Recipe Ideas for Lent

Periods of abstinence and fasting are recognized by most of the world’s religions; some are seasonal, others are permanent prohibitions.  Dietary concerns are also a reason to abstain from certain foods and doctors recognize that a strict fast (clear liquids only) clears the digestive tract. Christians have long observed the period of forty days before Easter as Great Lent or the Great Fast. The cross of fasting, abstinence and physical discipline is carried in preparation for the feast of feasts on Easter.
Fasting is but one facit of a personal path of prayer and repentance. It is a very personal discipline spanning a wide spectrum from simple abstinence to a vegetarian or vegan diet to an even stricter ascetic regime, but most denominations have guidelines or goals. In all Christian denominations fasting means restricting ones food intake. Roman Catholics observe lent by abstaining from eating meat on Fridays, and eating only one large meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Recipe:

Noodles and Company Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe

It's that time of year. The holidays are over, new toys have lost their glamour and cold-weather days are still ahead of us. This requires parents to be a little more creative when it comes to staving off the dreaded statement "I'm bored."

What can you do to keep kids entertained indoors this winter? Cook with them. Engaging kids in planning and making family meals has a host of benefits - including having someone to help with the dishes. 

Cooking with your kids is beneficial for a number of reasons:

Recipe: Carrot Cranberry Bread

"White or wheat?" Restaurant patrons are often presented with this familiar, yet inaccurate, question when ordering toast or a sandwich. Given the confusion between whole and enriched grain products, it's not surprising that this phrase is universally accepted among the general public. The truth is, whole (wheat) and enriched (white) wheat bread are both wheat-based products and part of a healthy diet.

To help families make informed decisions about the foods they eat -- specifically wheat foods --, the Wheat Foods Council offers some insight into the wide world of wheat.