Laura Herring - The 5:2 Diet Cookbook: 120 Easy and Delicious Recipes for Your Two Days of Fasting

Edited by Laura Herring, Photographs by William Reavell Text and photography Ebury Press 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Published in the US by ULYSSES PRESS PO Box 3440 Berkeley, CA 94703 www.ulyssespress.com ISBN 978-1-61243-308-0 Library of Congresss Conrol Number: 2013943005 First published in 2013 in the UK as The Fasting Day Cookbook by Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing, A Random House Group Company 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Design by Seagull Design Photography by William Reavell Project editor: Laura Herring Food stylist: Emma Marsden Props stylist: Jo Harris Consultant dietician: Fiona Hinton US acquisitions: Kelly Reed US editor: Lauren Harrison US proofreader: Elyce Berrigan-Dunlop Cover design: Michelle Thompson | Fold & Gather Design Distributed by Publishers Group West This book has been written and published strictly for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical advice or to be any form of medical treatment. You should always consult your physician before altering or changing any aspect of your medical treatment and/or undertaking a diet regimen, including the guidelines as described in this book.

Do not stop or change any prescription medications without the guidance and advice of your physician. Any use of the information in this book is made on the readers good judgment after consulting with his or her physician and is the readers sole responsibility. This book is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and is not a substitute for a physician.

There is much evidence associating low-calorie diets with many long-term health benefits. A restricted diet is thought to reduce our risk of developing serious illnesses like diabetes and cancer, and to help us live for longer. It is not altogether reasonable, however, to expect people to follow a continuously reduced-calorie diet, and more commonly it is recommended to include two low-calorie days each week, while eating normally the remainder of the time.

On fast days, women should consume no more than 500 calories, and men, no more than 600 calories. During their fast days, many people choose to follow a traditional three-meals-a-day routine, with a low-calorie breakfast, lunch and dinner. Others prefer a light start to the day, saving up their calories for a hearty meal in the evening. Alternatively, you could start the day with a larger breakfast, eating just very small meals for the rest of the day. As long as you stay within your calories, you can mix-and-match in whatever way suits you best. The 5:2 Diet Cookbook allows you to do just this, with a delicious range of simple recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinnerand even a chapter on snacks and drinksall of which you can eat, guilt-free, on your fasting days.

Each recipe includes a total calorie count at the top of the page and the calorie brackets are color-coded for ease of use (see the table on covering a range of calorie limits. Following a diet doesnt mean you have to miss out on all your favorite foods. In fact, flavor and variety are what will stop you from feeling like youre on a diet at all. The recipes in this book make use of many slow-release energizers like oats, beans and lentils to help you feel fuller for longer, drawing inspiration from all kinds of cuisine, including Chinese, Indian, Thai and Italian. Start the day with a cranberry Morning Muffin (). There is a wide variety to pick from, so you can eat different, exciting meals on every fast day.

For many dieters, snacking is a hard habit to break. The 5:2 Diet Cookbook has this covered too. With ideas from as low as 40 calories, choose from an irresistible range of snacks to see you through the day: Saffron Scones (). One of the main complaints when following a new eating plan is the amount of preparation involved, or the inconvenience of providing for other family members at mealtimes. Many of the recipes in The 5:2 Diet Cookbook are designed to serve four or more, meaning you can supplement them with extra side dishes to provide a filling meal for the rest of the family. Many other recipes are suitable for making in larger batches and freezing for upcoming diet days.

With such a tempting range of meals and snacks to choose from, youll be able to eat just as well on your fast days as on your feast days!

CALORIES PER SERVING: Serves 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus chilling time Cooking time: 10 minutes This simple summer salad features the winning combination of melon and ginger. Here the mellow colors of several different melons blend together beautifully to make a very pretty dish. 1 small charentais or cantaloupe melon 1 small galia melon 1/2 large honeydew melon 12oz (350g) watermelon for the dressing 2 tbsp bakers sugar 1 tbsp chopped preserved stem ginger in syrup, drained 2 tbsp orange juice 2 tsp lemon juice First make the dressing. Place the sugar and ginger in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup (120ml) water.

Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the orange and lemon juices. Set aside to cool. Peel each melon and discard the seeds. Cut the flesh into thin wedges and mix together in a large bowl.

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