Lenten Ingredient Concerns

With the Great Fast (Lent) starting Monday for Orthodox Christians, the following suggestions come from St Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Wichita, Kansas. Recipes, using the ingredients (or substitutes), to follow.

Noodles … Be careful of packaged noodles, most have part of egg or milk in them. Replace noodles with pastas or vegan noodles.

Mayonnaise … Most brands have milk, egg, or both.

Margarines … If you really want to fast, check your margarines for whey products. A soy margarine is always free of whey. Some vegetable oil margarines are also lacto-free.

Eggs … If absolutely necessary, use an egg substitute. It tends to make recipes more difficult; you may wish to just get a better recipe rather than determine how much egg substitute it takes to make your recipe work.

Cheeses … Placing a small bowl of shredded cheese on the table for the [pre-fasting aged] children is an acceptable way to make their meals more appealing to them; as well as adding to the lack of calcium that a vegan diet inherently has.

Broths … Meat broths can be replaced with vegetable broths. If you use bouillon cubes, remember not to add any salt to your recipes, as the cubes are very salty.

Gelatin, Jello & Marshmallows … While these products were once considered animal, the process to create these removes the finished product so far from the animal make-up that Orthodox Rabbi’s consider it Kosher for non-meat uses. This seems good enough for most Orthodox Christians. (Vegetable based gelatins are also available.)

Peanut Butter & Tahini … what can I say?

Chocolate … is really Milk Chocolate and can be replaced with Cocoa or Carob (chocolate chips can be replaced with carob chips).

Alcohol … Apple Cider is a great substitute for white wine, and sometimes sherry or red wine.

Desserts … As a host during lent, remember that many people give up desserts and sweets. So keep fresh fruit in a decorative bowl or basket on your table for your guests. The diabetic guests will also appreciate this.