What to eat in fasting. Proper nutrition in fasting and an example of a menu for a week

great post in 2019 year passes from March 11 to April 27, marking a dramatic change in the diet of all believers. Great Lent is one of the strictest fasts in church calendar, starting seven weeks before Easter and lasting 48 days. It consists of Pentecost, symbolizing the fasting of Christ in the wilderness for 40 days, and Holy Week, reminiscent of last days life of Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection.

During Lent, it is forbidden to consume products of animal origin, including meat, eggs and milk, as well as products made using eggs and milk. For example, cakes, pastries, cookies, pastries from pastry - all this is prohibited. eating fish and vegetable oil allowed only on certain days, while the inclusion of seafood in the diet, such as squid, shrimp or mussels, is not forbidden. Permitted foods include vegetables, fruits, cereals, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, dried fruits, honey, sugar, halva, dark chocolate and sauces, including lean mayonnaise. Egg-free pasta and bread made without milk and eggs can also be included in the diet. Do not forget about home preservation, which will diversify Lenten menu on certain days, and about greens that can make dishes taste meatless dishes more pronounced. If you cannot imagine your life without milk, soy or coconut milk can become a real lifesaver for you.

It is worth noting that fasting does not mean starving at all, and if you think rationally about your diet, you definitely will not stay hungry. It must also be remembered that the fasting table is only a part of the fast, while the paramount moment is concentration on prayers, visiting the temple, good deeds, rejection of bad thoughts and entertainment, forgiveness of offenses and a benevolent attitude towards others. If you follow all these rules, dietary restrictions will benefit both the body and the soul.

So let's consider more food days in Great Lent in 2019. The first and last weeks of fasting are the strictest- these days, especially severe restrictions are imposed on the diet. Clean Monday - the first day of Lent- It is customary to completely abstain from eating food, while on Tuesday only bread and water are allowed. On the remaining days of the first week, you should adhere to a dry diet and eat foods exclusively in raw form once a day - these can be fruits, vegetables, nuts or greens. Saturday and Sunday first week can be used hot food with butter, for example, cereals, lean soups, vegetable stew or fried mushrooms. These days, we allow two meals a day. On Sunday you can afford a small amount of red wine - it must be natural and not contain alcohol and sugar. It is advisable to breed it hot water and it is better to abstain from wine altogether.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday each subsequent week of Great Lent, except for the last, is prescribed dry eating, while eating is allowed only once a day in daytime. Tuesday and Thursday the same five weeks, hot food is allowed once a evening time However, it must be cooked without adding oil. For example, it can be boiled or baked vegetables. So, carrots or pumpkins cooked in the oven, supplemented with honey, nuts and dried fruits, can be a pleasant addition to your diet. On weekends those who are fasting again expect relief - you can increase the number of meals up to two times a day and eat hot food with the addition of vegetable oil. So, braised cabbage, potato cutlets, vegetable soup, bean lobio, vegetable stew or potatoes fried with mushrooms and onions, excellent lean main courses. Fish is allowed for the Feast of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God , which this time falls on March 25, and in Palm Sunday, which falls on 21 April. 20 April, on Lazarus Saturday, up to 100 g of fish caviar is allowed.

Holy Week - the last week of Lent- is no less strict than the first. In the first three days, only raw foods without oil once a day. On Thursday, you can afford hot food that has passed heat treatment without adding oil. For example, it can be boiled cauliflower or baked potatoes. Nothing to eat on Friday. On Saturday Holy Week many believers continue to refuse food until Easter. However, raw foods and bread are allowed in the afternoon.

For some people, these prescriptions may be too strict and unacceptable, for example, for health reasons or due to age - in this case, it is recommended to give up animal products and eat hot food cooked in oil throughout Lent. In any case, remember that Great Lent is not just food restrictions, but approaching spiritual purity, fighting sins and gaining harmony with your soul through abstinence from food, and delicious fasting recipes will help you with this.

Dietary restrictions during Lent purify both the soul and the body. But this should be approached wisely. If you have health problems - do not exhaust the body with hunger strikes and diets. Today the church makes exceptions for those who cannot limit themselves for health reasons. Therefore, what is impossible, and what can be eaten in fasting, concerns only people who are ready for this not only mentally, but also physically.

Fasting varies in severity. People of the highest rank and those who stay in monasteries eat a little differently than those who observe abstinence from harmful food at home. But at the same time, any believer can “sit down” on strict restrictions at will.

The post is divided into several degrees:

The fast lasts for 40 days, during which all kinds of recreational activities and quarrels. For those who abide by the strictest rules, there are several additional responsibilities:

In the first and last week fruits, vegetables and bread are allowed. You can only drink water.
On other days, it is recommended to eat nuts with honey, plant foods.
On the first day and subsequent Fridays of fasting, you can only eat raw herbal products and drink water.

Such a fast should be kept only by trained people who have no health problems, and whose body can harmful effects endure abstinence from abundance of food.

Prepare for restrictions in advance. You can not eat before the start of the post, and then starve. This can make you feel worse. It is necessary to exclude forbidden foods from the diet gradually, a few days before the great event. Do not abuse alcohol and tobacco products.

In the early days, hunger can be very strong, as the permitted plant food does not contain enough protein to saturate the body. You will have to eat more often and do not forget about breakfast.

There is a myth that only porridge is allowed during fasting, raw vegetables and fruits. Many do not dare to such serious restrictions on food, believing that such a meager diet is too harsh. In fact, the menu these days can be varied. The main thing is to be able to cook the right and delicious dishes. Desserts, casseroles, sandwiches, dumplings, salads, cereals, soups - all these delicacies are available to fasting people.

Before you start fasting, it is recommended to go through the sacrament of communion. You need to contact the priest in advance, and he will tell you what you can eat in fasting before communion and what - after.

It is worth following all the prescribed rules in order to be completely cleansed. Restrictions before communion last 3 days and hold out is not difficult for the Orthodox. But if for some reason this was not observed, one must repent to the priest during confession, and the priest will forgive this sin.

The most important thing in this short-term restriction is not to overeat. Eat only when you really feel hungry.

Products that can be consumed:

fish and seafood (boiled or baked);
mushrooms;
nuts and candied fruits;
vegetables (only raw);
fruits and dried fruits;
porridge on the water;
unleavened bread;
tomato paste;
pasta (not made from wheat flour);
black bitter chocolate;
natural marmalade and marshmallow;
seeds;
compote;
kvass;
jelly;

There are countless posts, the main one being Great. There are also one-day posts with strict menu. There is a special calendar where you can see what you can eat during fasting.

Proper nutrition by day

Who wants to fast correctly, for those there are set menu by day, where it says what you can eat in the post:

It would be better for the entire period of restrictions to refuse white bread and change to black. Season vegetables with lemon juice.

Special days of fasting

According to the canons of the church, there are several special days during the year, when you also need to fast:

the first Monday of Lent is hunger;
Palm Sunday - you can fish, wine and caviar;
Good Friday - hunger;
Wednesday in the fourth week - wine is allowed;
Christmas Eve - hunger;
martyr's day - you can oil and wine.

The menu recommended by the church is actually quite varied. Many housewives come up with more and more recipes with each period of restrictions. Food in fasting should be moderate, but does not exclude delicacies and delicious dishes:

Fasting is not only possible, but it also needs to be tasty. Food and fasting can be varied, the main thing is not to deviate from the recipe and not to use animal fats.

Tomato soup

To prepare this delicious soup you will need:

For bruschetta, take yesterday's yeast-free bread, a couple of cloves of garlic, olive oil and salt.

Cooking:

When the soup is ready, you can punch it with a blender or eat it like that. The taste will not change, but the texture will become more pleasant.

Since meat is not allowed in fasting, and on some days even fish, cereals come to the rescue. From oatmeal, you can cook hearty delicious cutlets that are indistinguishable from meat.

You will need:

a glass of oatmeal;
potato;
carrot;
spices to taste.

Cooking:

pour boiling water cereals and leave to swell;
peel and grate vegetables;
combine cereals with vegetables, add spices and mix;
form cutlets and fry on both sides in a frying pan, greased with oil.

Mushrooms can be added to the cutlets if desired.

Seed sweets

There is a recipe for an insanely delicious treat with seeds. He certainly will not leave anyone indifferent.

You will need:

200 g of sesame or sunflower seeds;
2 tablespoons of honey;
a pinch of cinnamon;
salt to taste.

The preparation here is pretty simple. You just need to fry the seeds in a dry frying pan and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Serve sweetness on bread or instead of jam for tea.

You need to understand that the rejection of the usual food for such a long time adjusts the body to change. Therefore, you should not overeat on the first day after the costs. Bright Easter, of course, is a sacred holiday when it is customary to lay a rich table. But a hearty meal after abstinence can affect well-being. It is necessary to add the usual food to the diet gradually, without immediately switching to fried meat. It is better to give preference to less fatty foods.

To make a decision whether to fast or not, one must take into account all his physiological abilities. And most importantly, remember that it is important not only to start and keep fasting with dignity, but also to finish it with dignity.

Fasting was not invented for fun and gastronomic delights. But that's no reason to eat for forty days fried potatoes with pickles and pasta with ketchup. From them the soul will not become happier, and health will be undermined thoroughly. Healthy and very satisfying food that meets the most stringent Lenten rules, - a great many! In addition, Great Lent - perfect time revive forgotten recipes and find new charm in long-familiar products.

Our Kasha is the best option for a lenten menu

Russian porridge It's not food, it's philosophy. It includes all of our history from pagan times; hints at long-suffering and frugality, not to mention hospitability and hard work ... For centuries, we have seen porridge in pots, we need to eat it with a large family with wooden spoons - and instructions are ridiculous to us " pour boiling water and eat immediately". What kind of philosophy is this, if immediately? Porridge is a leisurely thing, paying a hundredfold for patience. the main idea here is this: porridge does not taste bad. It just needs to be cooked properly.

There you are clearest example: pearl barley. Or “pearl” (pearl’ovka), barley, from which noble whiskey is made.

Rinse it, fill it up big amount boiling water, wrap in a blanket and let stand for 8-10 hours. Then drain the water, pour boiling water over the cereal again and cook for fifteen minutes. Let's turn to our Middle European brothers, the Lithuanians, for experience - they love " glass porridge". Fry onion rings in vegetable oil, and then add grated potatoes on a coarse grater. Pour in the finished barley and spices.

A similar story happens with buckwheat porridge, which for some reason is eaten exclusively with meatballs or milk. And did you know that in the trendy West, buckwheat (kasha, they say) is a newly discovered organic product, on par with ancient Aztec amaranth and quinoa? There, however, for some reason it is believed that buckwheat must be mixed with whipped protein before cooking - otherwise, they say, it will not turn out crumbly. You can simply fry good buckwheat with vegetable oil - even on a baking sheet - and let it try not to crumble later! I don’t know if it’s necessary to say that buckwheat is very good with fried onions, extremely good with carrots, peppers, eggplants, and just very, very good with mushrooms?

But you probably have no idea that buckwheat is eaten with great pleasure in Korea! It is used to make sae me du du - steamed buns. To do this, take buckwheat flour, a little salt and enough water to make a cool dough. It is kneaded, rolled out a centimeter thick and cut into small squares, which must be greased with vegetable oil and put in a double boiler for 10 minutes. This amazing dish is served warm on major holidays.

The Japanese make noodles from buckwheat, and porridge is extremely popular in Jewish cuisine" varnishkes": need to fry a little onion(in the original - on chicken fat), cook porridge separately, separately - twice as much fusili-type pasta. Connect all this, warm up, eat and be surprised. In general, if you are tired (and for for a long time fasting can easily get bored) the familiar taste of cereals, mushrooms and vegetables, get yourself a spicy " Berber mix", which can be poured anywhere.

Go to the market and enrich the spice merchants there by buying 2 tbsp. l. zira seeds, 1 tbsp. l. cardamom seeds, black peppercorns, fenugreek (aka fenugreek or shamballa) and coriander, half a spoonful of allspice, a couple of dozen cloves buds, 5 tbsp. l. red pepper and even a tablespoon of dried ginger, turmeric, paprika and cinnamon. Put the first seven spices in a dry frying pan and fry for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add everything else (and more salt) and send it to the coffee grinder. This miraculous powder will bring you happiness.

We eat dry fruits during Lent and do not complain

By definition, there cannot be fresh fruits at this time of the year in Russia. Sauerkraut, of course, great source vitamins - but, alas, you can’t cook compote from it. It remains to hope for summer preparations.

Procurers (both branded and Asian brothers) in Lately they try their best: any market is ready to offer at least 10 varieties dried fruits. With the exception of pineapples, which cannot be dried without the use of sugar, the rest of the fruits - even kiwi! - they are simply dried in special drying machines.

Quantity natural vitamin at the same time, of course, it falls in them, and sugar increases, but the benefits of dried fruits are still undeniable, because all trace elements are stored in required quantity. In the markets, dried fruits are much cheaper, but branded ones guarantee freshness and complete inviolability of all benefits. Chewing dried fruits just like that, even with tea, is not a very exciting experience.

Any dried fruit, especially figs, cherries and large prunes, combined with red berry juice can turn into a very sophisticated dessert. To do this, various spices are added to the juice: cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, sugar- and actually dried fruits. All this is boiled over a very low heat: first without a lid for about forty minutes, then under the lid for another half an hour - until the syrup becomes very thick. You can serve with porridge. In addition, many amazing things are done with dried fruits: for example, they stuff tomatoes, sweet peppers or eggplants with them. Or stew with onions and red beans.

The main meat is mushrooms

If you do not take into account the newfangled soy, mushrooms- the main meat during fasting. They are in the winter for most - this is mushroom soup. For the most advanced - mushroom julienne. It's not fair. But what about mushroom caviar? A potato cutlets stuffed with mushrooms, with mushroom sauce? What about mushroom risotto? What about dumplings with mushrooms?

All this, of course, can be done from dried mushrooms, lovingly assembled with their own hands in the distant summer ... But it makes sense to pay attention to the counters with frozen foods. Honey mushrooms, chanterelles, boletus, white ...

Japanese are also common shiitake mushrooms- world wrestling champions cancer cells. Even the giant portobello mushrooms (tastes like pure chicken) are quite common in supermarkets. This fantastic variety of mushrooms gives rise to almost daily experiments.

Here are some options. You can make sandwiches with tapenade from forest mushrooms: grind capers with olive oil in a mortar and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. It turns out a paste that is wonderfully smeared on toasted slices of bread - and between them impressive slices of mushrooms fried to a crisp.

From oyster mushroom as if by itself, a salad arises: fried mushrooms, apples, celery stalks, lettuce leaves and dark seedless grapes. Pour over top with lemon juice dressing with mashed pine nuts, salt, pepper and a pinch of cinnamon. For variety, champignons can be fried in a wok with soy sauce, honey, sesame seeds and green onion(must be submitted immediately).

Eat Nuts During Lent

nuts in our diet they play a completely different role. Either they sprinkle cakes with them, or they sprinkle beets with garlic ... And it seems that everyone eats only peanuts, cedar and walnuts. Meanwhile, during Lent, when every protein counts, nuts are an irreplaceable thing. If they are fresh, this is practically a panacea for all the problems of the spring-winter period. And not as boring as it seems. They can be sweetened - or, conversely, sharpened.

In the first case, you collect different non-roasted nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, cedar. In addition, you will need Orange juice, sugar, cinnamon and orange peel. From all this is brewed thick syrup in which nuts are added. There they must be thoroughly mixed - so that the syrup has time to stick to each, and then transferred to oiled paper and separated with a fork while warm.

hot nuts ( almonds, shelled pistachios, peanuts) are done in much the same way - only required salt with pepper, chili, cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic powder... yes, with whatever you want - plus delicious vegetable oil. And still a little bit of honey, otherwise the nuts will be separate, and the spices separately.

And you can make the same mixture from seeds - pumpkin and sunflower. It makes sense to keep sharp nuts and seeds in the refrigerator for a couple of days - let them be imbued with the smell of spices.

Another option for enthusiastic munching on nuts is pasta or sauce. Peanut butter - a cult product of American teenagers - has long been known to fans of TV shows. It is easy to make at home: you take roasted and peeled peanuts, put them in a meat grinder and scroll with a little water and salt. It is better to store in the refrigerator. Spread cookies with this paste every morning, because nuts make you smarter - it's proven. Healthier Snack Options: sesame seeds, honey, cinnamon and salt.

If guests are going to descend on you and everyone is fasting as one, ask them to bring fresher apples, carrots and celery stalks with them. As they roam the city in search of these scarce foods, calmly get your stock of raw almonds, lemon juice, honey, fresh basil, salt, garlic, and ginger. The proportions are up to you. Pass it all through a meat grinder, adding water as needed - to get the consistency of thick sour cream. When the guests show up, cut the fruits and vegetables they brought, and let them dip them in your sauce themselves. Soon they will eat up, become kinder and start asking you about the secrets of craftsmanship...

Every year everything more people tend to fast not only in connection with their religious beliefs, but also to improve their health. Indeed, as doctors note, people who refuse to eat food of animal origin for some time feel an improvement in their condition. However, it is worth remembering that strict post you can not comply with children, the elderly, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Everyone else can follow all the instructions that are recommended to be followed during each type of fast.

How to eat right during Lent?

It should be noted that those who decide to fast for the first time should begin to gradually refuse food of animal origin. The fact is that a sharp restriction can be detrimental to health.

On Clean Monday - on the first day of fasting, it is not recommended to eat, but, as an option, you can eat dry plant foods. The use of vegetable oil in cooking is excluded. On this day religious people must maintain their strength with prayers and holy water. However, such a diet should be maintained during the first, fourth and seventh weeks. In 2, 3, 5 and 6 weeks, the use of boiled food is allowed with. Proper nutrition while fasting implies exclusion from his menu like meat products, as well as fish. During this period, dairy products, eggs, sugar, alcohol should be abandoned. You can only eat plant foods.

Tips on how to eat right in fasting before Easter will help believers make a menu for every day.

On all days of fasting, in addition to strict ones, you can safely eat following products: cereals, legumes, pasta, seaweed, dried fruits, nuts. From cereals, you can cook porridge on the water and side dishes, seasoned sunflower oil. You can add mushrooms and vegetables to them.
Beans can be cooked lean soups making casseroles and tortillas.
You can cook seasoned with sauces made from herbs and spices.

You need to eat as varied as possible. Breakfast should be eaten lean sandwiches. To prepare them, you need a piece of toasted bread. It can be poured with olive oil, put a slice of cucumber, tomato and greens on top. It is recommended to cook porridge not on water, but on juice from berries.

The most important thing during this period is to feel peace of mind and tranquility. People who strictly observe all the prescriptions of the fasts cleanse their souls from sins and draw closer to the Lord.

Lent food implies a special, in the diet should be absent certain products. This time is intended for good deeds, prayers, the search for measures to become better, a comprehensive cleansing of the soul and body. The beginning of Lent is a chance for spiritual improvement and rest from animal food.

The right way to post

We celebrate Great Lent in 2018 with joy and special inspiration. This good chance improve your spiritual life and learn how to eat right. This will help the menu by day with recommendations, it is given below. From February 28 to April 15 - these are the days when there will be Lent. Some dietary restrictions should not be taken as priority. The spiritual part of fasting is mainly aimed at working on oneself, taking care of loved ones, refraining from condemnation, anger, lies, envy and evil deeds, and the food component is insignificant.

You should not restrict yourself in food, practice diets and fasts if you are unhealthy, travel a lot, are weak, work hard, live in an unfavorable or cold geographical area, breastfeed a child or are pregnant. You are allowed to eat everything according to the recommendations of doctors and your needs. Children should not be forced to fast food, they can abstain from some food only if they themselves strive for this and are fully aware of the meaning of fasting. As an option, you can try to plan a children's fast before Easter so that the food is without desserts, sweets and harmful products, it had less heavy food. This is also a good way to cleanse.

It should also be said about how long Great Lent lasts, the total number of days in it is 48. Correct preparation consists in smoothly lightening your diet, learning to analyze your inner world and learn more about Orthodox culture. Let's try to implement this ancient tradition into our life. Despite the fact that the essence of fasting is not a diet, the question of correct and varied diet is still relevant. Every person who accepts Orthodoxy as his worldview and way of life, undergoes the rite of baptism consciously should understand the topic of fasting. One of best calendars nutrition is presented in this article especially for your convenience.

Monastic lenten menu for every day

What foods can be eaten in fasting according to the charter of most Orthodox monasteries:

different types of vegetables (including pickled and salted vegetables, sauerkraut);
seasonal fruits;
mushrooms;
the whole range of dried fruits;
porridge from cereals cooked in water;
different varieties of nuts;
compote based on dried fruits;
natural kvass;
homemade jelly.

What not to eat in fasting:

meat products;
milk products;
eggs;
bakery;
all alcoholic drinks;
candies;
fish;
mayonnaise;
White bread.

Food in fasting by day of the week:

Monday - the day of dry eating (vegetable and fruit dishes, water, bread, compote);
Tuesday - hot dishes without oils (stewed vegetable dishes, porridge on the water, first courses, for example, pickle soup);
Wednesday - the day of dry eating (vegetable and fruit dishes, water, bread, compote);
Thursday - hot dishes without oils (stewed vegetable dishes, porridge on the water, first courses, for example, pickle soup);
Friday - dry eating (vegetable and fruit dishes, water, bread, compote);
Saturday - dishes seasoned with oil ( vegetable salads, stewed vegetable dishes, first courses);
Sunday - products with oils (stewed vegetable dishes, vegetable salads and soups).

There are special days in Great Lent:

Clean Monday (in the first week) - fasting;
2, 3, 4, 5 (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) days of fasting - food with bread and water;
Environment - the use of natural wines;
day 40 of the Holy Martyrs - food with vegetable oil and wine;
holiday Palm Sunday - fish dishes, caviar, wine, vegetable oil.

Power on Holy Week(final week):

Maundy Monday, Maundy Tuesday, Maundy Wednesday - a ban on processed food, raw food days;
Maundy Thursday - dishes with vegetable oil, wine;
Good Friday - fasting;
Great Saturday - fasting or minimum food olives, bread, dried fruits;
Easter holiday - on this day, all Lenten restrictions are removed, you can eat any food.

It should be noted that monastics do not eat meat even outside of fasting, but nevertheless it is provided in monasteries good food and their diet is rich in nutrients.

Now you have an idea about what foods you can eat in fasting and when you should starve. In fact, there is nothing complicated in planning a diet; for daily nutrition control, you can buy a special calendar, where there are many monastic recipes. We urge you to take the food of Great Lent seriously and be sure to combine it with spiritual perfection, otherwise you do not need to fast.

List of Nutritious Lenten Foods for the Laity

Here best products nutrition that fit into the framework of Great Lent and supply the body with a lot of valuable substances for maintenance, health, vitality and good mood:

different types of table vinegars;
edible algae;
lean bread (lavash or other bread products with a neutral composition);
tomato paste and ketchup;
lean mayonnaise;
adjika and many other sauces;
all kinds of nuts;
all kinds of seeds;
pasta and flour products without unnecessary ingredients;
dried fruits;
all kinds of cereals a good option- porridge with dried fruits);
mushrooms;
legumes (eg lentils, peas, beans);
fish and caviar (as well as shrimp, squid, all this is possible on certain days according to the calendar);
seasonal and Exotic fruits(the more variety of fruits, the better);
seasonal vegetables (from vegetables you can cook a mass healthy meals, use them pickled, salted, for example, cabbage, beets, carrots, celery);
homemade sweets (fruit and berry jam, jam);
lean chocolate;
milk (coconut, soy and other types);
drinks (decoctions and infusions of herbs, teas, coffee, jelly, compote, juices, fruit drinks);
soy yogurt and cheese;
lean marshmallows;
marmalade;
berries;
Turkish Delight;
halva and gozinaki;
sugar and lollipops;
dishes Korean cuisine(salads).

When the Great Begins Orthodox post You don’t need to change your diet drastically and starve for a long time. As you already understood, by abstaining from all meat and dairy foods, the laity does not need to torture themselves and severely limit themselves during fasting. On the contrary, variety and lightness should reign in the home cooking of Lent. Severe restrictions are intended for highly spiritual persons carrying a feat.

this time is intended for good deeds, prayers, search for measures to become better, comprehensive cleansing of the soul and body, acceptance light food, rest from animal products

How to keep an Orthodox fast?

Fasting in the monastery and in the world

We figured out what you can eat in fasting, and what to abstain from, and how to properly distribute your diet over the days. You understand that monastic food differs significantly from worldly food, since the monastery has a special charter and the most serious restrictions on food. We are ordinary people, strict fasting is not for us, we can observe fast days at your own discretion, because everyone has different possibilities. Thus, by eating right, you will be able to maintain and increase your health.

Leaving a post

It is important not only to start Great Lent correctly, but also to complete it with dignity. Everyone asks when you can eat after fasting. Usually all Orthodox begin to normal nutrition at the time of Easter. Ideally, a rich meal is arranged after the Liturgy. It is important not to overeat, but to switch to the usual diet gradually. After completing your post, you need to go to the Easter service. Before communion, the Orthodox experience special religious feelings, and after this sacrament they are overwhelmed with great inexpressible joy, compensating for all the efforts made earlier.

Lenten recipes will be interesting for you, we will describe them below.

Recipes for meatless dishes without animal ingredients

Lenten first course - tomato soup

Components:

water - liter;
chopped tomatoes - 450 grams and tomato paste - 4 tablespoons;
canned white beans - 420 grams;
onions - 1-2 pieces;
olive oil - 2 large spoons;
chili pepper - a quarter of a small spoon;
garlic - 2 cloves;
wine vinegar - 1-2 large spoons;
Provence herbs - 2 small spoons;
sugar - 1-2 large spoons, as much pepper and salt as you like;
for croutons - ciabatta or baguette, salt, garlic - 3 cloves, olive oil - 3 large spoons.

In the oil heated at the bottom of the pan, saute the onion for about 5 minutes, add pepper, garlic, fry for a couple of minutes, put the tomato paste, fry for another minute. Next, put the herbs and tomatoes, then pour water and wait for it to boil. Add the beans, draining the water from it, after cooking for a quarter of an hour, add black pepper, salt, sugar, vinegar. Cook under the lid for 10 minutes. Cook garlic croutons in the oven - fry the bread in oil with garlic.

Lenten second dish - stewed cabbage and mushrooms

Components:

cabbage - up to 1 kg;
champignons - 400 grams;
vegetable oil - about 3 large spoons;
salt, pepper, lemon juice - 2 small spoons.

Randomly cut the cabbage and mushrooms, heat the oil in a frying pan. Mushrooms are fried first, then cabbage is added to them. After pouring a small amount of water, simmer the dish under the lid until the food softens. If necessary, add water. Mature cooking time white cabbage- about an hour, if it is Beijing or young cabbage - 20 minutes is enough. Season the finished dish with pepper, salt, lemon juice, leave on fire without a lid for 3 minutes to evaporate moisture.

The main dishes for fasting can be prepared quickly and tasty on those days when it is necessary, and when correct selection products will not create the impression of inferiority of the diet.

lean salad

Components:

carrots - 2 pieces;
tomatoes - 2 pieces;
cucumber - 1 piece;
apple - 1 piece;
onion - 1 piece;
lemon - half;
vegetable oil - a large spoon;
herbs, salt, sugar.

Grate carrots with a Korean or simple grater. We cut onions, tomatoes, cucumbers. Grind the greens, cut the apple, removing the skin. Oil, salt with sugar, lemon juice squeezed out of a lemon - make dressing from these products, mix everything.

Lenten cookies

Components:

water - 200 ml;
flour - up to 400 grams;
baking powder - half a small spoon;
salt, sugar, nuts, dried fruits basil or other herbs;
vegetable oil - 70 ml.

Pour oil into water. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, gradually combine the liquid with the dry component. Keep the resulting dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. From a layer of dough, with a thickness of 2 to 4 mm, make any shape - round, diamond-shaped, square, triangular. To make cookies sweet, dip them in sugar with chopped dried fruits and nuts. For salty cookies, use basil with salt. Bake cookies pierced with a fork in the oven for 15 to 25 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees.

Oatmeal cutlets

Components:

oatmeal - a glass;
onion - 1 piece;
potatoes - 1 piece;
carrot - 1 piece;
spices, garlic and herbs.

Lean cutlets are easy to prepare. Soak for about 20 minutes the flakes in hot water. Grate onions, potatoes, carrots, crush the garlic with a garlic press, chop the greens. Mix vegetables, garlic gruel and herbs with oatmeal, add salt and pepper (you can add any spices). Using a spoon, fry the cutlets on both sides. In this recipe, we also recommend including mushrooms and eggs on non-fast days.

Lenten nutrition is unthinkable without potato dishes, mashed soups. For lunch, you can cook hearty cabbage soup, for dinner, serve pancakes, pilaf, pancakes without animal ingredients. To make the dishes more interesting, you can make lean mayonnaise or various sauces. For a holiday feeling common days The best decision- Lenten cake or lean pizza.

So, we talked about all the generally accepted features of the diet and the preparation of lean dishes. Let there always be light, healthy, tasty lean food on your tables. Do not forget to attend church services, come to the temple not only with your troubles and problems, but at any free time. It is not difficult to observe the Great Lent of Christians, the main thing is to tune in to it correctly.