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. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.

Henri de Blois was born in 1699, 33 years after his grandfather William invaded England and conquered it. Henri was destined for the Church and became the Bishop of Winchester at age 28. One day, he took a walk in the water meadows along the River Itchen. He must have been deep in thought because he eventually realized that he was far from home, without food or drink. From nowhere, a milkmaid appeared with her buckets full of milk. Henri drank his fill of milk, and later ascribed the incident to a miraculous intervention by none other than the Virgin Mary herself. Inspired by this act of charity, he vowed to help the poor. He rebuilt a ruined church building along the Itchen and set up the Almshouse of Saint Cross in 1132. It stands beside the river, a walled enclave with a church, hall, porter’s lodge, Master’s quarters, and living spaces for 13 men. The original inhabitants were too frail to work, so they were provided with apartments and served three meals a day in the hall. When one died, another was chosen to replace him. In addition, 100 men would be given food at the gate each day. Pilgrims walking from Reading to Southhampton on Saint James’ Way/the Camino Ingles or on the way to Canterbury could stop at Saint Cross for lodging and the ‘Wayfarers’ Dole’ — bread and ale. Since the men at Saint Cross were not part of a religious order, the property was spared during the Reformation and subsequent religious wars in England. The Hospital of Saint Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty still stands. Today it houses 25 older men who apply for residency. They attend Matins every day and then live their lives within and without the walls of this beautiful, tranquil place. The church is a gem of Transitional Norman architecture. The Porteress will still portion out your Dole, and the Master will bless pilgrims on their way.

The breakfast today might have been served at the Almshouse or even in Henri’s family’s native Normandy. The dinner is a hearty comfort food of Old England. All the ingredients might be grown by the Staff Farmer at Saint Cross in the modern era.

Chevre/Spinach ScrOmelette: 149 calories… 9 g fat… 1.4 g fiber… 12 g protein… 6 g carbs… 116 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Unbelievable how delicious this is! 

++ 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 chevre cheese ++++ 3 Tbsp cooked spinach [HINT: I try to keep a small container of cooked spinach in the freezer]++++ pinch lemon-dill seasonings ++++ salt + pepper ++++ 2 oz apple OR applesauce, unsweetened ++++  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] ++

Strain and squeeze the spinach to get all the water out. Chop the spinach. Mix the spinach and chevre with the seasonings in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the eggs into the spinach/chevre and keep whisking until it is all mixed. Cook as you would for scrambled eggs in a lightly-spritzed pan. Portion the applesauce [unless you did this the night before], prep the hot beverage, shake or blend the smoothie and enjoy a really flavorful breakfast.

Cottage Pie: 219 calories… 7 g fat… 2 g fiber… 22 g protein… 15 g carbs… 35 mg Calcium… GF Cottage Pie is the beef version of Shepherd’s Pie. The addition of mashed cauliflower is a great trick to lessen the calorie and carb count of mashed potatoes. Some people like this with mashed cauliflower only, but I enjoy the combo for a more authentic taste. HINT: serves 2. Freeze leftovers for another dinner or invite a guest.

++ 1 cup roast beef, ground or minced ++++ 1 two-oz egg, separated++++ ½ cup mashed potatoes ++++ ½ cup mashed cauliflower ++++ ½ cup beef gravy, as fat free as you can make it ++++  per serving: 2 oz Summer squash OR 2 oz peas OR 1 cup lettuce + 1 oz tomatoes + ½ tsp olive oil + ½ tsp lemon juice ++

Add the egg yolk and gravy to the beef, along with salt and pepper to taste. Whip the egg white until stiff and fold into the mashed vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Put the beef mixture into an oil-spritzed oven-proof dish [2-3 cup capacity] and spread it out evenly. Smooth the mashed vegetables on top and ruffle it with a fork or spoon. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown a bit and the inside is hot. Whisk the oil and lemon juice in a wide bowl, add the lettuce and tomatoes, and toss gently.
 
Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

1 two-oz egg = US large	1.5 two-oz eggs
scallion + mushroom	dill weed + smoked salmon
garlic + 3%-fat ham + parsley	leek + apple or pear
chicken liver pate + strawberries	light sour cream, optional
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

4 oz mackerel per serving	chicken breast meat, cooked
tomatoes + leeks	2 egg whites + honey
grainy mustard	white wine
oregano + coriander	chicken stock + cabbage
Sparkling water	Sparkling water