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

Our second son’s birthday will be tomorrow, so we will celebrate with foods that he would like.  When he was about 3 years old, he loved to eat mushrooms, to the amazement of most adults. [We used to call him ‘Mr. Mushroom’ — he was such a fun guy.]  So we’ll start the day with mushrooms and eggs.  All grown up, he loves to prepare a wide variety of foods.  So for dinner we’ll serve an old family favorite: Sauerkraut mit Wurst.

Ham & Mushroom ScrOmelette   279 calories      9.9 g fat    3.9 g fiber   16.7 g protein   29 g carbs   245 mg Calcium    GF if you eliminate the bread

1 ½ 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.                                                                 1/2 oz mushrooms, chopped                                                                                                                              1/4 oz ham [from a roast; if you use 3%-fat ham from deli, the fat will be reduced]                               1/4 cup raspberries OR 2 oz applesauce                                                                                                             ½ slice 70-calorie multi-grain bread OR ¼ of an Arnold Sandwich Thin [optional]              blackish coffee or tea or lemon with hot water                                                                                         nb: no smoothie today

Chop the ham and mushrooms and combine. HINT: I did this the night before. Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the ham/mushroom combo and stir to heat and cook the mushrooms, if raw. Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan, stirring to distribute the ham/mushrooms. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Dish up the fruit, toast the sandwich bread, brew your hot beverage. What a treat!

Sauerkraut and Sausage:   255 calories   5.7 g fat   12.6 g fiber   21.3 g protein   33.5 g carbs  196.4 mg Calcium   GF PB   German food is often thought to be heavy and suitable only for winter. Here the sauerkraut is lightened with applesauce and if you wanted to, you could grill the sausage.

1.5 cups sauerkraut, canned or bagged or fresh                                                                                            2 tsp caraway seed                                                                                                                                                               2 oz applesauce, unsweetened                                                                                                                         1/2 cup onions, chopped coarsely                                                                                                                              1 Dakin Farm cob-smoked chicken sausage with apple [OR any other sausage with 110 calories] left whole or sliced into ½” chunks                                                                                               1.5 cups raw collard greens, chopped or sliced cross-wise in 1/4” strips [chiffonade]                     salt,  garlic powder, and pepper to taste.

Thaw the sausage if it is frozen. Combine the sauerkraut, caraway seed, applesauce, and onions in a saucepan large enough to hold the sausage [if leaving whole]. Cook slowly, uncovered until half of the liquid is gone. Add the sausage, cover, and continue to cook until everything is hot. Meanwhile, put the collards into ½ cup water with seasonings, and cook covered until the greens are tender, about 10 minutes.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

Dinner, single portion: