 3 sv/week	in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas/kidney beans/lentils/chickpeas	Yes, 3 sv/week	Yes
Seafood protein, especially with Omega-3 fats	3 sv/week	Yes, preferred
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruits	Yes- 3 sv /day	Yes
Berries	Yes	Yes
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuce	Yes	Yes
Dairy: Cheese, milk, yogurt	fat-free preferred	Some
Vegetable oils: olive, canola	preferred sources	in moderation
Animal fat: butter, lard, or margarine substitutes	no	in moderation
Root vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, carrots	Yes	Yes
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppers	Yes	Yes
Fat	Only plant-based	No
Protein	seafood-based	Yes. lots
Higher fiber	Yes	Yes
Limit refined Carb intake	Complex carbs only	Complex carbs only
Whole grains	Yes !!	Yes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake, bread, processed foods	None or very limited amounts	Not on Fast Day
Number of days per week to follow the regimin	7 of 7	2 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] or lemon in hot water

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 pear	barley flour + white whole wheat flour
Tattie Scone: mashed potatoes	1 egg + plain fat-free yogurt + fat-free milk
egg white + milk	baking soda + baking powder + honey
white whole wheat flour + baking powder	dried fig + grapes or melon
Optional smoothie	deglet noor dates + salt
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

smoked haddock=finnen haddie	cooked chicken + mushrooms
onion + potato	Brussel sprouts + green beans
butter + milk + bay leaf	Barley pilaf: quick barley + whole wheat orzo
parsley + peas or asparagus	stock + thyme + chives or scallions
Sparkling water	Sparkling water

Slow Days: Greek Pizza

January 13, 2023January 6, 2023 ~ 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

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

January 8, 2023January 5, 2023 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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 servings	Heat 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 pepper	Add 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 water	Add 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

December 18, 2022December 17, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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.

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

September 11, 2022September 8, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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 Kale	Use 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 juice	Take 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

August 21, 2022August 17, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The 1800s saw many changes in the world and the way people viewed 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 vaccines. 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 increasingly interested in nutrition as a tool for making people well. A bout of jaundice convinced him that eating raw apples promoted health. From there, he developed the idea that fruits, nuts, and vegetables derived and stored significant ‘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. garbanzo beans, drained if canned 4 black olives, pitted and sliced 3 slices pepperoni, chopped 1 tsp flavored oil flavoured 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.

Slow Days: New England 4th of July

July 1, 2022June 22, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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.

Hot dogs. Hamburgers. Potato Salad. Macaroni Salad. Rich desserts that are Red, White, & Blue. These are typical 4th of July fare all across the country, so it must be all-American, right? No, actually. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato salad came to us from German immigrants in the 1800s. Macaroni salad is a combination of Italian and German culinary traditions. Where do you go for an ‘authentic American’ meal for Independence Day? New England, of course. Salmon was very common in New England during the 1600s and 1700s, before the Industrial Revolution dammed the rivers. If you wanted inexpensive protein, salmon was the thing. In early Summer, salmon would return to the rivers, swimming far up-stream to spawn. At the same time, the first peas were available in the gardens. By coincidence, the first new potatoes could be found in the fields. [Potatoes originated in South America, were taken to Spain by Columbus, then to Ireland by Walter Raleigh, then to New Hampshire by Scottish settlers.] Thus, by early July, a fine dinner was available to all and sundry: cooked salmon served with peas and new potatoes.

Coat the salmon fillets with olive oil on a plate, then strew with salt and pepper. Put the shelled peas into cold water, ready to cook. In a bowl, put small new potatoes — preferably with flesh of different colors — salt, pepper, and olive oil to coat. Stir well to cover the potatoes all over with oil. Put the potatoes on a glass pie plate into a 400F. oven and set the timer for 25 minutes. By now the grill is hot. Cook the salmon, undisturbed, for 5 minutes on each side. Turn on the heat under the peas and simmer them uncovered. The peas will be done first, so keep and eye on them. Drain and salt them, cover the pan and let them wait.

And there you have it: a fine meal for early Summer. For a delightful wine paring go to peterspicks.com.

The Seven Sleepers

June 26, 2022June 26, 2022 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Around 250 CE, the Roman Emperor Decius visited Ephesus [now in Turkiye] to crack down on Christianity. He interviewed seven young men about their beliefs and, finding them to be recalcitrant, he gave them a couple of days to recant. Rather than face the Emperor again, the men retreated to a cave to hide from him. Once there, they fell into a deep and lasting sleep. Either the vengeful Emperor walled up the entrance or a rock-fall blocked it, the seven men were walled up inside. 200 years [or was it 10?] later, the men woke up, thinking that they had slept only through the night. They left the cave and were amazed to find that the world had changed and that Christianity was widely accepted. The local bishop heard their story and believed it. It came just in time to settle a theological dispute as to whether or not one could rise from the dead. The men later died of natural causes and were buried in their cave. Some legends says that their remains were later taken to Marseille, France. No one knows exactly, but their story lived on and became widespread. Versions of it are told by Western and Eastern Christians and also by the Muslims. Several caves are said to be the site of the miracle sleep: in Turkiye and in Jordan.

The legend of the Seven Sleepers begins in the Eastern Mediterranean and ends in the Western area of that sea. Our breakfast is from the Levant, our dinner from the southern coast of France. Don’t be a ‘seven-sleeper’ and miss breakfast — in some European countries that is the name given to someone who oversleeps. June 27 is the Feast of the Seven Sleepers.

Felafel Bake: 142 calories 6.4 g fat 2.5 g fiber 8.5 g protein 41.4 g carbs 44.4 mg Calcium NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF Here we use felafel patties which we prepared and froze earlier. Great time-saver! Good felafel is amazing in eggs!

1 two-oz egg 1½ uncooked felafel patties, thawed 1 Tbsp tomato puree or crushed tomatoes ¼ c blueberries or 1 oz pear 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

Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and set the toaster oven to 350 F. Whisk together the felafel and the tomato until well blended. Whisk the egg into the felafel and turn into the ramekin. Bake about 15 minutes while you portion the berries and prepare the beverages. What a simple, delicious breakfast.

Chicken Ratatouille Galette : 267 calories 7.6 g fat 5 g fiber 24 g protein 38 g carbs 321 mg Calcium PB Galettes/Crepes are wonderful to have on hand for use with a variety of fillings. If you had the galettes/crepes and the filling previously-made, then the meal goes together in no time.

2 buckwheat crepes [galettes] 1.5 oz chicken breast ½ cup Mediterranean Vegetables 1 Tbsp goat cheese 1 oz mozzerella cheese herbes de Provence OR tarragon

If making crepes/galettes from scratch now: prepare the batter and let stand 30+ minutes. If using frozen crepes, put them in a plastic bag on the counter and let them thaw. Turn on the oven to 250 F. Cut or shred the chicken into small pieces. Put into pan with the Med.Veg. and heat to warm the vegetables, to reduce the liquids, and to cook the chicken. Take off heat. Prepare the crepes/galettes: either cook them now from batter or finish the thawing process by putting them in a warm oven. Add cheeses to mixture in the pan, and stir to combine. Toss in lots of herbes de Province or fresh herbs and taste for seasoning. Arrange the crepes/galettes on a cookie sheet and divide the filling among them. Fold over, pressing down gently. Heat in the warm oven.

Slow Days: Spiced Cauliflower Pasta

October 1, 2021September 24, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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 FastDiet Forum https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/ 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.

As Summer turns to Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, our taste buds seem to want the warmth of spices in our food. “Pumpkin Spice,” anyone? [Which is not derived from an actual pumpkin. It refers to the spices used in pumpkin pie. But I digress.] This pasta dish is excellent. The curious addition of spices tells us that its origin was in Medieval Times. Nobles returning from the Crusades [this is the one good thing to result from the lamentable Crusades] brought with them ‘exotic’ spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. European cuisine embraced them, often producing daring parings of spices with meat [as in Tourtiere] and vegetables. Of course the tomatoes in this recipe did not show up in Europe until the early 1500s, and they are a good addition. Sicily was a port of call for Crusaders and Lynne Rossetto Kasper is the source of this Sicilian recipe found in her The Italian Country Table.

Serves 4 — original recipe	Serves 2 — how I do it
Large head cauliflower florets	370 g cauliflower florets	Blanch in boiling water 1 minute. Keep water on the heat.
EVOO 1 cup onion, chopped salt & pepper	EVOO ½ c onion, chopped salt & pepper	Film bottom of a non-stick saute pan with oil and heat to medium-high. Stir-fry cauliflower 2 minutes, then add onion and seasoning and stirfry until golden.
Large pinch red pepper flakes ditto for ground cloves ditto ground cinnamon ¼ c basil + Italian parsley 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 oil-packed anchovies 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar	Pinch red pepper flakes ditto ground cloves ditto ground cinnamon 2 Tb basil + Italian parsley 1 cloves garlic, minced 2 oil-packed anchovies 1½ Tbsp red wine vinegar	Chop the basil and parsley before packing in the measuring cup. Rinse the anchovies. Add these to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
4 oz zitti/penne per person	2 oz zitti/penne per person	Cook pasta in salted water until al dente.
2/3 cup pasta water 14 oz canned whole tomatoes	1/3 cup pasta water 7 fl oz canned whole tomatoes	Drain and chop tomatoes. Add pasta water to saute pan and scrape up the brown bits. Add tomatoes, and boil until cauliflower is tender-crisp, ~3 minutes.
		Reduce heat and add cooked pasta. Stir to blend. Season to taste
¼ pound ricotta salata OR Parmesan 1/3 c pine nuts	2 oz ricotta salata OR Parmesan 3 Tbsp pine nuts	Shave cheese into curls and add to serve hot, topped with pine nuts.

Plated with a nice piece of sourdough bread. You are correct: the pasta is neither zitti nor penne. You don’t have to stay inside the lines all the time.

Slow Days: Summertime Pasta

July 23, 2021July 11, 2021 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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 FastDiet 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.

Jacques Pepin is a darned good chef. Perhaps it is the fact that he was formerly the Executive Chef of the Howard Johnson’s chain that caused him to promote simple-to-prepare food that is achievable for the ‘average’ cook. One such recipe, from his book Fast Food My Way, is called Summertime Pasta. [When he talks about Fast Food, he means the kind that is quick to prepare, not the type we eat on a FAST Day***. ] If ever there was a time when one wants to keep prep time to a minimum, Summer is it. It amazes me how easy this meal is on the cook and how fine it is to eat it. We dine on it ourselves and serve it to company. It is that good.

The mise en place for two servings of Summertime Pasta

Sv 4	Sv 2
3 c. tomatoes in ½“ dice 1 ½ c. zucchini in ½“ dice 1 c. white mushrooms, ½” dice 1 tsp salt + black pepper 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil	6 oz diced tomatoes ¾ c diced zucchini ½ c diced mushrooms ½ tsp salt + black pepper 3 Tbsp EVOO	Mix everything in a microwavable glass bowl.
6 oz pasta shells, whole wheat 2 qts water salt	3 oz shells, whole wheat 1 qt water salt	20 minutes before serving, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook about 7 minutes until al dente. Drain.
		Microwave the vegetables for 2 minutes or longer until they are lukewarm.
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese	½ c Parmesan	Combine the drained pasta with the warm vegetables, then stir in the cheese.
1½ c. Fresh basil leaves, shredded	¾ c. Fresh basil leaves	Plate, and top with basil.

Every meal looks delicious with edible flowers as a garnish.

If you wish, you can add chunks of chicken or grilled shrimp to the dish to add more protein. Delicious.

***Truth be told, I do have a version of this recipe that is fine for a Fast Day. One of these days, I will share it with you.

	Leslie on Slow Days: Ossobuco
	Leslie MacGregor on Slow Days: Aunt Ethel’s…
	me on Camargue
	Gordon Allen on Camargue
	me on Comparing Plans: Plant-Based…

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

Join me in following the Fasting Lifestyle, with recipes & tips

mediterranean diet + Fast diet

Comparing Plans: Mediterranean Diet

Slow Days: Greek Pizza

New Beginnings

Hometown Heroine: Bethulia

Pheidippides, Marathon messenger

Dr Bircher

Slow Days: New England 4th of July

The Seven Sleepers

Slow Days: Spiced Cauliflower Pasta

Slow Days: Summertime Pasta

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