Shabbat, What Do We Eat?

My husband and I have both lost weight in recent years.  First I managed to change my way of eating and shed 15 kilo, over thirty pounds, and then he was put on a diet, which I implement (plan and prepare meals, including what to take to work etc.)  He lost even more weight than I did.  So now we're still above our "wedding weights," but neither of us are obese, and many of our peers are amazed that we are "normal" weights.  Normal means a bit overweight, but we can buy regular clothes and don't strike others as being fat.

One thing you should know is that we still eat a lot.  It's just that we restrict carbohydrates, fats and proteins.  That leaves us with lots and lots of salad and cooked vegetables.  And we both eat more fruit than we did when obese.

I was never one to serve gravies and sauces, so eliminating them from the table wasn't relevant.  They are a source of extra fat and starch.  That even includes Israeli staples like chumus and techina.  Unless I have a vegetarian guest who needs those for protein, I don't serve them with meals.

Since the protein part of the meal, fish, poultry, beef, etc contains the most fat, I don't give a choice.  There's only one protein at each meal.  It would be either chicken or meatloaf or beef etc.  When you give a variety, people take more. 

The same goes for the carbohydrate/starch of which my husband is allowed one serving, and I don't eat any, except for the challah (festive bread) which I only eat Shabbat and Holidays.

We fill and refill our plates with vegetables and salad.  I dress my salad very simply with some olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon.  That's it. No salt either. My cooking method is very easy.  I bring vegetables like these as house gifts when we're invited out for a meal.

For dessert I serve fruit.  Only rarely do I bake cakes, but I do bake or stew apples and other fruits.

Leora had asked me to write about Shabbat, so I wrote this.  And since Shabbat isn't just about eating, I must add that I'm a regular at the most veteran, longest lasting,  Torah Class in Shiloh.  We've been meeting every Shabbat for thirty years already.  It's the Shiur Nashim,  Women's Class.  I've hosted it and even led it on occasion.