Lent + Chrissy Teigen's Cookbook + A Recipe

For the past several years, I have participated in Lent. I did not grow up doing Lent. I grew up in a southern baptist church and had never even really heard of Lent until I was in college. My best friend in college was/is catholic and I became very fascinated when she would give up chips or sodas each year and decided I wanted to do it too. Still, my family doesn't observe it but it has something I have grown to love doing each year.  

Some years I take it more seriously than others. Like some years I have given up sugar or meat for those 40 days. Other years, I've only worn matching socks or always worn my seatbelt when in a vehicle. I really like to participate in Lent and I think anyone can benefit from it, regardless of their religious affiliations. I like to challenge myself and start new habits that are good for me. I mean, I've worn a seatbelt every time I've been in a moving vehicle since 2014 and I've been wearing matching socks every day since the beginning of lent in 2016.

This year for Lent, I'm being a little more hardcore. I am fasting. From sun up to 3pm. Not being quite as hardcore as many who fast from sun up to sundown but still hardcore enough for my standards. 

But also, since I'm not eating most of the day, I am treating myself to fabulously amazing and delicious foods every night for dinner. I am cooking through Chrissy Teigen's cookbook, Cravings (affiliate link). There are so many amazing sounding and looking recipes in it and I am so excited. There are also a few I'm not so sure about, but I'm going to try to cook as many of the recipes as I can during Lent, even if they don't sound awesome to me - like hot dog soup.

We're only a few days into Lent and I've already cooked about 8 of the recipes out of the book. I'm not going to share all of the recipes cause that would be super rude (and illegal probably) but I will share a few of my favorites, with any changes I've made. I'm trying to stick to the exact recipes but I've deviated a little bit. Like a couple of the recipes she says to use a certain kind of hot sauce and I seriously just bought like a gallon of a similar but different brand hot sauce, so I'm just using that. Also, I love Tapatio hot sauce with all of my heart but I'll save that for another post.

Here are the things I have made so far (some of these aren't the exact names of the recipes):

• Cheesy Cheeseless Tomato Eggs
• Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake
• Garlic Bacon
• Chrissy's Hamburgers with Onion Rings
• Brussels Sprouts Salad
• Skillet Tomato Sauce Eggs with Prosciutto
• Oatmeal Casserole
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Cheesy Armadillo Bread
• Secretly Spicy Deviled Eggs
• Hawaiian Pizza Stuffed Jalapenos
• Hawaiian BLT Sliders

Most things have been amazing but TBH, I haven't loved everything but I guess that is to be expected! Another TBH, I didn't even try the deviled eggs because 1) I have never eaten a deviled egg and was reluctant to end that streak and 2) my husband ate them all before I got around to it. I didn't like the Dutch Baby Pancake but my husband LOVED it. Everything else has been truly delicious. And believe it or not my favorite meal has been Brussels Sprouts Salad and Chicken Noodle Soup.

Skillet Dutch Baby Pancake

garlic bacon with cheesy tomato eggs

Hawaiian BLT Sliders

Brussels Sprouts Salad