Our traditional Ash Wednesday meal.  Totally abstinent.  recipe from LENT AND EASTER IN THE CHRISTIAN KITCHEN by lauri Navar Gill and Teresa Zepeda.

Black Beans and Rice

canned beans make this dish a snap to prepare.  I sue brown rice for its superior nutrition and flavor.  If you want to add ashes, stir them in to the beans after cooking time has been completed.

3 cans black beans
1 c green pepper, thinly sliced
1 c diced onion
1 c thinly sliced celery

uh oh.  What happened to the rest of the recipe I typed above?  ok here goes again, continuing recipe for Black Beans and Rice…

1 1/2 c thinly sliced carrots
1/2 c picante (I use salsa)
1/2 c water
2T chili powder
2t cumin
1 t onion powder
1t black pepper
1/4 t red ( cayenne) pepper
3 c cooked rice

In large skillet saute carrots in vegetable oil for three minutes.  Add peppers celery onion picante sauce water and spices.  Cook covered for 15 minutes.  add beans.  Cook five more minutes.  Serve over rice

Serves 8

What a great idea!  I put a link to a recent favorite I posted about on my blog.  I also love this Cauliflower-Garlic soup (done with veggie stock and with the bacon omitted, to make it Lent-compliant).  I say in that post not to leave out the bacon, but the soup has a great flavor on its own and wouldn’t suffer TOO much without it.

Lucy of City of Steeples and the Pious Sodality of Church Ladies often posts in a category she calls “Fish on Fridays.”  I’ve gotten tons of ideas from her.  Her posts on the subject can be found here.

Oops!  Somehow, I broke the last link in my previous post.  It should lead you here: .

Can you tell I’m not terribly computer-literate?  Third time’s the charm, I hope.

http://cityofsteeples.blogspot.com/search/label/Fish on Fridays

I’m looking forward to trying the broiled salmon (and checking out the other meat-free recipes). I’m always on the lookout for simple fish/seafood recipes.

I share a corn chowder and PB banana smoothie recipe.  Enjoy!

God bless.

Grainburgers (favorite in our house!)

1 cup rice
2 1/4 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/3 c green pepper, chopped fine (opt)
1/3 c onion, chopped fine
1/3 c celery, chopped fine
1/3 c corn meal
1/3 c oats
1/3 c wheat germ (or bulgur wheat soaked in hot water and drained)

Cook rice in water and salt (The trick is to make sure the rice is sticky when it is done!). Add vegetables and grains; stir. Season to taste. Form into 9 patties; fry in skillet with olive oil till nice and crispy on both sides. Add a slice of cheese for a complete protein.

Serve on buns like hamburgs—with all the condiments! YUM!

i love this idea and will most certainly be stealing these ideas.  if i wasn’t smack dab in the middle of trying to organize a cookbook for our parish school and church, i’d share some too.  but i’m in recipe OVERLOAD right now:0)

Asparagus Frittata

(Feel free to substitute with another vegetable such as broccoli, spinach or artichokes)

1 bunch of asparagus, cut in small pieces and blanched for one minute. (immerse in ice water when done, then drain)
1 medium onion chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic minced
about 10 eggs (give or take a few)
salt and pepper to taste
about 1/2 cup grated cheese (I use locatelli. )
olive oil to saute onions and garlic

Saute’ onions and garlic till translucent and let cool slightly.  Beat eggs with salt and pepper in a mixing bowl till fluffy.  Beat in cheese and stir in cooled vegetables.  Pour into an oiled 9 by 11 inch pan, and bake in a 350 degree oven till done, about 25 minutes. Frittata will be puffy and slightly browned when done. Don’t overcook!
this is a very versatile recipe.  You can substituted the vegetable and cheeses with anything you like.  You can also add a bit of cream or milk if you like.  When using cheese such as cheddar or mozzarella use about a cup or so to taste.  The grated cheeses such as romano or parmisian have a stronger flavor so you don’t need as much. 
Note to Danielle:  YOU CAN LEAVE OUT THE ONIONS and it will still taste good. 

I chose to share my recipe for Fish Tacos.  Not the most imaginative thing, but they’re fast and the kids will eat them.  Sometimes that’s all you want in a recipe.

Quinoa and beans

Quck and Easy!!! And, very healthy. My kids love this!

one cup quinoa
2 cups broth or water
1 small onion chopped
2 or 3 garlic cloves minced
1 can light kidney beans
about 2 cups spinach
about 1/cup grated cheese

Rinse quinoa if necessary. (Read package directions.)  In a large saucepan combine quinoa, broth or water (it doesn’t really make much difference) a pinch of salt and pepper, onions and garlic.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes till quinoa has absorbed all liquid.  Drain and rinse beans, and add to quinoa.  Throw in spinach (I use frozen, thaw first) and cheese, toss together and serve. This is a really quick dish to make and quite delicious.  Quinoa has the texture of couscous, light and fluffy and nutty all at once.  It is one of the “super foods” that are all the rage today LOL.  You can double or triple this recipe, it is very versatile.

That was supposed to be a1/2 cup of grated cheese. Sorry!

Mine’s in there. I love this list idea!
Thanks Danielle!

Recipe from Semi-Homemade by Sandra Lee

Angel Hair With Salmon in Lemon Cream Sauce

8 oz angle hair
1 pound fresh salmon, bones removed
1 jar (15 oz) creamy alfredo sauce
6 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Cook pasta. Preheat broiler. Season salmon w/salt & pepper, broil 2-3 minutes per side. In large skillet, med-high heat, combine sauce, lemon juice, 2 minutes. Stir in parsley. Flake salmon into sauce. Spoon sauce over pasta, sprinkle on parmesan cheese.

Cod & Veggie Saute

1 pound cod filets
2 small zucchini
2 med-sized red bell peppers
1 large onion
1/2 pound large mushrooms
oil
salt

Cut cod, zucchini, & red peppers into 1.5 inch chunks. Slice onion, cut each mushroom in half. In nonstick 12-inch skillet over med-high heat, in 2 Tbsp hot olive oil, cook cod with 1/4 tsp salt until browned on both sides & fish flakes easily. Remove from skillet, keep warm.
In same skillet in 2 more Tbsp hot olive oil, cook veggies & 1/2 tsp salt until veggies are tender-crisp & lightly browned. Stir in 1/4 cup water, heat through.
Serve with rice.

Thanks everyone for sharing recipes. I’m always looking for more meatless meal ideas. We actually don’t eat meat on Fridays all year round and Friday is homemade pizza night. I make the dough in the afternoon. I usually tire of having the same thing each week, but I love pizza (and so does the rest of the family) and there’s something nice about knowing what I’m making on Fridays without having to tax my brain too much. I used to buy the frozen pizzas from Costco but with a standing mixer it’s so easy to make the dough, and much cheaper!

From Miserly Meals by Jonni McCoy

Blackened Fish

1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder (red pepper)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/4 cumin
3 Tbsp butter
2 pounds fish fillets (cod, catfish, halibut, red snapper—-don’t use very thin fillets like sole)

Combine all spices into a plate. Melt butter over high heat in a cast-iron skillet. Dip fish both sides in spices. Cook fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side. They will look burnt, but they’ll taste great. The high heat is turning the spices into a crust & sealing the moisture in the fish. This makes a lot of smoke! Open the windows & turn on the vent!

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

I cheated and linked to a recipe for Ginger Lentil Soup that I posted last year, but since I don’t have many readers, it’ll be new!   Looking forward to reading the others and getting some new recipes!

Even my husband likes these, and he is a pretty hardened carnivore.

Bean Enchiladas

1 package small flour tortillas
1 8 oz package mexican cheese
1 can vegetarian refried beans
1 medium onion
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano

1. Mix the spices with the tomato sauce. 

2. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and saute the onion until soft. 

3.  Mix the refried beans with the onion, 1/3 of the cheese, and 1/3 of the tomato sauce.

4.  Evenly divide the bean mixture among the tortillas.  Spread it out in a line down the middle.  Roll up the tortilla.

5.  Place the enchiladas in a greased 13x9 inch pan.

6.  Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.

7.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

These recipes all sound great.  It did make me think though, (not picking on you Danielle) but these meatless meals are supposed to be something of a sacrifice right?  Around here, something like Salmon would be an expensive gourmet meal.  Our kids are in heaven when we serve any seafood, we have it so rarely.  So I guess my question is… Is just meatless enough?  Should there be an element of sacrifice to really make it a sacrifice?  Am I making any sense?  Just musing…not trying to be critical.  musing when I should be cleaning or caring for these kids!!

One of the favorite meatless meals in our house, which even the children like, is Spinach Casseroles.  The recipe calls for cooking it in individual dishes, but it works fine baked in a casserole dish.  You might need to adjust the cooking time.

2 10 oz packages frozen chopped spinach
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
milk
1 1/2 cups shredded American cheese (about 10 slices)
1 cup milk
4 beaten eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook spinach according to package directions.  Drain, reserving liquid.  Melt margarine; blend in flour.  Add milk to reserved spinach liquid to equal 1 cup; add to flour mixture.  Cook and stir till thickened.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cook and stir till cheese melts.  Spoon into six 1 cup casseroles (or one big one).  Bake at 350 till knife inserted off-center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.

Another favorite is Tuna Stuffing Casserole.

2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 6 /12 oz can tuna, drained
3/4 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
5 Tbsp margarine or butter
2 1/4 cup Herb Stuffing Cubes (you can make your own; we use packaged stuffing mix)
1 10 1/2 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (during Lent we use cr. of celery or cr. of mushroom)
1/2 cup sour cream

Halve zucchini slices.  Cook in boiling salted water till tender; drain.  (We just saute the zucchini with the carrot and onion.)  Flake tuna.  Cook carrot and onion in 4 Tbsp butter till tender.  Add tuna, 1 1/2 cups Herb Stuffing Cubes, soup, and sour cream.  Stir in zucchini.  Turn into a 2 quart casserole.  Melt remaining butter; toss with remaining cubes.  Sprinkle over casserole.  Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes.

(Both of these recipes come from an old cookbook: Better Homes and Gardens Meat Stretcher Cook Book.)

Theresia:  I have struggled with the same questions (I’m a convert, so I didn’t grow up with Lenten sacrifices as part of my faith formation).  The way my husband has gotten me to think about it has helped me reconcile the idea that Lenten abstinence is supposed be a sacrifice with the fact that I love fish.

First, you have to think about it historically.  Meat (other than fish that could be caught locally) has not been available to all people for very long, when thinking of the big picture.  Only the very rich had access to beef, pork, etc.  Even today in poorer areas of the world people tend not to have access to such foods.  In former times, fish would have been “peasant food,” and so eating it instead of meat could have been humbling.

For us now, remembering to keep Fridays meatless (whether just in Lent or throughout the year) is a reminder of our Catholic faith and heritage.  During Lent in particular, it’s something that we all (are supposed to) do together.  It sets us apart from others.  For me, when I reach into the freezer for fish instead of chicken on a Friday, I try to remember to offer up a little prayer of thanksgiving that I am a part of Holy Mother Church.  I remind myself that we do this for a reason.  So even if I’m really enjoying a yummy piece of salmon, it’s a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice and love for us.

My go-to meatless meal that everyone will eat:
Bean/Cheese Quesedillas

Spread flour tortillas with canned fat-free refried beans.  Smear a tablespoon of taco sauce over the beans on each tortilla.  Then sprinkle cheddar (or “mexican blend”) cheese over the taco sauce.  Top each with another tortilla.  Brown each side in a large frying pan (I run two pans at once, or a large griddle would work well, too, to feed a bunch).  Slice into triangles and serve with salsa and sour cream.

My link takes you to the archived Meatless recipes page at CatholicMom.com where many moms have contributed great recipes over the years.  I hope to include more this year on our new, updated site.  Thanks for this great resource Danielle!

Catholic Relief Services program Operation Rice Bowl has wonderful meatless recipes from third world countries on their website.

http://orb.crs.org/features/recipes/index.cfm

My link is for Blackbean stuffed peppers you can make in the slow cooker. The recipe gives you six servings, so it’s already easy to multiply for a larger family!

Chick Pea Soup

2     Tablespoons Olive Oil
1     large garlic, or 2 small chopped
3/4   cup onion diced
3/4   cup carrot sliced thin
2     large ripe plum tomatoes chopped
3/4   cup diced potatoes
1     15 oz. can of chick peas rinsed and drained
2     chicken bouillon
41/2   cups water
1/2   teaspoon paprika
1/4   green pepper sliced
2     Tablespoons diced parsley

      Saute garlic, onion, carrots, tomatoes, in olive oil until tender. Add potatoes, chick peas, chicken bouillon, water,  paprika, green pepper and parsley.  Simmer about 45 minutes or until the chick peas are tender.

Theresia, I read that the real sacrifice is in the OBEDIENCE.  http://mreitemeyer.blogspot.com/2007/02/meatless-fridays.html

I know I put a lot of shrimp recipes in my meatless list, but that’s a once-a-month item around here.  And when I buy shrimp, I get it on sale (we can get 2 1/2 pounds of cooked shrimp, enough for 2 1/2 dinners, for $10 on sale).  The salmon burgers I listed serve 4 for just about $2 worth of canned salmon.

Truth be told, if I gave up on the fish because it’s a “treat” and served them homemade pizza, homemade cheese & veggie calzones, French toast or homemade waffles, it would be just as much of a “treat.”

Barb,
Good points.  I guess the other side of ‘sacrifice’ that I was thinking was added expense.  Should I be adding a significant amount of money for seafood to go meatless or should we be making do with things like beans, rice, pasta, etc.  And I’m sure it depends where you live as to what really would be a significantly more costly meal.  And all of our situations are different too.  When my dh wasn’t Catholic I tried to make something that he’d like on Fridays that was meat free so it wasn’t an issue of any sort.  Anyway, I really am just musing.  I appreciate the responses.  Oh, and I want to try the Salmon burgers.  Never tried canned salmon

Thank you for all the great ideas.  I also agree (but am not perfect about) keeping sacrifice in mind when planning lenten meals.  One way my family does this is by cutting down on condiments, keeping what we eat simpler.  Also, as I said in my linked message, much of the world eats beans and rice every day.  Anyhow, my linked recipe was a list of simple lenten lunches for those of us who serve 21 meals a week.  Enjoy!

For Lunch: Healthy Salmon Mousse sandwiches

Blend with stick blender:  1 package low-fat cream cheese with 1 can salmon, teaspoon of lemon juice, and horseradish sauce to taste.  Spread on bread or crackers.

Yankee style bean tacos
1 large can (about 32oz) of baked beans
1 14oz can of kidney beans
1 10oz can of. Mexi-corn or canned corn with your own sauteed peppers and onions
1 package of hard taco shells
1 bag of shredded cheddar or fiesta blend cheese

Combine the beans and corn in a 9x13 casserole dish. Heat at 350degrees for 20 minutes. Place taco shells on top of bean mixture standing next to each other. Fill each shell half way with shredded cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Enjoy tacos with beans spooned on top of the melted cheese.

Cheese Enchiladas
Mix together in a saucepan about 8 oz cream cheese and salsa (about a cup). Cook just long enough to blend together.  Stir in 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese.  Fill tortillas with cheese mixture and roll into enchiladas.  Cover with enchilada sauce, and garnish with more shredded cheese, sliced green onions and sour cream, if dsired.  Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Here is an eat “on-the-go” meatless meal:
Mix 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup grated parmesean or romano cheese.  Add in about 1 cup of veggies, such as roasted red bellpeppers, or cooked, chopped spinach). Open 2 packages of crescent dough (or make your own if you have time).  Separate each package into 4 rectangles, pushing together triangles at the perforated seams.  Spread cheese mix in the middle of each rectangle. Fold 2 of the opposite sides together to meet at the center. Press to seal.  Cut into 4 small rectangles.  Sprinkle with parmesean or romano cheese and bake at 375 for about 10 minutes.  It is a good “take along” meal that my kids love.

I linked to my Fish on Fridays series

I didn’t get around to posting anything, but I was wondering - is there anyway to keep a link to this post - maybe on the sidebar - through Lent? It looks like a great resource, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to find it a couple weeks into Lent, when I’m running out of Friday meals.

MM - Thank you so much! I made your “mousse” for lunch today. The kids loved it! I couldn’t spread the crackers fast enough. I had never seen my children so excited about a lunch before. We didn’t have any horseradish, so I left that part out, but it might have been too spicy for then anyway.

The Pious Sodality of Church Ladies will be featuring a meatless recipe every day of Lent at the following link:
http://church-ladies.blogspot.com/search/label/40 Meatless Meals

I combine a drained can of black beans, a cup of thawed frozen corn (or a can if you like), a cup of cooked rice and a jar of salsa.  Warm it all together in a skillet and I use it as a dip for chips, or served in tortillas for a meal.  It’s cheap and super quick.  Add cheese on top or sour cream if you like.

Another idea:  Cheese tortellini soup
6 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
2 chopped carrots
2 stalks chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pkg fresh spinach
1 pkg frozen cheese tortellini
bay leaf, salt/pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Heat oil in pot, add chopped carrot, onion, celery. Add salt/pepper to season and bay leaf.  Saute 4-5 minutes.  Add broth and bring to a simmer.  Simmer until veggies are soft-5-10 minutes.  Add tortellini, and cook 4-5 minutes until pasta floats.  Add spinach and turn off the heat.  Serve with bread/toasted french bread.

4 tablespoons butter, divided in half
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent, Stir in flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in milk, salt, mustard and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens. To the milk mixture add the Cheddar and Swiss cheeses and stir until cheese melts. Combine macaroni and cheese sauce in a 2 quart baking dish and mix well. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter, mix with bread crumbs until moistened and sprinkle over macaroni and cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Duh! The above recipe is for Bakes Macaroni and Cheese Sorry.
Karyn

Thanks for the great ideas! 

I read with interest the posts about sacrificial meals in reference to cost of salmon, shrimp and so forth.  My husband feels that it defeats the purpose…these seafoods are much too expensive here on the West Coast even when they are on sale.  We are going to aim for soup and bread for our fasting/meatless days because he feels like he is “suffering” more.  I am thankful that we get to have food when many others do not have any.

Here is one of my favorite quick and meatless recipes we do make that the littles will eat:

Noodles with pesto and cheese

1 package penne/rigatoni pasta (whole wheat or regular)

2 heaping tablespoons of pesto (basil type)
4 heaping tablespoons feta cheese
1 cup sour cream (low fat or regular)
Several shakes of parmesan cheese

Cook noodles until as done as you like, drain.
Mix pesto, sour cream and cheeses together and toss with hot noodles. Serve immediately.

A blessed Lent to all!

This is a Lebanese soup, but eaten throughout the Middle East:

2 c. split red lentils
approx. 8 c. water (or broth; turkey is great)

boil till falling apart—cooking time (and how much water you will need) varies with your lentils

stir in:
1 tsp. salt (or less with broth)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 TBSP tomato paste (optional)

Serve with slices of lemon to squeeze.

My 5 yr. old loves it! Fat-free & cheap, ‘though you might have to look for the red lentils.

For company, we sometimes dress it up by carmelizing a few onions and using a blender to whip them in. Yogurt or sour cream makes a great garnish, too, for those who can eat dairy.

Really a educative and informative post, the post is good in all regards,I am glad to read this post

1. Pasta
2. Heat olive oil in pan
3. Add chopped/minced garlic - I like lots
4. Add red pepper flakes - how’s 1 teaspoon sound
5. After heating all this together add some white wine - maybe 1/2 cup +/-
6. Beat 1 or 2 egg yolks in bowl
7. When pasta is done add one ladle of water to egg yolks
8. Add pasta to oil/garlic/red pepper/wine mixture
9. Add egg yolk mixture to pasta; stir it all up
10. Add salt, pepper (lots), and lots of Parmesan cheese
11. Enjoy

Really a educative and informative post, the post is good in all regards,I am glad to read this post.Thanks

What I like to eat is Bush Beans, Yogurt, and fish.  Fish might be considered a meat but it’s a lot healthier than chicken or beef that’s for sure.

My 2 year old loves this healthy colorful spin on macaroni and cheese; it was a big hit last year at our church’s Soup and Stations.
Surprise Macaroni and Cheese Soup
2-3 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced for quick cooking
2-3 large carrots peeled and sliced for quick cooking
1 large onion peeled and chopped
1 stick celery chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 10oz bar of extra sharp cheddar grated
1 lb box of pasta of choice cooked according to package directions(we prefer whole wheat elbows, but feel free to use any bite-size shapes of your choice)
1 1lb package of mixed vegetables with lima beans (mixed vegetables are colorful, but feel free to use any frozen vegetables you like)
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup whole milk or cream
Dash of nutmeg if desired
Salt and Pepper to taste
  Place sweet potato, carrot, celery, onion, garlic in a large pot and cover with water. Cook until tender. Drain, saving the broth.
Place 1/2 of the cooked vegetables in a blender while still hot (be careful as hot food in a blender with cover will expand and explode out the top!) and puree, adding 1/2 of the milk and some of the broth from cooking until thick and creamy consistency is reached (consistency should be like melted ice cream). Pour into slow cooker or large pot and repeat with remaining milk and vegetables.
Stir in nutmeg, grated cheese, frozen vegetables, beans. Heat until cheese melts and vegetables are tender. Add noodles, salt, and pepper. Add more of the vegetable broth to adjust consistency as desired. Enjoy.