Sunday, February 22, 2009

Lent - My 40 days of meat free

Pardon me while I get religious for a moment....I haven't posted much about my religion on this blog, mostly because it's about food, but I've decided to "go there" from now until Easter. I am Catholic, and for Catholics, we are asked to abstain from eating meat on Fridays, and we fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Here's a great article from a favorite blog of mine by a Catholic nun about Lent - it's called "Why Lent Rocks". It's about using the time of Lent to free us from the things that are bind us. Fasting and abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church is something that's confusing to many non Catholics, but what it means is that by abstaining from meat, it means no meat or poultry - seafood is allowed.

For this Lenten season, which begins this Wednesday, I am planning on abstaining from meat for the entire 40 days, and posting on this blog about what I am eating. I am hoping that I will gain some freedom in my cooking and that my "meat and potatoes" family will come to appreciate some other types of entrees. I will still cook meat for them, but it will probably be an add on to whatever vegetarian dish I'm making as an entree, or we'll have seafood at least on Fridays. This is going to be hard for me, as I love meat. Plus, I tend to get anemic unless I eat red meat several times a week, but I can take iron to make up for any potential shortfall.

Here's where I need your help. Can you send me a link to your favorite meat free entree recipes, or blog about them and send me the link? Thanks!

4 comments:

Cottonpickinfarm said...

Here is my favorite "non-meat" lunch.

Garbanzo, Tomato and Pesto Salad


http://cottonpickinfarm.blogspot.com/2009/02/garbanzo-tomato-and-pesto-salad.html

Please, check out the rest of my blog.
Carla = Cottonpickinfarm!

Anonymous said...

I'm not Catholic, but I support your effort to make this sacrifice. Before Vatican II, I had some friends who abstained from meat on Fridays, and it was not easy for them.

I think that sacrifice makes us better aware of the riches we possess, and that our entire society would benefit from a little conscious sacrifice to make the point that we don't need to have everything we want all the time.

Best wishes and congratulations in your effort. It is most commendable.

Chou said...

Thank you for sharing a bit about your beliefs. My favorite meat-free entree that isn't an entree, but is so good you eat it all for dinner, is this fabulous recipe for soy-glazed almonds with green beans. So. Good.

Anonymous said...

My mother and I are doing the exact same thing! She gave up meat two years ago, and managed to do just fine. As for me, however, this will surely be a challenge. It will be very interesting as I come up with meat substitutes. Best of luck to you! God bless!