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.

a it been much colder than usual in your part of the world? Has it been lots warmer where you live? Has there been less rain? Have you had stronger storms? Welcome to a world of changing climate. For a while, people were hung up on the term ‘global warming‘, but that is only part of the story. Yes, Anchorage, Alaska has been warmer, but Florida has been colder — just ask the frozen iguanas! Before you dismiss Global Climate Change as some snowflake’s modern idea, think again. The idea that Carbon Dioxide is building up in the atmosphere and making the climate warmer was first proposed by Svante Arrhenius. He was born on February 19, 1859, in Vik, Sweden. His father was a surveyor in the employ of the university at Uppsala. As a toddler, Svante taught himself to read. By watching his father make calculations, the child learned to do mathematics. Svante started school at age eight, already a mathematical prodigy. At university where he studied chemistry, mathematics, and physics, professors were not receptive of his novel exploration of electricity and its connection to chemical reactions. So he transferred to the University of Stockholm, where he completed his doctorate. For this work, Arrhenius was awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. A grant from the Swedish government permitted him to travel and study in Latvia, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. He and a group of scientists were interested in the interaction of atmosphere, ocean, and the land. This lead Arrhenius to develop a mathematical model about the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. His work demonstrated that as amounts of CO2 increased, the temperature of the atmosphere would rise. Arrhenius saw the connection between the burning of fossil fuels and the increase in Carbon Dioxide, and published his work in 1896. Because of this, Svante Arrhenius has been dubbed the Father of Climate Science. Arrhenius might have done his work 130 years ago, but his ideas were correct. We are living with the results of CO2-induced climate change today. We should work to reverse it, or at least slow it down.

Our menus are usual for Scandinavian countries such as Svante’s Sweden. What is unusual is that average temperatures in the Arctic are rising faster than in other lands further South. Fun fact: Arrhenius’ mother’s family name was Thunberg. Yes, there is a family connection between Svante and the young climate activist, Greta Thunberg. How about that!

Fruited Porridge: 206 calories… 1.5 g fat… 9 g fiber… 8 g protein… 41 g carbs… 112 mg Calcium…  NB: Food values given are for the plated foods only, and do not include the optional beverage. PB  Here is a delicious way to get your superfoods in one meal. Berries and whole-grain cereal are unbeateble together and easy to prepare as well.

++ ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain Cereal + ½ cup water ++++ ¼ cup diced strawberries ++++ ¼ cup blueberries ++++ ¼ cup raspberries ++++ ¼ c fat-free milk ++++  Optional:blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]

If the fruit is frozen, as mine was, put it in a sieve over a small bowl the night before to thaw. Save the juice to add to a smoothie. Cook the cereal with in simmering water for 8 minutes, stirring twice. Take off heat and add the fruit. Stir gently and serve with a little milk.

Lamb Patty with Swedish Cucumber Salad: 299 calories… 17 g fat… 0.5 g fiber… 21 g protein… 12.6 g carbs… 68 mg Calcium…  PB GF The inspiration for this meal is from Craig Claibourne’s NYT International Cookbook, long a family favorite.

++ one 4-oz lamb patty, available at markets or make your own using 90% lean lamb ++++ 1 cup sliced cucumber ++++ 1½ tsp sugar ++++ 1 oz white wine vinegar ++++ ½ tsp cold water ++++ salt + freshly ground pepper ++++ ¼ tsp dill ++

Combine sugar, vinegar, water, salt, and pepper in a 3-cup container. Slice cucumbers, spread them out on towels and pat dry. Stir the cukes into the liquid, wetting all the slices. Chill for at least one hour. Cook the lamb patty by grilling or baking or pan-frying in a non-stick pan. Season to taste. Plate the lamb with the cucumber salad, topped with dill, for the simplest of meals.

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

1-2 two-oz eggs = US large	Bob’s Red Mill 10-Grain cereal or equivalent
scallions + semolina flour + white flour	pistachios, roasted
white whole wheat flour + strawberries	Peach – fresh or canned in juice
sriracha + soy sauce	vanilla non-fat yogurt
optional smoothie	optional smoothie
optional hot beverage	optional hot beverage

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

shrimp + carrot	Romaine lettuce + avocado oil + Italian herbs
8″ spring roll wrappers + cabbage	soft chèvre cheese + pistachio nuts, roasted
scallion + olive oil	champagne vinegar + avocado oil
broccoli + soy sauce + sriracha	carrot + multi-grain crackers @35 calories each
Sparkling water	Sparkling water