Battle of Sandwich

August 23, 2026August 17, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

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

Are you expecting a showdown between Subway and Jersey Mike’s? That is not the battle of sandwich that we are describing today. This one occurred in 1217. As far back as that, France and England were rivals, each hoping to gain political ascendency. Let’s see how this developed. In 1066, William the Duke of Normandy France invaded England and conquered it. In 1215, the English nobles were fed up with their king, John I, and made him sign the Magna Carta, giving them more say in the government. In 1216, they were so tired of King John that they invited Crown Prince Louis of France to come over to help them get rid of John. Louis was so enticed by the idea of being king of England that he disobeyed all his advisors, including the Pope, and took an army to England. Things were going well for Louis until King John died. Then the nobles had second thoughts. The goal of getting John off the throne had been realized — and did they really want a French king? So most of the English nobles deserted Louis and declared themselves for King Henry III, who was all of nine years old. Louis however was in it to win it. He sent a message to France, asking for reinforcements. Ten big ships full of soldiers and 70 small ships with supplies were dispatched under the command of Eustace the Monk. He was not a monk, he was a pirate, thus he knew the English Channel sea lanes very well. Off the coast of Dover, Eustace’s navy was met by an English fleet of 18 big and 20 small vessels led by Hubert de Brugh. The French ships were over-crowded and they waddled heavily in the water. The English ships sailed past and around the French fleet, coming at them with the wind at their backs. Near the port of Sandwich, they engaged. The English advantage lead to a swift victory and a massacre. This was the first naval battle ever fought in the open ocean, and the first victory for an English navy. The Treaty of Lambeth ended France’s invasion of England, and Louis went home 10,000 silver marks for his troubles. From that time on, the English navy was feared and respected.

As you might have guessed, we will enjoy sandwiches at breakfast and at dinner. In case you were wondering, Subway’s BLT has 480 calories and 26 g fat. Jersey Mike’s Chicken Salad Sandwich has 950 calories and 61 g fat. If you really want to eat one of those, do so on a Slow Day.

Breakfast BLT w/ Egg: 180 calories… 8 g fat… 4 g fiber …10 g protein… 15 g carbs… 52 mg Calcium… NB: The food values are for the meal and fruit only and do not include the optional coffee. PB GF – if using GF bread A Summer evening favorite is the inspiration for this filling breakfast.

++ 1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] ++++ one 2-oz egg, hardboiled [sliced] or fried ++++ 1 strip uncured bacon [the streaky American type @ 30 calories ++++1 oz tomato, sliced ++++ leaf of romaine lettuce ++++ 3 cherries ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Cook bacon and drain well. Toast bread if you wish. Slice egg and tomato. Lay the lettuce leaf on the plate and position the bread so that it covers half of the leaf. Break bacon so that it will fit within the edges of the bread and put it as the first layer. Top with tomato and a bit of salt. Top with egg. Fold the letuce leaf so it comes up and over, becoming the top layer of the sandwich. Ummmm-yummmm.

Chicken Salad Sandwich: 283 calories… 7 g fat… 7 g fiber… 26 g protein… 35 g carbs… 134 mg Calcium… PB GF – if using GF bread If you bought a chicken salad sandwich, it might ‘cost you’ 500 calories and 16 g fat. This sandwich is much less ‘expensive’ and tastes great.

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

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

Saint Philibert

August 19, 2026August 15, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Philibert was a builder. He was born in Gascony in 608 CE, and as was the custom in noble houses, he came of age in the court of the Frankish King Dagobert. There he met two future saints, and Philibert was granted permission to join the monastery at Rebais. In time, he became abbot. But there was dissent about the Rule the monks should follow [strict rules of behavior or not?], and Philibert left. He spent the next several years traveling from monastery to monastery, studying how the monks lived and worked. In 654, he was given land to found the Abby of Notre Dame de Jumièges in Normandy. The Rule for his monks was a mix of four schools of thought, though still mostly influenced by Benedict, and other churchmen visited often to see how it worked. About this time, Ebroin, the Mayor of the Palace, settled his dispute with St Leodegar by killing him, and Philibert objected. Philibert was imprisoned, then was exiled to the coast where he founded the monastery at Noirmoutier. Then he rebuilt Qincay Abbey, near Poitiers. When the bishop gave him more land, Philibert established the abbey of Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu. With the Bishop of Poitiers as his patron, Philibert and his monks began work on what became the royal abbey of Saint-Michel-en-l’Herm. When he could return to Jumièges, Philibert built a nunnery at Pavilly and his last abbey at Montivilliers in 682. When he died in 684, he was buried at Noirmoutier, but two centuries later, when the Vikings came to call, the monks took Philibert’s remains inland to rebury at Tournus. That is why the saint is sometimes called Philibert of Jumièges and sometimes Philibert of Tournus.

The saint’s name is sometimes spelled ‘Filibert’, so we can see how a popular nut came to be called a ‘filbert’. The fruit of the Hazel Tree ripens in Europe around the Feast of Saint Philibert on August 19. Our menus today involve hazelnut ‘flour’ in the breakfast, and whole filberts in the dinner. On a Slow Day, you could put whole filberts and nut meal in Chocolate Chip Cookies — a delicious treat from a Parisian food shop.

Peachy Waffle Hearts: 148 calories… 3.4 g fat… 3.6 g fiber… 3.6 g protein… 29 g carbs… 59.4 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF– if using GF waffles Where is it written that hearts are reserved for Valentine’s Day? Make this breakfast to show someone that he/she/they are loved. Make it for yourself for affirmation.

++3 sections of waffle that are heart-shaped [our waffle-maker has 5 sections]++ 3 Tbsp Vanilla yogurt, low-fat++ 2 Tbsp hazelnut OR almond meal/flour ++ 3 oz peach, mashed ++ 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] ++

Combine the yogurt with the almond meal and let it sit to thicken a bit. TIP: Can be done overnight. Mash the peach through a sieve to make a mush. Warm the waffles to take off any chill and spread with the peach mush. Pipe or spoon the yogurt around the edges of the hearts and plate with the pear. A pretty treat.

Trout with Hazelnuts: 267 calories… 18 g fat… 3 g fiber… 21 g protein… 6 g carbs… 75 mg Calcium… PB GF From Savoie, France comes this recipe, via Anne Willem’s French Regional Cooking. Hannibal is supposed to have dined on local trout as he crossed the Alps with his elephants. Very easy to prepare [the trout, not the elephants] and absolutely delicious.

++ 3 oz trout, boned and trimmed +++ 1 tsp butter+++ ½ oz hazelnuts, halved or coarsely chopped +++ 2 oz French green beans [haricots]+++

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

At Verneuil

August 16, 2026August 9, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

It was a brutally hot day on August 17, 1424. Jean VIII d’Harcourt, Count of Aumale, and around 9,000 of his countrymen were waiting on the fields of Verneuil, Normandy. The 28-year old was no stranger to battle. Jean had survived the disastrous routs of Crecy and Agincourt, and he had lead his army to defeat the English at the Battle of La Gravelle/ Battle of la Brossinière the year before. Now he was the Senior Commander of the French forces, fighting to drive the English out of France during the Hundred Years’ War. Jean was on home territory, defending lands that his family had been given 600 years before, and with him was his cousin, Gerard d’Harcourt, Baron de Bonnetable, a member of his army. That day, the 10,000-man English army was outnumbered [as they had been at Agincourt and Crecy], facing the French plus 6,000 Scottish allies and a band mercenaries from Milan. There had been debate in the French camp as to whether they should engage the English — having learned from previous battles that being outnumbered did not mean that the English would lose. But the decision was made, and the battle began. At first, it seemed that the English and their deadly long-bows were at a disadvantage, as their arrows bounced off the Milanese armor. But the mercenaries left the field to plunder the baggage train for loot, and when they finally returned to the battle, the English were winning. The English lost 2,000 men in the fight, the French and Scots lost 6.000. Both Jean VIII and Gerard were killed. Happily, Gerard and his wife had produced two sons, one of whom was my direct ancestor. It would be another 30 years before the English were driven out of France, and that bloody war of succession was over.

Normandy borders the sea, the source of an ingredient in our breakfast. The dinner is a fine meal to prepare on a hot August 17.

Mackerel-Leek ScrOmelette: 187 calories… 10.5 g fat… 1.7 g fiber… 14 g protein… 10 g carbs… 70 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF If you can’t find fresh mackerel, substitute another high-Omega-3 fish like salmon or arctic char.

++ 1½ 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 oz cooked mackerel++++ 2 oz leeks ++++m1 tsp Dijon mustard ++++ 2 oz strawberries ++++ 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 hot saute pan with non-stick spray and stir in the leeks and mackerel, to soften the leeks and warm the fish. Whisk the eggs with the seasonings and mustard. Pour into the pan and scramble to your taste or prepare as an omelette. Pour the beverages and plate the berries. Oh my!

Mid-Summer Saute: 256 calories… 2 g fat… 4 g fiber… 18 g protein… 30.4 g carbs… 47.5 mg Calcium… PB GF – if pasta is GF The fresh ingredients of this lovely meal are all coming together in the markets in mid-summer. Enjoy these flavors! Enjoy beautiful summer days!

Serves 2
Cooking spray—–3 oz chicken breast meat, 1” cubes	Heat a saute pan over medium, and spray with oil. Saute chicken 2 mins.
2 oz whole wheat pasta	Cook in boiling, salted water to al dente
1 clove garlic, minced—–1 Tbsp shallot, minced—-3 oz cep/porcini, sliced—1 cup/4 oz zucchini, in half-moons	Remove chicken, respray pan, add these, cook 3 mins, stir at whiles.If too dry, add a few tablespoons of water.
1 Tbsp cognac	Off heat, add cognac and flame.
½ cup/8 fl oz meat stock—–¼ cup/4 fl oz white wine	Put pan back on heat, add liquids. Simmer until reduced by half.
Cooked, drained pasta	Stir in pasta, serve when all is warm
Chopped parsley	Plate, topped with parsley

Saint Radegund

August 12, 2026August 6, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Radegund was still a pre-adolescent, living in the house of her father, the king of Thuringia [now in Bavaria, Germany], when the Franks attacked in 531. They overran the region, killing Radegund’s family, capturing her and her brother. The brothers who lead the Franks held a lottery for the girl, and Clothair won. He already had four wives, and recognizing her youth, he sent her to live in eastern France, where she furthered her education. After a few years, she married Clothair, King of the Franks. Radegund soon had a reputation for giving alms to the poor and for her humility. She was said to act more like a nun than a queen. When Clothair had her brother killed, Radegund ran away to a near-by church, asking to become a nun. The priest feared what the Franks would do to him, so he refused. Radegund threatened him with the wrath of God if he did not protect her, so the priest made her a deaconess. Eventually, Clothair came around to the fact that his wife would rather be a nun than to be married to him. [Perhaps he was influenced by his mother, Saint Chlotild, a very pious woman.] More than that, he donated a huge sum of money to establish the first Frankish “female monastery” as convents were called than. This was Sainte-Croix in Poitiers, built around 560 CE. Radegund had a reputation as a healer, caring for the sick herself, washing their bodies with her own hands. She also was noted for her asceticism: wearing a hair shirt under her queenly robes and fasting so much that people feared for her health. Venantius Fortunatus, a contemporary, wrote her biography, detailing the many good works she performed and recounting Radegund’s numerous miracles.

Saint Radegund was an ardent faster, plus she would eat no meat. Her idea of a meal was a bowl of lentils or beans, along with green vegetables. Both of our meals are plant-based and meatless. Fast in her honor on her Feast Day, August 13.

Oyster Mushroom ScrOmelette: 178 calories… 9.4 g fat… 2.6 g fiber… 11.5 g protein… 11.5 g carbs… 79.5 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF We are fond of oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, so naturallly we are fond of this breakfast. You can forage for them or buy them at the market.

++ 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. ++++ 2 oz oyster mushrooms ++++ 2 oz red bell pepper ++++ 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced ++++ 1 Tbsp oyster sauce ++++ 1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated ++++ 3 oz pear 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] ++

Chop the mushrooms and pepper. Warm a non-stick saute pan, and spritz it with non-stick spray. Put the vegetables in the pan to cook and to warm while you whisk the eggs with oyster sauce, cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Pour eggs over vegetables in pan, either scramble them or cook as an omelette. Plate with the pear for a dandy meal.

Felafel with Cucumber Raita: 223 calories… 7.5 g fat… 6 g fiber… 11 g protein… 22.4 g carbs… 130 mg Calcium… PB GF The felafel recipe is from Molly Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. Having some felafel patties in the freezer makes meal prep rapid.

++ 6 felafel patties ++++ 1 cup raw spinach ++++ ½ tsp olive oil ++++ large pinch ground nutmeg ++++ 4 oz plain, non-fat yogurt ++++ 1 scant cup cucumbers, cubed ++++ 1 tsp white wine vinegar ++++ 1½ tsp fresh mint, chopped or dried dill weed ++

Thaw out 5 of those felafel patties that you have in the freezer. Heat in toaster oven or in a non-stick pan on the stove. Do not cook them in oil. Cut the spinach into a chiffonade [make a pile of leaves and cut thinly across their width]and put into a bowl. Stir together the yogurt, vinegar, and dill or mint. Add the cucumber cubes and stir gently to combine. Toss the spinach with the olive oil and nutmeg. Plate spinach with raita on top. Eat it, and love it.

Felafel Patties 25-30 patties	each patty= 30 cal–1 g fat — 1 g fiber –1.6 g protein –4 g carbs– 8.5 mg Calcium-
2 c canned chick peas [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them]— 1½ cloves garlic, crushed– ¼ cup celery, minced– ¼ c. scallions, sliced–one 2-oz egg–1½ tsp tahini–½ t. cumin –½ t. tumeric– ¼ t. cayenne–¼ tsp black pepper — 1½ tsp salt–	Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour.
	Form into balls on a silicon mat or parchment on a cookie sheet. I used a 1½ 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 F, 10-15 mins. Patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch.
	Use now or cool/freeze for later use.

Night Sky: The Summer Triangle

August 9, 2026August 5, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

I hope you live where there is a minimum of ‘light pollution’. That describes the all-too modern phenomenon of there being so many lights on outside that one cannot see the stars in the night sky. What a shame to miss seeing the constellations! A ‘constellation’ is a group of stars that appear to form a picture. Modern astronomers world-wide recognize 88 constellations, each occupying a designated area in the sky. The constellations seen from the northern hemisphere are the ones that inhabit mythologies from Europe and North America. Most constellations are seen seasonally, like Orion in the Winter, while some, like the Great Bear/Ursa Major, are seen all year ’round. In some cases, stars within one constellation form an ‘asterism‘, meaning that they make a separate recognizable shape. One example of this is the Summer Triangle. It is not a constellation. It appears as three bright stats that mark the points of a huge triangle. Each of the stars is in a different constellation: Vega is in Lyra, the Lyre; Altair is in Aquilla the Eagle; Deneb is in Cygnus, the Swan. The latter two are involved in the Japanese/Chinese legend of the Princess and the Herdsman. You have to look hard to see the other stars in those constellations, but the Summer Triangle stands out bright and clear. As the name implies, one views the asterism during the Summer in the Northern Hemisphere. All season long, it glides across the sky from East to West. As the Earth moves around the sun, we get to look upon different parts of the universe, which is why the stars change season to season and appear to move from night to night. Sometimes, you can see the Milky Way running right through the Summer Triangle, which is spectacular to see.

For our foods in honor of the Summer triangle, a breakfast with only three ingredients, and a dinner cut into triangles.

Mongol Morning: 158 calories… 1 g fat… 2.5 g fiber… 10 g protein… 34.5 g carbs… 229 mg Calcium… PB The Mongols were nomadic herders and ate dairy products at all meals. This breakfast is based on dairy, ‘foraged’ plants, and a traditional bread. It is very good.

++1 Mongol flatbread** ++++ ½ c plain yogurt ++++ ¼ c blueberries/strawberries++++ ¼ c microgreens ++++ Optional: 3 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [44 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Prepare the flatbread or take from ‘fridge. Plate with yogurt, berries, and greens for an excellent breakfast.

Mongol Flatbread: makes 9 breads 1 of 9 = 86 calories– 1 g fat– 1.3 g fiber– 4 g protein– 21 g carbs– 26.4 mg Calcium– PB The recipe is from ucook.com. The result is delicious. Just great as a flatbread accompaniment with a shish kabab, but I would be willing to eat them like pancakes for breakfast.

1 c white whole wheat flour—½ c white flour—1 tsp honey–1½ tsp yeast–1 tsp salt	Combine these together in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
½ c + 2 Tbsp milk— ½ c + 2 T water .	Warm milk and water slightly Add to flour mixture and whisk vigorously, 5 mins, to make a smooth batter.
	Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place 2 hours, while dough doubles and bubbles.
	Whisk batter 1 minute and it’s ready to go
¼ tsp vegetable oil	Put oil in a nonstick frying pan over med-low heat, then wipe out with a paper towel. Fry ¼ cup of batter at a time a few minutes on each side, until well browned. Wipe pan at whiles with the oiled paper towel.

Pizza with Vegetable Topping: 300 calories… 13 g fat… 4 g fiber… 14 g protein… 19 g carbs… 269 mg Calcium… PB Another winner from the Fast Diet book. The pizza shells are either whole grain wraps or corn tortillas. BE CAREFUL about the calorie and fat content when shopping! I get 8″ whole wheat “fajita-style” tortillas. Each has 170 cal and 5 gm protein. Each person gets ONE of these pizzas. OR you could get 6″ yellow corn tortillas. Each of those has 65 cal and each person gets TWO and ONE HALF pizzas.

++1 whole wheat/grain tortilla at 170-cal [per person] ++++ 1-2 Tbsp tomato puree HINT: buy a can of puree and freeze in small portions ++++ 1 oz mozzerella, grated++++½ oz mushrooms, chopped or sliced ++++ 1 ½ oz red pepper, cooked and chopped++++1 oz spinach, steamed, squeezed and chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp red onion, chopped ++

Set the oven at 400F. Put tortilla on an ungreased baking sheet. Put 1 dollop of tomato purée on each tortilla and spread it around. Toss together mozzarella, mushrooms, red pepper, spinach, and onion. HINT: Sometimes I cook and chop all the veg and put them in a bag in the freezer to save time on a FAST day. Divide the mixture among the tortillas and bake 5-10 mins at 400F.

W.E.B. DuBois

August 2, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born in 1868. For a man who had such a life of pursuing social justice and racial equality, you might guess from his birthdate that he grew up during the challenges of post-Civil War Reconstruction in the American South. But no. His parents were Free Black people, and ‘Will’ was born and raised in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He attended the local schools, and excelled academically, mentored by his White teachers and the principal. After that, money from a local church enabled William to attend Fisk University, a college for Blacks in Tennessee. To provide more funds, he taught school in the summer, and that opened the eyes of the young Northerner to racism in the South. DuBois was accepted at Harvard University, hoping to do graduate studies. But they did not accept his Bachelor’s Degree from Fisk, so he repeated his undergraduate work. Then he earned a Master’s and a Doctorate degree, becoming the first Black to do so at Harvard. DuBois was influenced by philosophers at Harvard, who urged him to study ‘Negroes’ and their history in America. After that, two years of study in Berlin, where he completed a thesis about agriculture in the American South. Back in the States, DuBois taught at Wilberforce University in Ohio, where he met and married his first wife. In 1896, Harvard published his work “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America, 1638–1870”. The University of Pennsylvania, recognizing his work as a sociologist, employed DuBois to study the lives of Blacks, resulting in The Philadelphia Negro (1899), written after interviews with 2,500 households in that city. Then it was off to Atlanta University in Georgia. His evolving views of Black empowerment and full rights put him at odds with another famous Georgian, Booker T. Washington. Washington wanted Blacks to learn trades, so they could show that freed slaves could become productive members of the working class, parallel to Whites but not yet equal. DuBois wanted Blacks to study for higher degrees, to enter all levels of society, and by so doing, lift up the whole race. He demanded equal rights THEN, not at some later point when Whites might feel comfortable. In 1909, DuBois co-founded the NAACP, then as now, promoting the rights and equality of Blacks. World War I saw him urging Blacks to enlist, then documenting how they had been unequally treated as soldiers. After the war, DuBois could see that the standard Capitalist ideal was not working to enrich Black people, that they were not participating fully in the American Dream. So he began to explore Marxism. DuBois traveled to Liberia [founded as a homeland for formerly enslaved Americans] and Russia [to see how Communism was working for them]. In 1948, he represented the NAACP at the conference to form the United Nations. During the Red Scare during the Cold War, Dubois was looked at suspiciously in the US for his trips to Russia and China. He continued to view American Blacks as part of a larger context of African Diaspora, so he organized many Pan-African Conferences in the 1950s, advocating for the end of colonialism in Africa. In 1961, DuBois accepted the invitation of the new nation of Ghana to continue his research and writing there. Fearful that the US government would take away his passport, he moved there with his second wife, becoming a citizen in 1963. He died there that same year, curiously, the day before the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. August 3rd, is the Feast Day of W.E.B. Dubois in the Episcopal Church.

If DuBois’ work about the African Diaspora had included recipes, our breakfast might be included because it shows how Hatians combined French and African influences on their food choices. The dinner is from Ghana where DuBois is buried.

Haitian Chicken Bake: 181 calories… 5 g fat… 1 g fiber… 13 g protein… 8 g carbs… 43 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF The Haitians love to eat their ‘pates’ [pronounced ‘patty’], spicy fillings in puff paste dough. Here is the filling alone is used to jazz up some eggs at breakfast.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 2 Tbsp chicken pate filling** ++++ 1.5 oz pineapple ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

NB: Prepare the chicken pate filling in advance and freeze or refrigerate it. Whisk the egg with salt and pepper, then whisk again with the meat filling. Pour into an oven-safe dish which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes. Portion the fruit and brew that Haitian coffee. Zut alors! A taste of Hispaniola!

*chicken pate filling = 2 cup ‘pate’ 1 Tbsp = 50 calories*	Prepare a mise en place. You will be adding ingredients at rapid intervals, so do the prep now.
1 habanero pepper	Cut pepper lengthwise and scrape the seeds out of one half. Chop both halves.
Chopped pepper—-¼ cup chopped onion —–2 tsp garlic, minced	Spritz a non-stick skillet with non-stick spray. Saute these 3 mins until tender.
½ pound raw ground chicken	Add chicken and cook 5 mins, stirring often.
¼ cup shredded carrot	Add carrot and cook 2 minutes.
2 tsp no-salt tomato paste	Add tomato paste and stir constantly 1 min
2 tsp lime juice—1 tsp cider vinegar	Pour in these and stir.
1 Tbsp chopped scallion— 1 Tbsp chopped parsley—1 tsp fresh thyme leaves—½ tsp pepper— ¼ tsp salt— 1/8 tsp ground clove— 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg—	Add these, stir, take off heat, and cool to room temperature. Run it all through the food processor.

Kontomire with Eggs : 284 calories… 13.6 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 23.5 g protein… 19 g carbs… 164.6 mg Calcium… PB GF Sometimes this popular meal in Ghana is prepared with eggs, often not. This recipe, very flexible with its ingredients, was adapted from one in africanfoodmap.com. Wow. Delicious! TIP: cut this in half to serve as breakfast!

Serves 1
1 oz smoked herring [kippered herring] = 61 calories-OR- 0.8 oz smoked mackerel NB: I used the mackerel.	Kippers: Soak overnight in warm water until softer. Mackerel: do not soak. Chop fish into ½” bits.
¼ cup/1 oz onion, chopped	Cook onions in PAM until they start to brown
1 clove garlic, minced—-1.5 Tbsp roasted green chilis—1 cup tomatoes, diced	Add these, stir together. Cook ~ 10 mins as liquids with evaporate/thicken.
Soaked, drained kippered herring -OR- smoked mackerel	Add fish bits plus ½ cup water, cook ~5 mins
¾ cup/3 oz frozen spinach, thawed	Add spinach, stir gently, cook on low ~10 mins.
2 two-oz eggs	Whisk eggs, scramble into hot vegetables until cooked.

Emmy Noether

July 22, 2026July 21, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

How far will determination and perseverance get you? All the way to the pinnacle of achievement in your field — even if you are a woman. Amalie Emmy Noether was born in 1882 in Erlangen, Franconia, then in the Kingdom of Bavaria. Her father was a mathematics professor at the university there, and perhaps he sparked his daughter’s love of the field. But there was a catch — women couldn’t attend universities [it was thought that co-education would “overthrow all academic order”] and no women were mathematicians. After training to teach French and English to children, Emmy, as she styled herself, audited math courses at Erlangen University. Auditing permitted her to listen to lectures but not act like a part of the class. Also, to attend a class, she had to get the permission of the professor, and he could deny her the privilege. When her studies were concluded, she sat for the exam that would grant her a diploma — a she passed. In July 1903, Noether became the second woman to receive a Doctorate in Mathematics from any German university. Now Emmy wanted to be a professor. Not so fast! By now, women were admitted as students, but no women were permitted to teach university — unless the course were listed under the name of a male professor, with his permission, of course. For seven years, Dr Noether taught at the Mathematical Institute of Erlangen, gaining experience but not a single paycheck. In 1910, she began to publish and her work was well-regarded. In 1915, she was invited to teach at Mathematical Institute at Göttingen University where she collaborated with prominent professors on mathematic proofs for Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. On July 23,1918, Emmy proved herself to be worthy of respect by writing a paper ‘proving’ what is now known as Noether’s Theorem. At last, in 1922, Emmy was named as an adjunct at Göttingen, the first woman to be a professor. She had a cadre of devoted doctoral students, known as Noether’s Boys, who went on to make names for themselves in the field. In 1933, the Nazis began putting pressure on Jewish professors to resign, so Emmy took a position at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, USA. She taught abstract algebra, working in group theory, ring theory, group representations, and number theory — an all-women’s college!! with female professors!! — until her death in 1935. Emmy Noether was seen as stern and focused, but those who knew her enjoyed her down-to-earth nature, sense of fun, and love of dancing. That stern focus? How else could she overcome all the obstacles that life put in front of her?

Our menus today are from Emmy’s home country. Perhaps she ate our Franconian breakfast. She would not have eaten the dinner due to Kosher food restrictions, but we can.

Franconian Breakfast: ..163 calories… 4.4 g fat… 4 g. fiber… 13 g protein… 22.5 g carbs… 117 mg Calcium… NB: These values are for the plated items alone and do not include the optional beverages. – PB GF – Here some favorite flavors of the German State of Franconia come together for breakfast. My stars!! This is delicious!

++ 1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread = 1 oz ++++ 1 oz smoked trout ++++ 2 Tbsp 2%-fat small-curd cottage cheese ++++ 1 Tbsp snipped chives ++++ 2 oz plum ++++ 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]

Lightly toast the bread. Stir together the cottage cheese and chives, and spread on the toast. Plate along with the trout and plum. Some might prefer to place the trout on the bread and eat it thus, which is a great way to do it.

Zweibel, the Bamberg Onion: 282 calories… 8 g fat… 6.5 g fiber… 24 g protein… 37 g carbs… 91 mg Calcium… PB GF – if using GF bread Onion and pork are a fine combination, and very popular across Germany. This unusual recipe is from Bamberg, Franconia, adapted from one offered by the Schlenkerla Brewery. HINT: Serves two [2] people.

2 lg onions, 6 oz each after trimming + peeling	Peel papery skin off onions, cut off both ends. Parboil onions until almost tender. Scoop out insides of the onions until the sides are two layers thick.
112 g/4 oz pork —– 44 g/1½ oz smoked pork/ham	Put pork and smoked pork/ham with insides of the onion through meat grinder/processor.
Salt & pepper—-½ tsp each mace & marjoram 3 oz eggs = 1½ eggs 1 slice 70-cal wh-wh bread chopped parsley	Mix meat-onion with the eggs, bread, spices and parsley to form a stuffing/filling. Fill onions with stuffing. NB: I had stuffing left over.Roast in a skillet with a little water, uncovered, ~25 mins** at 200°C/400F until onion is very soft.
1 sl smoked bacon	Fry bacon in another skillet until partially cooked — not crisp. Remove from frypan and cut in half. Put a ½-slice on each onion and return to oven. Bake 20 mins.
**left-over stuffing	Form remaining meat filling into 2 equal patties, cook gently in bacon fat until done. Put in center of serving plate.
4 Tbsp brown meat stock—-2-4 tsp wh-wh flour—pinch mace + pinch cloves	Remove onions from skillet and place on top of the meat patties. Add stock, flour, spices to the skillet. Heat on stovetop, stirring, to form a thick gravy.
2 oz carrot coins per person	Serve surrounded with carrots and topped with gravy

Religions: Church of Christ, Scientist

July 15, 2026July 11, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

The 1800s saw a religious revival in the United States. Existing religions flourished and new religions began. Mary Morse Baker was born in Bow, NH on July 16, 1821. Her parents were farmers, pious members of the Congregational Church. In her youth, Mary was often ill, to the extent that her older brother home-schooled her. Long days in bed gave her hours to read the Bible and she began to question the doctrine of predestination. At age 22, Mary married George Glover, a builder, and they moved to South Carolina. Within nine months, he was dead and their child was born. Without resources and in poor health, Mary Glover moved back to her parents’ home. After her mother’s death, Mary’s lack of support forced to give her child away to friends. In four years, she married again hoping for financial and emotional stability.The couple moved to Massachusetts and in 10 years, Mary divorced her husband due to his infidelity. During the Civil War, Mary visited a healer in Maine. Sometimes his efforts eased her pain, sometimes not. This taught Mary that ‘healing’ is partly in the mind and based on trust in the healer, perhaps having a religious element. A slip on the ice in Lynn, Massachusetts left her with damage to her spine and pelvis. The doctor feared that she would die, or at least never walk again. She called for her Bible and read all the passages about Jesus healing the sick. After a few days, Mary arose, got herself dressed, and walked out of the room — to the astonishment of all. For the next several years, she flirted with spiritualism and the work of mediums, questing for a religious or spiritual connection to her life and her having been healed. In 1875, Mary self-published her first book: Science and Health, which described her evolving belief that medical doctors and their medicines were unnecessary. If one believed enough in God, Christ would heal one’s illnesses. This was her new ‘science’, and she began to teach others how to be healers. She married one of her students, Asa Eddy, who was 10 years her junior. Mrs Eddy founded the Massachusetts Metaphysical College in 1881, and moved to Boston. In concert with her ideas that religion could heal, Eddy wished to turn her healing into a religion. She and her students transformed the Metaphysical College into The First Church of Christ, Scientist. Stepping aside from day to day church work, Eddy turned to publishing, founding weekly and monthly magazines filled with testimonials, then her lasting contribution to media: the Christian Science Monitor, a well-regarded daily newspaper. Eddy retired to a farm in Concord, NH which she called Pleasant View. She died of pneumonia in 1910, but her church continues with 400,000 members world-wide.

According to Minnie B. Weygandt, the cook at Pleasant View, Mary Baker Eddy enjoyed having pie on the table at every meal, as well as traditional New England fare. Thus we will have ‘pie’ at breakfast and a real old-fashioned dish for dinner.

Pumpkin Pie Breakfast: 216 calories… 4 g fat… 2 g fiber… 7.4 g protein… 38.5 g carbs… 98.5 mg Calcium… NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB GF My mother developed this recipe and to me it is the Gold Standard of pumpkin pies: smooth, creamy, and redolent of spices. When prepared without a crust, it becomes more suitable for a Fast Day. NB: Mind the calories in the optional beverages to stay under 300 for the meal.

++ 1 ramekin of Pumpkin Pie ** ++++ 1 chicken breakfast sausage [36 calories each] ++ ++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Remove a ramekin of custard from ‘fridge and place on a plate. Do this first to take off some of the chill. Cook the sausage and prepare the optional beverage. Enjoy being a ‘Yankee’ who has pie for breakfast.

**Pumpkin Pie Custards makes 6 ramekins	Heat oven to 400 F. Spritz 6 ramekins with non-stick spray.
1½ cups pumpkin puree—-½ cup brown sugar, not packed—½ cup white sugar—-	Canned pumpkin puree is perfectly acceptable. Combine in a sauce pan and heat at a low setting.
1 cup milk, non-fat—-2 two-ounce eggs	Whisk together, then stir into the pumpkin.Take sauce pan off heat.
¼ tsp ground mace— ½ tsp ground nutmeg—-1 tsp ground ginger—- ½ tsp salt—-pinch ground cloves—-1 tsp ground cinnamon—- pinch ground allspice–	Stir the spices into the mixture. Taste to see if any flavors need to be adjusted.
	Divide among ramekins. Put in oven, bake 10 minutes.
	Turn oven down to 350F, bake 20 minutes or until a knife poked in the center comes out clean.
36-calorie breakfast sausage—beverage of choice	Cool custards and refrigerate. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Red Flannel Hash & Egg: 249 calories… 9 g fat… 2 g fiber… 12.6 g protein… 18 g carbs… 43 mg Calcium… PB GF This is a venerable New England farm meal, with the recipe coming from Hayden Pearson’s Country Flavors Cookbook.

++ 1 cup cooked diced beets (1/3” dice) ++++ 1/3 cup diced potatoes ++++ (1/3” dice) ++++ ¼ cup diced onions ++++ 2 slices Canadian Bacon/back bacon, diced ++++ one 2-oz egg ++++ lots of salt and pepper to taste ++

Cook, peel, and dice the beets and set aside to cool. [HINT: do this the day before] Peel and dice the potatoes. Put into a pan of tap water and put the pan on the burner. Turn on the heat and let the pan sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the water starts to boil around the edges. Take off the heat and leave potatoes to cool in the water. Then drain and set aside. Dice the onions and bacon. Spray a saute pan with non-stick spray and add the Canadian bacon. Cook it as crisp as you wish, or not so crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside. Add the onions with 2-3 Tbsp water, and cook until the onions are transluscent and the water is mostly gone. Now put the potatoes in the pan with the onions, add salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the potatoes are cooked. Add the beets and bacon to the pan and continue to cook until heated through. Meanwhile, fry the egg: sunnyside-up or over easy as you prefer. Plate the hash and top with the egg. Country dining.

A King

June 28, 2026June 27, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Once there lived a man who grew up thinking that he was very special, he was a king. He lived a larger-than-life lifestyle. He put his name and/or face on buildings and monuments and bridges. He renovated his house to turn it into a big beautiful palace — the best that anyone has ever seen. He thought that he was ordained by God to be the ruler, and encouraged his followers to believe it. He behaved as an absolute monarch — that whatever he said was law; that he was the ultimate authority on every topic. He sought to control the lives and thoughts of his followers: where they lived, what they wore, what they said about him. Despite being sure that he was a very popular ruler, he was terrified of assassins. He spent money lavishly, so much so that he depleted the national treasury. He picked on other countries and made war to enhance his glory, but his nation gained little from the efforts. Although he was married to the mother of his children, he had sequential liaisons with [at least] three other women throughout his life. It was said of him, “[he] could have achieved tremendous and lasting benefits for his country and his people, but he allowed his great gifts to be subordinated to a selfish pride and vainglory which undermined his success, and which, after he had brought [his country] to a high pitch of ascendancy, brought her to the verge of ruin…”**

This man was Louis XIV, King of France. Did you think I was writing about someone else? Louis XIV loved Roquefort cheese, so we will combine it with our eggs at breakfast. He also loved oysters, having them shipped by the wagon-load from the coast of Brittany to the palace of Versailles. **P.E. Smythe in ‘A study of France and the French people’

Bleu Cheese Bake: 173 calories… 9.5 g fat… 1.4 g fiber… 13 g protein… 9.5 g carbs… 124.5 mg Calcium.. NB: The food values shown are for the egg bake and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF You’ll go ga-ga over these flavors!

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ ½ oz bleu cheese, crumbly rather than creamy ++++ 2 Tbsp 2%-fat cottage cheese, drained ++++ 2 oz applesauce, unsweetened, with 2-3 raspberries mixed into it ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++

Mash the cheeses together with a fork and whisk into the egg. Bake in a lightly-spritzed oven-proof dish at 350 degrees until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Dish up the applesauce and add the raspberries. Pour the optional beverage, and have a delightful day.

Oyster Feast w/ Bubbly: 290 calories… 10 g fat… 2 g fiber… 13 g protein … 15 g carbs… 83 mg Calcium… PB Got something BIG to celebrate: how about a plate of raw and baked oysters with a salad AND a glass of bubbly? This serves TWO, since a celebration deserves company.

++ 18 medium US East Coast oysters, raw ++++ 9 tsp chevre cheese ++++ 4 saltine crackers as medium-fine crumbs ++++ 3 cups lettuce ++++ 2 Tbsp raw herbs, [such as thyme, rosemary, chives], chopped ++++ 1 tsp olive oil ++ 1 tsp flavored vinegar ++++ per person: 5 oz Sparkling Wine [such as Champagne or Cremant] ++

Turn on the broiler. Shuck the oysters, discarding the upper shell, but keep the oyster in the bottom shell. Carefully put half of the oysters on an oven-proof pan. Sprinkle each of those oysters with a pinch of the cracker crumbs. Then put 1 tsp of the chevre on each oyster. Top with the rest of the crumbs. Slide under the broiler until the cheese begins to soften and brown just a bit. In a wide bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice and herbs. Toss lettuce with the dressing and add a pinch of salt. Plate the baked oysters, the raw oysters and the salad, pour your bubbly. Cheers!

Ivan Kupala

June 21, 2026June 21, 2026 ~ me ~ Leave a comment

Fires of regeneration! Waters of life! Flowers and trees! These are the elements of the ancient festival of Ivan Kupala. A slavic celebration of ancient origins, it is enjoyed in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, and Lithuania. The origins of the festival were in pre-Christian days, when the life-giving summer sun [Kupalo] was honored on the longest day-shortest night of the year. Bonfires were kept burning all night to simulate sunlight. Fire was considered a masculine element, and jumping over a burning fire was an act of virility. Young women would weave floral crowns to wear in their hair all day. At night, they would go to the river, where they would float their wreaths in the water, then have a ritual bath. Water was considered a feminine element. The contrasting elements represented young love and procreation, so the dancing and feasting lead to pair-bonding. Couples would hold hands as they jumped the fires together, celebrating their youth and vigor. The early Christian church frowned upon all these sexy celebrations and tried hard to suppress the holiday. Because the longest day of the year was linked to the Feast of John the Baptist, the Russian church sought to join the two by inserting the name ‘Ivan’ [John] into the festival’s name to make it less ‘pagan’. In some countries, the festival was simply banned outright. Since the 1800s, people have been reclaiming their heritages and reviving the holiday. Cook food over a fire! Gather flowers to decorate the house! Go swimming! Enjoy the first day of Summer!

Our foods are from Ukraine, and the ingredients celebrate the bounty of the summer countryside. Despite the war that was imposed on them, the people of that country will no doubt make some effort to honor Ivan Kupala Day and Night on the Summer Solstice..

Ukrainian Village Breakfast: 233 calories… 15 g fat… 0.5 g fiber… 19.7 g protein… 4.5 g carbs… 68 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB GF Olia Hercules, a London-based Ukrainian chef, asserts that her people like hearty, flavorful food. This breakfast proves it. Serve with blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Sv 1	10″ saute pan
10 g duck fat OR lardo [if you can find it]	Melt fat in pan over a medium heat.
1 Tbsp shallot, thinly sliced	Cook shallot until it starts to turn golden, ~4 mins.
2 oz boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced lengthwise	Add chicken, cook 2 mins,
25 g kale, chopped frozen	Thaw kale, add to pan and cook 5 mins.
2 oz/1 US large eggs ——-salt + pepper	Crack in eggs, season and scramble into vegetables.

Ukranian Omelette: 286 calories… 8.6 g fat… 6.6 g fiber… 23.4 g protein… 28.4 g carbs… 121 mg Calcium… – PB – This dinner is based on a popular breakfast of Ukraine. With the addition of a vegetable and cooked wheat berries [Ukraine produces 4% of the world’s wheat], this makes for a fine and filling dinner.

++ 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. ++++ ¼ cup cottage cheese, reduced fat ++++ 3 Tbsp sliced mushrooms ++++ 2 Tbsp chives/scallions, minced ++++ 4 oz asparagus ++++ 1 oz wheat berries, cooked ++++

8 hours before: Rinse the wheat berries and soak in water to cover. 40 minutes before: Drain the wheat berries and cook them in boiling, salted water. 15 minutes before: Put the asparagus on to cook. Warm the mushrooms in a small saute pan, add the cottage cheese then stir in the chives/scallions. Heat briefly, cover and take off heat. Spritz a non-stick pan with non-stick spray. Whisk eggs and pour into the pan. Tip the pan and lift the edge of the cooking eggs to permit uncooked egg to run underneath. When the bottom of the eggs is cooked and the top is mostly set, spoon the cheese-mushroon-chive mixture across the lower third of the eggs. Starting closest to you, roll the eggs around the cheese filling and continue until you run out of egg. Plate with the wheat berries and asparagus.

	me on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Mya on Let Me Entertain You… Di…
	Peter Eppig on Robert Gould Shaw
	me on 10 Years of FASTing
	Karen Loudon on 10 Years of FASTing

Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet."

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Battle of Sandwich

Saint Philibert

At Verneuil

Saint Radegund

Night Sky: The Summer Triangle

W.E.B. DuBois

Emmy Noether

Religions: Church of Christ, Scientist

A King

Ivan Kupala

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