Cooking in the Lenten Kitchen

Lenten regulations have changed quite a bit from bygone days when dietary restrictions abounded. (Although, in the Orthodox churches, there are still some pretty stringent rules to follow.) Before we take a look at what Lent looks like in my kitchen, let's have a refresher on what the Church's official laws are:

• Abstinence from meat on all Fridays during Lent and on Ash Wednesday during for all Roman Catholics over the age of 14.
• Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for all Catholics 18-58 years old.
• While fasting does not apply to the infirm or to pregnant or nursing mothers, abstinence is for everybody who is over age 14.
• Fasting is encouraged daily throughout Lent and abstinence encouraged on all Fridays, but this is not mandatory.
  

These are only the hard and fast rules. We must remember, however, that Lent is a season of penance, of spring cleaning our souls in honor of Christ's Passion and in preparation for the celebration of His Resurrection! Why do the bare minimum? Ours is not an ascetic household by any means, but if we're going to give something up for Christ, we're going to give until it...well, maybe not until it hurts, but at least until it means something.

So what does Lent look like in my kitchen?

• We abstain from meat on all days except Sundays, which do not count as part of the Lenten season for Roman Catholics, since they are always meant to be a day of celebration! Never is this celebratory air so apparent as during Lent.
• Breakfasts are simple: homemade bread with fruit and milk, granola and yogurt, or porridge.
• Lunches, too, are plain: bread and soup, peanut butter or cheese sandwiches, some veggie sticks and a piece of fruit
• Dinners are vegetarian, with fish on Fridays. We try to cut back on general expense so that we have more to contribute to charitable causes. I make a point of dinners being nutritious and enjoyable but nothing too extravagant, complicated, or rich: good, plain cooking.
• We do not have dessert, except on Sundays, and we cut down on sweet things, in general, though we do still eat fruit and I admit that I simply cannot stand porridge without a little brown sugar.
• We drink only milk, water, tea, and coffee.
• Since I am nursing and since we have young children, we do eat between meals. I give Sophia a morning snack, and I usually will take an afternoon snack. Fruit and vegetables, slices of bread and buter, and cottage cheese make excellent Lenten snacks for those not fasting between meals. I especially enjoy making soft pretzels, a traditional Lenten food. This former Philadelphian prefers hers with yellow mustard!

This week, I'm working on making up a meal plan for Lent. I'm hoping that by doing this ahead of time, I will save as much money as possible, but the main thing I want to save is time: time that will be better spent in prayer and service this Lent rather than in weekly meal planning. I so enjoy pouring over recipes and menus that this is a form of penance in itself!

Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita: February 8th

No one knows what name St. Josephine Bakhita's parents gave to her at birth. Born in the Darfur region of Sudan in 1868, Josephine was kidnapped at the age of 7 and sold into slavery, and the horrific trauma of her early life caused her to forget the name given by her parents. Her kidnappers, in a twist of cruel dramatic irony gave her the name "Bakhita" which means "fortunate."

Young Bakhita was sold and resold many times, a humiliating and frightening experience. Finally, in 1883 at the age of 15, she was sold to Callisto Legnani, the Italian consul in Khartoum, Sudan. Two years later, Legnani gave her to a friend, Augusto Michieli to be the babysitter of his daughter, Mimmina Michieli in Venice. Slave and mistress became close friends, and Bakhita even studied alongside Mimmina at Venice's Institute of the Catechumens, run by the Canossian Sisters. During this time, Bakhita felt drawn to the Catholic faith. In 1890, she was baptized and confirmed and took the name Josephine. I wonder if Joseph's ascent from slavery inspired the choice of her Christian name.

When the Michielis returned to Africa, Josephine refused to return with them. The matter was taken to court, and it was eventually decided that, since slavery was illegal in Italy, she had actually been freed since 1885, when she first arrived in Italy. And so, Josephine entered the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa in 1893 and made her profession three years later. In 1902, she was transferred to the city of Schio. She assisted her religious community through cooking, sewing, embroidery and hospitality to visitors. This remarkable woman of faith died in 1947 and was cannonized in 1992.

"Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him. What a great grace it is to know God!"

The Mother of Invention

"Gathering" by Robert Coombs

I find that boundaries and limitations often prove to be the best impetus of creativity and industry. With the economy the way it is, many of us are finding, like Louisa May Alcott's March sisters, that our own human genius is put to the test and that, if we rise to the occassion with thanksgiving, it is a lot more fun not to have everything our hearts could desire quite at hand--that there is a particular joy in sometimes doing without, learning to make do, and simply in making!

What I saved today:

• Making two gourmet pizzas from scratch instead of ordering in: $30
• Tailoring my own shirt: $20
• Trimming my own bangs: $10
• Cutting my husband's hair: $20
• Spending the morning gardening and the afternoon at the park with my family rather than countless other busy and possibly costly activities: my own peace of mind :-)

What I gained today:

• A healthier dinner to share with my family.
• Knowledge of how to adjust the tension on my sewing machine--and another sewing project for this year. That officially makes two, which was my goal for the year! Now, everything else will be icing on the cake. I'm having so much fun. Thanks again, Elizabeth, for the sewing machine--and for teaching me to use it!
• Confidence in my hair-cutting abilities and continued experience with a useful skill to bless my family with.
• The glorious sunshine and clean air of a mild winter day in the Pacific Northwest. Oh, how I love living in this beautiful corner of the world!
• The joy that comes from learning a new skill.
• The satisfaction that comes of a job well done.

Necessity is, indeed, the mother of invention!

How has your ingenuity and creativity been put to the test recently? Share your triumphs and adventures! I'd love to hear them.