Going meatless or restricting our diets to seafood is a long-honored Lenten tradition in South Louisiana. Our predominantly Catholic mid-century city is now much more diverse in terms of religious practices and faiths, but opting for meatless meals is still a pretty common practice. And now, with advancements in our understanding of the way the body uses food, there's also a pretty popular Meatless Monday movement sweeping the nation.
So maybe you want to jump on the bandwagon or don't want your only non-meat choices to consist of fried seafood on a Friday night. Here are a couple ideas and a recipe to kick off your Lenten season and lighten up your everyday menu. These dishes can be just as flavorful and filling as their meaty counterparts without some of the negative effects.
- veggie chili - with layers of flavors, this meatless dish packs a punch (and heat if you'd like). Use a variety of beans and chiles and stew with your tomatoes and broth for hours to really incorporate
- frittata - open up your fridge and add all the veggies you can find. This dish is great for leftovers and quick enough for a hectic weeknight
- mac & cheese - go old school or add some new ingredients like earthy mushrooms to give this classic dish a different spin
- tofu stir-fry - I know this particular purchase may be a little intimidating at first, but tofu takes on the taste of what you cook it with. Whip up a little ginger/soy marinade for your veggies and pan fry tofu cubes for texture
- involtini - this is just a fancy name for thin slices of something wrapped around something else. My favorite prep is with eggplant and ricotta, see the recipe below
However you decide to suspend meat from your diet, remember that not all veggies and grains are created equal. Opt for whole grains and reduce your intake of vegetables with a lot of sugar (like corn and potatoes).
Eggplant & ricotta involtini
Ingredients
1 large eggplant sliced lengthwise
1 container of ricotta
3 grated garlic cloves
a pinch of Italian herbs
salt & pepper
1 jar marinara sauce
1/2 c mozzarella cheese
Directions
- Lay sliced eggplant on a flat surface and sprinkle liberally with salt - allow to sit up to 1 hour before cooking (will remove the bitterness)
- Break up ricotta and season liberally with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Add grated garlic
- Preheat oven to 350º and line the bottom of a casserole dish with marinara sauce
- Rinse eggplant and pat dry to remove any excess water
- Sauté in a skillet until tender, 3-4 minutes per side
- Once cooled wrap around ricotta mixture forming a small wrap (2 inches in diameter)
- Nestle in sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake until bubbly - 20-30 minutes