From My Kitchen...

I thought I'd add some homemaking touches to this blog, including recipes, gardening tips, etc from time to time, especially as I'm not doing much 'teaching writing' at this time.

A number of years ago as I faced multiple health issues that left me unable to take care of my home and family as well as I needed to, I went looking for answers. I know I've written about it on here before, but for the sake of a brief reason for why I cook the way I do, I summarize here again. I was first introduced to Hallelujah Acres, then to Dr Joel Fuhrman, then to his colleagues (Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, T. Colin Campbell, and others) who share many similar recommendations for healing and for preventing many of the diseases Americans struggle with (did you know that heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc are all preventable?). I became fascinated with how quickly I felt better when I started eating more plants and less animal/oil/sugar. I am not a vegan and probably won't be one as long as I live with my husband and children (; but I do realize that Americans are very overdosed in these foods. VERY. So we have adjusted our diet to eat more plants (for thousands of years plants have been the staple of the diets in many countries) and use home grown animals for flavoring many of our dishes, with the exception of the occasional grilled burger, or meatloaf meal. And we are happy with it.

That's a brief summary of why my recipes reflect this style of eating, and you can always adjust them to suit your style better, if you wish.

I have heard the hype on soy, and have tossed it around this way and that way untie, I have come to a conclusion for my own kitchen. I believe that non-gmo, organic whole soy is not only safe, since Asians have eaten it for generations with very little disease but it is also high in protein and very nutritious as well. I do not eat soy that has been isolated (some tofu has a small amount of this, but we do not eat fake meats, protein powders, etc made with soy proteins), because any food that you strip and eat mega portions of an isolated ingredient of it is not good for you in the long run. Foods have been created to be eaten whole so that your body can use the different parts of it together. So we do eat some soy and the following recipe reflects that.

Aunt Cia's Cream

1 box (12ish oz) extra firm silken tofu

1 cup almond or soy milk

1/4 c sugar 

(or experiment with sugar/stevia combo)

1 T vanilla extract

8 oz soy cream cheese

2 T lemon juice

Blend in a Ninja or Vitamix type blender until smooth.

Use with fresh fruit, or for the filling for fruit pizza,

or as a side 'frosting' for zucchini or carrot cake.

The Lost Prince...

On Sunday evening, we enjoyed a praise service led by Robin Mark from Ireland. I was really blessed by all the words from the songs he led, most of them taken straight from the Psalms. When he introduced his band members, I was blown away by the story he told of the drummer in his band. I found another person's record of it here, and I chose to share her words here because it is such a good story, and has many spiritual lessons in it. We were lost princes and princesses, too and the King found us and claimed us for His own as well. I hope you enjoy this story like I did:

"While introducing his band, Robin Mark arrived at his drummer and with a smile this Irishman told us he would keep the story short; ha. Keeping stories brief is not the strong suit of any of my relatives. I knew we were in for a good one. This is how he introduced his drummer...

(Side note - if any incorrect details are apparent, please post a comment with the correction. I only heard this tale once, but some stories simply must be repeated at the risk of some minor occurances of misinformation.) 

In the 1960's, a young man came from Nigeria to study in Belfast. 

While there, he fell in love with an Irish woman. 

After a while the young woman became pregnant, 

and when word of this soon-to-be grandchild found it's way to Nigeria,

 the young man's father collected his son, 

bringing him home in shame. 

Letter after letter was sent from the young man to the mama-to-be,

 who ripped up each one without examination. 

As such, the young woman remained ignorant of the truth

 about the child's father, 

why he left and of the blood ran in the veins 

of the child she was carrying.

32 years later, no longer a child, 

Nicky decided it was high time he spoke to his father.

 After a few security hoops,

 the phone was finally connected 

to the right office in London,

"Hello? Who is this?"

"This is Nicky McWilliams."

"..." ... "I've been waiting on this call for 32 years."

Unbeknownst to him,

 a young man born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, 

Nicky was the son of a Nigerian Tribal King. 

His father now occupied the throne. 

Nicky was by rights, a Nigerian Prince. 

Soon after, Nicky was flown to Nigeria to meet his family

 and to be a part of an adoption ceremony

 (in which he had to dance - Mr. Mark says he saw a video of this 

and has to testify that his drumming abilities 

come from the African connection, 

but his dancing legs have Belfast written all over them).

At a banquet held for the extended royal family 

while Nicky was visiting, his father, the King, stood up.

 "For the past 32 years, at every banquet held for this family,

 a portion of meat has been set aside, for the long-lost prince. 

Today, we do not need to set a piece aside. 

My son, finally, is here."

Mr. Mark then motioned to his drummer and requested of the audience, 

"Would you now all join me in welcoming to the stage, 

PRINCE Nicky McWilliams!"

I love this. 

The man didn't become a prince at the moment of realization

 at the age of 32. Although he had not been aware, 

he had been a prince his whole life. His surroundings,

 his paycheck, his up-bringing, his circumstances, 

his fame, or lack-thereof, 

did not take away from the truth 

of who he really was. 

What an illustration!"

(I understand from what I heard on Sunday that

the mama-to-be threw away the letters without

reading them because she felt that her child's father

had abandoned them and she did not understand

why he had left so suddenly and without warning).

I was so blessed to hear this story

and to think about it that

I am royalty. I have been royalty

even when I was eating the

husks from the pigs' food.

I am redeemed royalty now.

The King of Heaven is my Lord,

and I am so blessed to be His daughter,

and to serve Him with my life.

He is more than anyone or anything

could ever be in this world or in the next.

Hallelujah!

Wonderful Words of Life...

Wonderful Words of Life...

Wonderful Words of Life...

In Psalms and Hymns...

He Hideth My Soul

My current favorite song.

As I sat with the Lord one morning

 last week,

I had this song playing.

The Lord gave me a sweet picture

of a cave surrounded by dry,

dusty desert and burning heat.

Inside the cave, I sat alone

with God,

in refreshing coolness.

There was a cozy fire flickering

to light the darkness,

and behind where I sat,

there was a huge river,

with plenty of 

water to slack any thirst

in my soul.

It was a special moment.

I am so blessed to be

hidden in the cleft of the Rock,

and to have water in 

abundance, tho I walk

thru the desert of this

old sinful world.

Enjoy the song.

It is beautiful.

Character Qualities...

Cabbage Roll Soup

After browsing Pinterest 

this afternoon, 

I found a recipe for

 Cabbage Roll Soup

 that looked fabulous 

and fit my dietary choices

 at the moment, 

so I made my own version of it 

for supper tonite.

Cabbage Roll Soup

About half lb ground beef, 

browned and seasoned

2 onions, chopped

Add 4 cups chopped green cabbage

4 c water or beef broth

4 cups crushed tomatoes 

or juice 

1 T salt

1 T soy sauce

1 T dried oregano

1 T dried bell pepper seasoning 

I had on the shelf

2 T sugar

Simmer til cabbage is soft. 

Add 4 c cooked brown rice.

Serve with grated Parmesan,

 if desired.

The whole family gave their 

enthusiastic endorsement 

to this recipe, so I felt I accomplished something! :) 

You cooks in families know how it can be sometimes,

to hit a recipe the whole family raves over.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, too.

Wonderful Words of Life...

A Small Change...

As I find myself entering a new season of my life, 

and pondering deeply what that means for me,

 I pause here to say that while I'm keeping this blog open,

 I won't be doing any personal writing in it for awhile.

 If you care to stop by to find encouragement others have 

written and have blessed me with, please do! 

I am keeping this blog open for now for that reason:

 to encourage the saints.

God bless and keep you on your journey of life. 

Currently, I am at a place of deep pondering and quiet desperation,

 seeking His direction personally on some things

 relating  to me in my family. 

He is faithful to bring 

wisdom and direction in His time and way. 

Pray for me, as you think of it, if the Lord lays it upon your heart.

The devil is busy, and I want to finish well.

I pray you are all well in body and soul, 

seeking Him while He may be found, 

calling on Him while He is near.

Love and blessings,

Marcia