recipes for calorie restriction diet

St Cecilia

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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.

There are many famous saints, and Cecilia is one of them. Why? According to the Golden Legend, she was a patrican Roman who was determined to remain chaste as a commitment to Christianity. On the night of her parent-induced wedding, she told her groom, Valerian, that if he touched her he would be killed by her guardian angel. So he converted to Christianity and they lived as brother and sister. She died a martyr, as did Valerian. But the story has holes. Cecilia or Cecily lived in the 1st century or the 2nd century; in Rome or in Sicily. She is not mentioned in the early lists of martyrs and does not come on the radar until the late 5th century when Pope Gelasius wrote her name into his Book of Sacraments. In 1599, her body was found in the catacombs [no inscriptions or other identification], and as proof of her saintliness, it was not decayed. Did Cecilia exist? Probably not, according to Franciscanmedia. Even Catholic Online suggest that her Romeo and Juliet story of Platonic Love was written to counter then-popular sensual love stories writtten in Greek. At any rate, Cecilia was associated with music and inspired a flowering of tunes written specifically for church services. Cecilia is remembered more today for the music festivals and works of art she inspired, rather than for her faith.  She has been depicted in music by Handel, in art by Raphael, in poetry by Dryden, and in a choral piece with words by W.H. Auden with music by Benjamin Britten.                                                                                                            

Because both ‘sweet cecily‘ and ‘valerian‘ are the names of herbs, our meals today will feature chives, thyme, oregano, and rosemary in a symphony of flavors.

Parmesan-Chive Scramble w: kiwi

Chive-Parmesan Scramble:    300 calories  10 g fat   2 g fiber   19.5 g protein  27.6 g carbs [10 g Complex]  390 mg Calcium   PB GF   This is the Scramble version of my Dear Husband’s ‘Bake’ of the same ingredients. Still wonderful!

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                                                                                                                                                   3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                        3 Tbsp minced fresh chives                                                                                                                                   1 oz kiwi fruit                                                                                                                                                              5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie, or natural apple cider                                                          blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Whisk together the chives, cheese, and eggs. Turn into a hot pan spritzed with oil or non-stick spray. Scramble to perfection and plate with the fruit. Pour your choice of beverages and dig into a bright breakfast, even on a grey day.

Chicken Parmesan w: salad

Chicken Parmesan:  238 calories  2.6 g fat  4.7 g fiber  31 g protein  11.4 g carbs   242.5 mg Calcium   PG GF – if using GF bread  At last! The restaurant classic made suitable for Fasters. And it is delicious.

3-½ oz raw chicken breast meat, boneless, skinless                                                                                                 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated                                                                                                                           1 tsp dried oregano +  1 tsp dried thyme                                                                                                                                 ¼ oz whole-grain breadcrumbs, fresh not dried                                                                                           1 Tbsp milk                                                                                                                                                                  ¼ cup marinara sauce, homemade [ SAUCY, 6 December, 2017] or jarred   rosemary                                                                                                                                         ¾ oz mozzarella, grated                                                                                                                                            2 Tbsp low-fat cottage cheese                                                                                                                                   1 cup baby greens + ½ oz grated carrots ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp red wine vinegar

Heat the toaster oven to 350°F. Spritz an oven-proof pan with non-stick spray or olive oil. Pour the milk onto a small plate. On another plate combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Cream the mozzarella and cottage cheeses together until well-combined. Dip the chicken in the milk on both sides. Dredge the chicken in the crumb/cheese/herb mixture to coat it completely. Place on the oven-proof pan and spray with olive oil. Bake the chicken about 10 minutes, until golden. Top the chicken with the marinara sauce, then mound the cheese over it. Broil for 5 minutes until the cheese is melty and starting to brown. Prepare the salad ingredients and toss with dressing. 

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
chorizo sausagelow-fat ricotta
chèvre      +   pearherbs, dried or fresh
Dijon mustard + Herbes de Provinceapplesauce
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

tilapia + white whole wheat flourfirm-fleshed fish [swordfish/tuna]
sweet potato  + canola oileggplant  +  red/yellow bell pepper
granulated garlic   + asparaguscherry tomatoes  +  salad fixings
paprika  +  lime juice + egg corn kernels  + butter
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Mushrooms

~ me ~ Leave a comment

How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for an all-day total of 600 calories or less. On Thursday, eat meals that total of 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 SistaSoul who is now Following.

Mushrooms are wonderful. From the standpoint of a naturalist, the life-history and growth-habits are fascinating.  As a forager, I enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

Wild Mushroom assortment
Chanterelles, Meadow Mushrooms, and Fairy Ring Champignons await cooking

As a locavore, how can one resist the foods that grow within a few miles of home?  As a cook, I love their flavor and the way they go well with so many other ingredients.  As a Faster, I can appreciate how a few mushrooms in a dish will elevate the flavor without raising the calorie count.  When it comes to foraging, you must learn from a reliable source — in person. You cross-reference before you pick: where it grows [under spruce trees? on the grass?]; the recognizable traits [color of gills, ring or no ring, texture of stem]; what it is growing on [wood? soil? other?] to be sure of your identification. No one has ever sickened from eating mushrooms at our house. September and October are the best — Fall Chanterelles, Horse Mushrooms, Meadow Mushrooms, Fairy Ring Champignons, the occasional Field Bluwit.  Some are huge!

LArge Mushrooms
These are Horse Mushrooms, Agaricus arvensis.

Some are tiny!  And for the rest of the year, our meals are delicious with the mushrooms we froze in season. Hope you will enjoy mushrooms in our baked eggs for breakfast and in our Vindaloo dinner.  In the latter, if you wish to make the dish vegetarian, just eliminate the pork and keep the mushrooms.

O-M-G Bake:  282 calories   7.7 g fat   2.8 g fiber   14 g protein   38 g carbs  271 mg Calcium NB: Food values are for plated items only, not optional beverages.  PB GF  Think: Oh My Goodness!  Or: Olive-Mushroom-Gouda.  What Flavor!

O-M-C Bake w: applesauce

1 two-oz egg                        black olive, oil cured                                                                                                                                                               1                    ½ oz raw mushroom, chopped, poached in enough simmering water to cover for 20 sec.                                                                                                                                      ¼ oz Gouda cheese, grated                                 2 oz applesauce                                                                                                                                                nearly black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                 6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

First set the toaster oven to 350°F. My Dear Husband is the one who prepares the breakfasts. He says to start the coffee next and then to prepare the smoothie. Spritz a ramekin with oil or non-stick spray.  Pit and chop the olive. Put the olive and mushroom in the ramekin. Whisk the egg with the cheese 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. Dish up the applesauce and pour the beverages. Delicious.

Pork & Mushroom Vindaloo: 250 calories  7 g fat   5 g fiber  21 g protein   15 g Carbs   52.5 mg Calcium   PB GF   This unique curry dish comes from southern India. If you can’t find packaged Vindaloo Seasoning, you can prepare your own. HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two].

Mushroom-Pork Vindaloo

1.5 Tbsp Vindaloo seasoning, feel free to use more                                                                                                                       2 cloves garlic             ½ tsp fresh ground ginger            2 tsp canola oil                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ¾ cup onions [2.5 oz]                    3 Tbsp cider vinegar               ½ tsp sugar                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               5 oz pork tenderloin or turkey breast [1.25 cups cubed]                7 oz mushrooms [200 g]                                                                                                                                            3 oz broccoli florets, steamed                     ½ cup cooked brown rice

Press the garlic and stir into the vindaloo powder. Combine with the vinegar. Marinate the meat in that mixture for 30-60 minutes. Saute the onions in the oil until beginning to brown. Add the ginger, then add the sugar right away. Pour in the meat with the marinade and stir-fry until the meat is almost cooked. Add the mushrooms and cook over low heat until the sauce is thick. Plate with the rice and top with the broccoli.

Alice

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Alice in Wonderland? Alice Cooper? No, Alice Margaret Ziegler who was born on November 15.  Were she still with us, she would celebrate her 99th birthday tomorrow. My mother would not have wanted to see her 99th year.  When she was a young woman, she couldn’t imagine wanting to be 40!  Born, raised, and educated in Pennsylvania, she moved to Maryland, Texas, and Connecticut as my father changed jobs. “Whither thou goest” was high on her list of wifely priorities. She loved gardening, herbs, reading the classics, crossword puzzles, English history, Mozart, dancing, poetry, ice cream, hot dogs, and my father. I see her in a look in my sister’s eye.  We often quote her aphorisms. She is still with us.  Since she was a devoted Anglophile, she would approve of Kippered Eggs for breakfast. And for dinner, the meal I used to prepare for her birthday: Chicken and Dumplings.  Here’s to wonderful memories of my wonderful mother.

Kippered Eggs w: cherries

Kippered Eggs:  294 calories  9.4 g fat  2.7 g fiber  18 g protein  34 g carbs [31 g Complex] 217 mg Calcium  PB GF  Kippers are traditionally served with eggs, but why not have them in eggs? We did and it is terrific!

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                                                                               0.4 oz kippered [smoked, salted, dried] herring                                                                                          ¼ tsp dried mustard                                                                                                                                                    1 tsp lemon or lime juice                                                                                                                                              4 sweet cherries                                                                                                                                                          5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                         blackish tea or blackish coffee or hot water with lemon

The night before: Soak the kipper fillet in warm tap water for 30 minutes. Mince the fish. In a small bowl, combine the juice and mustard, then mix in the fish. Leave it until morning. Next morning: Put the fish with its flavorings into a lightly-spritzed hot non-stick or cast iron pan and warm them. Whisk the eggs and pour over the fish. Let the eggs cook without disturbing them, then fold and plate with the cherries. The beverages are a nice counterpoint to the savory richness of the eggs and herring.

Chicken & Dumpling w: peas

Chicken & Dumplings: 293 calories 6.8 g fat 4.6 g fiber 37.8 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, package and freeze the remainder.

3 pound whole chicken, preferably a fowl for greater flavor, 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 [see ..Not by Bread.. II-7-’18]                                                                                                            per person:   ¼ cup green peas 

Cut up a 3 pound chicken into leg quarters, breast quarters, back, wings. In a large pot, brown the chicken in a little oil on all sides. Add the vegetables, bay leaf and 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.  HINT: save any remaining stock and chicken for excellent soup.  You could stop here.

Measure ¼ cup of stock and whisk in the 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour to form a paste. Meausre 1.5 cups stock and pour into a stovetop-safe serving dish along with the Worcestershire sauce. 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 warm chicken. 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.

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
oil cured black oliveParmesan cheese
Gouda cheesechive  +  kiwi fruit
mushrooms   +  applesaucericotta cheese, reduced fat
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

Vindaloo seasoning  + garlicchicken breast   +  Parmesan cheese
mushrooms   + pork  +  gingerfresh bread crumbs  + cottage cheese
canola oil  + onion  +  cider
vinegar		mozzarella  + salad greens + carrot
broccoli   +  brown rice   + sugarmarinara sauce [see Saucy, 6 Dec-’17]
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Guy Fawkes

~ 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.                                                                     Welcome to Pamela who is now Following.

“Remember, remember the 5th of November,                                                                Gunpowder, treason, and plot…“

 Tomorrow will be Guy Fawkes Day, a time to remember the foiled “Gunpowder Plot” of 1605.  A group of Catholic Englishmen who disliked the idea of a Protestant monarch [James I of England, James IV of Scotland who was suppressing the Catholic religion] on the throne of England, decided to blow up the King and all the members of Parliament by putting barrels of gunpowder in the basement of the building where they were all to meet. Guy Fawkes, the original ‘fall guy,’ was captured as he waited to light the fuse on November 5. Rather than meet the traitor’s death of being first hanged, then drawn, then quartered, he fell from the scaffold to his death. His co-conspirators were also caught and executed, but Guy Fawkes gets the spotlight.  Today in England, merry children construct straw effigies, strut them through their neighborhoods asking for “A penny for the Guy?” [the money collected goes to buy candy], then burn the effigies on the Day.  This gives November 5th its other name of ‘bonfire night.’  A thoroughly wholesome and Christian entertainment for the whole family! Oh boy! Let’s celebrate sectarian violence while children play at burning people alive.                                                                                       For Guy Fawkes’ childhood in York, we will enjoy a cottage breakfast of egg and whole-grain pan muffin.  For dinner, we’ll eat Soup Royaume in honor of another foiled plot.  This is the soup that an elderly Protestant woman was cooking when the ‘papists’ tried to invade Geneva in 1602, and she sounded the alarm to save the city.

Cottage Breakfast: 298 calories   7.8 g fat   3.1 g fiber   13.6 g protein   43.8 g carbs   199 mg Calcium  PB   I wanted a breakfast that evoked a cottage in the English country-side, so here it is. The pan muffins are very good.Cottage Bfast A

1 pan muffin [see …Not By Bread…posted 7-Feb-2018]                                                                                      1 oz applesauce                                                                                                                                                     one 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                       5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                           blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water

HINT: I prepared 8 pan muffins from the 10-grain mufffin batter, cooked them, and froze them. I made the remaining batter into muffins to eat on Slow Days.Take one pan muffin from the freezer the night before and let it thaw. Cook the egg to your taste and warm the pan muffin. Dish the applesauce, brew the hot beverage, pour the smoothie. What a sweet and easy meal.

Soup Royaume:  152 calories  0.3 g fat  6.3 g fiber  12.6 g protein  24.6 g carbs  84 mg Calcium PB GF  This fine meal for a cool night,  made hearty with autumn vegetables and lentils, is named after the old lady who saved Geneva from invasion by the Savoyards. Add as much seasoning as you wish. Any soup can be improved by preparing it ahead and letting it sit for 8-24 hours.Soupe Royaume

2.5 oz pork loin, raw or cooked                                                                                                                           ½ cup onion, chopped                                                                                                                                        3.5 oz dry lentils, small green ones from France if possible                                                                      3 oz rutabaga/turnip, cubed                                                                                                                                 2 oz carrot, diced                                                                                                                                                      3 oz parsnip, diced                                                                                                                                                   3 cups chopped cabbage                                                                                                                               mace +  dry mustard +  salt +  pepper + caraway seed [optional]                                                                ½ cup frozen spinach, chopped                                                                                                                               3+ cups water                                                                                                                                                                 per serving: several leaves of fresh spinach

Put the pork, onions, and lentils in a heavy saucepan with a little oil and cook until browned. Add the rutabaga/turnip, carrot, parsnip, cabbage and seasonings. Cover with water, using more if needed. Cover and cook for about 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Taste for seasonings, add the frozen spinach, stir well, and heat through. Divide into 4 equal servings and freeze the servings you don’t need today. Roughly chop the fresh spinach and put it on top of the soup when serving.

Luke

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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.

Saint Luke was an outsider. He was indeed included in the circle of preachers chosen to work with St. Paul, but he was different. By birth and upbringing, he was Greek and a gentile.  By training, he was a physician, a man of ‘science.’  His heritage made him valuable as a messenger to the non-Jews in any crowd and his training made him a credible witness when he wrote his Gospel and Acts of the Apostles. Much is attributed to him: interviews with Mary, mother of Jesus; the painting of her portrait; the long trip to Rome in company with Paul; preaching throughout the Mediterranean region.  I like Saint Luke.  His writing is descriptive and lovely. It is he who gives us the anecdotes of the Annunciation and the familiar details of the Nativity.  Where would Charlie Brown’s Christmas be without Linus reciting the famous passages from the Gospel of Luke?                        In honor of his Feast Day and of Saint Luke’s Little Summer, we will enjoy a ScrOmelette made with Greek flavors and an evening meals of lamb [lots of symbolism there!] with Summer vegetables.

Greek ScrOmelette:   291 calories  9.6 g fat   2.5 g fiber   18 g protein  33 g carbs [28 g Complex] 250 mg Calcium   PB GF  Feta cheese is so lovely with eggs.Greek ScrOmelette

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, pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid, and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                   1/3 oz feta cheese, reduced fat                                                                                                                                                  1 Tbsp tomato puree                                                                                                                                             large pinch of cinnamon + of oregano                                                                                                              1 Tbsp pomegranate seeds   -OR- 1.25 oz applesauce, unsweetened                                                                                                                                                             Blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water                                                                                           5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider

Cream the tomato puree with the feta cheese and seasonings, then whisk in the eggs. Scramble or cook as an omelette.  ALTERNATIVELY, Combine the tomato-cheese-seasoning.  Whisk the eggs and pour into a hot pan. When the bottom of the eggs begins to set, distribute the tomato mixture over half of the egg.  Continue as for a folded/rolled omelette.   Prepare the beverages and spoon out the pomegranate/applesauce for a real taste of Greece.

Lamb Kabobs:  227 calories   6.2 g fat   5 g fiber   22 g protein  31.4 g Complex Carbs   41 mg Calcium  PB GF  This is so easy and so perfect for summer.Lamb Kabobs w: corn relish

3 oz lamb leg in cubes                                                                                                                                                 1 Tbsp tomato juice OR water + granulated garlic + crumbled rosemary                                               1.5 oz red bell pepper, in 1-1/2” chunks                                                                                                            1.5 oz zucchini, sliced 3/4” thick, then cut in quarters                                                                                    1 oz red onion, cut in chunks                                                                                                                               ¾ cup Corn-Tomato Salsa***

***Corn-Tomato Salsa    1.5 cups                                                                                                                                    1 cup corn kernels                                     1 cup diced tomato                                                                            2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper                        2 Tbsp diced red onion                                                      2 Tbsp cider vinegar                               1/8 tsp dry mustard                                                                        1/8 tsp tumeric       ¼ tsp sugar                      2 dashes ground cumin

Combine the tomato juice, garlic, and rosemary with the lamb. Stir to coat and set aside to marinate for 30-60 minutes. Prepare the vegetables and Corn Salsa while the meat sits. Impale the vegetables and lamb chunks on skewers, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan [indoors] or an outdoor grill and cook the kabobs on all sides. The meat will brown and the vegetables will begin to char a bit. Plate with the salsa for a very colorful meal.

Ingredients for next week:

Breakfast, single portion

Next Monday, I will offer several  Bannock [not by Bread..  7 Feb ’18]
recipes for Smoothies and will Canadian or back bacon
discuss their health benefits applesauce
choose a meal from the Archives
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your smoothie
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your hot beverage

Dinner, single portion:

ditto pork tenderloin   + baking apples
chicken stock      + thyme  + sage
choose a meal from the Archives Béchamel sauce [Sidekicks I, 17 Sept ’17]
broccoli  +  carrot
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Happy Pairing: Dill + Salmon

~ 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.                                                                     Welcome to Douglas W. who is now Following.

Some food flavors have a natural affinity for each other. Culinary articles and books have used a lot of ink on the topic. [One of our favorite tomes is What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg]  In many cuisines, the favorite pairing is Dill with Salmon. Scandinavian cooks love that combination, as do the Russians. In fact, throughout the Northern latitudes where salmon live in the waters and dill grows in the gardens, there are recipes to combine the two.

Leek & Salmon Bake:  270 calories  7 g fat  2.9 g fiber  15.2 g protein  36.4 g carbs  225.6 mg Calcium PB GF Simply delicious.Leek-Salmon Bake w: plum

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                ½ oz salmon [could be leftover from a previous meal]                                                                                  1/3 oz leek, sliced thinly                                                                                                                                                 1 tsp low-fat sour cream OR plain Greek Yogurt                                                                                       dill weed to taste                                                                                                                                                  dash lemon juice                                                                                                                                                        1 small plum  OR  ¼ cup blueberries                                                                                                                                                    6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider                                                      blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Spritz an oven-proof ramekin [for 2 people, my Husband likes to use a 6×4” oval casserole] with non-stick spray and set the oven for 350 degrees F. Slice the leek and put in a microwave-safe dish. [NB: if the fish is raw, cut it into small pieces and put it in the dish, too]Cook in microwave for 30 minutes at high heat to soften the leek. Add to the ramekin. Whisk the egg with the sour cream, dill, lemon juice, and salt/pepper to taste. [NB: some people find dill to be a very strong flavor] Pour over the salmon/leek mixture and bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare your beverages and dish the berries. Have a wonderful breakfast and a wonderful day.

Salmon-Dill Casserole:   281 calories  10.4 g fat  5 g fiber  24.6 g protein  24 g carbs  253 mg Calcium PB GF  This is a wonderful combination.Salmon-Leek Casserole

3 oz salmon, raw                                                                                                                                                          1 cup leeks, sliced                                                                                                                                                      1 clove garlic                                                                                                                                                                 2 oz clam juice                                                                                                                                                             2 Tbsp milk                                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup peas                                                                                                                                                                                                     pinch nutmeg + pinch cayenne  +  ½ tsp dill                                                                                                     ½ tsp cornstarch                                                                                                                                                            1 oz green beans  

Cut the salmon into one-inch cubes and put in an oven-proof dish, dusting the fish with salt and pepper. Cook the leeks 5 minutes in a pan with a spritz of oil and some water. Slice the garlic and add that to the leeks for 15 seconds. Take pan off the heat and add dill, cayenne, nutmeg, peas, and  cornstarch. Pour over salmon and bake around 15 minutes until it is hot through. In the meantime, cook the green beans and drain. Scrape the hot salmon mixture into your serving bowl [I used one 7” bowl per serving], being sure to include all the sauce. Top with the cooked beans. If there is broth left in the bottom of the bowl, don’t be shy – drink it!

Salad Days

~ me ~ 2 Comments

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.

Shakespeare coined the term ‘salad days‘ in the play Antony and Cleopatra in 1606. He used it to mean the time when we were callow, carefree, and young. Nowadays, it is used in the headlines of summer food articles, all touting beat-the-heat dinners.  Doesn’t Summer seem to be the very essence of the term ‘salad days’?  Indeed, we take advantage of the summer’s bounty and eat from the garden a lot these days, and salads seem cooler and lighter to eat when the weather is hot.  But beware! A nice healthy bowl of lettuces can be transformed into a danger zone by contaminated leaves [carrying Salmonella and other pathogens], not enough nutrition, and great lashings of fatty, sugary dressing.                                                                                                                                                Today we will eat a salad’s-worth of spinach at breakfast in baked eggs, since baking is a good way to kill bacteria. And for dinner a real salad with lots of nutrient-dense and delicious add-ins.

Spinach Fritatta:  276 calories  7.2 g fat  3.8 g fiber  16.4 g protein  35.6 g carbs [31.5 g Complex] 289 mg Calcium   PB GF  Whether it is breakfast or dinner, Spinach Fritatta checks off all the boxes.Spinach Frittata

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               1/6 cup [3 Tbsp] cooked spinach, squeezed and chopped    [equivalent of 2 cups raw spinach]                                                                                  1 Tbsp cottage cheese                                                                                                                                               1/8 oz [2 Tbsp] chopped scallions, white or green parts                                                                               ¼ oz Manchego OR Cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                             dash of grated nutmeg + dash of granulated garlic                                                                                             2 oz strawberries OR kiwi slice  + strawberry slice, as shown                                                           blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                  5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

Cook the spinach, drain it, and squeeze it in your hands to remove excess water. [TIP: save the drained water for baking or for cooking vegetables/pasta] Chop the spinach and mix with scallions, both cheeses, nutmeg, and garlic. Lightly spray a baking dish with oil or non-stick spray. Pour the vegetable-cheese mixture into the dish and arrange so it is evenly distributed. Whisk the egg and pour over the mixture. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Plate with the berries and pour the beverages.

Santa Barbara Salad: 280 calories   13.3 g fat   5.7 g fiber   16.2 g protein   21.3 g carbs   105.8 mg Calcium PB GF From a Washington Post food column, this salad sings of California. HINT: This amount serves 2 [two]. Invite a friend or save for lunch later in the week.Santa Barbara Salad

½ head Boston or buttercrunch lettuce                                                                                                                  1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes                                                                                                                                        ½ medium apple, cored and diced                                                                                                                         ½ cup diced chicken breast                                                                                                                                       ¼ cup chickpeas                                                                                                                                                          1 oz soft goat cheese                                                                                                                                                  1.5 tsp pinenuts                                                                                                                                                                   1 Medjool date                                                                                                                                                                                1 hard-boiled egg, sliced                                                                                                                                          per serving: 1.5 tsp cinnamon dressing see SPICY from 23 May, 2018

First prepare the dressing and refrigerate. Next, toast the pinenuts until they just begin to brown. Take off heat and set aside. Shred the lettuce and put in a bowl along with all the other ingredients. Toss with 1.5 tsp dressing per serving. Play a Beach Boys song and wear your sunglasses.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
mushrooms tomatoes
1 crêpe [see Sidekicks II, 4 Oct, 2018] anchovies
mango or melon
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

Dinner, single portion:

salt cod  + garlic cloves lima beans
potato  + cauliflower canned white beans
milk  + olive oil green snap beans
fennel seed  + black pepper corn kernels
carrot corned beef
slicing tomato polenta [Sidekicks II, Oct 4, 2017]
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Izaak Walton

~ me ~ Leave a comment

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.

“I have laid aside business, and gone a-fishing.”  Sounds like a familiar sign tacked on the door of a poorly-run country store.  Those words were penned by Isaac Walton who was born on August 9, 1593. He was a successful London clothier who’s claim to fame was his love of fishing. He was active in his church who’s vicar, John Donne, was Walton’s fishing buddy.  In 1653, he published The Compleat Angler, in which the fictional character Piscator [Walton’s alter ego] instructs a companion about fish, fishing, and the need to preserve the environment to keep the fish healthy.  A man ahead of his time. Today the name of his book is widely known by anglers all over the world and places sacred to trout fishers are named after him.  In the USA, the Izaak Walton League brings together avid fishermen who also speak to environmental protection. May the same be said of all of us.                                                                                                                                    Today’s menus feature trout, the fish which most people associate with Walton. Smoked trout with crisp apples for breakfast and trout sautéed with nuts for dinner.  If you can catch them yourself, Izaak would be smiling. If they were caught in a pristine country stream, so much the better.

Trout with Apples:   267 calories  3.9 g fat  2.4 g fiber  15.6 g protein  43 g carbs   199 mg Calcium PB GF At the Inn at Saint Peters, we enjoyed their Smoked Trout with Apples appetizer. It occurred to me that this could be a fine breakfast for those who enjoy a savory/seafood taste in the a.m. I substituted mackerel gravlax for the smoked trout, just because that was on hand, but it was a grey-brown instead of the lighter hue of the trout or the pink of a salmon.gravlax-apples

1 oz smoked trout [DuckTrap brand is very good]  OR  1 oz mackerel gravlax                                                  2 oz Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced; each slice cut into 1/2-moons                                                      ¼ c blueberries + 2 raspberries for color                                                                                                       blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water                                                                                                   5-6 oz smoothie or natural apple cider

Slice the fish with the grain to create thin slices. Arrange the fish and apples in overlapping slices around the plate. HINT: I did this the night before, covered it with clingwrap and put it in the ‘fridge. So quick the next morning!! Brew your hot beverage, blend or shake your smoothie, dish out those healthy blueberries, and breakfast elegantly.

Trout with Hazelnuts:  267 calories  18 g fat  3.3 g fiber  21 g protein  6.3 g carbs  75 mg Calcium   PB GF   From Savoie, France comes this recipe, via Anne Willem’s French Regional Cooking.  Hannibal is supposed to have dined on local trout as he crossed the Alps with his elephants. Very easy to prepare [the trout, not the elephants] and absolutely delicious.Trout w: hazelnuts + haricots

3 oz trout, skinned, boned and trimmed                                                                                                                                                           1 tsp butter                                                                                                                                                                        ½ oz hazelnuts, coarsly chopped                                                                                                                               2 oz French green beans [haricots]

Start cooking the beans. Heat a heavy saute pan and spray with non-stick spray. Put in the trout and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slowly [slow cooking will keep the fish tender] cook the trout on one side for about 3-4 minutes. Add the butter to the pan along with the nuts. Continue cooking everything slowly until the fish is done, roughly another 3 minutes. Drain and season the beans, plate them with the trout, and top the fish with the nuts in butter. Enjoy your culinary visit to the French Alps.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1two-oz egg
avocado 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
70-calorie whole-grain bread scallions
cottage cheese + Cheddar cheese
kiwi fruit + strawberry
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

Dinner, single portion:

cooked and cooled brown rice Boston lettuce  + cherry tomatoes
1 two-oz egg apple  +  Medjool date
avocado  +  cucumber chick peas   +  chicken breast
grilled beef goat cheese + 1/2 hard-boiled egg
smoked salmon pine nuts  + shallot
soy sauce  +  rice vinegar cinnamon dressing [23 May, 2018]
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Emily Bronte

~ 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.                                                                       Welcome to loseweightmotv8  who is now Following.

 

Have you ever found that you were wandering over the Yorkshire Moors calling, “Heathcliff! Heathcliff!” OK, maybe not, but the yearning of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff for each other transcends time and leaps off the page at you.  Emily Brönte, under the pseudonym “Ellis Bell,” wrote the deathless novel Wuthering Heights in 1847.  Tomorrow will be the 200th anniversary of her birth. Like her heroine, Emily could not bear to be away from her Yorkshire home, even though she was supposed to go off to work to contribute to the family’s income.  She was a woman of conservative political beliefs who nonetheless was swept up in the Romantic Era‘s ideas of literature. Bronte was the daughter of a clergyman yet she wrote a book about a passionate, illicit love. Though she lead a sheltered life, Emily successfully played the stock market and ran a house on a frugal budget.  She died at age 30 having produced one book and several poems.

Kippers, preserved herring from Northern waters, would have been popular in Yorkshire, even away from the coast.  The economical Emily would have made sure that the parsonage was well supplied. Fish cakes, which also serve a household inexpensively, are what we will have for dinner. Is the wind howling around the house? Are there voices on the wind? Curl up with a good book.

Kippered Eggs w: cherries

Kippered Eggs:  294 calories  9.4 g fat   3 g fiber   18 g protein  34 g carbs [31 g Complex]  217 mg Calcium   PB GF   Kippers are traditionally served with eggs, but why not have them in eggs? We did and it is terrific!

++ 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  ++++ 1/2 oz kippered [smoked, salted, dried] herring  ++++ ¼ tsp dried mustard ++++ 1 tsp lemon or lime juice   ++++4 sweet cherries ++++  optional:  5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie  ++++ optional:  blackish tea or blackish coffee ++                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

The night before: Soak the kipper fillet in warm tap water for 30 minutes. Mince the fish. In a small bowl, combine the juice and mustard, then mix in the fish. Leave it until morning. Next morning: Put the fish with its flavorings into a lightly-spritzed hot non-stick or cast iron pan to warm. Whisk the eggs and pour over the fish. Let the eggs cook without disturbing them, then fold and plate with the cherries. The beverages are a nice counterpoint to the savory richness of the eggs and herring.

Fish Cake w: beets, salad

Fish Cakes:  212 calories  4 g fat  5 g fiber  9.6 g protein  34 g carbs  52 mg Calcium [food values for dinner using ONE 1/3 cup-size cake and side dishes.]    PB GF   This recipe is fromLegal Seafood Cookbook, from the restaurant chain in Boston, Mass. Fish cakes have been popular where ever there are folk who want a little fish to go a long way.    NB: The Fish Cake recipe produces 6 cakes, each 1/3 cup in size.  >>Each cake = 92 calories 1.7 g fat 0.8 g fiber 8 g protein 11.8 g carbs 22 mg Calcium                                                                                                                                                                         NB: The Fish Cake recipe produces 8 cakes, each 1/4 cup in size.  >>Each cake = 69 calories 1.3 g fat 0.6 g fiber 5.3 g protein 8.8 g carbs 16 mg Calcium                         1/3 cup green or white onion, chopped                                               1 2/3 cup mashed potatoes [no milk, no butter]                                                                              ¼ tsp dry mustard + salt + pepper                       1 two-oz egg                                                 2 Tbsp milk                                                                                                                                                                     6 oz cooked fish [cod, haddock, salt cod, salmon or a mixture], flaked into small pieces                                                           1 tsp butter                                                   ½ cup pickled beets                                                                                                                                                                                          1 cup baby greens or sliced lettuce leaves + ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp vinegar + salt + pepper

Combine the onion, potatoes, egg, seasonings, and milk, stirring well. Stir in the fish, gently but thoroughly. Using a 1/3 cup measure as a mold, portion the fish/potato mixture into 6 cakes. Put on a plate or cookie sheet while the pan heats up. Heat a heavy fry pan, such as cast iron, and spray with non-stick spray. Cook the fish cakes on one side, flattening them slightly with a turner. Remove from the pan and add 1 tsp of butter to the pan. Spread the butter around, return the fish cakes, and cook them on the other side until they are browned. Serve while hot. What you don’t eat today, let cool completely, then freeze with waxed or parchment paper between the cakes.

Bikini Season

~ 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.                                                                     Welcome to Jasmine Eclipse who is now Following.

Is there a connection among the atom bomb, swimwear, and the Fasting Diet? Yup.  On July 1, 1948, the US detonated an atom bomb on its test site named “Bikini Atoll” in the Pacific Ocean.  On July 5, 1946, Louis Réard debuted a novel 2-piece bathing suit in Paris. He had been beaten to the punch by a designer from the Riviera who called his skimpy suit “L’Atome” since the atom was the smallest particle known.  Réard dubbed his version “le Bikini”, after the site of the nuclear test.  The suit, made from 4 tiny triangles of fabric, was daring in its brevity and that it showed the wearer’s navel.  The name stuck but Réard, a mechanical engineer by training, had difficulty making many sales at his mother’s Paris lingerie shop because of social reaction. There was a popular song in  1960 about bikinis, but not until Ursula Andress rose from the sea in a white bikini did the look really take off.  The rest is history.

It is Summer in the Northern Hemisphere and people are going to the beach. Are you going in a muu-muu or a bikini? The Fast Diet will help you to get into a slimmer body better than any diet I’ve ever tried.  What you wear after you achieve your target weight is entirely up to you. Today’s breakfast is delicious and easy to prepare.  The dinner is full of the rich flavors of the French Riviera. Both are perfect for getting you onto the beach for a trim swim.

Citrus Breakfast:  290 calories   1.6 g fat  3.6 g fiber   21 g protein   48 g carbs [38 g Complex] 289 mg Calcium   PB GF  Is this the breakfast you imagine when you think ‘go on a diet’? Does it look like starvation rations? Banish those thoughts! Delicious, nutritious, and filling, this is a great breakfast for anyone, any day. And it has tons of Vitamin C and A and D.Citrus Breakfast

½ cup reduced-fat cottage cheese                                                                                                                          2 Tbsp fat-free French Vanilla                                                                                                                                                                                     1 clementine, peeled and sectioned                                                                                                                 2 Tbsp black currants                                                                                                                                             5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water

Combine all the dairy and fruit [or combine the dairy and garnish with fruit after plating]. Knowing that I would have a busy morning, I did this the night before and refrigerated it. Great for a grab-and-go meal. With the hot beverage and smoothie, it is a vitamin-blast.

Feta-Tuna-Bean Salad: 306 calories   14.6 g fat   5.3 g fiber   19.3 g protein   24 g carbs [23 g Complex]  230 mg Calcium  PB GF  This salad has a lot going for it. Perfect for a hot summer evening.Feta:tuna:bean:egg Salad

1 oz canned tuna, drained                                                                                                                                  1/4 cup white beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                                                 1 oz feta cheese, crumbled                                                                                                                                  2 oz tomatoes, cubed                                                                                                                                                         1.5 oz red bell pepper, cut as large dice                                                                                                            1 pitted ripe olives, sliced                                                                                                                                      1/2 hardboiled egg, in wedges or chopped                                                                                                                                 1-1/2 cups baby greens  OR full-sized leaves sliced cross-wise                                                                                                                                             1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice + lots of herbes de Province + pinch garlic powder

Prepare the vegetables as described above. Whisk the oil, lemon juice, herbs and garlic in a 2-cup bowl. Add the greens and toss gently but thoroughly. Place the greens in the serving bowl and nestle the tuna in the center. Arrange all the other ingredients on top in a manner that pleases you.