Macaroni and cheese is usually a safe bet for even the pickiest of eaters.
While the Lenten season holds different significance for individuals of different denominations, many members of the Christian faith, particularly Catholics, observe the practice of fasting from meat every Friday during this 40-day period. A meatless meal does not need to taste bland or boring, though. Consider using a variety of ingredients, from fish to pierogi, to prepare tasty, Lent-appropriate lunches. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Fish
Fish remains the traditional ingredient of choice for Lent. For a simple, common lunch, purchase canned tuna and prepare an easy tuna salad by combining it with mayonnaise and relish. Other ingredients, such as finely chopped celery and onion, may be included depending on taste. Eat the tuna salad as a sandwich, with crackers or on a bed of lettuce. Alternatively, prepare salmon salad by using canned salmon instead.
If you have access to a stove during lunchtime, consider adding canned fish to a simple stir-fry. Saute vegetables like bell peppers, snow peas, green onions, baby carrots and baby corn. Mix tuna or salmon into the cooked vegetables, then add soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce or another suitable stir-fry sauce. Heat through and serve over rice.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables make the perfect healthy, meatless Lenten lunch. You may struggle to find a wide variety of sweet fruits during early spring, but you can make a tasty light lunch out of apples, grapes, oranges and early season strawberries. Consider making a Waldorf salad with apples, raisins and chopped walnuts.
Vegetable-based lunches also present a good alternative for Lent. Make a meatless salad with lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and cheese. Top it with your favorite salad dressing.
Rice
While simple, rice does not need to taste bland. Prepare standard white or brown rice and mix in a small amount of minced garlic or mint leaves. A small dish of rice mixed with Italian salad dressing and cooked peas also makes a delicious, light lunch.
For a fun twist, make Japanese style "onigiri," or rice balls. Boil the rice as usual. Moisten your hands with salted water before forming a scoop of rice into a ball or triangle, pressing lightly. Eat the rice balls warm or cooled.
Pasta and Pierogi
A number of simple pasta dishes make suitable, hearty lunches. Macaroni and cheese pleases children of all ages. Prepare pre-packaged macaroni and cheese or make your own from scratch. For a unique variation, mix in other cheeses -- like mozzarella or provolone -- with the standard cheddar. Prepare meatless spaghetti for another easy Lenten option. Make the spaghetti the night before and eat the leftovers for lunch, either cold or reheated.
Pierogi, sometimes referred to as a type of dumpling or stuffed pasta, serves as a common Lenten staple in Polish or other Eastern European communities. These pockets of dough often contain mashed potatoes, potatoes and cheese, onions or other savory, meatless fillings.
Tags: does need, taste, light lunch, need taste, need taste bland, rice balls, salad dressing