recipes for calorie restriction diet

Washington        

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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.

Tomorrow will be the birthday of the Father of our Country, George Washington, who was born in 1732. Truly a man who needs no introduction, let us look at what the great man ate. For breakfast, he ate only ‘hoe cakes,’ a pancake made of white corn grits.  He ate them every day, with butter and honey.  Hercules, Washington’s enslaved cook, knew what to prepare for a man with false teeth: soft foods.  The Marquis de Lafayette, whom Washington regarded as the son he never had, might have suggested the very French Cherry Flamusse as an alternative, and the cherries play into Parson Weems legend of young George and the cherry tree.  The first president’s estate Mount Vernon is located in tidewater Virginia, and Washington liked oysters. He would surely have eaten Virginia ham, although every Saturday Hercules whipped up a batch of salt cod stew, according to the book Never Caught, a book which discusses Washington as a slave-holder . Today we’ll enjoy a more festive meal to celebrate Washington’s birthday: Ham & Oyster Pie.

Cherry Flamusse:   291 calories  5.3 g fat  2.2 g fiber   15.4 g protein   46.7 g carbs [12.6 simple carbs, 34 complex carbs]  316 mg Calcium   This breakfast custard is borrowed from the dessert section of the cookbook, and it works very well either way! It is similar to a clafouti, but simpler. Baked with cherries or any firm fruit, it is sure to be a hit. HINT: This makes enough for 2 [two] servings: share with a friend or save the rest for a future breakfast or dessert. [Without the morning beverages, the dessert has 177 calories.]Cherry Flamusse

2 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                            6 oz milk                                                                                                                                                                      4 tsp flour                                                                                                                                                                                        1.5 Tbsp sugar                                                                                                                                                             10 sweet cherries, pitted                                                                                                                                       ½ clementine                                                                                                                                          blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                     3 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie

Spritz 2 ramekins or an oven-proof dish with 1.5 cup capacity with non-stick spray. Cut the cherries in half and arrange on the bottom of the dish. Whisk eggs until foamy, then add flour and sugar, whisking until there are no lumps. Stir in the milk and pour the batter over the cherries. Bake at 375 F. for 20 minutes. Turn the flamusse out of the dish so that the cherries are on top. Plate with the clementine sections, serve with the beverages. You won’t believe this is a ‘diet.’

Ham & Oyster Pie:   256 calories   4.6 g fat   3.2 g fiber   20.7 g protein   25.5 g carbs   125 mg Calcium   GF  This dish was popular in the Colonial American South at Christmastime.  I first enjoyed it in the Fox Tavern at the Hancock Inn. As long as oysters are available, one can have it anytime. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] as shown in the photo.Ham & Oyster Pie for two

3 oz [2/3 cup] roast ham in 1/2” dice                                                                                                                          1 cup oysters with their liquid, about 19                                                                                                                        ½ cup onions, chopped                                                                                                                                       ¼ cup milk                                                                                                                                                                2 Tbsp white wine                                                                                                                                                    2 tsp potato starch                                                                                                                                                  ½ cup peas, frozen                                                                                                                                                  4 small stars cut from a 70-calorie slice of whole-grain bread = 0.55 oz bread

Drain oysters and reserve their liquid. Combine onion and oyster liquid [1/4-1/3 cup] in a small pan. Simmer, covered, until onions are transluscent.  Stir milk, wine, and potato starch into the liquid until it is smooth. Add oysters, ham, and stir to combine. Heat over low until sauce has thickened.  Taste for seasoning.  Add peas, stir, and turn into a two-cup casserole. Bake uncovered at 400 F. for 15 minutes while you lightly toast the stars. Before serving, nestle the stars into the bubbling sauce.  A meal fit for a president.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 1.5 two-oz eggs
 corned beef  leek
 sauerkraut, canned or bagged or fresh Caerphilly or Cheddar cheese
 catsup
 strawberries  apple or pear
Whatever you need for your smoothie Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 chicken   +  wonton wrappers  4 oz mackerel
 turmeric + ginger-garlic paste + ginger  leek
 carrots  +  cabbage  +  scallion  tomatoes
 onion  + soy sauce  oregano
 chili sauce   +  catsup  coriander
 garlic  grainy mustard
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Go West, Young Man

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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 diet969 who is now Following.

I’ll bet you know who said the undying words of Manifest Destiny, don’t you. Horace Greeley, native of New Hampshire and publisher of the New York Tribune, of course.  Not so fast. John Babson Lane Soule, born in Maine, actually moved ‘West’ to Indiana and became a newspaper owner.  Evidence points to Soule as the author of the phrase, since in 1851, he urged, “Go West, young man, and grow up with the country.”              Although Greeley did write ““Fly, scatter through the country — go to the Great West,” in 1837, when he used the words, “Go West, young man” in 1865, he was quoting Soule.

Their idea of ‘the West’ was to leave the cities and worn-out farmland of the East Coast to settle in Ohio and Illinois. For the menus today, you will go a bit South that — Texas for breakfast.  And if you keep going, you will cross the Pacific Ocean and arrive in Canton, China for a dinner of wonton soup. Now that’s going West!

Western Bake:   270 calories   5.4 g fat   4.5 g fiber   12.4 g protein   45 g carbs [43.7 g Complex Carbs]  199 mg Calcium PB GF   My father taught me to love a good Western Sandwich. So it seemed natural to incorporate that flavor combination in a breakfast. And its a winner.

Western Bake w: pears

1 two-oz egg                          2 oz green pepper                            2 oz onions                                                                                                                                                                                  2-3 tsp ketchup, made without high fructose corn syrup         2 oz pear                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Chop the pepper and onions and cook: either in the microwave or by poaching in water for 2 minutes. Drain and combine with the ketchup. Whisk with the eggs, salt and pepper to taste. Spritz an oven-proof ramekin or other dish with non-stick spray. Pour in the egg mixture and bake at 350 F. for 15-18 minutes. Plate the fruit and pour the beverages. Yee-haaw, that’s a breakfast!

Wonton Soup:  257 calories   34 g fat  0.9 g fiber   23.7 g protein   29 g carbs  25 mg Calcium PB Cantonese wonton soup can be your’s, easily and without the extra salt or MSG. I prepared the entire batch of filling, then stuffed and poached all 26 wontons. Frozen, they will be the ‘instant’ source of future meals.

Wonton Soup

Filling: 4 0z ground pork                       4 oz chicken meat              1/2 tsp cornstarch                                                                                                                                           ¾ tsp sugar                1 tsp sesame oil            ¼ tsp white pepper + ¾ tsp salt + 1 Tbsp water                                                                                                                                                                              1 Tbsp sherry                                          4 oz shrimp, chopped to the size of green peas                                                                                                

Combine all ingredients except the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor and mince to a paste. Stir in the chopped shrimp. Refrigerate until ready to fill the wontons. TIP: Can be made the day before.                                                                                                                                                 Wontons: Wonton skins [wrappers] are small squares of egg-roll wrappers. You’ll need 5 wonton skins per bowl of soup, 26 skins for the entire batch.   Put 4-6 wonton skins on a cutting board. Moisten two edges of one of the squares. Place 1 Tbsp of filling on the square, fold over to make a triangle, and pinch the sides together. Set aside, up to 30 minutes covered with cling wrap or foil, until ready to poach them.                                                                                                               

Poaching filled wontons: Bring a pan of water to boil. Depending on the diameter of the pan, add wontons 4-5 at a time. They will sink to the bottom of the pan. When they float to the surface [in 4-5 minutes], fish them out and put on a tea towel to drain.                                       

To finish the soup: 1.5 cups delicious chicken stock, purchased or home-made                                                                                                               1.5 oz cabbage in strips                          5 filled wontons                1 Tbsp sliced scallion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Heat the stock to a simmer and add the cabbage. Cover and simmer until the cabbage is cooked. Put 5 poached wontons in your soup bowl, add the stock and cabbage, sprinkle with scallion. Pass the soy sauce.

Lenten Foods

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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.

Fasting has always been a part of the pre-Easter season of Lent.  Eating less, eating foods that are more austere, depriving oneself of meat: these are among the things considered to be appropriate sacrifice and preparation for the sadness of Good Friday and the joy of Easter.  It would be simple to eat less during Lent: Fasting 2 days/week could be extended, and there are plenty of Fast meals which do not involve meat or eggs.         Here are some suggestions:

Herring Plate Breakfast: 292 calories 8.4 g fat   herring Plate w: cherries4.9 g fiber 12.6 g protein 32.8 g carbs 199 mg Calcium   PB         If you like herring, this is the breakfast for                                                                                             you. It makes a nice change from morning eggs and                                                                                    is prepared in no-time-flat. Do NOT eat herring if                                                                                  you are taking antidepressent medicine, as herring                                                                                    is high in tyramine.                                                           For the recipe, see  Unusual posted on VII-30-’17  

                                                                                                                                            

 

 

10-Grain Pumpkin Pudding: 277 calories 7.6 g fat  Ten-grain Pudding w: R-bs                                                                                   6.8 g fiber 12.8 g protein 41 g carbs 249.4 mg Calcium                                                                                PB The delicious, nutty grains in the                                                                                                        cereal seemed to call out for pumpkin and spices, and here’s the result. This recipe is easily prepared the night before and refrigerated for a quick and delicious breakfast. Make and extra one for the freezer.                         For the recipe, see  Thanksgiving, American Style posted on  XI-22-’17

 

 

Rumbledeethumps w: saladRumbledethumps:   243 calories  10 g fat  4 g fiber   12.6 g protein   19.5 g carbs   171.4 mg Calcium PB GF Where do you get a recipe with a name like that? Sundays At Moosewood,  of course. Hearty meals like this, made with winter vegetables are common in Scotland and Ireland. HINT: The recipe makes enough for 2 servings. Wrap half in cling-wrap and foil and freeze for another dinner. For the recipe, see Margaret of Scotland, posted XI-15-’17

 

Senegal Tuna-Avocado Salad: 264 calories   Senegalese Tuna:Avocado Salad                                                                                           14.6 g fat   6.4 g fiber   13.2 g protein  18 g carbs 29.8 mg Calcium  PB GF  This is my version of a meal which I enjoyed at Bissap Baobab , an excellent Senegalese restaurant in Oakland, CA.   The blend of flavors is marvelous.                                                                     For the recipe, see  Solstice, posted XII-20-’17

 

 

 

pomelo-shrimp salad w: chips + romainePomelo/Grapefruit-Shrimp Salad: 255 cal   6.3 g fat   3.7 g fiber   22.3 g protein   28 g carbs 93.5 mg Calcium   PB GF   The pomelos were ripe in our son and daughter-in-law’s garden, so I used some to make this meal. The recipe is from Hot Sour Salty Sweet by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. If you can’t find pomelos, use grapefruit instead.                                                  For the recipe, see                   IV-2-’17

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg 2 two-oz eggs
 green pepper  milk
 catsup  flour   +  sugar
 onion  10 sweet cherries
 clementine
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:

 pork   +  chicken  ham
 sugar  + cornstarch  1 cup oysters
 sesame oil  + sherry  onion     +  butter
 scallion  + cabbage  white wine
 chicken stock  peas
 wonton wrappers  milk
Sparkling water Sparkling water

Lincoln

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

Tomorrow will be the birthday of Honest Abe;  the Great Emancipator;  the Rail-Splitter.  In other words: Abraham Lincoln, born 12 February 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. Most people would associate the great man with the state of his birth or with Illinois, which he served as State Representative and Congressman before his election to president.  Lincoln is well-known for his statesmanship and his oratory, but I want to  trace his family back to its roots in the Oley Valley of Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Abraham, was born there, confusing tourists no end, then he moved his family to Virginia, and Kentucky.  My father and the future POTUS have a common ancestor, making me a 2nd cousin 5 times removed; and the Lincoln family were close neighbors to my mother’s ancestors in Oley.  Therefore I can say with some authority that today’s menus would have been very familiar to the Lincoln family, since these foods are from SE Pennsylvania too. President Lincoln was a very slender man.  Eat like this, and you could become slender, too.

Scrapple Bake:   288 calories   7.4 g fat    6 g fiber   14 g protein   39 g carbs    220 mg Calcium PB  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 an egg in this bake. Scrapple Bake w: R-bs1 two-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                            1/2 oz scrapple,  sliced 1/4″ thick                                                                                                                                                         ½ oz scallion, chopped                                                                                                                                          ½ cup raspberries + 1 Tbsp fat-free vanilla yogurt                                                                              blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie, green smoothie or natural apple cider

The night before: bake the scrapple in the oven until firm. Dice it and combine with the scallion. Next 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 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 little 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.Chicken & Dumpling w: peas

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                                                                                                                                                           2 tsp salt                                                                                                                                                                         1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce                                                                                                                                             2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour                                                                                                                           4 dumplings [see ..Not by Bread.. II-7-’18]                                                                                                                                             ¼ cup green peas per person

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.

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.

Agatha

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

Tomorrow will be the Feast Day of Saint Agatha.  That’s a name you don’t hear much any more…  She lived in Sicily and Malta. Legend says she was a beautiful young woman who refused to marry due to her faith. [Agatha thought that she could serve God better by staying single and dedicating her life to religion.] Victimized by a Roman official, she died most cruelly, and is remembered for her steadfastness. Agatha could be a symbol of both the modern ‘MeToo‘ movement and the campaign against breast disease. Due to her association with the island nation of Malta, breakfast features the flavors of traditional Maltese foods.  Due to her being the patroness of those with breast diseases, it is common to prepare foods shaped like breasts on February 5.

Maltese ScrOmelette:   293 calories  8.4 g fat   3.5 g fiber   18 g carbs   252 mg Calcium  PB GF Between the fish and the vegetables, these flavors have “Malta” written all over them.Maltese 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 oz cooked tuna                                                                                                                                                                         2 Tbsp frozen spinach                                                                                                                                               2 Tbsp Mediterranean Vegetables, chopped    [see Sidekicks II from October 4, 2017]                     ½ clementine                                                                                                                                                     blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                5-6 oz green or fruit smoothie or unpasteurized apple cider

Thaw and chop the spinach, and drain it through a small sieve. Break the tuna into small bits. Combine all vegetables with the tuna. Heat the ingredients briefly in an oil-misted non-stick pan, then pour in the whisked eggs. Cook to your preference. Serve with the fruit and the beverages of choice. Sunny flavors!

Fish Timbale:   276 calories   17.3 g fat   1.6 g fiber  23.5 g protein   8 g carbs   95 mg Calcium  PB GF   Sounds high-falutin’ but really very easy.  Made with two types of fish, it is a good use of leftovers.Fish Timbale w: chard

2 Tbsp spinach                                                                                                                                                                    1/2 Tbsp shallot                                                                                                                                                           1 and 2/3 oz mackerel or salmon                                                                                                                                     1.3 oz haddock or cod                                                                                                                                           3/4 oz egg [either pullet egg or an egg white], well-beaten                                                                                                    1/3 oz white beans                                                                                                                                                            2 Tbsp cream                                                                                                                                                                   1 oz chard                                                                                                                                                                   1/8 tsp olive oil nutmeg + granulated garlic

Wash the spinach and leave water on the leaves. Put in a lidded pan along with the chopped shallot. Put on the lid and let cook until the spinach is limp. Remove, chop, and squeeze the water out of the spinach. Thoroughly mash the white beans and add the cream. Stir the spinach + shallot into the bean + cream. If fish is raw: Put in a pan with a little water. Cover and steam until fish is cooked. Flake the fish and combine with the other ingredients, except the chard. Turn into a spritzed ramekin and bake at 400 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsley chop the chard and cook it in a little water until done. Drain and season with nutmeg and granulated garlic. Run a knife around the sides of the timbale and invert the plate over it. Turn the plate right-side-up and remove the timbale. Plate the chard.

Rabbie Burns    

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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.

Tomorrow will be Burns Night.  If you don’t get the reference, then: a] you are not a Scot; b] you don’t have rabidly Scottish friends;  c] you are unaware of Scottish poetry of the 18th century.  In 1759, during the Scottish Renaissance, Robert Burns was born on January 25. Despite a difficult life of poverty and low-paying jobs, he produced a body of poetry which has entered the language of the English-speaking world. This is odd since he single-handedly revived the Scots dialect by writing in the vernacular. You might think that a poem beginning: “Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie….” would be a game-ender but To a Mouse gives us the classic line ‘the best laid plans of mice and men.’  Burns greatest hits include: Auld Lang Syne;  Red, Red Rose;  Scots Wha Hae.                      In honor of Burns, our breakfast will include a tattie scone which is typical in a Scottish Breakfast. And dinner will give a contemporary [and lower calorie] twist to the Burns Night classic of haggis.

Tattie Scone with Egg:  286 calories  5.4 g fat   3.6 g fiber   13.3 g protein  47 g carbs   210 mg Calcium PB Tattie Scones have been part of a Scottish Breakfast ever since potatoes were considered fit to eat. Nice to make with left-over boiled potatoes.Tattie Scone w: egg, pears

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                 1 tattie scone***                                                                                                                                                            2 oz pear                                                                                                                                                                      5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                       nearly-black coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

Prepare the Tattie Scone and keep warm or re-warm. HINT: Prepare the batter the night before and cook them, too. Fry the egg to your liking. Prepare the fruit and beverages. Plate the scone, top with the egg. Plate the fruit and pour the beverages. Almost instant, if you made the scone beforehand.

*** Tattie Scone [makes three 4.5” pancakes]                                                                                                    ½ cup smashed potatoes, without milk or butter                                                                                          1 Tbsp egg white        2 Tbsp skimmed milk                                                                                                    1 Tbsp white whole wheat flour                                                                                                                          ¼ tsp salt             ½ tsp Baking powder                                                                                                             Mix all the ingredients to make a batter like thin Cream of Wheat.                                                       Spritz a heavy skillet with non stick spray and heat.                                                                                            Measure ¼ cup of batter and pour into the pan, spreading to about 4.5”.                                         Cook enough to brown the bottom and to firm it up enough to turn.                                                                  When you can, turn over the scone and cook the other side.                                                          Freeze the other scones or save for lunch.

Haggis Spring Rolls:   262 calories   12.8 g fat   2.8 g fiber  23 g protein  26 g carbs  41 mg Calcium     The first time I enjoyed these was at the Whiski Rooms in Edinburgh, along with a wee dram of single malt. Today, the whisky is in the dipping sauce to complete the fusion of Asian-Scottish flavors. This meal has my husband’s approval.Haggis Spring Rolls

4 six-inch rice spring roll wrappers                                                                                                                    8 Tbsp haggis filling**                                                                                                                                                1 cup lettuce leaves sliced cross-wise into <1/2” strips                                                                                       1/2 oz carrot, grated                                                                                                                                                    1 tsp flavored olive oil  +   1 tsp red wine vinegar    +  finishing salt                                                                                1.5 tsp Thai hot chili sauce + ½ tsp single malt Scotch whisky [I used Cragganmore from Speyside]

**Haggis [lamb sausage meat]:    3.5 cups = 28 fluid ounces = 56 Tbsp                                                              per Tbsp: 23 calories  1.3 g fat  0.2 g fiber  2.8 g protein  1.6 g carbs  2.6 mg Calcium                      This is not the ‘original’ recipe: lamb lung, stomach, and heart are not readily available in the US. Despite what it is not, it will do just fine.

8 oz lamb liver                                                                                                                                                            8 oz ground lamb meat OR lamb hearts              1 cup onion, chopped                                                     1 tsp or more coriander [I used whole, which I boiled with the meat]                                                   1 tsp or more black pepper       7/8 cup rolled oats          salt

Put the meat, onions, and coriander in a pot and cover with water. Boil 20 minutes. Drain [saving the liquid] and mince it all in the food processor. Return the mince to the pot, adding the oats, drained water, salt and pepper. Boil 10 minutes, adding more water if needed. If the sausage filling is too loose, turn heat down and simmer longer to firm it up. I let mine then sit over night to test the consistancy. Adjust the seasonings to taste. The cooled mixture should hold its shape when turned out of a spoon. Cover and refrigerate until you need it. Freeze what you don’t use.

To prepare the spring rolls:  Put water into a wide, shallow dish such as a pie plate. Lay a tea towel on the counter. Place one spring roll wrapper in the water. Initially, the wrapper will look like a piece of thin, stiff, whitish plastic. Soon it will become more transparent, colorless, and pliable. Remove it from the water while still a little stiff [NOT limp] and lay it on the tea towel. Place 2 Tbsp haggis filling on the lower 1/3 of the wrapper, arranged as a little log. Roll it up, folding the sides in after the 1st roll. Move finished roll to the side as you repeat the steps. Heat a 10” cast-iron skillet over medium flame and spray with non-stick spray. Place the spring rolls in the pan with room between them. Cook slowly on one side, then roll onto another side. Continue until all the rolls are browned on each side. Prepare the lettuce/carrot salad, dress and plate it. Combine the chili sauce and the whisky in a dipping cup. Plate the haggis, cue the bagpipes.

 

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

3 oz of egg  NB! Next Thursday:  Tips on Fasting
 milk
 whole wheat flour  browse the archive for a Monday menu
 butter
 raspberries, fresh or frozen
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:

 veal, pork, turkey
 fresh bread crumbs
 milk  browse the archive for a Thursday meal
 egg white
 cabbage leaves
 pickled beets
Sparkling water Sparkling water

“C” is for Comfort

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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 Kristen who is now Following.

This is a continuation of the posts which show, I hope, that Fasting meals are as easy a A-B-C.  How to begin the Fasting Lifestyle?  From this blog site, choose your favorite 2 breakfast menus: have one on Monday, one the following Thursday.  Then find your favorite 2 dinner menus: plan on one for Monday, one for Thursday.  Repeat the following week, or choose a different breakfast and dinner.  Plan 1st, then eat.  Then weigh and repeat. Soon Fasting will become your new comfort zone.

Cheesy-Bake:   144 calories   7.8 g fat   1 g fiber   12 g protein   7.3 g carbs [5.7 g Complex]  183 mg Calcium NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  This is the baked version of a cheese omelette that thinks that it is a cheese souffle! Delicious.

cheesy-bake-w-apples-r-bs

One 2-oz egg                                                                                                                                                           ¼ oz cheddar cheese, grated                                                                                                                                1 Tbsp reduced fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                             ¼ c raspberries, fresh or frozen [When I use frozen fruit, I portion it into its dish the night before, so it will be thawed by morning]                                                                                                        ½ oz apple, sliced                                                                                                                                 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]

Spritz a ramekin with olive oil or non-stick spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F. Stir the two cheeses together with a fork until blended and whisk with the egg. Without waiting, pour into the ramekin and bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed and beginning to brown. Prepare the fruit and optional beverages, and enjoy a cheesy start to your day.

Chickpea Ragout with Cod:   213 calories   3.6 g fat  5.3 g fiber  25.8 g protein  20 g carbs  44 mg Calcium  GF PB   This is from Jacques Pepin’s Fast Food My Way. Although he doesn’t mean my kind of ‘Fast Food,’ Pepin has long been a proponent of healthy cooking. He presents this as a side dish, but for our purposes it is best prepared as a main course with seafood for more protein. 

Halibut w: Chickpea Ragout

½ tsp olive oil                                                                                                                                                            ½ cup diced onions                                                                                                                                                 ½ cup scallions, chopped                                                                                                                                     1 Tbsp garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                           2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained                                                                                                  1 and ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned                                                                                                  ½ cup chicken stock                                                                                                                                                        ½ tsp salt   +   ½ tsp pepper                                                                                                                                 4 oz cod** fillet. fresh or frozen

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onion, scallion and garlic. Stir briefly over the heat then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until liquids are mostly evaporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Divide it in 4 portions, each about 3/4 cup. Keep one portion aside for today. TIP: Cool the remaining ragout and freeze it in serving portions.

** If you can’t get cod, use one of these:    4 oz swordfish               4 oz salmon           4 oz halibut            4 oz smelts         2 oz shad     4 oz haddock         4 oz tilapia          4 oz flounder

A is for Apple …

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

…and that is as American as apple pie. Mary Azarian‘s primer A Farmer’s Almanac depicts life in Northern New England via woodcuts.  “A” is of course for “Apple” and this year we had a bumper crop.  Today, our recipes begin with “A” and they illustrate how easy and delicious it is to follow the Fasting Lifestyle, starting with apples in the breakfast.

Apple-Bacon Bake:   270 calories  6.3 g fat  3.5 g fiber  14 g protein  37 g carbs  220.5 mg Calcium  PB GF   What a perfect taste for Autumn or any time of year.Apple-Bacon Bake w: pears

1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                               ¾ oz apple, peeled, cored, sliced thinly                                                                                                          1/8 oz bacon, diced                                                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, drained if too liquid                                                                                                         ¼ tsp Parmesan cheese                                                                                                                                                 ¼ tsp prepared mustard                                                                                                                                                                      pinch of sage                                                                                                                                                                 ¾ oz pear                                                                                                                                                           blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Spritz a ramekin with cooking spray. Set the toaster oven at 350 degrees F.  In a saute pan, cook the bacon until done. Drain away the fat and blot the bacon in paper towel. Chop the bacon. In the same pan, saute the apple slices  until softened but not mushy. Put apple and bacon in the ramekin. TIP: This can be done the night before to save time and effort in the morning.  Whisk the egg, ricotta, Parmesan, mustard, and sage together, and pour into the ramekin. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Prepare the beverages and the pear. How pleasant.

Antipasto with Tuna: 282 calories  10.6 g fat  8.7 g fiber  20 g protein  23.7 g carbs 250 mg Calcium  PB GF  This one is a keeper: simple, off the shelf, pretty on the plate, good to eat. The photo shows enough for 2 people. Invite a guest who is Fasting, too.  The amounts shown in the recipe are for ONE person.Amtipasto w: herbs

1 oz roasted red pepper, without oil [I roast my own, slice and freeze them]                                        1 oz mozzerella, cut into ‘sticks’ [I buy blocks of mozzerells for slicing]                                                         2 0z tuna, packed in water, drained and broken into large chunks                                                              2.5 oz tomato slices                                                                                                                                               1.5 oz whole green beans, steamed, drained                                                                                                                       3/4 oz marinated mushrooms                                                                                                                                3 Tbsp garbanzo beans, drained if canned                                                                                                        2 black olives, pitted and sliced                                                                                                                          1.5 slices pepperoni, chopped                                                                                                                                1/2 tsp flavored oil  [optional]                                                                                                                               salt +  chopped fresh herbs to taste

Prepare the ingredients and keep separate. On a platter, arrange the ingredients in rows as shown in the photo. Suit your own artistic nature as to what goes where. Be liberal with the fresh herbs.

Stocking Up

~ 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.

During the Back-to-the-Land movement in the 1960s and ’70s, one of the ‘bibles’ of the people was Stocking Up, published by Rodale Press. It instructed the nascent homesteaders in the ancient arts of preserving food: canning, freezing, drying.  The goal was to save the harvest for times when food was not so available. When dieting, it is a good idea to have some meals in the freezer or foods in the pantry so that you are not caught short on a Fast Day wondering what to eat.  So here are some foods to make in multi-meal batches: prep once, eat often. It pays to stock up.

Seafood Chowder:  275 calories  11 g fat  15 g protein   16 g carbs  GF This makes 10 [TEN!] one-cup servings. It freezes nicely, or it can feed the family.  My husband found the recipe in Yankee magazine. He prepares this every year. It is wonderful. The directions look long and involved but the results are worth it.

Seafood chowder on Wedgewood tile

4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced        1 medium Spanish onion, diced                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1 pound baking potatoes, peeled + cut in ½” cubes                                                                                            2 pounds steamer clams in their shells                                                                                                       one lobster, weighing 1.5 pounds                1 pound scallops                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1 pound shrimp, peeled         1 quart whole milk       4 Tbsp butter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped     ¼ tsp paprika + salt + pepper                                                                                                                         

In a medium skillet or saute pan cook bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon and reserve. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp fat and add the onions. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring, until translucent [10 mins?]. Set aside with the bacon in a large bowl.

In a separate saucepan, cover cubed potatoes with salted water and boil until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the bacon/onions. Put clams in a large pot and add 1 quart water. Heat to boiling, cover, and cook until clams open, about 3 minutes. Remove the clams but leave the liquid in the pot. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel. Remove the clams from their shells and cut them into smaller pieces if necessary. Add to the potatoes, onion, and bacon.

Put the strained clam broth back into the empty pot and bring to a boil. Add the lobster head-first into the boiling broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lobster and let cool. Crack the shell to remove the meat. Cut the meat into 1/2” chunks and add to the potatoes. Heat the broth until boiling. Add the scallops and shrimp. Reduce heat to low. Simmer about 3 minutes, until the scallops + shrimp are just cooked through. Add all the previously cooked ingredients, along with the milk, butter, parsley and seasonings. Heat until steaming but not boiling.

Cover and cool. Let the pot sit in the ‘fridge or on a cool back porch for 12-24 hours. This really enhances the flavors. When ready to serve, heat to steaming hot but do not boil. Freeze what is left over in freezer containers which are the same size as a serving.

Felafel:    1 batch = 648 cal  25.4 g fat  21 g fiber  32.5 g protein    72 g carbs    214 mg Ca                   each patty = 30 cal 1 g fat 1 g fiber 1.6 g protein 4 g carbs 8.5 mg Calcium      GF PB From the good old Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen, these are easy to prepare and, since it makes 26 patties, you will be set up for several future meals.

Felafel w: Cuke Raita

2 cups canned chick peas — [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to cook them]                                                     1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!]                                                                                 ¼ cup celery, minced      ¼ c. scallions, sliced        1 egg                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1.5 tsp tahini        ½ t. cumin  ½ t. turmeric                                                                                                                                                            ¼ t. cayenne  ¼ t. black pepper  1.5 t. salt

Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1 and 1/2 Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be about 25 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use.

pantry shelf

Next, stock the pantry.  Here are some things I always keep on hand:       garbanzo [chickpeas] beans, red kidney beans,  large white beans [Cannellini /Alubias], diced tomatoes, canned tuna, chicken stock With these ingredients, you are on your way to a bowl of chili or a plate of antipasto.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs
 reduced fat ricotta cheddar cheese
 Parmesan cheese Worcestershire sauce
 apple    +  bacon dry mustard
 sage  + prepared mustard 1 oz strawberries or pear
Whatever you need for your smoothieWhatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverageWhatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

 roasted red pepper salt cod
 pepperoni   + black olives bell pepper
 garbanzo beans  + green beans  scallion  +  garlic  + onion
 mozzarella tomato
 tomato   +  canned white tuna dumpling: flour, milk, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg
 marinated mushrooms 
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Completely Different

~ 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.

It’s been a merry round of holiday eating, so let’s have something completely different!  Eggs Foo Yung for breakfast?  Why not! Liver & Onions while dieting?!?  Yes!  Bet you’d be happier if you weighed less on Friday — eat these menus on Thursday and see what happens.

Foo Yung ScrOmelette:   283 calories  8 g fat  2.5 g fiber   18 g protein  38 g carbs  241.4 mg Calcium  PB GF  Here we take the Cantonese classic and prepare it for breakfast. Filling and nutritious.Fu Yung 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 and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                       2 Tbsp crab meat                                                                                                                                                            3/4 tsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                                          ¼ c mung bean sprouts                                                                                                                                        ¼ oz mushrooms                                                                                                                                                            green parts of one scallion, sliced                                                                                                                                 ¼ tsp ground ginger                                                                                                                                          splash of hot sauce                                                                                                                                                       1 oz pear or applesauce                                                                                                                                            blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie

The night before, combine the crab, soy, sprouts, mushrooms, scallion, ginger and hot sauce in a small bowl. Next morning, spritz a non-stick saute pan with oil or non-stick spray and briefly cook the crab mixture to heat it thoroughly. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour into the pan, scrambling to incorporate the crab mixture. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. [Alternately, cook like pancakes: put half of the egg in the pan, then distribute half of the crab mixture on top. When done on the bottom, turn to cook the top. Repeat with other half of ingredents.] Dish up the fruit, brew your hot beverage, and prep the smoothie. And your fortune cookie says: “You will lose weight.”

Liver & Onions:  273 calories  10.4 g fat  2.9 g fiber  25 g protein  20 g carbs  43.5 mg Calcium When my father was away on business, my mother would serve us liver and onions which we came to regard as a special treat. Still a favorite on diner menus, still full of protein and Iron.  Liver &amp; onions                                                                                                                                                                                     4 oz beef liver                                                                                                                                                                 2 tsp flour + salt + pepper                                                                                                                                          ½ cup onion, sliced                                                                                                                                               ½ tsp butter                                                                                                                                                              ½ cup green beans

Cook the onions in a non-stick saute pan with a little water to prevent scorching. Set the onions aside. Blot the liver on paper towels. Put 2 tsp flour on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge the liver in the flour, and shake off any extra. Melt the butter in the pan the onions were in and cook the liver over low heat until done. If the pan gets too dry, spray it with non-stick spray. Meanwhile, cook the beans and salt them. Just before the liver is done, add the onions to the pan to reheat.