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.

What is July 4th? In the USA, it is called ‘Independence Day’ which would imply that on that day in 1776, we were officially and finally free from Britain’s rule. Nope. No way. Not true. After six years of war, the USA became an independent country after Lord Cornwallis surrendered his army at Yorktown. Then there was some diplomatic wrangling, and a treaty was signed on September 3, 1783. THAT was our true “Independence Day”. So what are we celebrating on July 4th? The Fourth of July, 1776 was the day that the Declaration of Independence was read in public for the first time. The document had been debated and thrashed out by the Continental Congress over months of work. Thus, the citizens of the English Colonies were announcing to the British King that they wanted to be free from the rules and taxes and regulations that had been imposed on them. The document lists 27 grievances against the King and concludes that “We, therefore, the Representa-tives of the united States of America… do… solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States”. So that is what July 4th is all about — along with fireworks, some parades, picnics, backyard cook-outs, and lots of eating.

Our meals for the Glorious 4th are in keeping with the spirit of the day: the colors of the flag, and the family gathering to grill dinner.

Red White and Blue: 150 calories… 1 g fat… 2.6 g fiber… 14.5 g protein… 20 g carbs… 331 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB  GF – if using GF bread Ricotta is higher in protein and Calcium than cottage cheese, but you could substitute that if you wish.

½ cup fat-free ricotta ++++ ¼ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen [if frozen, keep frozen until ready to use] ++++ ½ cup sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen [after slicing, put into a strainer to let the juices drain] ++++ 1 slice of 70-calorie multi-grain bread [Nature’s Own/ Dave’s Thin-Sliced] cut into a star with the largest cookie cutter that will fit the bread ++++ 2 large pinches of cinnamon sugar ++++  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories] ++++  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait[65 calories]

Cut your slice of bread with the star cookie cutter. TIP: freeze the scraps for use in Crab Cakes or Stuffed Clams or Crab-Stuffed Flounder cf. Sprinkle the bread with a small pinch of cinnamon sugar and toast it. Measure the ricotta onto your plate. Put the fruit on top. [Tip: Better not to stir the fruit into the cheese, since it will ‘stain’ the cheese.] Top with a small pinch of cinnamon sugar and plate with the toast. Pour the optional beverage. Huzzah!

Blue-Burger: 290 calories… 6.5 g fat… 5 g fiber… 27.5 g protein… 27 g carbs… 100 mg Calcium … The winter 2004 issue of Eating Well magazine was the inspiration for this recipe. But this version suits our Fasting needs a little better. It is yummy.

++++ 3-oz ground bison meat ++++ 4 Tbsp blueberries, fresh or frozen ++++ 1.5 Tbsp egg white ++++ ¾ tsp Dijon mustard ++++ ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce ++++ pinch garlic powder + large pinch black pepper ++++ 1 Martin’s potato slider bun ++++ cherry tomatoes, grilled ++++ ½ cup coleslaw ++++ 

Thaw the meat and break it up in a bowl. Add the blueberries and all the flavorings. Gently combine ingredients with your fingers, without squishing the berries. Shape in a patty using a 4” muffin-cutter as a mold. Try not to pack the burger too much, but it does need to hold its shape. Broil or grill 4-5 minutes per side. Serve on a toasted potato bun. Grilled cherry tomatoes are nice as a topper. And don’t forget the coleslaw.

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

next week, I will…	1.5 two-oz eggs
..discuss medical…	jalapeño pepper, onion
fasting.	diced tomatoes
	1.5 avocados, cilantro
	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

	no-cheese Bechamel
Next week, I will…	ham, spinach, dill
be discussing fasting…	celery, onion, dill,
for medical reasons.	2 galettes, garlic powder
Sparkling water	Sparkling water