Fat Tuesday has come and gone. Carnival, also known as Mardi Gras, is over and we are now in Lent — a time when millions of people fast and refrain from eating meat.

Fasting before Easter dates back to the earliest days of Christianity. Saint Athanasius’ writings dated to 339 A.D. claims Lent was a 40-day fast the entire world observed. Many believed fasting at other times was by choice, but not fasting at Lent was a sin. In its beginning, Lent was not only a fast of meat but of wine as well.

Lent is determined by the date of Easter, which changes annually. Since 1970, the Roman Rite states Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Maundy Thursday Night, or the evening before the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Lent by the Roman Rite lasts 44 days, but some denominations practice a 46-day Lenten period.

No matter how long the Lent fast is, we still have to eat. Food is always at the center of things when you get down to the nitty gritty.

Since meat is generally out of the question one must be creative in their meal choices. Fish can be consumed on certain days during Lent but there are many more options out there with measl such as vegetarian enchilada bake, cashew stir fry or a delicious Moroccan vegetarian stew.

Those are just for starters. There are so many more tasty substitutes that you could very possibly eat a different meal for dinner during Lent for years.

With a little bravery and courage, anyone can whip up meals for Lent that can also incorporate into everyday life after the fast ends. Lent may be a fast from certain foods but the foods you can partake in do not have to be bland.

If you observe Lent, become an artist and dive in and experiment. Like always make a recipe one way and if it is not to your liking, tweak it. I am sure that you will come up with plenty of tasty dishes that will disappear in the blink of an eye.