apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm Protestant, where I think Lent tends to be less food-focused, though Wednesday night soup is a Lenten tradition I grew up with, which is sort of a good midweek break at any time of year....

try that sweet potato curry from Nigella in today's NYT Food section

last year at this time, she published more or less the same recipe, but with sweet potato and red lentils, as a dal.
It is delicious and meat/dairy free.

it's a pretty tall order to go vegan overnight
don't eat too much bread. I think that's a mistake people make when they are going vegetarian and don't know what to eat.

I have friends who are Greek Orthodox, and they observe a vegan fast during Great Lent. It comes on gradually, leaving behind meat, then fish, then dairy. I think they eat a lot of pasta and salads!

Given that this strict fast is more common in the Eastern Church, you might want to check out Greek restaurants, and look at Greek and other Orthodox websites. Here's a few on recipes and fasting:

http://www.vegsource.com/lenten.htm
http://www.orthodox.net/recipes/lenten_main_dishes.html
http://www.frederica.com/writings/forgiveness-vespers.html

It's such a meaningful discipline. I like the Orthodox emphases a lot; they don't see it as penance, but as a way of getting in touch with our true, non-sufficient selves and our need to live in dependent community with God and one another. Also, it's a time to enter into solidarity with the poor and the oppressed, and to donate money saved from food.

And you should see the feast at Orthodox churches on Easter Sunday... Whoa. I love how the pageant of remembering suffering and resurrection gets lived out in the most visceral way possible - on the table and in the home.

What a perfect opportunity to explore your connection with vegetables, whole grains, and legumes! As described above, I would work hard to avoid too much bread, especially if you're worried about the food being filling. I love using quinoa, brown rices (especially brown basmati), bulgar, etc., to create full, well-rounded meals in my vegetarian diet.

Most nights, my onivorous fiance and I eat no dairy, meat, or fish, and we are often quite full - it's just about being intentional with your choices and having a well-stocked produce drawer. Check out Madhur Jaffrey's recipes from some yummy combinations and exciting flavors.

i'd check also recipes from the rest of eastern europe
my family never observed the spring holidays, but we did do the vegetarian thing around christmas-time
lots of meat free borscht, vegetarian stuffed cabbages, potato piergois with caramelized onions, lots of salads with dill dressing, cabbage casseroles, oh man, i'm making myself really hungry....

For the past several years I have given up meat (not fish), dairy and alcohol for Lent. Since I rarely eat meat in any form at more than one meal at day - there are a lot of vegetables. For me, a lapsed protestant at best, it is not a religious expression. Spring is a great time to start thinking about taking care of myself – working out, eating healthy. So for Lent I give up the classics -after 6 weeks without I am reminded of moderations and am able to fit back into my summer clothes!! Note, many of my friends think I’m crazy and can’t survive for six weeks (no martinis!!, gasp!!). The first two weeks are the toughest - but by the time Easter rolls around, I wonder at the excess of the winter.

How to eat well over Lent… Vegetarianism is so much more than salads - where have you been!! Good, delicious vegetarian meals seem to be a real option in almost all restaurants I go to in the city – actually almost any city. Indian, Chinese and Thai all have delicious staples you should be able to order with little or no changes. I find even Italian and French restaurants have something worth ordering these days. Sometimes, I have a bit more of a problem finding dairy free meals … but even that’s not impossible Keep in mind that most chefs (not all) are willing to adjust a meal for allergies – assuming the change does not remove a key ingredient. Even most steak houses offer a grilled portabella mushroom – you can usually have them grill it in olive oil to avoid butter.

In terms of good cookbooks – start with Deborah Madison’s Vegetarianism for Everyone or The Savory Way. I have found her recipes to be very reliable – basic kitchen food stuff with some gourmet items to experiment with. I am not a vegetarian, but can’t imagine my library without her books. Molly Katzen also has great recipes. The Moosewood Restaurant has several very popular cookbooks out. Even Mark Bittman has plenty of options in his opus.

I agree with Kirsten – explore all the grains we usually ignore. Barley, kashi, lentils, wild rice – the flavors are rich and wonderful. Many can make a risotto (using vegetable broth) that can be wonderful.

Lent is really an opportunity to break away from the habits of winter comfort foods and discover new things.

I'm giving up meat and dairy for Lent, too... although I was pretty much there already. My recommendations... don't be afraid to purchase vegan convenience foods while you transition into the diet. Once you get used to it, it'll be easier to think of whole vegan foods to cook at home. That said, you might want to stay away from the 'fake' meats and a carb overload, as mentioned above.

Some relatively easy vegan meals:
- black bean-garbanzo-tomato chili
- layers of tomatoes & zucchini sprinkled with dill, garlic, olive oil, salt & pepper
- red beans & rice
- barley, lentils & mushrooms simmered in veggie broth until fluffed up
- pureed butternut squash w/ salsa, green chiles & black beans in tortillas w/ or w/out vegan 'cheese'
- tomatoes, black olives, basil & garlic w/ penne pasta
- sweet potatoes, black beans & corn w/ cilantro & cumin
- balsamic-glazed portobello mushroom caps w/ tomatoes, basil, garlic & olive oil

Thanks for all the great tips! This was a treat.

You guys are right - It is a challenge to consume a vegan diet overnight but with intention and good planning I think it's doable. And bread shall NOT become the go-to crutch.

Lent is certainly an experience that is unique to each of us but it is a great opportunity to reconnect spiritually and detox from savory indulgences.

Ironically, I was on the bus along 125th today and saw a health food store who had a sign that said "Frozen Vegan Food" and another one nearby that said "Uptown Juice Bar and Vegetarian Food". I am going to check out what that is all about. Some easy, premade dishes for the weak moments will come in very helpful as I have bid a fond farewell to chocolate, sushi, and burgers.

Now I gotta get back to the my kitchen.

I forgot to mention... as far as eating out:

We normally stick to Asian restaurants when we go out, since it's a cuisine that I'm not particularly good at cooking. :) And since a large number of Asians are lactose intolerant, you tend run into less dairy in Asian restaurants.

Our favorite is a local Thai restaurant, where I get a fat fresh spring roll with veggies and tofu, spicy papaya salad w/ peanuts, and occasionally black sticky rice for dessert. Very filling, extremely delicious.

Vietnamese restaurants will often have rice vermicelli dishes with tofu or wheat gluten... here in Iowa, we have a Vietnamese restaurant that has an entirely separate vegetarian menu. In both Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, you do need to be mindful of fish sauce, which is in a lot of dishes. We happen to know the cook at our Thai restaurant, so we can simply ask for it to be left out.

The Indian buffet is another favorite, although many Indian dishes start with clarified butter, so that might be a no-go during Lent.

I've also been to 'burrito bars' where I get rice, beans, guacamole, salsa & veggies. Or sandwich places where I get black bean soup in a bread bowl.

looking for a recipe, I came across this vegan website
click my name, or
http://www.veganrepresent.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5490

this particular link will get you to an delicious sweet potato/red lentil dal, a rice dish, and vegan option for raita.
Once you have the right ingredients in the house, most of this stuff is simple.

so good luck!
it should be a fun cooking month for you





it's a great lunch with brown rice

Well, I guess I'm in the minority in the kitchen. I've decided to read this post after seeing the one about giving up meat for Lent, which I'll never do.

I've never heard of the strictest terms for Lent as described by Lisa, and I thought I was raised by devout parents... Does she mean strict or Orthodox? Or Puritan? I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek here, but also quite serious... Probably because I see no virtue in giving up meat.

But maybe I should just not chime in here... I'm not really going through what in my case would be the Catholic motions, even if I was raised that way. Not observing this year. Now that I've spouted my thing I guess I'll wish you all success during your observances.

paul
just to be clear . . . one might as well be observing ramadan
For example, I happened to be fasting yesterday, but
I left the catholic church behind loooong ago
(while in catholic school. couldn't pinpoint the moment)

I don't recall *going vegan* to be a church suggestion (or did they really go wild after Vatican II?) - it's one person's observance of choice.
We'd always give up candy back in junior school . . .
anyway
I think it's lovely and interesting to have room for discussion of religious/spiritual observance, when it reflects in food, in a food blog.