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. Welcome to strategyninja2023 who is now Following.

In 1859, Charles Darwin published the book that was to change science forever, yet ruin his life: On the Origin of Species. It stated that plant and animal life were not static since the start of time, but changed bit by bit over time evolving into new forms of life. In 1871, he followed it up with The Descent of Man, saying that humans are animals just like any other, and that they too evolved — from a non-human ancestor. Cue the torches and pitchforks! Critics said, “Where is the proof? Where are the fossil remains of an ‘ape-man?” In 1856, fossils were found in the Neander River Valley of Germany that looked human — sort of — except they clearly had an ‘ape-like’ jaw and teeth. This was dubbed the Neanderthal [‘thal’ = ‘valley’ in German] Man. Was this the ‘missing link’ between apes and humans?? The issue was hotly debated for decades. On July 10, 1925, in Dayton, Tennessee, John T. Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution to his high school biology class. [Evolution was an approved part of the state curriculum, although the Butler Act forbad it.] A committee of town leaders had decided that the way to put Dayton on the map would be to stage a ‘show trial’ based on the hot-button issue of evolution. They were right. Media swarmed to the trial, due especially to the participation of two high profile lawyers: William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution and Clarence Darrow for the defense. The two former allies were poles apart on religion, and the highlight of the trial was when Darrow put Bryan on the witness stand, producing a confused set of answers about events from the Book of Genesis. The trial was famously [mis]represented on stage in Lawrence and Lee’s 1955 Inherit the Wind, made into a movie in 1960 [the clip of Darrow on the stand is from the film — not court transcripts]. The guilty verdict against Scopes, subsequently set aside by acquittal, did not end the controversy of creationism vs. evolution. In 2005, a case in Dover, Pennsylvania took on the constitutionality of teaching creationism. Evolution won. On July 11, 1997, German scientists used DNA to analyze the Neanderthal genome — a major step in determining the relationship between them and us. Results showed that Neanderthals were humans, Homo neanderthalensis, but not ancestors of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Analysis of Homo sapiens DNA, shows that most people of non-African origin carry some genetic material from Neanderthals. The study of the past, through archeology, paleo-biology, and geology, has much to teach us about human evolution. The Bible has much to teach us about religious evolution.

Our meals today are from the Eastern-Central part of the US, where the Monkey Trial was held. The foods are traditional and familiar, just the way the people liked it. William Jennings Bryan died of a heart attack five days after the conclusion of the trial — some say it was from over-eating at a turkey dinner.

Scrapple Scramble: 168 calories 14 g fat 2 g fiber 11.4 g protein 9.4 g carbs 64.6 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF – scrapple is supposed to be made with cornmeal and buckwheat flour, not wheat flour. Check the label.  This is a great way to use any left-over scrapple, in case you cooked too much earlier in the 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.   ½ oz scrapple, cooked, diced 2 Tbsp scallion or chives, sliced thinly 1.5 oz strawberries   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]

Dice the scrapple and slice the scallion. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and cook the scrapple and scallion until they are warm. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the ingredients in the pan. Scramble to your liking. Plate with the strawberries and enjoy your beverage of choice. This is a real taste of South-Eastern Pennsylvania!

Turkey Dinner: One of the great American meals is “Turkey with all the trimmings.” This could be found at a country restaurant [often with white or yellowish gravy] or at the holiday table. What if you ate ‘some of everything’ as one commonly does? I’m not going to tell you what to eat, but I will provide you with some calorie counts for common foods:

4 oz turkey breast, roasted, skinless	153 calories
½ cup green beans	21 calories
½ cup breadcrumb stuffing	176 calories
½ cup peas	62 calories
1/2 cup mashed potatoes	118 calories
2 Tbsp cranberry sauce	55 calories
4 Tbsp gravy	32 calories
pumpkin pie, 1/8th of a 9” pie	316 calories