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.

Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers. Bogey & Bacall.  Roy & Dale.  These couples were meant to be together. Today would have been my parents’ 75th wedding anniversary.  They were devoted soul-mates and so I continue my series of foods that go with other foods.  Whether you are Fasting or enjoying a Slow Day, these foods, like my parents, are good sidekicks.

CHILI NON CARNE:  HINT: This is enough for 4 one-cup servings OR two 1.5 cup servings with 1 cup left over. Prepare it for dinner or use it for breakfast: Tostadas, Chili-chili Eggs.                                                                                     15-16 oz canned red beans, drained and rinsed                                                                                                   16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced, not drained                                                                       1 cup chopped onion                 1 green pepper, chopped                                                                                          2-3 tsp chili pepper, or more if you like         ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin                                                  Saute the onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the stew is thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. 

COLESLAW: Perfect with hot dogs, burgers, or grilled chicken. Makes ¾ cup                ½ cup chopped cabbage                                  2” carrot grated [makes ¼ cup]                celery seed       2 tsp Mayo Dressing made with olive oil 1.5 tsp cider vinegar pinch                                                                                      Whisk the mayo with the vinegar and toss with the vegetables. Sprinkle with celery seed and refrigerate 2 hours.

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLES: Serve with eggs or folded into crepes. So versatile.                                      2 cups eggplant, peeled & cubed OR 1 and 1/2 cup bell peppers, cubed              1.5 tsp oregano  2 cups tomato, cubed                                                       2 cups zucchini, cubed                 2 cloves garlic                                                                              ½ cup chickpeas, rised and drained            

Prepare all the vegetables, and put them in a saucepan. Simmer, covered, until cooked through. If watery, remove lid and continue to simmer. Add oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and the chickpeas. Use whatever amount you wish for this meal and freeze the remainder in 1/2-cup or 1-cup portions.

POLENTA:   Serve with Chicken and Mediterranean Vegetables                                                  equipment you will need:                                                  >>metal bowl of 1 quart capacity                                                                    >>sauce pan that the bowl will sit on top of, like a double boiler                                                                        >>lid for the bowl OR aluminum foil                                                                                                                        >>5”x 2.5” loaf pan, lined with cling wrap                                                                                                               ingredients: ½ cup skimmed milk                                                                                                                         1 cup water                                                                              ½ cup Polenta corn meal                                                         1 tsp Italian herb seasoning                                                directions: Bring the water and milk to a boil. Pour into the bowl then whisk in the corn meal and continue to whisk until smooth. Cover with the lid or foil. Put hot tap water in the pan and bring to a simmer. Place the covered bowl on the pan of water to cook for 20 minutes, stirring twice. Cook for 30 minutes more, or long enough to make a stiff mush.                                                                                                     Scrape the mush into the lined loaf pan. Cool then refrigerate.  Cut into 6 slices. One for tonight. Wrap and freeze the rest.

WATERCRESS SAUCE:  Terrific as an add-in for egg dishes or sauces.                                                8 oz watercress, rinsed and trimmed of tough stems                                1 medium-large onion       1 tsp olive oil                                                                                 1 cup vegetable stock

Put the onion in a food processor and run until completely chopped. Warm oil over medium heat and cook onions for 10 minutes or until softened. Process the watercress until finely chopped. Add to the onion and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Run through the food processor one more time.  Serve immediately or cool and store. I froze it in ice-cube trays and got about 18 cubes. The cubes were put in a bag for future use: .

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
1/2 oz smoked salmon	marinara sauce  + marinated mushrooms
leek	capers + black olive
dab of low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt	blueberries
dill weed + lemon juice
Whatever you need for your smoothie	Whatever you need for your hot beverage
Whatever you need for your hot beverage	Whatever you need for your smoothie

Dinner, single portion:

Cooked salmon	3.5 oz chicken breast
medium cucumber	¼ cup marinara sauce
watercress sauce [27 Sept 2017]	Fresh bread crumbs
Dijon mustard  +  leek	Parmesan cheese
4-bean salad [17 Sept 2017]	Mozzerella cheese + cottage cheese
	Baby greens + carrot + vinaigrette
Sparkling water	Sparkling water