Autumn pumpkin dishes

Pancake week has flown by quickly - pancakes are eaten, offenses are forgiven. Lent is coming - the longest and strictest of the church fasts. While Shrovetide is greeted with enthusiasm, there are fewer people willing to fast for seven weeks. Meanwhile, it is a great opportunity not only to lose weight, but also to cleanse yourself spiritually and physically, to give your body a break from junk food. The body will thank you with a feeling of lightness, fresh complexion, sparkle in the eyes and high spirits. The main thing is to get the right attitude to fasting.

Great Lent is observed by believers in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ, who after his baptism went into the wilderness. The first six weeks of Lent are called "Holy Quadrity", and the seventh, the last week before Easter, is Holy Week. Hence the name Lent.

Many people think of fasting primarily as a restriction of food. However, the main purpose of fasting is to immerse a person in a spiritual atmosphere, helping him to gain the ability to introspect and evaluate the state of his soul. Restriction in food is a kind of a tool, a key to one's own soul. A side effect can be a general recovery of the body. We, modern people, will approach the observance of fasting creatively and try to extract a rational grain from it.

First, you do not have to be baptized or a believer to fast. You can think of it as a diet. Realizing that millions of people are also fasting gives you a sense of belonging to something important and gives you the strength and determination to endure the challenge. There are two feasts during Lent when you can afford fish and wine - the Annunciation and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.

Secondly, everyone chooses for himself how much and how to fast. There is no need to take up something that is beyond your ability - be sensible. If you are too attached to sweets, try to give them up at least. Beer lovers will be able to check their habit. This is how the Orthodox Church interprets the rules of fasting - everyone chooses his fast according to his strength.

General rules of fasting: you can not eat meat, fish, eggs, milk, butter, wine and eat more than once a day. On Saturdays and Sundays you can eat two meals a day. I suggest eating three times a day and give up meat, fish, eggs, butter, baked goods and sweets. To exclude cottage cheese, milk and yogurt is overkill because these foods are important suppliers of protein and calcium.

Now let's diversify our Lenten menu with pumpkin dishes - a real treasure trove of useful substances. Pumpkin is rich in vitamins A, C, B, E. Regular consumption of pumpkin dishes helps to cope with fatigue, irritability and insomnia, improves the condition of hair and nails. Pumpkin is a champion in iron content, so pumpkin lovers are doomed to a good complexion and cheerful mood. Pumpkin seeds are also useful, containing many minerals. I advise you to buy pumpkin of more orange color - it is sweet and tasty. Here are some simple and useful recipes for dishes from pumpkin.

Millet porridge with pumpkin
For the recipe you will need:

0,5 kg of pumpkin
1 cup of millet
2 cups of milk
1 cup of water
1 tbsp. sugar
Wash millet, pour boiling water, put on low heat. After 15 minutes, when the groats swell, pour milk, salt and cook until ready. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes, sprinkle with sugar, stir. When the pumpkin releases its juice, sauté until soft. Stir the pumpkin into the porridge.

Baked pumpkin puree
For the recipe you will need:

0.5 kg of pumpkin
2-3 tbsp. sugar
Cut the pumpkin into large pieces, place in a saucepan, cover with sugar, add a little water and put in the oven. When the pumpkin becomes soft, rub it into a puree, adding a little hot cream. You can use it as a garnish or as a base for dishes. For a subtle flavor, add celery, fried onions and spices.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup
The recipe will require:

1 kg pumpkin
1 onion
3-4 garlic cloves
1 tsp. grated ginger root
Fry onion, garlic, ginger and pumpkin cut into pieces in vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour a liter of boiling water and cook until the pumpkin is cooked. Grind into a puree, bring to a boil and serve with cilantro, sour cream and rye breadcrumbs.

Greek Pumpkin
The recipe will require:

1 kg pumpkin
400 g tomatoes
100 g tomato paste
Cut the pumpkin, fry in olive oil with salt and pepper. Transfer to a wok, add the roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic and basil. Braise over low heat. Serve with tomatoes, sour cream and herbs.