There were 3 teenage boys in our apartment complex’s pool this afternoon and they were having quite some fun chasing and pushing each other to the water. They were making lots of noise and being a person who likes quiet (especially in siesta times and in the night), I didn’t appreciate this. But given the fact that USA doesn’t have a law for being quiet during siesta times like Greece does, I simply awaited for them to get bored and leave the pool soon enough.

At some point, they were having so much fun chasing one of the boys that he started shouting while running around “oh, shit… oh, shit…”. An old lady from an apartment close to the pool then shouted at them: “please stop swearing or I will ask the management to throw you out”.

Now, this is where I have a problem with. You see, I don’t mind most common swearing. Saying things like “oh, sh*t”, or “what the f*ck is this?”, or “f*ck this sh*t” I don’t see any problem with it. They are not polite expressions, but they are certainly expressions that express better than any other discomfort about something. Things only get bad if you are swearing at someone specifically and not at a souless thing (except maybe a “kiss my ass”, which in my book can accurately express dismay towards a real asshole).

Personally, I swear like a truck driver in english (not directly at other people, mostly at things and situations), while I don’t swear much in Greek.. One of the reasons for this is because Greek swearings are truly insulting (even the “common” ones). The US swearings don’t hold water against the Greek ones. And this is why I don’t feel bad for swearing in english. Because I have heard worse and have a high point of measurement as to how bad language can become.

This 200 calorie salad is one of my very favorites whether on a diet or not. Highly recommended, especially if you like “insects of the sea” as a vegeterian friend of mine calls all shellfish.

Ingredients (for 1)
* 120gr shellfish with the shell removed: shrimp, calamari rings, scallops, mussels and maybe some baby-octopus (90 cals)
* 130gr of drained Westbrae Natural organic salad beans (100 cals, found at “Whole Foods” store)
* 1 tbspoons of Kraft’s fat-free Zesty Italian salad dressing (8 cals)
* 1 tbspoon of a lemon juice (2 cals)

Execution
1. Boil and cook through the shellfish for a few minutes. Drain and let cool down to room temperature for 5 minutes.
2. Wash the beans and drain. In a salad bowl then place all ingredients and mix well.
3. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Serve cool.

Tip: If you can’t find in your area a bean salad in a can, you can cook the beans by yourself (it won’t be 130 grams uncooked though, you will have to calculate the calories & quantity by yourself in that case). You can use pinto, chickpeas, kidney, black & red beans.

The original Sauerkraut contains lots of fatty meats and it’s ideal as a winter dish high in the mountains, but when on a low-calorie diet you have to make compromises and find substitutes. Here is a version with only 200 calories in it.

Ingredients (for 1)
* Half of a beef or chicken low-fat sausage (35 cals, found packaged at “Whole Foods” store)
* 30gr of “Farmer John” fat-free smoked ham (25 cals, found at Safeway US)
* 1/6th of “Hormel” 3-piece smoked pork (40 cals, found at Safeway US)
* 85gr of a peeled small potato (80 cals)
* 100gr of Safeway’s Sauerkraut in a can (20 cals)

Execution
1. Cut the sausage in 3 parts. Cut the ham in 4 parts. Remove any remaning fat from the smoked pork and cut it in 2.
2. In a pan full of water, boil the potato. Approximately two minutes before it’s ready add all other ingredients. Cook for an extra 2 minutes, then drain everything and serve immediately, hot.

Here is a recipe that while contains lots of ingredients it’s extremely easy to prepare. This dish only has 200 calories and it’s bound to fill you up.

Ingredients (for 1)
* 30gr of “Farmer John’s” fat-free smoked ham (25 calories)
* 30gr of chicken or turkey breast (35 calories)
* 30gr of sirloin beef (35 calories)
* 85gr frozen peas & carrots (50 calories)
* 50gr sliced button mushrooms (10 calories)
* 30gr sliced zucchini (10 calories)
* 3 tbspoons of mexican salsa (10 calories)
* 30gr of a peeled potato (25 calories)
* 1 small chopped onion (5 calories)
* some salt

Execution
1. Wash and cut the three meats in small cubes. Cut the potato in smaller parts too.
2. In a pan place all ingredients, 1/3 cup of water and boil in medium heat. Stir a few times.
3. When all ingredients are cooked through and the tomato sauce is thickened, serve hot.

Tip: You can substitute all three meats with about 100 grams of white non-oily fish. In that case, cook the fish only in the last few minutes of the boiling process.