Yesterday's conversation about eating for Lent got quite lively, and very informative. Isis jumped in and gave us her suggestions for good, easy vegan meals - she didn't provide recipes, but they all seem easy to prepare.
Shall we all use our imaginations?
Isis' Veganism-For-Lent Roundup
• Black bean-garbanzo-tomato chili
• Layers of tomatoes & zucchini sprinkled with dill, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper
• Red beans and rice
• Barley, lentils and mushrooms simmered in veggie broth until fluffed up
• Pureed butternut squash with salsa, green chillies and black beans in tortillas with or without vegan 'cheese'
• Tomatoes, black olives, basil and garlic with penne pasta
• Sweet potatoes, black beans and corn with cilantro and cumin
• Balsamic-glazed Portobello mushroom caps with tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil
(Thanks, Isis!)
I just wanted to reccommend a npr story that played for Lent. It talked about the crosses we bear and such, that giving up something we choose doesn't really reflect or help us deal with the problems we are given in life. So the commentator has someone else pick what he should give up for Lent every year, which is interesting. The other thing he said was that it is actually better to do something, to take action instead of giving something up.
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5238122
In food terms that could mean committing to only shopping at the Farmer's Market for these 40 days, to support local farmer's in this really hard season, to give up restaurants and cook every night, I don't know, but other food activism things.
I know I'm going to work in a soup kitchen, which is relevant to food, feeding the poor.
You wouldn't catch me giving up meat to save my life, let alone Lent... I'm Catholic, if that matters, and I've never heard of such insanity. No meat on Fridays. That's the rule for the Romans as far as I know.
Sacrificing chocolate or dessert for Lent... that's one thing... sort of like a second chance if your New Year's resolutions aren't going so well yet, but give up meat?
Meat eating is essential to life... I don't drink (much), do drugs, or smoke... and there are certain pleasures to being an omnivore that would just leave me feeling hollow, spiritually and physically. Please pass the lamb!
I'd be happy to provide recipes, if anyone's interested. Many of them are archived here:
http://vegyum.blogspot.com/
I've been a semi-vegetarian for years, so giving up meat is a no-brainer for me. I don't really even like it that much. :) To each her/his own!
It was actually an freakishly high cholesterol test that motivated me to cut out dairy as well... and it really hasn't been that much of a struggle. If anything, it's really inspired me to try new recipes and be creative. And I'm planning meals for the first time in, well, ever.
Of course, it helps that I live 3 blocks from two natural foods stores, so when I need something bizarre in a pinch, it's easy to get.