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.

Basil is an herb. Basil is a saint. Which one came first? The plant, Ocimum basilicum, has been in use for 4000-5000 years. Quite possibly it originated in China, but it quickly became popular in India — or was it the other way around? As a member of the Mint Family, it is an easy-to-grow plant, which accounts for its rapid spread into the cultures of many countries. It can represent love [Portugal] or hate [Greece]. It is used in medicine [India] and to preserve dead bodies [Egypt]. And, of course, it has culinary uses from Italy — pesto, anyone? — to Africa and Asia. As a male name, it comes from the Greek, meaning kingly or royal. There are versions of this name around the world: Basile in France; Barsegh in Armenia; Vasily in Russia;  Vassilios [Vasiliki for girls] in Greek. Basil the Great of Cappodocia was born around 330 CE into a very pious and wealthy family. He trained to be a lawyer and was headed for a great career as a teacher when he was inspired by Christianity. After travels to Syria and Egypt, Basil sought the life of an ascetic hermit. When he realized that he preferred companionship, he formed the first monastery, where men could withdraw to a simple life and study the teachings of Jesus. Women came and formed their own community, praying and doing good works. Basil became bishop of Caesarea and did much to help the poor. “Why are you wealthy while that other man is poor…are you not a cheater? “ Saint Basil founded a huge care center where the poor could be fed, sheltered, and healed. Basil gave gifts to children and fought against over-bearing governmental edicts. Saint Basil died on January 1, 379. 

Basil’s turf was the Levant, so our meals are of foods that are popular there. Neither one is prepared with basil.

Shakshuka: 158 calories 8 g fat  3.5 g fiber  12 g protein 17 g carbs 144 mg Calcium  NB: The food values given above are for the egg bake only, not the optional beverages.  PB GF This breakfast from the Eastern Mediterranean is a real treat. If you prepare part of it the night before, then morning meal prep is very easy.  HINT: This recipe serves 2 [two] people. Easily doubled or tripled. This prepares and bakes in one pan!

2 two-oz eggs  1/3 cup sliced onion          1/3 cup sliced red pepper        1 clove garlic, sliced 10 oz whole tomatoes         ¾ oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled   2 large pinches each of ground cumin + paprika + cayenne                    Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]       Optional: 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie[88 calories]

Saute onion and pepper, using non-stick spray, until very soft – about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more until it is tender. Add spices and cook one minute. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes until mixture is thicker and some of the tomato liquid has cooked off. Add feta cheese.  [TIP: you could do this the night before and stop here] Set the oven to 375 degrees F.  If serving two, the mixture could be divided into two separate dishes for baking/serving or kept in one larger dish. Using the back of a spoon, press an indentation in the vegetables. Carefully break one egg per person into the indentation. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake 7-10 minutes. If you want the yolk to cook, put a lid on the pan for the last 2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro or flat-leaf parsley.

Felafel with Red/Green Salad: 287 calories 14.5 g fat 9 g fiber 11.6 g protein 29 g carbs 113 mg Calcium  PB GF  Looks great, tastes great, SO healthy. Win-win-win.

5 felafel patties*  1 cup baby spinach leaves  ½ cup red cabbage slaw**              ¼ c pickled beets, sliced or cubed ½ hard-boiled egg, chopped                   1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp lemon juice

*FELAFEL each patty= 30 cal 1 g fat 1 g fiber  1.6 g protein 4 g carbs 8.5 mg Calcium  GF PB From the Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen, these are easy to prepare and set you up for several servings of future meals.

2 cups canned chick peas [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product.  Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them]   1½ cloves garlic, crushed        ¼ cup celery, minced  ¼ c. scallions, sliced  one 2-oz egg   1½ tsp tahini       ½ t. cumin ½ t. turmeric  ¼ t. cayenne  ¼ tsp black pepper  1½ tsp salt

Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1½ Tbsp scoop, then flattened the patties. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later. Bake at 400 F, 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be 25 or 30 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use.

**RED CABBAGE SLAW  acouplecooks.com Serves 3-4  PB GF This makes 2-3 cups of slaw. For this recipe you need ½ cup. Save remainder for a future meal.

2 c. thinly sliced red cabbage 1 Tbsp finely chopped red onion	Prepare and set aside.
3 Tbsp plain nonfat yogurt	Drain yogurt through paper toweling 15 mins.
1 Tbsp drained yogurt1½ tsp apple cider vinegar1 tsp sugar or maple syruppinch dried dillpinch celery seed2 pinches Kosher saltfreshly ground pepper	Thoroughly whisk in these ingredients.
	Add the cabbage and red onion and toss to combine.
	Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Thaw felafel patties and warm them. If unbaked, heat them in a 400 F. oven for 10-15 minutes. Prepare the vegetables for the salad. Whisk the lemon juice and oil, then toss the salad vegetables in the dressing. Top with the felafel and the chopped egg. Quick and easy.