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.

One strives for balance and equal treatment… Last week, I told you about a famous temperance leader, and today it will be the ‘patron saint of hangovers’ — Saint Bibiana. She was born and raised in Rome, daughter of well-off Christians. During a persecution in 363, Bibiana’s father was exiled, her mother was beheaded, and her sister dropped dead after confessing her faith. Bibiana, sometimes called Vivian, died a martyr’s death. After she was buried in the family home, along with her mother, the house became a church. From her grave, herbs grew and legend says that a tea made from them would cure a hangover. Why would they think that? In latin, the verb bibere means ‘to drink.’ Perhaps a conflation of her name with the act of drinking too much caused people to consider the one a cure for the other? We can only guess. What were those herbs? Probably Hemp Agrimony, (Eupatorium cannabinum). There is no mention of this plant in herbals as a cure for headache or hangover, or epilepsy, nor will it produce an altered state, since it isn’t related to cannabis. Next time you are foolish enough to drink too much, don’t go crying to Saint Bibiana.

Our breakfast features delicious ingredients of Italy, St Bibiana’s home country — although tomatoes were not available in her time. For dinner, a simple, healthy meal for anyone who feels indisposed: chicken soup.

Mediterranean ScrOmelette: 148 calories 8.4 g fat 1 g fiber 12 g protein 7 g carbs 108.4 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  How can this be SO easy and yet SO delicious? Don’t know, but we will continue to eat it!

1½ 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  3 Tbsp Mediterranean Vegetables, drained + chopped   ¼ oz mozzerella cheese, grated  1½ oz strawberries OR 1 oz applesauce  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]

HINT: the night before, thaw or prepare the Mediterranean Vegetables.  Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the prepared vegetables and stir to heat . Whisk the eggs and pour into the pan, stirring to incorporate the vegetables. Cook to your favorite degree of doneness. Sprinkle the cheese on top while still warm or add to the eggs while still cooking. Dish up the fruit, toast the sandwich bread, brew your hot beverage, and pour the smoothie.

Chicken Noodle Soup:  212 calories 3 g fat 5 g fiber 23 g protein 23 g carbs 105.5 mg Calcium   PB  GF– if using GF noodles If you have some in the freezer already, then this is really easy!  HINT: This makes enough for two servings. Invite a friend or freeze for another easy meal.

3 cups chicken or turkey broth 2 oz chicken white meat, diced or shredded 1 oz broken spaghetti or linguine ¼ c. white beans, drained and rinsed if canned 1.5 oz carrot, diced 1.5 oz green beans, cut into 1” pieces 1 oz Canadian or back bacon, slivered seasonings to taste: salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried sage   Per serving: 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese + generous sprinkling of parsley   Per serving: [optional] 2 Finn Crisp crackers which adds 40 calories 0.5 g fat 2 g fiber 2 g protein 10 g carbs 0 mg Calcium 

Bring the broth to a simmer and cook the noodles until almost tender. If the chicken is raw, throw it in the pot to cook. Add the beans, carrot, green beans, Canadian bacon and seasonings. When heated through, ladle into bowls and top with the cheese and parsley. Yum. Yum.

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

1 two-oz egg, hard-boiled	1.5 two-oz eggs + reduced-fat cottage cheese
3%-fat ham + Jarlsberg cheese	tomato salsa + cooked chicken meat
35 calories whole-grain bread	cumin powder + crushed red pepper
melon or apple	strawberries
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

2# beef chuck/shoulder + onion	Canadian or back bacon + Parmesan
paprika + olive oil	chicken breast meat + Mexican oregano
beef stock + tomato paste	tomato + oil&lemon juice vinaigrette
green beans + optional egg noodles	romaine or other salad greens
Sparkling water	Sparkling water