I haven’t been super vocal on here about being Catholic on here, and I don’t necessarily want to start in on the “faith blogger” world, but I will be honest, it’s a huge part of my life. Most of my good friends I’ve met either because of my Catholic college, or my local faith community.
That being said, it is Lent, which means we abstain from meat on Fridays. Technically, Catholics are supposed to abstain from meat on all Fridays, not just Lenten ones, but it’s especially important now. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, we also fast (which, in our case, means two small meals and one regular-size meal). I love ancient religions and some times wish we actually fasted like Jewish people do for Yom Kippur, but, alas, it is what it is.
Today I wanted to share some meatless foods that can either be a snack on Lenten Fridays or as a “small meal” on Good Friday. The thing that is nice about these is that, even though they don’t have meat, they do have protein and will keep you full longer. Enjoy!
Buffalo Hummus and Black Bean Quinoa Chips
Insane yum. Why in tarnation Trader Joes was so late to jump on the buffalo hummus train, I’ll never know. It is SO good and I could easily eat the whole tub. Proceed with caution. Love love love. You could also add a slice of sharp cheddar to the mix for added protein (and if you’re doing dairy, which I’m not at the moment).
Arbonne Protein Shakes with Berries and Coconut Milk
I seriously don’t know how I lived so long without coconut milk. I looooove it. Simply blend two scoops of the the Arbonne protein powder (either flavor, but I prefer vanilla) with about a cup of frozen mixed berries (Costco sells huge bags of organic berries for like $15.. and they go a long way) and coconut milk. Words cannot express how much I enjoy this. It is SO good.
Rx Bar
Again, I often wonder how I lived so long without these (answer: they only came on to the market a year or so ago). These puppies aren’t cheap, but Costco sells a box of 12 (I think) for $15. If you consider that buying them at Starbucks are around $3 a pop, that’s a pretty good deal. The flavors are hit or miss, but I could eat the Chocolate Sea Salt all day everryyy day.
Trader Joe’s Black Bean Chipotle Dip
This is a pantry staple for me. It’s smoky and delicious and can be eaten with veggies or chips.
Roasted Chick Peas
Drain and rinse chick peas. Pat as dry as you can get them. Mix with EVOO. Spread on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with your favorite seasoning (I love curry on mine). Spray with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. You’re welcome.