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.

“Rustic” has several connotations.  As an adjective, it means ‘typical of the countryside’ .  As a noun, it is a slighting implication that a person is uncultured and a little slow. Think of Shakespeare’s ‘Rustics’ who stage a play in MidSummer Night’s Dream.  ‘Rustic furniture’ is fashioned from unfinished wood or in woodland themes. ‘Rustic decor‘ comes in and out of style. Stonework which is ‘rusticated‘ is rough-hewn.  Rustic food, on the other hand, can make your mouth water.  The thought of a well-stocked picnic basket is enough to warm the heart of Yogi Bear or The Water Rat. Marie Antoinette played at being a shepherdess and Manet’s Déjeuner sur l’Herbe glorifies the idea of a <fete champetre>, tho’ I do hope the woman puts her clothes on before going home! Let’s celebrate rustic foods for breakfast and dinner. If warm enough, eat outside.

Rustica Scromelette:   292 calories  8.9 g fat  1.4 g fiber  16 g protein   33 g carbs  270 mg Calcium   PB GF   One of our favorite dinners for a Slow Day is Pasta Rustica. So why not enjoy those flavors at breakfast? The cheese, the herbs, and the eggs combine with a real WOW in the morning.

1 ½ two-oz eggs 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, crack three 2-oz eggs into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                     ½ Tbsp crushed tomatoes                                                                                                                                               ½ Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese                                                                                                                          1/8 oz mozzerella, chopped                                                                                                                               1/3 oz onion, chopped                                                                                                                                            ¼ clove garlic, minced or pressed basil + oregano + salt + hot pepper flakes                             HINT: I combined the tomato, cheeeses, herbs and spices the night before. You can also prepare the melon beforehand.                                                                                                                         1 oz melon                                                                                                                                                         blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                             5-6 oz green smoothie or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the prepared onion and garlic and stir to cook briefly . Whisk the eggs with the cheeses and seasonings and pour over the onions in the pan. Scramble to your favorite degree of doneness. Plate the fruit, prepare the beverages. You are in for a treat.

Cottage Pie:   219 calories    7 g fat    1.8 g fiber    21.7 g protein     15 g carbs     35 mg Calcium PB GF Cottage Pie is the beef version of Shepherd’s Pie. The addition of mashed cauliflower is a great trick to lessen the calorie and carb count of mashed potatoes. Some people like this with mashed cauliflower only, but I enjoy the combo for a more authentic taste. HINT: serves 2. Freeze leftovers for another dinner or invite a guest.

1 cup roast beef, ground or minced                                                                                                               1 two-oz egg, separated                                                                                                                                                         ½ cup mashed potatoes                                                                                                                                           ½ cup mashed cauliflower                                                                                                                                        ½ cup beef gravy, as fat free as you can make it                                                                                              2 0z peas OR 1 cup lettuce + ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp lemon juice OR cider vinegar + 1 oz tomatoes

Add the egg yolk and gravy to the beef, along with salt and pepper to taste. Whip the eggwhite until stiff and fold into the mashed vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Put the beef mixture into an oil-spritzed oven-proof dish [2-3 cup capacity] and spread it out evenly. Smooth the mashed vegetables on top and ruffle it with a fork or spoon. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown a bit and the inside is hot. Whisk the oil and lemon juice in a wide bowl, add the lettuce and tomatoes, and toss gently.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

Dinner, single portion: