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 Melissa who is now Following.

While researching my mother’s French genealogy, I came across my 16th great-grandfather, Jean d’Harcourt, who died on August 26, 1346 at Crecy, France.  Curious, I discovered the facts around the deadly Battle of Crecy. [If you were a fan of the Ken Follett book series Pillars of the Earth (TV series, too), you would know about this battle.] In a dispute over land now in France but held by English Edward III, the armies of the two nations met near Crecy in Normandy. [I suggest you watch the video cited in that last sentence] The English were terribly outnumbered but they had a new weapon of mass destruction: the long bow. With its greater range and speed of use, the English cut down the French cavalry, as well as their cross-bowmen. By the end of the battle, the English had won, against all odds, and the Hundred Year’s War was well and truly begun.

“Crecy” is sometimes spelled “Cressy” and so it makes me think of watercress. August is a fine time to harvest this peppery herb, and to make a versatile sauce which goes well in eggs or as a soup or as a sauce. The Battle of Crecy was a dreadful loss of lives. Having Watercress Sauce in your freezer can be a ‘life-saver’ in the kitchen.

Watercress ScrOmelette: 291 calories   8 g fat  2.5 g fiber   16 g protein  34.4 g carbs  235 mg Calcium  PB GF  Having Watercress Sauce in the freezer in handy cubes sure makes this meal a snap. And is it good!

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 Watercress Sauce [see Sidekicks II, 4 October’2017], well drained                                                   ½ Tbsp ricotta, drained HINT: I set these ingredients out to drain through a fine sieve the night before to make sure there was no extra liquid.                                                                                        1/8 tsp dry mustard                                                                                                                                               1.5 oz peach                                                                                                                                                     optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water                                                                                   optional: 5-6 oz green smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie

Combine the drained watercress, drained cheese with the mustard. Whisk in the eggs and cook in a hot saute pan spritzed with olive oil or non-stick spray. Cook the way you like them and plate with the peaches. Pour the beverages and enjoy the summer taste of watercress all year long.

Watercress Soup: 157 calories 5.4 g fat 3 g fiber 8.4 g protein 22 g carbs [19 g Complex] 63.5 mg Calcium  PB GF Jacques Pepin’s Good Life Cooking is the source of this recipe. The stream that flows to the beach is the source of our watercress. So low in calories, you might want to add some Finn Crisp crackers for filling fiber or the Caprese Salad for more protein. HINT: This recipe makes 5 cups of soup which serves 4-5 people.

2 tsp canola oil 4 oz [weight, not volume] watercress leaves and tender stems 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped 2 cups onion, coarsely diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2-1/2 cups good stock – vegetable/chicken/beef ¾ tsp salt 10 oz [weight, not volume] potatoes, peeled, cut in 2” chunks 2 oz [weight, not volume] sweet potato, peeled and cut in chunks per serving: 1 Tbsp chevre cheese  Optional: Caprese Salad– 46 calories 2 g fat 0.6 g fiber 4 g protein 2.6 g carbs 115.6 mg Calcium PB GF ½ oz mozzerella cheese, thinly sliced + 2 oz tomato, thinly sliced and sprinkled with salt + fresh basil leaves There should be equal numbers of cheese slices and tomato slices. Arrange the cheese, tomato, and basil in overlapping layers on the plate.  Optional: Hard-boiled Egg — 70 calories 5 g fat 0 g fiber 6 g protein 0.4 g carbs 28 mg Calcium  PB GF Cut a hard-boiled egg lengthwise in quarters and nestle into the plated soup.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the cress, celery, onion, and garlic, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Put the stock, salt and potatoes into the pan and bring to a boil. [NB: my stock was very dark, which changed the color of the soup to a darker shade of green] Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool slightly then puree in blender/food processor or with immersion wand. If not thoroughly pureed, run through a sieve. Heat the soup before serving. In the bowl, put the chevre in the center, let it soften a bit, then swirl it into the soup. Serve the salad on the side.