Lenten season has begun, and many of us have grown up with this tradition of fasting. Lent, a 40-day liturgical season, begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. Traditionally, the 40 days of Lent are marked by fasting, festivities and other acts of penance.
The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigor during Lent are prayer (justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self) and almsgiving (justice towards neighbor). Similarly, today, some people give up a personal vice, add something that will bring them closer to God or spend their time and money to help charitable purposes and organizations.
One of the main staples during Lenten season is the fasting process. Fasting prohibits people from consuming all animal products. During this time, some religions permit fish, some permit fish and fowl, others prohibit fruit and eggs and some eat only bread.
In the past, believers is some places abstained from food for an entire day. Others took in only one meal each day, while some abstained from all food until 3 o’clock p.m. In most places, however, the practice was to abstain from eating until the evening, when a small meal without meat or alcohol was eaten.
In today’s busy society, lunch may consist of a double fish sandwich from McDonalds, Burger King or Wendy’s. Although, there are better options available. College students, for example, are offered a variety of options in the cafeteria. Every Friday, students can enjoy a fish dish as an entrée. Even for those who are not fish fans, try the pasta and sauce or the vegetarian dish offered each day.
If the thought of seafood is not satisfying, try products that contain whey protein or soy protein in them to get the protein that would normally come from fish products. Smoothie King also offers a multitude of blended smoothies. With these products, a little goes a long way. However, ordering a 40-ounce smoothie could be a bad idea for healthy eaters because they can total up to 1,000 calories.
After a long day of school or work, sometimes one of the last things on the brain is preparing dinner. There are some easy but delicious menu items that do not require slaving over the stove.
Fish does not have to be just fried or baked. It can be broiled, blackened or grilled. The type of fish and the flakiness determines how it should be cooked. Most catfish are fried, but they can also be broiled and blackened. Blackened fish simply requires rubbing spices on the fish and simmering it in a skillet until the spices have browned and become firm.
Salmon is a healthy fish; it is loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve heart health. Similar to tuna steaks, it can be grilled. Add some flavors on the fish, like Bar-B-Q sauce, sweet and sour sauce, Slap Ya Mamma seasoning or some lemon or orange juice.
If using a flaky fish, try wrapping it in parchment paper with vegetables, oranges, lemons, garlic, onions and bell peppers. All of these condiments add amazing flavor to the locked packages of fish being baked, broiled or gilled.
