How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow. On Thursday, eat the meals that will be posted on Wednesday.  Eat sensibly the other days of the week.  That’s it.  Simple way to lose weight and be healthier.                                                                                  Welcome Rashmi Duneja who is now Following.

Decoration Day was a tradition that began after the American Civil War. Women would go to the cemeteries in the spring and decorate the graves of their dead husbands, sons, brothers, or fathers with flowers.  Eventually this came to be known as Memorial Day and became the focus of community holidays.  Many towns claim the title of ‘First to Celebrate Memorial Day’ but Waterloo, New York has the longest recorded tradition.  Alas, the ‘day’ has become a ‘weekend’ and that means that the meaning is diminished.  Plus, it is difficult to distinguish between Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day which doesn’t help. So come Monday, decorate a grave, watch a parade and remember fallen soldiers.  Then go home and eat sensibly because Monday is still a Fast Day.  What with cornmeal, stars, and red-white-and-blue, breakfast is so patriotic you’ll want to join the parade.  Dinner contains all the elements of a summer picnic, minus the ones that will fatten us.

Cornmeal Stars with Fruit Yogurt:  295 calories  4.3 g fat  6.7 g fiber  14 g protein   53 g carbs [46 g Complex]  233 mg Calcium  PB  Cornmeal and stars are SO American, that they fit in with any patriotic meal.

Cornmeal Stars:   This made 3 large stars, enough for 2 servings                                                            1 egg white                                                                                                                                                                      1 egg yolk, stirred                                                                                                                                                      1 Tbsp white whole-wheat flour                                                                                                                         3 Tbsp yellow cornmeal                                                                                                                                 Whip the egg to soft peaks. Fold in the yolk, the flour, and the meal. Spray a non-stick pan with non-stick spray.  Place your largest [3-4”] star-shaped cookie cutter in the center.  Spoon the batter into the star, nudging it into the corners.  Loosen the mold from the batter and remove it.  Cook the star on one side until starting to brown, then turn carefully to cook the other side.   Cool and store until needed. They freeze nicely.                                                                                                                                                      Per serving: 1.5 stars                                                                                                                                                    2 Tbsp fat-free French Vanilla yogurt                                                                                                                          2 Tbsp blueberries                                                                                                                                                     2 oz strawberries, sliced or diced                                                                                                                   Plate the stars, slightly overlapping. Dollop the yogurt on top, then strew with fruit.

Memorial Day Hot Dogs & Beans:   290 cal   PB  GF Hot dogs are traditional on Memorial Day. Baked beans are high in protein, low in fat, so they fit right in with a Fast Diet.

1 dog per person {Hebrew National has a reduced-fat hot dog at 110 cal each. And they taste good, too.}                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1/3 c baked beans [I use canned, vegetarian beans if I can find them] HINT: You do not use all the beans in the can, so freeze the remainder for another meal. If you want them again for a Fast meal, freeze in batches of 1/3 c, rather than the remains of the entire can together.                                                                                                                                                            mustard and/or pickle relish                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  one 2-oz egg, hard-boiled                                                                                                                                             1 and 1/2 tsp low-fat mayonnaise +  1 tsp prepared yellow mustard                                                 coleslaw [see SIDEKICKS II Oct 4, 2017]  OR carrot and celery sticks

Cook the dog on the grill or in a little frying pan with a bit of water.   Heat the baked beans [nuke ’em], cut up the celery & carrots. Peel the egg and cut it in half. Remove the yolk and mash it with the mayonnaise and mustard. Stuff the egg halves.  Fasting on a holiday just got easier. Have non-Fasters over for the picnic? Ask them to bring the side dishes [potato salad, green salad, but not chips & dip] and let your guests eat the side dishes.