Lent beginnings and meatless meals

Another year, another Ash Wednesday, another Lent. Unexpectedly, today has been an unusually pleasant, peaceful day in the Shifflerhaus. Little Bear has been happy and helpful all day, it's beautiful and warm and sunny outside, and I've been so... peaceful today. Not being able to follow the fasting regs because I've been pregnant/nursing was really frustrating the last three Lents, and today it just hasn't. It's a facet of who I am right now, of my particular vocation at this particular point in my life, and I'm content with that. I'd like to think that I feel this way because I've grown this year in not feeling like I need to compare myself to others and make sure I'm "doing Lent" the same way to the same visible degree as they are... And hopefully I have a little bit, but I know that I haven't grown this much; this has to be grace. 

We'd talked about Lent and sacrifices and I had some ideas, but nothing that struck me as this is what I'm supposed to do this year until this afternoon, as I'm realizing that this being at peace in my role and with my vocation, being content instead of stressing about so many things, is what God wants for me, and is something my family needs of me. I think that I was given today to see how it could be, how God wants me to be... and so now I have a direction for my Lent: Working on being joyful regardless of circumstances, content in the life God is giving me instead of comparing to others, and being more open to God's grace and peace.

As we start Lent off today with a day of fast and abstinence, I sat down with last year's lists and two of my favorite cookbooks, A Continual Feast and When You Fast, to come up with a master list of meatless meals for this Lent. After trying to make this week's menu last Sunday night and being unable to think of anything meatless other than tuna noodle casserole, I need a good list to look at! We agreed to a Lenten practice of two meatless days a week, Wednesday and Friday, at least one having fish; practically speaking, I'll often be cooking meatless on Tuesdays as well because Matt takes supper with him to class that night (so he won't be eating at home) and he'll need meatless leftovers for Wednesday's lunch. I'll probably wind up not using all of these and finding some other things that sound good, but in case anyone else needs inspiration, I thought I'd share.

With fish:

Tuna noodle casserole

Salmon cakes/burgers

Pan bagno

Parmesan tilapia

Fish tacos

Spaghetti with clams

Clam chowder

Salmon quiche

Tuna pasta salad

No fish:

Noodles with peanut sauce

Grilled vegetable burritos

Crustless spinach quiche

Vegetarian chili

Falafel

Broccoli potato egg bake

Vegetable stir fry with peanuts

Minestrone with tortellini 

Macaroni and cheese

Bean and rice burritos

Bean enchiladas 

Vegetable pizza

Pasta & veggies in balsamic garlic sauce

Veggies & rice with sweet & sour sauce 

Spicy rice and beans

Monterey spaghetti 

Quinoa caprese salad

Waffles or pancakes with eggs

What are some of your go-to Lenten meals?