For some, Lent is just beginning

While most people already have lamb or ham and lots of chocolate on their Easter Sunday menus, some Christians in the region are still weeks away from their own celebration.

In fact, they’re just getting started with Lent.

Because they follow the Julian calendar for religious holidays, members of Orthodox churches worldwide just marked the beginning of their Lenten season last week with prayers and fasting – eating less and abstaining from meat and dairy products. (Shellfish, however, is allowed.)

So for 49 days, Orthodox Christians essentially eat a vegan diet.

To help those who have recently converted to their faith as well as encourage each other during this time of sacrifice and renewal, members of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Spokane hosts a vegan potluck every Wednesday night after church during Lent. They’ve also compiled their favorite meals into “A Small Collection of Lenten Recipes” – a 12-page cookbook that the congregation has used for the last 17 years.

The book also comes in handy since some Orthodox Christians also fast every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year.

“You get more creative in the kitchen,” says Irene Supica, wife of the Rev. Stephen Supica, Holy Trinity’s pastor. “We experiment with different cuisines and look through cookbooks. … During Lent, you try to strike a balance by increasing your prayer life, cutting back on the amount of food you eat and doing good works.”

It’s also a time of learning how to make do with less – baking without milk, butter and eggs, cooking with fewer and simpler ingredients as well as making home-cooked meals using staples and other foods that are already in the pantry or refrigerator. Because of the strict guidelines for fasting, many also spend more time reading labels and considering the origin of their foods.

“We typically eat a lot of legumes and vegetables,” says Irene Supica, who started the cookbook with help from the church’s Philoptochos Society, a group of women dedicated to helping the poor.

Last week, after praying and chanting in both English and Greek during an incense-infused liturgy, about two dozen Holy Trinity members gathered in the social hall downstairs to share a Lenten meal. Many of the foods served at the first potluck of the season came out of the church’s Lenten cookbook. The dishes also reflected the congregation’s growing diversity: fassolada, a Greek-style bean soup; hambasha, a bread originating from Eritrea; tabbouleh, an Arabic salad dish made of bulgur; and even vegan sloppy joes.

For some, these potlucks and the recipe book have been a way to learn more about some of the exotic meals that fellow members serve regularly in their own homes. And as the congregation grows and become more diverse, so, too, have the foods served during these Lenten potlucks and other church gatherings.

“Most people associate fasting with suffering,” says Maro Leute, a longtime member of Holy Trinity. “But we have an abundance of different foods so we always find good things to eat.”

A native of Greece, Leute brought a large pan of her famous Greek Okra and Potato Bake, a dish infused with garlic and lemon juice. Along with some Greek-style eggplant, Leute’s okra and potatoes were among the first to disappear from the potluck table.

While these foods are favorites during Lent, they’re also served during other times of the year. In fact, one of the recipes from the book – tomato soup with orzo from Irene Supica’s mother, Sophronia Tomaras – is a staple at the annual Greek festival.

Cooking these meals at Lent also has become a way for members to honor those who are no longer with them.

“Some of the people who have recipes in our cookbook are dead now, but their recipes live on,” Irene Supica says.

For those new to the Orthodox faith, the potlucks and the cookbook help them learn and practice the guidelines of fasting.

“There’s more to fasting than giving up food,” says Jarrett Lange, who was a Southern Baptist before converting to Orthodoxy five years ago. “I’ve found that it deepens your ability for prayer, and it helps you focus on your relationship with God.”

Maro Leute’s Greek okra and potato bake as well as Christy Steinle’s golden cranberry raisin cake are among the favorites during the potlucks held every Wednesday night during Lent. Other tasty recipes include a Greek-style Bean Soup called Fassolada from Ourania Papas and the Lenten Tomato Soup from Sophronia Tomaras.

Greek Okra and Potato Bake

From Maro Leute of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

2 (1 pound) bags frozen whole okra

1/2 cup lemon juice

8 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into wedges

2 medium onions, chopped

1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons salt

2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups water

In a mixing bowl, toss okra with lemon juice. Continue to toss periodically while preparing potatoes, onions, garlic and parsley. In another bowl, toss the potatoes with the salt and pepper. Place the okra and juice on one side of a large covered roasting pan and the seasoned potatoes on the other side. Sprinkle the chopped onions and garlic over the okra and potatoes. Sprinkle the parsley on top. Mix the tomato sauce, cinnamon, oil and water, and pour over all. Mix all the ingredients together with your hands, trying to leave the potatoes on one side and the okra on the other. This makes it easy to choose your favorite vegetable. Cover the pan and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Uncover and bake for another 45 minutes.

Yield: About 20 (5-ounce) servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 177 calories, 11 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 54 percent fat calories), 2 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 821 milligrams sodium.

Golden Cranberry Raisin Cake

From Christy Steinle of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

2 cups sugar

4 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups orange juice

1 cup vegetable oil

Grated zest of two oranges

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups raisins

1/2 bag fresh or frozen cranberries (about 1 1/2 cups)

Mix sugar, flour and salt in large bowl. In second bowl, mix juice with baking powder and add to dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake in a prepared 9-by-13-inch pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool in pan. Dust with powdered sugar.

Yield: 1 cake

Approximate nutrition per serving (based on 16): 426 calories, 14 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 29 percent fat calories), 4.5 grams protein, 73 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 2.3 grams dietary fiber, 198 milligrams sodium.

Fassolada

From Ourania Papas of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

3 cups navy beans

1/2 cup oil

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

2 large onions, chopped finely

2 to 3 stalks celery, finely sliced

1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste, diluted in a little water

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Clean and sort the beans and soak overnight in plenty of unsalted water. The next day, drain the beans and rinse them well. In a large pot, bring the beans to boil in plenty of water. Boil for about five minutes. Drain the beans. Put the beans back in the pot and add fresh water to cover plus an inch or so more. Add the oil, carrots, onions and celery and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered until the beans are tender. Add the tomato paste, salt and pepper, and the sugar. Cook for a few more minutes for the flavors to blend.

Yield: 10 (8-ounce) servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 344 calories, 12 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 30 percent fat calories), 14 grams protein, 47 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 11 grams dietary fiber, 148 milligrams sodium.

Lenten Tomato Soup

From Sophronia Tomaras of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

1 (16-ounce) can stewed tomatoes

6 cups water

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons oil

1 cup orzo pasta

Mix stewed tomatoes and part of the water in a blender very briefly. Pour into large saucepan. Add the rest of the water and the tomato paste. Stir to dilute the tomato paste. Bring to a rolling boil and add the rest of the ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir frequently. This is especially good the second day.

Yield: 4 generous servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 199 calories, 3.8 grams fat (.3 grams saturated, 18 percent fat calories), 5.6 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 1,418 milligrams sodium.