recipes for calorie restriction diet

Square Meal

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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.

A number of years ago, when round hay bales were introduced, a student told me this joke: “Round bales were outlawed in Vermont! The cows couldn’t get a square meal.”  That’s a knee-slapper.  You can get a square meal this week with these menus.  Both are easy to prepare and good to eat.

Buttermilk Baked Eggs: 293 cal 9.8 g fat 8.2 g fiber 15.2 g protein 39.7 g. carb 253 mg Calcium This recipe is from Marion Cunningham’s The Breakfast Book. All I added were the sides. Great book full of good recipes.Buttermilk Baked Egg w: S-b

1 slice 70-cal whole-grain bread                                                                                                                        one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                              2 Tbsp buttermilk                                                                                                                                            1 oz [¼ c.] mixed berries, fresh or thawed OR 2 oz strawberries                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon juice & hot water                                                                               5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Cut out a hole from the middle of the bread using a 2” cookie cutter or juice glass. HINT: put the ‘hole’ in a sandwich bag in the freezer. Save for Dutch Breakfast later on. Toast the bread lightly. HINT: this step could be done the night before. Or cut and toast the bread weeks in advance and freeze. Lightly spray an oven-proof pan with cooking spray and put the toasted bread in it. Break the egg over the bread so that the yolk lands in the hole. Carefully spoon the buttermilk over the egg and bread. Season to taste. HINT: you could prep this far and refrigerate over night. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Meanwhile put the fruit in a small dish, brew your beverage, pour your fruit smoothie and you have a terrific breakfast!

Tuna Melt: 309 calories      14.5 g fat      2.9 g fiber     33.1 g protein     24.6 g carbs      300.5 mg Calcium PB GF – if using GF bread    One of my favorite comfort foods. tuna-melt-copy1 slice 70-calorie multi-grain bread [I like Nature’s Own]                                                                          1/2 of a 5-0z can of water-pack tuna, drained                                                                                                  1 Tbsp onion, finely chopped                                                                                                                                1 Tbsp celery, finely chopped                                                                                                                               1 pinch celery seed  +  salt  +  pepper                                                                                                                     1 and 1/2 tsp low fat or ‘made with olive oil’ commercial mayonnaise                                                    1 slice Swiss cheese, the deli kind                                                                                                                         1/2 cup baby spinach OR romaine lettuce, shredded                                                                                                                  1 oz tomato, cubed                                                                                                                                                  1/2 tsp lemon juice   &   1/2 tsp olive oil   &   pinch of salt

Combine the tuna, onion, celery, celery seed, and mayo as you would for tuna salad. Toast the bread. Spread the tuna mixture over the bread and top it with the cheese. Toast or broil until cheese is melting. In a wide bowl, whisk the oil and lemon juice. Toss the lettuce and tomato with the dressing and relax while you dine.

Another Sunny 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.

As we move toward Summer at 42 degrees North latitude, the sun is out longer and everyone is more cheerful. And active, too.  Take advantage of your time to get some exercise.  You don’t have to become a Gym Rat, just walk everyday.  Then you’ll have more energy for more gardening, or spring cleaning, or your job, or your family.  Go on: get out there!

Cottage Breakfast:   278 calories      3.8 g fat      4.8 g fiber      10.2 g protein    24 g carbs        181 mg Calcium PB    If you have the griddlecakes made ahead of time [I keep some already made in the freezer], then this meal comes together in no time flat.Cottage Bfast w: Canadian Bacon

1 griddlecake  [2 Tbsp batter from 10-grain muffins*]   HINT: I prepared 8 griddlecakes from the Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain muffin batter, cooked them, and froze them. I made the rest into muffins to eat on Slow Days.                                                                                                                           ½ c. strawberries   with a dollop of cottage cheese                                                                                                                                                      1 slice Canadian bacon  [‘back bacon’ to the non-USA readers]                                                                                                                                              5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                   blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water

Take one griddlecake from the freezer the night before and let it thaw. Cook the Canadian bacon in the microwave or warm it in a non-stick pan along with the griddlecake. Dish the berries, brew the hot beverage, pour the smoothie. What a sweet and easy meal.

*10-Grain Muffin Batter: 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal mix                                          1 and 1/4 cup buttermilk                                                                                                        [combine cereal + milk and let sit while preparing other ingredients]                                              1/3 cup butter        7 Tbsp sugar         1 cup unbleached flour                                                         1 tsp salt         1 tsp baking powder         1 tsp baking soda                                                         Cream the butter and sugar; mix in the egg.                                                                                 Add the dry ingredients and the cereal/milk mixture.                                                                      Stir until just combined.                                                                                                                Use 2 Tbsp batter for each griddlecake                                                                                         [use 4 Tbsp batter to make each muffin for Slow Days]

Egg-Tomato Gratin:    293 calories     10.4 g fat     5 g fiber    18 g protein    21 g carbs      226 mg Calcium PB GF Jacques Pepin, in his book Fast Food My Way, tells about this family recipe. HINT: The recipe serves two. Invite a friend or save for lunch.Tomato-Egg Casserole

3 hardboiled eggs, peeled and sliced or cut into 6 wedges                                                                        3 oz onions, sliced                                                                                                                                                        2 tsp garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                           1 tsp dried thyme + 1 tsp salt + ½ tsp pepper                                                                                                 1/3 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                                   10 fluid oz of tomatoes, drained [save the juice]                                                                                               1 oz Swiss cheese or Gruyère, grated                                                                                                                 2 oz broccoli

Arrange the eggs on the bottom of a 3-cup baking dish. Cook the onions and garlic in some of the tomato juice, about 3 minutes. Add seasonings, tomatoes and the remaining juice. If tomatoes are in large chunks, crush with a fork. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer covered for 4 minutes. Pour over the eggs and sprinkle with the cheese. Take 10 minutes at 400 degrees F., then broil 2-3 minutes to brown the top.

Floralia

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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.

The first day of May marks a ‘cross-quarter day‘, meaning a day halfway between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice.  It is also the time of a Roman festival of Spring in honor of Flora, goddess of Spring. Flowers would be used to decorate everything and all of nature would join to celebrate the warmer weather.  Sounds good to me!  Wear green on May 1st, and eat foods made of vegetables from the abundant Earth.

Breton Bake:  291 calories      6.7 g fat     4.3 g fiber     13.7 g protein     43 g carbs   271.5 mg calcium   PB GF    Delicious. Filling. Different.  Artichokes are a flower, so appropriate for honoring the goddess of flowers.Breton baked Egg 1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                                    2 Tbsp artichoke hearts, canned or frozen                                                                                                      ½ tsp or more  curry powder                                                                                                                              1 Tbsp fatfree ricotta                                                                                                                                              2 oz applesauce, unsweetened                                                                                                                    black-ish coffee or black tea, lemon in hot water                                                                                        5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural cider

Chop the thawed artichoke hearts. Stir together the artichokes, tomatoes, curry, and ricotta. Whisk in the egg and pour into a ramekin which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, brew your hot beverage; shake that smoothie; and portion the applesauce. Enjoy your breakfast in the spirit of Flora.

Felafel with Vegetable Salad:   205 calories    5.3 g fat      7.7 g fiber    9 g protein    26.5 g carbs 139 mg Calcium    PB GF    The felafel recipe is from Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. Perfect for a warm spring day.  Even the food on the plate has a big smile.Felafel w: veg salad

6 falefel patties  [see recipe from March 1, 2017]  photo shows 5 patties, but you can use 6                                                                                                                                                      ½ cup diced fresh tomatoes                                                                                                                                  1/2 cup diced orange or yellow bell peppers                                                                                                       2 Tbsp red onion, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 Tbsp lemon juice

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

Happy To Be Here

~ me ~ Leave a 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.

Spring has arrived and flower buds are opening, aren’t you happy? If you are, that’s a good thing because a cheerful outlook promotes good physical health.  If you are unhappy because of your weight or how you feel about your body, then the Fast Diet/5:2 diet/ Intermittent Fasting diet could be what you need.  Did you know that what you eat can affect the health of your brain? Read the attached article and as you do, note the similarities between the foods recommended for good brain health and those we eat on Fast Days.  Food for thought. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article127009359.html

Felafel Bake:      274 calories        6.6 g fat        3.1 g fiber       15.2 g protein      40 g carbs     198 mg Calcium     PB GF    Here we use 1 of the felafel patties which we prepared and froze earlier. Great time-saver! Amazing in eggs!Felafel Bake w: blueberries

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                       one felafel patty, thawed [see Lenten Fasting, 1 Mar 2017]                                                                            1 Tbsp tomato puree or crushed tomatoes                                                                                                      ¼ c blueberries                                                                                                                                                            blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water                                                                                   5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider

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

Mussels in Tomato Broth:   293 calories  7.5 g fat    2.4 g fiber     29 g protein  28 g carbs  122 mg Calcium   PB GF   Another wonderful way to enjoy these best of bivalves.Mussels Marinara

One pound fresh mussels, shells rinsed and any of the black byssal fibers pulled off                                                                                                                 garlic + thyme + parsley                                                                                                                                         1/4 cup mussel broth                                                                                                                                             ½ cup marinara sauce                                                                                                                                                ½ tsp basil, dried or 1 tsp fresh                                                                                                                           2 tsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                             1 cup lettuce [sliced if leaves are large, not if using baby greens]                                                                      ½ tsp cider vinegar + ½ tsp olive oil + ¼ tsp Dijon mustard                                                                         1 oz French bread [optional]

Put about half an inch of water in a large pot with the garlic, thyme, and parsley. Bring to a boil and add the mussels. Cover an cook for about 15 minutes at which point all the shells should be open. Take off the heat and drain, retaining 1/4-1/2 cup mussel liquid in the pan. Stir together the ¼ cup mussel broth and the marinara, along with the basil and Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Put the mussels in a wide bowl, discarding any that did not open. Pour the tomato/broth over the mussels. Toss the lettuce with the dressing and serve the mussels with the bread. Use a spoon to get all the tasty broth at the end.

Green Eggs and Lamb

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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.

Left-overs are a real boon to the cook and the Faster: they make lots of yummy other meals, some of which we can enjoy on a Fast Day.  You might have some ham left from Easter or lamb from Passover, and here are easy ways to recycle them.

Green Eggs & Ham: 295 calories    8.8 g fat        16 g protein       25 g carb     GF     My husband always prepares these on the Thursday after Easter, when there is still ham from the roast and the chives are just beginning to come up.Green Eggs and Ham w: melon

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.                                                                                                                                                                          1 oz. ground or chopped ham                                                                                                                                    1 green onion, chopped white and green parts or use fresh chives                                                          1.5 oz cantaloupe  or ½ cup berries                                                                                                         blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water                                                                                           5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Whisk the eggs with salt & pepper to taste. Put the white part of the onion into a hot pan sprayed briefly with cooking oil. Stir around for a few seconds. Add the eggs. When bottom of eggs begin to set, sprinkle the ham & green scallions over the eggs, scramble to taste, and plate. Brew the beverage, pour the smoothie or cider, prep the fruit, and “Eat them! Eat them, here they are!”

Shepherd’s Pie with Lamb:   276 calories      12.3 g fat       2.1 g fiber      21.6 g protein         21.6 g carbs    52.8 mg Calcium      GF      The addition of mashed cauliflower is a great trick to lessen the carb count of mashed potatoes. Some people like to do this with mashed cauliflower only, but I enjoy the combo for a more authentic taste. HINT: serves 2. Freeze leftovers for another dinner or invite a guest.Shepherd's Pie w: peas

1 cup roast lamb, ground or minced                                                                                                                   1 two-oz egg, separated                                                                                                                                          ½ cup mashed potatoes                                                                                                                                           2.8 oz [½ cup] mashed cauliflower                                                                                                                   ½ cup lamb gravy, as fat free as you can make it                                                                                            3 oz peas

Add the egg yolk and gravy to the roast lamb, along with salt and pepper to taste. Whip the eggwhite until stiff and fold into the mashed vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Put the lamb mixture into an oil-spritzed oven-proof dish [2-3 cup capacity] and spread it out evenly. Smooth the mashed vegetables on top and ruffle it with a fork or spoon. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown a bit and the inside is hot.  Cook the peas and plate the meal.  Delicious way around leftover lamb.

Ingredients for next week:                                                                                                           breakfast

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
1 felafel patty from March 1, 2017 Scallion                garlic
¼ cup blueberries 1.5 oz spinach Frozen or fresh
Tomato puree Thai hot chile sauce         Thai fish sauce
1 oz apple sauce or melon
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage

dinner

1 pound mussels A slice or 2 roast pork
Marinara sauce [made with some of the tomato puree from breakfast] Mung beans or celery
Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil Sugar snap peas
Lettuce, Dijon mustard, olive oil Onions, garlic, cabbage, scallions
One 2-oz egg Thai fish sauce
Sparkling water Sparkling water

 

East & West

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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