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.

Fasting is done for health reasons, to lose weight, and more traditionally for religious reasons.  Fasting shows one’s dedication to the religion by doing something that seems so impossible: giving up food.  The season of Ramadan is occurring now from May 15 to June 14, during the 9th month of the Muslim calendar.  Since the calendar is based on the moon, the celebration of Ramadan happens 11 days earlier every year.  Ramadan observes the period of time during which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. People read the Holy Book, attend prayers, enjoy time with their families, and engage in charities.   During the celebration, adults do not eat or drink from sunrise to sundown. Two meals are enjoyed daily, before sunrise and after dark. The purpose of the fast is to focus the mind and gain control over the body.  Many practitioners say that the benefits of fasting last longer than the month itself.  Although the Islamic world stretches all around the globe, our menu is taken from northern Africa.  Eggs are a popular protein source during Ramadan, while lamb and vegetables could typically be part of a proper dinner.

Moroccan Omelette:   273 calories   8 g fat   2.9 g fiber   15.3 g protein  36 g carbs   208.7 mg Calcium   PB GF  Suggested by our First-born, this is the easiest breakfast in the world to prepare. For the compete flavor profile, serve with mint tea.

1 ½ 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, into a jar with a lid and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.                                                                                               1 tsp or more ground cumin                                                                                                                                 5 Bing cherries                                                                                                                                                   MINT TEA, blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                       5-6 oz green or fruit smoothie or unpasturized apple cider

Whisk just the 1.5 eggs vigorously. Pour into a heated skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Turn down the heat and leave undisturbed until puffy and the top is set. Remove from skillet, season to taste with cumin, salt and pepper. Serve folded or flat. Pour the beverages and enjoy the cherries.

Lamb With Mediterranean Vegetables:   295 calories   14 g fat   9.3 g fiber   22 g protein  40.5 g carbs   205.6 mg Calcium   PB GF  Here’s a fine meal, full of complex carbohydrates and good flavor.

1 oz  lamb, ground [raw]  or diced  [cooked]                                                                                                                   1 cup Mediterranean Vegetables [see Sidekicks I, 17 Sept, ’17 ]                                                                               ¼ cup cooked brown rice                                                                                                                                              ½ oz Gruyere cheese, grated

Cook the ground lamb, keeping it in biggish chunks rather than tiny flecks. Pour into a sieve to drain any fat and rinse in hot water. Season the meat well with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Heat the Mediterranean Vegetables TIP: so much easier if they were waiting for you in the freezer. Preparing food ahead is such a good idea. Mix the lamb with the vegetables. Plate the rice, then pour the Lamb/Veg on top. Serve with the grated cheese.

Ingredients for next week: breakfast, single portion

Dinner, single portion: