Of course, the main purpose of fasting is the spiritual growth of a person, the correction of sins, and the cleansing of the soul from passions. It is not for nothing that there is such a saying - fasting is not in the belly, but in the spirit. Therefore, before talking about the “food” component of fasting, I will cite one wonderful saying of St. Basil the Great: “Do not limit the benefits of fasting to abstinence in food, because true fasting is getting rid of evil deeds... Forgive your neighbor’s insult, forgive him his debts. You do not eat meat, but you offend your brother... True fasting is the removal of evil, abstinence of the tongue, suppression of anger, excommunication of lusts, slander, lies and perjury. Abstinence from this is true fasting.”
Thus, fasting should not be considered a diet for weight loss. This article will talk about how to rationally design your menu so as not to violate the rules of food abstinence during Lent and not to harm your health.
Speaking about proper nutrition during Lent, it is worth noting that the measure of abstinence in food varies from person to person. Some are healthy, while others have chronic diseases that require a therapeutic diet. Some study, some do hard physical labor. For pregnant and nursing mothers, fasting is also usually relaxed. It is best to discuss the measure of abstinence in food during Lent with your confessor.
Now we are in Lent, which means excluding meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, and eggs. There are days of dry eating, days of eating food without oil. During less strict multi-day fasts - Christmas and Peter's fast - fish and fish caviar are blessed on some days.
Among those who are fasting, there is a controversial attitude towards eating soy products and seafood (bloodless sea reptiles) during fasting, as well as eating foods such as Lenten mayonnaise, Lenten sweets and cakes, etc. Again, if there are doubts and questions, all controversial issues are better decide with your confessor. If eating squid and soy cheese is a delicacy and a temptation for you, of course you should refuse such food. However, one should not condemn one’s neighbor for eating such products - perhaps a person has the blessing of a confessor to eat certain products.
Basic principles of proper nutrition during fasting
- During fasting, most of the fasting person's diet consists of carbohydrate foods, and very little protein is consumed. Meanwhile, protein is essential for human health; it is the “building material” of our body. Animal protein is excluded during fasting, but vegetable protein is allowed. Sources of vegetable protein - nuts, seeds, legumes, mushrooms, cereals, bread, soy products. Sea reptiles - shrimp, squid, mussels, etc., are also very rich in protein.
- If a person leads an active lifestyle, it is mandatory to eat foods that are a good source of energy and give a feeling of fullness for a long time - these are pasta, potatoes and cereals. But keep in mind that instant porridge is “fast” carbohydrates! This porridge quickly fills you up, but it also “burns” quickly, and after just a couple of hours you may feel hungry. Choose rolled oats with a cooking time of 15-20 minutes. If you don’t have time to cook in the morning, you can pour cold water over the rolled oats in the evening, and just heat the porridge in the morning.
- It is useful to season salads with olive oil, 1 tablespoon of oil per serving.
- Moderate consumption of dried fruits during fasting is beneficial - dried apricots, prunes, dates, and nuts. You can add them to your morning porridge or take them with you for a snack. Dried fruits and nuts are high in calories, so they fill you up quickly.
- Instead of sugar, use honey - you can add it to your morning porridge, tea, or use honey as a natural sweetener in baking. Dark chocolate, marmalade and dried fruits in moderation are preferable to sweet, lean flour products that can be found on store shelves. These foods tend to be high in fat, and consuming them can lead to weight gain.
- A very important principle of proper nutrition during fasting is the daily consumption of fresh and/or thermally processed vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits are great for a snack - for example, if it is a vegetable salad (you can, if desired, diversify it by adding mushrooms, legumes, squid, nuts, croutons), seasoned with olive oil and 1 fruit.
- It is important not to starve and try to plan your meals so that there are no long breaks between meals. In this case, the digestive system will quickly and better adapt to a plant-based diet and the risk of such “troubles” as gastritis, constipation and indigestion will be reduced. For those people who follow the monastic rule, eating no more than 2 times a day, and observing days of complete abstinence from food, it is better to prepare in advance. Even before fasting, you should gradually reduce the frequency of meals to make it easier for the body to adapt to the new regime.
- If you are overweight, it is important to follow these rules to avoid gaining weight while fasting.
- First of all, it is necessary to minimize the amount of carbohydrate food in the evening meal. Since carbohydrates provide a lot of energy, and in the evening after school or work energy is usually not spent, it will be stored as fat “in reserve.” Therefore, in the evening it is better to give up pasta, potatoes, rice, cereals, flour products, bread and sweets. For dinner you can eat a variety of vegetable and legume dishes. These can be vegetable and bean salads, vegetable casseroles and cutlets, stews, vegetable caviar, baked and stewed vegetables, grilled vegetables, vegetable and bean soups (without potatoes, cereals and pasta). It is recommended to have dinner no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime! If you consider it obligatory to have a snack after dinner (for example, if dinner took place 5-6 hours before bedtime), then have a snack no later than 2 hours before bedtime.
- If it is acceptable for you to consume sea reptiles and soy products, you can also include them in your menu in the evening.
- On days when fish is allowed, an excellent dinner option would be fish + any vegetables (except potatoes).
- In the evening, you can eat a few nuts with tea (not sweet). Sweets should be excluded for dinner.
- Eating potatoes is acceptable for lunch or breakfast, but not every day. Rice and pasta are preferred over potatoes. It is better to eat cereals for breakfast, fruits and dried fruits - before 7 pm. Diversify your diet with frequent consumption of vegetables, both raw and cooked.
- Pay attention to moderate consumption of vegetable oil - the most high-calorie product known!
- Eating a variety of soups is encouraged, both for lunch and dinner (for dinner, vegetable/bean soups without cereals, pasta and potatoes).
- Further, in the examples of the Lenten menu, you will see the mark (diet breakfast/lunch/dinner), this means that this nutrition option is suitable for people with excess body weight. On days of dry eating there is no such mark, since the diet on such days is itself dietary.
DISH RECIPES for LENT BREAKFAST/LUnch/DINNER on dry eating days
Oatmeal and fruit smoothie: Fill the rolled oats with cold water overnight. In the morning, add 1-2 teaspoons of honey and diced fresh fruits - banana, kiwi, orange. Beat with a blender, adding water if necessary. You can use other fruits and any berries to make smoothies. If desired, you can add dried fruits and nuts.
Fruit and nut salad: 1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange cut into pieces, mix, season with lemon juice, cinnamon and 1 tsp. honey Add any dried fruits and nuts if desired. If desired, you can add any fruits and berries to this salad.
Oatmeal muesli with soy milk: Pour muesli with soy milk, wait 10 minutes until the flakes swell.
Carrot - apple salad: Grate the apple and carrot, mix, season with lemon juice, 1 tsp. honey, garnish with nuts if desired.
Strawberry-pear-carrot salad: Grate 2 carrots on a coarse grater, add strawberries and pears cut into large cubes (peel the pear and remove the core), add 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. lemon juice. Mix.
Vegetable salad: chop the tomato, cucumber, radish, corn, leek, lettuce, dill, parsley, sesame seeds, mix. To this salad you can add grated celery root, young zucchini, and croutons. Season with lemon juice.
Hearty salad: Mix canned beans, corn, green peas and diced tomato. You can add croutons, avocado and garlic if desired.
Cabbage and pea salad: Chop white cabbage, mash with salt with your hands, add diced fresh cucumber and green peas, sprinkle with lemon juice, mix.
Wheat salad: Grind the salad leaves, add wheat sprouts, diced avocados, corn, pine nuts, olives. You can add crackers. Mix.
Avocado salad 1: Cut the avocado into cubes, mix with chopped lettuce, croutons and sprinkle with lemon juice.
Avocado salad 2: Cut the avocado into cubes, mix with chopped fresh cucumber, dill and corn, sprinkle with lemon juice.
Carrot and pumpkin salad: Grate carrots and pumpkin, season with 1 tsp granulated sugar or 1 tsp. honey Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Avocado and tomato sandwiches: Grease black bread with crushed garlic, place sliced avocado on top, and sliced tomato rings on top of the avocado.
Sandwiches with avocado pate: Mash the avocado with a fork, add a little lemon juice, dried basil, a pinch of salt and paprika. Stir until smooth and spread on bread. You can sprinkle sesame seeds or roasted pine nuts on top.
Examples of a lean breakfast on dry eating days:
— Any salad/smoothie from the list of dishes + tea/coffee/cocoa with dried fruits/nuts.
— Oatmeal muesli with soy milk + tea/coffee/cocoa with dried fruits/nuts.
— Corn flakes with soy milk + tea/coffee/cocoa with dried fruits/nuts.
— Vegetable salad from the list + fruit salad/smoothie from the list + tea with lemon.
— 2 sandwiches with avocado + tea with dried fruits/nuts.
— Vegetable salad from the list + fresh fruits 1-2 pcs + tea with honey and lemon.
Examples of a lean lunch on dry eating days:
— Any salad/smoothie from the list of dishes + 1-2 sandwiches with avocado + tea with honey and dried fruits/nuts.
— Any salad/smoothie from the list of dishes + 1-2 slices of bread + 1-2 fruits.
Examples of a lean dinner on dry eating days:
— Vegetable or bean salad from the list of dishes + 1-2 sandwiches with avocado + tea with lemon and nuts.
— Vegetable or bean salad from the list of dishes + bread + tea with lemon and nuts.
— Vegetable or bean salad from the list + bread + fresh fruit 1 piece + tea with lemon.
DISH RECIPES for LENT BREAKFAST/LUnch/DINNER on days without oil
Oatmeal, boiled in water with 1 tsp. honey, a handful of fresh berries/fruits or dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots, raisins, dates) or nuts.
Baked apples with oatmeal, berries and nuts: Take out the core of the apples, put oatmeal in the middle, 1 tsp. honey, berries and nuts. Place in a mold and bake in the oven at 200 degrees. 15 minutes.
Millet porridge in water with pumpkin and/or prunes: Rinse the millet, pre-soak the prunes in warm water. Cut the pumpkin pulp into cubes. Place everything together in boiling water and cook until thick. At the end of cooking, add salt to taste. Before serving, add 1 tsp. honey and garnish with nuts if desired.
Lenten thick borscht: Pour water into a large saucepan, add spices: bay leaf 2-3 pcs, cloves 4-5 pcs, allspice 2-3 pcs, black pepper 1-2 pcs. and 1-2 medium-sized peeled potatoes, cook over medium heat. Pour 2-3 ladles of water into a separate small saucepan, add a finely diced onion and grated carrot, and cook over medium heat. Grate 1 large beetroot, sprinkle it with 1-2 tsp. lemon or 1 tsp. vinegar, mix and place in a small saucepan 10 minutes after the carrots, without stirring. The beets should be slightly covered with water. Remove spices and cooked potatoes from a large saucepan. Mash the potatoes in a separate container with a pestle and return to the pan. Separately, cut 3-5 raw potato tubers into cubes and place in a large saucepan. When the beets are matte, place the contents of the saucepan into a large saucepan. You can take either sauerkraut or fresh cabbage. Lightly rinse the sauerkraut with water and place in a saucepan. Chop raw cabbage and place in a saucepan. Add 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste, mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste and cook until done. 5 minutes before readiness, add chopped parsley and dill.
Mushroom soup with potatoes: Pre-soak dry mushrooms in hot water. Pour water into the pan, add spices: 2-3 bay leaves, 2-3 allspice, cook with spices for 5-10 minutes, remove spices. Cut 4-5 potato tubers into cubes, place in a saucepan, and add salt to the soup. Chop the onion and carrot into cubes and place in a frying pan with 2 tbsp. water, simmer for 5-10 minutes. Chop the mushrooms as desired, put them in a frying pan with the onions and carrots, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Place the contents of the frying pan into the saucepan with the soup, stir, and cook until tender. 5 minutes before readiness, add chopped parsley and dill.
Bean soup with potatoes: Pre-soak the beans overnight in cold water with 1 tsp. baking soda. In the morning, drain the water, rinse the beans, put them in a pan with water and cook until almost done. When the beans become almost soft, cut 4-5 potato tubers into cubes, place in a saucepan, and add salt to the soup. Dice the onion, grate the carrots, place in a frying pan with 2 tbsp. water, simmer for 5-10 minutes and place in a saucepan with soup. Salt the soup, add spices to taste and cook until done. 5 minutes before readiness, add chopped parsley and dill.
Vegetable stew: Chop the mushrooms into large pieces and fry in a non-stick frying pan. Place vegetables (you can take a frozen mixture of vegetables, or any of your own, diced, if desired) into a frying pan with the mushrooms, add salt, add spices, 1 tbsp. tomato paste and some water. Simmer covered over low heat until done.
Mashed potatoes with mushrooms: Boil the potatoes and mash with a small amount of potato broth. Chop the mushrooms, add salt and simmer in a frying pan. Serve the dish sprinkled with chopped dill.
Potatoes with pumpkin and mushrooms in the sleeve: Chop potatoes, pumpkin, fresh mushrooms as desired, add salt and add spices/herbs to taste, mix. Place the mixture into the sleeve. Pierce the sleeve in several places with a toothpick (so as not to burst during cooking). Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Serve sprinkled with fresh herbs.
Examples of a lean breakfast on days without oil:(diet breakfast).
— Oatmeal porridge with water + green salad + tea with lemon/coffee.
— Baked apples with oatmeal, berries and nuts + vegetable salad + tea/coffee.
— Millet porridge on water with pumpkin and/or prunes + green salad + tea/coffee.
Examples of lean lunches on oil-free days:(diet lunch).
— Lenten borscht + 1 slice of bread + vegetable salad + tea with lemon + nuts + tangerine.
— Mushroom soup with potatoes + sandwich with avocado pate + tea with lemon and nuts + apple.
— Bean soup with potatoes + 1 slice of bread + green salad + tea with dried fruits.
Examples of meatless dinners on days without oil:
— Rice with vegetable stew + vegetable/bean salad + compote.
— Mashed potatoes with mushrooms + vegetable salad + tea with lemon and nuts.
— Potatoes with pumpkin and mushrooms in the sleeve + bean salad + tea with lemon and nuts.
— Vegetable stew + bean salad + tea with lemon and nuts. (diet dinner).
DISH RECIPES for LENT BREAKFAST/LUnch/DINNER on days with oil
Apple pancakes: Sift 1.5 cups of flour, mix with 0.5 tsp. baking powder, 4 tbsp sugar, a pinch of salt, 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil. whisk or mixer until smooth, adding water to the consistency of thick sour cream. Peel and core 1 large apple, grate on a fine grater and add to the dough, mix. Heat a frying pan, grease with vegetable oil and bake the pancakes over medium heat on both sides. You can serve with honey, fresh berries and fruits, jam.
Lenten yeast pancakes. Place a dough of 1 tbsp. flour, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and a packet of dry yeast (1-2 teaspoons, depending on the final amount of dough). Place the dough in a warm place (you can put the bowl with the dough in a bowl of hot water and cover with a dry towel) for half an hour. The dough should fit well. Next, add 2-3 cups of sifted flour, a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar, 3-4 tbsp. vegetable oil and a glass of water. Beat the mixture with a mixer, adding water until it reaches the consistency of liquid sour cream or fermented baked milk. Place the finished dough in a warm place for 20 minutes, covered with a dry towel. When the dough has risen, check it. If it becomes too thick, add a little water and mix thoroughly. It is good to heat the pans, and periodically grease them with vegetable oil, bake pancakes. Serve with honey, fresh berries, fruit, jam.
Granola: Mix 1.5 cups of rolled oats, a handful of hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, diced dried fruits (optional) thoroughly with 2 tbsp. honey, 2-3 tbsp. r oil. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet, spread the mixture and bake at 160 degrees for 40 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes. The mixture should acquire a pleasant golden brown color. Don't dry it out! Cool, add coconut and raisins, stir. Can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. You can serve it with soy milk.
Pea soup: Soak the peas overnight with 1 tsp. baking soda. In the morning, drain the water. Boil the peas in new water until half cooked. Cut the potatoes into cubes, fry the carrots and onions in vegetable oil. Add the roast and potatoes to the soup. Salt and add spices to taste. Cook until done. Serve with croutons.
Lenten soup - kharcho with mushrooms: Soak dry mushrooms in boiling water for half an hour. Fry onions and carrots in a frying pan. When the onions turn golden, add the mushrooms and a little water. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. Place the contents of the frying pan into boiling water and add rice, cook for 10 minutes. Salt the soup to taste, add 2 tbsp. tomato paste and chopped dill and parsley. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, bringing to a boil.
Baked eggplant with tomato: Cut the eggplant into rings, pour salted water for 1 hour (to remove the bitterness). Cut the tomatoes into slices. Squeeze out excess water from the eggplants and lightly fry in a frying pan with vegetable oil. Grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil, place eggplant slices, tomato slices on top, and a drop of lean mayonnaise on top (can be replaced with mushroom caviar). Bake in the oven at 200 degrees. 15 minutes.
Pots with vegetables and mushrooms: Cut the eggplant into cubes and soak in salted water for half an hour to remove the bitterness. Cut the tomato and onion into cubes. Cut the champignons into large slices. Fry the onions in a frying pan, when the onions are browned, add the mushrooms, fry for 5-7 minutes, add the eggplants with tomatoes and lightly fry. Cut carrots into slices. Drain water from canned beans. Place all the ingredients in pots and fill with salted water so that the water slightly covers the vegetables. Place the pots in the oven and cook at 200 degrees for about 1 hour.
Lahanorizo: Fry onion and grated carrots in vegetable oil. Chop 300-500 grams of white cabbage, add it to the carrots and onions and fry over high heat until caramelized, stirring continuously. Add 2-3 tbsp. tomato paste and spices. Add salt to taste, stir and reduce heat.
Add ½ cup rice and 1 cup water to the cabbage. You can add more or less rice as desired. Simmer covered until the rice is ready.
Examples of a lean breakfast on butter days:
— Apple pancakes + green salad + tea with lemon.
— Lean yeast pancakes + green salad + tea with lemon.
— Granola + green salad + coffee with soy milk. (diet breakfast).
Examples of a lean lunch on butter days:(diet lunch).
— Pea soup + green salad with butter + tea with lemon + apple.
— Lenten kharcho soup + raw vegetables + sandwich with vegetable caviar + tea with lemon.
— Thick lean borscht + green/bean salad + tea with 2-3 pieces of marmalade.
— Lahanorizo + sandwich with vegetable caviar + fruit salad + tea with lemon.
Examples of meatless dinners on days with butter:
— Spaghetti with vegetable stew + bean salad + tea with lemon.
— Boiled potatoes with 1 tsp. aromatic oil + baked eggplant with tomato + vegetable salad + compote.
— Lahanorizo + vegetable salad + tea with lemon and nuts.
— Pots with vegetables and mushrooms + bean salad + tea with lemon and nuts. (diet dinner).
DISH RECIPES for LENT LUNCH/DINNER on days with fish
Potato soup with red fish: Pour water into a saucepan, add diced potatoes. In a frying pan with 1 tbsp. oil, fry grated carrots and diced onions. After 10 minutes of boiling the potatoes, add fried potatoes and pieces of red fish to the soup. Add spices and salt to taste, chopped dill and parsley. Cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Potato soup with squid meatballs: Meatballs: Cook potato soup. When the soup is almost ready, use a teaspoon to make meatballs: take squid puree into a spoon and form a ball the size of a walnut on the spoon. Carefully lower the spoon with the minced meat into the soup, hold it for a few seconds until it “seizes” and turn the spoon over, our meatball will no longer fall apart. This is how we make all the meatballs. Bring the soup to a boil and the soup is ready!
Salad with rice and fish: Boil the rice, cool, add boiled pink salmon in pieces (or canned food), green peas, green onions, dill, vegetable oil, salt to taste and mix.
Squid cutlets: These cutlets can be frozen for future use. We take squid carcasses. If it has skin, remove it with a stocking and remove the insides. Using an immersion blender or meat grinder, puree the squid. Salt and pepper to taste, add 2-5 tbsp. breadcrumbs (breadcrumbs are only needed so that you can form cutlets from the squid mass), chopped dill, mix. Form cutlets and roll them in breadcrumbs. Freeze for future use, or fry in a pan.
Fish cutlets: Pass the pulp of any fish through a meat grinder (or take ready-made minced fish), add 2-3 tbsp. Breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste. In a frying pan, fry diced onions and grated carrots. Mix with minced meat. Form cutlets.
Tuna and tomato salad: Cut the tomatoes into cubes, add pieces of tuna (canned), chopped lettuce, dill and green onions. Drizzle with olive oil and stir.
Examples of a lean lunch on days with fish.(diet lunch)
— Potato soup with red fish + bean salad + 1 piece of bread + compote.
— Potato soup with squid meatballs + green salad + 1 slice of bread + tea with lemon.
— Boiled rice + baked fish + green salad + tea with lemon and nuts.
— Vegetable soup + salad with rice and fish + 1 slice of bread + compote .
Examples of Lenten dinners on days with fish.
— Buckwheat porridge + baked fish + raw vegetables + tea with lemon.
— Fish cutlets + boiled rice + vegetable salad + tea with lemon.
— Tuna and tomato salad + lahanorizo + tea with lemon and nuts.
— Vegetable stew + fish cutlets + a piece of soy cheese + tea with lemon (diet dinner).
— Squid cutlets + vegetable stew + vegetable salad + tea with lemon. (diet dinner).
— Grilled vegetables + red fish steak baked in the oven + tea with lemon and nuts. (diet dinner).
When adhering to proper nutrition during Lent, it is important to know one more thing. Excluding certain foods from the diet can lead to a deficiency of important vitamins and minerals. For example, when you give up milk and fermented milk products, the intake of calcium into the body, from which our bones are “built,” is significantly reduced. And if you refuse meat food, you may experience a deficiency of iron, which is necessary for blood formation and oxygen “nutrition” of the body. Therefore, to compensate for this deficiency, you can supplement your diet with nutritional supplements and multivitamin complexes, the use of which must be discussed with your doctor.
Do not forget that the end of the post should not be “abrupt”. Our body needs time to adapt to “heavy” food and rebuild metabolic processes. At the end of the fast, you need to include fast food in your menu as carefully as possible - first introduce dairy products and eggs, after a while - fish and meat. And it is very important not to overeat.
I wish the readers good health!
Endocrinologist Akmaeva G.A.
According to the rules, during fasting you must adhere to fairly strict food restrictions, and not everyone is able to withstand this, so you can start small, for example, fasting on Wednesday or Friday. It is worth remembering that on such days you should not eat any dairy products, meat or eggs; it is also advisable to avoid vegetable oil, since it is only allowed to be consumed on weekends.
But even taking into account such strict restrictions, you can eat not only healthy, but also tasty food, because today there is a fairly large number of different simple lean dishes.
Vegetarian borscht
During Lent, it is forbidden to eat meat, but you can cook no less tasty vegetarian borscht. The recipe for such borscht is very simple, besides, it is prepared much faster, and the ingredients practically do not change. However, to prepare this borscht, vegetable oil is used, which, according to the rules of fasting, is only allowed to be eaten on weekends. But this recipe is also suitable for those who do not strictly adhere to fasting.
Ingredients:
50 g cabbage,
200 g tomato juice,
1 bunch of dill,
1 tsp. mustard (can be replaced with wasabi if desired),
1 tbsp. l. flour,
2 garlic cloves,
1 medium beet,
1 medium carrot
1 onion,
4 medium potatoes,
spices and salt - a little, to taste,
vegetable oil - a little, for frying.
Preparation:
First, take a saucepan and pour 2 liters of water into it, put it on the stove. Using this Lenten recipe, you can easily prepare delicious vegetarian borscht in a slow cooker.
While the water is boiling, let's prepare other products. Take the potatoes, peel them and cut them into relatively small cubes. After the water boils, put the chopped potatoes in a saucepan, turn the heat down to low and cook for a quarter of an hour.
Now we are preparing the frying. Peel the garlic and onion, wash them thoroughly and chop finely. Peel the carrots, wash them, and grate them on a coarse grater. Place a frying pan on the stove, pour in a little vegetable oil (about 2 tablespoons). As soon as the oil is hot, put the onion and garlic in the pan, then fry until the vegetables acquire a pleasant golden hue.
Next, add carrots to the onions and garlic, cover the pan with a lid and fry the vegetables over low heat for about 5 minutes. Now take the beets, peel them, wash them and chop them on a coarse grater. Place the prepared beets into the frying pan with the vegetables, mix everything well and simmer under the lid closed for another 5 minutes (it is important that the heat is at minimum).
After about 5 minutes, remove the lid and sprinkle the whole mass with a small amount of flour, and then add mustard (you can use wasabi) and mix everything again.
Now add tomato juice to the pan, season the frying with salt and a little pepper, cover the pan again with a lid and leave for 10 minutes.
By this time the potatoes should be half cooked. Now add a little water to the pan with the potatoes and put the whole roast into the broth, mix well and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
Wash and chop fresh dill. Place shredded cabbage in a saucepan with borscht. Cook the dish for about 3 more minutes, then turn off the stove, cover the pan with a lid and leave for half an hour so that the borscht can steep thoroughly.
Vegetarian borscht is completely ready, we can pour it into portioned plates, add some fresh herbs and sour cream, and serve it to the Lenten table.
Cabbage with mushrooms 
On Saturday and Sunday, when it is allowed to consume vegetable oil during Lent, you can prepare not only a tasty, but also quite filling dish, moreover, it is not only very quick and easy to prepare, but also contains a minimal amount of calories, that is, it is dietary. That is why it can be prepared not only during Lent, but also on any day if you want to lose a little weight.
Ingredients:
1 large onion,
300 g mushrooms,
500 g sauerkraut,
1 kg fresh cabbage,
pepper and salt - a little, to taste,
vegetable oil - a little, to taste.
Preparation:
Thanks to the use of fresh cabbage, the dish turns out tender and juicy, and sauerkraut adds a little piquancy, making the taste more interesting and piquant.
First, we prepare fresh cabbage - chop it finely. Then wash the mushrooms thoroughly with cold running water, and then cut into thin slices. If pickled champignons are used, they also need to be cut into slices.
Now take the onion, peel it and chop it finely. Place a frying pan on the stove, pour a little oil and simmer the onion over low heat until it becomes translucent and soft. Next, add the already prepared mushrooms to the onions.
Fry the mushrooms and onions until they are half-cooked, then season with a small amount of salt and pepper (if desired, you can omit the ground pepper at all, then the taste of the dish will be more delicate and mild). Transfer the mushrooms and onions to a separate plate.
Next, take a new frying pan, add literally a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil and wait until it gets hot. Now put fresh cabbage in a frying pan and fry over medium heat, season with salt, cover with a lid (this will allow the cabbage to release its juice much faster). Periodically, to prevent the cabbage from burning, it must be stirred. Simmer the cabbage in this way for 5-7 minutes.
After the specified period of time, put all the sauerkraut into the frying pan and simmer again for 7 minutes (now there is no need to cover the frying pan with a lid). Then add the cabbage and mushrooms to the pan, mix everything well and simmer for about 5 minutes, turn off the stove.
It is very important not to overcook the cabbage on the fire, since only in this case will it be sufficiently juicy and crispy and will not disintegrate. The advantage of this recipe is not only its taste and minimal calorie content, but also the fact that, subject to moderate heat treatment, cabbage retains all its beneficial properties and vitamins.
Lenten stuffed peppers 
By preparing this simple and very tasty dish, you can diversify your Lenten table and pleasantly surprise your loved ones. The advantage of this dish is that it is not necessary to use vegetable oil, so it can be prepared on any day of Lent.
Ingredients:
1/3 of a small head of cabbage,
100 g rice,
5 large champignons,
1 small carrot,
3 large bell peppers,
pepper and salt - a little, to taste.
Preparation:
Before you start preparing this dish, take the rice and soak it in cold water in advance. In this way, all excess starch will be removed from the rice much faster and easier, making the rice more tasty, tender and crumbly.
Next, take the mushrooms and cut them into small pieces. It is worth remembering that during the frying process, the pieces of mushrooms will curl up, as a result of which they will become several times smaller, so they need to be cut into pieces so that they can be felt in the filling.
Now take the onion, peel it and chop it finely. In a frying pan for 20 minutes under a closed lid, simmer the onions and mushrooms (you don’t need to add vegetable oil).
Rice can be cooked in a frying pan or in a steamer. If we cook rice in a frying pan, it is important to remember that the lid cannot be lifted until all the liquid has completely evaporated (you need to pour just enough water so that it is only a finger above the level of the rice).
Shred the cabbage finely, as it should not be too long, otherwise it will be very difficult to mix with the rest of the filling ingredients. Peel the carrots, wash them and grate them on a coarse grater. In a frying pan, simmer cabbage and carrots for about 20 minutes under a closed lid.
While the cabbage is stewing, let's prepare the peppers for stuffing. First, carefully cut off the top of each pepper, after which we wash them not only from the outside, but also from the inside. We do not throw away the cut off caps, as they will still be useful. Now take a knife and carefully remove all the internal membranes, wash the remaining seeds with water.
Once all the ingredients for the filling are ready, mix them and lightly season the filling with a little pepper and salt. Take a teaspoon and stuff each pepper, then cover each pepper with a cap and cook them in water for about half an hour, until fully cooked.
Lenten stuffed peppers are ready, and this dish can be a worthy dish for any table, not only on Lent, but on any other day. If desired, stuffed peppers can be served with herbs and lean mayonnaise.
Lenten pea cutlets with rice
Fasting is simply the ideal time to cleanse your body by eliminating products of animal origin from your diet; therefore, you should give up fish, meat, eggs, milk, and also minimize the consumption of various sweets. You can try making delicious and very healthy lean pea cutlets with rice.
Ingredients:
1 piece of plain bread,
4 tbsp. l. flour,
1 tbsp. peas,
1 tbsp. rice,
breadcrumbs or semolina - a little,
spices - a little, to taste,
Preparation: 
First, we take two saucepans, since we will cook peas in one, and rice in the second. So, take the peas, pour them into a saucepan, fill them with water (cold!) and move them to the stove. At the same time, let the rice cook. As soon as the rice and peas are completely cooked, pour them into one container and make a puree. Now add a small amount of pre-chopped greens to the rice and pea puree and mix everything well.
Spices play one of the main roles in preparing delicious Lenten dishes, since their addition gives the dish a brighter taste and richer aroma. Add a small amount of your favorite spices to the rice and pea puree, as well as flour, as it gives the mass additional stickiness. Next, add a piece of plain bread.
Stir the mixture until it reaches a homogeneous consistency, and then you need to wait a little, since the finished rice and pea puree must cool completely. Now we proceed directly to the formation of the cutlets themselves. Next, each cutlet is rolled on both sides in semolina or breadcrumbs.
It is worth remembering that you need to fry pea cutlets in vegetable oil, so it is advisable to prepare this dish on the weekend, since it is on these days that vegetable oil is allowed to be consumed during Lent.
Pea cutlets are fried in a frying pan with hot vegetable oil on both sides until fully cooked (the cutlets should be fried over medium heat). It is recommended to serve this dish hot with any side dish.
Diet potatoes
Diet potatoes are not only allowed to be eaten during Lent, but also if you want to get rid of a couple of extra pounds, since they contain a minimal amount of calories. To prepare potatoes according to this recipe, you need to add vegetable oil, so this dish is suitable for those who do not strictly adhere to fasting.
Ingredients:
1 kg potatoes,
2-3 garlic cloves,
salt - a little, to taste,
vegetable oil - a little, for lubrication,
fresh herbs - a little, to taste.
Preparation:
Peel the garlic and potatoes. If you are using large potatoes, then cut them into several pieces. Now squeeze the garlic into the potatoes. Wash and tear fresh herbs with your hands, as this way they will retain all their flavor.
Season everything with salt and mix well, grease with a small amount of vegetable oil and transfer the potatoes to a previously prepared baking sleeve.
We tie the sleeve tightly on both sides and place it in a preheated oven. Bake the potatoes until they are soft (check the potatoes for doneness with a fork).
We transfer the finished diet potatoes to a beautiful dish, garnish with a few fresh mint leaves, you can add tomatoes, and serve.
Such dietary potatoes are suitable not only for Lent, but will also become a worthy decoration for any holiday table.
Now you know how to prepare simple Lenten dishes.
Lent with us! “The Cook” knows many Lenten dishes with photos and is ready to share them with those who are fasting. In our section of Lenten recipes on Povarenka you will find a complete menu for each day of Lent from options for various dishes.For example, for a good start to the day, here you will find breakfast recipes for people who fast, for every taste, simple, easily digested by the body, not burdening it and energizing it for the whole working day.
On the first For lunch, we suggest preparing either fresh cabbage soup or aromatic mushroom soup... Or maybe you would like to try a hearty pickle soup with pearl barley? The first Lenten dishes and their recipes are at your service!
Don't forget to serve light meals with the Lenten menu for lunch. And as a snack after breakfast or for an afternoon snack, you can make a dessert salad of fruits and berries, an ice smoothie from fresh fruits whipped in a blender.
We will share with our readers recipes for homemade Lenten baking (large pies, miniature pies, bread, pancakes...).
It is during Lent that it is advisable to take out a bread maker from the far corner, if you have long forgotten about it, and prepare aromatic homemade bread in it, the methods for preparing which we provide you with. Here you will also find dough recipes for various baked goods, in which the ingredients will be only plant-based. At the same time, the dough will delight you with its splendor and excellent taste.
In fact, step-by-step photographs are not needed to prepare many Lenten dishes, because they (the dishes) are simple, accessible, very easy both in terms of the set of ingredients and the principle of their preparation. The reason they are lean is that they contain not only the simplest plant ingredients, but also preparing such food is easy, quick and simple.
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Together with us, the Lenten cuisine of your fast promises to be varied, rich in vitamins, tasty, “colorful,” digestible, pleasing to the eyes and cleansing for the whole body.
With sour cream and jam, the time of Lent comes. Much has been written and said about what can be eaten during Lent and what cannot be eaten, but I still want to quote the words of Hieromonk Oleg, priest of the Ascension Pechersk Monastery about the observance of fasting by the laity: “...first of all, we must think about spiritual fasting...”. For those who are not confident in their abilities, the hieromonk advises to start small. First, fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. Do not eat eggs, meat or dairy products these days. Then gradually observe other fasting restrictions.
What can you eat during Lent?
Lent 2016 begins on March 14 and ends on April 30. During fasting, you are supposed to eat lean food, this is the one that is of plant origin. All kinds of pickles are allowed (pickled and pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut), as well as mushrooms, nuts, tea, crackers, gray or black bread, you can cook compotes, fruit jelly and various porridges in water with the addition of raisins, prunes and dried apricots.
How to eat healthy during Lent
- On Mondays- dry eating (water, brown bread, fruits and vegetables)
- On Tuesdays- hot food without vegetable oil
- On Wednesdays- dry eating (vegetables, fruits, brown bread, water, compotes)
- On Thursdays- hot food cooked without vegetable oil
- On Fridays- dry eating (water, brown bread, vegetables and fruits)
- On Saturdays- food with vegetable oil and grape wine are allowed
- On Sundays– food cooked in vegetable oil, wine You are supposed to eat once a day, in the evenings, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday, when you are allowed to eat twice, at lunchtime and in the evening.
Meals for Lent on holidays
- March 14th– complete abstinence from any food
- April 7 (Annunciation) – you can eat fish dishes
- April 23 (Lazarev Saturday) – you can eat dishes with fish caviar
- April 24 (Palm Sunday) – fish and seafood dishes are allowed
- April 29 (Good Friday) – no food should be taken before the shroud is taken out during a church service
- May 1 (Easter)– fast food is allowed
Lenten dishes
A very tasty Lenten dish made from pumpkin, potatoes, onions and tomatoes. Vegetables seasoned with spices are baked in the oven. See the detailed step-by-step recipe...
Beans are not only tasty and nutritious, they are also famous for the fact that they contain vitamins, proteins and amino acids that are essential for the human body...
An ideal dish during fasting, tasty and nutritious, containing vegetable protein and vitamins. This dish is quite simple to prepare, and if you have canned beans and lecho, it’s generally done instantly...
This dish is simply irreplaceable during fasting, it is tasty and nutritious, and contains vegetable protein (mushrooms). At the same time, these zrazy do not contain meat, milk, or eggs...
During fasting, you are allowed to eat only lean foods. In order for the body to receive the proteins it needs, one should consume proteins of plant origin. And the leader among such plants is beans...
Despite the fact that this borscht is prepared without meat, it turns out to be so rich, tasty and aromatic that many meat soups pale in comparison...
This pate turns out to be very tender, tasty and nutritious. An excellent recipe for those who are fasting. Also, this recipe for lean pate will be very useful for vegetarians, as well as anyone who adheres to proper nutrition...
This dish needs no introduction, everyone knows it. Vinaigrette is healthy, nutritious and tasty. You can cook it with beans or without, and what’s most important is that even without adding oil it remains tasty...
Prepare this delicious and healthy soup with mushrooms and barley. Natural protein of plant origin will fill the body with strength and energy, only during fasting it should be eaten without sour cream...
Eating tasty and varied food during fasting is not so difficult; just show a little imagination and boring potatoes turn into a real delicacy. Try it, tasty, fast and affordable...
Beans are a source of very valuable vegetable protein, vitamins and amino acids. During fasting, it is very important to have a balanced diet; cabbage soup and beans will help you with this...
The most delicious mushrooms are pickled ones. Moreover, you can pickle mushrooms yourself at home. I offer a very simple and quick recipe, just a few hours and the delicacy is ready!
A tasty and inexpensive Lenten dish. In addition to buckwheat, you will need any edible mushrooms (champignons, porcini mushrooms, etc.), onions, carrots, etc. oil. An ideal dish during Lent...
Surprisingly, but true: dough without milk and eggs can be delicious! And not just tasty, but very tasty. Preparing lean dough is quite simple, you can make any filling...
A quick, tasty and healthy dish, suitable for both the everyday menu and Lent. Or rather, these are even two lenten dishes, because... This recipe allows you to prepare delicious boiled fish and aspic...
An ideal dish for vegetarians and fasting people. Green beans are full of vitamins and minerals, mushrooms provide vegetable protein, and pasta is a carbohydrate source of energy...
During fasting, prepare a delicious and nutritious soup. Gazpacho is made from fresh tomatoes, cucumber, garlic and lettuce. During Lent, instead of white bread, we put gray bread...
Diversify your menu during Lent with delicious sauerkraut. It cooks very quickly. Just three days and the vitamin dish is ready. You can eat it sour, or you can stew it and make dumplings...
On Saturdays and Sundays, when hot food cooked in vegetable oil is allowed, you can make this tasty and healthy stew. To prepare it you will need carrots, zucchini.....
A very tasty and healthy Lenten dish. First, boil the eggplants or bake them in the oven, then cut them together with onions and lettuce peppers. A little salt and a little butter, and our dish is ready...
During Lent, when the menu is not so varied, ferment cauliflower. This simple Lenten dish will not only decorate the table, but will also add an element of novelty to your diet. Try it, very tasty cabbage...
A simple and delicious recipe for a lean dish. To prepare pickled eggplants you will need eggplants, carrots, onions, garlic and just a little vegetable oil...
This is a traditional dish for fasting people and vegetarians. It cooks very quickly and always turns out delicious. With appropriate decoration it turns into a Lenten holiday dish...
The ascetic and often bland taste of Lenten dishes can be pleasantly complemented by spicy carrots prepared according to the Korean recipe, which is so loved by our people...
Ratatouille, although it is a Lenten dish, is worthy of a festive table in its taste and appearance. Therefore, on the holidays of Lent, remember this dish...
A very tasty and satisfying lean dish. Mushrooms are one hundred percent protein of plant origin, which during fasting will more than replace animal proteins.
Boiled rice is a very healthy and nutritious dish; it helps cleanse the body. Supplement boiled rice with stewed vegetables and you will get an excellent lean, healthy lunch...
During those days of Lent when eating fish is allowed, you can prepare this beautiful appetizer with avocado, shrimp, fried fish and cherry tomatoes. Kebabs are preparing in the oven...
There are many different recipes for making potatoes. Among the simple and lean recipes, I recommend this one. Using paprika powder will give the dish a special golden color, and the garlic will give it an appetizing aroma...
An ancient recipe that comes from the origins of folk cooking. A very simple dough without eggs or milk that sticks together well. Delicious filling and delicious fried onions...
Stew with potatoes and vegetables is prepared very quickly and simply, and to ensure that the potatoes boil quickly and the stew turns out thick, use a simple tip on how to cut potatoes correctly...
Fried potatoes with mushrooms are a very high-calorie, filling dish. Prepare it for lunch and you will have energy for the rest of the day, which is very important for the modern business person...
Don't be scared by the overseas tricky name Brava sauce. In fact, making the sauce is not difficult at all. We take tomato sauce, garlic, paprika, flour and a little spicy Tabasco sauce...
During fasting, you cannot eat meat soups and broths, but liquid boiled food is necessary for the body. Here we are all helped out by fish soup, which can be prepared on those days when it is allowed to eat fish...
Silver carp is a very common and affordable fish, the meat is tender and juicy. It cooks quickly and can be fried with a minimum amount of oil. This modest but delicious dish will expand your diet during Lent...
By eating lean foods, a person will not feel weak, since such food fully satisfies the needs of the body. A person adhering to restrictions during fasting feels cheerful and light. A person adhering to restrictions during fasting feels cheerful and light, and not weakened and exhausted, as some believe. Many people follow this diet throughout their lives and still feel very good. In order for Lenten food to be tasty and look beautiful on the table, we created this section on the website. It is important to know the history of fasting and the significance of Lenten cuisine in Russia.
- Lent begins 49 days before Easter.
- His goal is to prepare for Easter within 7 weeks.
- The first 40 days are considered a prototype of the fact that Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days after baptism.
- Subsequent: 1st day is Lazarus Saturday, the second day is Palm Sunday and Holy Week - the final 6 days.
- The last week is the most important, as it helps to refresh the memory of the last week of the life of our Lord. This is the resurrection of Lazarus, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey and the Last Supper and sermons of Jesus.
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