Well I finished my 40 day fast!! And this is the one that I broke well (the most critical part!)
It was last thursday, and I finally sensed that tug at the back of the throat that is true hunger. It's quite strange it has nothing to do with the tummy! I had a couple of spotty bananas before going to an evening engagement. On the way I bought a little tub of cherry tomatoes. How times have changed, never in a million years would I have been snacking on tomatoes, before turning mainly 'fresh and live', not least because I couldn't stand raw tomatoes.
After my meeting felt like some broth, not in a craving way but in a 'this would be good' way. So wondered if there was a Wagamamas around Westminster. Had a wander past the station and off course there was the Southbank which does indeed house a wagamama. I ambled over and ordered the big vegetable ramen soup but without the noodles and oil garnish. Instead they loaded it up with fresh alfalfa sprouts, and had that with a raw salad. It was the right choice. Went home had a BM later that evening a good sign. If you eat the wrong thing (e.g. bread!) when you break a fast it can hold up your 'just waking up' digestive system for days!
I have been eating very light, still home squeezed orange juice in the morning, a few grapes, and mono-meals of bananas at lunch time, and occasionally edamame when I go for some air. I remember thinking while I was fasting that I would eat raw soup when I broke the fast. I think this was intuition because then I kept coming across posts about energy soups. See example below
http://www.gogreen.org/blend/energy.html
So in the evenings I have a big bowl of raw soup made of whatever veggie/greens are around, on the whole lettuce, baby spinach, celery, red pepper, cucumber and tomatoes and mixed with a cup of miso soup to bring up to room temperature. This my concoction! Then I cut up some broccoli, blanch it and drop into the soup for chewiness. It's so filling and nourishing. You can have fun mixing up the ingredients. I'm not adding any fat at the moment because I'm eating really light as it suits me and aids my running. And also advisable to wait a while before adding the fat in after a fast. Plus before my fast I noticed the nuts were causing me to be sluggish. And I won't have that, my morning run is a vital part of my day. Not in an 'I must exercise way' but something that brings me more joy and freedom, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
I have ordered a big box of almonds from Nora Lenz of Raw School. But I will be sprouting to use to make raw almond yoghurt, and raw almond houmous at the weekends.
I had some avocado today because I bought two salads from Planet Organic, one a mix of fennel, coleslaw and quinoa and sprouts. Quinoa is the kind of thing I'm happy to eat occasionally in a bought salad as I don't feel the need to keep on eating it like bread! But it did feel heavy compared to what I've been eating. Anyway I'll monitor how I feel tomorrow. I'm open, and not attaching to anything. Then I got a yummy salad of spinach, baby tomatoes and avocado, I ate the first two ingredients and dropped the cubes of avocado into my energy soup, altogether a very delicious meal!!
On Saturday I went for a friend's birthday drinks at the Eagle Gastropub in Farringdon. They didn't have any vegan salads on the menu, so I asked the chef if he wouldn't mind making me something! (you gotta ask). And I tell you I was served up the most beautiful, delicious salad. Even the others at the table who were tucking into Tiramisu by that time were looking impressed. It was a mixture of grated carrot, lettuce, baby spinach, cubes of beetroot, a touch of dressing and garnished with those green olives that haven't been stored in oil. It was scrumlicious. I feel so loved! I am so loved!!
