Meals for Meatless Friday

Friday's in Lent should be serious. You shouldn't fast just because you have to. If you have kids over 14 years old, or you yourself is over 14, Fridays in Lent should not be "pizza night" or "pancake night." Seriously, my few Catholic ancestors would be turning in their graves if they knew that people had pancakes on Fridays during Lent! Yes, technically, you're not eating meat, but you're missing the whole point. I think not eating meat probably meant a lot more to our ancestors. It still means a lot to my husband. He loves meat.

Anyway, I think the best things to eat for Fridays in Lent (and every Friday if you're up for it) are things like soups, rice dishes, and plain pasta dishes.
However, I don't think we should sacrifice our health just because we're fasting. Your body is still the Temple of the Holy Spirit, after all. If you know how to eat a balanced meal, then you should do so. So, get your protein! We're talking beans, legumes, cheese, eggs and fish! Lebanese food lends itself very well to this. Apparently there are a lot of ways to use chickpeas and yogurt! Now, if only I can find some lactose-free Greek yogurt.... hmmm....

Our Ash Wednesday meal: one hard boiled each, steamed and sauted kale, one boiled sweet potato between us both, one tin of sardines and some artisan bread. Here you've got your protein, Omega-3s, Vitamin C, A, K, good sugar, whole grains, fiber, and calcium (eating the sardines whole).

Our line up for Fridays:
Haddock and Colcannon (very Irish)
Mdardara (Lebanese rice and lentils)
Adas Bi Hamoud (Lebanese chard, lentil and potato soup)
Fatteh with Hummus (Lebanese Chickpeas and yogurt)
Siyyadiyeh (Lebanese fish over rice)
Tofu lasagna (Since I can't eat cottage cheese or ricotta. Man, ricotta really did a number on my stomach. I've mourned the loss of cannoli ever since. I have never had a good cannoli and I might not have one ever!)

By the way, this might be helpful. The following fish are mercury-free, and no, canned tuna is not safe.
List of safe fish:
Wild Pacific Salmon (comes in a can sometimes! If it comes in a can, then eat the bones, they're good for you! If you're buying a fillet... don't eat the bones :)
Summer flounder
Croaker
Sardines (totally yummy!)
Haddock (my fav!)
Tilapia (really cheap)