It’s fair to say over the last eighteen months I’ve jumped on and off the 5-2 fasting wagon more times than I would care to admit. I’ve fallen into a rather predictable pattern of faithfully adhering to the rules for two or three months at a time, then being rail roaded by  weeks of unfettered feasting. Holidays, birthdays, celebrations. Any excuse will do. There’s no question that this eating plan works for me. Perhaps it is this knowledge safely stored in the deep dark recesses of my subconscious mind that allows me to pursue 5-2 with such cavalier  abandon.

Today is ground zero. My first day of serious fasting for 2015. No cheating allowed. I put it out there that I was going to do this when school went back after a long, lazy summer, so now I  have to own it. On the menu this gorgeous salad. Super healthy shredded kale paired with sweet but spicy oven roasted pumpkin,  all finished with a shower of a crisp and crunchy savoury granola. All the components have been prepared in advance. Ready to be assembled at a moment’s notice. There’s loads of delicious flavour and texture on a very substantial looking plate of salad for just 205 calories a serve.  Perfect to sustain me through what hopefully wont be too arduous a day of seriously  jumping back onto the fasting wagon.

Shredded Kale Salad With Roasted Butternut Pumpkin And Savoury Granola
Serves 4 (205 calories per serve)

5 cups butternut pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, sliced into chunks (150 calories)
1 large bunch kale, rinsed and dried, ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced crosswise (about 500g shredded weight) (250 calories)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (240 calories)
finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice (4 tablespoons, divided) of one large lemon (12 calories)
1 garlic clove, grated (4 calories)
1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes (3 calories)
3 tablespoons savoury granola (recipe here) (138 calories)
2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt (24 calories)
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

PREHEAT oven to 200 C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
PLACE pumpkin in a shallow bowl. Drizzle with half a tablespoon olive oil and scatter over chilli flakes, a generous pinch of sea salt and a good grinding of black pepper.
TOSS gently to coat, then arrange in a single layer on the lined tray.
BAKE, turning once, for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove Set aside to cool a little.
MEANWHILE place thinly sliced kale in a very large bowl and toss with remaining one and a half tablespoons olive oil, garlic, two tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, finely grated zest of one lemon, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Massage with your fingertips for two or three minutes until kale is shiny and well-coated. The leaves should be a little darker in colour and volume decreased by a third. Set aside for fifteen minutes.
THIN yoghurt with the remaining two tablespoons of lemon juice. Season to taste
TO ASSEMBLE SALAD arrange dressed kale in an even layer over the base of a large serving platter.
TOP with cooled roasted pumpkin chunks. Drizzle over lemon yoghurt dressing and scatter over savoury granola for crunch.  Finish with a good grinding of black pepper. Serve.