recipes for intermittent fasting

The Dialogue

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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 healthremedy247 and Weight loss meal plans who are now Following.

Galileo was in a quandary. He wanted to write about the new discoveries in the solar system, those of his pen-pal Johannes Kepler and ideas of his own. The work of Kepler, who showed the truth of the Copernican System, had been banned by the Church in 1616. Now Galileo wanted to help the average person to understand why the new ideas were correct. But Pope Urbain VIII and the Inquisition had hampered him: he was on probation for his previous writings and was forbidden to write in support of Kepler’s ideas. So Galileo composed a new book in 1632. It was written in Italian, not latin, so everyone could read it. It was penned in the form of a novel rather than as a scientific tome. He called it The Dialogue of Two Chief World Systems. The plot revolves around three travelers who meet by chance on the road. Over four days of walking, they talk about the new ideas in astronomy. Salviati, an ‘intellectual’ [who stands in for Galileo], is a proponent of the new philosophy and he debates with Simplicio [the ‘simpleton’] who adheres to the Ptolemaic system, while Sagredo, a truth-seeker, listens and asks questions. By the end of the book, the ideas of the Church have been shot full of holes and the reader will probably conclude that Salviati is correct. Pope Urbain VIII was furious. It seemed that Galileo had cast him as the Simpleton! Galileo was put on trial in 1633, and convicted of heresy. He was forced to recant all the ‘false’ ideas that he had published previously, his books were burned, and he spent the rest of his life under house arrest until his death. Three-hundred fifty years later, in 1992, Pope John Paul II officially pardoned Galileo and apologized for the Church’s objections to his ideas.

In honor of the three interlocutors of the dialogue, our breakfast and our dinner each contain three principle flavorings. Peruse this summary of The Dialogue, to understand the points that Galileo makes in the book.

O-M-G Bake:  141 calories 7.4 g fat 1 g fiber 8.7 g protein 9 g carbs 110 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  Think: Oh My Goodness! Or: Olive-Mushroom-Gouda. What Flavor!

1 two-oz egg 1 olive, chopped ½ oz raw mushroom, chopped ¼ oz Gouda cheese, grated 2 oz applesauce   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

First set the toaster oven to 350 degreese F. 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. 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 F. for 12-15 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. Dish up the applesauce and pour the beverages. Delicious.

Tuna-Bean-Garlic Salad:  261 cal 7 g fat 5.5 g fiber 33 g protein 33.4 g carb 152.5 mg Calcium   PB GF  This is from the Fast Diet book. Great meal. HINT: this recipe serves 2 [two]

1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed one 5-oz can light tuna in water, drained and flaked 2 cloves garlic, chopped 4 oz tomato, left whole if bite-sized or sliced salt + pepper + thyme + parsley 3 oz spinach or mixed greens 1 tsp lemon juice + 1 tsp white wine vinegar + 1 tsp olive oil 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Gently stir the beans, tuna, and garlic together. In a wide, shallow bowl whisk the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil. Stir ½ tsp of the dressing into the bean mixture. Toss the greens and herbs with the remaining dressing, then stir the bean mixture into the greens. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Galileo

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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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to The Good Life Now and Chanaka and pipanddip who are now Following. Join us in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Galileo Galilei was born on February 15, 1564. He was a true Renaissance Man: poet, musician, popular professor, astronomer, inventor. His biggest claim to fame had to do with what he saw in the Solar System through his telescope. [Galileo did not invent the telescope, no matter how often he said it. He did improve and enlarge the instrument, making it more suitable for astronomical use.] Beginning in 1610, Galileo began publishing books about his observations: the moon had mountains and craters [described as looking like small-pox scars]; the sun had dark spots on its face [likened to pimples in his notes]; Venus waxed and waned in brightness as it went through phases [like our moon; Mars did not]; Jupiter had a Great Red Spot [now recognized as a cyclonic storm]; Jupiter had four moons circling around it [making Earth seem puny with only one]. From his notes and calculations, he gave proof to an idea previously proposed by Copernicus and Kepler: the sun was in the center of the Solar System — not the Earth. Why was this a religious and cultural bombshell? Because everyone in Europe had been told since the time of Aristotle and Ptolemy that the Earth was the center of the universe. Later theologians said that this showed that Earth was singled out and blessed by the Almighty. Despite the fact that many Churchmen [including a future Pope] attended Galileo’s ‘telescope parties’ where everyone took turns looking at the planets through the device, the Church did not like these seemingly heretical ideas. Galileo was put on warning by the Inquisition and forced to recant his ideas. He was a man of strong faith and he would rather pretend to abjure his new discoveries than be banned from the Church forever.

We will start our day with flavors of Florence, Galileo’s beloved home town, and end the day with flavors of the Mediterranean region: tuna with grilled vegetables.

Ham Florentine Bake: 133 calories 6.5 g fat 1 g fiber 8 g protein 6 g carbs 61.5 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF  This bake is so flavorful that you will be amazed by the tiny calorie count. Same ‘ham Florentine’ used to fill crepes for dinner. Same kind of deliciousness.

1 two-oz egg 2 Tbsp ham Florentine filling** 2 oz applesauce Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] or natural apple cider  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water 

Set the toaster oven at 350 F. Spritz an oven-proof dish with non-stick spray. Whisk the egg and stir in the ham Florentine filling. Pour into prepared dish and bake for 12-15 minutes. Portion the applesauce and pour your choice of beverages. This is a breakfast to prepare often.

**Ham Florentine Filling:  makes 1.5 cups   ½ cup no-cheese Bechamel Sauce 1 cup ham in ¼ ” dice 1 cup [5 oz] cooked spinach, from fresh or frozen ½ cup chopped celery ¼ cup chopped onion pinches of celery salt + dill + granulated garlic + basil Be sure to squeeze the spinach until most of the liquid is out of it. [save the liquid] Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and add some of the spinach liquid. Cook the celery and onion until the onions are transluscent, adding more spinach liquid as needed. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat until warmed through.

Tuna with Grilled Vegetables: 244 calories 7 g fat 4 g fiber 29 g protein 14.6 g carbs [10.6 g Complex] 32.5 mg Calcium   PB GF  The recipe comes from the Fast Diet Book and it is wonderful. Very Mediterranean, too.

5 oz tuna steak 4 oz red bell peppers 5 oz zucchini 2 oz cherry tomatoes 1 tsp olive oil lemon juice

Cut the peppers into long strips. Same with the zucchini. Toss all the vegetables with the olive oil. Cook the tuna and vegetables on a grill pan or grill, 3 minutes on each side. Splash with lemon juice before plating. Delicious and quick.

Comparing Plans: Paleo

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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.

Since 2002, there has been buzz about the Paleolithic or Caveman Diet**. This was first proposed by academics in the field of nutrition and physiology. While researching what foods our ancient [prior to 10,000 years ago] hunter-gatherer ancestors would have eaten, they wondered if we would be better off eating that way today. Their conclusion is that if we ate like the ancestors, we could skip obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Reay Tannahill, in her Food in History [Crown Publishers, 1989] discusses hunting, fishing, and gathering opportunities of that time, when most people died before age 40. What’s on the Paleo menu? Meat, of course, and vegetables. What is not on the plate? Processed foods, grains, sugar, dairy, salt. [In the early days of this diet, beer, wine, and modern fruits were taboo, but today they are permitted.] This is an antidote to the S.A.D. that has caused so many health problems in the world. The FAST diet has much in common with the Paleo diet: low glycemic load, emphasis on protein, lack of processed food. Many of the menus that I have shown you are similar to Paleo Diet meals. To compare the similarities, here’s a chart:

Is this food allowed on this diet…PALEOOn Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, porkYes: grass-fed Yes
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkeyYesYes, preferred
Eggs Yes Yes 
Beer, wine, cocktailsWine, maybeOn Slow Days
Grains, starches: rice, wheat products, pasta, cereal Noin moderation
Nuts + seedsYes in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeasNoYes 
Seafood protein, especially with Omega-3 fatsYesYes 
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruitsYesYes 
BerriesYes Yes 
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuceYesYes 
Dairy: Cheese, milk, yogurt No Some 
Vegetable oils: olive, canolaYes in moderation
Animal fat: butterNo in moderation
Root vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, carrotsNo white potatoes Yes 
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppersYesYes 
Fat 40% of diet No 
Protein 30% of diet Yes. lots 
Higher fiberNo Yes
Daily Carb intake30% of diet Keep it low
Whole grains No grainsYes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cake, bread, processed foodsNoNot on Fast Day
16:8 intermittant fasting recommendedYesYes 
Number of days per week to follow the regimen 7 of 72 of 7
Do calories matter?No Only 600 on Fast Days
sources: https://thepaleodiet.com and https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/paleo-diet/detailed-paleo-diet-food-list-what-eat-avoid/

Bison ScrOmelette: 147 calories 8g fat 0.4 g fiber 14.5 g protein 4 g carbs [2 g Complex] 48.5 mg calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF  Bison meat is a fine source of protein and is more healthy than beef. You should try it.

Paleolithic people ate bison. You can too — depending on availability…..

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.   0.6 oz ground, cooked bison  ½ Tbsp [0.1 oz] sliced scallion ½ Tbsp spaghetti sauce 1 oz melon   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Briefly warm the bison and scallion in a saute pan spritzed with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs with the spaghetti sauce and pour over the meat/scallion in the pan. Cook in your desired way: scramble or omelette. Plate with the melon and listen to Bing Crosby sing ‘Home on the Range.’

Chicken Stir-fry: 268 calories 7 g fat 6.5 g fiber 28 g protein 21 g carbs 113 mg Calcium  PB GF  From the official FastDiet.com  website! You just know it has to be a keeper.

4 oz raw chicken breast 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp olive oil 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced 1 clove garlic, crushed 1.5 cups cabbage, sliced 1 cup carrots, julienned ½ cup snow peas OR 2 oz asparagus OR 2 oz bell peppers OR 1 oz broccoli 

Cut chicken into strips and marinate in lemon juice and soy sauce while you prepare the vegetables. Stir-fry the vegetables in oil and 2 Tbsp water for 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Count to 30 and add the chicken and marinade. Stirfry 1-2 minutes more to cook the chicken through.

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

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs + apple  
Ham Florentine mixture: spinach, Bechamel sauce, ham, onioncooked spinach
applesauceblack olive + basil
goat cheese/chevre
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverage optional hot beverage

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

Tuna steak + olive oil 1/2 cup Florentine Filling — prepared for Monday’s breakfast
red bell pepper2 galettes/crepes
zucchini
cherry tomatoes + lemon juice
Sparkling waterSparkling water

***cultural sidebar: Fred Flintstone, a candidate for any sort of diet, was certainly not following the Paleolithic Diet.

Lucky Lindy

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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 dailyhealth123 and Ronald Oliver and Care Your and S Kendall who are now Following.

On February 4, 1902, Charles Lindbergh was born. I don’t know if that was a particularly auspicious date, but he came to be known as “Lucky Lindy.” He, of course, was the first person to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean and he did it to win the Orteig Prize of $25,000. After flying in radio silence [the ‘Spirit of St. Louis‘ did not have a radio] for 36 hours, a massively sleep-deprived Lindbergh landed in Paris to be greeted by a jubilant crowd and great acclaim. Eight other aviators had vied for the prize and died. Lindy was Lucky indeed. From that point, his life took several different turns. He married Anne Morrow, daughter of an ambassador, who became his co-pilot and a celebrated author. The drama of the kidnapping and murder of their first son shocked and riveted the attention of the world. Many good-will tours took the couple to Europe in the 1930s, where Lindbergh was tasked with assessing the status of the German air force to see if it was a threat to the Allies. His reports were glowing, which began to make experts think that he was pro-Nazi. Lindbergh, like his father, was anti-war and he did indeed admire the Germans. He continued to be against the war in Europe. Lindbergh keynoted at rallies, speaking with xenophobic and racist statements against the US becoming involved and for putting ‘America First.’ After Pearl Harbor, he was assigned [without rank] to help with the aviation efforts in the Pacific Theater. He flew 50 combat missions — was that fueled by his previous claim in 1940 that “No nation in Asia has developed their aviation sufficiently to be a serious menace to the United States at this time”? — one wonders. After the war, Lindbergh received the Pulitzer Prize for the book The Spirit of St. Louis, advocated for the World Wildlife Fund, and retired to Hawaii where he died in 1974.

Lindberg took a bottle of water and a bag of sandwiches on his 36-hour flight. I’m guessing they were ham and cheese sandwiches, and that’s what we find in our eggs for breakfast. Since the Lindbergs retired to Hawaii, our dinner includes the pineapple: Hawaii’s famous fruit.

Ham & Cheese ScrOmelette: 165 calories 10 g fat 2 g fiber 13 g protein 5.6 g carbs [4.6 g Complex] 111 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  You can prepare this as an omelette or as scrambled eggs. Either way, its a winner.

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.  ¼ oz Jarlsberg cheese 1-½ oz apples  ¼ oz ham [Fat and calories for this recipe based on roast ham. Use 3% fat ham, to lower both those values] Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and heat it. Put the ham into the hot saute pan to warm it briefly, then add the eggs and cheese. Scramble together [or cook like an omelette] until the way you like it. Plate with the fruit, prepare your optional beverage, and enjoy the goodness of ham&cheese.

Chicken with Limes: 283 calories 7.6 g fat 3 g fiber 23 g protein 35 g carbs [29 g Complex] 61 mg Calcium   PB GF Limes, chicken, and pineapple were added to the ecosystem of Tahiti by various visitors, and were promptly incorporated into the cuisine. We served this at a dinner party and no one would have guessed that it was a Fasting meal. Here is the one-serving method for <Poulet avec Limettes.>

3 oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless, and cut in 2 pieces across the width thyme + salt + pepper 1 lime: ½ of it zested and juiced; ½ of it sliced ¼ cup chicken stock ½ tsp sugar + 1 tsp cornstarch [cornflour] ½ oz heavy cream 3 oz slice of pineapple, fresh or canned in light juice ¼ cup brown rice, cooked

Marinate the chicken in the lime juice, zest, salt, pepper, and thyme in the ‘fridge for at least 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and put 1/3 of the marinade into one small container and the remainder into a sauce pan. We grilled the chicken briefly and then removed it to a plate while the pineapple and lime slices were grilled. If you are not grilling today, put the pineapple and lime slices under the broiler until they are a little charred and hot all the way through. Meanwhile, add the stock and chicken to the pan with the marinade and heat it until the chicken is mostly cooked. Remove the chicken and keep warm. Bring the liquids to a boil and reduce by 1/3 of the volume. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and remaining marinade. Reduce the heat and stir until thickened. [This happens rather quickly] Return the chicken to the pan, add the cream. Stir to combine and to coat the chicken with the sauce. Plate with the rice and pineapple and lime slices for a taste of Hawaii.

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

1.5 two-oz eggs 
Next week I will talk about soups.ground bison meat
Choose a new favorite breakfastmelon + scallion
from the Archivespaghetti sauce
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

Presenting 3 soups for the Fasters.raw chicken + soy sauce
lemon juice + olive oil + carrots
fresh ginger + garlic + cabbage
snow peas or asparagus or broccoli
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Burns Day

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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 Dan Henry and HealthAndNutritionAdvice and nutritionalconsultants and healthylifemechanism and Jim Stanson and Cool Products Trending who are now Following.

Burns Day, January 25, is one of those celebratory days which demands that certain foods be eaten. What foods? In general, anything Scottish. In particular, haggis [Burns wrote a poem in praise of haggis]. And why is that? Because it is the birthday of Robert Burns, born 1759. From his humble early life, he became a literary star and assisted in a revival of the Scots language and culture. Snooty Englishmen who had looked down upon the Scots, read his poetry and sought after tartan designs to wear and for home decoration. Of course Queen Victoria’s love of the Scottish Highlands since 1848, helped too. But it was Burns, in 10 short years of writing about what he knew best, living large, and loving widely, who spoke to our hearts and so is remembered.

On Burns Day, it will be oat bannock at breakfast, a family favorite. For Burns Night dinner, Cock-a-Leekie Soup, which Burns would have remembered fondly from his childhood.

Bannock & Bacon:  143 calories 3.5 g fat 1 g fiber 12 g protein 14.6 g carbs [10 g Complex] 15 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB  For years we have enjoyed this on Slow Days, only to find that it fits for Fasting, too.

3 two-inch bannock ½ cup applesauce, unsweetened 2 slices Hormel Canadian Bacon OR Jones brand Canadian bacon [similar to back bacon of 60-70 calories] 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]

Prepare the bannock according to the recipe and bake. Warm and lightly brown the Canadian bacon. Plate the applesauce and pour the beverages. We like to dip the bannock in the applesauce. Simple and delicious.

Cock-a-leekie soup:  202 calories 4 g fat 3 g fiber 13 g protein 22 g carbs 44 mg Calcium  PB GF   This Scottish farmstead soup goes back to the middle-ages, as you can tell by the Old World, Northern Europe ingredients. The ‘cock’ refers to a rooster, which can be eaten only if stewed for soup. This delicious recipe is from Graeme Taylor.  HINT: Makes 11 one-cup servings.

Preheat the oven to 200˚c/ 400 F
2 leg quarters + 1 back = 1 #
9 oz water		Roast chicken pieces ~ 30 minutes in a heavy-bottomed pot. Pour water over chicken until it is covered. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour, in oven or on stovetop to produce stock.
1 onion, chopped = 1cup
2 leeks, sliced = 1.5 oz
2 carrots, chopped = 3 oz
12 prunes, chopped 
2 sprigs of thyme + 1 bay leaf ½ tsp salt + grindings of pepper 		Add in the vegetables, prunes, herbs, salt, and a good grinding of pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender, around 20 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces, take the meat from the bones and stir meat back into soup. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf. Strain the soup through a collander into a bowl, saving the soup solids and the stock. 
Cool and skim the fat from the top of the stock. I ended up with 3½ cups stock. Reunite solids with the stock. Check for seasoning and let sit in the pot for 8 hours+. Portion and freeze what you don’t serve today.
Per serving, 2 Tbsp quick barley Stir barley into the pot. Simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Serve.

Comparing Plans: Keto

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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 jkimdol and Apoorva Dietician and Oliver William and yourweightlossguide who are now Following.

Ordinarily, the food you eat turns to glucose. Then your cells convert glucose into the energy your body needs to operate. If there is more glucose than the body can burn, it turns to fat. Hence, to paraphrase Mr Micawber, a calorie surplus and an energy deficit = gaining weight. During Ketogenesis, your body is tricked into burning fat for energy. The longer your body is in a Ketogenic state, the more fat your body burns. This is the principle of the Ketogenic Diet. Many of you are following that. To be a strict adherent, you eat only certain foods: no beans or whole grains or carrots and little fruit. The diet was originally developed to minimize seizures in children who are epileptic, and that worked. Then weight-conscious people said, “Hey! I want to burn the fat in my body faster, and Keto eating sounds like the way to do it.” The Keto Diet dovetails nicely with most tenants of the Fast Diet, as many of my Followers must know by now, since several of you are proponents of Keto. This chart will help you to see any differences and all of the similarities:

Is this food allowed on this diet…Keto On Fast Days
Fatty Animal protein: beef, lamb, porkSome Yes
Lean Animal protein: chicken, turkeySomeYes, preferred
Eggs Yes Yes 
Beer, wine, cocktailsNoOn Slow Days
Grains + starches: rice, wheat products, pasta, cereal No Yes, in moderation
Nuts + seedsYes Yes, in moderation
Beans, legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeasNo Yes 
Seafood proteinSome Yes 
Apples, melons, pears, all other fruitsNo Yes 
Berries: blueberries, strawberriesYes Yes 
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, chard, kale, lettuceYes Yes 
Cheese SomeSome 
Vegetable oils: olive, canolaYes, lots Yes, in moderation
Animal fat: butterYes, lots Yes, in moderation
Root vegetables: potatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnipsNo Yes 
Other vegetables: onions, tomatoes, peppersYes Yes 
Higher fatYes No 
Protein — 81 g per day for person weighing 150#/68kglimited Yes. lots 
Higher fiberNo Yes
Daily Carb intake20 gKeep it low
Complex carbohydrates: whole grainsNoYes
Simple carbs: cookies, pastries, cakeNoNot on Fast Day
16:8 intermittant fasting recommendedYesYes 
Number of days per week to follow the regimen 7 of 72 of 7
Do calories matter?No Yes, only 600 on Fast Days
sources: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/should-you-try-the-keto-diet and https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101#foods-to-eat

What shall we eat today that is in line with the Standard Keto Diet? Avocado-Egg Toast and a Beef Stirfry — without the rice or noodles. These meals are not pure Keto, since that would involve much more fat. However, these meals are prepared with Keto-approved ingredients as well as meeting the Fast Day calorie limits. If you are considering weight loss, think about which diet plan is for you.

Avocado-Egg Toast:  176 calories 10 g fat 4.5 g fiber 10 g protein 15.6 g carbs [~10 g Complex] 5 mg Calcium  NB: The food values shown are for the toast, egg, avocado, and the fruit, not for the optional beverage. PG GF– if using GF bread  Avocado Toast has been all the rage in celebrity diets, so we decided to try it. Very nice with the egg on top and a wholesome bread underneath.

1 two-oz egg 0.8 oz avocado 1 slice 70-calorie bread [Fasters would have this be whole-grain, hearty bread]   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  

Lightly toast the bread while you fry or poach the egg. Spread the avocado over the bread and top with the egg. Pour the beverage and you are all set for a Keto day.

Beef Stir-fry: 245 calories 8 g fat 3 g fiber 17 g protein 21 g carbs 74 mg Calcium  PB GF From Eating Well comes this simple stir-fry that is good tasting and good for you.  TIP: for one serving, cook in a saute pan since a wok would be too large for the contents.

2 oz beef [mine was leftover from dinner]  ¼ cup chicken stock ¾ tsp fresh ginger, minced or grated ¾ tsp cornstarch 1 clove garlic ¼ tsp ground coriander small pinch red pepper flakes ½-1 tsp sesame oil ¼ medium onion [1.5 oz], sliced ½ cup broccoli florets ¼ cup red pepper in bite-sized strips 1 tsp sesame seeds optional: 1/4 cup cooked brown rice, adds 54 calories

Slice beef on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces. Stir together the stock, ginger, cornstarch, garlic, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Heat the oil until shimmering then stir-fry the vegetables for 3 minutes. Add the meat and if it is raw, stirfry for another minute. Stir the sauce well and add to the pan. If meat is cooked, add it now. Cook until bubbly and thick and meat is heated. Plate the stir-fry, with or without the optional rice, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

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

1 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs 
bannockSwiss or Rainbow chard + Paprika
applesauce, unsweetenedgarlic powder + Parmesan cheese
‘Canadian bacon’ or back baconstrawberries
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

chicken leg quarters + leeks4-oz bison burger + catsup
onion + carrotscoleslaw or other vegetable
prunes + thyme + bay leaf90-calorie slider bun
quick-cooking barleymushrooms
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Darkest Evening

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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 Living Paleo and jeffryjune8 and Julian Sirian who are now Following.

“Whose woods these are, I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farm house near, Between the woods and frozen lake, The darkest evening of the year.”

So begins Robert Frost‘s Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening. Many young school children have memorized it. Many older ones have studied its unusual rhyme scheme: AABA BBCB CCDC DDDD Some go on to ponder the meaning, for surely it must mean something. To me, it is no more and no less than an appreciation of winter in Northern New England: the woods; the quiet; the solitude; the snow; the chance to stop and look and think and enjoy the view. “The darkest evening of the year” is, of course, the Winter Solstice. At my latitude, the night will be 15 hours long on December 21.

To celebrate the Winter Solstice, we will prepare a breakfast that gives a nod to Autumn and to Winter. The fact that after the Solstice the days grow longer seems cause for a celebratory feast! In Eastern Canada, residents will buy a small barrel of oysters in December, to tide them through the season. In the Eastern US, many Winter meals — from chowders, to stuffings, to cocktail parties [not this year!], to casseroles — feature oysters because they can be kept fresh in the cold weather. So let’s eat oysters!

Winter Solstice Bake: 141 calories 7.6 g fat 1.3 g fiber 9 g protein 12 g carbs 51 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF  For the change of the seasons, a meal to mark the occaision. The olives represent Autumn and the cured meat evokes Winter. A great combination any time.

One 2-oz egg ¼ oz proscuitto 2 Kalamata olives pinch of winter savory or rosemary  1 clementine  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water    Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

Chop the meat and the olives.  Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray. Whisk the eggs. Stir in the meat and olives, and pour into the ramekin. Resist the urge to add much salt — the meat and the olives are salty to begin with. Bake at 350F. for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit and pour the beverage of choice.

Oyster Feast:  267 calories 15 g fat 2 g fiber 12.6 g protein 21 g carbs [4 g Complex] 144 mg Calcium   PB GF  In my opinion, a plate of raw oysters and a salad makes a wonderful dinner for a dieter. Please note that all 12 oysters are for one person: a real feast!

The oysters were delivered to us from Island Creek, Massachusetts, and represent three different varieties.

12 medium raw oysters 2 oz spinach leaves ½ oz walnut meats 2 oz pickled beets, cubed ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp Balsamic vinegar

Whisk the oil and vinegar in a wide bowl. Break the spinach leaves into the bowl and toss gently to cover with the dressing. Put the walnuts and beets in the bowl over the salad. Shuck the oysters and enjoy your special meal.

Halcyon Days

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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 Eat Think Wellness and Solute21 and Weight Loss Review who are now Following.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, in the middle of December, the weather is usually fair and calm, good for voyaging by boat. When the ancient Greeks wanted to explain a natural phenomenon, they would create a legend about it. As we are told, the minor gods Alcyone and Ceyx drew the wrath of Zeus and he killed them. The other gods and goddesses took pity and turned them into kingfisher birds [Family Halcyonidae, Genus Alcedo]. These kingfishers were said to build a floating nest in which to hatch their chicks. Needing calm seas to achieve success, the birds would cast a spell on the weather to ensure it: those were the Halcyon Days. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Halcyon Days begin on December 14 this year. The original meaning seems to have morphed to connote happy times, when all is well — a modern interpretation indeed of ‘calm and sunny’ weather. As the Covid vaccines are approved and delivered into waiting arms, perhaps our 2021 will have a long stretch of Halcyon Days.

It is a Greek legend, so Greek food is on the menu: morning and evening.

Creamy Greek Omelette:  165 calories 9 g fat 2 g fiber 12.6 g protein 14 g carb [11.7 g Complex] 89 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The feta lends a tang to the eggs, while the cottage cheese gives a wonderful melting texture. A real treat.

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.  3/8 oz feta cheese 1½ Tbsp cottage cheese Greek oregano + salt + pepper 1½ oz of apple  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Mince the feta and combine with cottage cheese and oregano. Spritz a non-stick skillet with oil or non-stick spray and heat the pan over medium-low heat. Beat the eggs well with 1 spoonful of the cheese mixture using a rotary mixer. Pour the eggs into the pan and let cook undisturbed until the edges set. Lift the edges gently to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath. Before the top surface sets, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put dollops of the cheese mixture on half the omelette and make an attempt to spread it out. Fold the omelette in half and continue to heat in the pan. Filling will heat and may ooze out a bit. Brew and pour your beverages. Plate the apple and the omelette. Oh yum.

Greek-style Hake:  263 calories 11 g fat 7.7 g fiber 25.5 g protein 24 g carbs [23 g Complex] 173 mg Calcium  PB GF  The cookbook Ikaria by Diane Kochilas is related to the National Geographic study of locations world-wide where there is the greatest longevity. Thinking that nutrition has something to do with it is one direction that could take you.

4 oz hake ½ tsp olive oil 1/3 cup onions, halved then sliced ½ clove garlic, sliced pinch sugar 1½ cup canned whole tomatoes 1 Tbsp [½ oz] dry red wine 1½ Tbsp good Feta cheese, crumbled 2½ oz asparagus OR one Side Salad 

Saute the onion slices and garlic in the oil, adding some water if the pan becomes too dry. Remove garlic and discard. Add tomatoes, sugar, and wine. Cook the vegetables down to reduce the liquid. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables, cover loosely, turn down the heat and cook until the fish flakes [about 10 minutes]. Meanwhile, prepare the asparagus or Side Salad. Top the fish with the crumbled Feta before serving.

The Ice Storm

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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 Go Heathy Eating and Evelyn D. Greene and ujaechpfmbmqy2k who are now Following. 

We went to bed on December 11, 2008, with forecasters predicting rain and freezing rain overnight. We woke at 4 am, listening to ice tik-tikking against the windows and slithering off the White Pine trees to tinkle to the ground. At 4:30 am, a pine limb jolted us out of bed as it crashed through a skylight in the kitchen. Hours later, after sawing apart the limb and tacking a large trash bag over the gaping window [and mopping the water and sweeping the broken glass], the reality of our situation revealed itself: the inches of ice on the trees had brought many to the ground, bringing down power lines all over Northern New England. Within those few hours, we had been yanked out of the 21st century and propelled back to the 18th century: no electric lights, no indoor plumbing [the well pump runs on electricity], no central heating, no refrigerator or freezers. For us, this lasted for 10 days. We coped pretty well. Heat came from 2 wood stoves; we hauled water from the stream to flush toilets; melted snow for water for washing dishes; covered the freezers with blankets and moved refrigerator food to boxes on the back porch. Life went on. It was an adventure for us, a life-threatening problem for others. When we started our Pandemic State of Emergency in March, 2020, it made me think of the Ice Storm days — we were on our own, not going anywhere, not seeing anybody. Gosh we were glad when the power came on again! Now, in the winter, when the meteorologist predicts freezing rain overnight, people still get a little nervous….and check the flashlight batteries.

Our meals for the Ice Storm Anniversary could easily be cooked on the wood stove, using ingredients that might be on hand in a thawing refrigerator. In case you are wondering: yes, one puts the food in a pot or saute pan — not directly on the metal of the stove.

Creole ScrOmelette: 154 calories 8.5 g fat 0.9 g fiber 16.7 g protein 7.5 g carbs [6.5 g Complex] 72.5 mg Calcium   NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  James Beard’s comprehensive volume American Cooking was the source of this recipe. It is amazing!

1½ two-oz eggs  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  1 Tbsp diced tomatoes or 1 Tbsp tomato puree 1 Tbsp minced onion 2 Tbsp green bell pepper, diced 1 Tbsp diced bacon ½ Tbsp mozzerella cheese, grated pinch file powder + pinch chile powder   ½ oz pear  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

HINT: dice all the vegetables and bacon the night before to save time in a.m. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and add the chopped veg and bacon. Add the seasonings. Saute until beginning to brown. Whisk the eggs and pour them over the cooked ingredients. Sprinkle the cheese on top and scramble the eggs until done as you like them. Plate with portioned pear and your beverages of choice. Off to a tasty start.

Ham & Cheese Street Crepes: 272 calories 9 g fat 2.4 g fiber 21 g protein 25 g carbs 212 mg Calcium  NB: The photo shows a meal for 2 [TWO]. The recipe below is for one serving. This is the familiar street-vendor lunch in Paris, except that the food values will not break the bank on a Fast Day. Very quick and easy to prepare, especially if you had made the crêpe batter before and have it thawed out. HINT: can be prepared in advance and rewarmed later. Good for traveling or planning ahead.

1 serving = 2 crepes

2 crêpes  1 wedge “Laughing Cow” [Vache Qui Rit] cheese at room temperature 2 oz sliced deli ham ½ oz deli sliced Swiss cheese 2 oz tomatoes 

Cook the crepes on both sides. Remove to a work surface. Spread the Laughing Cow cheese on one half of each crêpe. Lay the ham on the cheese side of each crêpe and top with the Swiss cheese slices. Fold in half. Heat a heavy skillet, adding maybe a spritz or 2 of non-stick spray. Lay the folded crêpes on the hot skillet to heat one side, then flip to heat the other side. You want the cheese to get melty. Fold each crêpe once more into tidy triangles, and push down on them with the turner to flatten them. Plate them with the tomatoes and voilà!

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

1.5 two-oz egg1.5 two-oz eggs  + tomato
feta cheesebacon + onion + green pepper
cottage cheese + oreganomushrooms
apple or applesaucepaprika + pear
Optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

hake + olive oil bison or venison meat
garlic + sugar + onion chicken breast meat + asparagus
red wine + whole tomatoeswhite whole wheat flour
feta cheese + side saladegg + fresh bread crumbs
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Supernova!

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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 holisticlifehacker and fastabsburner, who are now Following.

A ‘supernova‘ is usually the explosion of a large star, which, having run out of Hydrogen, explodes violently. Such stars are rare and they send out so much light that they can be seen many 1000s of light-years away. The first such event to be recorded by humans was seen on Dec 7, 185 by Chinese astronomers, who reported a ‘guest star.’ The Chinese did not attempt to interpret what they saw, they merely made note. In 1572, Tycho Brahe was the first European to observe a supernova, and he called it a ‘new star’ [stella nova]. Having found a new star in the presumably unchanging heavens won Tycho lasting fame. Whether guest or new, a supernova is an old star which is newly visible from far away. Often this last gasp of a star’s life lasts for months before fading out, and may be visible during the day as well.

Foo Yung ScrOmelette: 150 calories 7.6 g fat 1.5 g fiber 13 g protein 8 g carbs [6.8 g Complex] 68 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Here we take the Cantonese classic and prepare it for breakfast. Filling and nutritious.

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 ¾ 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 slices or applesauce   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

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 crab mixture in the pan, then pour half of the egg 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.”

Shrimp Egg Rolls:  238 calories 3.5 g fat 2.5 g fiber 15.6 g protein 29 g carbs 46 mg Calcium  PB I learned to make egg rolls when I worked for Jerry Willis at his ffirst restaurant. These have always been a favorite. But they are NOT deep-fat fried, which keeps their calories and fat down to permissable levels.  HINT: This recipe makes 4 rolls and one serving = 2 rolls. Put 2 in the freezer for another day or eat for lunch later in the week.

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

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