Monastic Diet - A Lenten Menu This is a list of dishes proper for lent. It is all vegetarian with the main ingredients being fresh vegetables. Frozen vegetables would be a good substitute but if that is not possible to get well-preserved canned vegetables are acceptable. The other main ingredient is olive oil. However if that is not possible to get, good quality vegetable oil is a good substitute. Onions, fresh or dried oregano, mint, dill and parsley always accompany these dishes for taste, color and appearance. Lemon, vinegar and garlic are always added for taste. 1. Kolokithakia Vrasta – Boiled Squash w/ olive oil and lemon 2. Mpamies yahni – Okra baked in the oven 3. Fasolakia kokkinista – Green beans in red sauce 4. Mpizelia yahni – Peas in red sauce 5. Mpriami – Squash and potatoes in the oven 6. Agginares yahni – Artichokes baked in the oven 7. Lahano yahni – Cabbage with ice in red sauce 8. Spanakoryzo – Spinach with rice in red sauce 9. Gemista – tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and squash staffed in the oven 10. Ntolmades – staffed grape leaves or cabbage leaves 11. Melitzanosalata – Eggplant baked 12. Skordalia – Garlic sauce with potatoes 13. Gigantes yahni – lima beans baked in the oven 14. Salads – tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, cabbage, potatoes, makaroni 15. Olives 16. Peppers – Fried in olive oil 17. Ryzi lemonato – rice and vegetables in lemon sauce 18. Keftedes – kolokythokeftedes, tomatokeftedes, patatokeftedes 19. Patates – potatoes fried, baked or boiled 20. Laxana vrasta – Endive, dandelions or Greens boiled w/ olive oil and lemon 21. Fakes – Lenten soup 22. Fasolada –Bean soup 23. Psomi – Breads fresh or dried, plain or mixed with dry vegetables 24. Frouta - Fruits fresh, frozen or preserved 25. Glyka – Sweets like halva, samali, cakes w/ oil base 26. Ksyroi karpoi – Dried nuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, figs, Kali Sarakosti!!! March 2009 Theodore Georgacopoulos “The reason that fasting has an effect on the spirits of evil rests in its powerful effect on our own spirit. A body subdued by fasting brings the human spirit freedom, strength, sobriety, purity, and keen discernment”. St. Ignaty Brianchaninov .