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.

Imagine this: Immigrants from another country arrive.  They settle illegally, with economic gain as their goal. They don’t learn the language or culture and they murder some of our people, and steal from us. Then more and more arrive.  What would your reaction be?   This was 1607, in coastal Virginia, and the alien people were Englishmen. Tomorrow will mark a grim episode of American history, and how you feel about it depends on which “side” you are on.   The solution for the native population?   In 1622, the Powhatan natives massacred 347 residents of settlements around Jamestown.  I am NOT recommending this as a solution to any problem.  The native people soon dwindled, due to disease or killing or assimilation, and yet their agricultural products remained and became important in our daily life.

Our foods today will represent the 3 Sisters, mainstays of the diet of First Nations people: corn, beans, and squash. The sophistication of this diet is as remarkable as the ingenious farming techniques employed to grow it.  Breakfast features pumpkin and maple syrup, two foods which the natives of the North-East introduced to the Europeans. Dinner is the meal who’s name was made famous by President Reagan and Daffy Duck, but here it is in its original form [not a side dish].

10-Grain Pumpkin Pudding:   277 calories   7.6 g fat   6.8 g fiber   12.8 g protein   41 g carbs [33 g Complex Carbs]   249.4 mg Calcium  PB   The delicious, nutty grains in the cereal seemed to call out for pumpkin and spices, and here’s the result. This recipe is easily prepared the night before and refrigerated for a quick and delicious breakfast.

4 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal Mix                                   ¾ cup water                                                                                                                                                                 1 Tbsp ricotta cheese, reduced fat                                                        1 Tbsp pumpkin puree, canned or fresh                                                                                                         1 tsp maple syrup                                                                nutmeg + cinnamon                                                                                                                                              ½ oz raspberries, fresh or frozen                                                          1 Tbsp pecans, chopped                                                                                                                                      optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or green smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                                   optional: nearly-black coffee or tea; or lemon in hot water.

Cook the cereal with the water for about 8 minutes on the stove. HINT: do this the night before to save time in the morning. Stir in the cheese, pumpkin, syrup, and spices. Pour into a microwave-safe ramekin. HINT: you could get this all done and put it in the ‘fridge until morning. Brew the hot beverage and prepare the smoothie. Microwave the ramekin for no more than 1 minute. Plate with the fruit and sprinkle the nuts on top of the hot cereal. Ridiculously easy for a meal so satisfying.

‘Original’ Succotash:  270 calories  2.6 g fat  9.3 g fiber   18 g protein  50 g carbs [all Complex] 71 mg Calcium  PB GF  The Mystic Seaport Cookbook contains many quaint and curious old recipes. What follows is my combination of two of them. It is ‘original’ because it gets us back to what succotash once was and because it is my own version. HINT: This recipe makes 3 cups of succotash, which could be 3 servings.

½ cup lima beans [Green Giant frozen Fordhook                                        ½ cup green/snap beans                                                                                                                                                 ½ cup corn kernels                                                       ¼ cup canned navy beans                                                                                                                                      2 oz corned beef [New England-style is grey because it contains no nitrates]                                                                               1 slice corn mush aka: polenta [see SIDEKICKS II Oct 4, ’17]                                                                                                    sage, pepper, salt to taste [mind that the corned beef might be salty]

Cook the vegetables until they are tender. Drain the cooking water and reserve ½ cup. Mash the navy beans and whisk into ¼ cup vegetable water. Put all vegetables and the meat into a pan along with the mashed beans. Add sage and pepper to taste and more vegetable broth if you wish. If it needs more salt, add it too. In a non-stick pan, saute the corn mush on each side until it is warm. Start with one cup as it could be very filling.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

Dinner, single portion: