I'm taking a break from my typical blog posts to explore another favorite pastime of mine: experimental cooking. I've never been much on tuna, and while fried seafood is tasty, it is in no way healthy, especially if you're on a diet. Plus, seafood is expensive, and the idea of abstaining from meat is to live more simply and sympathize with the poor. Many people use that argument to break the abstinence rule, but that's not a valid excuse. To help you keep your Lenten abstinence and fasting, Here are some of my favorite cheap, meatless recipes.
Hummus
Hummus is a dip from the Mediterranean and Arabic countries. It's made from cooked ground chickpeas and olive oil. The best part about hummus is you can eat it with crackers, different types of bread, and vegetables. To Give it more flavor try adding different spices, such as red pepper, cumin, sage, or my personal favorite, Siracha sauce.
To make hummus, you'll need a slow cooker and a food processor.
1 pound dried chickpeas
7 cups water
2 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup tahini (you can also use creamy peanut butter)
1/4 cup olive oil
Serving:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon parsley
In the slow cooker, Cook the dried chickpeas in 7 cups water for 3 1/2 hours on high heat or 7 to 8 hours on low. Add the baking soda to control the smell of cooking chickpeas.
Once the chickpeas are done let them cool till at least room temperature. The chickpeas in a food processor with the salt, Cumin, red pepper, and garlic. Process until the beans are a paste, Or about 30 to 45 seconds. Add the lemon juice and water, and process until well blended, about 30 seconds. You may need to scrape the contents down. Add the tahini, And process for another 30 seconds or until well blended. Add the olive oil, And processed until well blended about 30 seconds.
Scrape the hummus into a bowl and stir slightly to even it out. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil over the hummus, and sprinkle parsley on it to serve. Serve with raw vegetables, pita bread, or crackers.
Click here for a very tasty Pita Bread Recipe
Ugali
Ugali is a thick paste made from white cornmeal and water and is a popular dish in Kenya. It's cheap, fast, filling, tasty, and easy to make.
4 cups water
2 cups white cornmeal
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons butter (optional)
In a small cooking pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt. Place the corn meal into a small mixing bowl. Using your hands, drop the cornmeal in the water one handful at a time. Doing it by hand sifts the corn meal. Lower the heat to medium heat and add the butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and pull away from the side of the cooking pot, forming a solid shape, about 10 minutes. Transfer the Ugali to a serving bowl and allow to cool. Serve with vegetables or greens.
Cheese Pizza
Who says adults can't enjoy cheese pizza? This is one of my favorite meatless meals during Lent! The recipe I'm about to give you can be used for basically any pizza, but we're sticking to cheese for now.
Crust
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 .25 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
One cup warm water (90-110 degrees F)
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
1 8 oz can tomato sauce or pizza sauce
1 16 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (You can use Monterey Jack here instead)
2 tablespoons Garlic Powder or Garlic Salt
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon Red Pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, water, and sugar. Allow to proof for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture resembles the head of a beer. Add oil and salt. Using a mixture with a dough hook, mix in flour gradually, until it's all gone and the dough starts to form a ball. Transfer dough to a well floured surface, and knead until slightly elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Brush olive oil onto a pizza pan or pizza stone. Roll the dough out into circular shape until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Using your fingers, roll the sides of the dough up around the edges until the edge of the crust is about a 1/2 inch tall. Sprinkle garlic powder, Italian Seasoning, and Red Pepper over crust. Pour tomato sauce over the crust and use the back of a soup spoon to spread it until the crust is evenly coated. Pour cheese over the sauce until crust is evenly coated.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Variations:
Super Mario Special: Add sliced mushrooms on top of cheese before baking.
Hawaiian: Add pineapple on top before baking.
Grilled Cheese
Again, another childhood favorite that you should never outgrow. Instead of the American or cheddar cheese usually served elementary schools, I like to make mine with pepper jack. It's good with a bowl of warm tomato soup.
Conclusion
While we're on the subject of meals, don't forget the most important meal of the day, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Mass is offered every day around the world with the exception of Good Friday. Though Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation are the only days that Catholics are required to attend Mass, we are encouraged to attend during the week as well, especially during Lent. Masses are offered every day throughout the day in most cities. Check your local diocesan website or parish bulletin to see what times Daily Masses are offered. Daily Mass is usually shorter than Sunday Mass, and it's a great way to encounter the Lord each day.
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