What do you eat during lent?

[SaraJayne]

I am curious as to why fish is allowed and chicken is not? Is it all meats because Fish is a meat....or is it just red meat because then you could eat chicken and pork too? And how come if St. Pattys day falls on a Friday they "bend" that rule so you can have corned beef?

I believe it goes back to when the "rule" was put into affect, the church higher ups had a close connection to the fish industry...hence an easy way for them to funnel money into their own pockets.

And here, even if you aren't Catholic, you go out for Friday fish fry's during Lent.

 

[okeydokey]

We are Catholic, but I don't usually go meatless on Fridays. My DH does, however, so for dinners I may make a quiche (goat cheese, pesto and sun dried tomatoes), or a pasta dish, maybe mac and cheese or pizza.

 

[GeorgeG]

Anything I want.

 

[Disney Doll]

pasta primavera
scallops
shrimp
lobster
veggie pizza
any pasta without meat or meay sauce

 

[jen0610]

For last week:

DH - had the stuffed shrimp dinner special.
DD and I - had the open face prime rib sandwich.

This week, it's be:

DH - seafood burritos
DD - taco or cheese burritos
Me - benji burrito with gound beef and beans

DH knows that while I do eat fish, there are few and far between places that I actually like their fish. So as long as we can go some where and he can get his non-meat option and enjoy it and there still be options for me, he is fine with where ever we eat.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Generally. we get pizza with an order of fried calamari or mussels in tomato sauce. If I cooked all week, I take a break on Friday.

If I cook, I will make fish. Try this when cod is on sale. Salt and pepper the filets. Pour a spoonful or two of olive oil and squeeze a lemon into the bottom of a Pyrex baking dish. Dreg the cod in the oil on one side then flip it over. Top with a couple of fresh diced plum tomatoes and a good sprinkling of Reggiano Parmagiana. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes until the fish flakes.

Simple and surprisingly delicious fish dish.

 

[katiebelle21]

I am making the vegetable lasagna from Les Chefs de France tonight!

Here's the recipe: (I copied it from the cooking board)

lasagnes de legumes du soleil a l'huile d'olive au thym (Vegetable Lasagna)
Chefs de France

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 red bell peppers cut in ½” cubes
2 green bell peppers cut in ½” cubes
1 lb eggplant cut in ½” cubes
1 lb zucchini cut in ½” cubes
1 ½ cup tomato sauce
1 large onion cut in ½” cubes
5 pasta sheets
Sprig of thyme & rosemary
2 cloves of garlic
¼ cup olive oil

Sauté eggplant, zucchini, onions & peppers together in olive oil. Mix in all remaining ingredients and let simmer on low until egg plant is fully cooked. Layer pasta sheets in bottom of casserole dish, add vegetables and layer another of the pasta sheets and vegetables, leaving the top layer pasta. Sprinkle the cheese and bake in a 350˚ oven for 25 minutes.

 

[MarilIncredible]

The idea was that having meat was a luxury back in the day and fish was not, therefore it was supposed to make you think of the sacrifice that was made.

As for the dispensation for eating meat on St. Patrick's Day, that is only made on a case by case basis and isn't a general dispensation. I know our Bishop did NOT allow the dispensation last time we had a Friday St. Pat's Day.

The priest at our old church put the whole meat/fish thing in perspective--if you give up eating meat but go out for a lobster dinner, is that really a sacrifice? If you don't generally eat meat and "give it up" is it really a sacrifice? He suggested that people give up something that is HARD to give up-like eating candy or drinking pop-it makes you think about what you are doing a lot more then going out for lobster.

Of course, nowadays, it is cheaper to buy a pound of ground beef and make burgers than it is to buy a pound of cod and make fish & chips.

We used to have simple meals, like tuna or egg salad sandwiches, mac and cheese, cheese & mushroom omlettes.

 

[RUDisney]

Since it snowed so much yesterday and last night, and it's still snowing now, I am making pizza tonight. It will be accompanied by red pepper soup. This is really easy to make.

Red Pepper Soup

6 red peppers, cored, deseeded and chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
32 oz. vegetable broth (I have Swanson's for tonight)
salt & pepper

Saute red peppers, onions and garlic in olive oil in a soup pot until they are soft. Add vegetable broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree the soup until the peppers and onions are liquified with an immersion blender or in batches in your blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can use chicken broth for this soup, but since tonight is meatless, the soup will have a vegetable base.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I am making the vegetable lasagna from Les Chefs de France tonight!

Here's the recipe: (I copied it from the cooking board)

lasagnes de legumes du soleil a l'huile d'olive au thym (Vegetable Lasagna)
Chefs de France

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 red bell peppers cut in ½” cubes
2 green bell peppers cut in ½” cubes
1 lb eggplant cut in ½” cubes
1 lb zucchini cut in ½” cubes
1 ½ cup tomato sauce
1 large onion cut in ½” cubes
5 pasta sheets
Sprig of thyme & rosemary
2 cloves of garlic
¼ cup olive oil

Sauté eggplant, zucchini, onions & peppers together in olive oil. Mix in all remaining ingredients and let simmer on low until egg plant is fully cooked. Layer pasta sheets in bottom of casserole dish, add vegetables and layer another of the pasta sheets and vegetables, leaving the top layer pasta. Sprinkle the cheese and bake in a 350˚ oven for 25 minutes.

I make the same thing but sometimes I add a box of thawed chopped spinach also for more bulk. Also if you ever find you don't have noodles but eggplant..slice the eggplant longways and it will serve as noodles.

Sometimes to be bad we use alfredo sauce instead of tomato sauce in case you want a differnt version.

 

[mla1977]

I am curious as to why fish is allowed and chicken is not? Is it all meats because Fish is a meat....or is it just red meat because then you could eat chicken and pork too? And how come if St. Pattys day falls on a Friday they "bend" that rule so you can have corned beef?

That really depends on your diocese. I never heard about that exception until I moved to Philly. I don't recall that being an option in the diocese in CT where I grew up.

 

[mla1977]

I'm actually making fish and chips tonight. I found a recipe in my Weight Watchers cookbook. I picked up some tilapia and potatoes and will be making it. Hope it's good!

 

[krcit]

Sorry...but if you are REALLY playing by the rules that's a no-no too.

Ooops, you're right!! Can you tell I'm a lapsed Catholic

 

[FireDancer]

I love fish but don't eat it fried. I eat whatever I want during lent, advent, and any other time. I am christian but don't follow any church-enacted arbitrary rules. I'm not knocking those that do but it just isn't for me.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I think that applies to Jersey as well!!

lol yeah, that is why I asked b/c I am tired of pizza pizza pizza and pasta....and I'm Italian lol.

 

[Disney Doll]

You know, the idea isn't so much the fish as it is the sacrifice, or the denying yourself of something you might enjoy for one day.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Same thing I'd eat any other time of the year, be it chicken, pork, beef, seafood...

 

[tink_n_pooh]

Pizza


You mean people eat something other than pizza for dinner on Friday nights? All year round its pizza on Friday nights

 

[golfgal]

I believe it goes back to when the "rule" was put into affect, the church higher ups had a close connection to the fish industry...hence an easy way for them to funnel money into their own pockets.

And here, even if you aren't Catholic, you go out for Friday fish fry's during Lent.

DS14 is doing some church service hours-which get to double count as his high school service hours-working at the fish fry at church right now.

 

[mickeywho?]

A link to help clarify. http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/lent/faqle9902.asp

I haven't abstained from meat since highschool. I've always had issues with anemia and my parish priest told my mother (after I fainted one Sunday) that abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent is not a hard and fast rule for everyone. Under 18 are excused and so is anyone with health or other issues or those who find other ways to practice "self-denial". I've always encouraged my kids to "do something more" rather than abstain. And we don't limit that to Lent. Whatever works for ya!