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 Go Heathy Eating and Evelyn D. Greene and ujaechpfmbmqy2k who are now Following. 

We went to bed on December 11, 2008, with forecasters predicting rain and freezing rain overnight. We woke at 4 am, listening to ice tik-tikking against the windows and slithering off the White Pine trees to tinkle to the ground. At 4:30 am, a pine limb jolted us out of bed as it crashed through a skylight in the kitchen. Hours later, after sawing apart the limb and tacking a large trash bag over the gaping window [and mopping the water and sweeping the broken glass], the reality of our situation revealed itself: the inches of ice on the trees had brought many to the ground, bringing down power lines all over Northern New England. Within those few hours, we had been yanked out of the 21st century and propelled back to the 18th century: no electric lights, no indoor plumbing [the well pump runs on electricity], no central heating, no refrigerator or freezers. For us, this lasted for 10 days. We coped pretty well. Heat came from 2 wood stoves; we hauled water from the stream to flush toilets; melted snow for water for washing dishes; covered the freezers with blankets and moved refrigerator food to boxes on the back porch. Life went on. It was an adventure for us, a life-threatening problem for others. When we started our Pandemic State of Emergency in March, 2020, it made me think of the Ice Storm days — we were on our own, not going anywhere, not seeing anybody. Gosh we were glad when the power came on again! Now, in the winter, when the meteorologist predicts freezing rain overnight, people still get a little nervous….and check the flashlight batteries.

Our meals for the Ice Storm Anniversary could easily be cooked on the wood stove, using ingredients that might be on hand in a thawing refrigerator. In case you are wondering: yes, one puts the food in a pot or saute pan — not directly on the metal of the stove.

Creole ScrOmelette: 154 calories 8.5 g fat 0.9 g fiber 16.7 g protein 7.5 g carbs [6.5 g Complex] 72.5 mg Calcium   NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  James Beard’s comprehensive volume American Cooking was the source of this recipe. It is amazing!

1½ 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 and put it in the ‘fridge for next week.  1 Tbsp diced tomatoes or 1 Tbsp tomato puree 1 Tbsp minced onion 2 Tbsp green bell pepper, diced 1 Tbsp diced bacon ½ Tbsp mozzerella cheese, grated pinch file powder + pinch chile powder   ½ oz pear  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water  Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

HINT: dice all the vegetables and bacon the night before to save time in a.m. Spritz a saute pan with non-stick spray and add the chopped veg and bacon. Add the seasonings. Saute until beginning to brown. Whisk the eggs and pour them over the cooked ingredients. Sprinkle the cheese on top and scramble the eggs until done as you like them. Plate with portioned pear and your beverages of choice. Off to a tasty start.

Ham & Cheese Street Crepes: 272 calories 9 g fat 2.4 g fiber 21 g protein 25 g carbs 212 mg Calcium  NB: The photo shows a meal for 2 [TWO]. The recipe below is for one serving. This is the familiar street-vendor lunch in Paris, except that the food values will not break the bank on a Fast Day. Very quick and easy to prepare, especially if you had made the crêpe batter before and have it thawed out. HINT: can be prepared in advance and rewarmed later. Good for traveling or planning ahead.

2 crêpes  1 wedge “Laughing Cow” [Vache Qui Rit] cheese at room temperature 2 oz sliced deli ham ½ oz deli sliced Swiss cheese 2 oz tomatoes 

Cook the crepes on both sides. Remove to a work surface. Spread the Laughing Cow cheese on one half of each crêpe. Lay the ham on the cheese side of each crêpe and top with the Swiss cheese slices. Fold in half. Heat a heavy skillet, adding maybe a spritz or 2 of non-stick spray. Lay the folded crêpes on the hot skillet to heat one side, then flip to heat the other side. You want the cheese to get melty. Fold each crêpe once more into tidy triangles, and push down on them with the turner to flatten them. Plate them with the tomatoes and voilà!

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

1.5 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs  + tomato
feta cheese	bacon + onion + green pepper
cottage cheese + oregano	mushrooms
apple or applesauce	paprika + pear
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

hake + olive oil	bison or venison meat
garlic + sugar + onion	chicken breast meat + asparagus
red wine + whole tomatoes	white whole wheat flour
feta cheese + side salad	egg + fresh bread crumbs
Sparkling water	Sparkling water