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: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

On May 17, 1780, a long drought in the Ontario Province of Canada, caused a raging wildfire. In New England, people noticed that the sun had a reddish hue. On May 19, people in New England woke up to a day without a dawn. It was dark and as the morning went on, the sky became even darker. By noon, the sky was inky black, animals went to sleep, candles were lit, and people were very worried. Churches filled, as residents sought reassurance and answers. No real answers were possible. Meterology was not yet an acknowledged field of study. Today, satellite photos would have shown the reason, and TV weather-casters would have told about the clouds of ash from the fires to the West, as occurred last July in Boston. Ministers preached about the Second Coming, schools closed early, and state legislatures considered adjournment. A stalwart Connecticut lawmaker, Abraham Davenport, declared that if the world were to end, he’d rather that it found him doing his job. Poems were composed, sermons were written citing Joel 3, v 14-16, and Matthew 24, v 29-31, and to this day The Dark Day of New England is remembered.

On the Dark Day, some people thought it was the end of the world — or maybe a recurrence the 10 Plagues of Egypt. Thus, we will have a Passover-style breakfast. What would you eat for dinner if the world were going to end that night? This dinner is delicious, special, easy to prepare, and one of our favorites.

Reuben Matzo Egg: 168 calories 10 g fat 1.5 g fiber 14 g protein 18.6 g carbs [2.5 g Complex] 54 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB  The flavors of a Reuben but Kosher for Passover! What’s not to love? Delicious, filling breakfast. The original recipe is from Kosher in the Kitch.

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.   ½ matzo cracker [14 g], like Streit’s brand  ¼ oz corned beef, sliced thinly and minced 2 Tbsp sauerkraut, drained 1.5 tsp Russian Dressing** freshly-ground black pepper  Optional: black coffee with 1 tsp sugar [16 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water  Optional: 4 oz Kosher orange juice [56 calories]

**Russian Dressing  22 calories/1.5 tsp  1 tsp mayonnaise ¼ tsp catsup 1/8 tsp hot sauce 1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce pinch paprika  Whisk everything together.

Whisk the eggs vigorously, then stir in most of the corned beef and sauerkraut. Pour into a non-stick pan which was spritzed with olive oil. Scramble until done to your preference. Carefully break your half of the matzo in two or three pieces. Spread most of the Russian Dressing on the matzo crackers, then top with the eggs. Garnish with remaining corned beef, a dollop of the Dressing, and black pepper.  Delish.

Ham & Asparagus Popover: 300 calories 10 g fat 3.5 g fiber 18.5 g protein 28.5 g carbs 154.6 mg Calcium What a fine way to recycle the components of a Sunday dinner.  HINT: Recipe serves 2 [two] people. Easy to cut in half or to double.

3 oz ham [from a roast, this has 11% fat] 6 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces ½ cup Bechamel sauce  ½ oz Swiss cheese   per person: 1 popover **

** Makes 12 popovers	Recipe from SeriousEats
7 oz shelled eggs 150g all-purpose flour 175g whole milk 2g kosher salt = ½ tsp 25g water = 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp	Combine eggs, flour, milk, water, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until a smooth batter is formed.
	Let batter rest at room temperature, 30 mins or overnight in the ‘fridge. Remove from ‘frige while oven preheats and whisk it.
	Put oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F /230°C.
4 Tbsp butter/beef drippings/lard	Divide fat evenly among wells of one 12-well standard muffin tin. Preheat tin in oven ~10 mins.
	Take tin from oven and divide batter evenly among wells, filling each about ½- way.
	Immediately return to oven and bake until deep brown all over, 18-20 minutes.
	Serve immediately.
	Put left overs in a zipper-lock freezer bag, and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a hot toaster oven before serving.

Snap off the woody ends of asparagus. Slice the spears and cook until tender. Cut ham into ½” chunks. Dice/grate the cheese and add it to the Bechamel sauce in a sauce pan. Warm gently until the cheese melts. Add the ham and asparagus and season to taste.  HINT: This could be done hours in advance. Bake the popovers until puffed and browned but not dry. Heat the ham/asparagus sauce gently while the Popovers bake. Break open popovers and spoon the ham filling over/in it. Very Special.

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

1 two-oz egg + spinach, fresh or frozen	1.5 two-oz eggs
1/2 whole wheat English Muffin [50 calories]	truffle cream
slice of deli ham 3%-fat + nutmeg	blueberries
bechamel sauce w/ cheese
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Foccacio bun: bread + white whole wheat flour	3 oz breaded pork cutlet
capicola ham	beets
truffle cream + sweet potatoes	small red potatoes
Stracciatella cheese or whipped cream cheese	mushrooms
arugula + microgreens
sparkling water	sparkling water