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.

He was born as Rolihlahla Mandela on July 18, 1918, in village called Mvezo. When he was in elementary school, his teacher gave all the children a “Christian” name, so henceforth he was called “Nelson.” As Nelson grew older, native Africans became more and more disenfranchised by the White minority government. Black people were crowded into ‘reserves’, and voting rights were taken away. After his father’s death, the 9-year-old Nelson was sent to live with another family. He completed secondary education and was enrolled in the only Black college in South Africa. Nelson enjoyed everything at Fort Hare University College — the athletics, the scholarship, the friendships — all except the food. For participating in a demonstration for better meals, he was booted out. Life in Johannesburg lead to meeting a wider circle of people who also wanted more rights for the Blacks. He began to study the law and married for the first time. In 1948, the government of South Africa imposed apartheid with its draconian segregation rules. Mandela co-founded the only black-owned law firm in the country and was a member of the African National Congress [founded in 1912]. An arrest in 1956, lead to the end of his first marriage, but during the trial, Mandela met and married Winifred Madikizela. He became more convinced that peaceful resistance would not work against apartheid, although he never committed violence. In 1961, he was arrested again, for treason and inciting rebellion. Put on trial with fellow ANC leaders, they might have faced the death penalty. In his statement from the dock, Mandela said, “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” He was sent to Robben Island Prison for 18 of his 26 years of imprisonment, where he demonstrated great stoicism and dignity. Mandela’s release in 1990 was heralded the world around. The next year, apartheid was annulled after decades of inter-national condemnation, and he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with FW de Klerk. In 1994, Mandela was elected as the first freely-elected president of the Union of South Africa — who else could they possibly have chosen?

For breakfast, a South African favorite that incorporates corn — the American type which was introduced in the 17th century. When Mandela and his fellow Africans suffered under laws that oppressed “Blacks”, we must remember that the laws lumped all ‘non-whites’ in together, including the many immigrants from India. For dinner, a food typical of India. You can add a little corn to it, to make it more African. July 18 is International Nelson Mandela Day.

Mealie Bread Breakfast: 190 calories… 2.5 g fat … 3 g fiber… 13.4 g protein… 25.4 g carbs… 73 mg Calcium  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage.  PB GF – if using GF flour in mealie bread  Mealie bread [meaning ‘made from corn’] is a staple all over southern Africa. It is simple to prepare and you will like it. Here it is part of a breakfast containing four typically African foods and flavors.

3 Mealie Breads** ++++ 4 oz watermelon ++++ 1½ oz chicken breast meat, cooked ++++  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] 

Prepare and cook the mealie bread or warm from the freezer. Cut chicken into strips and watermelon into chunks. Plate and enjoy with another African flavor: coffee.

**Mealie Bread:  makes 24 pieces using a 1½ Tbsp scoop 1 piece = 73 calories… 0.5 g fat…. 1 g fiber…. 1 g protein…. 5.6 g carbs… 20 mg Calcium Southern Africa is the land of Mealie Bread. I cooked it as patties, scooped onto a griddle.
A fine flavor at breakfast or dinner.

¼ c milk ++++ 2 Tbsp melted butter ++++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ ½ c white whole wheat flour ++++ ++++ ½ c cornmeal ++++ 1 Tbsp sugar ++++ 1 tsp baking powder ++++ ½ tsp salt ++++ ½ tsp paprika ++++ ++++ 1 cup cooked corn kernels

Combine all the ingredients to form a moist, fairly thick batter. If too dry, add a little milk or water. If too wet, add a little flour. Heat a griddle to medium high and spritz with non-stick spray. Scoop batter onto it, then flatten out to make 3” patties. Turn when the bottom is set and a little brown, then cook the other side. When cool, they freeze well.

Tandoori Chicken and Vegetables: 265 calories… 5 g fat… 9 g fiber… 20 g protein… 32.6 g carbs… 99.5 mg Calcium… PB GF TIP: You can buy jars of tandoori sauce in most supermarkets. Be sure it does not contain corn syrup or sweeteners. Aim for 70-80 calories/quarter cup

2 oz chicken, cooked or raw ++++ ½ cup eggplant, cubed ++++ 2 oz broccoli ++++ 2 oz bell peppers, cut in chunks ++++ 2 oz zucchini, sliced or cubed ++++ 2 oz carrots, sliced ¼” thick or use ‘baby carrots’ cut in quarters ++++ ¼ cup brown rice, cooked ++++ ¼ c tandoori sauce, store-bought ++++ ++++ 2 Tbsp plain, non-fat yogurt ++++

Cook the vegetables together in a little water until they are tender. Add the chicken and the sauce. Warm it all. If the chicken is raw, be sure to cook it through. Either stir the yogurt into the sauce or serve it atop the meal. Plate the brown rice [warm it if cold] and serve the chicken and vegetables on top. Perfect for eating on a hot night or a cold one.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	mango + pineapple + vegetable oil
kalamata olives	plantains + goat cheese
clementine	grated unsweetened coconut + butter
winter savory or rosemary	white whole wheat flour
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

egg ++ non-fat milk	saffron + chicken breast
onion ++ lean ground beef	onion + red pepper flakes + black pepper
ground veal +++ lean ground pork	turmeric + paprika + olive oil
peas +++ beef gravy	yogurt + bell pepper + lavash bread
Sparkling water	Sparkling water