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.

When I was a child, my grandmother’s neighbor had a very Victorian living room. On a pedestal in the corner was a statue of a writhing man, tied to a pillar and studded with arrows. My sister and I couldn’t take our eyes off of it, which worried our mother. It was, of course, Saint Sebastian. His plight was a popular topic for artists. Born in Narbonne, France, his legend says that he joined the Roman Army so he could help Christians who were being persecuted for their faith. When he was discovered doing that, he was shot full of arrows — but he survived, nursed back to health by Saint Irene. When he continued to defy the Romans, he was at last killed for real and not with arrows. The earliest mention of him as a martyr is in 350 CE, only 62 years after his death. Sebastian in art proliferated in the 14th century for several reasons. a] depicting him was an approved way for artists to sculpt or paint the nude male body; b] his recovery from near-death was considered encouraging for Plague victims; c] art-buying patrons became interested in Greek and Roman art which was full of nudes; d] since people didn’t see much nudity, they flocked to see St Sebastian — so much so that in 1592, the Pope cracked down on nudity in art, including poor Sebastian. [One painting of him was said to cause women to sin and men to get certain ideas which the Church frowned upon.] Maybe Sebastian is due for a make-over and revival.

Since the saint was born in southern France, home of Roquefort cheese, our breakfast features bleu cheese. Since Sebastian died pierced with arrows, we will be perverse and eat kabobs for dinner. His Feast Day is January 20.

Bleu Cheese ScrOmelette: 166 calories 10.5 g fat 0.6 g fiber  13 g protein 7 g carbs [5 g Complex] 106 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  GF PB  Bleu cheese is delightful in eggs – do try it this week.

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.   3/8 oz bleu cheese 1 Tbsp fat-free cottage cheese 3 oz applesauce, unsweetened   Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories] or lemon in hot water   Optional: 3 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [44 calories]

Mash the cheeses together with a fork or the back of a spoon. Whisk the eggs and put into a hot pan spritzed with cooking spray. Once the bottom of the eggs are set, dab on the cheese, fold and plate. Portion the applesauce, brew beverage, blend the smoothie or take it from the ‘fridge and shake it before serving. Mmm-yummy!

Lamb Kabobs: 227 calories 6 g fat 5 g fiber 22 g protein 31.4 g Carbs 41 mg Calcium   PB GF  This is so easy and so perfect for summer. It can be prepared in the cold of winter, if you need some summer thoughts and memories

3 oz lamb leg in cubes 1 Tbsp tomato juice OR water granulated garlic + crumbled rosemary 1.5 oz red bell pepper, in 1½” chunks 1.5 oz zucchini, sliced ¾” thick, then cut in quarters 1 oz red onion, cut in chunks ¾ cup Corn-Tomato Salsa***  

***Corn-Tomato Salsa  1.5 cups 1 cup corn kernels 1 cup diced tomato 2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper 2 Tbsp diced red onion 2 Tbsp cider vinegar 1/8 tsp dry mustard 1/8 tsp turmeric ¼ tsp sugar 2 dashes ground cumin 

Combine the tomato juice, garlic, and rosemary with the lamb. Stir to coat and set aside to marinate for 30-60 minutes. Prepare the vegetables and Corn Salsa while the meat sits. Impale the vegetables and lamb chunks on skewers, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan [indoors] or an outdoor grill and cook the kabobs on all sides. The meat will brown and the vegetables will begin to char a bit. Plate with the salsa for a very colorful meal.

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

1 two-oz egg + cooked spinach	1 two-oz eggs
cottage cheese + scallion + nutmeg	korma curry sauce
Manchego or Cheddar cheese	broccoli
garlic powder + strawberries	strawberries
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Tomatoes + zucchini + Parmesan	6 oz whole wheat pizza dough, homemade or purchased
snow peas or sugar snap peas	cepe mushrooms, fresh or reconstituted + Parmesan
olive oil + white mushrooms	cooked spinach + crushed tomatoes
whole wheat small pasta shells	prosciutto + parsley + side salad with beets & cukes
Sparkling water	Sparkling water