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.

As the 1700s turned into the 1800s, something religious was in the air as the Second Great Awakening took place. In the USA, a revival of religiosity bubbled up as new religious groups formed. One of these was the Seventh Day Adventists. James and Ellen Harmon White founded the movement officially in 1863, after some 20 years of visions and meetings with similarly-minded groups. Among the 28 tenants of their faith were the belief that there was a constant state of war between God and Satan; that main-stream churches were not hewing closely enough to God’s will as stated in the Bible; that the Sabbath, the day of rest and worship should be Saturday, not Sunday; and that there will be a literal return or advent of Jesus at which time the faithful will be raised to heaven. Part of living a life as described in the Bible has to do with eating a ‘clean’ diet. Their literature states: “…we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well.” Although the Adventists began in Maine and later moved to Michigan, the administrative heart of the church is in Loma Linda, California where they founded a university and medical center. Today there are more than 18.7 million members worldwide. 40% of them say that they are vegetarians.

For co-founder James White’s birthday on August 4, 1821, a breakfast of vegetables and eggs is appropriate. For dinner, many vegetables in a curry sauce with whole-grain bread and a vegetarian option.

Vegetable-Chevre ScrOmelette: 140 calories 9 g fat 1.5 g fiber 11.6 g protein 6.5 g carb 71 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  Take advantage of the goodness of vegetables and use up some left-overs at the same time! Win-win.

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 to store in the ‘fridge for next week.  1½ tsp chevre [goat cheese], the creamy kind ¼ cup mixed, cooked, chopped vegetables  HINT: prepare extra vegetables at dinner on Wednesday or Sunday and save for this meal the following Fast Day  salt, pepper, herbs of your choice 1½ oz strawberries OR 2 oz apple  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]

Chop the cooked vegetables. Spritz a fry pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and stir the vegetables until they are warm. Whisk the eggs with the cheese and pour into the pan, stirring to mix with the vegetables. Cook to your liking, fold and plate with the fruit. Pour your beverages and have a great day.

Chicken Curry: 277 calories 4.5 g fat 6.4 g fiber 17 protein 37.4 g carbs 81 mg Calcium  PB GF Curry is always a favorite and Craig Claiborne made it safe for dieters in his book Gourmet Diet.

¾ cup curry sauce**  1½ oz carrot rounds ½ cup cauliflower florets 1½ oz cooked chicken breast, cut in ½” dice or smaller OR ¼ cup boiled yellow lentils 3 Tbsp peas 1 Naan bread 92-calorie, 1/12 of recipe, made with white whole wheat flour ¼ cup diced cucumber ¼ cup diced tomatoes

**CURRY SAUCE:  makes 3 cups  1 cup onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced ½ cup celery, chopped 1 cup apple, peeled, and diced 1-2 Tablespoons curry powder ¾ tsp dry mustard 1 bay leaf 3 cups fish OR chicken stock OR vegetable stock ½ cup water Spritz a sauce pan twice with cooking oil and add 2 Tbsp water. Saute the onion, garlic, celery, and apple until soft. Sprinkle the curry and mustard on top. Stir in the bay leaf, stock, and water. Simmer to cook down until it measures 3 cups.

Steam or boil the carrots and cauliflower. Boil the lentils or warm the naan. Warm the sauce, add the chicken, peas, cooked carrots and cauliflower and heat. Taste for seasonings. Plate with the lentils/naan and top with cucumbers and tomatoes.

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

1 two-oz egg	1.5 two-oz eggs
1 slice 70-calorie whole-grain bread	cabbage + codfish
buttermilk	cumin + salsa verde
strawberries	arugula + applesauce
Optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

Tuna + canned white beans + olive oil	One 170 calorie whole wheat fajita-style tortilla
feta cheese + tomato + red bell pepper	tomato puree + red onion
black olive + hard-boiled egg + baby greens	red or orange bell pepper + mozzarella
Lemon juice + herbes de Province + garlic powder	mushrooms + spincah, cooked or frozen
Sparkling water	Sparkling water