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 Apurba Sarma who is now Following.

A Roman citizen name Dionysius [granted, that is a Greek name, but the Romans borrowed a lot] was born in what is now Italy in the 3rd century CE. He became a Christian, and was sent to Roman Gaul to tend to the souls of Christians in Lutetia [now called Paris], and to be their bishop. The most of the Roman town was on the hills of the Left Bank, so Dionysius set up on an island in the River Seine now called Île de la Cité. Things were going fine, until the priests of the Roman pantheon became alarmed at Dionysius’ number of converts. The bishop and his two companions, Rusticus and Eleutherius, were arrested and sentenced to death. On a high hill overlooking the river, the three were beheaded on October 9, 250. Some say that is the origin of the name of the hill: Montmartre, Martyrs’ Mountain — or maybe not… But Dionysius refused to die. Legend has it that he picked up his head and walked North for six kilometers. All the while, his head preached the Gospel. Thus he joined the ranks of the cephalophores: saints who carry their heads. He was buried where he finally fell, and a shrine was built — then a chapel, then an abbey. Eventually, it became the town of Saint Denis on the outskirts of Paris and the chapel was rebuilt as the first Gothic-style church ever seen, the Basilica of St-Denis. Since the time of King Dagobert the Merovingian, all French kings were entombed at St Denis. The necropolis is a sight to behold. Along with the tombs of royalty, the church held another relic: the Oriflamme. This was the battle banner of French kings, called the Oriflamme of St-Denis, although he had nothing to do with it in his lifetime. Flying the flag represented the presence of Saint Denis at the battle. It was lost at the battle of Agincourt. Dionysius name was changed to ‘Denis’ in later centuries and he is one of the Patron Saints of France.

Our breakfast is aptly named and fit for a king. Our dinner is from Italy, just like St-Denis.

St Denis ScrOmelette:  144 calories 8 g fat 2 g fiber 12.5 g protein 6.4 g carbs 57 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF  James Beard’s comprehensive volume American Cooking gives us the recipe for this breakfast. Delicious, and rich, and wonderful. Worth getting up for.

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 Tbsp leek or scallion, minced ½ clove garlic, minced ¼ oz mushrooms ¼ oz ham [3% fat], minced 1 tsp chicken liver OR chicken liver pate parsley for garnish 4 Bing cherries -OR- 2 oz melon of any sort  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan and spritz it with oil or cooking spray. Add the leek, garlic, ham, and mushrooms and stir to cook. Whisk the eggs with the pate and pour over the vegetables in the pan. Cook as thoroughly as you like. The optional beverages are prepared and the fruit is plated. What a remarkable start to your day.

Polpette Supper:  296 calories 11 g fat 4 g fiber 12 g protein 34 g carbs 166 mg Calcium  PB  GF – if using GF breadcrumbs and zucchini This is one of the ‘poverty foods’ of Europe: meatless, filling, plant-based meals for the people who lived by subsistence farming. The original recipe calls for Ricotta, but Cottage Cheese is less caloric and lower in fat.

2 polpette balls** 2.5 fl oz sauce side salad with cucumbers ¾ oz whole-grain sourdough bread -OR- 1 cup cooked zucchini slices 2 basil leaves, torn in bits 2 tsp grated Pecorino Romano

Warm polpette balls and the sauce together. Plate, topped with sauce, basil, and grated cheese. On the side, the salad, and zucchini or bread.

**8 polpette + 1.25 c sauce	1 Sv = 2 polpette + 2.5 fl oz sauce
2 basil leaves 1 Tbsp EVOO 1 garlic clove pinch red-pepper flakes	Tear basil leaves in 1/2.  Smash garlic.  Stir everything together in a small saucepan. Cook over very low heat 10 mins.  Don’t brown garlic.
	Take off heat, strain oil, discard solids and set infused oil aside.
14 fl oz canned crushed tomatoes 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste 3/4 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 c. water infused oil	Combine these in a big pot.  Bring to a boil over med-high, then turn down to a simmer. Partially cover, simmer over low heat, undisturbed.
8 oz 2%-fat cottage cheese  1/2 c.+ 2 T. dry bread crumbs 1.4 oz unshelled egg 1 T. Pecorino Romano cheese 1/2 Tbsp fresh parsley 1/4 Tbsp kosher salt  1/4 tsp black pepper	Break an egg into a bowl and whisk briefly. Measure out the portion required. Drain cottage cheese of excessive liquid, mash with fork to break up large curds.  Finely grate Pecorino-Romano.  Chop parsley. In a bowl, mix all ingredients until combined.  The mixture will be quite soft.
	With wet hands, pinch off eight portions, each ~2 Tbsp. Roll into balls: ~2” wide, ~40 g each.  Put on a baking sheet.
	Bring sauce to a low boil. A few at a time, add balls carefully to sauce. Shimmy pot back and forth after each addition, to prevent sticking or clumping. Do not stir, lest balls break apart.
	Cover pot, cook in sauce, undisturbed, 4 mins. Take off lid and shimmy pot. Balls will have begun to firm.
	Cover pot again, cook 10 mins, until balls are firm, plump and cooked through.