The Jesus Diet: Day 4

 

 

I was already feeling great by Day 4. I never thought I would not be craving sweet things after dinner each evening, but because my stomach was already shrinking from the smaller portions, and limiting myself to only eating after several hours at a time, it was really helping me ward off any hunger pains at night. And interestingly enough, the craving for something sweet wasn't coming in the evening as it normally use to, but rather in the morning.  Which, I was always told during my time spent in Europe that that's the time of day you should eat "dessert" type foods, rather than later in the day.  This is because your body can burn off the sugar much more easily at the start of the rather than at the end. Makes sense. Putting it into practice though isn't always easy.


Day 4 started off with 2 dates and a pear.  I also brought some hot water with honey and fresh lemon because I woke up with a scratchy throat that morning.

Lunch was pretty standard. Baked talipia with garlic and lemon, in a baby romaine lettuce salad, accompanied with carrot sticks and the leftover kale pesto from the night before.

Dinner was slightly more interesting. The rest of the lamb from 2 nights prior, with a delicious fava bean creation I came up with, and a French lentil salad. The salad is one I began eating nearly daily throughout this diet, and I have to say there are different ways I've changed it up since originally making it that evening. I want to be honest here, and say that I did find the recipe on YouTube, but changed several things, not just the first time I made it, but many other things each time after that.


I wished at the time that I could have had wine that evening with the dinner, but unfortunately I still had a scratchy throat, so instead I made some more hot water with honey and lemon. A great substitute for tea by the way - I actually prefer it.

                                            

Recipes for the day:


Tasty Fava Beans

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of shelled/peeled fava beans

salt to taste 

1 white onion (or 2 spring onions)

3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

1. Rinse and soak fava beans overnight 

2. When ready to cook, fill a large pot with water, and add the beans 

3. Cook for approximately 25 minutes or until they are soft; drain and set aside
4. in a frying pan, heat olive oil 

5. add chopped onions and sautee until transparent 

6. add fava beans, and stir mixture until beans start to brown slightly

7. add salt to taste


French Lentil Salad


Ingredients:
8-12 oz. fresh baby kale 

8-12 oz. either baby spinach or baby arugula 

peel from 1 lemon

lemon zest

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt to taste 

handful of fresh, peeled, shelled and all-natural walnuts

2 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 green onions, diced (including chives)

Instructions:

Before starting, rinse and/or soak French lentils overnight. When finished soaking and/or cleaning, place in a pot with boiling water. Cook for approximately 25 minutes or until tender.

1. In a bowl, place baby kale, and add salt. 

2. Massage salt into the kale very gently

3. add the baby spinach or arugula and mix

4. in a small pan, heat olive oil and add garlic

5. stir until slightly brown; add onions 

6. set temperature to med-low

7. stir until onions are limp 

8. add walnuts

9. continue to stir 

10. add lemon zest, 2-3 lemon peels using a potato peeler, and juice from lemon

11. continue to stir; give it approximately 5-7 minutes until nice and combined 

12. Let sit and cool for 5 minutes

13. Once mixture has cooled, remove lemon peel. 

14. Add desired amount of French lentils to salad bowl

15. Add cooked mixture to the salad 

16. Top with crumbled sheep cheese