Ideas for Lent:

Fish from clean waters contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and essential amino acids. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish per week. Tomatoes provide fiber, vitamins A and C, and the antioxidant licopene. Combining fish and tomatoes with the smooth texture of sour cream will provide a mouth-watering meal.

Bake

Rinse and pat dry fish such as tilapia, flounder or orange roughy and place in a baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the fish half-way and then top with a blend of stewed or fresh chopped tomatoes, shredded Parmesan cheese, minced onion, halved garlic cloves, oregano, pepper and sour cream. Squeeze the juice from fresh lemons over the cooked fish before serving on rice and top with dried parsley to add color to the fish meal.

Pan-Fry

Rinse, pat dry and rub a mixture of flour, bread crumbs, paprika, parsley and pepper over both sides of boned fish such as sole, cod or tilapia. Place the coated fish in a fry pan with hot olive oil and brown on both sides. Add a mix of cubed tomatoes, sour cream, snipped chives, pressed garlic cloves, lemon zest and oregano or marjoram to the pan fried fish and continue cooking until the fish flakes easily.

Sandwiches

Grill salmon steaks that have been lightly coated with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Top the cooked salmon steaks with thick tomato slices and sour cream that has been whisked with crushed garlic cloves and dill. Serve the dressed salmon steaks between two thick slices of toasted bread such as Texas toast, rye or ciabatta bread. For a quick sandwich, blend imitation crab meat with sour cream, fresh dill and finely minced, sweet onions. Serve the crab blend on sandwich bread with Roma or beefsteak tomato slices and lettuce.

Pasta

Boil whole wheat rigatoni and blend with a simmered mix of tomato sauce, tomato slices, chopped red, yellow and green bell peppers, sliced black olives, oregano, garlic and pepper. Fill a platter with the pasta blend and then top the pasta with cooked white fish or salmon and sliced lemon rounds. Place a large dollop of sour cream that has been mixed with dill and lemon juice on top of the fish. You can also blend light, canned tuna with angel hair pasta, small chunks of tomatoes, sour cream, extra virgin olive oil, capers and fresh oregano.