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.

On September 3, 1838, Frederick Bailey escaped to freedom. He had been born to an enslaved woman in 1818 on a plantation in Maryland’s Eastern Shore. His mother was separated from him in childhood and he was raised by his enslaved grandmother and free grandfather. As an enslaved child, he was sold, traded, and loaned to various families: one taught him to read, one beat him frequently. Eventually he met a free Black woman, Anna Murray, who helped him to escape. He boarded a train in the guise of a free sailor, traveled through two pro-slavery states, took a ferry boat up river to Philadelphia, and after 24-hours of travel, ended up in New York City. Free. Frederick and Anna married soon after, choosing ‘Douglass’ as their surname. If he hadn’t had enough excitement for one life, Douglass became a pastor, a publisher, a public speaker, a women’s rights advocate, an abolitionist, a social reformer, and statesman. Frederick Douglass was the most photographed person in the 1800s and a tireless worker for the rights of ALL people. He believed that “Right is of no sex, Truth is of no color, God is the Father of us all, and we are all Brethren.” Amen to that.

In trying to decide what recipes to feature today, I vetoed the idea of ‘slave food’ like hoe cakes and salt cod, in favor of the foods of the sort eaten by free, middle-class, educated people of Douglass’ time: watercress would have been served in nice restaurants [certainly in England where he toured and lectured], while ham with oysters is a popular dish of the Chesapeake Bay area from which he escaped.

Watercress ScrOmelette: 150 calories 8 g fat 0.6 g fiber 10.7 g protein 5.4 g carbs 74 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  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 into a jar with a lid to store in the ‘fridge for next week.  ½ Tbsp Watercress Sauce, well drained    ½ Tbsp ricotta, drained  HINT: I set them both 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 mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

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

Ham & Oyster Pie: 256 calories 4.6 g fat 3 g fiber 20.7 g protein 25.5 g carbs 125 mg Calcium  PB GF — if using GF bread   This dish was popular in the Colonial American South at Christmastime. I first enjoyed it in the Fox Tavern  at the Hancock Inn. As long as oysters are available, one can have it anytime. HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two].

3 oz [2/3 cup] roast ham in ½” dice 1 cup/about 19 oysters with their liquid ½ cup onions, chopped ¼ cup milk 2 Tbsp white wine 2 tsp potato starch ½ cup peas, frozen 4 small stars cut from a 70-calorie slice of whole-grain bread, 0.55 oz bread

Drain oysters and reserve their liquid. Combine onion and oyster liquid in a small pan. Simmer, covered, until onions are transluscent. Stir wine, milk, and potato starch into the liquid until it is smooth. Add oysters and ham. Stir and heat over low until sauce has thickened. Add peas, stir, and turn into a two-cup casserole. Bake uncovered at 400 F. for 15 minutes while you lightly toast the stars. Before serving, nestle the stars into the bubbling sauce.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday ……… single portion for Thursday:

1 two-oz egg	tofu + sugar
cepe or porcini mushrooms	strawberries
tomato + prosciutto	banana
Parmesan + peach	plain fat-free yogurt
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

Dinner, single portion for Monday: …….. single portion for Thursday:

3%-fat ham, sliced thinly	two 2-oz eggs + paprika + pickled beets
skimmed milk + 4 eggs	parmesan cheese + Swiss chard
white whole wheat flour	garlic powder + paprika
allspice + thyme + green beans	olive oil optional: sourdough bread
Sparkling water	Sparkling water