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So the Great Lent began. This means that in the next few weeks, many will stick to a lean menu. Excluding animal products from the diet, it is important to take care of its balance and diversity. At the same time, I want lean dishes to be delicious, satisfying and unusual. We offer to discuss interesting ideas for a fast table for every day.
Chocolate oatmeal
Oatmeal is the best option for a lean breakfast. Whatever ingredient you add to this porridge, it will be good. Pour 100 g of oat flakes 250 ml of boiling water with 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil and cook until ready. At the end, we mix 2-3 tbsp. l. carob and 0.5 tsp. grated lemon zest. Wrap the pot with porridge with a terry towel for 15 minutes. Before serving, garnish the oatmeal with slices of banana, nectarine or persimmon. It can be any other fruits and berries at your discretion. If carob sweets and fruits are not enough, add a drop of honey. And for a subtle flavor, sprinkle the porridge with coconut chips or crushed nuts.
Beetroot in the tropics
The lean menu is replete with salads. And with them, the flight of imagination is not limited by anything. Carefully wash 2 beets, wrap with foil and bake for 1-1. 5 hours in the oven at 180°C. The cooled root vegetables are cleaned and cut into cubes. We cut 1 orange into slices. Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and liquid honey to taste. We spread the arugula on a serving dish. On top — beets and oranges. Pour the dressing and decorate with sesame seeds.
Cutlets with disguise
Bean cutlets will perfectly fit into the lean menu. Soak 250 g of red lentils in water overnight. Then fill it with 700 ml of fresh water and cook until softened. At the same time, we make a ruddy roast from grated carrots and finely chopped onions. Pour the boiled lentils to it, add 3 tbsp. l. semolina, as well as salt, black pepper and curry to taste. We cool this mix and beat it with a blender into a homogeneous puree. From the resulting minced meat, we form cutlets and fry them in a frying pan with butter until crisp. As a side dish, serve buckwheat porridge, spaghetti or mashed potatoes.
Mushroom etude in a plate
For lunch, you can prepare an unusual mushroom hodgepodge. Soak 30 g of dried mushrooms in boiling water for half an hour. Meanwhile, we pass 2 chopped onions with 3 crushed garlic cloves in a large saucepan. Add 300 g of fresh champignons in plates, 2 tsp ground paprika, bay leaf and black pepper, evaporate the excess liquid. Fill the roast with 1.5 liters of hot water, lay the soaked dried mushrooms and 2 potatoes with cubes, bring the soup to readiness. At the end, we pour out a handful of olives in rings, 3 pickled cucumbers in cubes. For a brighter aroma, you can put a pinch of cumin and coriander. Serve the mushroom hodgepodge, garnished with lemon circles and whole olives.
Everything is mixed up in the casserole
All kinds of casseroles will make the lean menu more original. Boil 1 kg of potatoes, knead with a pusher, pour in 2-3 tbsp. l. sunflower oil, salt and pepper. Fry 5-6 finely chopped garlic cloves well and add them to the puree. We pass a chopped leek stalk, half a head of white onion, grated carrot in a deep frying pan. Pour 300 g of mushrooms into cubes and, when they let the juice, put a pinch of basil, hops-suneli and marjoram. Next, add 200 g of fresh peas and lentils, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, salt and mix. The resulting mass is spread in a form greased with oil. We fill the pastry bag with mashed potatoes and plant the roses close to each other. We put the mold in the oven under the grill at 200°C, so that the crust is properly browned.
Pilaf in a new color
Rice is an indispensable ingredient for a delicious lean menu. The recipe for sweet pilaf will successfully complement it and make it more interesting. Boil until half-cooked 200 g of rice. Brown 100 g of hazelnuts in a dry frying pan, remove the husk, press the flat side of the knife. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil with 2 tsp of sugar in a frying pan and caramelize the nuts. Pour out 50 g of raisins, dried apricots and colored candied fruits, fry, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Then pour in 2 tablespoons of water and simmer under the lid for 2-3 minutes. We put ready-made rice to the fruit-nut mixture, keep it on the fire for another 10 minutes. This pilaf is delicious both hot and cold. If desired, this pilaf can be decorated with fresh fruit.
The carrot trick
Carrot cake will please fasting sweet tooth. We grind large boiled carrots on a fine grater. Add 60 ml of vegetable oil, 50 g of sugar and a pinch of salt. Add 200 g of flour with 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp cinnamon, knead the dough, leave for half an hour. Lightly tamping, we spread it in a rectangular shape with parchment paper and send it to the oven at 180°C for 20 minutes. The cooled cake is cut in half. We grind 300 g of pitted dates and 100 g of cashews in a blender to make a smooth paste. We lubricate one of the carrot cakes with it, cover with the second one and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Even in a lean diet, there is always a place for culinary experiments. And the fewer products we have at our disposal, the more interesting they turn out. In the fast menu “We Eat at Home” with photos and step-by-step recipes from our readers, you will always find a lot of interesting ideas. Get inspired, fantasize and come up with new dishes.