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.

Herman was a monk at Valaam Monastery in what was then Russia, on an island in Lake Lagoda. Herman was happy living a spiritual life there, but in 1793, Catherine the Great herself asked that Orthodox monks be sent to christianize Alaska. In the 1790s, Alaska was a colony lorded over by the Russian American Company, who exploited the area for the furs of seals and otters. After traveling for nine months, Herman and the others landed on Kodiak Island. Herman set up a mission and a school there, while the other monks went to different locations to spread the gospel. Herman was very popular and many local indigenous Aleut people were baptized. The monks were supposed to have been under the care of the Russian American Company, but their leader Alexander Baranov was harsh and haughty — more interested in his own profits. He worked the natives like serfs, demanding more and more furs, depleting the animal populations. To the monks, Baranov often withheld food that he was supposed to provide. Herman went head to head with the dictatorial man, defending the natives’ rights and taking the part of the animals, too. After 15 years, Herman wished to retire to the life of a hermit. He withdrew to Spruce Island, where he built a monastic cell for himself, and a chapel. But the faithful followed him there, so he built a guest house, school, and orphanage. Herman lived out his days on Spruce Island and he is buried there. The chapel built over St Herman’s grave is an Orthodox pilgrimage site, for right after he died, Herman was declared a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Our meals are from Saint Herman’s beloved homeland. Perhaps Herman and the other monks foraged for mushrooms in Alaska, just as they would have in Russia. In their garden plot, cabbage would have been a staple crop and an essential ingredient for soup.

Mushroom Smitane Scramble: 147 calories… 7.5 g fat… 1.5 g fiber… 11.5 g protein… 9 g carbs… 67.4 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. – PB GF – A recipe from Craig Claiborne’s NYT International Cookbook inspired this breakfast of Russian flavors. 

++ 1½ 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.  ++++ 2 Tbsp chopped scallion ++++ ½ oz mushrooms, chopped ++++ 1 Tbsp plain, fat-free yogurt ++++ big pinch paprika ++++ big pinch marjoram ++++ 1½ oz pear ++++   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] ++

Spritz a non-stick saute pan with non-stick spray. Put the mushrooms and scallion into the pan over-medium-high heat and cook them until they begin to wilt. Whisk the eggs with the yogurt and seasonings, and pour into the pan. Scramble to your liking, plate with the pear, and pair with the beverage of choice.

Shchi – Russian Cabbage Soup: 263 calories… 5.5 g fat… 6 g fiber… 12 g protein… 52.6 g carbs… 68.6 mg Calcium… – PB GF- if using GF bread or omitting – This hearty soup can be made with beef and beef stock or with chicken stock or vegetable stock. For Russians, it is the taste of Rodina, the Mother Land. The soup’s name is pronounced ‘she.’  HINT: This recipe makes enough for four [4] servings. Recipe author Julia Frey says that this soup ‘will give you the energy you need in the dead of winter.’

4 one cup servings
½ an onion ++++  1 carrot ++++ 1 bay leaf +++++++++++3-4 whole peppercorns ++++a pinch of salt ++++1 L./4 c chicken stock OR: 2 qts quality Brown Stock or Chicken Stock simmered 30 minutes with the above and strained.	Cut carrot in 3-4 pieces. Combine all of these and cook 1½ hrs. If using beef: add 1/3 pound stew beef and water. Then, remove beef with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain broth through a fine sieve to clear it. Discard vegetables and spices.
7 oz potato	Peel potato, cut in ½” chunks. In a soup pot, put broth, beef and potatoes and bring to a boil.
2.3 oz/ ¾ cup carrot ++++2.5 oz/ ½ cup onion +++++++1½ tsp butter	Shred carrot, chop the onion. Saute them with butter over low until tender and onions are translucent, ~10 mins.
3 oz/1 cup cabbage, chopped ++++ ¼ cup sauerkraut ++++ optional beef from making stock	When stock boils, add cabbage and vegetables, [and beef if using] cook 5 mins and take off heat. Do not overcook the vegetables!
2 Tbsp parsley +++ 1 tsp dill, dried +++ salt ++ pepper	Chop parsley. Add herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.
2 tsp whipped cream cheese ++++1½ oz rye bread	Serve each bowl with a dollop of cream cheese.

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

1 two-oz egg = US large	Camembert cheese + honey
tomato + black olive	watercress or microgreens
2% cottage cheese + Parmesan cheese	edible flowers
broccoli + plum or cherries or strawberries	plain fat free yogurt + Golden Berries
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

frozen spinach + tuna + peas	onion + fresh ginger + parsley + turmeric
garlic + onion	curry powder + garam masala + plum tomatoes
anchovies + puff pastry	plain, fat-free yogurt + mushrooms
Mediterranean Vegetables,	hard-boiled eggs + lemon juice + brown rice
Sparkling water	Sparkling water