recipes for 5:2 Intermittent Fasting

Mary Goes Over The Mountain. Again

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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.  Welcome to Health Resolved who is now Following.

The Pennsylvania Dutch or Plain People have many ways of predicting the weather, which they have made into oft-repeated maxims. One of the best known is that “If Mary goes over the mountain dry, she’ll come home wet.” This refers to the Biblical story of the young Virgin Mary, newly pregnant by Divine intervention, going to visit her cousin Elizabeth who is about to give birth. The date given for the visit is May 31, when Mary goes over, to August 18 when she returned to her family in Nazareth. According to the weather lore, if the weather is dry at the end of May, one can expect rain in mid- August. Since there was no National Weather Service until 100 years ago, farmers were always looking for ways to make long-range forecasts. Frequently patterns would be observed: “A green Christmas means a brown July.” Wishing to have some control over the weather doesn’t make it so. The weather will do what it wants. Make your own observations and see if you can detect any patterns as our climate changes.

The Plain People brought a rich culture of foods to the New World. Today’s breakfast is made with the famous scrapple of South-Eastern Pennsylvania, and the dinner is a popular meal from the same region. Both are delicious. Mark your calendar with the weather on May 31, then note the atmospheric conditions on August 18 to see if the maxim is valid.

Scrapple Bake: 290 calories 7.4 g fat 6 g fiber 14 g protein 39 g carbs 220 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  GF  Scrapple is one of the specialty foods of the “Pennsylvania Dutch” people of South-Eastern Pennyslvania. Excellent for breakfast, served as a side dish like sausage or combined with eggs in this bake.

1 two-oz eggs ½ oz scrapple, sliced and baked until cooked ½ oz scallion, chopped ½ cup raspberries + 1 Tbsp fat-free vanilla yogurt  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]

The night before, bake the scrapple in the oven until firm. Dice it and combine with the scallion.  In the morning, set the toaster oven at 350 F. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray. Scatter the scrapple and scallion in the ramekin. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the scrapple. Bake 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, portion the berries and dollop the yogurt on top. Brew the hot beverage and pour the smoothie. A fine, homey breakfast.

Chicken & Dumplings: 293 calories 7 g fat 4.6 g fiber 38 g protein 30 g carbs 67 mg Calcium  PB This was a real hit in my parents’ Central Pennsylvania home and it is still a favorite with us. Be aware that it is best made over 2 days, but it basically cooks by itself with a few busy bouts by you. Worth the time and effort. AND this recipe serves 4 [four] people, so have a party serving this great make-ahead meal. If you serve one or two, make the whole thing anyhow, then package and freeze the remainder.

3 pound whole chicken, preferably a fowl although you will get more meat from a fryer ½ cup onion, chopped 1/3 cup carrots cut as coins ½ cup celery, chopped bay leaf 3 peppercorns 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour 4 dumplings   per person:  ¼ cup green peas 

Cut up a 3 pound chicken into leg quarters, breast quarters, back, wings. In a large pcast iron pan or Dutch oven, brown the chicken in a little oil on all sides. Add the vegetables, bay leaf, pepper, and water to cover. Simmer on the cooktop for 45 minutes. Add 2 tsp salt, cover, and simmer for another 45 minutes. Strain off the stock and let the fat rise to the surface to cool. Discard the fat. Reserve the vegetables. Cool the chicken and remove the skin. Pull off the meat in chunks: you will use 17 oz meat by volume. You could stop here.

Measure ¼ cup of stock and whisk in the 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour to form a paste. Measure 1.5 cups stock and pour into a stovetop-safe serving dish along with the Worcestershire sauce. HINT: save any remaining stock and chicken for excellent soup. You could stop here. Add the flour water paste and stir to incorporate. Put the vegetables and chicken meat into the dish and adjust seasonings to taste.  You could stop here. When ready to serve, prepare the dough for the dumplings. Heat the chicken mixture and place 4 dollops of dumpling dough on the chicken and vegetables but not so that it is in liquid only. Let it all bubble gently for 15-20 minutes, then cover the dish and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes. Steam the peas and pour over the top of the dish before bringing to the table. Serve this simple classic proudly.

Victoria

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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. Welcome to Nouveau Trip and gblake who are now Following.

When King George IV of England died in 1830, he left no living heirs. Second brother Frederick would have been king, but he had died. Third brother, William ruled until 1837, and his death without issue started the process all over again. Fourth brother Edward was up next, but he had been dead for 17 years. Thus it was that a teenager named Victoria, daughter of Edward, was awakened one morning and told that she was now Queen of England. Yikes. A bevy of advisors hovered around her as she learned the ropes and took control of her kingdom. After her marriage in 1840, her Prince-Consort Albert became the person she relied upon most and his death was devastating to her. During Victoria’s long reign, life in England changed in several ways: white became the color of choice for wedding dresses [because Victoria wore white]; railroads criss-crossed the land; free schools were set up for all children; laws were passed forbidding certain work for children; India became part of the Empire; all things Scottish became fashionable [when Victoria and Albert wore tartans and vacationed in Balmoral]; Victoria popularized the use of ether during two childbirths; electric street lights in London replaced gas; and she gave her name to an entire era, with its associations with over-decorating, imperialism, prudery, and a bit of stodginess. Until the present Queen, no one had ruled longer on the English throne.

During the Victorian Era, many changes occurred in the English diet. Breakfast as we know it was developed, leading to the ‘proper English’ menu, still ubiquitous today. Food stuffs and flavors came in from the far-flung Empire, especially curries from India, as in Kedgeree.

Improper English w/ egg:  127 calories 3 g fat 3 g fiber 10 g protein 16.6 g carbs 42.5 mg Calcium   NB: The food values given above are for the plated foods only, not the optional beverages. PB GF  The ‘proper English breakfast’ is a meal of generous proportions: several meats, eggs, mushrooms, toast, tomatoes, baked beans, plus whatever else the host cares to add. This is not a meal for a Fast Day. But wait! By taking the healthiest elements and scaling down the amounts, we can achieve all the flavor along with more balanced nutrition.

The Canadian bacon slice is folded, but it is a full-sized slice.

½ cup baked beans ½ hard-boiled egg 2½ oz tomato, sliced thickly + pinch grated Parmesan cheese 1 slice ‘Canadian’ bacon  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]

Warm the beans. Place the tomato and bacon in a broiler-safe dish. Sprinkle the tomato with salt and Parmesan cheese. Broil until warm and cooked. Peel, slice, and plate the egg half along with the other elements. Proper delicious, that is.

Kedgeree:  250 calories 6 g fat 2 g fiber 22 g protein 25.7 g carbs [5.7 g Complex] 101 mg Calcium  PB GF  This Anglo-Indian fusion dish is flavorful and quickly prepared.  HINT: The recipe serves two [2] people.

3 oz smoked haddock [aka: finnen haddie]
½ cup milk 
1 bay leaf
 ¼ cup chopped onion  		Put the smoked haddock, milk, bay leaf, and onion in a small pan with a lid. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the milk and save it. Remove the fish, skin it, and pull apart into large shreds.
2/3 cup cooked rice [White rice is OK but brown rice has more nutrition] 
1/5 tsp curry powder 
½ tsp turmeric		Add the rice and spices along with the shredded fish to the milk and put on low heat, covered.
5 oz asparagus cut into 1-½” piecesCook separately until just tender. Add to the rice/fish.
2 hardboiled eggsPeel + cut each into 8 pieces. Strew atop the plated meal.

Blue Jeans

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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.

Levi Strauss had ‘gold fever,’ but not in the same way as others who headed to California in the 1800s. He set out from New York City by boat headed for the California Gold Rush equipped with bales of fabric. Why fabric? Levi had experience in the dry-goods trade and figured he could sell the fabric for tents. After crossing the Isthmuth of Panama and sailing up to San Francisco, Strauss saw a better use for his fabric. Miners didn’t need tents as much as they needed sturdy trousers. So Levi set up a dry-goods store and took to making trousers from the dark blue, rugged ‘cloth de Nimes,’ thus named because that weave came from France. Miners paid good money and Levi was doing well for himself. But the miners stuffed nuggets in the pockets and ripped the seams, so Strauss teamed up with Jacob Davis who put rivets at strategic parts of the trousers for reinforcement. That worked and ‘blue jeans’ made out of ‘denim’ were born with a patent on May 19, 1873. Strauss was not trying to make a fashion statement — he saw a problem and found a solution for it that earned him a tidy living. Today Levi’s 501 style is closest to the original model: button fly, rivets and all. Around 450 million pairs of Levi Strauss jeans are sold in the USA annually. There were indeed fortunes to be made in California!

For breakfast, the meal to order if you came into town with pockets stuffed with nuggets. For dinner, a nod to Old California, which was a Spanish possession and part of Mexico.

Hangtown Fry: 155 calories 9 g fat 0.6 g fiber 12.6 g protein 6 g carbs [4 g Complex] 62.6 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF  Turns out, this meal has nothing to do with being hanged and everything to do with striking it rich.

3 two-oz eggs of which you will use 1½ eggs per person  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week  2 shucked oysters, chopped ½ slice ‘American’ bacon, uncured if possible 1 1/2 oz grapes -OR- 1½ oz strawberries -OR- 3 cherries   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

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

Enchiladas Suizas:  293 calories 10 g fat 11 g fiber 31.6 g protein 43.4 g carbs 262 mg Calcium   PB GF Rick Bayless relates this recipe in his book Mexico One Plate At A Time. Delicious and easy to prepare. Avoid assembling too far in advance, lest it turn to mush.

2 six-inch corn tortillas [50 calories each] 2 oz [½ cup] shredded cooked chicken breast ½ cup enchilada sauce: see SPICY II 12 Sept 2018   ¼ cup grated Cheddar or Monterey jack dollop of plain, fat-free yogurt 1 oz broccoli florets + 1 oz cauliflower florets + ½ oz carrot

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

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

1 hard-boiled two-oz egg‘old fashioned’ rolled oats
baked beanscinnamon + nutmeg
tomato + Parmesan cheesecottage cheese + maple syrup
Canadian or back baconblueberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Finnen Haddie + hard-boiled eggroast lamb + one 2-oz egg + olive oil
asparagus + curry powdertomato + mashed potatoes + lamb gravy
asparagus + turmeric + milkmashed cauliflower + lettuce
brown rice + onion + bay leaflemon juice or cider vinegar
Sparkling waterSparkling water

That Wonderful Wizard

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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.

Which came first for you: reading the Wizard of Oz or seeing the 1939 movie? When I was three years old, my parents took me to my first movie: “The Wizard of Oz.” I loved it, though I was terrified of the green-faced Wicked Witch of the West! The movie was of course based on the book by L. Frank Baum, published on May 17, 1900. Lyman F. Baum was born in upstate New York in 1856. Tutored at home as a child, he dropped out of high school due to a heart problem. Baum kicked around in several different jobs — actor, salesman, newspaper man — and married a suffragette’s daughter in 1882. Frank [he hated the name Lyman] enjoyed telling stories to his four children and found his calling. In 1897 and 1899, he published best-selling children’s books: Mother Goose in Prose and Father Goose, His Book. Then came the big pay-off with an orphan girl from Kansas: on May 17, 1900 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published. Baum said the book “was written solely to pleasure children today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heart-aches and nightmares are left out.” [The Flying Monkeys did not get that memo!!] It was a runaway best seller, the first in a series of Oz books. The book turned into movies and Broadway plays [one by Baum, then The Wiz and Wicked] and spawned a debate over whether or not the Wizard of Oz is a populist allegory. In some places, the books are banned due to the presence of witches, good and wicked alike. You can decide for yourself.

When Dorothy leaves her ruined farmhouse to go explore Munchkin Land, she fills her basket with food from the kitchen. Bread, apples, and cheese are fine foods for the road. Our breakfast is made of apples and cheese. Dinner shows what you can do with sandwich bread on a Fast Day.

Apple-Cheese Pancake Plate:  142 calories 4 g fat 2 g fiber 11 g protein 17.5 g carbs 31 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF – if using GF flour  The preparation is so simple – if the pancakes were already made. I cooked the batch the night before. Fine for a Fast Day breakfast or, on a Slow Day, serve with a bit of peanut butter.

2 Apple-Cheese pancakes ** 1 slice Canadian bacon [back bacon] 2 oz melon   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Cook the bacon, warm the pancakes, and plate with the melon. Perfect.

**Apple-Cheese Pancakes  makes 10 From Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. ½ cottage cheese ½ c grated apple  1/3 cup white whole wheat flour 1½ tsp honey 1 ½ tsp almond meal 2 eggs, separated 2 tsp Parmesan lemon juice cinnamon Stir together everything except the egg whites. Whip the whites until they are stiff and fold them gently into the batter. Heat a griddle or heavy skillet a bit warmer than ‘medium’. Spray it with cooking spray. Meter out the batter using a 3-Tbsp scoop or something similar, and place batter on the hot griddle. Flatten out a bit. Be careful not to cook too fast, lest the inside not be cooked. When brown on the bottom, flip them over. Serve hot or let them cool to store. They reheat very nicely.

Chicken Salad Sandwich: 292 calories 7 g fat 7 g fiber 28 g protein 35 g carbs 145 mg Calcium   PB GF – if using GF bread  If you bought a chicken salad sandwich, it might ‘cost you’ 500 calories and 16 g fat. This sandwich is much less ‘expensive’ and tastes great.

2½ oz cooked chicken breast 2 Tbsp part-skim ricotta cheese 1 tsp yellow Sriracha, or more 2 tsp chopped onion 2 tsp chopped celery 2 tsp chopped cilantro leaves salt and pepper to taste 2 slices 70-calorie whole-grain bread with seeds [such as Dave’s Killer ‘Good Seed’] lettuce + 1 oz tomato slices ½ cup Swedish Cucumber Salad

Shred or chop the chicken. Mix with the ricotta and flavorings, including Sriracha. Add more Sriracha if the mixture needs to be moistened further. Toast the bread, if you like. Spread the chicken salad on one slice of bread, add the lettuce and tomato. Top with the other piece of bread and plate with the Cucumber Salad. A good ‘on-the-go’ meal.

Fatima

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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.

Fatima, Portugal was named for a Moorish princess. Her legend runs from kidnapping-turned-love-story in one version to kidnapping and coercion on the other hand. Neither is confirmed. What is true about Fatima, is that on May 13, 1917, three little children had a miraculous visitor. Lucia and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta were coming home from tending the sheep. They saw a luminous lady who said that she came from heaven to visit with the children. The little shepherds recognized her as the Virgin Mary and met her there once a month for 6 months. Lucia told her younger cousins not to speak of this, but Jacinta spilled the beans. Their parents did not believe them and punished them for fabricating a tale. Other children teased them and the local magistrate put them in jail for disturbing the peace. At the July visit with the Lady, the children were told ‘Three Secrets‘ which they were not to divulge immediately. Finally, on October 13, 1917, 70,000 people– the curious, the skeptics, the prayerful — gathered for the final visitation. Jacinta and Francisco died within three years from influenza and Lucia went on to be a nun. The two younger ones were canonized in 2017, and Lucia is on her way to sainthood.

The children of the Fatima miracle were taking care of the family’s sheep, a typical chore for small children in rural families with sheep or goats. Breakfast uses goat cheese, a bi-product of the family herd. Dinner honors the food of Portugal in a New World twist of flavors.

Chevre/Spinach ScrOmelette: 149 calories 9 g fat 1.4 g fiber 12 g protein 6 g carbs 116 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Astonishing how delicious this is! 

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  1 Tbsp chevre cheese 3 Tbsp cooked spinach    pinch lemon dill seasonings + salt + pepper 2 oz apple OR applesauce, unsweetened   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 3 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [44 calories]

Strain and squeeze the spinach to get all the water out. Chop the spinach. Mix the spinach and chevre with the seasonings in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the eggs into the spinach/chevre and keep whisking until it is all mixed. Cook as you would for scrambled eggs in a lightly-spritzed pan. Portion the applesauce [unless you did this the night before], prep the hot beverage, shake or blend the smoothie and enjoy a really flavorful breakfast.

Portugese Fish & Chips: 260 calories 6 g fat 4.7 g fiber 24 g protein 28 g carbs [27 g Complex] 60 mg Calcium   PB GF – if using GF flour  From our favorite dinner place in Souris, PEI, 21 Breakwater comes this house specialty from the chef’s native cuisine. The batter is so light that it lets the lime-infused fish shine through. The recipe takes little time to accomplish. I have described it in detail so you can be successful.

3 oz tilapia or hake 1 fl. oz lime juice or lemon juice 1 egg white + 1 egg yolk 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour   3 oz sweet potato, peeled ½ tsp canola oil ½ tsp granulated garlic ¼ tsp paprika black pepper 2 oz asparagus

Marinate the fish in the lime juice with a pinch of salt and pepper for up to 30 minutes. Set the oven to 425 F. Peel the sweet potato and cut lengthwise into ¼” slices. Cut each slice into ¼” sticks. Put the oil in the non-stick pan that you will use to cook the fish. Add the potato sticks to the pan and toss about to coat with oil. Combine the granulated garlic, paprika, and pepper, and sprinkle on the potato sticks. Toss to distribute the seasonings. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil with the dull side up. Spray liberally with non-stick spray. HINT: You could do this 1-2 hours in advance. Distribute the potatoes on the pan so they do not touch. Put in oven for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, put the asparagus on to cook. Take the fish from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge lightly with flour. Whip the egg white into soft peaks. Fold in the egg yolk and remaining flour from dredging the fish. Heat the non-stick pan and spray with non-stick spray. Remove the fries from the oven and turn them over. Return to oven for 10 minutes more. Dip the fish in the egg batter so that it is coated on all sides. Cook the fish on one side over medium heat for 6 minutes, then on the other side for 6 minutes or until fork tender. When fries are done, turn off oven, open the door, and leave the fries in there for up to 5 more minutes. Plate all that good food and live it up.

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

2 two-oz eggs + cottage cheese + apple1.5 two-oz eggs 
white whole wheat flour + almond meal2 oysters
honey + Parmesan cheese‘American’/streaky bacon
Canadian bacon + melonstrawberries or cherries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

chicken breast meat + part-skim ricottayellow-corn tortillas @ 65 calories each
onion + celery + cilantroCheddar cheese + chicken
2 slices 70-calorie bread + tomatoenchilada sauce
Swedish Cucumber Salad + yellow Srirachacarrot + broccoli + cauliflower
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Unified!

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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. Welcome to Virtue Cooking who is now Following.

A “Golden Spike” was driven into a railroad tie on May 10, 1869, at Promentary Point, Colorado to mark the completion of the transcontinental railroad in the USA. The goal of unifying the country’s East and West coasts had been realized — a significant achievement in a land where the South and North were still in an uneasy peace five years after the Civil War. It was a worthy effort but the consequences of the railroad were darker. Indigenous Peoples were removed to reservations; Chinese and Irish immigrants worked in slave-like servitude; Robber Barons made deals that would make or break the fortune of a town that did/didn’t get a rail link; bison were slaughtered for fun by hunters shooting from train cars; and due to railheads in Western locations, beef became ‘what’s for dinner.‘

In honor of the 20,000 Chinese who worked on the railroad, in dangerous conditions, a breakfast with the flavors of home. For dinner, a meal of bison, an animal which has made a comeback after habitat destruction and over-hunting nearly lead to its extinction. Today bison is farm-raised which makes it sustainable.

Foo Yung Bake:  130 calories 5 g fat 2.4 g fiber 10 g protein 12 g carbs [11 g complex] 57 mg Calcium   NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages.  PB  GF Straight out of China, a no-fuss bake.

One 2-oz egg 2 Tbsp crab meat 1 tsp soy sauce ¼ cup sprouts [I used broccoli sprouts — suit yourself] ¼ oz mushrooms pinch ground ginger + pinch granulated garlic 1 Tbsp scallion, sliced cross-wise One clementine OR 2 oz pear   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]

Lightly mix the crab meat with the sprouts, scallion, and mushroom. Lightly oil or spritz an oven-proof dish. Distribute the crab mixture over the bottom of the dish. Whisk the egg with the soy sauce, ginger, and garlic powder, and pour over the sprouts and crab. Add salt and pepper if you wish. Bake at 350 F. for 12 minutes. Plate with the fruit and pour the optional beverages.

Bison Burger ‘Salisbury Steak’:  260 calories PB GF Rather than my telling you what to eat with your burger, I’ll give you options. Use any good veg from your ‘fridge, garden or freezer.

one 4-oz bison burger = 124 calories 2 g fat 0 g fiber 25 g protein 0 g carb ½ oz mushrooms = 8 calories 0 g fat 0.3 g fiber 0.2 g protein 2 g carb 1 tsp curried catsup = 8 calories 0.1 g fat 0 g fiber 0.1 protein 2 g carbs

Side vegetables: your choice to total up to 120 calories

2 oz cooked beets:  24 calories 0.2 g fat 1.6 g fiber 1 g protein 5.4 g carbs 5.4 mg Calcium

2 oz carrots:  23 calories 0.1 g fat 1.6 g fiber 0.6 g protein 5.4 g carbs 18.4 g Calcium

1/3 c. baked beans:  79 calories 0.3 g fat 3.4 g fiber 4 g protein 18 g carbs 29 mg Calcium

2 oz broccoli:  20 calories 0.2 g fat 1.4 g fiber 1.6 g protein 3.8 g carbs 26 mg Calcium

2 oz green beans:  18 calories 0.2 g fat 2 g fiber 1.0 g protein 4 g carbs 21 mg Calcium

2 oz peas:  44 calories 0.2 g fat 3.2 g fiber 8 g protein 8 g carbs 13.6 mg Calcium

Sprinkle a small, hot skillet with Kosher salt. Put the burger on the salt and turn down the heat to medium-low. Cook the bison burger on one side for about 3 minutes. Flip it and cook until done as well as you’d like.  Put on a plate to stay warm.  Topping: Add some water to the pan and stir/ cook the mushrooms until soft. Meanwhile prepare your vegetables. To serve, put the ketchup on the burger, top with mushrooms. Arrange those colorful sides on the plate and get ready for some good American eating.

St. Hugues de Cluny

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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.

In the 4th century CE, a small community of monks came together in southern Burgundy, [now in France]. Their little wooden church served them well and the monastery grew. In the early 900s, land was given to the monks and they established the Abbey of Cluny, under the Rule of St Benedict. But bigger was better, and another church was begun within the same century. Enter Hugues de Semur, born into a noble family from northern Burgundy in 1024, he was often called “Hugues the Holy.” [Somehow Hugues and I are related: he is not an ancestor, but I am descended from the same family.] At age 14 he became a monk, by age 25 he was Abbot of Cluny. Under his leadership, Cluny became the spiritual center of the Christian Church in Western Europe. Hugues was a skilled diplomat, known for his wisdom and persuasiveness. As a church leader, he was admired and emulated: 2000 monasteries were founded all over Europe all following the Cluniac style. At last, he became a builder. The third church at Cluny was begun under Hugues, and when it was finished in 1130, it was the largest church in Europe. It was built in the Romanesque style and to stand in the ruins today is to be astonished that a church that size could have been built then. Hugues was the advisor of popes and emperors, but he walked the talk of being a monk who did the daily work of the Order. His church was unfinished when he died in 1109. Eventually Cluny fell into disrepair: spiritually and physically. The Cistercians became the dominant group and Cluny Abbey was disbanded. Hugues was such a rare and special leader that he was made a saint only 11 years after his death and his reputation, if not his physical church, have lived on.

Monks of that time were not fed much — that was to suppress their libidos. They ate plainly. For the Feast of St Hugues on April 29, a meal that would have been a feast for his monks: gizzards and eggs for breakfast. For dinner at an abbey, soup was often on the menu, served with rye bread crackers.

Gizzard ScrOmelette:  139 calories 10.4 g fat 1.4 g fiber 12 g protein 5 g carbs [4 g Complex] 51 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. GF Yes, really: gizzards. High in protein, low in fat. You could try this with the gizzard that is in the giblet package at Thanksgiving time or ask at the meat counter.

Three 2-oz eggs of which you will use 1 ½ eggs per person HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  ½ oz gizzards, cleaned and simmered in seasoned stock for 1½ hours [HINT: cook up a bunch of gizzards at the same time for future use]  1 clove garlic, minced sage + salt + pepper 1 oz applesauce  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Spritz a non-stick pan with olive oil or non-stick spray. Slice the gizzards and cook them with the garlic and sage until warm. Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper to taste and scramble in the pan with the gizzards. Plate the applesauce and pour the beverages. Real farm food.

Watercress Soup: 157 calories 5.4 g fat 3 g fiber 8.4 g protein 22 g carbs [19 g Complex] 63.5 mg Calcium  PB GF Jacques Pepin’s Good Life Cooking  is the source of this recipe and the stream that flows to the beach is the source of our watercress. So low in calories, you might want to add some Finn Crisp crackers for filling fiber or the Caprese Salad for more protein or a hard-boiled egg. HINT: This recipe makes 5 cups of soup which serves 4-5 people.  

Served with chevre cheese and Caprese salad

2 tsp canola oil 4 oz [weight, not volume] watercress leaves and tender stems 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped 2 cups onion, coarsely diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2½ cups good stock – vegetable/chicken/beef ¾ tsp salt 10 oz [weight, not volume] potatoes, peeled, cut in 2” chunks 2 oz [weight, not volume] sweet potato, peeled and cut in chunks  Optional: 1 Tbsp chevre cheese – 40 calories 3 g fat 0 g fiber 2.5 g protein 0.5 g carbs 10 mg Calcium   Optional: Caprese Salad – 46 calories 2 g fat 0.6 g fiber 4 g protein 2.6 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium  PB GF  ½ oz mozzerella cheese, thinly sliced 2 oz tomato, thinly sliced and sprinkled with salt fresh basil leaves There should be equal numbers of cheese slices as tomato. Arrange the cheese, tomato, and basil as overlapping tiles on the plate.   Optional: hard-boiled egg  70 calories  5 g fat 0 g fiber 6 g protein 0.4 g carbs 28 mg Calcium  PB GF   Cut the egg lengthwise in quarters and nestle into the plated soup.  Optional: 2 Finn Crisp crackers – 40 calories 0 g fat 3 g fiber 1 g protein 10 g carbs [10 g Complex] 0 mg Calcium PB GF

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

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

2 Libum, recipe provided*  Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal + blueberries
egg + honey + deglet noor dateStrawberries + raspberries
pine nuts + pear + chicken breastoptional milk
*white whole wheat flour, ricotta cheese
bay leavesoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

baby greens/mesclun + clementine +asparagusbrown rice + canned red beans
small shrimp + mango + hard-boiled eggbell pepper, yellow or orange + celery
mayonnaise/plain yogurt + Srirachaonion + garlic
garlic powder + lemon juiceoregano + green beans or peas
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Marie de Medici

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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. Welcome to Health + Nutrition and Benyapoesy who are now following.

When Marie di Medici was born on April 26, 1575, she was destined for greatness. Her childhood saw the deaths of her mother, two siblings, and her father. She waited to marry, holding out for the best possible match — but who was defining ‘best’? She was betrothed at last to Henri, King of France, the 4th of that name. They were married in 1600, in Florence, her hometown, with an elaborate reception that was missing only one thing: the Groom. As monarch, he was not expected to go to Italy for less than a State Visit, and besides, this was his 2nd marriage. The couple finally met when a few days after Marie disembarked at Marseille, on her way to Paris. The King said she had a graceful way of walking, but what was really attractive was her wealth — she was the sole heir to the de Medici fortune. Marie had always enjoyed power and prestige, but what worked for her in Tuscany was not successful in France. She never learned to speak much French, her friends and advisors were all Italian. She was rather annoyed that the King had several mistresses [one of whom called Marie ‘the fat banker’] and very annoyed that she was named ‘consort’ rather than ‘queen.’ Somehow, the couple managed to produce several children. At last, in 1610, she was named Queen. The very next day, King Henri IV was stabbed to death by an assassin. Hmmmm…. Since their son and heir, Louis, was a child, Marie was named the Regent. She liked that — spending money, waging wars, honoring her favorites, and cultivating a young priest named Richelieu. She was so imperious that her 15-year-old son had had enough and took the throne as Louis XIII, ending her regency in 1617. But Marie was not through and continued to run the country. Louis had her removed to the countryside. In 1619 and 1620, she tried to stage a rebellion, but Richelieu sided with the king and Marie was exiled. She traipsed from capital to capital around Europe, visiting her children and plotting her return. But she died in Cologne [now in Germany] in 1642.

Marie liked to eat. Plump when she arrived in France, her girth increased throughout her life. You know the term ‘Rubenesque‘ to describe a very plump, curvy woman? Peter-Paul Rubens painted 24 scenes from the life of Marie di Medici, reveling in her plumpness. Under her influence, Italian foods were introduced into French Cuisine, along with cloth napkins, table cloths, and flower arrangements on the table. Our meals are classic tastes of Italian and French ingredients.

Ratatouille-Egg Galette: 151 calories 5.5 g fat 2 g fiber 9 g protein 14 g carbs 53 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF – if using GF crepes  Here the eggplants of Italy marry with the galettes of France. A perfect blend of cuisines.

1 crepe or galette one 2-oz egg ¼ cup Mediterranean Vegetables   ½ oz fresh mushrooms  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]

Drain the vegetables of excess liquids, saving the liquids to cook the mushrooms. Combine the vegetables and mushrooms and heat them. Warm the crepe/galette and plate it. Poach or fry the egg. Spoon the vegetables over the crepe/galette and top it all with the egg. Pick it up with your hands or eat with a fork.

Mollusk Gratin: 283 calories 14.6 g fat 2 g fiber 31.6 g protein 17.5 g carbs 216 mg Calcium  PB GF -if using GF flour  When we steam mussels for a feast, there are often some left over. Removed from their shells, the meat can easily be frozen in the cooled cooking broth. A wonderful item for a quick future meal.

3 oz cooked mussels, removed from shells + 2 shucked oysters 4 Tbsp mussel broth [from cooking the mussels] 2 tsp flour [I use King Arthur white whole wheat] ½ oz Gruyere cheese, grated ½ tsp curry powder 3 oz green beans

Warm the mussel broth and whisk in the flour. Heat over low until thickened. Add curry powder and cheese. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is well combined. Add the mussels + oysters. Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and scrape the mussels and sauce into the ramekin. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes while you cook the beans.

Boston Marathon

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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. Welcome to ketogenicexplained and Baha Health Club who are now Following.

The late 1800s brought a renewed interest in all things ‘Classical‘ — from architecture to art, from mythology to legend. Anyone [of course, that means white males, mostly wealthy] with a university degree in an English-speaking country had read of the triumph of the Athenians over a superior force, and how a messenger then ran 25 miles from the Plain of Marathon to Athens to deliver the news. When the Modern Olympics were begun in 1896, one of the premier events — not part of the original Ancient Olympic games — was a ‘marathon’ run of 25 miles. Boston worthies conceived the idea of a similar event to coincide with the Massachusetts holiday called Patriot’s Day. This juxtaposition was because both the ancient Athenians and the colonial Americans were fighting for freedom against foreign forces. A 24.5 mile course was established to end in downtown Boston, the race finish capping off days of games sponsored by the Boston Athletic Association. Fifteen men ran that first race. The idea was so popular, that the race has been run annually since then — except for 2020, for obvious reasons since the race had grown to include tens of thousands of racers and viewers. The course was lengthened to 26+ miles in 1924, to fit IAFF guidelines. In 1966, Bobbi Gibb ran as the first female participant, despite being told that she was not permitted as women were “not physiologically capable of running 26 miles.” The Marathon is usually held on the 3rd Monday in April, on or about the date of Paul Revere’s Ride on the eve of the American Revolution. The dreadful bombing at the finish line of the 2013 Marathon increased peoples’ resolve to continue the race into the future. Wars have not stopped the race, only the 2020/21 Pandemic has done that. This year, the race is scheduled for October.

Before a marathon, runners often ‘carbo-load,’ stoking up on bread and pasta meals. As non-participants, we will start our day with lots of protein. After the race, a fine dinner of local seafoods: fish and crabmeat.

B-O-S-T ScrOmelette: 161 calories… 7.6 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 11 g protein… 9 g carbs… 220 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF The beans are for Boston’s nickname: beantown. The green onions are for the ‘Green Monster’ wall at Fenway Park. The shrimp are for the strong maritime tradition of the port. The tomatoes are for New Englanders’ fervent wish to raise just a few ripe tomatoes before the end of summer.

++ 1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ 1 Tbsp white beans, preferable small ‘navy’ beans ++++ 2 Tbsp green part of scallions sliced ++++ ¼ oz shrimp, preferably tiny Northern shrimp OR larger shrimp chopped ++++ 1 oz tomato, diced and drained in a sieve overnight ++++ 1½ oz nectarine slices  ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories] ++

Put the beans, onion, shrimp, and tomato in a warm non-stick pan spritzed with non-stick spray or olive oil. Cook until warmed. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the other ingredients in the pan. Scramble or cook as an omelette. Pour the beverages of your choice, plate the fruit, and plate the eggs. 

Crab–Stuffed Flounder:  249 calories… 6 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 35 g protein… 9 g carbs… 67 mg Calcium…   PB GF – if using GF bread  This is one of our favorite meals. HINT: Serves 2 [two] but recipe could easily be cut in half.

½ cup crab meat  
2/3 oz/1½ Tbsp]egg white 
3 Tbsp scallion, chopped  
2 tsp Dijon mustard 
1½ Tbsp fresh bread crumbs  made with 70-calorie whole-grain bread
1½ chopped parsley
salt, and pepper  		Combine the crab, egg, scallion, mustard, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, and pepper.
1 tsp butter 
¼ cup white wine		Melt the butter in an oven-proof dish and take off heat. Stir the wine into the butter.
11 oz flounder or sole fillets. This must be as 4 [four] fillets to serve 2.
2 tsp chives OR shallots, chopped 		Lay two fish fillets in the dish and top with the crab stuffing. Lay the other fish fillets on top of the stuffing and lightly press down. Spoon some of the butter/wine on top of the fish. Sprinkle with the chopped shallots.
Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked and opaque. When serving the fish, pour the pan sauce over top.

per person: 3 oz green beans OR 1 cup lettuce dressed with ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp vinegar + salt. Prepare the green side dish and plate the fish. A delightful meal.

Fool Me Once…

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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. 

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” This 360-year-old saying is about being fooled or tricked in a business transaction, rather than a harmless prank. One who tries to cheat another for money deserves shame indeed. But if the one who is tricked does not learn to be more wary from the encounter, then shame on him/her/they for being such a fool. There’s a lot of that going around these days: telemarketers on the phone, products offered on late-night television, pop-up ads on the internet, misinformation abounds and people get duped. Check your facts, people! Tomorrow will be April Fool’s Day, when the emphasis is on fooling people, but in a kindly, jesting way.

I’m not fooling you to say that the breakfast recipe is unusual in flavor and pretty to behold. I had fun creating it and indeed fooled Dear Husband. To prepare breakfast, he took the filled ramekins out of the ‘fridge and popped them in the oven, thinking they were both eggs to be baked. Ha! Because tomorrow is Maundy Thursday, the dinner takes on a more somber note: a meatless, hearty ‘peasant’ soup [that’s not a slam of ‘peasants’ since their food is often flavorful and healthy].

Trompe l’Oeil: 135 calories 6 g fat 2 g fiber 10.5 g protein 9.6 g carbs 128 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF   Here is a meal to fool the eye and tickle the palate with its combination of the cold soup and the hot egg. The soup, which is good as a lunch in larger portions, comes from cuisine actuelle.fr

½ cup Cucumber Soup*** + 0.9 oz ball of cantaloup melon + one 2-oz egg + 1 tsp grated Parmesan + 1 Tbsp whole milk

Spritz an oven-safe ramekin with non-stick spray and break the egg into it. Sprinkle the Parmesan around the yolk. Spoon the milk around the yolk. Add salt and pepper. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape the soup into a similar ramekin. Nestle the melon ball in the soup. Plate them side by side and smile.

***Cucumber Soup  makes 3 cups, easy to cut in half

two 8” cucumbers [total mass = 21 oz Slice off both tips of the cucumber and remove half of the green peel. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Dice the cucumber.
A bunch of mintRemove leaves from stems and chop the leaves coarsely.
Piment d’esplette [or paprika or Aleppo pepper] to taste
salt & pepper to taste		Put the cucumber, mint, and seasonings in a food processor. Run the machine until the cucumber is very finely chopped.
200 grams/ 7 oz Fromage Blanc or plain Greek yogurtAdd cheese/yogurt and run the processor long enough to combine. Adjust seasonings.
1 Tbsp-sized cantaloup balls Place in a ramekin, garnished with one melon ball per serving

Czech Garlic Soup Česneková polévka: 194 calories 5 g fat 4 g fiber 9 g protein 27 g carbs [18 g Complex] 84 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF rye bread What could be better on a chilly night than a cozy bowl of soup? This is a classic from czechcookbook, but feel free to make it your own. The calorie count is so low that you could add other vegetables or low-fat meat.  HINT: This recipe makes 8 cups of soup. One serving = 1 cup

1 Tbsp unsalted butter OR bacon fat    
7 cloves garlic 		Chop garlic and saute in butter/fat in a stock pot.
7 cups water OR Chicken OR Beef Broth
1½ tsp salt
3 cups cubed potatoes 
3 cups cubed parsnips		Peel potatoes and parsnips and cut in cubes. Add to broth and salt in the stock pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are just under-done. Remove ½ cup soup stock and cool.
1 egg
1 tsp marjoram		Whisk the egg, then whisk it into the reserved ½ cup of soup stock. Return to the stockpot, stirring, and add marjoram. Taste for seasoning. Let sit 8-24 hours.
Per person: ¼ oz rye/whole wheat bread, cubed
Per person: ¼ oz Swiss cheese
Per person: side salad 		Portion the soup for dinner and freeze the rest. Toast the cubes of bread. Grate the cheese over them while hot. Use to garnish the reheated soup at serving time.

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

1 two-oz hard-boiled egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
ricotta cheese + Sirachacooked chicken meat
70-calorie whole-grain breadRogan Josh sauce
tomato + strawberriesstrawberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

onion + fresh ginger + parsley + turmericpork tenderloin + fresh ginger + garlic
Indian curry powder + garam masala + plum tomatoesred+ green bell peppers + carrot
mushrooms + plain yogurt + lemon juicepeanut butter + dark soy sauce
2-4 hard-boiled eggs + brown rice Sriracha + crushed red pepper + honey
Sparkling waterSparkling water