Ash Wednesday kicks off Lent, the 40-day journey toward Easter. According to Catholic traditions, Catholics abstain from eating meats on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all other Fridays during the period of Lent. The attitude "to give up something", in this case the fasting and abstinence from meat, is considered as a sacrifice.

More than just a ritual acts, fasting or having a meat-free diet for a period of time can be part of a healthy lifestyle. A study published recently in the journal Cell shows that people in their middle age could face a high risk of developing diabetes and cancer when eating a high-protein diet. Therefore, Lent can be a good opportunity to cut off meat once a week to have a healthier body since meat is high in protein and saturated fat.

Staying away from meat might seem restrictive for some but it's actually not challenging as you think. What's more, making a meatless meal doesn't mean to sacrifice flavor. Below are top 5 meat-free recipes from various countries which are healthy and tasty for every appetite.

French Provencal Tomato Rice Soup

 

With just 30-mintue cooking time, this is an easy and comfort food for Lent. Provencal herbs serve a great deal in enhancing the taste of tomatoes in this flavored soup. Rice cooked directly in the tomato paste helps add thickness to the soup. Serve hot with parsley and basil.

Spanish Salmon con Almejas- Salmon and Clams with Green Sauce Recipe

This is typical Spanish seafood recipe is easy and quick to cook. Made with parsley and garlic, together with a small amount of white wine, green sauce is known as classic Spanish sauce. In this recipe, clams are steamed separately from salmon or fillets which are cooked in olive oil. Both salmons and clams are then mixed with green sauce.  

Mexican Chile Relleno

Originated in the city of Puebla, Chile Relleno includes a stuffed, roasted, fresh poblano pepper. In the U.S, Chile Relleno is popular in the state of New Mexico. Beside tomato sauce, Chile Relleno can also be served in red or green chile sauce.

Chinese Steamed Fish

This simple but elegant recipe couples fish with Chinese black bean. Fresh whole fish is steamed with seasoning mixture of ginger, vegetable oil, black beans, garlic, salt, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil for 10 minutes. It is served with any vegetable, meat or poultry.

Peppers and eggs

This recipe for grilling peppers and eggs is perfect Lent recipe for busy families. Can be made easily on an grill pan, this great meat-free main course doesn't take too much time and effort. It goes well with any type of peppers that can be cut in half vertically or horizontally to contain an egg.