Today is the first Sunday of Lent—-the season of self-reflection and self-denial.
Not exactly fun stuff, right?
Compared to the raucous revelry and face-stuffing silliness associated with Mardi Gras, the solemn season can appear downright depressing.
However, it doesn’t have to be.
This Lent, I am trying to teach my young daughter that the season should be marked with anticipation. The 40-day period that begins on Ash Wednesday and runs through Holy Thursday is typically a time when people give up bad habits and participate in prayer, penance and repentance. It’s also a time Christians are mandated to abstain from eating meat on Fridays.
Given that my daughter loves all things that ooze red; this simple sacrifice has made for a prime opportunity to combine facts and fun. Each Friday during Lent my daughter and I will be cooking meatless meals together. Not only will this give us a chance to have fun working on our mother-daughter bond, but we’ll also be learning how to prepare tasty vegetarian dishes.
We made the first recipe two days ago. Don’t let the name fool you; there is not a bit of meat in the burger… and you won’t miss it. The second recipe is one I grew up on. It’s perfect if you have a large family to feed. What’s more, kids will love getting the chance to eat dinner with their hands.
MEATY MUSHROOM BURGER
Ingredients:
2 Portobello mushrooms
2 hard rolls, split and toasted
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 roasted red pepper, sliced
2 slices of provolone cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian parsley
2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
Directions:
Clean mushrooms and remove stems.
Whisk together vinegar with garlic, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning, and then add the olive oil.
Pour mixture over mushrooms and let marinate in the fridge overnight.
Remove mushrooms from marinade and grill.
Cook for about 4 minutes per side, turning once or until mushrooms start to soften and brown a bit.
Top mushroom with cheese.
In a bowl, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice and herbs.
Generously spread mayo mixture on rolls. Place a mushroom on each roll along with red peppers slices, and some spinach.
TUNA CRESCENT ROLLS
Ingredients:
6 ounces can tuna in water, drained well
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely diced celery
2 tablespoons finely diced red pepper
1 tablespoon diced green onions
8-ounce tube refrigerated crescent rolls, separated
4 slices of American cheese
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together first five ingredients, then add a bit of salt and pepper.
Arrange crescents on an ungreased baking sheet, set aside.
Cut each slice of cheese into 2 pieces.
Place one piece of cheese on each crescent.
Spread some of the tuna mixture over cheese, and then roll up the crescent.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve warm.
Related Articles:
Heart Healthy Vegetarian Dishes
Getting Your Greens-Simple Recipes for Meatless Meals