Lenten Menu Planning - share your favorite simple recipes here!

[Casilda]

@LuzMaria, both my grandfathers were Spaniards, though not from Galicia. Cooks in the family didn’t use the unto, my version of the soup is vegan, though a nice meaty smoked ham hock cooked with soup does kick it up a bit

 

[faerie114]

I love the planning of the OP… Lenten season is fast approaching!

Ever since I lived in India, my favorite veg food is Palak Paneer. Although I havent personally cooked it yet(my mother-in-law does that), and I prefer she makes it with tofu and not paneer (which is milk solids). I will look for her recipe of this dish and promise to add it here.

God Bless you all!!!

 

[quilisma]

My favorite Lenten recipe so far is Latin Eggs and Beans from my friend Melissa, who gives the recipe (and a lot of other ones as well) on her blog at www.dyno-mom.com. Melissa and her family, numbering 13 so far, have meatless Fridays throughout the year, so she has a pretty extensive repertoire.

 

[UbiCaritas]

Vegetarian/Vegan Curry

I’m sure this isn’t entirely authentic, but I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like it. Also, I apologize in advance–I made up this recipe, and I cook by eye and by taste, so most measurements are very approximate.

Total prep/cooking time: 15 minutes

You’ll need:

2 TB coconut oil (in a pinch, a neutral oil such as corn or vegetable will also do)
1 small jar Taste of Asia red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
2 cups cooked and drained black or kidney beans (really any legumes–I’ve used black-eyed peas and chickpeas, too)
1 can chunk pineapple in it’s own juice, drained
1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetable mix

Optional: Asian noodles, bread for the side, roasted peanuts to mix in or sprinkle on top, Thai peppers for extra heat

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the curry paste, and stir briskly for a couple of minutes to release the curry flavor and heat. If you’re using Thai peppers–if I do, I use 3-4, but a warning, these add a LOT of heat–chop them coarsely and add them. Stir in the coconut milk. Add the beans and pineapple, then add veggies until the mixture looks like a stew (i.e., lots of “stuff” but with some extra liquid).

Serve! If I don’t know exactly how the people I’m serving will like their curry, I have a bowl of noodles, a bowl of peanuts, and a basket of bread on the table so people can doctor their curry to their liking. I like it just as it is, but DH, for example, loves lots of peanuts on his, and I know someone who swears by pouring it over noodles.

This is vegan, so if you have any vegetarian or vegan friends, you can serve this curry when you have them over for dinner, not just for Lenten Fridays! It’s also really healthy–full of fiber, and coconut oil fat is a “good” fat. Finally, it makes wonderful leftovers; I tend to think it tastes best on the second day, after the flavors have had a chance to meld in the fridge overnight.

 

[pensmama87]

Vegetarian/Vegan Curry

I’m sure this isn’t entirely authentic, but I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like it. Also, I apologize in advance–I made up this recipe, and I cook by eye and by taste, so most measurements are very approximate.

Total prep/cooking time: 15 minutes

You’ll need:

2 TB coconut oil (in a pinch, a neutral oil such as corn or vegetable will also do)
1 small jar Taste of Asia red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
2 cups cooked and drained black or kidney beans (really any legumes–I’ve used black-eyed peas and chickpeas, too)
1 can chunk pineapple in it’s own juice, drained
1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetable mix

Optional: Asian noodles, bread for the side, roasted peanuts to mix in or sprinkle on top, Thai peppers for extra heat

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the curry paste, and stir briskly for a couple of minutes to release the curry flavor and heat. If you’re using Thai peppers–if I do, I use 3-4, but a warning, these add a LOT of heat–chop them coarsely and add them. Stir in the coconut milk. Add the beans and pineapple, then add veggies until the mixture looks like a stew (i.e., lots of “stuff” but with some extra liquid).

Serve! If I don’t know exactly how the people I’m serving will like their curry, I have a bowl of noodles, a bowl of peanuts, and a basket of bread on the table so people can doctor their curry to their liking. I like it just as it is, but DH, for example, loves lots of peanuts on his, and I know someone who swears by pouring it over noodles.

This is vegan, so if you have any vegetarian or vegan friends, you can serve this curry when you have them over for dinner, not just for Lenten Fridays! It’s also really healthy–full of fiber, and coconut oil fat is a “good” fat. Finally, it makes wonderful leftovers; I tend to think it tastes best on the second day, after the flavors have had a chance to meld in the fridge overnight.

Yum! One question - where do you find the curry paste? And would other hot peppers work too? (I guess that’s two questions! )

 

[UbiCaritas]

Yum! One question - where do you find the curry paste? And would other hot peppers work too? (I guess that’s two questions! )

You can find curry paste in the Asian foods sections of a decent-sized grocery store. It’s a really small jar, about as tall as my little finger. Depending on the store, you might be able to get Asian noodles there, too!

I see no reason why other hot peppers wouldn’t work! In fact, I say try them and let us know how it turns out. Unless your family really likes spicy foods, though, I’d suggest making this recipe without them the first time, as a lot of people find that the curry paste adds plenty of heat without adding more via the peppers. YMMV, of course–me, I like a really hot curry, so I prefer to add a few peppers.

 

[pensmama87]

You can find curry paste in the Asian foods sections of a decent-sized grocery store. It’s a really small jar, about as tall as my little finger. Depending on the store, you might be able to get Asian noodles there, too!

I see no reason why other hot peppers wouldn’t work! In fact, I say try them and let us know how it turns out. Unless your family really likes spicy foods, though, I’d suggest making this recipe without them the first time, as a lot of people find that the curry paste adds plenty of heat without adding more via the peppers. YMMV, of course–me, I like a really hot curry, so I prefer to add a few peppers.

It is definitely helpful to know that it’s a small jar! Our local stores don’t tend to have great selection for ethnic foods, but sometimes I can be surprised!

We are definitely a spicy food-loving family, but if the curry paste supplies a lot of heat by itself, that is probably good enough for my 2 year old.

I love all these recipes. I grew up in a very meat-and-potatoes family so I’ve had a lot to learn as I realized that I actually enjoyed my food tasting like something.