How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

As we move toward Summer at 42 degrees North latitude, the sun is out longer and everyone is more cheerful. And active, too.  Take advantage of your time to get some exercise.  You don’t have to become a Gym Rat, just walk everyday.  Then you’ll have more energy for more gardening, or spring cleaning, or your job, or your family.  Go on: get out there!

Cottage Breakfast:   278 calories      3.8 g fat      4.8 g fiber      10.2 g protein    24 g carbs        181 mg Calcium PB    If you have the griddlecakes made ahead of time [I keep some already made in the freezer], then this meal comes together in no time flat.

1 griddlecake  [2 Tbsp batter from 10-grain muffins*]   HINT: I prepared 8 griddlecakes from the Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain muffin batter, cooked them, and froze them. I made the rest into muffins to eat on Slow Days.                                                                                                                           ½ c. strawberries   with a dollop of cottage cheese                                                                                                                                                      1 slice Canadian bacon  [‘back bacon’ to the non-USA readers]                                                                                                                                              5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                   blackish coffee, blackish tea, or lemon in hot water

Take one griddlecake from the freezer the night before and let it thaw. Cook the Canadian bacon in the microwave or warm it in a non-stick pan along with the griddlecake. Dish the berries, brew the hot beverage, pour the smoothie. What a sweet and easy meal.

*10-Grain Muffin Batter: 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain hot cereal mix                                          1 and 1/4 cup buttermilk                                                                                                        [combine cereal + milk and let sit while preparing other ingredients]                                              1/3 cup butter        7 Tbsp sugar         1 cup unbleached flour                                                         1 tsp salt         1 tsp baking powder         1 tsp baking soda                                                         Cream the butter and sugar; mix in the egg.                                                                                 Add the dry ingredients and the cereal/milk mixture.                                                                      Stir until just combined.                                                                                                                Use 2 Tbsp batter for each griddlecake                                                                                         [use 4 Tbsp batter to make each muffin for Slow Days]

Egg-Tomato Gratin:    293 calories     10.4 g fat     5 g fiber    18 g protein    21 g carbs      226 mg Calcium PB GF Jacques Pepin, in his book Fast Food My Way, tells about this family recipe. HINT: The recipe serves two. Invite a friend or save for lunch.

3 hardboiled eggs, peeled and sliced or cut into 6 wedges                                                                        3 oz onions, sliced                                                                                                                                                        2 tsp garlic, chopped                                                                                                                                           1 tsp dried thyme + 1 tsp salt + ½ tsp pepper                                                                                                 1/3 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                                   10 fluid oz of tomatoes, drained [save the juice]                                                                                               1 oz Swiss cheese or Gruyère, grated                                                                                                                 2 oz broccoli

Arrange the eggs on the bottom of a 3-cup baking dish. Cook the onions and garlic in some of the tomato juice, about 3 minutes. Add seasonings, tomatoes and the remaining juice. If tomatoes are in large chunks, crush with a fork. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer covered for 4 minutes. Pour over the eggs and sprinkle with the cheese. Take 10 minutes at 400 degrees F., then broil 2-3 minutes to brown the top.