Lenten Recipes

As the Christmas season comes to a close this Sunday, I start thinking ahead to Lent. I know there are weeks of Ordinary Time, but Ash Wednesday begins on the 25th of February, not too far away.

I’m always on the lookout for a meatless meal that is free of eggs, milk, and wheat so I can serve it for the whole family. The Washington Post Food Section on January 7 had a recipe that I thought I’d “clip” and try for this Lent:

Quick Brown Rice With Tuna and Green Beans

If you’ve been trying to work more whole grains into your weeknight meals, let Wednesdays be the place to start. Today’s retro-inspired skillet supper is the first of six consecutive recipes that will feature a different, quick-cooking whole grain.

Cookbook author Lorna Sass is sharing three recipes from her latest cookbook plus three whole-grain recipes exclusively for Post readers. She’s done much work in testing new whole-grain products and will provide that insight as well.

Instant brown rice is first up. Sass prefers using (Kraft) Minute brand, because it ends up with a better texture than other brands on the market, she says. Toasting the quick brown rice before steaming it enhances the grains’ flavor.

The recipe can be cut in half, but it’s best to use the same amount of oil (1/4 cup). Serve this surprisingly hearty main dish on its own or with a side salad. Leftovers taste great cold.

Ingredients:
• 12 to 16 ounces frozen cut green beans
• 1 1/2 medium red or yellow onions
• 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 6-ounce cans oil-packed tuna, oil reserved from 1 can
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning blend
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder (do not use garlic salt)
• 2 cups (uncooked) instant brown rice, preferably Minute brand (see headnote)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups water, plus more as needed
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Place the green beans in a colander and run hot tap water over them to take the chill off and help separate any beans that are frozen together.

Coarsely chop the onions; there should be 1 1/2 to 2 cups. Coarsely chop the sun-dried tomatoes (no need to blot them dry).
Drain the oil from 1 of the cans of tuna into a large skillet; there should be about 1/4 cup total. Reserve the tuna; drain and discard the oil from the second can, reserving the tuna.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat, then add the onions, Italian seasoning blend and garlic powder, stirring to coat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Add the rice and mix to incorporate; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the rice has lightly browned. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for about 20 seconds, stirring, until it evaporates.

Add the water and let the mixture come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the defrosted green beans and the sun-dried tomatoes, mixing well, then cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the green beans and the rice are just tender. Uncover to stir occasionally; if the mixture seems dry add a few tablespoons of water as needed.

Add the tuna from both cans, flaking it with a fork as you work. Mix well and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Source:Adapted from Sass’s “Whole Grains for Busy People” (Clarkson Potter, 2009).

I like to buy from Trader Joe’s some frozen brown rice, that only takes 3 minutes to cook in the microwave, and dh and children love it. I also make brown rice cooked in chicken broth regularly. We have leftovers and easily incorporate them into other meals.

Not sure if the green beans will be a hit, but otherwise the recipe works in tuna and brown rice, some of our usual Lenten Friday choices.

Wash Day Dinner — Red Beans and Rice

(This is a repost from April 26, 2006)

My mother’s family came from New Orleans. Since Monday was “laundry day” it was traditional to have red beans and rice cooking on the stove. This is definitely a comfort food. When I have a leftover ham bone I’m always trying to decide what to make with it. The usual choices are split pea soup or red beans and rice. I know there are other recipes and could broaden my horizon, but I usually come back to these two again and again. Today’s not Monday, but it does seem to perpetually be Wash Day!

Serve over rice. Brown rice is our preferred type here. I cook mine in chicken broth, add olive oil and salt. I love the Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth. It’s the tastiest chicken broth on the market…homemade flavor.

Red Beans and Rice

1 meaty ham bone or ham hocks
1 pound dry red kidney beans
1 medium onion, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1/2-1 medium green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
Few dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (butter if allowed)
8 cups (2 quarts) water
Brown rice (cooked)

Rinse beans, remove all foreign particles, and soak overnight covered with water or the quick soak method. See How to Cook Beans. Drain and rinse the beans and set aside.

In large pot, sauté onion, celery, garlic and green peppers until soft. Add water, ham bone, beans, spices. Simmer for about 3 hours. The beans should become creamy, but most stay whole. Before serving, remove bone and cut meat in bite sized pieces.

Meanwhile, cook rice. Serve with green salad and bread — French bread, Southern biscuits, but our family’s bread of choice is my aunt’s recipe, Cathey’s Corn Bread.

Cathey’s Corn Bread

(This is a repost from 2006. I’m transferring my recipes from my old blog, as I like to be able to have them in one place.)

For favorite comfort meals like red beans and rice and split pea soup, stews, chili, my aunt’s recipe for corn bread is our favorite. I’m posting the original recipe first, then my notes for a “safe” cornbread for my son.

Cathey’s Corn Bread

1 cup corn meal (white or yellow)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 stick butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (for glass pan, 450 for others). Grease a 9×9x2 pan or 12 muffin tins. Mix all ingredients except unmelted butter until all lumps are removed. Do not overmix. Pour into greased pan or muffin tins. Bake at 425 degrees about 20-25 minutes. Melt 1/2 stick butter or margarine on top after removing from oven.

Makes 12 muffins. (When doubling only use 6 teaspoons baking powder.)

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I’ve mentioned before that because my son is allergic to wheat, eggs and milk, baking is one of the more difficult areas to find just the right combinations. If you’re used to having breads with your meals, imagine how hard it would be without them.

My son calls it “special bread” and always loves it when I make something he can have. Recently I tried making these Basic Biscuits again. He was so excited…and then so disappointed. They just weren’t any good. He was so polite and just simply said “I don’t like these, Mommy.” I felt so bad that I couldn’t make something tasty for him.

A few days later, he came in to the office. “I’m sorry, I still don’t like them, Mommy.” I had some leftover biscuits in a plastic bag on the counter and he tasted them again. He later told Daddy at the table “I really wanted to like them!”

I was so happy that the next batch of “special bread” I made for him had better success. I have already posted this recipe as a side dish with Red Beans and Rice. The original recipe was from my Aunt Cathey, and a family favorite when I was growing up. I’ve tweaked the flour combinations again and liked this result in the muffins much better. And so did my son!

“Safe” Version of Cathey’s Corn Bread

1 cup corn meal (white or yellow)
1/4 cup corn flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup oat flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted margarine
1 cup soy milk or rice milk
1 Tbsp Egg Replacer with warm water
1 tsp. xanthum gum
1/2 tsp. soy lecithin
Safe margarine

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (for glass pan, 450 for others). Grease a 9×9x2 pan or 12 muffin tins. Mix all ingredients except unmelted margarine until all lumps are removed. Do not overmix. Pour into greased pan or muffin tins. Bake at 425 degrees about 20-25 minutes. Melt margarine on top after removing from oven.

Makes 12 muffins.

(When doubling only use 6 teaspoons baking powder.)