Living In The Fast Lane Part2

 it is 6:05 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  it is an hour before Shabbat candle lighting.  I have already washed the floors for the coming of the messiah.  there is a custom to clean the house in the afternoon of the big fast on sunday.  I will never have the strength to do such a task then so I took the liberty of doing it now.  I will probably be in bed for most of the fast, watching holocaust movies.  I believe it is an 24 hour fast.  this one hurts.  I'm sure most women washed their floors for Shabbat but I figure that it can't get so dirty by sunday.

I stayed late at the yeshiva yesterday preparing food for the 20-25 guys to break the fast.  I made vegetarian patties with chick peas, cracked wheat and split peas.  I had a lot left over from the stuffed peppers that I made for their supper.  I also made rice, carrot kugel and vegan corn bread.  perhaps, I should have made more but I had been cooking all day long preparing: couscous and veggies, tabouli salad, quinoa salad, pasta salad, egg salad, and tuna salad for their Friday breakfast and lunch and a pre fast meal on Saturday afternoon. the fast starts before 8:00 p.m. on Saturday night.

we have not eaten meat or chicken for the past week but can indulge on Shabbat.  it has been a lot of frying patties and chips and falafel for me.  and of course, cooking a lot of pasta.  I even made a shepherd's pie with tuna fish.  it actually, was very yummy.  I covered it in mushroom sauce before I added the mashed potatoes.  I also made breaded fried eggplant several times and the guys loved it. it will be great to start cooking chopped turkey and beef dishes on Monday.

I made grilled chicken for myself for Shabbat.  I only made two chicken quarters.  one is for each meal.  I also broiled salmon steaks.  I have been eating quite well while I do my intermittent fasting.  I had a kale and blue cheese platter for breakfast with green grapes.  I just had a salmon steak for lunch and a hunk of freshly baked blueberry corn bread.  I remembered the corn meal this time but didn't have any flour.  I was thinking non gluten anyway, and found a packet of ground almonds in the pantry.  it worked but I didn't have any baking powder or soda.  luckily, a neighbor was watering her garden so I got some.  I only added a couple of teaspoons of real maple syrup.  it isn't sweet  at all.

I bought some fruit to break the fast.  I couldn't carry a half of watermelon home so  I will have to survive without one.  I need to step up on my water consumption.  I haven't really been drinking enough.  I hope it doesn't get hotter on sunday.  the evenings have been fine with lovely breezes.  I slept with a comforter last night.  I think that I have done okay today.  wishing everyone a good Shabbat and an easy fast.