weight loss

Husband’s 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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. Welcome to The Meditation Body who is now Following.

January 19th marks a festival in Iceland called Husband’s Day. Some call it by its original name, Bóndadagur or Farmer’s Day, but with fewer people farming some think that “husband” was more encompassing than “farmer”. This is the day when the man of the house is fussed over and cosseted and thanked for all the good work he does during the year to support his family. Sound good? Not so fast! By tradition, on the first day of the month Þorri, the man of the house must arise at dawn. He puts on his shirt and puts one leg in his trousers. Then he goes outside — remember that this is Iceland in February!! Brrr!! — and runs/hops around the perimeter of the house, dragging his trouser leg behind him. That sacrifice to the god Thorr performed, he can go back inside. Presumably he will now get fully and warmly dressed, and bask in front of the fire while the womenfolk serve breakfast. This day has been celebrated since the 12th century. Because it is an ancient tradition, it is a time when traditional foods are served: Hangikjöt: dung-smoked lamb served with potatoes and white sauce; Harðfiskur: Dried fish is often enjoyed with butter; Blóðmör and Lifrarpylsa: Traditional blood and liver sausages. Mm-yum.

If you don’t enjoy dried fish or sheep’s heads or fermented shark, smoked foods are popular on Bóndadagur. Since Icelanders enjoy seafood, we will enjoy smoked salmon at breakfast and salmon cakes dinner. Be good to your Good Man, today and all days, and be grateful if you are in a supportive, loving relationship.

Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Toast: 206 calories… 12.4 g fat… 4 g fiber … 8 g protein… 20 g carbs… 33.5 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the plated food only, not the optional beverage.  PB A stacked, open-faced sandwich can be a delicious treat at breakfast. Smoked salmon and cucumbers make a winning combination.

++ 1 slice whole-grain bread, 70 calories  [Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] ++++ 2 Tbsp whipped cream cheese ++++½ oz smoked salmon ++++ 4 slices cucumber OR  Swedish Cucumber Salad ++++ 2 oz strawberries OR 1 oz peach ++

Lightly toast the bread and spread it with the cream cheese. Top it with the samon and top that with the cucumber. Plate the fruit. Now try to top that for flavor!

Salmon Cakes: 233 cal… 10.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 21.7 g protein… 10.7 g carbs… 46 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread  Eating Well magazine is the source of this fine recipe of salmon with an East Asian flair. Serve with Corn-Tomato Salsa, a Side Salad, zucchini slices, or Coleslaw to add up to 61 calories, taking the total for the meal to 294 calories.

4 cakes. Sv 2Cast iron or non-stick pan. 1/3 cup measure 
1 c cooked salmon—-one 2 oz egg—2 Tbsp red onion—1 Tbsp coriander seeds—1 Tbsp chile-garlic sauce—1 Tbsp soy sauce—1 tsp 5-spice powderFlake the salmon. Whisk egg. Chop the onion finely. Crush or grind coriander – Use fresh cilantro if you have it Add other seasonings and combine well.
½ c/1 oz fresh bread crumbsFold in crumbs. Form in 1/3 c patties.
1 tsp sesame oilHeat in skillet over med-high. Cook cakes 3 mins per side.
½ cup coleslaw -OR- ½ cup Corn-Tomato Salsa -OR- 4 oz zucchini slices, cookedcoleslaw adds 41 calories, Salsa adds 61 calories, zucchini adds 40 calories

Martin Luther King

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Michael King, Jr was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. When he was five years old, his father ‘Michael’ changed his first name and the name of his son from Michael to ‘Martin Luther’, after a trip to Germany. His father and grandfather had been Baptist ministers, and, following in their footsteps, Martin was graduated from Morehouse College, one of the HBCUs. He continued his education to earn a Doctor of Divinity degree from Boston University. While there, he met and married the remarkable Coretta Scott. While serving as pastor at a church in Montgomery, Alabama, King was asked to help organize a protest against racial segregation on city busses. By applying Mahatma Gandi’s tactics of non-violence with Christian teachings, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was a success and King gained prominence as a Civil Rights leader. He moved his family to Atlanta, where he joined his father on the pulpit of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. King then founded and lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to co-ordinate actions throughout the southern states. While Peter, Paul, and Mary were singing “Blowin’ In The Wind“, King was speaking and organizing all over the country, giving people hope that racial equality might be achieved. The 1964 March on Washington showed the strength in numbers of King’s supporters and his “I have a dream” speech showed the heights of his rhetorical abilities. That year, the Civil Rights Act was passed, followed by the Voting Rights Act the next year, both victories for the cause. Young activists within the movement thought that King was too passive, but he continued to urge non-violence. King was killed by an assassin in 1968. How curious that the very people who inveigh against ‘cancel culture’ are trying to cancel references to Dr King and the Civil Rights struggle in 2026.

Dr. King liked food. From Southern home cooking to food grabbed on the road, he liked it all. Our breakfast has links to the lunch counter meals that King enjoyed and that were famously occupied during the Civil Rights movement. Our dinner remembers that King did not distain a simple soup from a favorite Atlanta restaurant.

Egg-McArnold: 230 calories… 6.5 g fat… 5.6 g fiber … 13.5 g protein… 27 g carbs… 91 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg sandwich only, not the optional coffee. This, of course, is the Fasting version of a fast-food favorite. Works well for eating on-the-run. 

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 Arnold-brand multi-grain Sandwich Thin [or similar @100 calories] ++++ ½ oz Canadian Bacon or 1 slice Jones Brand @ 20 calories/slice ++++ 2 oz grapes ++++   Optional:  blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++++ 

Open up the ‘sandwich thin’ and lightly toast it. Fry or poach the egg to your liking and cook the Canadian Bacon in the same pan. Assemble, using salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy it with your coffee in a to-go cup but don’t eat in the car – sit down and slowly savor this Fast food.

‘Therapeutic’ Chicken Soup: 278 calories… 3.4 g fat… 5 g fiber… 18.5 g protein… 36 g carbs…78 mg Calcium… PB The recipe is from It’s All American Food by David Rosengarten. Simple, filling, and Granma says it is good for you.  NB: One serving = 2 cups of soup! Feel free to reduce that amount — I find 1 cup to be satisfying.

2 oz/½ cup parsnips, diced ++++ 1 oz/¼ cup carrots, in small coins ++++¼ cup celery,diced ++++Prepare vegetables. 
1½ cups excellent chicken broth, homemade or purchased +++++ 3-4 Tbsp water++++ ParsnipsHeat stock to a simmer. Add parsnips, cook 5 mins.
carrotsAdd carrots, cook 5 mins. 
celeryAdd. Cook until vegetables are tender.
½ oz Pennsylvania Dutch noodlesCook noodles in water until just underdone. Drain. 
Cooked noodles ++++2 oz cooked chicken breastCut in ½” cubes. Add these, taste for salt + pepper. 
3 Tbsp parsley Add parsley and cook 5 mins.

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

whole grain bread @ 70 calories1.5 two-oz eggs 
smoked salmon + strawberriesHawayij spice
whipped cream cheeseDeglet noor dates
cucumber or Swedish cucumber salad 
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

salmon + one 2-oz egg + red onions + soy sauce1/4 pound scallops per serving
coriander/cilantro [either] + chili-garlic sauce Indian curry powder
5-spice powder + fresh bread crumbs + sesame oil broccoli
side salad/Corn-tomato salsa/coleslaw/zucchinibutter + white wine [2-3 Tbsp]
Sparkling waterSparkling water

The Children’s Blizzard

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

The morning of January 12, 1888, the weather in Nebraska and South Dakota, USA, was sunny and warm. Livestock were let outside to enjoy the sunshine, farmers worked in their shirtsleeves, and children went off to school as usual. By noon, the weather was changing. Dark clouds were seen in the North, and the wind shifted suddenly from that direction. Temperatures plummeted — as much as a thirty degree drop in a few hours. Then the snow began. Driven by gale-force winds, even a few inches of snow caused white-out conditions. Across the region, teachers decided to close the schools early, but soon realized that the children could not find their way home in the storm. You might wonder why did they not shelter in place? The reason was that school houses, uninsulated, were heated by a wood or coal stove. The fires had been permitted to go out that morning, and the supply of coal or wood had not been replaced. One teacher tried to lead the children to a safer place, but lost her way, even though they were on the streets of a town. A child said they should turn right to get to their house, but the teacher pressed on. That child got home safely — the teacher and the other children died in the snow. Search parties were organized, townsmen tied together with a rope, groping their way through the storm to rescue the stranded. One farmer in Dakota Territory, tried to make it home to his farm outside of a town. He followed a fence line until his horses suffocated in the blowing snow. Then he found a barn with pigs, where he kept warm for the night. Three days later he returned home, to find his wife had given birth in his absence. At least 235 people died as a result of the storm, many of them children. The recently-organized Weather Service [then run by the U.S. Army Signal Corps] had forecast cold temperatures and light snow, but forecasts were not widely distributed. Storms such as this and variable temperatures are frequent in the Great Plains. They are caused by the collision of super-cooled air from Alberta, Canada meeting warm, moist air from the distant Gulf of Mexico. 1888 was a bad year for blizzards — two months later, a terrible storm hit the East Coast, again killing unprepared citizens. We are lucky to have weather reports round the clock, thanks to the National Weather Service.

Those school children might have begun their day with a hearty porridge, and so shall we. Those lucky enough to return home would have been warmed and restored by my mother’s chili recipe.

10-Grain Pumpkin Pudding: 181 calories… 2 g fat… 5.5 g fiber… 8 g protein… 33 g carbs… 83 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB The delicious, nutty grains in the cereal seemed to called out for pumpkin and spices, and here’s the result. TIP: This recipe is easily prepared the night before and refrigerated for a quick and nutritious breakfast.

++ 4 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal Mix ++++ ¾ cup water ++++1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, reduced fat ++++ 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree, canned or fresh ++++ 1 tsp maple syrup ++++ nutmeg ++ cinnamon ++++  Optional garnish:  3 Tbsp blueberries -OR- ½ oz raspberries, fresh or frozen [7 calories] ++++   Optional garnish: 1 Tbsp pecans, chopped [49 calories] ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++ 

Cook the cereal with the water for about 8 minutes on the stove.  HINT: do this the night before to save time in the morning. Stir in the cheese, pumpkin, syrup, and spices. Pour into a microwave-safe ramekin.  HINT: you could get this all done and put it in the ‘fridge until morning. Brew the hot beverage and prepare the smoothie. Microwave the ramekin for no more than 1 minute. Plate with the fruit and optional pecans on top of the hot cereal. Ridiculously easy for a meal so satisfying.

Chili non Carne: 1½ cups chili with cheese and melon, as in photo: ..  286 calories… 10 g fat… 6 g fiber… 13 g protein… 20 g carbs… 227 mg Calcium…   PB GF The recipe is my mother’s, except that she added beef. And she served it on a heap of mashed potatoes, but we won’t do that on a Fast Day. HINT: This is enough for 4 one-cup servings OR two 1.5 cup servings with 1 cup left over. Save the remaining chili for a lunch or check other postings to see how we use it for breakfast. 1 cup =133 calories.. 0.7 g fat.. 6.5 g fiber.. 7 g protein.. 10 g carbs.. 70 mg Calcium.. 1½ c. =199 calories… 1 g fat.. 9 g fiber.. 9.4 g protein.. 14. g carb.. 120 mg Calcium..

++ 15 oz canned red beans, drained and rinsed ++++ 16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced,  not drained ++++ 1 cup chopped onion++++ 1 cup/5 oz Italian green pepper, chopped++++ 2-3 tsp chili powder, or more if you like it hotter ++++ ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin ++++ per serving: 1 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated, as a garnish ++++ 3 oz melon +

Saute the onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the stew is thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Serve one or one and a half cups for dinner tonight with the grated cheese on top, and melon on the side.

Battle of New Orleans

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle. 

“In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip’
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans.”

Johnny Horton‘s lyrics and catchy tune are most Americans’ introduction [and limit of their knowledge] about the Battle of New Orleans, on January 8, 1815. Once the British had defeated Napoleon in 1812, they were freed to avenge their most bitter failure: the loss of the American colonies in 1783. So they started the War of 1812, first stopping American ships on the high seas and pressing men into service in the English navy. Then they attacked and sacked Washington, DC. Following a repulse at the port of Baltimore, the British planned to take the port of New Orleans as a back-door entry to regain their lost territory. The Americans caught wind of the plan and began to mobilize troops in November. Their leader was Andrew Jackson and he had no standing army. So he cobbled together businessmen, local militia, Choctaw Indians, sailors, smugglers, pirates, freed Black men, and sharpshooters from Tennessee and Kentucky to fight along side some US marines and soldiers. This collection of 5,000 men was soon to face 8,000 trained British troops. In late December, the British began moving up the Mississippi River, but were stopped by a night-time raid by Jackson’s men. The harrying tactic accomplished nothing, but it set the stage for the ensuing battle. The Americans went back up river, and built a wall of mud and cotton bales stretching East from the river to a swamp. Across the river, artillery were emplaced. Meanwhile, a new British commander had arrived. He was highly annoyed that the night-time raid had not been a British victory, so he pressed North to attack the American line. His first two attempts were futile, so he threw his troops into a full-on battle on January 8. When the smoke had cleared, the British casualties were 2034, US casualties were 71. The British withdrew and that was the last battle of the War of 1812. In fact, the War was already over, a peace treaty having been signed days before. But news traveled slowly, and 285 British soldiers died for nothing.

We will not eat the ‘bacon and beans’ of the song. Instead, our breakfast is inspired by French food, since New Orleans was a French possession until it was sold to the US in 1804. Because of New Orleanians’ love of seafood, stuffed clams are for dinner.

Ratatouille-Egg Toast:  301 calories… 6 g fat… 4 g fiber… 17 g protein… 31.4 g carbs… 212.4 mg Calcium… NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake and fruit only, not the optional beverages. PB  GF – if using GF bread.  Ratatouille, the French vegetable stew, is great with eggs for breakfast. And you can prepare it year-round. 

++ 1 piece 70-cal multi-grain bread [ Dave’s Killer Thin-Sliced Bread is great] ++++ one 2-oz egg ++++ ¼ cup Mediterranean Vegetables, drained through a sieve as needed ++++ 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] ++

Toast the bread. Warm the vegetables briefly and spoon onto the toast. Fry the egg using a non-stick or cast iron pan and put the egg on top of the vegetables on the toast. Pour the beverages and you have a fine breakfast as well as a head-start on your 5 servings of vegetables for the day.

Stuffed Clams: 262 calories… 7.5 g fat… 5 g fiber… 28 g protein… 34 g carbs… 423 mg Calcium… PB  GF— if using GF bread crumbs If you served this to guests they would not consider themselves to be ill-used. The inspiration for this dish was a meal at the Georgetown Inn, Georgetown, PEI, Canada.

1 oz red bell pepper, slicedIn a small pan, cook pepper in a small amount of water. Reserve water.
2½ oz [½ medium] tomato—1½ purchased turkey meatballsChop cooked pepper, dice tomato and meatballs.
4 oz asparagus -OR- 2½ oz broccoli florets -OR- 2½ oz carrots -OR- 2½ oz cauliflower floretsChoose your vegetable and prep it for cooking. Add water to the pan in which you cooked the red pepper, then put in the cut vegetables.
½ c/2 oz clams, diced—½ slice 70-cal bread, diced—1½ Tbsp plain non-fat yogurt— garlic powder— thyme— salt & pepper–Combine these with the chopped pepper/tomato/meatballs and gently stir to combine.
Heap into two [2] large, clean, empty clam shells or oven-proof dishes which have been lightly sprayed with cooking oil. Bake 10 mins at 350F while the veg are cooking.
½ Tbsp Parmesan cheeseSprinkle cheese on the stuffed clams in the last minutes of baking. Plate with the vegetables.

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

Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal mix 1 two-oz egg 
reduced fat ricotta + cinnamonArnold-brand multi-grain Sandwich Thin or similar
blueberries/raspberries + nutmegCanadian bacon/back bacon @ 20 calories
pumpkin puree + maple syrupgrapes
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

15-16 oz can red beans + melonchicken breast meat, cooked + carrots
ground cumin + chili powderrich chicken broth + celery
16 oz can diced tomatoes + Italian sweet pepperparsnip + parsley
Cheddar cheese + onionEgg noodles
Sparkling waterSparkling water

New Year, New You

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

People often think that the start of a new year is a time to reinvent themselves. Do you think so too? The fact is, most people who make resolutions on New Year’s Eve, break those pledges within two weeks. At that point they either give up and castigate themselves as weak-willed losers, or they try again. The thing is, most resolutions are too ambitious and too general, which makes them difficult to keep. Instead of “I promise to lose all that extra weight” [a goal without a plan], swap it for “I will eat no more than 600 quality calories every Monday.” That is a specific, achievable goal which is aligned with a recognized, recommended way of eating called the Fast Diet. Once you have mastered one day a week, you can move on to another day of low-calorie eating for a total of two days of ‘dieting’ each week. That plan is much easier to live with than depriving yourself every day. What if one of those Mondays is your mother’s birthday and you can’t escape a big celebration with cake?!?! No problem, eat your 600 calories on Tuesday instead. See? Flexibility. Instead of “I will get more exercise” [another goal without a plan], try to think this way: “Before I sit down at the computer, I will do 10 Triceps Dips on the chair first”. Or, while I wait for the microwave to reheat my coffee, I will jog in place until it is done.” By pairing a new behavior with an old behavior, your goal becomes more doable. You can figure out some other new exercise behaviors to pair with activities you do every day. Good luck with your resolutions, and have a Happy New Year!

If weight loss is your goal, have I got menus for you! You won’t have to count calories — I already did it for you. Stick to it! The Fast Diet worked for me and my Dear Husband, it should work for you, too. Our menus today are new, like 2026. They are recipes that we tried this year but have not been published here previously. I hope they will help you to meet your goal for a healthy weight this year.

Succotash Bake: 177 calories… 6.5 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 10.6 g protein… 20 g carbs… 94.4 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given above are for the egg-bake and fruit only, not the optional hot beverage. —PB GF— Corn and shell-beans were two of the staple crops of First Nations of North America, and they were combined for nutritious meals called ‘succotash’. Here, we bake succotash in eggs. Very good!

++1 two-oz egg++++ ¼ cup corn-lima beans ++++ 1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated++++salt & pepper++++ 2 oz apple++++ 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] ++

Spritz an oven-proof dish with cooking spray and distribute the succotash on the bottom. Whisk egg, pour on top. Sprinkle with seasoning and cheese. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes, plate with apple.

Roasted Zucchini w/ Shrimp + Za’atar: 281 calories… 8.3 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 28.5 g protein… 21 g carbs … 145.5 mg Calcium…  PB GF Melissa Clark presented this recipe in the NY Times, and I had to try it.  HINT: Recipe serves 4 [four], so this is good for a small dinner party.

4 servingsPut rack 6” from broiler, heat oven to 425F.
18 oz zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced ½” thick.—-2 tsp olive oil– ½ teaspoon salt— pinch red-pepper flakes In a large bowl, toss these together. Spread evenly on a rimmed sheet pan. Save the bowl — don’t wash it. Roast ~12 mins, then stir/turn zucchini. 
Return to oven. Roast ~12 mins, until golden.
1# shelled shrimp, I used the size 21-26 per poundPat shrimp dry, add to same bowl used for zucchini. 
2 tsp olive oil—– ½ teaspoon salt—- ¼ tsp red-pepper flakes— 2 tsp za’atar —-zest of 1 lemonAdd these to shrimp, then toss shrimp to coat. Let sit at room temperature.
Take pan from oven. Turn broiler to high. Add shrimp to pan of zucchini, spreading it out evenly. Broil 2-5 mins, until shrimp just cooks through — don’t overcook.
2/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt——pinch salt———- 1 T juice of zested lemon—2 teaspoons za’atar——
1 garlic clove		Mince/grate garlic. Whisk these together. Taste, add more salt or lemon juice, if needed. If mixture is very thick, stir in a little water to loosen it. 
Chopped mint, cilantro or dill—-1 oz whole-wheat artisinal bread per servingSpoon yogurt sauce on top of shrimp + zucchini, sprinkle with chopped herbs. Serve with bread.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs 
applesauceone slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread
Pan muffinMediterranean Vegetables
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

slivered almonds + bratwurst + celery2 oz clam meat, fresh or canned + tomato
carrot + sesame seeds + go-chu-jang sauceparmesan cheese + thyme + red bell pepper
soy sauce + rice wine vinegargarlic powder + purchased turkey meatballs
brown rice + kale + lettuce + mint ½ slice 70-calorie whole grain bread + Plain, non-fat yogurt
Sparkling waterSparkling water

Passing: Charley Parkhurst

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Parkhurst ferries a slightly apprehensive passenger.

 “Passing” means living your life as someone you are not, and getting away with it. The term can be used for people living as a member of another race or of a different sex. Charley Parkhurst was a rip-snortin’, rough-ridin’, rootin’-tootin’, six-gun-shootin’ stagecoach driver of the Old West. Being a stage coach driver, or ‘Whip’, was the job for only the strongest, bravest, most daring of men. They were highly respected, and little boys wanted to be just like them. Parkhurst was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire in 1812. Orphaned as a child, there were some hard years spent in an orphanage. Charley escaped and went to Rhode Island, getting employment at a livery stable. The boss took a shine to Parkhurst, teaching the youth about horses and coach-driving. When gold was discovered in California, Charley headed there and on the way, acquaintance was made with a man who owned a carting business. He hired the 37-year-old to drive delivery carts. Shortly after arriving in the Gold Fields, Parkhurst was kicked in the face by a horse, losing the use of one eye and earning the sobriquet “Cockeyed Charley”. Parkhurst reconnected with his old boss from Rhode Island, who ran a stagecoach line. Thus, Charley became a Whip. The other drivers soon recognized that, despite short stature and small hands, Charley was one of the best. Roads were muddy and rocky, steep and twisty through the mountains. Other dangers included bandits who wanted the bank strong-boxes that the coaches carried, plus bears, and mountain lions. Despite bad weather, floods, and washed-out bridges, Charley’s coaches were always on time, cargo and passengers intact. In 1868, Parkhurst registered to vote and participated in the election. Eventually, railroads took over the transport of people and goods, so Charley retired to a small property, farming in the summer and logging in the winter. When arthritis made motion less easy, Charley down-sized to the cabin where death finally overcame the famous coachman on December 28, 18–. Friends and neighbors had encouraged Parkhurst to see a doctor for his tongue cancer symptoms, but he refused. They found out why when they found him dead and began to prepare Charley for burial — Charley Parkhurst, who had been born “Charlotte”, was in fact a woman. Many of his friends refused to believe it. Parkhurst was so well-known, and the revelation so amazing, that newspapers across the country carried the obituary. Would Charley be considered a trans man today, or was Charley astonishingly adept at concealing his sex? [Before you try to correct me, ‘sex’ is determined by your chromosomes, while ‘gender’ is how you present yourself. Charlotte Parkhurst had the sex of a woman, but presented herself in the gender of a man.] Whatever. Does it matter? Charley showed that a woman can indeed do a “man’s job”, and that they can vote, too.

What did Charlie Parkhurst eat? Most likely simple, hearty foods found at a post stop while the horses were being changed, or meals prepared at home.

Ham ScrOmelette:  150 calories… 7.6 g fat… 1 g fiber… 12.4 g protein… 7 g carb… 45 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB  GF Here’s another classic of the breakfast table.

++ 1½ eggs per person  HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week. ++++ ½ oz ground or chopped 3%-fat ham ++++ 2 oz melon or apple ++++ herbs to taste ++++ 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 ham, slice the fruit, prep your beverage. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan. When the bottom begins to set, distribute the ham over half of the eggs. {OR warm the ham briefly in the hot pan, pour in the whisked eggs and scramble together until cooked.] Fold the omelette and cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Pour your beverages, and you are off to a good start to your day.

Chicken/Turkey Dinner: 284 calories… 4.5 g fat… 9 g fiber… 31.6 g protein… 34 g carbs… 58 mg Calcium…  PB Perfect use for left-over roasted or lemon-marinated grilled chicken breast. Instead of potatoes, enjoy the crunch of high-fiber crackers. So low in calories that you may even have some lovely fruit for dessert!

++4 ounces roasted breast meat, without skin ++++ ½ cup/3 o z green beans ++++ 2 oz carrots, sliced as coins ++++ 2 pieces Finn Crisp crackers ++++ ½ cup sliced strawberries ++

Warm the cooked meat or not, according to your taste. Cook the vegetables and plate with the meat and crackers. Enjoy those strawberries as a sweet conclusion to the meal.

Roger II of Sicily

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Roger the 2nd of Sicily was a Renaissance Man long before there was a Renaissance. He was born on December 22, 1095 in Sicily. But this is not the Sicily that we know today. The Greeks and Romans had made their mark on the island, long before the Common Era. The Byzantines [535 CE] and Arabs [827 CE] had also ruled there for a few centuries. The Normans, before they invaded England in 1066, set out to enlarge their sphere of influence. In 999 CE, they entered Sicily, then took it over under the sword of Roger’s father, Robert Guiscard. Roger became King of Sicily in 1130, and he was well-suited for the job. An excellent linguist, he spoke eight languages, including the patois of the local people. Roger was interested in art and science and geography, and during his reign, all the disparate cultures and religions lived in harmony. Roger was a Christian, but he was a cameleon. Instead of stamping out the other religions, he permitted them to carry on. Instead of imposing Norman French ways and language, Roger adopted some of their customs. He rewrote the feudal code and eliminated most slavery. In his glittering capital Palermo, Roger married a succession of wives, and also kept a harem. He had built the astonishing Cappella Palatina/Norman Chapel within the Norman Palace of his father. The mosaic interior was created by Byzantine Greeks and Arab craftsmen. It is visually stunning and unlike most churches of its day, it celebrates Bible stories and the glory of Roger II, rather than suffering saints. Christ is shown, not in shame on the cross, but in victory as the All-Powerful. Lettering on the walls is in Greek, Latin, and Arabic. Due to his embrace of Arab influences and his reluctance to go on Crusade, popes were wary of Roger, but he continued to grow in wealth and power. His sons administered lands on the Italian mainland, from Rome to the south. Then Roger conquered Tunisia, expanding his grip on trade throughout the Mediterranean. At his death in 1154, Roger was the most powerful ruler in all of Europe. His enlightened governance was not inherited by his sons, and they lost much of the territory and influence that their father had won. Clearly, Roger II of Sicily was one of a kind.

Our meals contains that most prized vegetable in modern Sicily: the eggplant, served in two tasty ways.

Caponata Bake:  165 calories… 7 g fat… 3 g fiber… 8 g protein… 15 g carbs…72 mg Calcium…  PB GF Caponata is a favorite dish in Sicily. Delicious and versitile, it can be enjoyed at breakfast or dinner.

1 two-oz egg +++ ½ cup caponata +++ ½ clementine +++ 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] ++

Stir together egg and caponata.** Pour into an oven-safe dish and bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes. Plate with the fruit, and dream of sunny Sicily.

**CAPONATA: makes 2 cups  Jamie Oliver’s take on a Sicilian classic. 1 cup: 156 calories… 4.5 g fat… 6.5 g fiber…3 g protein… 20.4 g carbs…66.4 mg Calcium ½ cup: 78 calories… 2 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 1.4 g protein… 10 g carbs 33 mg Calcium ¼ cup: 36 calories… 1 g fat… 1.6 g fiber… 0.7 g protein… 5 g carbs… 16.6 mg Calcium

Can be served with whole-grain bread, on pasta, or polents, as a side for fish or meat.

2 cupsHeat oven to 400F.
2 tsp olive oil—2 c eggplants, in ¾” chunks— 1 tsp dried oregano/Italian herbs —  Sea saltAdd oil to a big pan over high. Toss these to coat in oil, add more if needed. Cook 4-5 mins, stirring at whiles. OR ROAST 10 MINS. – 
½ cup red onion—2 cloves garlic, finely sliced——–½ small bunch flat-leaf parsleyFinely chop onion + parsley.On cooktop, cook 2 mins in cooking spray.
1 Tbsp capers, drained—-6 pitted black olives——–1-2 T. herb vinegarAdd these, and cook until vinegar evaporates.
16 oz ripe tomatoes, OR 1½ c. canned diced toms—-cooked eggplantRoughly chop tomatoes, add to pan with eggplant, simmer 15-20 mins until tender.

Eggplant Patties w/ Onion Marinara: 273 calories… 4 g fat… 8.5 g fiber… 46 g carbs… 43 mg Calcium…  PB GF – if using GF bread/flour/pasta Marcella Hazen, in her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, gives the recipe for the patties and a sauce in which to serve them. I added the pasta to the meal. 

++ 4 prepared eggplant patties**, portioned with a 1½ Tbsp scoop ++++ 1 oz pasta– If you use whole grain or high fiber pasta, so much the better ++++ ½ cup tomato-onion marinara ++ 

**Eggplant Patties: makes 7 when using a 1½ tsp scoop = 32 calories each —9 oz eggplant with skin still on— 2 Tbsp bread crumbs— 1 Tbsp spinach chiffonade — 1 tsp minced garlic — 1 egg yolk — 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan — 1 Tbsp white whole wheat flour —

Roast eggplant at 400F until soft, around 15 minutes. Peel it and cut in rough cubes. Put in a collander over a bowl and let it drain, pressing down lightly. Add to a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir with a fork until well-combined. Heat a skillet and spray with non-stick spray. Using a 1½ Tbsp scoop, put eggplant mixture into the hot pan, flattening it a bit. Cook on each side until starting to brown.

++ Tomato-Onion Marinara makes 1.5 cups  –1.5 c. onion, thinly sliced — 1.5 c. canned whole tomatoes — Salt + pepper — 

Spray a saute pan with non-stick cooking oil and heat it. Add onions and cook at medium-low until onions begin to turn golden. Add tomatoes, chopping them into smaller pieces with a plastic or wooden utensil. Cook until tomatoes have thickened a bit. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Boil the pasta while the patties are cooking. Heat the marinara, then add the cooked pasta. Put some of the sauce in the center of your plate and position the patties on top. Arrange the pasta and sauce around the center, as pleases your eye.

James Thurber

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

My parents’ library had many books, but my sister and I went back to one again and again: Thurber Carnival, by James Thurber. It was full of adult humor, yet it appealed to us, too. There were funny stories [The Secret Life of Walter Mitty], odd cartoons, and just enough mystery [why would adults think this is funny?] to make us come back for more. James Grover Thurber was born on December 8, 1894, in Columbus, Ohio. He was second of three sons, and lost sight in one eye at age six, when one of his brothers accidentally shot him with an arrow. Their father was a political aide, his mother was a story-teller with an out-sized sense of humor. Thurber attended Ohio State, but was not graduated. He tried newspaper work, then was sent to France as a code clerk at the end of World War 2. When he returned to the States, his career and his marriage were both very rocky. Newly divorced, Thurber moved to New York, where he met E.B. White. Through White, he got a job as an editor at the neophyte New Yorker magazine. It was White, too, who recognized Thurber as a cartoonist, urging him to publish his art. And so the world was introduced to Thurber’s style: stories of weak-willed married men who dream big dreams as a way to escape their scoffing, criticizing wives; fairy tales that fracture the traditional mode; and delightful parodies of popular norms [Pet Department spoofing the advice column.] As he aged, the vision in Thurber’s ‘healthy eye’ deteriorated, so he drew his cartoons on huge papers, using heavy, dark lines, and composed whole stories in his head for later dictation. In 1961, he was operated on for a blood clot in his brain. He died one month later, taking all his whimsical animals and angsty mid-century urban men with him.

If she had served this for breakfast, perhaps Mr Prebble wouldn’t have wanted to get rid of his wife. Animals such as dogs, seals, and owls populate Thurber’s cartoons, but I liked his rabbits the best. Rabbit Pie for dinner.

Ham Bake: 142 calories… 7 g fat… 1.6 g fiber… 11 g protein… 5 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 The baked version of a ham omelette.

++1 two-oz egg ++++ 1 oz 3 %-fat ham from the deli, minced ++++ 1.5 tsp reduced fat ricotta +++ 2 tsp chives/scallion, chopped ++++ ½ tsp Dijon mustard ++++ large pinch of crumbled sage + salt & pepper to taste ++++ Clementine or 2 oz unsweetened applesauce ++++ 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] ++

Spritz a ramekin with non-stick spray and set the toaster oven to 350 F. Vigorously whisk the egg, ham, cheese, and seasonings and pour into ramekin. Bake 12-15 minutes until puffed, not until golden. Portion the fruit, pour the beverages and this will surely be a good day.

Rabbit Pie: 275 calories… 6.6 g fat… 4.6 g fiber… 25.6 g protein… 27.5 g carbs… 77 mg Calcium…  PB Rabbit is a common meat in recipes the world over. It is high in protein and low in fat. And yes, it does taste like chicken. You could substitute.

++ 2 oz mushrooms ++++ 4 oz chicken stock ++++ 2 tsp potato starch ++++ 0.55 oz [1 slice] ham from the deli ++++ 3 oz rabbit meat ++++ ¼ cup onions, chopped ++++ big pinch dried thyme + big pinch savory + salt + pepper ++++ ½ Arnold Multi-Grain Sandwich Thin OR a 4” circle cut from whole-grain bread ++++ 1.5 oz carrots ++

If the rabbit is uncooked: Cut it into bite-sized pieces and quickly cook in a saute pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Remove the meat. Chop and cook the mushrooms in non-stick spray, but do not evaporate all of the liquid they give off. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and the stock to the pan along with the mushroom juices and ¼ cup water. Simmer to cook the onions. Whisk in the potato starch and the seasonings. Continue to whisk over heat until the potato starch is dissolved. Cook at a simmer until the liquid measures ¼ cup and is thickened. Add the rabbit meat, ham, and the mushrooms. Simmer for a few minutes and taste for seasonings. Pour and scrape into an oven-proof dish. Top with the Sandwich Thin. Bake at 350 F for15 minutes. Cook the carrots. Plate the meal by first putting the Sandwich Thin on the plate, then covering it with the rabbit-mushroom mixture. Pour any extra liquid so that it is soaked up by the bread. Plate the carrots to complete the meal.

The Grange

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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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Have you heard of The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry? Probably not, but you might recognize its common name: The Grange. The name is from the French word for “barn”, a necessary outbuilding on every farm. The Grange was formed following a tour of the American South by a commissioner tasked by President Andrew Johnson to look into agricultural practices on small farms. Oliver Kelley visited farms in the former Confederate States and also in the territories and new states of the Midwest. He was horrified by farmers’ lack of knowledge about ‘progressive agriculture’. Kelley thought that if there were a national organization of farmers, that they could trade information and best practices to improve farm output and profits. Through the work of likeminded people, Grange #1 was established in Fredonia, New York on December 4, 1867. The group went national in 1873, setting up an office in the nation’s capital. From its start, the Grange was egalitarian, recognizing the work of women and teenagers on the farm. Every Grange was required to have at least four women among its elected officials, and teenaged boys ‘old enough to push a plow’ were permitted to join. Grange members not only promoted modern farming, they were a major part of the social fabric of the town. They sponsored patriotic celebrations, summer lawn parties, community suppers, and theatrical performances. Eventually, as forms of entertainment became more available and family farms became fewer, the Grange was no longer the sole way to meet people or to spend leisure time and membership dwindled. Today there are still around 2100 Granges in 37 states. We will always need farmers.

Our meals are from the garden and the hen house, just the right food for a Grange member.

Leek & Tomato ScrOmelette: 153 calories… 7.4 g fat… 3 g fiber… 10.4 g protein… 12 g carbs… 73 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Eggs taste great — leeks and tomatoes always make them even better.

++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.++++ 1 oz tomato++++ 0.35 oz leeks, sliced and cooked++++ pinch garlic powder++++ 2 pinches basil++++ 1 clementine OR 2 oz apple++++ 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]++

Dice the tomatoes and put them in a pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Add salt and the basil, and cook until warm. Add the cooked leeks along with the garlic powder. Whisk the eggs and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Cook to your liking: as a scramble or as an omelette. Plate with the fruit, serve the beverages of your choice, and enjoy a fine day.

Gazpacho: 171 calories… 6.5 g fat… 2.4 g fiber… 14 g protein… 14.6 g carbs… 57.6 mg Calcium…  PB GF– if using GF croutons This is from Craig Claibourne’s Gourmet Diet cookbook from 1980. We used to make this, then it fell out of the repetoire. Time to re-embrace this classic Summer soup.  HINT: Serves 3 [three]. Makes a fine follow-up lunch. 


++1 pound red ripe tomatoes ++++ 1 tsp minced garlic ++++ ½ cup diced onion++++½ cup green or red pepper in ½” dice ++++ ½ cup cucumber, diced ++++ 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar ++++ 1 Tbsp olive oil ++++ ¼ cup tomato juice ++++ generous grinds of black pepper + pinch piment d’Esplette OR Aleppo pepper OR cayenne pepper ++++  garnish per serving: 2 oz shrimp, peeled, cooked, cut in ½“ pieces ++++ ¼ oz whole-grain croutons ++


Core and dice the tomatoes. Put them into a blender. Add the next seven ingredients in order. Put the spices on top and turn the blender on to medium speed. When you are finished, all the ingredients should be mixed throughout but there should still be chunks of vegetables. Measure 1 cup of the soup into each bowl and top with the garnishes and a pinch of finishing salt. Just what we need in the Summer.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large1.5 two-oz eggs  + Parmesan cheese
applesauce + chives/scallionstomato sauce + bell pepper
3%-fat ham + sagegarlic + parsley
part-skim ricotta + Dijon mustardpiment d’Esplette + apple or pear
optional smoothieoptional smoothie
optional hot beverageoptional hot beverage

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

3 oz rabbit meat + portobello mushroomsBay scallops + sun-dried tomatoes — not in oil
ham + onions + carrotparsley or basil + butter
chicken stock + herb savory + thymeolive oil + garlic
Arnold Sandwich Thin  or slice 70-calorie breadred lentil pasta + lemon juice
Sparkling waterSparkling water

End of an Empire

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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.

Hülegü locks the Calif in a cell filled with gold.

For 500 years, the Abbasid Caliphate had been living the good life. Initially, the Persians were followers of Zoroaster, and they were part of many empires – from the Greeks to the Parthians. In 651 CE, Persia came under the influence of Muslim Arabs. Their capital at Bagdad, founded in 762 CE, saw a flowering of intellect, attracting scholars, poets, artists, astronomers, and the top medical minds of the era. There were some periods of instability as various strong men vied for rule, but on the whole the Abbasid Caliphate preside over the Golden Age of Islam. Meanwhile, far to the East, the Mongols were riding rough-shod over the landscape. Literally. Hülegü, grandson of Ghengis Khan, had been assigned to invade the Persian Empire. So he did. In January of 1258, his army besieged Bagdad. There had been an exchange of letters previously, Hülegü threatening to sack the city if they did not surrender [“I will not leave a single person alive in your country, I will turn your city, lands and empire into flames.”], and the Calif al-Musta’sim thinking it was just trash talk. On February 10, the Mongol horde took the city. A few days later, the sacking began. Some estimates say that 2 million citizens were killed, but Hülegü admitted to only 200,000. The Mongols went on to threaten Eastern Europe while Bagdad rebuilt. Today it is the capital of Iran. Time to reread Oyzamandius by Shelley.

Our breakfast is based on favorite Persian flavors. Our dinner would have been favored by the conquering Mongols.

Jeweled Rice: 228 calories… 4.2 g fat… 0.3 g fiber… 6 g protein… 39.3 g carbs… 8 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the main meal only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF  Ancient Persians adored rice, and nuts grew abundantly on the hillsides. Let’s combine them for breakfast a Persian would love. The glistening honey-coated nuts give this meal its name and its flavor.

++ ½ c cooked brown rice ++++ 1 oz nut-honey mix, such as Buram brand ++++  Optional: blackish coffee  [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] ++

Take the rice off the hob or warm it, if pre-cooked. Warm the nut-honey mix, and stir to blend with the rice. Prepare hot beverage of choice and be transported back to Islam’s Golden Age.

Cod for the Khan: 223 calories… 2.4 g fat… 6 g fiber… 24.6 g protein… 28 g carbs… 176 mg Calcium…  PB GF This meal is based on ingredients from a Mongol Carp Soup. Instead of boiling, the fish is pan-cooked and it tastes good.

Marinated Cod: ++ 4 oz cod fillet ++++ ¼ tsp brown pepper, ground ++++ ¼ tsp coriander seed, ground ++++ 1½ tsp onion, chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp Chinese wine or sherry ++ >>>> Stir together the spices, onion, and wine in a glass pie plate. Marinate the cod, turning often, for 30-60 minutes.

The Dinner: ++ marinated cod ++++ 1 cup foraged greens: dandelion leaves, chickweed, chives, sheep-sorrel, spinach ++++ ¼ cup onion, chopped ++++ ¼ cup brown rice, cooked ++++ 1 Tbsp chives, chopped ++++ splash of vinegar ++ >>>> Spray a small cast iron pan with cooking spray and add the cod. Cook over medium for 4 minutes, turning to heat both sides. Pour in the marinade, cover, turn down heat and cook for 6-7 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillet. Chop the greens roughly. Put onion in a small pan with ¼ cup water and simmer until transluscent. Add the greens, turn down heat, cover, and simmer to wilt the greens. Heat the cooked rice and stir in chives. Test fish to see if it ‘flakes’ [when a fork is brushed over the side of the fish, the meat comes off in flakes]. Salt to taste and add a splash of vinegar. Plate the fish with the rice and greens, pouring extra pan juices over the fish and rice.  Don’t get delusions of ruling the world.