Going meatless for Lent—a sacred and holy time for those who practice—is one of the many acts of sacrifice during this solemn season. Whether skipping meat on Fridays or committing to a meatless journey until Easter Sunday, it’s undoubtedly challenging for those practicing abstinence.
If you’re running out of ideas and looking for meatless options that aren’t seafood, visit Joel’s Place and find these alternatives for your Lenten menu:
The Grocer
The Grocer is home to various local produce and international favorites—the perfect spot to shop your meat alternatives!
Take mushrooms for example; while they may not taste exactly like meat, mushrooms are a great source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants and have the umami flavor people crave in meat. Several types of mushrooms are available at Joel’s Place like King Oyster, Shimeji, and Portabello.
Cauliflower is another great alternative to meat. Its florets offer a crunch and texture similar to chicken especially once roasted, fried, or baked. Plus, they are also perfect for making soups and casseroles.
If you’re looking for an alternative to red meat with similar health benefits, beans and legumes are excellent choices—they are a great source of protein, fiber, and iron. Siete’s Vegan Refried Pinto Beans and Field Day’s Organic Dark Red Kidney Beans, Black Beans, and Pinto Beans are perfect to mix on your favorite Mexican rice, add-ons to your salads, or serve as a dip or soup.
Tofu, another meat alternative and probably the most popular among all, is a versatile ingredient that can easily absorb the flavors of your favorite dishes. It has different firmness levels but the most common is firm tofu which you can easily find and buy at Joel’s Place. It’s high in protein and a good source of iron, calcium, manganese, and vitamin B5 making it a healthy alternative to your meat dishes. Crumble them to replace dishes that need ground meat or slice them and stir-fry.
The Deli
The options are endless at Joel’s Place because we also offer meatless meals this Lent. Drop by at The Deli and check out our Lenten specials:*
- Green Goddess Tofu: A vegan dish made with fried tofu tossed in creamy egg-free cilantro dressing.
- Watermelon Gazpacho: A Spanish-inspired vegan cold soup made with tangy tomatoes and sweet watermelon.
- Breaded Tofu in Red Curry Sauce: A Golden-fried tofu in Thai-style red curry sauce
- Salmorejo: A Spanish-style chilled soup made from a blend of tomatoes, bread, olive oil, garlic, and red wine vinegar, garnished with a hard-boiled egg.
Other Lenten-friendly Deli staples that you might want to try:*
- Veggie sides: Sautéed French Beans, Roasted Broc with Blue Cheese, Creamed Spinach
- Salads: Quinoa, Potato, Waldorf, Corn
- Soups: Mushroom, Onion
- Sandwiches: Veggie Sandwich
- Skewers: Grilled Zucchini, Grilled King Oyster, Corn on the Cobb
- Mains: Tofu Sisig, Tofu Curry
*Please note that we rotate our menus at The Deli to give our customers a wide variety of dishes. Visit us in-store to see what's available and fresh for the day.
Food photography by Hermes Singson. Food styling by Denisse Audrey Tenorio.
