great fast meals
Since May 2017 a medical condition has forced me and my family
to begin what many call a whole foods, plant based, oil free diet.
Because of our Byzantine heritage and tradition,
and because we do it for love of each other,
we call it perpetual fasting and its not as difficult as you might think.
Let me show you!
join our facebook group!
Next up:
The Great Fast
Western: February 12-March 22
Eastern: March 6- April 24
What is True Fasting?
THE GREAT FAST
We begin our preparation for Pascha by enduring Holy Week.
We begin our preparation for Holy Week by striving the 40-day Great Fast
We begin our preparation for the Fast by enduring the pre-Lenten Sundays!
SO MUCH PREPARATION! Well, the Resurrection is that important!
When we fast, it is NOT to make us suffer needlessly or to give up food meant to nourish us and give us what our body truly needs. It IS to free us from the slavery we have to food so that our souls can be free from distraction and we can focus on God better AFTER the fast is over. It helps us become just and merciful, like our God. Think: if we can barely keep ourselves from minor distractions like the hamburger or the chocolate bar after dinner, how can we judge our brother who can't keep from major addictions like alcohol, drug abuse, habitual lying, etc. We become more compassionate AFTER we fail. When we give up things for Lent, yes, there are rubrics that should be followed, but these are guidelines only. The individual needs to focus on what keeps him bound to the material and fast from it, no matter how trivial or permitted it may seem to someone else. The merit lies in the journey and in taking each step toward perfection fast by fast, year by year.
That said, we strive to refrain from eating any animal products: no meat, fowl, fish, eggs, or dairy. On weekdays, we also fast from wine and oil. This is the goal. Let us strive to take one step further this season and remember to increase prayer and almsgiving.
Check out our Facebook group for added support, inspiration, ...and RECIPES!
God bless your fast!
Watch ByziMom
Catherine Alexander from
Your Word From the Wise
as she interviews
Abouna Moses from
Holy Resurrection Monastery on how to observe the Fast
See the Video HERE
Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate, Completed October 2020, from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University.
My book is out!...
As you may already know, my family has been advised by our cardiologist to adopt a perpetual fast in order to combat a family health crisis. We've adopted a whole-foods, plant-based, no oil diet...just like our Eastern Christian fast!...full time, and now that we've done it, I can help you get through 40 days of fasting too.
Here are a few of ByziMom's Great Fast Recipes:
Middle Eastern Meze: falafel, tzadziki, tabbouleh & dolmades
Fajita Night: sweet potato tortillas, unfried beans, oil-free vegetable stir fry, cashew nacho sauce, Mexican quinoa, etc.
What's for dinner tonight?
A Fast-Friendly RECIPE from ByziMom.com
Crown of Thorn
Pretzel
Rolls
For the Mid-point of the Great Fast
Ingredients
-
1 package of dry yeast
-
1/3 cup brown sugar
-
1 quart water, boiling
-
2-1/2 Tbsp baking soda
-
1-1/2 cup warm water
-
5 cups flour
-
1/4 tsp. salt
-
coarse salt for topping
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place the yeast, sugar and warm water into a large mixing bowl and watch it proof for a few minutes. When bubbles are seen, add the salt and flour, adding the last cup a bit at a time, kneading it well to form workable dough. Work the dough for 10 minutes, then cover the bowl with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and form it into balls about 2” in diameter. Roll these out between the palms of your hands and the work surface to form ropes, then join the ends of these ropes to form crown shapes and place them onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
Using clean scissors, cut X’s into the crowns to give them a thorny appearance. Be sure to go all the way around your crowns. Once they have been “thorned”, leave them on the baking pan to rise for about 15 more minutes while you put a shallow pan of water on to simmer gently. Add the baking soda, once the water has begun to simmer, then lower each crown into the soda water and blanch it for 1 minute. When you remove it from the water and place it back on the baking sheet, immediately sprinkle it with a little bit of coarse salt. Once all the crowns have been blanched, bake them for about 8-10 minutes until done. Now feed the hungry and enjoy!