Creating Healthy Habits During Lent

Are you giving something up for Lent? The Christian holiday is coming up soon- March 1^st, and it’s time for those participating to decide what it is they will live without for the forty days leading up to Easter. While many followers give up anything from social media to sugar or sweets, it is not uncommon to remove meat or dairy from the menu. Whether for religious purposes or not, Lent can be a useful opportunity to practice discipline and to try to eat healthier, a great way to start a new healthy habit!

For folks wanting to change their diets this may be a good way to ease into eating less meat and more fruit and veggies. Setting your mind to stick to a plan and avoid meat will encourage you to be creative with recipes, and you may discover a new favorite way to prepare veggies! Here are some recipe ideas to get you started, but don’t be afraid to mix it up and throw in different fun ingredients!

~BBQ Chickpea & Polenta w/ Ranch Hummus~

This spicy bowl of healthy goodness from Half Baked Harvest will taste like you’re indulging in a gourmet meal, but for just about anyone, this recipe will be Lent-safe…unless you’re giving up avocado, but who would do such a thing?! Plus, we can all use some healthy fats for our heart health and the high doses of vitamins and minerals from our asparagus, grown in rich, volcanic soils!

~Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta~

Try this simply delicious creamy lemony bow-tie pasta with asparagus for a comfort food dish with a kick of delicious nutrition. It only makes sense to use Southern Selects asparagus spears, for a tender and easy touch. As an added bonus, it’s a vegan recipe! So if you so choose to give up dairy, this can still be on the menu!

~Blueberry Banana “ice cream”~

And finally, for dessert, some are faced with the challenge of giving up sweets. This is where you’ll find that lent can be a good way to come up with new, healthy alternatives! You must try this outrageously easy, 2-ingredient blueberry banana “ice cream” from Diethood using our Southern Selects sweet blueberries. It will keep you away from the sugar while still satisfying dessert cravings!

~Soba Noodles with Asparagus and Snow Peas~

If you get stuck in a rut trying to stick to your lent plan, this recipe from Cooking light will definitely pick you back up. The beautiful colors and fresh flavors are sure to give you a whole new appreciation for you veggies!