How this Fast Diet  Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to Food Writer91 who is now Following.

The First Nations people of North America marked time by the full moons. There are 13 in one year and they had a name for each one. This helped them to know where they were in the progression of lunar months. The full moon of June was the ‘Strawberry Moon‘ which shows us how much they looked forward to fresh berries! We should all look forward to fresh, local fruit and use it in season as opposed to supporting the shipping of produce all over the globe. You want the best strawberries? Wait until they are ripe in your locality. Go to a pick-your-own if you can. Work to supply fresh, sustainable food to all people in your area. Today’s meals take full advantage of strawberries in season, at breakfast and at dinner.

Strawberry Crepe: 163 calories 5 g fat 1.9 g fiber 9 g protein 23 g carbs [8 g Complex] 211 mg Calcium  PB Isn’t it a treat to enjoy ‘Strawberries & Cream’ once in a while? If you haven’t made the crepes already, this is a good reason to try them. Mine were ready in the freezer.

1 sweet crepe*** 2 Tbsp ricotta cheese 3 Tbsp vanilla low-fat yogurt 3 oz strawberries, sliced and put in a sieve over a bowl, especially if frozen 1 slice uncured bacon [20 calories] or 1 slice ‘Canadian’ bacon  [15 calories] optional: blackish coffee [53 calories], blackish tea, or hot water with lemon

Stir the ricotta and yogurt together. Add most of the berries, saving some for garnish. If there is a lot of juice, cook it down slowly to make a little syrup. Cook the bacon. Place the crepe on the plate and spoon the cream filling onto it. Fold over the crepe and top with the extra berries and syrup. Plate with the bacon and prepare your hot beverage of choice.

***CREPES, SWEET: makes 16 eight-inch crepes  each = 53 calories 0.8 g fat 1 g fiber 6 g protein 8.5 g carbs 38 mg Calcium

100 g white whole wheat flour 54 g all purpose flour 14 fl oz milk [416 g] 2 tsp vanilla sugar 2 two-oz eggs

Whisk the flour and sugar together. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Add the eggs one at a time. Whisk vigorously until the batter runs off the whisk in ropes. The batter can rest for up to an hour. Heat a small cast-iron pan or ceramic saute pan. Lightlyspritz with oil, then wipe out the pan. Dip a ¼ cup measure into the batter and let the extra drain off. Grasp the handle of the cook pan with one hand as you slowly pour the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan in a swirling pattern to let the batter form a circle roughly 6” in diameter. Don’t get hung up on perfectly round or perfectly flat. Watch the crepe cook and look to see when the edges start to dry and curl a bit. Using a heat-resistant but non-scratching tool [I use my fingers], lift the crepe and turn it over. Cook the other side until done. Time will vary, depending on the heat of your pan. Lift out the cooked crepe, put it aside, and cook the next one. HINT: if storing them for later today or tomorrow, let them cool on a tea towel, then stack and store in a plastic bag. 

Strawberry-Chicken Salad: 200 calories 8.3 g fat 4.8 g fiber 16.7 g protein 16 g carbs [15 g Complex] 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.

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, then arrange the chicken and fruit on top. Sprinkle with the nuts. A real hit in our family.