What would you serve if you had to have guests for dinner on a Fast Day??? One choice would be to transfer your fasting until tomorrow. But if you have long-term visitors and you don’t want to skip the Fast, here’s what we have done. [Remember, you can always pull out the stops on the following day, since we Fast only two days a week.]
Since most of our friends know that we are proponents of the Fast Diet, I ask them if they would like to see what a fast diet is all about. Sometimes they say ‘yes’ and then they dine along with us. We have served Steamed Mussels in wine broth [March 22]
or Shepherd’s Salad [March 15] as dinners for non-Fasting friends. These pleasing meals are rich and flavorful and can convince people that ‘fasting’ isn’t the same as ‘starving’. Go out with them for a long walk or drive during the middle of the day and come home ready for dinner.
What if your guests do not wish to fast or have health issues which prevent it? Then serve one of your favorites, say Crab Cakes [March 1] or Greek Chicken Salad [March 25]
and for the guests, serve some boiled parleyed potatoes or rolls on the side. Put out a plate of cookies for dessert and leave the room while they eat them. I did that once, explaining that I did not have the fortitude to watch the guests eat the cookies! At lunch time, send your house guests out for lunch at a local favorite, or serve them a soup such as Cream of Asparagus
[April 1] or Baked Bean [April 22], which you might have in the freezer. Your guests will be happy and well-fed, while you can stay true to your Fasting Lifestyle. The best of both worlds.

1 Tbsp fish sauce 1.5 Tbsp lime juice 1.5-2 tsp brown sugar 1 cup pomelo segments 1.5 tsp coconut, dried, unsweetened 1/4 oz dry roasted peanuts, chopped 2 Tsp chopped shallot 1/2 cup fresh mint 1/4 tsp Thai chile sauce 3 oz shrimp, cleaned — I used tiny cold water shrimp 1 large leaf romaine lettuce chopped scallion




1/2 of a 5-0z can of white-meat tuna, drained 1 Tbsp onion, finely chopped 1 Tbsp celery, finely chopped 1 pinch celery seed, salt, pepper 1 and 1/2 tsp low fat mayonnaise 1 slice Swiss cheese, the deli kind 1/2 cup romaine lettuce, shredded 1/2 tsp lemon juice & 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 green onion, white and green parts chopped 1½ oz of apple or ½ cup berries
3 oz roasted leg of lamb ½ cup peas pinch or two mint or cilantro 1/3 cup canned white beans, drained + rinsed HINT: freeze the remainder of the can of beans for a later use pinch or two Moroccan seasoning or ground cumin mint tea


1.5 eggs HINT: if you are serving one person, crack 3 two-oz eggs into a large measuring cup. Whisk the eggs like crazy and measure half of the volume into a jar to put in the ‘fridge for next week. 1 Tbsp fresh herbs, chopped: chives, oregano, rosemary, thyme, parsley… salt & pepper to taste ½ piece of whole-grain 70-cal bread [I like Nature’s Own brand] 1.5 oz grapes OR 2 oz apple OR 2 oz melon 5-6 oz natural apple cider or fruit smoothie
es, chopped or 2 cups mesclun [baby greens] 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp olive oil ½ tsp lemon juice big pinch Mexican oregano [Cesar Salad after all is of Mexican origin, not from Roman rulers]
1 slice whole-grain 70-calorie bread 1 poached 2-oz egg 2 oz melon hot beverage of choice: blackish coffee, tea, lemon in water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie If using an egg poacher, lightly spray the egg cup with cooking oil or non-stick spray. Heat a pan of water to a simmer. toast the bread. Poach the egg 3-4 minutes, according to your taste. Slice the melon. Slide the egg on to the toast, season to taste. I didn’t used to like poached eggs, but on a Fast Day, they taste 