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.

December 23 is crunch time. House guests are being welcomed, festive foods are being prepared, gifts have to be wrapped, and the air is electric with busyness and expectation. In some parts of Scandinavia it is called Little Christmas Eve. It is a day to wind up all the activities and then to catch your breath. Meals are simple, made more so by a large pot of soup simmering on the stove. What, you’re hungry? Help yourself to soup for lunch and dinner, the cook is off duty for meal-preparation. In our family, most everything is done by then and we can relax in the evening and enjoy each other’s company. Play games, or watch a holiday movie, or read from A Christmas Carol, by Dickens. It might be the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, so plan to be relaxing at home with a comforting bowl of soup. That’s what Little Christmas Eve is all about.

An easy breakfast to remind us of the Solstice, and then a simple soup for supper. Perfect for late December in the Northern Hemisphere.

Winter Solstice Scramble: 152 calories 8.5 g fat 1 g fiber 10.4 g protein 7.5 g carbs 45.4 mg Calcium NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  There is a classic pizza called “Four Seasons.” In each quadrant of the pizza is a vegetable or meat which represents one of the seasons. We take this idea to breakfast for the Solstice: cured olives represent the departing Autumn, while cured meat stands in for the arriving Winter

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 slice pepperoni [ 2” diameter], chopped 1 Kalamata olive, chopped large pinch of Winter Savory + salt + pepper 2 oz pear  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait or lemon in hot water   Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Whisk the chopped meat, olive, and seasonings with the eggs. Pour into into a lightly-spritzed non-stick saute pan and scramble to your liking. Plate with the pear and pour the beverages. You now have a meal prepared in a short time to usher in the shortest day of the year.

Baked Bean Soup: 285 calories 3.5 g fat 8 g fiber 11.4 g protein 32 g carbs 83.4 mg Calcium PB GF  This classic is from Fannie Farmer cookbook and it sure hits the spot. Super easy to prepare. OK, the carb count is high, but look how low the fat is! And baked beans are goodfor you!  HINT: Serve 2 [two].

1 cup baked beans, canned 1/8” slice onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped ¾ cup canned or stewed tomatoes 1½ cup brown stock/beef stock dash hot sauce salt & pepper  optional garnish: ½ hard boiled egg, sliced optional garnish: sliced scallion + diced tomato   optional garnish: lemon slices

Simmer beans, onion, celery, and tomatoes in a covered pan for 30 minutes or until celery is soft. Add brown stock, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and heat through. Run it all through the blender or food processer. Serve with a garnish of your choice. Fast, easy, inexpensive, good.

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

70-calorie whole-grain bread	1.5 two-oz eggs
mixed berries	ground cumin
cottage cheese, lower-fat	paprika
bockwurst	clementine or apple or cherries
	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

2-4 hard-boiled eggs + grainy mustard	Mealie Breads = corn kernels
bechamel sauce, no cheese	cornmeal + white whole wheat flour + egg
frozen chopped spinach + white wine	milk + sugar + paprika + butter
nutmeg + optional sour-dough rye bread	watermelon + chicken breast
Sparkling water	Sparkling water