Serving this delightful and easy version of baklava, a layered sweet made with thin phyllo sheets, is an old custom on Christmas Eve in Thrace and other areas of Greece. Made with olive oil, the pastry meets Greek Orthodox Lenten-type fasting guidelines, and it’s a delicious alternative to other versions of baklava, especially for those who avoid nuts.
Greek Lenten Tomato Fritters (Domatokeftethes)
Tomato fritters are a delightful appetizer or side dish, and a specialty of Santorini, a Greek island known for its tomatoes. This meatless, eggless, dairyless dish is perfect for Lent or a Daniel Fast, and the fresh vegetables in it make a wonderful summer dish to prepare with the bounty out of a vegetable garden (and, come on, who isn’t desperately searching for zucchini recipes right around mid-August?).
Greek Lenten Bread (Lagana)
The Lenten bread known as Lagana traditionally sees the light of day only once each year, on the first day of the Greek Orthodox Lent, known as Clean Monday. It’s most often shaped like a rectangle with rounded corners and is a fairly flat loaf. This recipe is Daniel Fast friendly, Orthodox fast friendly, and Lent friendly.
Greek Lenten Fritters (Tiganites)
Similar to small pancakes, these light, crispy medallion-sized treats are a delight served with honey or petimezi, or with syrup, preserves, or a creative topping of your own design. Favorites during The Great Lent, these contain no eggs or dairy products, and if served with honey, they are perfect for a Daniel Fast as well.
Simple Greek Peasant Cornbread (Bobota)
In Greek history, during times of hardship, cornmeal recipes were very popular, and bobota is considered by many to be a “peasant” dish. This recipe gets a delightful shot of flavor from fresh orange juice and produces a dense, crumbly cornbread.
Secret Ingredient Taco Salad
This is a family favorite. It’s a very quick, inexpensive meal that can feed several people. The secret ingredient makes this dish fall into the absolutely-not-so-healthy category, but oh, it makes it taste so good.
Indian Flat Bread (Chapati)
Chapattis are similar to tortillas, but made with no baking powder. They are easy to make and keep well if stored in an air-tight container. Chapattis are common in Southeast Asia and throughout Africa.
Healthy, Thrifty Homemade Crackers
Provided you aren’t making cheese crackers, homemade crackers are Daniel Fast friendly, Orthodox Fast friendly, and of course suitable for Lent. Best of all, they are really easy to make. This recipe makes a semi-crisp, fairly dense cracker.
Tasty Veggie Wraps
When I did the Daniel Fast last year, I added an extra restriction to myself in that I wouldn’t eat anything with leavening in it. Consequently, I lived on veggie wraps for lunches. They were so filling, and the avocados helped fill me up.