Watchman's Adventure: Preparing for Yom Kippur's Fast

The watchman learned from last year’s experience that the most difficult part is not drinking water. He can stand the not eating part but needs to really fortify against dehydration. He is one of those who do not take much plain water. So the tips here are very relevant to him.

Here is a number of useful excerpts from various sources on how to prepare for this year’s Yom Kippur Fasting.

Tips for Yom Kippur Fasting Don’t make it any more difficult than it has to be; fasting is easier if you prepare your body in advance; there are things you can do to ease your fast after it has started. Above all, set goals before you start. Why do you want to fast? What motivates you to do so?

One of the primary and best-known observances of Yom Kippur is fasting. The purpose of fasting is to “afflict your soul,” a means of repenting. For some people, fasting is easy; for others, it is more difficult. But there is no particular merit in making this fast any more difficult than it has to be. Here are a few tips that have helped in the past.

Everybody’s body is different, and everybody reacts differently to fasting. These tips may or may not work for you. Above all else, you should listen to your own body and do those things that tend to make you less hungry while avoiding things that tend to make you more hungry.

A Week Before Yom Kippur: You can ease your fast by preparing your body about a week before the fast.

Taper Off Addictive or Habitual Substances

Starting on the day after Rosh Hashanah, taper off of the following:

■Coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverages

■Refined sugar and candy, especially chocolate

■Cigarettes, cigars and pipes

■Anything else that you eat habitually or compulsively, that you long for when you can’t have it

Sudden deprivation of any of the above can cause withdrawal symptoms that will make it harder to fast. If you taper off of these things about a week before the fast, you will find that your withdrawal symptoms are not as severe.

Vary Your Meal Schedule

Keep in mind that for most well-fed Americans (and others for that matter), the “hunger” that you feel at meal times is simply a result of your body preparing itself to receive food at the expected time. If you always eat lunch at precisely 12:30 and dinner at precisely 6 PM, your body will start preparing to digest at those times. That is what most people think of as “hunger.” If you vary your meal schedule, you will find that it eases your feelings of hunger at meal times.

Drink Plenty of Water

The need for water is much greater than the need for food (as the watchman has found out personally last year’s Yom Kippur) and if you are like most Americans, you don’t drink enough water under ordinary circumstances. During the last few days before Yom Kippur, make sure you drink plenty of water, so you do not risk becoming dehydrated during your fast.

The Meal Before

Your last meal before Yom Kippur should be chosen carefully.

Don’t Overeat

Some people seem to think that they can “make up for” not eating on Yom Kippur by having a big meal the night before. This is a very bad idea, and actually makes it harder to fast. Have you ever noticed how you feel particularly hungry the morning after a large meal? Eat a normal sized meal.

Eat Foods That Are Easy To Digest

Don’t eat anything that will sit in your stomach like a rock, give you heartburn or leave you feeling hungry. Think of foods that don’t leave you feeling hungry the morning after.

Get Plenty of Protein and Complex Carbohydrates

These are the foods that will stick with you during the next day and give you the long-term energy you need.

During Yom Kippur

Even after the fast has started, there are things you can do to ease your fast.

Go to a place of worship/prayer Aside from the fact that you’re supposed to be there praying and repenting anyway, this will actually make it easier to fast. Being with people who are also fasting, will make it easier for you to fast. Most importantly you will find that when you focus on the matters of God, your spiritual man rises and your body’s craving subsides. Live by the Spirit and not the flesh! The watchman has found that the presence of God makes him forget about food and the Bible verse “man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” is real!

Don’t Talk About Food or Hunger

Talking about your hunger will only focus your attention on it and make it harder to fast. Don’t talk about or think about what you are going to eat after the fast. You should also avoid being around people who are talking about these things. Be with people who are spiritual and Spirit-led.

Take a Nap in the Afternoon

During the break between services in the afternoon. Have you ever noticed that full feeling that you have when you wake up from an afternoon nap? Do not exert yourselves much physically. For those who do not nap, reading God’s Word and meditating on His Word as led by the Holy Spirit will refresh you.


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Two Weeks Before the Fast: Kick Your Bad Habits

Caffeine: For caffeine addicts, going without any caffeine on Yom Kippur can make the fast particularly challenging. Caffeine is technically an addictive drug, causing a chemical dependency that can trigger unpleasant withdrawal symptoms (headaches, fatigue, nausea, poor-motor skills, irritability, inability to concentrate, etc.) that compound the ordinary physical challenges of fasting. If you have a caffeine habit, it is best to prepare yourself for a caffeine free Yom Kippur several weeks in advance. Beginning at least two weeks before the holiday slowly reduce your caffeine consumption with the goal of stopping your caffeine intake 3-4 days before Yom Kippur. If you drink two cups of coffee a day, start by reducing this to one cup, then after a few days switch to half-caffeine before switching to decaf. This way you’ll experience the withdrawal more gradually and hopefully be through the worst withdrawal symptoms before the actual day. Be sure to drink plenty of water during this time and get extra rest if you need to. You may even consider quitting altogether after the fast to avoid this problem in the future.

Fatty/Sugary/Salty Foods: Generally these are the foods people crave during a fast, by reducing or eliminating these types of foods in the weeks before you’ll help to reduce cravings during the fast.

Hydrate: While a healthy adult can generally survive for weeks without food, dehydration can set in within a few days. It’s no surprise then that most of the discomfort of fasting is caused by lack of water not the lack of food. To help reduce the effects of dehydration during a fast it is critical to properly hydrate beforehand. Most of us do not drink enough water in our normal day-to-day routines, so it is even more critical to begin hydrating in the week before the fast. Generally an adult at rest should be drinking about half their body weight in ounces of water per day (i.e. A 150 lb. man should be getting 75 ounces of water per day, or about 9.5 cups of water). The best source for hydration is water, though fluids can be obtained from a variety of sources. Beware caffeinated beverages and soft drinks though, caffeine actually causes your body to use more water, and so caffeinated beverages and soft drinks do not have the same hydrating power as an equivalent amount of water and can actually contribute to dehydration.

Prescription Medication: Should you fast If you take any prescription medications (or have any health conditions that fasting may impact or worsen)? You would need to ask your doctor for answers.


Day before the Fast: Final Preparation

Stay On Target: All of the steps taken to prepare in the week or two leading up to the fast should still be followed the day before:

■Avoid caffeine, alcohol and salty foods that will worsen the effects of not drinking and contribute to dehydration.

■Drink sufficient water. Stocking up on extra water will help stave off the effects of dehydration during the fast.

Eat Normal Sized Meals: While being well hydrated will help stave off the effects of dehydration, over eating will not stave off the effects of hunger and may make you more uncomfortable. The excess fluids needed for your body to process large meals may also lead to dehydration.

Focus on Complex Carbs: Complex carbohydrates like those found in pasta, breads, rice, fruits, vegetables, and beans (legumes) are best for maintaining your body’s muscle energy levels during the fast. This is why runners stock up on pasta the night before a marathon, but your body will get a similar benefit prior to a fast. In addition carbohydrates help your body absorb water more efficiently, so eating carbs will aid in staying hydrated during the fast. Proteins and fats do not have this same hydration benefit. Whole-grain products and fruits/vegetables that are high in fiber are best, as these will not only provide energy but are slower to digest and will keep you feeling fuller the longest.


Yom Kippur Pre-Fast Menus and Recipes

Meal of Cessation

Jews traditionally eat a Meal of Cessation – called Seudat Mafseket - before the Yom Kippur fast. A family may eat a meat meal for lunch, and then eat a hi-carb dairy dinner directly before the fast. The meat menu includes low-salt vegetable soup, breaded chicken, potatoes and dessert. The dairy menu includes egg souffle, whole wheat bagels with various spreads and fruit salad.

Yom Kippur Post-Fast Menu and Recipes

At the end of Yom Kippur, Jews traditionally share a joyful Break Fast meal with family and friends. The Yom Kippur Break Fast is generally a festive breakfast menu consisting of foods such as eggs, cheese, bread.

________________Lastly, be watchful and prayerful. Continue to stay in the presence of the Lord.

Two Prophets' Shana Tova Greetings

Zechariah 12:10-14

10 “Then I will pour out a Spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on Me Whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as for an only Son. They will grieve bitterly for Him as for a firstborn Son who has died. 11 The sorrow and mourning in Jerusalem on that day will be like the great mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddo.

12 “All Israel will mourn, each clan by itself, and with the husbands separate from their wives. The clan of David will mourn alone, as will the clan of Nathan, 13 the clan of Levi, and the clan of Shimei. 14 Each of the surviving clans from Judah will mourn separately, and with the husbands separate from their wives.

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our message?

To whom has the Lord revealed His powerful arm?

2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,

like a root in dry ground.

There was nothing beautiful or majestic about His appearance,

nothing to attract us to Him.

3 He was despised and rejected—

a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.

We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way.

He was despised, and we did not care.


4 Yet it was our weaknesses He carried;

it was our sorrows[a] that weighed Him down.

And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God,

a punishment for His own sins!

5 But He was pierced for our rebellion,

crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.

We have left God’s paths to follow our own.

Yet the Lord laid on Him

the sins of us all.


7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,

yet He never said a word.

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.

And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,

He did not open His mouth.

8 Unjustly condemned,

He was led away.

No one cared that He died without descendants,

that His life was cut short in midstream.

But He was struck down

for the rebellion of my people.

9 He had done no wrong

and had never deceived anyone.

But He was buried like a criminal;

He was put in a rich man’s grave.


10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him

and cause Him grief.

Yet when His life is made an offering for sin,

He will have many descendants.

He will enjoy a long life,

and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in His hands.

11 When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish,

He will be satisfied.

And because of His experience,

my righteous servant will make it possible

for many to be counted righteous,

for He will bear all their sins.

12 I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier,

because He exposed Himself to death.

He was counted among the rebels.

He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

How the watchman spent this year’s Yom Kippur

In his attempt to identify with the brethren who keeps Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), the watchman tried as much as he could to spend his day accordingly. His goals are as follows:

Identify with the Jewish people (the natural descendants of Abraham) in their physical and spiritual quests (faith in action)

Seek God for revelation of His immediate future plan and purpose for Israel (for prayer and intercession purposes) 

Seek a deeper walk in the spiritual realm for the watchman as he has never done this much of fasting (no food and no water) for 25 hours before. 

On the day before the eve of Yom Kippur, he took three meals instead of the usual one and half meals. For dinner, he forced himself to eat the full plate of rice as he needed the energy for an outstation travel on the Yom Kippur Day. After his relatively heavy meal, which consisted of steam rice, fish, spinach, and an apple, he regretted the salt (in the form of Japanese seasoning) intake. Within four hours he started feeling thirsty. This was a tough but useful lesson.

At 11pm he attended a worship service in the Prayer House. He was not tired as he had taken one and half hour nap before he left for the service. But he felt uncomfortable with his seemingly parched throat. He knew this was a spiritual distraction as he had never felt this thirsty on normal days. So he just kept his mind on the worship and the presence of the Lord. By the time the service finished around 1.30am he felt normal and fresh.

On the morning of the Yom Kippur, he got up with five hours of sleep to prepare for his outstation drive. He wetted his throat with a small seep (about a mouthful) of water (so he was keeping a modified form of Yom Kippur).  He read the Word of God and prayed a bit. By the time he left the house after feeding his dog, it was 10am. During the two hours drive he felt normal except that he did not dare talk with his traveling companions. He listened to an intercessor’s preaching of the kingdom of God. 

On arrival of his destination, he went into a room and spent the afternoon alone, reading the Word of God, listening to the Word (on his pocket MP4), working on some of his verses stored in his notebook. He also lied down for awhile with the MP4 on and the room saturated with Bible verses. He was led to read Zechariah and listen to the Books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy! 

By the time he has fasted 19.5 hours, his wife gave him a glass of fruit juice and told him the helper has just made it. She did not join him in the fasting but she refrained her comments. He knew it was not possible for him at this point of time to fast liquid until the 25th hour, so he decided to take the glass and spent half an hour drinking it. After that he took more plain water since he had broken his fast on water. He had his light dinner of fish and vegetable around the 23rd hour of fasting food. He then realized with regret that in his hurry to leave home he forgot to bring the apple truffle which his wife had kept for him in the fridge from previous night! However the bath was refreshing and a real comfort!

He summarizes the experience as follows: 

Physical aspect: fasting food was not a problem at all as he has been practicing fasting some main meals for quite sometime. The three meals on the previous day were more than sufficient to sustain him.

Mental aspect: he was drowsy during the afternoon hours. However he could listen to the Word of the Lord and let the Word, which is spirit and life feed his spirit. He wanted to write but he could not do much. 

Emotion aspect: he felt a sense of peace and rest in the Lord. There was no hurry to do or accomplish anything. However, the time seemed longer to pass as he felt thirsty. 

Discipline aspect: he was not able to discipline strictly as he took seeps of water (about four small mouthfuls) at critical intervals.

Spiritual aspect: this is the awesome part. 

Was he able to identify with the Jews who keep Yom Kippur? He could feel the physical (including the mental and emotional) discomfort to a certain extent. Spiritually he could not pray much. Instead, he went through a whole afternoon soaked in God’s Word: a review of Israel’s history, in the eyes of God, past and future. Leviticus and Deuteronomy narrate their past. Zechariah speaks of their future. The Word session was powerful. He was led through a journey of sadness and hope. His heart was overwhelmed by the heart of God. 

As a finale for this memorable day, in the evening he was led to listen to the psalms. The Word of God again displays His mercy, goodness, power and glory! He listened from psalm 1 to psalm 77. Then he stopped. God spoke to him through His Word!

Psalm 77 describes how Israel relate themselves to God. The psalm aptly reflects the Yom Kippur spirit, the watchman thought.

1-3 I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long, I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted. I think of God and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for His help. 

4-9 You don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray! I think of the good old days, long since ended, when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I searched my soul and ponder the difference now. Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will He never again be kind to me? Is His unfailing love gone forever? Have His promises permanently failed? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He slammed the door on His compassion?

10-12 And I said, “this is my fate, the Most High has turned His hand against me.” But then I recall all You have done, O Lord; I remember Your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about Your mighty works. 

13-15 O God, Your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as You? You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate Your awesome power among the nations. By Your strong arm, You redeemed Your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. 

16-18 When the Red Sea saw You, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths. The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed. Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook. 

10-20 Your road led through the sea, Your pathway through the mighty waters- a pathway no one knew was there! You led Your people along that road like a flock of sheep, when Moses and Aaron were their shepherds. 

September 18, 2010, 10:09 PM

"But where is the Lamb?" Gen.22:7

Christ Is the Perfect Sacrifice

Hebrews 9:11 So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. ¹² With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

¹³ Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. ¹⁴ Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Hebrews 10

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

¹ The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. ² If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

³ But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. ⁴ For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ⁵ That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God,

“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
⁶ You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
⁷ Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”

⁸ First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). ⁹ Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. ¹⁰For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

¹¹ Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. ¹² But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.¹³ There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. ¹⁴ For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

¹⁵ And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,

¹⁶ “This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”

¹⁷ Then he says,

“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.”

¹⁸ And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

A Call to Persevere

¹⁹ And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. ²⁰ By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. ²¹ And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, ²² let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

²³ Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. ²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵ And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

intercessor/watchman: Understand Yom Kippur

The watchman was asked in his spirit to understand and identify with the Jewish brothers (natural descendants of Abraham, father of faith) on their national day of atonement. So he has found some useful information which he will publish on this blog for others who are like him.

CUSTOM AND LAWS (from National Jewish Outreach)

“A. Yom Kippur is a Yom Tov, a festival day, which is observed like Shabbat. “

“B. Afflicting your soul – “…on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all…for on that day will G-d forgive you and cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before G-d” (Leviticus 16:29-30). How does one afflict one’s soul and why? The oral law enumerates five prohibitions as the way to “afflict your soul” on Yom Kippur: eating and drinking, washing, annointing, wearing leather shoes and marital relations. By refraining from these actions, one is reminded that it is the spirit that must be the focus, not the body. It may seem the opposite is true, that a person would focus on being hungry or thirsty or uncomfortable from not washing, but such discomforts are temporary and on Yom Kippur one can transcend physical discomfort to connect with the spirit of the day.”

Yom Kippur is a Jewish holy day that takes place 10 days after Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year). Also known as the Day of Atonement, it is a time for introspection, prayer and forgiveness.

How to Prepare for the Yom Kippur Fast (By an eHow Contributor )

During Yom Kippur, the Jewish holiday also known as the Day of Atonement, adults are required to refrain from eating or drinking for a 25-hour period from one-half hour before sundown until nightfall the next day. By properly preparing your body for this “affliction of the soul,” as it is known, you can reduce the pain and discomfort associated with the fast.

Prepare for the Yom Kippur Fast

1 Reduce and eventually eliminate the amount of caffeine, refined sugar and tobacco products you consume in the days leading up to the Yom Kippur fast. A sudden “cold turkey” approach may increase the chance of headaches and withdrawal symptoms during the fast.

2 Drink plenty of water on the day prior to Yom Kippur. This will help you to digest all of the food eaten at the Seudah Mafseket feast more easily, and will help prevent dehydration during the fast.

3 Prepare fish or poultry for the morning meal on the day before Yom Kippur begins. This will help you to store more energy later on, since other meats are prohibited on this day.

4 Partake in the Seudah Mafseket (“last meal”) feast. Eat only foods that are not heavily seasoned or salted, which can aggravate dehydration later. Prepare foods that are filling and high in carbohydrates, such as kreplach (dumplings), rice and bread.

5 Brush your teeth thoroughly just after the Seudah Mafseket, and just before sundown. This will help to reduce the bad breath that occurs during fasting periods.

6 Conserve your energy once you have started the fast. Take a nap halfway through the day, and reduce physical activity. Generally, your body will tell you what you can and cannot do during a fast, so listen to it. Most of all, try not to talk with others about food or how hungry you are, which will make you even hungrier.

How to observe Yom Kippur

1 Take the day off from work.

2 Observe the Yom Kippur fast, beginning at sundown the night before and ending after nightfall on Yom Kippur. (Skip this step if you are pregnant, nursing or under age 13.)

3 Attend the Kol Nidre service at your synagogue. This service takes place the evening before Yom Kippur.

4 Reflect on the mistakes you have made in the past year, and plan how to avoid them in the future.

5 Make amends with anyone who has wronged you or whom you have offended. Ask forgiveness and let go of old grudges.

6 Find out in advance when services are being held at your synagogue, and attend at least one on the day of Yom Kippur.

Prepare a Seudah Mafseket Before Yom Kippur

1 Decide which foods you are going to serve for Seudah Mafseket. Usually, rice and kreplach (dumpling) dishes are the more traditional choices, along with plenty of bread, since meat is not to be consumed on the day before Yom Kippur. Fish and poultry are considered appropriate, although more orthodox Jews prefer to confine those to a separate meal earlier in the day.

2 Put as little salt and seasoning into the food as possible. While you want to eat enough food to get you through the fasting period as safely as possible, the idea is to provide simple foods that aren’t rich or extravagant. Heavily seasoned foods can also aggravate dehydration.

3 Avoid drinking too much alcohol during the Seudah Mafseket, since saying prayers while you are drunk is considered an abomination before God. It is also important to bless the bread, but not the wine, during this meal.

4 Restrict your intake of caffeine during the entire day, which can intensify the headaches you may experience during the fasting period of Yom Kippur.

5 Drink plenty of water during the day to help ready your body for Yom Kippur, since fasting can accelerate dehydration.

6 Choose to eat foods that are easy to digest, since you may be eating a larger than normal amount to prepare for Yom Kippur.

7 Recite both the Grace after Meals, and Psalm 126 upon completion of the Seudah Mafseket, which should be concluded at least 30 minutes before sundown. Psalm 126 is especially important, since it reaffirms that redemption has not yet taken place, and there is hard work ahead during the Day of Atonement.

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Break the fast recipes

Here are two which seem easy to try:

Apple Crisp

Ingredients :

1) Tart apples – 8, peeled, cored and sliced.
2) Water – 1/2 cup.
3) Cinnamon – 1 tsp.
4) Nutmeg – 1/4 tsp.
5) Flour – 1 cup.
6) Butter/margarine – 7 tsp., unsalted.
7) Sugar – 3/4 cup.

Preparation :

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Lightly butter a baking dish (dimensions: 7 1/2- by 11 3/4-inch). Scatter the peeled apple slices evenly across its bottom. Pour in the water. Also add in the cinnamon and nutmeg.

3) Get a small bowl. Pour in it the flour, butter and sugar. Combine all of it together with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Spread this mixture evenly over the apples and bake for 30 minutes (or until the top becomes crispy and the apple filling turns frothy).

4) Drizzle the apple crisp with some honey. Pour some vanilla ice cream also. Serve warm.

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Cucumber Salad With Dill

Ingredients :

1) Water – 1 cup.
2) White vinegar – 1 cup.
3) Salt – 1/4 tsp.
4) Sugar – 1 cup.
5) Cucumbers – 2 large (hot-house variety), sliced paper-thin.
6) Dried dill weed or Fresh minced dill – 2 tbsp.
7) Bibb lettuce – 1 head.
 Arugala – 1 bunch.
9) Cherry tomatoes (for garnish)
10) A large glass bowl

Preparation :

1) In the large glass bowl, combine the water, vinegar, salt and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the cucumbers and toss.

2) Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

3) Take it out of the freezer and drain. Garnish with watercress and cherry tomatoes. Serve on lettuce leaves.