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.

Even though there are more hours of daylight in the summer, we seem to be too busy to plan a meal and cook the food.  Here are some foods for summer: easy to prepare, easy to eat, easy on the waistline.

Egg McArnold:     283 calories   6.8 g fat  5.6 g fiber    17.7 g protein   35 g carbs [30 g Complex]  249 mg Calcium          The Fasting version of a fast-food favorite.  1 two-oz egg                                                                                                                                                                  1 Arnold-brand multi-grain Sandwich Thin [100 calories]                                                                       ½ oz Canadian Bacon or 1 slice Jones Brand                                                                                                        2 oz grapes                                                                                                                                                 blackish coffee or tea or lemon in hot water

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, adding salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy it with your coffee in a to-go cup and the fruit. But don’t eat in the car – sit down and slowly savor this Fast food.

Strawberry-Chicken Salad: 200 calories  8.3 g fat  4.8 g fiber   16.7 g protein   16 g carbs   110 mg Calcium  PB GF   Sometimes you go through the recipe drawer and look at all the clippings and photocopies, and wonder, “Where did these come from?” This is one of those recipes, but I think it might be from Eating Well.   It is as delicious as it is lovely to look at.

2 oz [½ cup] cubed cooked chicken breast                                                                                                  ½ cup sliced strawberries                                                                                                                                      ¼ cup kiwi, peeled and sliced                                                                                                                            1.5 cups fresh spinach                                                                                                                                             1 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted                                                                                                                               1.5 tsp poppy seed dressing*** OR a red wine vinegar dressing with poppy seeds + a pinch of dried mustard added

***Poppy Seed Dressing –      2 tsp red wine vinegar                             1 Tbsp olive oil                         pinch salt                                     ½ tsp dried mustard                                                                                         1 tsp poppy seeds                        Whisk together vigorously.                                                                     NB: there will be dressing left over.

Toss 1 and a half tsp of dressing with the spinach. Toast the almonds in a heavy dry skillet on the stove-top until just starting to brown. Plate the greens and arrange the chicken and fruit on top. Sprinkle with the nuts. A real hit in our family.

Here are the ingredients you will need for next week’s meals:                                          breakfast, portion for one

dinner, portion for two