Great Lent is upon us for all Christians. As a Greek Orthodox Christian, observing this time for fasting and prayer is at the forefront of my mind.
In other words, I am abstaining from meat and dairy. So I am trying to become more creative with vegetarian dishes while avoiding meat and dairy in my daily meals. It is a struggle but that is the point of Lent and an opportunity for me to grow.
I have done a couple of vegetarian and vegan-friendly meals. Mostly, these were for lent. Previously, I have made lentil soup but I wanted to be a more creative and I think soups are the best way. They are simple, flavorful, and easy to make. All you need is a little extra time. Today, we are making a lentil and bean soup.
Ingredients:
1 cup of Green Lentils
1 cup of Black Beans
1/4 cup of radishes
1/2 cup of carrots
1 red onion (diced)
2 cloves of ginger
4 stalks of green onions (diced)
2 teaspoons of paprika
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon of basil
1 teaspoon of onion powder
Red chili flake
Salt and Pepper
1-1.5 quarts of water
Method:
- Gently let the lentils boil in hot water for 15 minutes
- In a large pot, gently roast the garlic, red chili flake, and onions until translucent and fragrant
- Once everything is cooking, add the carrots and green onions.
- In addition, add the black beans and the spices to continue to stir the contents.
- By that time, the lentils should be ready and add the water and lentils to the pot
- Set the pot to low and let it gently boil for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Serve and enjoy
Sorry, I can't add any cheese or meat for the time being. However, it is so flavorful that I would add is chorizo. Anyways, the next couple of weeks will feature more lenten-friendly meals! See you next week!