Lessons From Lent

With today being Ash Wednesday  it's time to think of what most Christians can give up.Most Catholics have a long list of foods that they'll give up. This is the start of a good healthy diet. Another idea is to give up ones' time to cook or  serve others.It's a great way of teaching kids how to behave towards those less fortunate.

Yes, you can give up meats and sweets for Lent. Doing such will help you lose weight and possibly go off your favorite foods. The Greek Orthodox have a much stricter rule. Not only do they have to give up meat, dairy, eggs and cheese are also off the table. Wine and olive oil are also nixed. What is left is fruits and veggies.A diet like this may seem severe but it is the healthiest..The Orthodox are allowed rice and pasta which is a plus. No matter what faith you follow, this is a great fast. Unhealthy fats and sugars are eliminated replaced with a boost of  nutrients and fiber. The Orthodox are allowed to have olive oil and wine on weekends.Veggies could easily be made into a ratatouille but veggies such as tomatoes and peppers can be roasted and served over any kind of pasta or rice. They can also be turned into a salsa crudo or raw sauce for spaghetti or angel hair. Finishing with fruit slices is always a better idea. Get yourself and the kids hooked on fruit slices as a great dessert.

Another idea for Lent is giving up your time. Many churches have food drives during the Lenten season. You can easily go around to friends and neighbors and collect cans and boxes from them for an Easter food drive. Have your local supermarket donate small hams along with canned or fresh asparagus along with other Spring veggies to make a filling  holiday meal. If the stores don't want to donate, then have fund raisers or make a plea when the donation plate is passed around. Late winter and early Spring is a time for planning gardens. If you belong to any church group or teach Sunday school, bring up the idea of a  church garden to supplement the food pantry. Think rows of tomatoes, peppers  and carrots to start off with and then get adventurous with potatoes and even watermelon. The last can be started indoors and planted outside when the temperatures rise past seventy degrees. Just remember too that a church garden can supply some of the food for carnivals and picnics. It can also be used in the parish's soup kitchen as well

It's Lent. If you don't want to give up food , then think about giving up your time to help your local church. Both will be  a learning experience that you'll benefit from.

Nutrition Lessons From Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday in the Christian calendar, This solemn day of reflection and prayer beings the forty day period of Lent. For most , such as the Catholics and Greek Orthodox , it means days of fasting and giving up certain foods. To be honest it 's a great way of paring down one's daily diet to a healthy one.

Usually Catholics abstain from meat  today and some abstain from eating meat on Lenten Fridays as they once did before the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960s. It's a good way of weaning away from being a full on carnivore. Doing it cold turkey is not always the best. That usually results in meat eating frenzy similar to a great white going through a school of tuna. Having a day away from chicken , beef or pork is a chance to discover different vegetable dishes., The observant are allowed to have seafood and this is a good time to explore tilapia and salmon as substitutes. Some Catholics also give up a favorite food such as cake or ice cream for the forty days,Again this is a good way to wean off all the unhealthy stuff and look into healthier snacks such as fruit and yogurt.

The Greek Orthodox are the strictest with two hundred fast days  in the year. The fasts are varied but it's basically giving up all meat, sugar, dairy and even olive oil. It is truly a cleansing diet with the body being purged of all fats , sugars and even chemicals,Breads are allowed as are tofu and beans..Seafood is allowed but it has limitations too. Only shellfish, octopus and squid can be eaten. There is a week long period where dairy is allowed so there can be milk, ice cream and cheeses as well as yogurts.Any fast is a good one because it introduces you to different vegetables and ways in which to prepare them. It 's a time to try steamed veggies or various t bean dishes like chili. The more you avoid addictive sugars and fats the less likely you'll be craving them later on.

The Lenten period is a time for prayer and reflection along with fasting. This may be the beginning of healthy eating. Abstain from all those sinful foods and not only will your faith be stronger but your body will be too.

Lenten Diets All Year Round

Lent will be starting with this Wednesday.It 's a time when Christians give up certain foods, especially meat and dairy.It's an idea that's worth looking into as a year round diet.It means more fruit and veggies along with a step towards healthier living. Most Catholics and some Protestants give up meat on Wednesdays and Fridays.Starting with a day or two without meat is a good and easy way towards veganism.After a few months you can increase meatless days to four or five and then eventually have meat days one or twice a month.Since some religions allow fish this is a good time to explore the different types put there.Try a steamed salmon(easy to do in the microwave) or tuna which can be served hot or cold.This is also a convenient time to check into the many types of soy "meats"out there.You can easily make spaghetti and meatballs using mushroom based already prepared meatballs.There's also veggie burgers and veggie dogs to try on a Friday night.The Greek Orthodox also give up dairy during the forty days leading up to Easter.This paves the way to try both soy and rice milk,along with the soy and coconut based ice creams. Many people give up a favorite food for this time of fasting.It's usually cake, ice cream and cookies.If these can be given up for just a little over a month, then they can also be given up for good.Again,Lent is an excellent time to explore healthier desserts such as fruits.These are extremely versatile too.You can end a meal with apple sauce, sprinkled with cinnamon.Another treat is grilled pineapple kabobs.Make fruit salads using all sorts of fruits in your market,along with trying new ones such as kiwis and mangoes.Snacks too are usually given up.This is good way of switching over to simple snacks like crackers and rice cakes..Also think a bout having raw veggies with a lemon or lime vinaigrette as a daytime nibble.It's filling but also light. Lent is a time of giving up favorite and lush foods.It's also a chance for a healthier diet and to change unhealthy eating habits.Following one's beliefs is not only good for the soul but for the body as well.

Good Friday - Day of Fasting And Observance

Today is Good Friday , one of the most holiest of the Christian holidays. It’s a time when some Catholics fast while others , including most of the Protestant sects forgo meat. I will be observing the holiday as well by not eating meat and settling on the traditional Piedmontese style asparagus for dinner . Some prefer to go the fish and seafood route which is allowed . Some of the stricter , such as the Greek Orthodox usually forbid dairy products too or fast for a certain period of time today .

Observe the day whatever Christian beliefes you hold.

Liz