Julina - It won't help for the long fasts, but for Wednesdays and Fridays we have a thing in my family where I cook for everyone, and they usually don't object, especially when I throw tuna through their (otherwise vegan) pasta or something. I'm getting to be quite a good fasting cook.
It started off by being my Mum saying 'if you want to eat weird, you can cook your own food' but they noticed my food was good so they all eat it now
Speaking of which, I made the most awesome easy pumpkin soup tonight.
1kg (2lbs, roughly) butternut pumpkin (any pumpkin would probably do, to be honest, just make sure it's sweet), peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes, or as close as you can get
2tbs red curry paste (from a jar - get the best you can find, it's always worth it)
270ml coconut cream - I use this much *in* the recipe but put more in a jug on the table
1/4 cup chopped coriander (cilantro)
Heat a reasonably large saucepan over medium heat, add pumpkin and curry paste, stir for 2 minutes, add coconut cream and stir for another 2 minutes, add 2 cups cold water. Bring to boil, then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes until pumpkin goes soft. Remove from heat and let cool slightly for 5min. Then use a blender/stick blender to process it until smooth, ladle into bowls, season with salt and pepper if desired (it doesn't need it, IMO) and top with more coconut cream and coriander/cilantro.
It's sweet and pumpkiny with a spicy but not too hot aftertaste. Even my 'how can you eat chilli!?!?!?!?!' sister quite happily ate it, but it was less bland than the usual pumpkin soup gets.