What's For Dinner Tonight & Fridays During Lent????

Sometimes I get so sick of cooking.  Especially being home all the time. 

Tonight I took out 2 racks of ribs.  I am thinking about boiling them. Then putting them in sauerkraut in the oven smothered with onions. 

I have started thinking about Lent... I don't eat meat on Ash Wednesday or Fridays until Easter.

So now I am thinking of meatless dishes for this week.  Ideas?

fish and pasta are very coomon here.

you can use clams and make clam chowder, or make grilled salmon, etc..

Dartrinton...I tried making clam chowder a while back with canned clams.  Tons of shells....it was really gross.  Is there a trick?

I make Boca chili a lot. It's like eating meat only not. Plus you still get protien from soy and the beans. ;)

heh well im no cook, so i dont really know how to make perfect chowder, all i know is my family makes it alot.

but yeah, soy crumbles that are used in chili make a low fat and realitivly good chili, if you prepare it right.

I was thinking of grilled tuna salads and egg/veggie omletts...

I'm eating leftovers tonight.  Since I made some great creole shrimp soup, I have something tasty to look forward to

I don't observe Lent, but if people would like to contribute Lenten recipes that would be nice.  Same goes for Passover.

We do fish often, but when we tire of that, this is a favorite.  This is very good and lots of fiber.  I don't even miss the meat.  My daughter is a lacto-ovo vegetarian so I make this often.

Taco soup:

2 cans each dark red kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans

2 cans diced tomatoes, with chilis if you like it spicier

1 can diced chilis - leave out if you don't like things too spicy

1 small onion, diced

1 TBS each ground cumin, chipotle chili power, and ground cayenne pepper NOTE: I grind my own cumin with a mortar and pestle so it's very fresh and tastes better. If you want to substitute and use 2 pks of taco seasoning, you can, but it adds lots of sodium.

I always rinse the beans to remove as much sodium as possible. Combine all ingredients in large stock pot and add 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil then simmer for at least 30 minutes.  Cook to your own preferred thickness.  I let mine go until almost all water is removed, but you can leave more if you like more broth.

We top with a TBS low-fat cheddar and/or small amount of sour cream and some green onion.

Forgot to say that at the very end, you can add about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.  I use it, but some people don't like it.  If you do opt to add it, do so in the last 5 minutes of cooking so it retains more flavor.

Yeah, I'd stick to fish. Also, I was taught (maybe jsut me) lent is also about reflection and simplicity, so maybe easy, plain meals (that still taste ok!) would be good. I mean like steamed parcels of fish - plain fish with lemon, pepper and maybe some herbs, wrapped in baking paper and steamed.

Kallie, next time you make that, finish it off with a squeeze of lime juice just before serving.  A grating of lime zest also tastes and smells wonderful.  I've been adding lime to dishes like that ever since a friend from Arizona gave me a chili recipe.

Your recipe reminds me of my "fast chili" which is just beans and salsa cooked together.

My favorite Lenten special: grilled cheese and tomato soup. Pure comfort food :)

That may be more of a lunch though....

Excuse me, but fish meat is still meat, no matter how you slice it. Please explain to me how fish are live animals who belong to the animal kingdom, but people choose to believe they're not eating meat when they eat fish meat. I don't understand this.

I mean, a fish who eats fish is considered a carnivore. What's the deal with so many people living in denial?

Sorry if I've offended you all, but this just baffles me.

Twelti....everyone has different levels of faith. Some totally FAST during Ash Wednesday, Fridays, etc.  Some give up all meat except fish, some give up candy during lent.  It depends on your beliefs.

*Giggle* No offense taken...

The custom of meatless fridays is explained nicely in the article from About.com

When I was growing up there were lots of different meatless meals that we had on Fridays.  Pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans) was one we had frequently.  Another was spaghetti with clam sauce, or we'd have our pasta agli e olio - with garlic and olive oil. 

Linguine with clam sauce. =)

Yeah, I believe that fish is not included because in areas where food is scarse fish is easier to obtain than beef. So in Lent, when we are to remember those who go without fish is an appropriate meat. But I also agree that it really depends on how your church structures lenten rules. Some people I know fast the whole month, eating only 1 real meal and two small snacks per day.

A favorite meatless meal when I was a child - Pasta e fagioli - pasta & beans

Cook small tubular pasta such as ditilini to the al dente stage - not too soft, to yield about 2 cups. Drain and reserve 1 to 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

In a saucepan, warm some olive oil and saute minced garlic and crushed red pepper until the garlic is soft but not brown. 

Add cooked white beans with their cooking liquid, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups.  Use navy beans, cannelini beans, or chick peas.  Add a small can of tomato paste.  Add the pasta and cooking liquid.  Stir well, taste and season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper if needed.   Simmer covered for 10 minutes or longer.  The finished dish will be soupy and only slightly tomatoey.

Serve with crusty bread and grated Romano or Locatelli cheese.  Parmesan is ok too, but we never used it.  The cheese has to be fresh grated, not the powdered kind in the green box.

I just added a recipe for leek and potato soup that has no meat in it. I will add the recipe below. It is really easy and good. If you are looking to reduce calories, you could exchange the Half and Half with skim, 1%, or 2% milk.

Ingredients

3 large or 5 to 6 small leeks

2 T. butter

6 large potatoes

48 oz. chicken broth with enough water to make 2 quarts

1 pint Half and Half

Salt and pepper to taste

1 T. parsley (fresh or dried)

Directions

Wash leeks and discard green tops and bulb(at bottom). Cut in thin slices. Rinse again and separate into rings. Cook leeks in the butter until soft. Add potatoes and broth. Cook for 40 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Add Half and Half, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle parsley on top and serve.

It really is good.

i'm a vegetarian so i love seeing everyone scramble for what to eat on ash wednesday and fridays... :P

 you should check out the vegetarian forum for a TON of ideas.  i'm sure you know about veggie burgers, but there's also a veggie version of pretty much every meat out there now- chicken nuggets, chicken patties, ribs, sausage, ground meat, steak strips, chicken strips, hot dogs, the list goes on.... there are different brands and some will taste better than others, i'd buy a couple boxes and see what you like.  and your getting similar taste for much less fat so eating a hot dog or sausage is good for you now :P  you could also make different things with beans and veggies- minestrone or lentil soup, chili (beans and if you want fake ground meat, tomatoes, various veggies and/or salsa, chili seasoning), whole wheat pasta with veggies in pesto sauce, rice, veggies, beans in a flavoring of your choice... stir frys...

there's more than just pizza!   (and fish is still an animal and therefore meat so i didn't including any fish either... i don't know why they're an exception either *shrugs*)

fish- salmon, tilapia, crab cakes, clam chowder, shrimp, flounder, tuna sandwiches

pasta, the usual fallback is always pizza, haha (thin crust with broccoli- my favorite!)

grilled cheese, tomato soup, and soy/vegetarian foods. like quorn chicken nuggets, boca products, etc (i like that kinda stuff...other family members don't)