A lot of fictions surround the Equinox: an egg will balance on end; all the forces of nature are in balance; yada-yada.  Most simply, it is the moment on the astronomical calendar when Summer becomes Autumn.  Just for fun on our Fast day, we’ll hark back to the old idea of ‘opposites in balance’ and enjoy meals from two very different and diverse locations: the New Mexico-Texas border and northern Scandinavia.  Why not?

Carne-Green Chili ScrOmelette    289 calories   13.7 g fat     1.9 g fiber   13.6 g protein  18.6 g carbs   59 mg Calcium      GF          The directions below are for an omelette, or as the name ScrOmelette implies, you could scramble it all.

1 ½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                  ½ ounce carne adavado [pork shoulder with hot spices boiled until it falls apart: make ahead and freeze for future use]                                                                                                                        ½ oz roasted green chilies Hatch brand is the best                                                                                      1 and 1/2 oz apple or unsweetened apple sauce                                                                                     black coffee or black tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                             5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie

Whisk the eggs with seasonings to taste. Drain the chilis, if too liquidy, and stir with the carne. Put the eggs into a hot pan spritzed with cooking spray. Once the bottom of the eggs are set, sprinkle with carne and chilis, fold and plate. Slice or dish the fruit, brew beverage, blend the smoothie or take it from the ‘fridge and shake it before serving.

Baltic Bake:   280 cal   5.5 g fat   6.6 g fiber   11 g protein   29 g carbs  75.5 mg Calcium GF Believe it or not, this Fast Day recipe is from the book Two Fat Ladies Obsessions, but it won’t make you fat!   The meal has wonderful Eastern European flavors and is so simple to prepare that I assembled it in 16 minutes!!

1.5 low-fat hot dogs [I like Hebrew National reduced-fat]                                                                        ½ cup canned sauerkraut, drained                                                                                                                                    ¼ c pickled beets, drained                                                                                                                                   ¼ c sliced onions                                                                                                                                                     ½ tsp horseradish                                                                                                                                                   3 Tbsp white beans, drained and rinsed

Put the hot dogs [frozen or thawed] and onions in a saucepan with a little water or some juice from the sauerkraut. Heat until the dogs are cooked and most of the liquid is evaporated. Remove the dogs and add remaining ingredients to the pan to heat. Cut the hot dogs into 5-6 pieces and put them back in the pan until all ingredients are heated through.