The season of Lent has arrived, and for the observant that means a time of reflection and sacrifice along with avoiding meats and poultry on Fridays.
Meatless chili, soups and stews join grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, tuna casseroles, pierogies, eggs, pasta dishes, smoothies, peanut butter and nuts are on the list of meatless options for the Fridays of Lent.
It’s also a time to try out new recipes that you might want to make all year long or bring back old favorites from childhood.
Going meatless for a day is good for your body and for the planet. It’s the main concept of Meatless Mondays, except during Lent we are focused on Fridays. Eating less meat and more healthy plant-based foods can help reduce the incidence of chronic preventable diseases, preserve precious land and water resources, and combat climate change according to the Meatless Mondays website, mondaycampaigns.org.
Fish is a longtime mainstay for those who observe Lent. If you don’t like cooking it, you can look for a local fish fry like the two planned for March 10 and 24 at the Plumsteadville Grange in Plumsteadville.
Whether you are looking for a Lenten fish dish or want to save calories, this recipe from womansday.com serves both needs. The parchment offers a way to cook your fish without using oil.
1 cup couscous
1 orange
1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced ½ inch thick
3 cups baby kale
1 ¼ pound cod, cut into 4 portions
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Tear off four 12-inch squares of parchment paper and arrange on two baking sheets. In a bowl, combine couscous with ¾ cup water.
2. Cut orange in half, then peel one half and coarsely chop fruit. Fold orange into couscous along with leek and baby kale.
3. Divide couscous mixture among pieces of parchment and top each with a piece of cod. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then squeeze remaining orange half over top.
4. Cover each with another piece of parchment and fold each edge up and under three times, tucking edge underneath. Roast 12 minutes.
5. Transfer each packet to a plate. Using scissors or a knife, cut an “X” in the center and fold back the triangles.
PER SERVING: 340 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 32 g protein, 330 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
