Meatless Lenten Meal Plan

In our house, we observe meatless Friday all throughout the year, so it's not hard for us to do during Lent. I mean, it's hard, because we love meat, but it doesn't take any extra effort during this season. I thought I'd share with you some of our favorite meatless meals. During Lent, there are 7 meatless days, so I have provided 7 meals.

Clam Chowder + French Bread

I had some homemade clam chowder at a friend's house and she forgot to send me the recipe before I found my own over at All Recipes.

3 (6.5oz) cans minced clams
1c minced onion
1c diced celery
2c cubed potatoes (I like them to be 1/2" or so)
1c diced carrots
3/4c butter
3/4c flour
1qt half & half
2T red wine vinegar
1 1/2t salt
1/2 loaf Safeway French bread

Place the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes in a large skillet and drain the clam juice into it. Add water to cover the vegetables and cook over medium-ish heat until they are niiiiice and tender. While those are a'cookin', melt the butter in a large saucepan (stock pot!) over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it's smooth, then whisk in the cream and constantly stir until it's nice and thick and smooth. Then pour in your skillet ingredients and heat it all the way through, careful not to boil. Throw in your minced clams just before serving, or they will get tough. Who likes tough clams? Heat until the clams are warm, then put in your vinegar, and season with salt and pepper if desired. We often will serve this in French bread bowls, but other times we'll just eat it with French bread and dip! So yum!

(My Instagram photo)

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder + French Bread

I found this recipe on Pinterest last year just in time for Lent and it has got to be our favorite meatless meal! It comes from Lulu the Baker's blog.

2T butter
1/2c chopped onion
1c finely chopped carrot
1 celery stick, finely chopped (I use 3-4 sticks)
1T minced garlic (a couple cloves will do)
4c chicken broth -- This is where it gets meatless-tricky, so I use vegetable stock instead!
2 lg baking potatoes, peeled & chopped into little cubes
1T flour
1/2c water
2/3c milk
2c chopped broccoli (I use fresh, not frozen, and it's usually more than 2c!)
2c-ish shredded cheddar cheese (we like cheese, so we use a lot!)

-Melt zee buttah in a large soup pot. Add zee onion, carrot, and celery, and saute over medium-high heat until zee vegetables are tender. Add zee garlic and cook 2ish more minutes. Add zee vegetable broth and zee potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until zee potatoes are tender. Mix zee flour with zee water, add to zee pot, and simmer until zee soup is slightly thickened. Add zee milk and zee broccoli and cook until zee soup is heated through. Stir in zee cheese and allow it to melt, then serve. (Sorry for all the 'zee's hehehe) We love love love Safeway's French bread, so we serve it with a lot of meals, as you can tell!

(My Instagram photo)

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

I got this recipe from my friend Haley. This recipe is so rich in protein and it's so so delicious! Sometimes I think I should 1.5 the recipe because I can eat a whole lot ;) The original recipe can be found over at Eating Well...Living Thin's blog.

10oz can cream of broccoli soup
1/3c mayonnaise (I usually don't use this much)
2T milk
1 1/4c shredded cheese (or more, if you like cheese like I do!)
1/2t sugar
1/4t black pepper
2c cooked broccoli (I use frozen because sometimes it's just easier)
1 1/2c cooked quinoa.
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for topping

Preparation of quinoa:
Combine 3/4c dry quinoa (rinsed, if it isn't already), 1 1/2c water and 1/4t salt in a small-ish pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low once it's boiling, cover it, and cook it 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees! (The oven is always ready before I am, go figure.)
Coat an 8x8 baking or casserole dish with a non-stick substance, like a spray. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, soup, milk, cheese, sugar, and pepper. Stir in your cooked quinoa and cooked broccoli. Make sure it's nice and combined so the cheese is allllllll incorporated...yum! Transfer the goodness to your prepared dish and sprinkle it with your Parmesan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until it's bubbly and golden around the edges. Enjoy!

(My Instagram photo)

Mom's Chili + Cornbread

This is my mom's kind of 'wing-it' chili recipe.

1 (16oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16oz) can corn, drained
1 (16oz) can diced tomatoes (I like petite diced, that way the chunks aren't too large)
1 (16oz) can water
1-2T homemade chili seasoning *
1pkg Marie Callender's cornbread mix

--
*Homemade Chili Seasoning

1T chili powder
1/4t onion powder
1/4t oregano
1 1/4t cumin
1/4t garlic powder
1/4t crushed red pepper
1/4t paprika
1t salt
1t pepper

Combine ingredients and store in an air-tight container.
--

Throw all this in the crock pot, set on low for 8 hours, and run away. Once the 8 hours is up, come back to the glorious smell of chili in house! Make the cornbread according to the package and enjoy!

During non-Friday meals, I like to add a chicken breast or two!

(My Instagram photo...disregard the chicken!)

Copycat Olive Garden Night In (Fettuccine Alfredo, Garlic Breadsticks, and Minestrone Soup)

I got the recipe for the Alfredo sauce on All Recipes once again.

1/4c butter

1c heavy cream

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 1/2c grated Parmesan cheese

1/2c chopped parsley, if you so choose (I don't choose)

Melt the butter in a medium-ish pot over medium-low-ish heat. Add the cream and simmer for about 5ish minutes, then add the garlic and the cheese, and whisk quickly, making sure to heat throughout. Pour over your cooked fettuccine noodles. Noms!

For the breadsticks, I usually buy the Seattle Baking Company pre-made ones. I brush melted butter on them and sprinkle with garlic powder/salt (whatever you call it) and bake according to the package.

The minestrone soup recipe came from Food Network. It's a slow cooker recipe, so it's automatically my friend!

3c (Are you kidding me? Just put in all 4 cups from the box!) vegetable stock

1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (15oz) can white beans, drained

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 celery stick, chopped

1c onion, chopped

1t dried thyme

1/2t dried sage

2 bay leaves

1 medium zucchini, chopped

2c coarsely chopped fresh or frozen spinach (you could also use kale!)

4T grated Parmesan (I almost always forget this, but it's just for topping anyway)

2c cooked ditalini pasta (say what?!) I use elbows

salt & pepper to taste

In your slow cooker, combine the broth, tomatoes, beads, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2t each of salt and pepper. Slap on the lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours (my usual) or on high for 3-4 hours. About 30 minutes before the soup is finished cooking, add the pasta, zucchini, and the spinach. Cook the remaining 30 minutes, then remove the bay leaves and serve.

(My Instagram photo, minus the minestrone)

Mia Rogers' Pumpkin Apple Pancakes

I snatched up this recipe from ABC's The Chew back in my heavy television-watching days. These pancakes are a family staple, especially during Autumn!

1c flour

1/4c brown sugar

1 1/2t baking powder

1/4t salt

1/2t cinnamon

1/4t nutmeg

1/8t ginger

1 egg, lightly beaten

1T butter, melted

1c buttermilk

1/2c pumpkin puree (My favorite it Libby's)

1/3c peeled, diced apple

For the caramelized apple topping (I usually double this recipe because it's soooo good!):

1 apple, thinly sliced

1T butter

2T brown sugar

In a medium-ish bowl, mix together (sifter? Don't have one!): flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. In a smaller bowl, combine the egg, the melted butter, the diced apples, the pumpkin puree, and the buttermilk. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and let that sit for about 5 minutes. While this is happening, make your caramelized apple topping, by melting ye ol' butter in a skillet, adding the brown sugar and apples, and cooking (stirring) until the apples are soft and slightly golden. It says it takes about 8 minutes, but I've never timed it.

Scoop up about 1/3c of your pancake batter and pour it onto a hot griddle. Turn, as usual, when they start to bubble. When they're all finished, plate 'em, top 'em, and enjoy 'em!

P.S. Sometimes I like to add maple syrup and even more brown sugar on top!

 (My Instagram photo)

Easy Ziti

I got this recipe from my friend Christine, when I was looking to spice up my meal plan. Sometimes the same meals over and over and over get old!

16oz jar spaghetti sauce

1/2c ricotta cheese

1lb box ziti

1/2c shredded cheese blend

Preheat your broiler! In a large-ish bowl, mix your spaghetti sauce and ricotta thoroughly, so it's nice and smooth. Cook your ziti! Drain and stir it into your sauce/cheese mix. Pour into a 9"x13" baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese blend. Broil until the cheese is melted. Seriously easy!

(I'm lacking a photo of this meal, so here's Nora eating a cupcake on her first birthday!)

If you can't tell, I'm a huge fan of food. I love to cook for my family and always try new recipes. What are your favorite Lenten Friday meals?