Fasting recipes for single Orthodox

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[-Kyriaki-]

My quick and easy meal is two bean chilli.

Dice an onion, throw it in a medium-large saucepan with some olive oil, cook until soft. Rinse a tin each of cannelini beans and red kidney beans, add them with a jar of bought salsa and a smaller tin of drained sweetcorn. Cook until heated through and the salsa is thick like a sauce. Tip into a bowl, top with as much avocado as you can afford, eat with corn chips. Also good with hummus (but what isn't?)

This does enough for two meals, and reheats well, so I often eat it for dinner then again for lunch the next day.

If you're feeling gourmet you can make a salsa, or make the tomato & chilli sauce you'd put in normal chilli.

 

[Joseph Hazen]

As a bachelor my Lenten food was veggie burgers, but I didn't expect them to taste like burgers. They were just an interesting way to make and eat bean patties basically. Just add a can of beans to a bowl, mash 'em, add breadcrumbs enough to smoosh it together, add garlic, minced onion, any spices you want, and fry it. One can usually made two burgers which was good for me. Put it on a bun with pickles and ketchup and mustard and you're good to go.

 

[Lirenel]

I agree, it's hard as a single to eat everything before either the dish or the ingredients spoil. That chili sounds good, though, I'll have to try it sometime.

 

[Cappadocious]

I often use or modify recipes from this website:

middle eastern recipes

 

[27B6]

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[ikonographics]

Actually "no oil" means no oil of any kind...at least that is what it means here in Greece.
AS a single I have found the best solution is to make about 4-5 portions worth at a tiem and then freeze the portions in freezer bags. I'll usually cook a different meal everyday of the first week of lent (lentils, beans, chick peas, soups etc) And then I'll have a variety of stuff in the freezer that I can just take out when I need it. It saves a lot of time and prevents a lot of waste.
Most of the above are very simple to make (just chuck the ingredients in a pot an leave it to boil) and I usually make them all oil free and then on days when oil is allowed after heating it up I add some olive oil (This way it is much healthier than cooking with oil and the oil preserves its vitamins and doesn't become saturated.)
You can find a lot of very simple Greek lenten recipes here: Alphabet of Greek recipes - l (by english name)

 

[ikonographics]

I just threw together a quick meal today that works really well for a fish day. All you need is
One tin of tuna
A tomato (pureed with a blender)
Onion (as much as you like)
a sprinkling of rosemary
Pasta
I sauteed the onion and rosemary without oil. Added the tomato and tuna and a little salt and left it to cook while cooking the pasta. Once the pasta was ready I added to the sauce and served with a sprinkling olive oil on top.

It turned out to be really delicious. It took about 15-20 mins.

 

[Augustinosia]

Great ideas, keep 'em coming!

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Cooking for singles is always a challenge, and is even more challenging while trying to keep the fasts. This thread is especially for those Orthodox who are living alone (including widows and widowers), or perhaps those who are in non-Orthodox families but who need ideas on fasting recipes for themselves. It also includes Orthodox students living away from home.

To me, the ideal fasting recipe for an Orthodox single would have many of the following characteristics:

* Of course, it doesn't include meats, dairy products, eggs, wine, or olive oil. I would say that recipes that use vegetable oils or margerine are fine. And fish and shellfish recipes are fine too.

* Leftovers and spoilage are always a big challenge for singles. Ideal recipes would allow for a single meal without leftovers, or batch recipes like soups, goulashes and stews that keep well in the refrigerator and are easily reheated over, say, a weeks period. Anything that spoils quickly or that uses a lot of ingredients that spoil quickly are harder.

* Ingredients should not be too exotic if at all possible, but could be something like Japanese daikon radishes that you commonly find at ethnic grocers. Keep in mind that most singles won't be using the ingredients for more than a couple preparations. A lot of cultures have awesome vegetarian dishes and it's fun to explore.

* I personally can't stand recipes that try to 'mimick' the real thing. Vegan pizza, for example, with its imitation cheese, is just blech. So are soy burgers and such imho. But if you have one that is really good, let's hear it.

* Ideal recipes should be fairly simple and quick to prepare, not too fancy, and not too expensive. While fasting we are not supposed to act like gourmands or spend more money on food than we normally do. We are supposed to pray, give alms, and focus on serving God and neighbor.

I'll start posting some of my recipes and finds below.

Cheers!

Patrick

Spices a world of difference when trying to go on/deal with less during the Fast

Interestingly enough, however, the fast can tend to bring up awareness of the ways that giving up certain foods/ingrediants is honoring what others went through to make those foods available. In example, recently went to an exhibit at the Ferbank Muesuem of Natural History on Genghis Khan" (more here, here and here)....and it was wild learning on Genghis Khan being more than the stereotypical barbarian. Apparently, from what I was able to learn with my friends/family, Genghis established freedom of religion and cultural expression in the lands he conquered, promoted a meritocracy and created the first efficient mail system...and he even popularized pants (much better for horseback riding). From an impoverished, illiterate and isolated youth, Genghis created a nation, a language, religious and political freedoms, a post office, Pony Express, diplomatic immunity, a network of international toll roads, and a host of other innovations in what was by far the largest empire in the history of the world.

Really enjoyed it and seeing so many of the ways that the man/Mongolian Empire impacted the world - with many of the things we have today coming directly from that, be it paper money, forks, pants, eyeglasses, passports or national parks and many other things. Was tripped out seeing the ways that the Mongol Empire facilitated cultural, political, economic, and technological transfer across Eurasia and thereby helped to revitalize civilization in China, India, the Middle East, and Europe. It was even more of a delight for me to attend the exhibit on Genghis Khan in light of the ways that Eastern Christianity/ Church of the East greatly influenced the Mongol Empire (more discussed here /here/here/here/here/here /here/ here/ here/ here/ here/here /here and here in #84 ) - and I was really blessed seeing the multiple artifacts they shared at the exhibit on the issue of Eastern Christians - with it being the case that the Nestorians won many members of the Keralts tribe to their faith (and in the 13th century this tribe would produce Genghis Khan, the military leader who would unify the Mongol tribes ) and there were many Nestorian Christians in the court of Genghis Khan, including the wife of the khan himself. It was very amazing seeing how there were certainly Christian sects operating within the Mongolian sphere at the time in question, as the Nestorians had been converting Mongols since the 7th century and the Keraits, Merkits, etc., had large Christian beliefs. .and these Christians then intermarried with other Mongolian tribes - with at least two sons of Genghis Khan married Nestorian women...and the influences being so great that Genghis Khan also exempted Christian priests and scholars from paying any taxes.


That said...I couldn't help but wonder when I was there what life must have been like for the many Christians around during that era and the choices they made in the things they did - especially as it concerns the everyday things we often don't tend to think about (often due to comfort/getting used to it), like the foods we eat or processing how to develop them. And while there in the exhibit, after revisting the reality of the Silk Road (which many, from missionaries to merchants, used) and how the Ghenghis has aided in opening up trade between East/West, I came across a work that intrigued me entitled The Spice Route: A History (John Keay).

​

The resulting volume, culled from historical commentaries and records, is a colorful and detailed portrait of the astonishing impact man's love for flavor had on the earliest stages of globalization. The route by which Keay's narrative travels is seasoned with facts and anecdotes, ranging from ancient historians' fantastic reports of men with "pendulous upper lips" and the heads of dogs-or none at all-to the Muslim invasion of India and the Islamification of Malaysia. There is a surprising mythology surrounding the spice trade, and Keay does this angle ample justice, citing figures such as Marco Polo, Ibn Batuta and Roman playwright Plautus. Although Keay ends his book with the grim conclusion that the forces of globalization are to blame for the demystification and downfall of "spice," the work itself is nothing short of zesty. At the muesuem, there was another one I came across entitled Spice: A History of Temptation (more here)

Really did a number on me. For when eating/using spices, I was ripped out when putting some seasoning to consider that folks died (and in some places, still do) to get materials to me that I enjoy today - and wishing I had bought the book on the issue I saw when at the muesuem Saturday. May end up going back for it...but all of that is mentioned to say that the fasting dynamic is interesting in what it can serve to bring up when you're living with less for a season/seeking to make the most of foods and seasonings....and never considering what happened for others who couldn't even give those things up.

With even the foods available that are used today for the fast, part of me wonders on what it took to make that available when seeing the routes they came on and where it came from.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I often use or modify recipes from this website:

middle eastern recipes

That website is excellent for recepies..

 

[ArmyMatt]

I know it's not a recipe, but if you stock up on Oreos and Newtons help

 

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[Catherineanne]

I hope this is appropriate. I went on retreat to a convent once, and on the Friday the nuns were a bit apologetic for the food, but I thought it was lovely. It was just red lentils cooked with onion and served with bread. I make it by rinsing the lentils and then covering them with an inch of water and then cooking slowly until all the water is gone. Chopped onion can be included if people like it. Alternatively, half rice and half lentils boiled together; that is also good.

I cook both of these myself, at all sorts of times, because it doesn't really count as fasting to me when I like it so much.

 

[27B6]

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[ArmyMatt]

a buddy's dad once took pita bread, put spices like pepper and oregano on said pita bread, added lemon juice, stuck a fresh piece if lettuce in the middle, and wrapped it up like a burrito. it was awesome. it's Lebenese and I think it's called manoush.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

EasyG,

Great post. The history of spices is really fascinating.

Makes you very thankful for even having spices during a time of fasting once you realize the complex journey they've taken in being available today Being West Indian in background and loving spices, it's dear to my heart since it literally impacted that side of the world profoundly - be it in slavery developed on it or the markets that were made for people to prosper with it and giving ethnic pride to others skilled in creating it.

And on the issue of spices/food, don't know if you know of it - but one resource that may prove beneficial to you is on the issue of Caribbean foods/spices one can use during the time of fasting:

• Food « Caribbeanrecipekits's Blog - Caribbeanrecipekits's Blog
• Ethiopian Vegetarian Recipes - Veggie / Vegan Food & Cooking

Sister Thekla and I were talking on it once before when it came to Caribbean cooking and how exciting it can be for fasting..as seen here:

The little WIndies food I've had was wonderful (most recently W Indies vegan, Brooklyn style) -- Barbados ... cool

It's always interesting to see what can be learned from the dietary habits of other cultures; which is one reason living in a "melting pot" (I'd call it more a tossed salad ) is pretty great !

If you ever have the chance, you should consider investigating what's known as the Ital diet..more here. It's practiced by many in Jamaica and is truly amongst the best/most healthy in the world...many ingrediants using cononut oil and mango as well as curry Practical and enjoyable, especially as it concerns Caribbean Vegetarian cuisine..

Caribbean Vegan: Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Authentic Island

If implemented by the First Lady, I don't think any of the kids would turn it down Ital stew is amongst the best:

Ital Stew Recipe - YouTube

Keen-Wah Medley (Ital Food) - YouTube​

Thanks - this looks great ! And timely, as the Nativity Fast is coming up (Nov.). (Usually over the fast, I use an MCC cookbook to expand the menu - and learn a bit about the region of origin of each dish.)

 

[27B6]

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