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Angel
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| Posted: Feb 04 2014 at 7:58am | IP Logged
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I know that many of you on this board practice abstinence from meat on all Fridays throughout the year. After a tough couple of years in which we had to make many changes to our diet, we have become back on track with this practice consistently, too. I'm just wondering, though... what do you all do for Lent?
(Usually I'm scrambling to accommodate the changes in seasons, but I'm trying to be organized this year and think ahead. It helps that Ash Wednesday isn't until March 5 this year, of course.)
At the least I think we will be meatless on Wednesdays in addition to Fridays.
I have also thought about being meatless for all 40 days of Lent. I know this was the old rule in the US. I just worry a little about the level of meal planning that might be involved in my house... considering that I need to be kind of low-dairy.
In the past, we've also had a season of simple, sort of spare food... lots of soups and stews.
How are you planning to handle Lenten meals this year?
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Christine
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For the past two years, we have eaten meatless meals on Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent. We have always observed meatless Fridays throughout the year, so it only makes sense to add another day during Lent. My husband and I were discussing this last night and I told him that I was actually looking forward to having another meatless day. My feelings might defeat the purpose of abstaining from meat. 
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Feb 04 2014 at 10:02am | IP Logged
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Angel wrote:
I have also thought about being meatless for all 40 days of Lent. I know this was the old rule in the US. |
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Just throwing this out there for those looking at options: another of the prior laws was to fast for all 40 days of Lent, and this is what my husband and I have done for years (obviously I adjust this when I'm pregnant). I suggest this because it does not take any extra meal planning on my part, doesn't cost extra money, and doesn't require the kids (or guests, etc.) to make the same sacrifice. :) When I'm pregnant I raise my calorie limit on collations and the one meal so that I'm eating in a normal range but just without snacking.
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MarilynW
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Hi Angela,
We do meatless Wednesday and Friday through the year. In Lent we just simplify by doing a lot of Lenten soups and homemade bread. We give up boxed cereal and bought treats - and have homemade desserts only on weekends. Adults try to give up eating between meals.
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JennGM
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I hear you on the less dairy, Angela! Since my son has wheat, egg, and cheese allergies, meat free nights are really limited. While we can tolerate beans a little, I don't think they are ideal, and never enough protein for me.
We're a smaller families, so it's not as expensive, but we do fish here, usually salmon. If I were to add one more meatless night, I might try beans.
But the abstinence usually extends to snacking and sweets and TV, also.
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Angie Mc
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We are meatless on Fridays all year (with rare exception, then another sacrifice is made in its place.) And while we often serve meatless meals, we don't add more abstinence of meat to our Lent because we don't see more as required, necessary, or a good way for our family to draw closer to God. Perhaps its that we have growing boys and a man-heavy home?!
I'm looking forward to contributing to this Fancy Meatless Meals topic and here's a great one for Meatless Soups.
Love,
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amarytbc
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We keep it simple since it is all about penance. Rice and black beans with salsa, tuna casserole, cabbage pancakes, vegan fried rice with eggs, beans and greens with rice, minestrone soup. Our family rotates through these on Fridays year round. We don't try to make it fancy because that kind of defeats our purpose of giving the savings to the poor and disciplining the body.
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MarilynW
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We too focus on simplicity - which includes freedom from excessive meal planning! Here was our simplified meal plan from last year
Breakfasts - one of the following: homemade granola and smoothie, scrambled/boiled eggs with toast, hot oatmeal with smoothie
Lunch - generally bread and soup. We go to daily Noon mass and I generally have the bread and soup done before I go so that we can eat as soon as we get back. Our Lenten breads are homemade sourdough, homemade 100% wholewheat sandwich bread, white flour artisan bread in 5 minutes, very easy colonial bread, quick buttery rolls. Only the last one has dairy. Soups are: kale,rice and red bean soup, tuscan bean soup, lentil soup, easy black bean soup, leek and potato soup, immune busting chicken/ginger/garlic soup. The only one with dairy is the leek and potato but you can leave it out
One lunch a week is pretzel lunch - the children make (yummy) homemade pretzels - not really sacrificial but a big Lenten tradition here.
Dinner - some are meatless for Wed and Fri. All are generally simple: Quinoa and black beans, lentil rice casserole, heaps of yummy roasted vegetables (staple of Lent here) with lemon/parmesan/vinegar/dressing, baked potatoes, cheesy cauliflower casserole, spinach and cream cheese bake, pasta with chicken sausage, olives and peppers, brown rice with pinto beans, canned salmon melts, egg and cheese hashbrown quiche, loaded broccoli and cheese soup. Sundays are always a good lunch - roast chicken with roast veg and dessert, or maple chicken with the same. Some dairy here.
DD has severe fish and seafood allergy so we have never had it in our plans. This year she is at college, so I could try and put some canned salmon etc in.....
I have a daily Lenten plan of feasts, activities, readings, books etc each year - with the meal planned for each day (and that helps me plan feast days etc when we can have treats)- I am just working on updating this - Lent and Easter are a lot later this year....
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Erica Sanchez
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Angela, I too feel like I am scrambling to accommodate the seasons and usually feel 'ready' when the new season is almost over. I know it is because we choose to lead a very full life, but I also know I need to make some changes in this area.
Marilyn, I am so inspired by your post! I love all of your ideas.
For a few years now, my oldest daughter has chosen to fast all of Lent. She just eats one main meal and two small meals and does it every day except Sundays. We all try to give up sweets every day except Sunday and last Lent we did meatless on Wednesdays in addition to Fridays. We will probably do that again. I would definitely like to add in more soups.
Angela, in my home it would more of a sacrifice to go dairy-free versus meatless for all of Lent. Meat needs to be cooked and prepared and cooked and, you know, dealt with. The ease of dairy (cheese and yogurt) made the dairy-free part of the Whole30 difficult for me. So, maybe you can try to go dairy-free if that is what is best for your family.
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Maureen
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I'd like to do more soups, but many soups require chicken broth, and my understanding is that even broths derived from meat are not allowed on Fridays during Lent.
Does anyone have a good alternative broth base?
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Kristie 4
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Many soups I make I just use water or, if I have it, veggie broth. We are meatless much of the year, as Orthodox Christians, so veggie soups are a staple!
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organiclilac
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Maureen wrote:
I'd like to do more soups, but many soups require chicken broth, and my understanding is that even broths derived from meat are not allowed on Fridays during Lent.
Does anyone have a good alternative broth base? |
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Hmm, I thought broth was okay. My understanding is that "meat" = flesh of warm-blooded animals. Since broth is not the flesh, I thought it did not count as meat. Still, veggie broth is a good substitute.
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Maureen
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I actually haven't found a vegetable broth that didn't taste too much like tomato to me. Maybe someone has a good recipe to share.
In regard to the meat broth, this is the information I came across a few years ago:
Abstinence The law of abstinence requires a Catholic 14 years of age until death to abstain from eating meat on Fridays in honor of the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. Meat is considered to be the flesh and organs of mammals and fowl. Moral theologians have traditionally considered this also to forbid soups or gravies made from them. Salt and freshwater species of fish, amphibians, reptiles and shellfish are permitted, as are animal-derived products such as gelatin, butter, cheese and eggs, which do not have any meat taste.
It's from this page on the EWTN website.
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JennGM
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I found similar wording, but a bit more expansive on USCCB site:
Quote:
| Abstinence laws consider that meat comes only from animals such as chickens, cows, sheep or pigs --- all of which live on land. Birds are also considered meat. Abstinence does not include meat juices and liquid foods made from meat. Thus, such foods as chicken broth, consomme, soups cooked or flavored with meat, meat gravies or sauces, as well as seasonings or condiments made from animal fat are technically not forbidden. However, moral theologians have traditionally taught that we should abstain from all animal-derived products (except foods such as gelatin, butter, cheese and eggs, which do not have any meat taste). Fish are a different category of animal. Salt and freshwater species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, (cold-blooded animals) and shellfish are permitted. |
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Can you make your own veggie broth without tomatoes? I agree, that's a strong taste. What about a seafood broth?
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organiclilac
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I just looked at the USCCB page and it says this:
Quote:
| Abstinence does not include meat juices and liquid foods made from meat. Thus, such foods as chicken broth, consomme, soups cooked or flavored with meat, meat gravies or sauces, as well as seasonings or condiments made from animal fat are technically not forbidden. However, moral theologians have traditionally taught that we should abstain from all animal-derived products (except foods such as gelatin, butter, cheese and eggs, which do not have any meat taste). |
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So... not forbidden, but don't do it anyway?
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organiclilac
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Oops, cross-posted with Jennifer!
I wonder if something like a carrot- or other veggie-based juice would make a better base if you're looking to avoid tomatoes.
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Maureen
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Thanks for all the broth suggestions.
organiclilac wrote:
So... not forbidden, but don't do it anyway? |
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Yes, that's really clear isn't it?!  
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mariB
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I like to make my own veggie broth on simmer with 2 or 3 carrots, a whole onion, and 3 stalks of celery, then I add seasoning after an hour and remove the veggies and chop the carrots and put back into the broth.
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CatholicMommy
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I wrote below first, and am adding this:
I came to our current practice due to questioning the whole Mardi Gras thing - why use up all the eggs, dairy, fat, etc if we're just going to "abstain from meat" one day a week? Is there something more here?
YEP!
In our home, we follow the Eastern Rite fasting, which is similar to the Didache (the original fasting rules in the very early Church) ---
Wednesday and Fridays throughout the year, 40 days before Christmas (Nativity Fast), 40 days before Easter (Lent), Apostles Fast (I know I am missing one) --- follow these rules:
NO animals with a backbone at all (i.e. no salmon; but invertebrates are allowed)
NO animal products (gelatin, eggs, etc.)
NO olive oil
NO wine
NO marital relations
All feast day octaves (8 days following the feast day) - NO FASTING is allowed at all.
We do modify it for our health needs:
--We lighten up on Tuesdays/Thursdays/Saturdays during the 40-day time period (still no actual meat, but allowing SOME dairy - especially yogurt when other sources of good bacteria are not available) - thus Monday/Wednesday/Friday are strict fasting (so we're adding one day of strict fasting and 3 days of mild fasting)
--We allow for mild laxing of the rules on Sunday (moderate amounts of meat could be allowed if visiting others' homes)
--On the mild fasting days, I do need a serving of real salmon once a month (along with 3-5 times a week of omega-3 supplements for past health choices - my current supply is animal sourced; I need to get some algae-sourced)
Lent starts earlier in a sense, in that the 3 Sundays leading up to Lent you begin giving up portions - cheesefare Sunday, meatfare Sunday - eat up those things or properly store them for the long-term (Easter). No Mardi Gras in this routine!
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folklaur
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| Posted: March 13 2014 at 3:45pm | IP Logged
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Maureen wrote:
I'd like to do more soups, but many soups require chicken broth, and my understanding is that even broths derived from meat are not allowed on Fridays during Lent.
Does anyone have a good alternative broth base? |
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Just to throw this out there, Trader Joe's has an excellent Veggie Broth and it is not tomato heavy at all. It's pretty much a staple in my pantry.
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Lent when every Friday is meatless?
