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.

As I was going to Saint Ives, I met a man with seven wives. Each wife has seven sacks, Each sack had seven cats. Each cat had seven kitts. Kitts, cats, sacks, wives — How many were going to Saint Ives?

This traditional riddle, which dates in print from 1799, refers to the town of Saint Ives in Cornwall, England. That coastal town linked Cornwall by sea to Brittany, France — two regions connected in many cultural ways. One similarity is their veneration of Saint Ivo Helory of Kermartin, AKA: Ives, AKA: Yves. Saint Ivo was born in 1253, to the Lord and Lady of Kermartin — in those days, each town and its surrounding land was owned by its own ‘seigneur’ or Lord to whom everyone owed allegiance and taxes. At age 14, Ivo was sent to Paris to study law. Ten years later, he read canon law, then returned to Brittany. There, he became judge in clerical courts, and later, a priest. As a judge, Ivo strictly adhered to what was right and lawful — despite attempts to bribe him to do otherwise. He often protected the poor who came to his court, paying their fines and court fees, and acting as their lawyer in civil court. There are many anecdotes about Saint Ivo’s help to widows, the poor, and the falsely accused. He was so fair-minded and honest that it was said of him [in latin]: “St. Yves was a Breton, [“Sanctus Ivo erat Brito,]/A lawyer but not a robber, [Advocatus et non ladro,]/To everybody’s amazement [Res miranda populo]”. Ivo spent his life depriving himself of sustenance, and punishing his body to remind himself of the lives of the poor and to become closer to Jesus. After his death on May 19, 1303, he was revered as the ‘advocate of the poor’ to such an extent that he was canonized a mere 43 years later. Ivo of Kermartin is the patron saint of lawyers and of Brittany. He was buried in a simple tomb in the churchyard of his parish at Minihy. At the Cathedral of Tréguier there is a monument to Ivo, where the ancient Pardon of St Yves occurs every year on the Sunday before his Feast Day.

For the Feast of Saint Ivo, we will enjoy some foods with a Breton flavor, since both our meals contain artichokes — a prized agricultural product of Brittany.

Breton Bake: 149 calories… 6.5 g fat… 3.4 g fiber… 9.4 g protein… 13.5 g carbs… 103 mg Calcium…  NB: The food values given are for the egg dish and the fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF Delicious. Filling. Different.

++ 1 two-oz egg ++++ 2 Tbsp crushed tomatoes ++++ 2 Tbsp artichoke hearts, canned or frozen ++++ ½ tsp curry powder ++++ 1 Tbsp fat-free ricotta ++++ 2 oz strawberries OR 1 oz applesauce, unsweetened OR 1 ++++  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] ++ 

Chop the artichoke hearts. Stir together the artichokes, tomatoes, curry, and ricotta. Whisk in the egg and pour into a ramekin which has been spritzed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, brew prepare any optional beverage and portion the applesauce. Enjoy your breakfast on the Cote d’Amor.

Summertime Pasta: 234 calories… 10.6 g fat… 6 g fiber… 9 g protein… 27.5 g carbs… 126 mg Calcium…  PB This excellent recipe is from Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin. It is indeed fast to prepare, and after a few alterations, it is fit for a Fast Day too. Excellent as it is, but if you want to add more protein, put in ¼ cup of shredded cooked chicken breast. HINT: The recipe as written serves two [2] persons.

Sv 2
3 oz diced tomatoes +++++++ ¾ c/80 g diced zucchini +3 oz artichoke hearts ++++++1 oz diced mushrooms ½ tsp salt & black pepper ++++++ 3 Tbsp EVOO	Combine everything in a microwavable glass bowl.
2 oz whole wheat pasta shells ++++++++++++++++++ water & salt	20 minutes before serving, bring water and salt to a boil. Add pasta, cook about 7 minutes until al dente. Drain.
	Microwave vegetables 2 mins or longer, until they are lukewarm.
¼ c Parmesan	Combine pasta with warm vegetables, stir in cheese.
Fresh basil + edible flowers	Plate and top with basil and edible flowers if you have them.