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.
When the early Christians co-opted the pre-Christian holiday of Samhain, no one imagined that it would spawn three holidays on October 31, November 1, November 2. [one secular, two religious] and be the center of an ecclesiastical disagreement. The first one is easy: October 31, Hallowe’en, close to its original use and meaning as a day when the veil between the real world and the spirit world is thinned, permitting spirits to walk the earth. The name ‘hallowe’en’ means ‘the evening before All Hallows Day‘. Now we need some background. In the Jewish faith, when a person dies the body is buried and the soul remains in the body for one year. During that time, the soul is purified. After earthly ceremonies and prayers, the soul is released. Early Christians continued this line of thought, adding that the soul would then join Jesus in heaven. November 1, All Hallow’s/All Saints’ Day, to celebrate the memory of all the holy people who died and went to heaven right away — they were so good in life that they needed no purification after death. The early Catholic Church then named an intermediary location between hell and heaven: Purgatory. If you died as a saint [martyred for your faith], you went straight to Heaven. If you were not a saint, your soul went to Purgatory to wait until your soul was purified. The idea of Purgatory was first articulated by Saint Perpetua, following a vision she had before her death. This was the position of the Christian Church up until the Reformation. Martin Luther did not believe in Purgatory, especially since in his time the Catholic Church was raising money by selling indulgences — pay enough money, and your loved one could be fast-tracked to heaven. Luther said that personal faith alone would get you to Heaven, and all those who died in the faith were celebrated on All Hallows’/All Saints’. Lastly, there is November 2, All Souls’ Day — the day to pray for those who died but are not in Heaven, and therefore need the intervention of the living. As you may have guessed, this one is observed in the Roman Catholic Church, since those souls are in Purgatory and need help to get out. We are all in need of prayer, and praying for someone else can make everyone better.
Our foods for today are from ‘around the world’, since religious beliefs are almost ‘catholic’, a word from Greek meaning ‘universal or general’.
Enchilada Egg Roll-up: 211 calories… 13.5 g fat… 4.5 g fiber… 16.5 g protein… 25.4 g carbs… 237.5 mg Calcium… NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF The word ‘enchilada’ means ‘wrapped in chilis’. Eggs go well with the flavors of chilis and this is a dandy-tasting breakfast.
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 roasted green chilis, drained ++++ 2 Tbsp enchilada sauce ++++ 1 Tbsp plain yogurt, fat-free ++++ ½ oz Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated ++++ 1½ oz apple ++++ Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]
NB: if serving two at breakfast, prepare this recipe twice, to make two rolls. Whisk eggs and green chilis and pour into a 10” diameter saute pan, spritzed with non-stick spray. Tilt pan so eggs cover the entire bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Stir together the sauce, yogurt, and cheese. When the eggs are cooked, no need to flip them, take off heat and spread most of the sauce mixture over the eggs – save out some for a topping. Roll the egg and plate with the fruit. Mocha coffee is always a good choice for New Mexican eggs like these.
Shrimp Fried Rice: 275 calories… 6.4 g fat… 3.5 g fiber… 22.6 g protein… 32.4 g carbs.. 106 mg Calcium… PB GF Traditional fried rice is a handy way to utilize left over rice. Fast and easy, nutritious and delicious. NB: be sure to use rice that was cooked and thoroughly cooled – say, left-over from yesterday.
| Serves 1 | Wok or heavy frying pan |
| 2 scallions/1 oz +++ ¼ cup onions +++ ½ tsp ginger root | Chop all vegetables. Cook in a few tablespoons water until transluscent. |
| ½ cup cooked, cold rice [1-2 days old] | Add, stirfry 2 mins until hot. |
| 1½ tsp dark soy sauce +++ 1½ tsp lite soy sauce ++ pinch crushed red pepper | Stir in until mixed. |
| 1.6 oz egg, unshelled, then weighed | Whisk, stirfry into rice until cooked. |
| 2 oz shrimp, cut into ½” bits | Stir into rice mixture, serve hot. |
