Share the Day -Eggplant Stacker

Share the Day Guest Blogger
40 Days-40 Days of Lenten Recipes
Eggplant Stacking

Here's another one of my BFF's, she inspires me, she supports me and is one of the most beautiful and elegant women I know. She is also another Presvytera, whom I consider a mentor and is as awesome in the kitchen, as she is everywhere else. 

Thank you sweet friend  for sharing the day and this recipe!

Share the Day-Asian Coleslaw

Share the Day
40 Days-40 Days of Lenten Recipes

Joining us once more is one of my BFF's, she has shared as a guest blogger here and here.

Enjoy!

Some call it Chinese Noodle Salad but I call it Chinese Cole Slaw, made 'chinese' only because it has rice vinegar and ramen noodles in it!  It's really quite tasty and an old standby for potluck dinners but beware of allergens (these can be left out or replaced with nut-free crunch too).  If you are concerned about sugar, you can reduce that or probably eliminate it and add extra mandarin oranges.  Despite the dressing, the leftover can be refrigerated and enjoyed for the next day or so.

Share the Day Saturday- Chocolate Cake

Share the Day Saturday

Today's recipe is one shared by another Prez, you may remember her from this recipe, which she shared in the Lenten Series of Recipes last year. Anyway, what can I truly say about her, this odd compliment of the day probably says it best. You can enjoy more of these if you follow me on Pinterest.

Source

Here is the beautiful cake she made using this recipe. Doesn't it look awesome!

Share the Day Saturday-Mushroom Barley Soup

40 Days-40 Days Lenten Recipes 

Today is a guest post from someone who is an awesome cook and a great friend. She shared here as one of last year's Lenten Guest posts. It was delish and has become a favorite around here, I look forward to trying this one too! Thanks for sharing sweets!

Share the Saturday-Plantains

Share the Day Saturday-Plantains
40 Days-40 Days of Lenten Recipes

Elegant and sweet like its guest poster who happens to be another Presvytera and someone very special.
Pres. Marilou is also a blogger and has a brilliant view of the world, which she shares in a simple way that you don't even realize how deep she's going. She's deep trust me, join her some time, here.

The instructions are simple, slice the plantains lengthwise, saute/fry them with healthy oil of choice and sprinkle a little brown sugar and cinnamon over top and allow it to caramelize.  

Had some today just absolutely fantastic. Delicious!

Share the Day

Share the Day Saturday-Rainbow Quinoa

40 Days-40 Days of Lenten Recipes

A dear sweet friend, who is wise beyond her years is sharing this recipe with us today. It sounds yummy, and so colorful. I can't wait to make it! She is also known as Presvytera Eleni, there are a few of us. In her words, this is one of her favorites and is "hearty, healthy, Lenten meals - It has it all!"

We graciously thank her for sharing the Day!

QUINOA WITH SWEET POTATO, KALE AND CRANBERRIES

Ingredients:

1 c. quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth or water

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 small, sweet onion, finely chopped

2 cups small-chopped kale

1/2 c. dried cranberries

For the dressing:

1/4 c. apple cider or balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, crushed,

1/4 c. olive oil
1 T. honey

freshly ground pepper

Bring water or broth to a boil then add quinoa and simmer for 12 minutes.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes then turn into a serving bowl.

Bring a pot of water to boil and simmer the sweet potatoes until tender but not mushy.  Remove from the water and add to quinoa.  IN THE SAME POT OF HOT WATER add the kale and simmer a few minutes.  Strain then add to quinoa with onion and cranberries.

Pics of the actual meal after the jump...

Share the Day Saturday- Guest Post Spinach and Himbasha

40 Days- 40 Lenten Recipes 2014 Edition- Guest Post Spinach and Himbasha

Introducing today's guest post, so happy she came by to share the day.

Here is Gretchen from Gladsome Lights, pop over and share the day with her too, if you haven't already. She has beautiful photography complementing poetry, thoughts, recipes and I always love checking out what she's reading. Many of her have reads are now on my book list. Take note, she's actually sharing two recipes with us today, LOVE IT!

Amazing Lenten Spinach - and Himbasha

One batch made with frozen spinach The main ingredient is spinach, but the other ingredients in this dish, which can be a vegetable side or a spread for bread or crackers, make it very unusual and in my case, addictive. I know, eating in an uncontrolled manner is the opposite of what Lent is about, but maybe overdoing it on spinach is not as bad as some things. And to reduce temptation, so far I have made sure to take this dish to potlucks where I would be embarrassed to hover over the plate and reveal my piggishness.

The origin of pkhali is the Republic of Georgia. Though I have a Georgian acquaintance at church, I found the recipe on The Traveler's Lunchbox blog, about a year ago. I've made it several times since then, at least twice using frozen chopped spinach, and most recently with fresh spinach.

The recipe, pasted from the link above:

More after the jump...

Would you like to Guest Post for 40 Days-40 Lenten Recipes 2014 Challenge?

Last year I challenged myself to complete posting daily and offer to you all, 40 recipes for Lent.  

My hope was that it would help that ever present question, "what are we going to eat?" and I am always trying to answer that question. In fact, it is the question that led me to discover blogs in first place. Admittedly this season always brings with it, a sense of excitement and renewal. I am looking forward to Lent this year and returning to cleaner whole eating.  This year's lenten offering to you all, will focus on easy and healthy recipes and few other surprises.

Drum roll...offering 5 guest post openings . 
Would you like to be that guest?

If you would like to be a guest, please email me.  To be considered, please submit either a tutorial or recipe with at least one clear picture of the finished food item or activity.  If submitting a recipe it must be vegetarian or vegan to be considered. 

40 days Recap will be posted soon!
So send me an email and come over to Share the Day!

40 Days-40 Lenten Recipes #39 Pineapple Fried Rice

Today's recipe is our last by a guest blogger for this series. 

She is another one of my "Besties", also a Presvytera and an awesome person. 

She is incredibly bright, from intelligence, to wit and beauty. It all shines from within, giving so much to everyone who is blessed to know her. 

Whenever we are get to have time together, no matter how long in between, 

it's as if no time has passed and all we do is laugh.

Thank you for sharing this great dish!

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Pineapple Fried Rice

Feeding three kids, six and under can be a daunting challenge on a good day.  This is a recipe I made last year during Lent a few times.  Usually at least one of the kids would eat it, most of their protests were centered on the food containing the offending food color of the week (usually green).  This can be made with left over meat and a scrambled egg, when you aren't fasting.  One of my kids is allergic to eggs and it came out great without it.  The veggies can be changed.  I usually add more pineapple and cook it a little extra, my family really likes it more caramelized.  It is a very flexible recipe that can be thrown together quickly and is great to clean out your fridge.  

Hint: Make the rice the night before, day-old/ leftover plain rice works the best!

1 cup uncooked white rice

2 cups water

2 tablespoons sesame oil (vegetable oil can be substituted)

1/4 cup diced onion

1 cup diced cooked meat (chicken, pork, shrimp)

1/2 cup peas

1 cup fresh pineapple diced

1/2 bag of cole slaw mix (I use one that has a mixture of broccoli and cabbage with carrots)

1/2 cup bell pepper cut into match sticks

1 egg, beaten (optional)

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup soy sauce

1. Bring the rice and water to a boil in a sauce pan over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, and the liquid is absorbed, 20-25 minuets.  Put it in a bowl cover lightly and chill overnight.  

2.  Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Cook and stir the onions, meat, veggies and ginger in the hot oil until the onions are softened, about 2 minuets.  Stir the pineapple chunks into the wok; cook until the pineapple begins to darken, about 2 minuets.  Push the ingredients to the side of the wok, and pour the beaten egg into the center.  Cook until the egg begins to set, about 30 seconds. Stir together all of the contents of the wok.

3.  Mixed the cooled rice, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder into the wok; stir constantly to keep from sticking.  Cook until heated through, about 3 minuets.  Sprinkle the rice with soy sauce, and stir to combine.

This makes about 4 servings.  It makes great leftovers for lunch too!  I have made it will all sorts of vegetables like spinach, cauliflower, sprouts (I would put those in last), green onions, and edamame. Just make sure the veggies are cut small and about the same size so they cook evenly. I hope you share the day, and your kids don't give you a hard time at dinner!

Share the Day!

40 Days of Lent-40 Lenten Recipes # 33 Prasorizo- Guest Blogger

This next recipe is from another guest blogger, who is a close friend and one of the most resilient and beautiful woman I have been blessed to know.  Her beauty shines although she will deny it and her creativity is unmatched.  

Thank you for sharing this great dish!

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40 Days-40 Lenten Recipes #15 Surprise Guest Blogger-Guatemalan Black Beans

Guatemalan Black Beans

Today we have an incredible treat for everyone out there. 

Not only is it our first guest blogger, 

but also it comes all the way from Guatemala 

and from someone so special! 

I am beyond excited, if you can't tell.

I wish to thank her for taking time to share the day with us and for all her work. 

May God continue to provide you strength!

Our next Lenten Recipe is Guatemalan Black Beans, and offered by, 

Presvytera Alexandra Chakos.

Fr. John and Presvytera Sandy have been in Guatemala since 2011, following "retirement" from  parish life, they entered their new roles as missionaries.   

Now, in Guatemala, Fr. John is helping to establish a seminary, train catechists, coordinate the arrival of mission teams, support orphans and needy children, 

and aid the clergy in ministering to the sacramental needs of the communities.

Presvytera Alexandra (a.k.a. Sandy) is teaching the sewing of priestly vestments, cassocks, robes for altar boys, and other ecclesiastical necessities." 

With this beautiful offering she is helping empower women, with new talents, skills and opportunities.

To learn more about them and their time, or if you would like to help?

Please visit Presvytera's blog: The Word from Guatemala

And now...

The photo is of Dona Simona, the cook at our boys' orphanage in Nueva Concepcion, Guatemala.
She is cooking up a big pot of black beans.

Guatemalan Black Beans

In a rhyme remembered from my childhood, beans are referred to as the "musical fruit."  

I would amend that rhyme to call beans the MAGICAL fruit.  I would even go further and call them the Legumes of Life.  Among all groups of food, no group has a more health-supportive mix of protein plus fiber than beans.  Indigenous to Central and South America, beans were introduced to Europe in the 15th century by Spanish explorers, and eventually spread to Africa and Asia.  Because they are easy to grow and can be easily stored for long periods of time, beans have sustained human life when other food sources were scarce.

Of all legumes, black beans contain the most healthy nutrients.  Their dark seed coat is an outstanding source of disease-fighting flavonoids.  Add to this, antioxidant-promoting manganese, muscle-building protein, energy-producing magnesium, thiamin, phosphorus, and iron.  With a low glycemic load, they help in blood sugar regulation.  It has been shown that a steady diet of black beans can decrease the risk of cardio-vascular disease and certain cancers, especially colon cancer.  

So, are you ready to eat some black beans?  Here's how to cook them Guatemalan style. If you live in rural Guatemala, as I do, it is important to spread the dry beans on a light-colored towel to remove stones, bugs, debris, and damaged beans.  Rinse beans thoroughly and place them in a bowl to soak, adding 2 to 3 cups of water for every cup of beans.  Soak them for 8 hours or overnight.  If you have enough kindling for your fire, you can use the quick soaking method.  Bring the beans to boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and allow to stand for two hours.  Drain the liquid and discard.  If you are worried about losing nutrients, a recent study has shown that the advantages of discarding the water outweigh the disadvantages.  It also reduces the substances that cause flatulence.  Rinse the beans and place them in a pot, adding 3 cups of fresh water per cup of beans.  Throw in a couple of bay leaves and a few cloves of sliced garlic.  Do not add salt at this time or your beans will be tough.  Simmer for 1 1/2 hour or until beans are tender.  Add salt and cumin to taste.  Serve with rice or boiled plantains.  Enjoy your black beans!  Enjoy your Magical Legumes of Life! Do you feel healthier already?

Thank you and remember to Share the Day! 
Please consider Sharing the Day over at The Word from Guatemala
and remember them all, in your prayers.
Only together there is hope.