Plant-based meals for 5:2 diet

Mary Goes Over

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

“If Mary goes over the mountain dry, she’ll come back wet.” When I heard my grandmother’s neighbor say that, I had no idea what she meant. Turns out, it is a venerable Pennsylvania Dutch weather-forecasting axiom.  Mary of Nazareth left her hometown on May 31 to visit her cousin Elizabeth.  Elizabeth was soon to give birth to her son [John the Baptist, born June 24] and Mary went to assist her. In ecclesiastical circles, this is called ‘The Visitation of Mary‘.  Mary was also pregnant, following the visit from the Angel Gabriel, who told her she would give birth to Jesus. [Mary was unwed at the time, and I always thought that she left town to discourage gossip.]   Mary returned to her hometown on August 18.  According to the formula, if there is dry weather at the end of May, there will be wet weather in mid-August. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Today’s meals are for travelers: portable foods you can eat while walking/driving/flying.  The breakfast is a home-made version of the familiar sandwich available at the Golden Arches. And the dinner is a commonly available street food in the Western Mediterranean where Mary and Elizabeth lived.

Egg-McArnold: 283 calories   6.8 g fat   5.6 g fiber   17.7 g protein  35 g carbs [22 g Complex]  249 mg Calcium  PB  This, of course, is the Fasting version of a fast-food favorite. It even works for eating on-the-run.

Egg McArnold

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                         1 Arnold-brand multi-grain Sandwich Thin [100 calories]                                                                               ½ oz Canadian Bacon or 1 slice Jones Brand [20 calories/slice]                                                                                             1 oz grapes                                                                                                                                                     blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                 NO SMOOTHIE today

Open up the ‘sandwich thin’ and lightly toast it. Fry or poach the egg to your liking and cook the Canadian Bacon in the same pan. Assemble, using salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy it with your coffee in a to-go cup but don’t eat in the car – sit down and slowly savor this Fast food.

Felafel Pockets:  273 calories  5.5 g fat  7.8 g fiber  14 g protein  48 g carbs  90 mg Calcium PB  This preparation uses two pita pockets from one pita bread. Each serving is 1 and ½ pockets. [HINT: Save the other half for tomorrow’s lunch]

Falafel in pita w: veg

1 whole wheat pita bread, about 140 calories                                                                                                           6 falefel patties total, 3 per pita pocket [see Stocking Up, January 3 ’18]                                                       1/2 cup vegetable salsa [see SPICY May 23 ’18]

Prepare the salsa and let stand while you warm the felafel. Cut the pita bread into 2 equal pockets. If frozen, warm the felafel. Put some of the salsa into each pocket, then add 3 felafel patties. Spoon the remaining salsa on top. Cut one of the filled pockets in half and eat that tomorrow.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 canned, roasted green chilis sugar   + leek
 one crepe [see Sidekicks…… crab meat
 pear soy sauce
 strawberries
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 !/2 cup cooked brown rice halibut filet
 rice wine vinegar olive oil    +   spinach
 one 2-oz egg shallot   +  Scallion
 avocado     +  cucumber Thai red curry paste
 grilled beef chicken broth  +  lime juice
 smoked salmon  +  soy sauce light coconut milk
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Decoration Day

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

Decoration Day was a tradition that began after the American Civil War. Women would go to the cemeteries in the spring and decorate the graves of their dead husbands, sons, brothers, or fathers with flowers.  Eventually this came to be known as Memorial Day and became the focus of community holidays.  Many towns claim the title of ‘First to Celebrate Memorial Day’ but Waterloo, New York has the longest recorded tradition.  Alas, the ‘day’ has become a ‘weekend’ and that means that the meaning is diminished.  Plus, it is difficult to distinguish between Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day which doesn’t help. So come Monday, decorate a grave, watch a parade and remember fallen soldiers.  Then go home and eat sensibly because Monday is still a Fast Day.  What with cornmeal, stars, and red-white-and-blue, breakfast is so patriotic you’ll want to join the parade.  Dinner contains all the elements of a summer picnic, minus the ones that will fatten us.

Cornmeal Stars with Fruit Yogurt:  295 calories  4.3 g fat  6.7 g fiber  14 g protein   53 g carbs [46 g Complex]  233 mg Calcium  PB  Cornmeal and stars are SO American, that they fit in with any patriotic meal.Cornmeal Stars with Fruit

Cornmeal Stars:   This made 3 large stars, enough for 2 servings                                                            1 egg white                                                                                                                                                                      1 egg yolk, stirred                                                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp white whole-wheat flour                                                                                                                         3 Tbsp yellow cornmeal                                                                                                                                 Whip the egg to soft peaks. Fold in the yolk, the flour, and the meal. Spray a non-stick pan with non-stick spray.  Place your largest [3-4”] star-shaped cookie cutter in the center.  Spoon the batter into the star, nudging it into the corners.  Loosen the mold from the batter and remove it.  Cook the star on one side until starting to brown, then turn carefully to cook the other side.   Cool and store until needed. They freeze nicely.                                                                                                                                                      Per serving: 1.5 stars                                                                                                                                                    2 Tbsp fat-free French Vanilla yogurt                                                                                                                          2 Tbsp blueberries                                                                                                                                                     2 oz strawberries, sliced or diced                                                                                                                   Plate the stars, slightly overlapping. Dollop the yogurt on top, then strew with fruit.

Memorial Day Hot Dogs & Beans:   290 cal   PB  GF Hot dogs are traditional on Memorial Day. Baked beans are high in protein, low in fat, so they fit right in with a Fast Diet.Memorial Day franks & beans

1 dog per person {Hebrew National has a reduced-fat hot dog at 110 cal each. And they taste good, too.}                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1/3 c baked beans [I use canned, vegetarian beans if I can find them] HINT: You do not use all the beans in the can, so freeze the remainder for another meal. If you want them again for a Fast meal, freeze in batches of 1/3 c, rather than the remains of the entire can together.                                                                                                                                                            mustard and/or pickle relish                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  one 2-oz egg, hard-boiled                                                                                                                                             1 and 1/2 tsp low-fat mayonnaise +  1 tsp prepared yellow mustard                                                 coleslaw [see SIDEKICKS II Oct 4, 2017]  OR carrot and celery sticks

Cook the dog on the grill or in a little frying pan with a bit of water.   Heat the baked beans [nuke ’em], cut up the celery & carrots. Peel the egg and cut it in half. Remove the yolk and mash it with the mayonnaise and mustard. Stuff the egg halves.  Fasting on a holiday just got easier. Have non-Fasters over for the picnic? Ask them to bring the side dishes [potato salad, green salad, but not chips & dip] and let your guests eat the side dishes.

SPICY

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

Variety’s the very spice of life, said William Cowper.  While it is true that some dieters eat nothing on Fast Days [aka water fasting] and some like to eat the same menu every Fast Day just to simplify things, we like to spice it up.  That’s why there are so many different recipes on this site.  Now the spices one adds to foods can transform something humdrum into something amazing.  There is no sauce in the world like hunger, said Cervantes.  That’s why on a Fast Day, good food tastes extra delicious because we go into those meals hungry, which is wonderful.   Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate, said Plautus. And while you are at it, try some of the spicy items below.

AIOLI DRESSING   makes 3 tsp            cropped-senegalese-tunaavocado-salad.jpg                                                                                                             2 tsp olive oil mayonnaise                                                                                                                                           1 tsp Sriracha                                                                                                                                                                                    pinch granulated garlic                                                                                                                                                     2 tsp lemon juice                                                                                                                                            Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Store what you don’t use in the refrigerator.                                                                                            PERFECT FOR THE SENEGALESE TUNA-AVOCADO SALAD SALAD FROM DECEMBER 20 2017

Santa Barbara Salad

CINNAMON DRESSING:   makes 4.5 tsp                                                                                                          ½ shallot [¾ oz] , minced                                                                                                                                        1 Tbsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                         1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar or raspberry vinegar                                                                                                1/2 tsp cinnamon                                                                                                                                                  Shake together in a jar. Refrigerate until needed. Use often. JUST RIGHT FOR THE SANTA BARBARA SALAD FROM DECEMBER 3 2017

CLAM STUFFING: Makes 2 cups.         clam-stuffed mushrooms                                                                             1 cup clams, fresh or frozen                                                                                                   1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread                                                                                    5 oz tomato                                                                                                                          2 oz red bell pepper                                                                                                               3 turkey meatballs                                                                                                                    3 Tbsp plain yogurt                                                                                                                  1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated                                                                                                 thyme + garlic + salt                                                                                                            Pulse in food processor until diced.   EXCELLENT STUFFED IN MUSHROOMS FROM OCTOBER 1 2017

Chicken Momoas w: zucchiniGINGER-GARLIC PASTE     makes about 3 Tbsp                                                                                 2 oz garlic cloves, sliced                                                                                                                                         1 oz ginger root, sliced                                                                                                                                           ½ oz flavorful white vinegar                                                                                                                                   Put in a food processor and whirl it until paste-like. Scrape the sides often. Do not add water. Store remaining paste in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. ESSENTIAL FOR CHICKEN MOMAS FROM FEBRUARY 25 2018

VEGETABLE SALSA: Makes one heaping cup.    Falafel in pita w: veg                                                                                                    ½ cup = 22 calories   0.1 g fat  1.8 g fiber  1.2 g  protein   6 g carbs   14.7 mg Calcium                            ½ cup diced fresh tomatoes                                                                                                                                  1/2 cup diced red or yellow bell peppers                                                                                                             2 Tbsp red onion, chopped                                                                                                                                       1 Tbsp lemon juice                                                                                                                                             Toss all the ingredients together.   Feel free to add fresh herbs or whatever spices you wish.  FABULOUS WITH FELAFEL

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1 two-oz egg
 white whole wheat flour  Arnold multi-grain sandwich thin
 yellow cornmeal  Canadian bacon
 French Vanilla yogurt  grapes
 strawberries  +  blueberries
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

 hot dog [110 calories]  pita bread [140 calories]
 baked beans   + zucchini 6 felafel patties [Stocking Up, Jan 4 ’18]
 hard-boiled egg  Vegetable Salsa [Spicy, May 23 ’18]
 low-fat mayonnaise  + mustard
 celery  +  carrots
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Spirit of ’45

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

On April 16, 1746, the Scots army was defeated by the English at the Battle of Culloden, ending the Jacobite Rising.  Since 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie [Charles Stuart] had been raising an army and razing towns held by the English.  The goal was to put a Catholic Stuart back on the throne of England and Scotland. Often depicted as a fight between the rag-tag kilted Highlanders vs the might of the German king of England [George II], the sides were more evenly matched than that.  The end came due to lack of supplies, poor battlefield conditions, and some good soldiering by the English: it was a slaughter.  The romance of the doomed Young Pretender was perpetuated and Scots clung to it with a wish for independence [Braveheart revisited].  It has brought us “The Skye Boat Song,”  the novels and TV series Outlander, and Drambuie liqueur.  We will start our day eating Scottish bannocks [in honor of the 1314 battle at Bannockburn] and end with the quintessential Scottish comfort food, Cullen Skink.  Alas for the ‘King over the Water’.

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

Bannock & Applesauce

3 two-inch bannock [see …not by Bread… 7 feb 2018]                                                                                   2 slices Canadian Bacon — Jones brand   [‘back bacon’ of 60-70 calories]                                                           ½ cup applesauce, unsweetened                                                                                                               blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural cider

Prepare the bannock according to the recipe and bake. HINT: if you prepare and bake extra bannock, they freeze well or can be used for a meal later in the week. Warm and lightly brown the Canadian bacon. Plate the applesauce and pour the optional beverages. Simple and delicious.

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

Cullen Skink

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

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

Jonas Salk

~ me ~ 1 Comment

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

If you don’t recognize the name Jonas Salk, then you were born well after the polio scares of the 1940-1950s. I remember swimming pools being shut down in the heat of summer for fear of transmitting the virus. Then came Jonas Salk with his ground-breaking vaccine.  Americans lined up in school gyms to be inoculated by the 1000s.  I remember that too.  Salk initially was destined for the law so we will have avocado in the breakfast, [the word <<avocat>> in French means both ‘lawyer’ and the fruit]. His mother urged him to go into medicine and Salk became interested in virology. Through work with the March of Dimes Foundation, the search for a polio vaccine was successful. The testing process for any new drug is arduous and lengthy. Salk was eager to prove the safety of vaccine quickly.  He took some of it home. After boiling the syringes in a pot of water on the stove [“like soup”], Salk injected himself, his wife, and their children with his dead-cell polio vaccine. None of them developed the dread disease. Eventually in March of 1953, the vaccine was deemed safe. The rest is history.  In lieu of boiling syringes, we will boil up a pot of Jewish Chicken Soup — which everyone knows to be healthy. Dr. Salk would approve of the soup, but would tell you to get your shots, as well.

Avocado-Ricotta Bake:  286 calories  7.2 g fat  4 g fiber  16.6 g protein   39 g carbs   230 mg Calcium  PB GF  When I thought that avocado and ricotta would make a nice bake, my Dear Husband had one suggestion: add lobster! Why, of course! Avocado -Ricotta Bake

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                              ¼ oz avocado                                                                                                                                                          ¾ Tbsp ricotta                                                                                                                                                      3/4 oz lobster meat OR crab                                                                                                                                     2 oz pear                                                                                                                                                                  blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                  5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Set the toaster oven to 350° F. Spritz a ramekin or other oven-proof dish with cooking spray and put the lobster meat on the bottom. Mash the avocado with the ricotta, then whisk in the egg. Pour over the lobster, season as you wish. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Slice the fruit and prepare the beverages. Sumptuous.

Therapeutic Chicken Soup:  278 calories   3.4 g fat   5 g fiber  18.5 g protein  36 g carbs [26 g Complex Carbs]  78 mg Calcium   PB GF – if using GF noodles  The recipe is from It’s All American Food by David Rosengarten. Simple, filling, and Granma says it is good for you. TIP: One serving = 2 cups of soup! Almost too much to eat.Therapeutic Chicken Soup

1-1/2 cups excellent chicken broth, homemade or purchased                                                                                                 2 oz [½ cup] parsnips, diced                                                                                                                                  1 oz [¼ cup] carrots, in coins                                                                                                                               ¼ cup celery                                                                                                                                                              2 oz cooked chicken breast, cut in 1/2” cubes                                                                                                   1 oz Pennsylvania Dutch egg noodles [you could use less if your wanted to]                                                   3 Tbsp parsley  + Kosher salt + pepper to taste

Prepare the vegetables. Cook the noodles in water until just underdone. Heat the stock to a simmer and add 3-4 Tbsp water, which will boil away as you cook. I added the parsnips first and cooked for about 5 minutes, then added the carrots. After another 5 minutes, I put the celery in the soup. Cook until all the vegetables are tender, then adjust the seasoning of the broth. You will want extra flavor now since the pasta will need it.  Add the pasta and chicken. Add the parsley and cook about 5 minutes longer, until it is all hot.

Quiche-Quiche

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

Quiche used to be thought of as effete: “Real Men don’t eat quiche” was the quote of the day, due to its association with ladies at lunch.  Why not eat quiche? Lots of protein for muscles, Calcium for strong bones: it is designed to help keep Real Men and Real Women healthy.            

Did you read this?  10 Ways to Quickly Lose a Pound (or Two)  Good advice for eating any day of the week, Fast Days and Slow Days.      http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/10-ways-to-quickly-lose-a-pound-or-two.html/?ref=YF

Breakfast Quiche:   304 calories    0.9 g fat   9.1 g fiber     14.2 g protein     37.3 g carbs      362.4 mg Calcium      GF PB              Since the late 1960s, quiche has been the staple of the brunch table. Updated for our use as Fasters, it packs a lot of Calcium as well as tasting very good. NOTE: this makes enough for 2 meals. Invite a guest or triple the recipe and have a party.

quiche w: melon-Bbs

For 4 [four] muffin-sized quiches – two for breakfast, two for lunch tomorrow.                                1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               1 Tbsp + 1 tsp nonfat ricotta or cottage cheese, both drained                                                                          2/3 oz mozzerella cheese, grated                                                                                                                         2/3 oz Jarlsberg cheese, grated                                                                                                                                1 oz broccoli florets, steamed, chopped HINT: do this the night before or use leftovers from a dinner                                                                                                                                                       1/3 oz onion, chopped                                                                                                                              marjoram, salt, pepper                                                                                                                                          2 0z melon + 2 Tbsp blueberries

Steam the onion and chopped broccoli until cooked. Distribute among 4 prepared muffin tins. [I used silicone muffin pans. You could use cupcake papers as well. Both choices avoid added fat and calories.] Add the grated cheeses. Mash any lumps in the cottage cheese/ricotta and whisk in the egg. Spoon over each muffin cup, putting an equal amount in each. Sprinkle with salt and marjoram. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until quiche filling is set. Prepare the fruit, the hot beverage, and the smoothie.

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

mushroom-tart

1 small clove garlic                                                                                                                                                          ¼ cup leeks, white and/or green parts, sliced                                                                                                  6 oz mushrooms, cut into chunks or slices                                                                                                           2 Tbsp white wine                                                                                                                                                     two 2-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                                          3 Tbsp fatfree milk                                                                                                                                                ¼ cup Gruyère cheese, grated                                                                                                                                          1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese, well drained                                                                                                   1 and ¼ oz carrots                                                                                                                                                         ¼ Arnold Sandwich Thin

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

Eat Your Vegetables

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

And here’s a mention from the BMJ about increasing fruits and vegetables in your diet: https://www.yahoo.com/news/fruits-vegetables-linked-weight-loss-233030742.html

Roasted Vegetable Bake: 300 calories   7.4 g fat    3.7 g fiber    13.4 g protein   35.8 g carbs   236 mg Calcium  PB GF    If you are like me, you sometimes end up with a drawer full of fresh vegetables and no hope of eating them all before they spoil. Enter the roasted vegetable. So many uses for them, and here they are at breakfast-time.Roasted Vegetable Bake w: S-Bs

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               2 Tbsp diced roasted vegetables, sprinkled and tossed with Worcestershire sauce                           1/8 oz Gruyere cheese, grated                                                                                                                              1.5 Tbsp marinara sauce                                                                                                                                        2 oz strawberries                                                                                                                                             blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                  5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Combine the vegetables, cheese, and marinara. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray and add the vegetable mixture. Whisk the egg and pour into the ramekin. Bake in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Brew your warm beverage; shake and pour the smoothie, portion those delicious strawberries, and enjoy a healthy, yummy start to your day.

Shrimp Egg Rolls:   238 calories   3.5 g fat   2.5 g fiber   15.6 g protein   28.8 g carbs    45.8 mg Calcium   PB   I learned to make egg rolls when I worked for Jerry Willis. These have always been a favorite. But they are NOT deep-fat fried, which keeps their calories and fat down to permissable levels. HINT: This recipe makes 4 rolls and one serving = 2 rolls. Put 2 in the freezer for another day or eat for lunch later in the week.shrimp-egg-rolls-w-tomato

3 oz shrimp, fresh or frozen, shells removed                                                                                                  1 Tbsp oyster sauce                                                                                                                                                 1 Tbsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                                  one slice of fresh ginger, minced                                                                                                                        ½ garlic, sliced                                                                                                                                                           2 oz carrot, sliced                                                                                                                                                      1 oz onion, sliced                                                                                                                                                              3 oz cabbage, sliced                                                                                                                                                4 six-inch egg roll wrappers                                                                                                                                     1 tsp canola oil                                                                                                                                                           3 oz tomato slices                                                                                                                                                       duck sauce + hot sauce [wasabi or Sriracha]

If shrimp are frozen, thaw them in advance. Then slice in half across the body and mix with the oyster and soy sauces, the garlic and onion. Prepare the vegetables and put them all into a hot wok or wide saute pan with ¼ cup water and a squirt of Sriracha. [If the pan gets too dry, add a bit of the marinade combined with a few spoonsful of water.] Stir-fry the ingredients for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are just a little shy of done. Add the shrimp and marinade and stirfry about one minute longer – shrimp should be thoroughly cooked. Put everything from the wok into the food processor and run until coarsely chopped. [If a lot of liquid remains, cook it down some more until it is thick and add back to the ingredients.]                                                                                                                                                            Lay one of the wrappers on a flat surface, so it looks like a diamond, and use water to moisten the edge farthest from you. Measure out 1/3 cup of the filling and roll up the wrapper. There are usually diagrams on the back of the package to show you how. Put the oil in a clean, flat-bottomed pan and heat it. Put the egg rolls in the pan and roll them around to coat with the oil on all surfaces. Heat until the rolls are beginning to get brown and blister-y on one side, then turn to cook on the other side. You could continue in this way or you could put the pan in a 375 degree oven until they are crispy. Plate with the tomato slices and the dipping sauce.

Sun, Stop!

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How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Monday, eat the meals that will be posted on Sunday. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. So easy.

One of the four great events of the solar calendar happens now: the Summer Solstice. [Winter Solstice for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere] The word is from the latin, meaning ‘sun stop,’ since it marks the point when the sun will be the highest altitude in the sky at noon and then descend to its lowest elevation. This was a time of rejoicing and of trepidation in olden days — what if the sun got weaker and never came back?!?  We don’t have to worry. And we will mark the occasion with foods from sunny climes while saying, “Weight gain, stop!”

Flamenco ScrOmelette:    287 calories   7.7 g fat    2.7 g fiber   15 g protein  38.6 g carbs   225 mg Calcium   PB GF   The same flavors of a tapas meal now found in your breakfast scramble. Very good.flamenco-scrom

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week                                                                                1.5 Tbsp tomato puree                                                                                                                                            ¾ oz bell peppers, chopped                                                                                                                               1.5 Tbsp onions, chopped                                                                                                                               pinch cayenne pepper + pinch parsley + salt to taste                                                                                        1 oz melon                                                                                                                                                                  5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                                  blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                 If stating the night before: Put the peppers and onions in a micro-wave safe container and nuke them for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato puree and the seasonings. Leave on counter overnight.                                                                                                                                                                         If starting at breakfast-time: Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and heat it. Put the chopped vegetables into the hot saute pan to cook through, then add the eggs, seasonings, and tomato paste. Scramble together [or cook like an omelette] until the way you like it. Plate with the melon, pour the hot and cold beverages. Great flavors.

Tandoori Chicken and Vegetables:     253 calories   4.8 g fat     9.4 fiber    18.6 g protein  30.6 g carbs   73.5 mg Calcium    PB GF    You can buy jars of tandoori sauce in most supermarkets. Be sure it does not contain corn syrup or sweeteners. Aim for 70-80 calories/ quarter cup. Tandoori Chicken

2 oz chicken, cooked or raw                                                                                                                               ½ cup eggplant, cubed                                                                                                                                           2 oz broccoli, cut in chunks                                                                                                                                         2 oz bell peppers, cut in chunks                                                                                                                               2 oz zucchini, sliced or cubed                                                                                                                             2 oz carrots, sliced 1/4” thick or use ‘baby carrots’ cut in chunks                                                                      ¼ cup brown rice, cooked                                                                                                                                        ¼ c tandoori sauce from the supermarket, 70-80 calories/ quarter cup

Cook the vegetables together in a little water until they are tender. Add the chicken and the sauce. Warm it all. If the chicken is raw, be sure to cook it through. Plate the brown rice [warm it if cold] then serve the chicken and vegetables on top. Good enough to eat.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
2 Tbsp roasted vegetables Tomato puree onion
Marinara sauce Worchestershire sauce Green pepper mozerella cheese
Gruyere cheese rosemary + garlic powder Diced bacon file powder chili powder
strawberries pear
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie: only 3 oz today

Dinner, single portion:

Shrimp, 3 oz 2 buckwheat/wheat flour crepes
Carrot onion 3% fat ham from deli
cabbage Laughing Cow Cheese
6” Wonton wrappers, four of them ½ oz Swiss cheese from deli
Oyster sayce soy sauce tomatoes
Ginger garlic tomato, fresh
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Think Spring!

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Tomorrow will be the Vernal Equinox, the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.  Already we have sap dripping from the maple trees and the smelts will be running in the coastal rivers. Look into your crystal ball and see yourself in warm weather clothes.  Keep Fasting to make your Springtime You a healthier person.   For inspiration, read this: http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/fasting-the-secret-to-losing-weight.html/?a=viewall

Salsa Chicken Bake:      287 calories        5.6 g fat         2.3 g fiber        17 g protein        34 g carbs 221 mg Calcium     GF   Salsa for breakfast? Porque no?  Do you see the happy face in the photo? Smile!salsa-chicken-bake-w-s-bs

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                              1 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese, drained if too watery                                                                                                                             1 Tbsp tomato salsa, slightly drained if too watery                                                                                                dash of salsa verde                                                                                                                                                  ½ oz chicken breast meat [from a roast, perhaps]                                                                                               oregano [Mexican if you have it]                                                                                                                       2 oz strawberries                                                                                                                                          blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Stir the cheese, salsas, and chicken together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the egg and seasonings. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Pour in the egg mixture and bake in the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Brew your warm beverage; shake and pour the smoothie, portion those delicious strawberries, and enjoy a zesty start to your day.

Smelts, pan-fried:     276 calories      8.8 g fat      4 g fiber      33.3 g protein      14.2 g carb     120.6 mg Calcium    PB GF — if using GF bread      When Spring is near, the smelts swim up the rivers and into my frying pan!pan-fried-fish-w-broc-beets5 oz smelts, cleaned & boned                                                                                                                              1 egg white                                                                                                                                                                ½ slice 70-cal whole-grain bread, ground to crumbs                                                                                            salt, pepper, thyme                                                                                                                                                   1 tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                                                a dab of  catsup or relish                                                                                                                                   your choice of sides to total 45-50 calories: 2 oz cooked beets   = 24 calories                                                                     ¼ cup pickled beets      = 37 calories                                                                                                                                          2 oz broccoli      = 20 calories                                                                                                                                                         2 oz snow peas       =24 calories                                                                                                                                                      2 oz green beans     =18 calories

Trim tails and fins from the fish and remove the backbones. Whisk the egg white until frothy. Mix the seasonings with the bread crumbs. Dip the fish in the egg whites, then in the bread crumbs. ‘Pan fry’ in oil in a non-stick skillet until lightly browned and cooked through. Prepare your vegetables and season to taste. Plate it all and enjoy the bounty of Spring. Looks and tastes like a lot of calories, but it isn’t.

Feeling Bleu?

~ me ~ Leave a comment

Around the month of March, people get tired of winter. Imagine that!? Cabin Fever sets in and they get grumpy. And then they eat.  What could be a better antidote than some fine meals featuring Bleu Cheese? When following the Fasting Lifestyle, food should lift our spirits and make us happy. Cue Pharrell Williams music.    For National Nutrition Month, read this: https://www.yahoo.com/news/30-simple-health-tips-try-day-march-155925900.html

Bleu Cheese Bake:   292 calories   7.3 g fat   2.3 g fiber      14.3 g protein   37 g carbs    250.7 mg Calcium  PB GF    You’ll go ga-ga over these flavors!bleu-cheese-bake-w-r-b-applesauceyog

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                              ¼ oz bleu cheese, crumbly rather than creamy                                                                                           1 Tbsp fatfree cottage cheese, drained                                                                                                              2 oz applesauce, unsweetened, with 2-3 raspberries mixed into it                                                          5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                      black-ish coffee, black-ish tea, or lemon in hot water

Mash the cheeses together with a fork and whisk in the egg. Bake in a lightly-spritzed ramekin at 350 degrees until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Dish up the applesauce, pour the smoothie, pour your beverage.

Beet & Bleu Cheese Salad: 288 calories   11 g fat   5.3 g fiber     13.7 g. protein   19.5 g carb    212 mg Calcium  PB GF    This recipe takes me back to a delightful restaurant 2 blocks north of Notre Dame in Paris. You will enjoy the earthy flavors and beauty of this salad.Beet &amp; Bleu Cheese Salad

2.5 oz beets, cooked, skinned, sliced or cubed, cooled                                                                               1 and 1/4 oz bleu cheese, cubed or crumbled                                                                                                1.5 oz tomato, sliced or cubed                                                                                                                                      3 walnut halves [or use slivered almonds if you don’t eat walnuts]                                                           1 oz white beans, rinsed and drained if using canned                                                                                            2.5 c. salad greens                                                                                                                                                   3/4 tsp olive oil    +    3/4 tsp balsamic vinegar                                                                                        garnishes: pansy, chive, or nastursum flowers;  scallions

Assemble and prep all vegetable ingredients. Whisk oil and vinegar in a wide bowl. Put greens in the bowl and toss. Place in serving bowl and arrange the other ingredients on top. Add a few garnishes. Voila! A beautiful meal.