Some research into the Church and Vegetarians

Thought these were interesting, from 

The Word of Wisdom: the Forgotten Verses 

A discussion of Latter-day Saint (LDS or Mormon) beliefs and vegetarian principles

by Jim Catano

One of the most brilliant scholars to ever serve in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was John A. Widtsoe who had the additional perspective of a scientist as to the merits of a plant-based diet. He wrote in a book on the Word of Wisdom, "It was shown in the history of plant science that plants contain all the necessary food substances: proteins, fats, starches and the carbohydrates, minerals...water [and] vitamins. The Great builder of the earth provided well for the physical needs of His children. Countless varieties of edible plants, vegetables, cereals, fruits and nuts are yielded by Mother Nature for man's daily food. If one uses meat it must be used sparingly and in winter or famine only.... They who wish to be well and gain the promised reward stated in the Word of Wisdom must obey all of the law, not just part of it as suits their whim or their appetite, or their notion of its meaning." (The Word of Wisdom, a Modern Interpretation, 1950)

President Benson also remarked, "There is no question that the health of the body affects the spirit, or the Lord would never have revealed the Word of Wisdom.... Disease, fever and unexpected deaths are some of the consequences directly related to disobedience.... To a great extent, we are physically what we eat. Most of us are acquainted with some of the prohibitions of the Word of Wisdom...but what need additional emphasis are the positive aspects---the need for vegetables, fruits, and grain, particularly wheat. We need a generation of people who eat in a healthier manner." (Ensign, September 1988, p. 5)

There comes a time when all Latter-day Saints must ask themselves if they really believe the words they claim to have been inspired by God. Doctrine & Covenants 89: 18-21 makes these promises:

"...all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments," (let us NEVER forget that this is NOT just about food) "shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

"and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;" (and I take that to mean that there are some things about the Word of Wisdom, the Gospel of Christ, and about ourselves that we can NOT possibly know until we become exact in our performance of that principle.)

"and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint," (and how many Latter-day Saints beyond their early 20's can currently pass that test?)

"and I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them."

Most current Latter-day doctrinal instruction focuses on spiritual salvation. Based on the Word of Wisdom, however, it seems that those who follow the exact truths of this divinely inspired prophecy will also be given a shield against the sword of the angel of destruction even unto their "temporal salvation." (Doctrine & Covenants 89:2)

Elder George Q. Cannon warned, "Pestilence of various kinds which we are led to expect through the word of the Lord are yet to break forth...will have their effect in calling the Saints' attention to those laws of life and health." (Juvenile Instructor 27, May 15, 1892, pp. 690-1) I personally believe that those plagues may have already begun to unfold as the infectious and degenerative illnesses of our times, but Elder Cannon summarized the joyous antidote to this ominous specter. "This revealed Word of Wisdom embodies the most advanced principles of science in the condemnation of unclean or gluttonous appetites; and if it were implicitly obeyed by the human family, it would be a power to aid in a physical redemption of the race."

Wonder Pot - Eh?

I guess these are a thing now? Looks good

http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/05/italian-wonderpot/

Italian Wonderpot

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Total Cost: $6.52

Cost Per Serving: $1.09

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4 cups vegetable broth $0.52
• 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.32
• 12 oz. fettuccine $1.33
• 8 oz. frozen chopped spinach $0.79
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes $1.73
• 1 medium onion $0.43
• 4 cloves garlic $0.32
• ½ Tbsp dried basil $0.07
• ½ Tbsp dried oregano $0.07
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes $0.02
• freshly cracked pepper to taste $0.05
• 2 oz. feta cheese $0.87

Instructions

1. Add four cups of vegetable broth to a large pot. Break the fettuccine in half to make stirring easier later, and then add it to the pot. Also add the canned tomatoes (undrained), olive oil, frozen spinach, onion (thinly sliced), garlic (thinly sliced), basil, oregano, red pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper.
2. Make sure the ingredients are submerged under the liquid, place a lid on top of the pot, and then turn the heat on to high. Allow the pot to come up to a full, rolling boil over high heat then remove the lid and turn the heat down to medium.
3. Allow the pot to continue to boil over medium heat, without a lid, for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir the pot every few minutes as it cooks to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom, but avoid over stirring which can cause the pasta to become sticky and mushy. The pot must be boiling the entire time.
4. After the pasta is cooked, crumble the feta cheese over top and serve.

The Magical Fruit

Beans.  I love them.  Cheap, easy, nutritious, delicious.  I used to cook mine in a pressure cooker, but the movers lost my pressure gauge last summer (which I totally don't understand, since the gauge was stored inside the locked pot...seriously, guys?!) and thus forced me to find an alternative method. It turns out that slow cooker beans are easier anyway.  Who knew?  Of course, they still require some planning.  You still have to soak the beans overnight.  Given the slow cooker method, you also have to remember to work on dinner during breakfast, instead of deciding to throw together some beans an hour before you want to eat them.  I like that though, because you don't have to babysit a slow cooker like you do a pressure cooker.  Anyway, I just thought I'd post my method here in case any of you haven't happened upon it yet. 

Slow Cooker Beans

2 lbs. beans, soaked overnight and rinsed
4-5 C. water (enough to cover the beans by about an inch in your crock)
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3 T. Better Than Bullion soup base (vegetable or chicken)
1 tsp. dried basil or oregano
pinch dried red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste (added post-cooking) 

Add everything to the crock and cook on high for 3 hours.  Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for an additional 3-4 hours, or until they reach your optimal level of tenderness.  This cooking time may also vary slightly by bean variety (kidney will take longer than navy beans).

At this point, you've got options.  You can add a side of cornbread and serve your beans as soup.  You can strain the beans and mash them to make "refried", adding back in the cooking liquid to reach optimal consistency.  You can also fill quart-sized freezer bags with the beans and freeze them for future use in soups or other dishes (making canned beans obsolete...and doing the happy dance because yours taste better!).  I find it particularly helpful to freeze well-cooked navy beans.  Pureed, they become an excellent way to add creaminess and body to any vegetable soup.

One last recommendation: mix it up.  Different bean varieties contain different levels of various nutrients.  In general, the more colorful the better. 

Fresh and Fast Vegetarian, by Marie Simmons

I got this book for Christmas and have been cooking exclusively from it since we got home (because, you know, I gotta see if it's any good!).  So far, we are loving the recipes.  I will say that there isn't a single one of them that I haven't monkeyed with a tad to meet our tastes or to use what I already had on hand, but the results have been dynamite.  So far, here's what we've eaten:

• White Bean and Fennel Soup (I pureed half of the beans to thicken it and added some roughly chopped spinach)
• Red Rice Salad with Edamame, Tamari Walnuts and Ginger (next time I will use less ginger)
• Cabbage, Pineapple and Peanut Salad (also reduce the ginger and do NOT serve it with the Red Rice salad...that is just too much vinegar and ginger for one meal)
• Twice-Baked Potatoes with Roasted Poblano Chiles and Queso Fresco (not the healthiest offering in the book, but absolutely delicious.  You could serve this to company for sure!)
• Blistered Cherry Tomatoes with Balsamic (crazy easy and delicious)

Around half of the recipes are vegan, which is cool.  There aren't a ton of curries in this book (Megan!), and I feel like it uses fairly basic ingredients.  Nothing too crazy.  Most of the recipes take about 30-45 minutes to complete.  So there you go.  If you ever want the old-schoolness of an actual cookbook, I would recommend this one.  

Homemade Larabars (the ultimate snack)

German-Chocolate Fudge Bites

(credit goes to chocolatecoveredkatie.com)

(Makes 10-14 balls)
(I always double it)

3/4 cup pitted dates (I like Sunmaid, because they are softer.) (120g)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/16 tsp salt

2 tbsp cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder) I omit this, I think they are good sans cocoa if that's possible
 
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut (You can buy this at The Food Emporium in Shreveport)

1/3 to 1/2 cup raw pecans (I do half walnuts for the omega 3 adavantage)
 
optional: feel free to add some chocolate chips


Blend all ingredients together very well. (I recommend using a food processor.) Squish the dough together. (I transferred the dough to a plastic bag then smushed it together in the bag. It’s much less messy this way!) Roll into balls, cookie-cuttered shapes, or bars… or you can even use it for a pie crust!

Then I keep it in the fridge. They firm up a little and don't feel oily this way. 

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/fudge-baby-mania/

Her website offers TONS of variations so you have have fun with it.

Snacks

This needed it's own post. :) I have so much to learn from you guys.

• We do a lot of nuts and dried fruit, 

• or just apple or orange slices. 

• Popcorn is always good (we pop our own and so control the toppings). 

• Salsa is good with cucumber slices instead of chips. 

• I love cornbread muffins, 

• pumpkin bread, 

• banana bread, or 

• healthy muffins. 

• I love chocolatecoveredkatie.com for healthy versions of some of my favorite treats that can load up the calories if I make them with butter, oil, or whatever. Her recipes are usually quick to make. 

• I love her oatmeal pancakes too. Those types of snacks will keep me satisfied for 2-3 hrs if we are on the go or I just need something quick. They freeze well too. 

• A "man" snack we like is a combo of nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cashews, etc). They are great raw and you can buy them in bulk at sunflower market. Pumpkin seeds that are already husked are much easier to eat, are high in protein and fiber, and can be very filling. 

• Like sometimes instead of carrots and celery, 

• we have cucumbers and peppers, 

• or tomatoes and olives. 

• Dry cereal is easy and tasty--especially granola.

Here are some quick meals I feed Kellan:


Breakfast

• 1. Oatmeal with canned coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen brand. I just open it and put it in a mason jar in my fridge and add it to stuff he eats). I also add hemp seeds for omega 3s.
• 2. Oatmeal, stir in peanut butter or almond butter. 
• 3. Green smoothies: 1 c almond milk/orange juice, 1 banana, 1 c frozen fruit, 1/2-1 c spinach. 

snacks

• 1. larabars
• 2. vegan chocolate mousse (great alternative to pudding, I’ll add the recipe)
• 3. PB&J sandwich
• 4.Target carries “happy puffs” that are great and easily portable. Made with really good ingredients and they added dehydrated veggies like kale or sweet potato.

easy meals

• 1. refried beans stirred into tomato soup (I like the kind the comes in the box from Pacific.) So good and "creamy"!
• 2. baked beans with baked (or microwaved) sweet potato cubed
• 3. avocado with refried beans
• 4. coconut rice (use canned coconut milk for up to 1/2 of the liquid when you cook rice. I’ll send you the recipe.) Serve with black beans or green peas (Kellan loves peas and they count as a legume!)
• 5. Split pea soup
• 6. Frozen veggies microwaved (a softer option and still have a lot more nutrients than canned), and sliced olives
• 7. Chili
• 8. Whole wheat pasta (just cook it and eat it like a finger food—usually pretty good source of plant-based protein and whole grain).
• 9. Hummus (Kellan would eat this straight from the spoon!) or mix into pasta or dip with bread.

Faux Ground Beef- musing of my mind

Okay, this is really just the Lentil Taco Meat all over, 

BUT (I'm really silly excited about this right now)

I just made up 1lb of lentils with a few carrots, a whole onion and about 1 1/2c celery and used Beef stock for the liquid. 

We used it tonight for gound beef in our Sloppy Joes, and tomorrow I'm using it in my lasagna. There have been some recipes that I miss meat for and I'm super excited that I can so easily use this lentil mix. I'm contemplating throwing in some cooked wheat berries next time for some added texture.