A New Way of Thinking About Food

   In honor of the most "famous" celebrity I believe I have met so far, I will attempt to blog in a similar fashion to Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. She is quite a woman - blogger, rancher wife, mother of 4, homeschooler, cook, gardener, photographer, etc. Along with a few friends from church, I had the special opportunity to meet the "PW", as she is often called, last week at the ABQ Academy. Simm's Auditorium was one of her many stops in her speaking/book-selling tour (she just released a new cookbook "Food From My Frontier"). PW is known for her "simple - scrumptious - step by step" way of blogging recipes. She also intermixes stories from their ranch and pictures of her kids into her cookbooks. I love it.

    On a side note, Jacob and I have been adopting a more"whole foods, plant-based" way of eating as of late. This decision has been brewing for a long time. We have read and heard at cancer conferences about the incredible anti-cancer effects of a vegan diet: No animal products. Seems drastic, I know. But don't you think cancer/chemo/surgery/radiation or heart attacks & bypass surgery are way more extreme alternatives?! Some studies have shown the potential for tumor regression (it shrinks in size) with this diet, and it is recommended as the best way to prevent cancer. After overcoming cancer twice, Jacob decided that if he had the ability to decrease his risk of relapsing again, he would make the most of it. We want to be the best stewards of our bodies as we can. I Corinthians 10:31 says "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Paul also writes, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." [I Cor 6:19-20]

Recently we watched a documentary (thru Netflix) called "Forks Over Knives". Watch the trailer:

     It really is an interesting way of looking at how the food we eat affects our bodies. I like how you see statistics, you see research studies, and hear from experts, not just the personal testimonies. The idea that our bodies were originally created to consume 100% plant-based nutrition (no meat consumption in the Garden), as well as the fact that the leading cause of death (heart disease) among Americans is PREVENTABLE should make you think!! Casein, protein found in all animal products, is terrible for your heart and vascular system. What if Americans could reverse atherosclerosis, Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, etc?

   I digress. We hope to continue learning about this way of eating and checking out the research, and will share what we learn with you. Anyways, back to the recipe I wanted to share with you!!!  

Veggie Hummus Sandwich 

 
Step 1: Find a yummy WHOLE grain bread. Make sure that you look at the label and the 1st ingredient should start with the word "whole" --- not enriched grains, unbleached wheat, etc. We recently discovered the following Ezekial 4:9 bread.

 

Step 2: Wash and thinly slice your favorite raw veggies! We chose red bell pepper, cucumber, roma tomato, carrots and romaine lettuce. With the help of a mandolin (be VERY careful), this is a cinch! You could also use fresh spinach, mushrooms or alfalfa sprouts. The veggies keep well, so wrap up the leftovers in the fridge and you'll have plenty for a few more sandwiches!!

 

Step 3: Spread your favorite hummus on both slices of bread, followed by layering of those colorful veggies!

Step 4: Cut sandwich in half & enjoy!

 

Bonus: Total cost for all ingredients = $14, which makes 10 sandwiches at $1.40/sandwich!!! Great for your budget, your heart, and your tummy!