Lent 2010 - I really need some advice

As usual, though I knew it was coming, I didn't really think about how to prepare for Easter until yesterday - Ash Wednesday. I'm not sure why I do that every year, but I put it off until I don't have any other choice, then decide what to do. Maybe one day I'll work on that.

As I thought about it yesterday, I really felt called to stop being so lazy about our health. I know that I do more than many to have healthy foods here to offer to my family but I know that I could do more. I know that I rely too much on carbs for all of us, but especially for me. I know that we could eat less meat than we do and I know that I could try harder not to let a processed food cross our doorstep.

Last summer, thanks to MotherHen68, I learned about adding unrefined coconut oil to my coffee which helped me to decrease my carb consumption by at least 50 percent. At the same time, I lost a whole dress size and saw other health benefits as well. Slowly, though, I have been adding back some of those carbs and I can feel the difference, not only in my clothes, but also in my health. My sinus have beens stuffy since before Christmas without much relief and that is about the time I started adding back a lot of bread and other baked things. If it is doing this to me, what is it doing to my family? I really want to make this change again, and I really want it to be permanent.

So, one of my goals for Lent is to drop most of the carbs from my diet again. In lent, this can be a challenge because of the meatless days. In the past, we always filled meatless requirements with carb heavy foods. It will require a change of mindset to come up with alternatives, but I must do it. And I also want to stay away from the typical Cajun Catholic Friday in Lent crawfish or fish fry scenario. I really don't find that kind of eating to be very sacrificial, at least not for me, lol.

So, I am asking for your help. Do you have any ideas for lower carb or carb free meatless meals? Salads and brothy soups are the only things that have come to my mind so far. Thank you in advance for your help :)