We have another major feast day this week, the Annunciation, and we are grilling fish! I love that the Annunciation comes just a little less than a week after the feast of Saint Joseph, that the heads of the Holy Family are celebrated so closely together. It is Elijah's birthday, and we were always so glad to have everyone celebrating with him on his day. We have always thought about Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin taking special care of him.

The Persian love cake we made for Valentine's Day was so good that we are making it again for the feast this week. We made it gluten and dairy-free, and you never would have known, so I am going to share the recipe with you, along with our modifications. It is a super simple cake to make, and so delicious. You will definitely want to make it.

The re-introduction of milk is going well, which will mean that Jerome can enjoy so much more of our Paschal feast next month. He, wisely, chose to introduce sesame next, since we eat so much with tahina in it, which also opens up several dishes and sauces for him then. The only food that his doctor thought might be a true allergy was the banana, and as he doesn't love them, it wouldn't be a great loss. Please pray that the rest of the tests go well for him.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Tahina Breakfast Bites (Gluten-free Toast with Almond Butter and Date Syrup for Jerome), Bananas (Orange for Jerome), Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Hummus, Muhamarrah, Balela (without the cheese), Khoubz Araby (Gluten and Dairy-free Turkish Flatbreads for Jerome), Kalamata Olives, Lenten Chocolate Orange Cake (Frozen Fruit Pops for Jerome)
• Monday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpeas with Roasted Red Peppers, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Grapefruit Halves, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Black Bean Chili, Tortilla Strips, Avocados, Chopped Red Onions, Chopped Cilantro, Canned Peaches
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Almond Butter Drizzle, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Broccoli and Almond Stir Fry, Garlic Fried Rice, Mandarin Oranges
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Avocado Toast with Citrus Shallot Seasoning and Sprouts, Home Canned Pears, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Shrimp and Vegetable Salad with Creamy Garlic Balsamic Dressing (Lenten), Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Brown Sugar and Raisins, Craisins, and Dried Blueberries (Grain-free Granola with Dried Fruit and Coconut Milk for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad, Corn Chips, Pineapple (Mangoes for Jerome)
• Friday - Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Honey, Sliced Oranges, Tea and Honey
  Dinner: Grilled Tuna, Đuveč*, Marinated Cucumbers, Persian Love Cake*
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Vegetable Hash Breakfast Burritos (Gluten-free tortillas for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Pasta (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Tomato and Eggplant Sauce, Salad, 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.

Labels: Annunciation, Birthday, Blessed Virgin, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Special Diet, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos