Ash Wednesday - Creamy Tuna A La King - 4 points

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, which means that my family will be attending church services to get ashes placed on our foreheads as preparation for the forty days of Lent. When I decided to join a liturgical church, I knew nothing about Lent. Now, it is my favorite season.

Ash Wednesday is a meatless day, as are all of the Fridays in the Lenten season. I have been watching the blogosphere for some delicious meatless recipes. Here is a list of the ones that particularly caught my eye and tempted my taste buds.

Pasta with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Feta and Arugula by Joanne

No Cream Creamy Cauliflower Soup by Victor

Chickpea Flour Flat Bread and Five Lentils Spicy Stew by Swathi

Very Veggie “Mac” n Cheese Spaghetti by Jess

Grilled Goat Cheese and Nutella Sandwhich by Amy

Saintly Soup by Brownieville Girl

                                                                                                                                           

Homemade White Mac and Cheese by Tiffanee

Tomato Garlic Soup with Cheese Tortellini by Heather

Red Cabbage and Vegetable Noodles from Rebecca

Black Bean and Corn Soup by Rebecca

Arancini di Riso-Sicilian Rice Balls

Tomato, Barley Soup by Mateja

French Toast Stuffed with Pear, Camembert, and Avocado by France 

Here is one of my own making, a version from a Betty Crocker cookbook. I am a fan of fresh tuna. If you have never had a fresh, tuna steak, you must treat yourself to one. You cannot beat the meaty, thick, bite that you get from a tuna fillet.

Creamy Tuna A La King
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup seasoned flour
1 1/2 cups light, seasoned soy milk
1 cube vegetable bouillon
1 1/4 cups water
12 oz tuna steak
16 oz fresh mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

1. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or kitchen spritzer. Add tuna steaks to skillet; cook 3-5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove from heat; cube.
2. Wipe skillet, reheat, and spray with non-stick cooking spray or kitchen spritzer. Add pepper and onion, stir frying until peppers are tender crisp.
3. Stir in flour. Cook until flour has fully coated the vegetables and the mushrooms begin to shrink.
4. Stir in milk, vegetable bouillon, and water. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute. Stir in tuna and reheat.
5. Yields 4, 4 point servings

I think that it is interesting that fish is considered a vegetarian dish. Do fish not live? But, for the purposes of the church and the world in general, fish is apparently a vegetable. Interestingly, according to the Catholic church, beavers and puffins are also considered fish and are okay to eat on Fridays. Alas, I am a Methodist, so I guess I won't be making beaver stew anytime soon.