There are many beautiful icons of the Temptation of Jesus, but this painting by Duccio captures the essense of our Lenten journey with Christ in the desert. After being driven to the desert to fast for 40 days and be tested (not as a trick or pop quiz, but to model for us and to teach the way we make our spiritual battle), He commands Satan away, with the angels waiting to attend Him.

Jerome is doing so well keeping to his diet as well as our Lenten fast. It is really hard on him, especially the bread part. He missed that. I found a chickpea flour bread that was both safe for his diet and Lenten, so I am going to try to make it this week. We are doing pretty well either having an easy alternative for him in our meals or making meals that he can join us in as a family. There were these tiger nut "tortilla" chips at the Grocery Outlet, and they are safe for his diet, and taste good, and were really inexpensive. They taste almost like a cross between corn and flour, so they are rather versatile, too. We crushed them up as the breadcrumbs for the topping on his "macaroni" and cheese, and he has used them instead of tortillas when we have burritos and uses the filling we do as a topping.

We are still eating dairy and eggs and some fish on Sundays, and it was amazing how good scrambled eggs tasted after only four days of not eating any. It makes you appreciate such simple goodness. Most of our menus are Lenten for both East and West. This year of such a long separation between our observance has us praying more fervently for unity. That is a Lent the Church must endure, but it will bring a glorious Resurrection.

This week is also the feast of one of my favorite saints, Saint Polycarp, who was taught directly by Saint John the Evangelist. So much of what we know about the Apostles' teaching comes from him and men like him. Take some time to read his martyrdom, and his life. His faith is a model for ours. The early church used his bones as a lesson to catechumens that in choosing Christ, they were choosing martyrdom. It is a good thing to remember during Lent.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Salsa and Cheese with Toast, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Macaroni & Cheese (using tapioca starch in place of the flour in the sauce, and using butternut squash "noodles" for Jerome), Salad, Fruit Plate
• Monday
  Breakfast: Avocado Toast with Shallot Salt (Avocado and Cottage Cheese for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey or Coffee
  Dinner: Fried Cauliflower with Taratoor, Muhammarra* and Tamis (Tiger Nut Chips for Jerome), Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
• Tuesday - Saint Polycarp of Smyrna
  Breakfast: Ful with Chopped Tomatoes and Sah'awiq with Toast (no toast for Jerome), Kalamata Olives, Sliced Apples, Mint Tea with Honey or Coffee
  Dinner: Black Bean Chili, Chopped Onions, Cilantro, Avocado and Jalapeno, Fried Corn Tortilla Strips (or Tiger Nut Chips), Fruit Plate
• Wednesday - Saint Matthias
  Breakfast: Scrambled Garbanzo Beans with Roasted Red Peppers, Tea with Honey or Coffee
  Dinner: Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Cous Cous (or Cauliflower Rice), Harissa, Sliced Oranges
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples (or Sliced Apples spread with Peanut Butter), Tea with Honey or Coffee
  Dinner: Chinese Chickpea Salad, Fruit Plate
• Friday - Saint Alexander of Alexandria
  Breakfast: Vegetable Hash with Black Beans, Sliced Oranges, Tea and Honey or Coffee
  Dinner: Thai Pumpkin Soup, Rolls (or Coconut Flour Biscuits), Fruit Plate
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Lenten Pancakes (or Chickpea Flour Pancakes with Berries and Almond Butter for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey or Coffee
  Dinner: Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce (Lettuce Wraps for Jerome), Fruit Plate

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday. Linking to Menu Plan Monday

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Fasting as a Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen