The garden gives me so much inspiration for new recipes! The possibilities are endless, but a low acid pizza is on the top of my list today. Most of us enjoy a good pizza now and then. But for those of us who suffer from acid reflux, it’s one of the hardest things on our stomachs. That is why I’m using butternut squash to create my sauce on this low acid pizza. I’m also using part of my weekly bread dough for a fresh-milled crust. The abundance of vegetables in the garden this summer make this pizza easy to prepare.

Benefits of Low Acid Pizza

The best part of this low acid pizza is most of the toppings come straight out of the garden. A little kale, onions, and zucchini provide a nice variation for toppings, while the butternut squash makes a sweet and flavorful sauce. Of course, you don’t have to have a garden to enjoy these toppings, any local farmer’s market or grocery store can supply everything you need.

The multi grain crust provides a decent amount of B vitamins, essential amino acids, beta carotene, protein and fiber. At the same time, those delicious summer vegetables provide plenty of magnesium, manganese, calcium, and vitamin A. Fresh oregano and basil add just enough spice, while the chicken apple sausage (nitrate and nitrite free!) gives this low acid pizza more flavor and protein.

God is always looking out for us and giving us plenty of options to choose from. His gardens around the world just can’t be beat. Nothing compares to the benefits and antioxidants available in fresh greens and whole grains for our physical health. Moreover, he has provided abundantly for our spiritual health in his Word and his Son, Jesus!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1 ESV – Greeting – Paul, an apostle of Christ – Bible Gateway

I pray you find comfort in the steady promises of scripture…and this healthy low acid pizza today. If you’re struggling with eating healthier, I can give you plenty of ideas here, so look around! But if you need more than a few recipes to get you feeling better, I can help you there too, just check out the services page. I do group, individual, and family coaching!

The best part of using fresh milled flour for baking and sourdough bread is knowing all the goodness God created in the wheat is present in the bread! Learning about the ancient grains and bread making is also a treat to understand and incorporate in my daily life. I’ll give you a little history, tell you what I learned about making sourdough bread these past few months, and provide you a link to the easiest sourdough bread recipe I found. I’ll also place a link to the best video that showed me how to do it.

History of Sourdough

Although, evolutionists and Scientists teach humans were hunter gatherers before farming practices came to be, evidence is now emerging to tell a different story. Fourteen-thousand-year-old breadcrumbs from an archeological dig of Natufians in the area of the Jordan river reveal the remains of einkorn wheat, tubers, barley and oats (1). The new discovery dates flour making much older than previously thought and one researcher states maybe even as far back as hunter gathering times. It is a story similar to what we learn from Scripture.

The bible teaches that humans began farming practices with our first parent, Adam. After the fall, God told him he would work the ground in pain to eat of it all the days of his life. Among the thorns and thistles, Adam would eat the plants of the field by the sweat of his face (Genesis 3 18-19).

His son, Cain, was also a farmer. A worker of the ground, he brought to the Lord an offering from the fruit of the ground. Noah was told by God to take every sort of food that is eaten and store it up for his family and the animals (Genesis 6:21). After the flood, Noah became a man of the soil and planted a vineyard (Gen. 9:20).

 The arduous task of separating the chaff and grinding the grain into a fine flour for bread must have been worth the effort. The first bread was a type of flatbread still eaten in the middle east, while the Egyptians are credited with allowing the bread to ferment. Sourdough bread found in Switzerland, is dated 3700 BCE. The bread developed gases to expand the loaf and a piece of the dough was removed and saved for adding to a fresh batch.

It is thought the dough picked up yeast from the air in a form of spontaneous fermentation. Later, yeasts were developed by bakers to make yeasted breads. However only wheat and rye varieties have enough gluten to form raised loaves.

I started using the fresh milled flour for all of my baking in September of 2021. Over the next few months, I began noticing a difference in my energy level and lack of sugar cravings. A few months later, I realized I did not get my usual sinus headache and drainage during our musty Ohio valley spring weather. I had watched Sue Brecker’s “Bread of Life” tutorial on the benefits of grain and found everything she said to be true.

Although I’m not an affiliated with this company, I found the resources at Bread Beckers very helpful! So, I bought Sue’s little red book and began making the Zojirushi versatile bread recipe. After months of fresh milling flour, making my tortillas, and experimenting I became interested in sourdough bread. If shortages continue in the food industry, I don’t want to depend on yeast to make a loaf of bread. However, living off tortillas and flatbread like Israel did for Passover is fine with me!

But since I’m a geek and love to learn new things, sourdough baking appealed to me.

Here’s is What I learned About Sourdough Baking with Fresh Milled Flour

1. You need a good starter. A good starter is key to making a delicious loaf of bread. Don’t get me wrong, you can begin by making your own, but it will taste very sour when you do, and it won’t rise as well. I tried to make my own starter several times and it made a low rising bread with a beer-like taste. I’d almost give up until I met a very nice girl at a lady’s summit, and we started talking about food fermentation. She was kind enough to bring me some of her sourdough starter from Italy. She’s had this starter ten years! All I can say is…IT IS THE BEST! So, thanks Chaeney!
2. You need patience. This is not a quick process. In fact, it is going to take 12 to 24 hours to make a loaf of bread. So be patient. On the other hand, it is very easy and requires minimal ingredients. For instance, you need fresh-milled grain, water, salt and starter. That’s it! I pick one day a week to make bread and plan my day accordingly. Mornings work better for my schedule and the first thing I do is get it out of the fridge and feed the starter. It will sit on the counter for about 6-8 hours (depending on room temperature) and when it peaks (doubles in size and is still foamy) it is ready to go into my fresh milled flour. I do all my other chores but keep an eye on the starter. When I notice it has doubled, I begin to mill my grain.
3. Be prepared. I watched plenty of YouTube videos to get the process down. I suggest you do the same. It helps to see what to expect as people gather their supplies and show you how to knead the dough. Here is my favorite video that showed me how to do it, Easy Everyday Sourdough Bread: Full Method and Parchment Paper Baking Trick – YouTube. Find one that works best for you. My favorite recipe to use for this sourdough bread is at Savorthebest.com, it gives you step by step instructions also and alternatives to using a Dutch oven. I’ve done a Dutch oven, an iron skillet, and my loaf pans covered with aluminum foil…it tastes the same.

The fresh-milled wheat is very nice in the recipe above, but I use 4 cups instead of 4 and 1/4 cups. Most of the bakers I watched said to use a scale and measure in grams for best results. I have not done that, but I’m still experimenting. In applying the flour, water, and folding method, I look at the moisture of the dough and keep it sticky. I have not used the fridge to raise the dough overnight either.

Once you get comfortable making the bread with fresh milled flour, you can experiment with spices and making rolls. My bread is never perfect, but it tastes good. I was able to use the Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe to make cinnamon rolls this morning, and they were delicious. They were chewy on the inside and crusty on the outside, with a honey and cinnamon center.

I know God will bless you as you learn to master this process too! Have fun and remember, what God puts in the garden is good!

If you’re looking to learn more about fresh milled flour and baking with it let me know! You can attend a bread workshop in person or on zoom to get started. Also, if you need help getting healthy, I can help! Sign up here.

Below is a free download of my favorite grains and their nutritional value, it is available here and when you subscribe to my site! You’ll receive a weekly newsletter of tips, encouragement, and recipes! God bless you and enjoy your baking days.

A prep day with fresh-milled grains makes my life easier and more enjoyable. It also helps me stay on track with eating healthier. Last September I began watching Annette Reeder, the Biblical Nutritionist interview Sue Becker from Bread Becker’s. They were discussing the benefits of using fresh-milled grain in bread making.

I soon found myself watching more videos about the process and benefits. Sue’s video on The Bread of Life, a biblical and science-based class on the wheat kernel convinced me I needed to try the process. I soon ordered a refurbished grain mill from Nutrimill and my first pails of hard red and hard white wheat.

Needless to say, it has been an adventure and learning curve for me! But one I’ve enjoyed immensely.

Here’s what I Learned About Using Fresh-milled Grains:

1. Fresh-milled whole grain soaks up water slowly, be patient and don’t add too much too soon.
2. I have more luck with hard white and hard red for all baking, rather than soft White wheat. Soft white just did not work for my cookies or muffins, I’m not sure why.
3. My hair is thicker and healthier.
4. My husband’s cholesterol is now perfect, and his fingers no longer break out in the winter.
5. I did not get bronchitis last fall or this spring from seasonal allergies, like I usually do. In fact, after two months, I did not even get a sinus headache.
6. I am a meat eater, so I don’t have to worry about the phytic acid in grains depleting my ability to absorb minerals, and neither do you! The release phytates combine to cadmium and lead in the body and remove them. Plus, they play a role in lowering blood sugar. Another advantage to preparing all your goodies with fresh-milled grains.
7. Gluten free grains are also available and can be incorporated into recipes with some extra work, I try to share as many as I can because, several of my friends and family are gluten sensitive.

There is more, but I really want to talk about preparation day. I start with cooking a cup of quinoa then milling the grain and getting all my supplies ready.

Since my favorite thing in the kitchen to make is tortilla shells, I had to get that recipe right. I also use the Zojirushi recipe as a guide to make my weekly loaves of regular sandwich bread and adjust it for my breakfast bread. It’s very versatile and I can add what I like and remove what I don’t like.

I’ve noticed the sunflower lecithin does make a nice fluffy loaf, but it caused my friend, who has lupus, a lot of muscle discomfort. So, I no longer use it in my basic recipes, although I use eggs (which contains lecithin) but eggs don’t bother her…go figure.

Benefits of Fresh-Milled Grain

There are so many benefits to fresh-milled grain! I made a list on a pdf if you’re interested in checking out. The best way to maximize those benefits is to make a multi-grain loaf for yourself and your family. For instance, hard red wheat is highest in selenium (136 mcg per cup). Oats are highest in pantothenic acid (B5) and calcium. Soft white is highest in iron, while hard white is just a smidge higher than oats in zinc. Quinoa (the seed) is the powerhouse because it’s highest in protein, B6, folate, Vitamin E, choline, betaine, magnesium, and potassium.

God’s design and plan for our provision is always uplifting and exciting to me, and you’ll see my joy in the attached video of my bread making day below. I love how Deuteronomy 8:6-10 set up the promise of bounty for the nation of Israel as they are getting ready to enter the promised land. It will go well for them if they obey God’s commandments, just like it goes well for us physically, mentally, and spiritually when we obey.

So, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey,  a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper.  And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land as given you.

Deuteronomy 8:6-10 ESV – So you shall keep the commandments of – Bible Gateway

I read about Israel’s promises and can’t help but think about our own country’s foundation and Christian principles. We are beyond blessed to be given such good land here in the USA too! A land in which we have eaten without scarcity! It is so exciting to me to see God’s plan for all of His children continually unfolding. He is worthy of praise!

Here are my two favorite fresh-milled grain recipes to snack on as I prepare for my week of worship to our worthy Creator. I pray you find them enjoyable as well! Contact me if you want a workshop in person, at your church, social club, or on zoom! It’s one of my favorite things to do!

I’m really trying to get sourdough starter down, so I am not dependent on buying yeast for making bread. In the information age we live in there are so many voices and instruction to steer a person off course. It’s no wonder my first two sourdough starters failed. So, I’ve watched about four different Youtubers make their sourdough and I’ve settled on the one that makes the most sense. However, it requires wasting half the starter each day, so I had to come up with some sourdough starter waste ideas.

According to several reputable sources, sourdough bread is beneficial for feeding the good gut bacteria, decreasing thy phytic acid in the grain that competes with absorption of minerals, and it doesn’t spike blood sugar or insulin levels (1). A pretty impressive profile combined with the naturally occurring B vitamins, selenium, fiber, and protein found in whole grain bread.

Sourdough Starter Process

The first step in making my sourdough is to combine 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of water and mix well, the first day, while leaving it on the counter (lightly covered) at room temperature to ferment. The problem for me is a dark grey film spread over the top of the starter after 12 hours.

Not good.

I thought maybe I’ve had this fresh milled grain too long in the fridge and it’s bad, or my water is not as clean as I thought. So, I scraped all the grey stuff off and threw it away. Although the mixture didn’t’ smell bad, I decided to waste that completely and start with fresh milled grain, and twice filtered water.

The second day, you remove half the starter and add the same amount of flour and water, and repeat this process the third day, and twice a day the fourth and fifth day. So, what to do with the sourdough starter waste?

.

Below are the two recipes I decided to try with the sourdough starter waste…

Quiona, Peanut Butter & Whole Grain Pancakes

I take my sourdough starter waste and add 1/2 cup of quinoa, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. (I forgot to add an egg! But it didn’t need it after all). I grease my preheated cast iron skillet with a teaspoon of avocado oil or ghee and divide the batter into two small cakes. I lightly fry them on each side until golden brown. While they are cooking, I gather fresh or frozen strawberries and mangos and drizzle them with a teaspoon of maple syrup.

Once the pancakes are done, I top them with the fruit.

Sourdough Starter Waste Muffins

The second day I mix the sourdough starter waste with a half a cup of unsweetened almond milk and a cup of fresh milled whole grain flour to make muffins. My hubby’s favorite is below:

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Muffins

Take the sourdough waste and flour as mentioned above (1/2 cup starter, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 cup whole grain flour) and add 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup of peanut butter, 1/2 cup 72% cacao chocolate chips, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 egg. Mix well and pour into greased muffin pans. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I made a similar recipe gluten free last week and you can find it here.

Since I’m new to this entire process, I’d love your input and ideas! Progress is good when you have a friend to help you along. Besides, scripture assures us we are better together!

Have a blessed day and continue to take advantage of what God puts in the garden, because it is so good!

References:

1. Sourdough Bread: Nutrients, Benefits, and Recipe (healthline.com)

The best news about these peanut butter and chocolate chip muffins is they can easily be adjusted to include gluten free and wheat eating friends. However, if you have a nut allergy you may want to use a seed butter like pumpkin or sunflower. I find them not be a sweet as peanut butter but adding chopped prunes or a banana can fix that easily enough.

I also use dark chocolate chips. They have 72% cacao, and only 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Remember, 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon and we want to minimize the amount of sugar we consume to reduce inflammation and our chances of developing chronic disease.

Benefits of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cacao contains flavonoids that help with oxidative stress in our cells and protect the epithelium layer of our blood vessels (1). It also contains polyphenols that decrease inflammation in the vasculature. The same autoinflammatory effect reduces insulin resistance. As mentioned previously, being cautious of the sugar content in your choice of dark chocolate is important. Benefits are minimized the more the cacao is processed, and as high amounts of sugar are added.

On the other hand, pairing your dark chocolate with high fiber whole grains and peanut butter gives you added benefits. Nuts and legumes provide protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants like vitamin E (tocopherol). Metanalysis observation studies show reduced ischemic heart disease in people who with regularly consume nuts (2).

God’s plan for our sustained health and productivity continues to reveal itself in the studies I review for these recipes. He is ever glorious, mighty, and willing to save us if we just turn to him for physical and spiritual nourishment.

You visit the earth and water it abundantly, enriching it greatly. God’s stream is filled with water, for You prepare the earth in this way,
providing people with grain.

Psalm 65:8-10 HCSB – Those who live far away are awed by – Bible Gateway

God bless you as you make and share these muffins with others today!

References:

1. Katz, D. L., Doughty, K., & Ali, A. (2011). Cocoa and chocolate in human health and disease. Antioxidants & redox signaling, 15(10), 2779–2811. https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2010.3697
2. Afshin, A., Micha, R., Khatibzadeh, S., & Mozaffarian, D. (2014). Consumption of nuts and legumes and risk of incident ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 100(1), 278–288. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.113.076901

If you’re looking for a refined sugar free muffin recipe, I think you’ll like this one! I’m using a small amount of stevia and a little maple syrup to give these Maple Pumpkin & Pecan Muffins just a touch of added sweetness. After all, the pumpkin puree is sweet, too.

Benefits of Muffins

I also use two eggs because I find my fresh milled whole grain makes crumbly muffins. So, the extra egg not only gives more moistness but adds a little more choline, protein, A vitamins and natural folate. Boosting this muffin’s nutrient power is also nice when considering the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin in the eggs help with maintaining eyesight.

Thankfully, all those years of misunderstanding about the cholesterol in eggs is resolved, as it has no detrimental impact on blood cholesterol levels. In fact, studies show it actually improves high density lipoproteins HDL (the good cholesterol) and reduces small density lipoproteins (1).

Devotion

I see, God knew what he was doing when he created all living things. It makes me appreciate Him more as I think about studying the bible. A small group of ladies and I get together each week to study. We just finished reading the building of the Tabernacle in Exodus chapter 25 and 26. God’s plan to meet with His people is described in detail. As New Testament believers, it’s nice to have the advantage of seeing the whole picture of Christ fulfilling the promise of God coming to dwell with us.

Although through his holy Spirit, he actually dwells in us, doesn’t he? What amazes me about the study of the tabernacle, also called the tent of meeting, is the precise way God wanted it designed and filled. Only the finest cloth, and pure gold were to be used for the Holy place.

Since Christians are now the “tents” of the indwelling Holy Spirit, I often think of how we fill our own tents with things that are not pure or fine. In fact, my choices in the past have been downright harmful. All the preservatives, additives, colorings and flavorings are meant for extending the shelf life of products not my life. Many of these products contain polyunsaturated oils from seeds chemically extracted, heated to high temperatures, and bleached.

It is the reason I am taking more precautions now. Knowledge is power, or so people say.

But more importantly, knowing the Holy Father demands only the finest offerings for His tent, makes me think twice about what I put in mine.

Therefore, there are no unstable oils in this muffin mix, just olive oil and if you like, a little butter. Items found in the bible many times and wonderfully healthy alongside the eggs, pumpkin, and pecans.

So, I hope you try this recipe for Maple Pumpkin & Pecan Muffins sometime. You’ll fill your temple with delicious and filling garden ingredients while improving your cells and building your stamina.

God bless you and remember, what’s in the garden is good!

References:

Eggs distinctly modulate plasma carotenoid and lipoprotein subclasses in adult men following a carbohydrate-restricted diet – PubMed (nih.gov)

Mutungi G, Waters D, Ratliff J, Puglisi M, Clark RM, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Eggs distinctly modulate plasma carotenoid and lipoprotein subclasses in adult men following a carbohydrate-restricted diet. J Nutr Biochem. 2010 Apr;21(4):261-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2008.12.011. Epub 2009 Apr 14. PMID: 19369056.

A simple and delicious breakfast is always a day changer! The good news about this quick and easy meal is you can do it the night before as you prepare your dinner, then just heat it in the microwave 30 seconds the next day.

I used fresh milled hard red wheat berries to make my pita bread and Bread Beckers pita bread recipe (the recipe is below). It was easy to follow and only took an hour of my prep day. I know that may sound like a long time for some people, but when a loaf of bread takes 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours from start to finish, I consider that a “quicker” bread.

Don’t sweat it if you don’t have time to make the bread or if you are avoiding bread altogether. You can substitute eggs for the bread if you’re on a low carb plan or use your local grocery stores whole grain pita pockets to save time. Walmart carries BFree, a nondairy, Non GM0, vegan and gluten free brand of pita bread. It’s a little pricey; $5.49 for 4 pockets, although they are a pretty good size and can be split in half for a one-person meal. Kroger carries the “Old World” Brand that is $2.49 for 12 oz. So, you do have options.

God’s merciful provision to sustain us never ceases to amaze me! The benefits of Kale, mushrooms, and garlic are phenomenal. We are given plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to sustain and nourish us throughout our day. At the same time, this meal helps build our immune systems and fight off the environmental toxins we encounter daily. Give thanks to the Lord for such goodness, his love endures forever, as Psalm 118 reminds us.

Enjoy his precious Word today my friend, and maybe a Kale & Mushroom Pita Pocket too!

God’s garden is good!

Bread Beckers Pita Bread Recipe—adapted to my lower sodium consuming tastes.

1 and 1/4 Cups Lukewarm Water

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Onion Powder

3 Cups Freshly Milled Hard White Wheat

2 1/2 Tsp. Yeast

Combine the water in a large bowl. I grind my wheat berries then add the salt and onion powder with my whisk. Stir half of the flour into the water and mix well. Add remaining flour and knead until smooth (about 5-10 min). I divided this into 8 balls (hers made 6). Flatten with a rolling pin and make into 6-inch circles. Place them on a cookie sheet and let rise about 45 min. Preheat oven to 500 degrees and I baked them 10 minutes or until brown and puffed in the center. They will be hard when you get them out, but soften as they cool. I split them in half and make pockets. Store extras in the fridge until you are ready to use them.

Refrences:

Pita Bread, The Bread Beckers, Inc. Recipe Collection. 305 Bell Park Dr. Woodstock, GA 30188, www.breadbeckers.com (770)516-5000

I love the flavor of fresh turmeric root shredded on any dish for flavor and spice, especially eggs! So early this morning when the sniffles and cough become more intense, I decided to put a double dose on my eggs. The results…Spinach & Turmeric Eggs on Multigrain English Muffins.

It’s easy and delicious!

The turmeric can be found at a Wholefood store or ordered from a reputable supplier. I went to Etsy and found some to propagate for future use and some to eat fresh now. From the research I’ve seen, it takes this root about eight months to form good rooters. I’ll try to be patient, and start them indoors, since I don’t live in a beautiful tropical climate.

Healthier brands of English Muffins can be purchased at your local grocery store, or you can make your own. I prefer to make my own with fresh milled whole grain, but you do what works for you.

• All you need is a couple of free-range eggs
• 1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsps. fresh grated turmeric root and ground black pepper
• 2 tsps. fresh chopped (or dried) oregano
• 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp of plain yogurt
• 1 whole grain English muffin
• 1/2 Cup fresh spinach.
• Heat the skillet, add the oil and spices, eggs, and then sunflower seeds.
• Toast your muffin, add the yogurt (some onion powder and more pepper) then the fresh spinach. Top with the eggs and seeds.
• You’ll get roughly 422 calories, 25 grams of GOOD fat, 18 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and a good portion of your potassium and magnesium for the day. Plus, a good portion of pain fighting, and anti-inflammatory properties found in the spices!

Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric root is so amazing! Zesting the root into your oil as you begin to sauté eggs or veggies opens makes it more available for use in your cells. I did not know this spicy herb was fat-soluble until today. Also, a very wise Indian friend of mine told me to also “always” add black pepper to help absorb its healing and anti-inflammatory properties.

If reducing arthritis pain is not enough to make you enjoy turmeric regularly, how about its anticancer effects? Or maybe the eighteen studies verifying its use to improve skin issues like dermatitis, photoaging, and psoriasis (1)? I’m all in for this tasty herb’s powerful benefits and in wonder anew at God’s magnificent plan to provide exactly what you and I need daily!

Devotion

God’s timing is always perfect. I may not realize it until much later, but after situations resolve, and I look back at what took place, I see Him there. I see what He prevented, and I see the wisdom in what he allowed. I know whatever happens is eventually for my good.

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:10-12 ESV – when he comes on that day to be – Bible Gateway

Oh, the awe and wonder of looking back and remembering the encouragement from others. Most importantly, those powerful prayers! Emotions are not as tender and the hurt not as new as time passes and faith pulls us through. May God continue to make us worthy of his calling and fulfill every resolve for good.

I pray you get encouragement from His word today! And I hope you begin making this Spinach & Turmeric Egg on an English Muffin a part of your daily defense against chemicals and disease!

References:

Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence – PubMed (nih.gov)

Vaughn AR, Branum A, Sivamani RK. Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence. Phytother Res. 2016 Aug;30(8):1243-64. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5640. Epub 2016 May 23. PMID: 27213821.

A sourdough, fresh-milled English muffin filled with watercress, egg, and avocado is an extra special treat for a cool winter morning…well really, any morning. However, these muffins do take a little tender loving care, so I do them on my preparation day.

The flavor and texture of these whole grain English Muffins is so good, it is worth the additional work. To get ready ahead of time, I use my Betty Crocker cookbook to find a sourdough starter. I used 2 cups of fresh-milled hard wheat flour, 2 1/2 cups warm water, 2 teaspoons yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. I mixed this well in a 2-quart mason jar then covered it with a paper towel and screwed on the rim. The next day, there was some thick alcohol smelling liquid on the top, I learned this is called “hooch”.

Great…some sites said it’s harmless and just stir it in, while others said, pour it off. The first ten days I stirred it in and did not see a good rise in my rolls or my first batch of English muffins. So, on the second round, I began a new starter and poured off the hooch each day. The Betty Crocker recipe did not say to feed it daily, so I did not add flour or water the first seven days, I just stirred it two-three times each day.

Mind you this process takes seven to ten days, so if you don’t have that kind of patience, find a good quality English muffin at your local grocery store…preferably one without “enriched bleached flour, Calcium Propionate, Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Chloride, Fumaric Acid, or Soybean Oil…..oh, and good luck with that while you’re searching!

You see now, why I value making my own!

Dave’s Killer Bread-organic English Muffins will pass the additive test and cost around $5.50. Also, there is Simple Truth Organic English Muffins for $3.99.

However, if you’re up for the challenge and you are having a bread making day, go for this recipe from Breadbecker’s , because it’s delicious! However, I use water in my starter, not milk. When they are done, I store all ten of them in the fridge and eat one every day!

Today, I’m frying up one egg, applying half of an avocado, and a 1/2 cup of fresh watercress to make this delightful breakfast. That’s all there is to it, getting the dough down is the fun part.

If you are cutting calories or fat, you can omit the olive oil and use just a smidge of oil on a hot cast-iron surface, this will save you about 100 calories. I use a very small amount of olive oil to fry my eggs and I’m careful not to let the temperature get above 350 degrees, so it doesn’t become a trans-fat, as some researchers claim.

Benefits

This power-packed breakfast will provide around 474 calories (with the oil), 14 grams of heart-healthy fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein. Not only that, but you’ll have a decent start to your B vitamins, C, E, and trace minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.

Sign me up for some intentional eating! I know what God puts in the garden is good! He is faithful to provide exactly what we need when we need it. Doesn’t that make you have a better start to your day alongside a Avocado & Watercress English Muffin?

Devotion

When I think about how important dough was to ancient people, I have a new respect for the saying, “bread of life”. During the famine of Jacob’s day he prepared gifts of almonds, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, and pistachio nuts (Gen 43:11).  They had food, and they still had their flocks and herds. It was grain they lacked. Jacob heard about Egypt having grain and sent his sons to get it. When they ran out, it was a matter of life and death.

The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, ⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. ⁵⁵ When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”

⁵⁶ So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷ Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

Genesis 41:53-57

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Dough is offered in the sacrifice to God as well. The grain offering is mentioned 131 times in the Old Testament. “

Numbers 15:20 says “Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it.“

We can appreciate the importance of this nourishing substance as a gift from God and to God as we partake each day. Even as a special place deep in our hearts remembers the spiritual bread of sacrifice in the presence of Jesus, our Lord.

I pray you have wonderful day partaking of both!

References:

Avocado Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits (verywellfit.com)

English muffins, whole-wheat Nutrition Facts & Calories (self.com)

Watercress Benefits Nutrition Facts and Recipes – Dr. Axe (draxe.com)

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE to make scones! So, I consider fall the perfect time to adapt my favorite biscuit recipe to make some belly pleasing pumpkin pecan scones.

These slightly sweet biscuit-like treats are perfect for a brunch or taking to a neighbor when they are mourning the loss of a loved one. A perfect way to show you care and are there for them! The also have a few health benefits.

Benefits

1. Pumpkins are rich in antioxidant and vitamins that help us maintain function at the cellular level. For instance, according to twenty two meta analysis studies, vitamin A and beta-carotene found in pumpkin may help ward off cataracts (1).
2. Whole grain freshly milled wheat will provide B vitamins and protein.
3. Pecans are a good source of monosaturated fat—the GOOD fat—to help with skin and brain function. Moreover, pecans contain a decent amount of magnesium, copper, manganese. Minerals that are necessary to decrease inflammation and repair cells (2).

So, enjoy this low sugar, antioxidant rich Pumpkin Pecan Scone Recipe to add a little disease fighting power to your day.

Devotion

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:10-12 ESV – For this reason I write these things – Bible Gateway

It’s hard to think of rejoicing for my friends who are losing loved ones daily. However, we can comfort one another in hope of being reunited some day. For we know the God of love and peace will be with us and these ole earthly bodies will be restored on the day of redemption.

In the meantime, my friend, enjoy what God puts in the garden to give you energy and strength…it is so good!

Enjoy!

Association of vitamin A and β-carotene with risk for age-related cataract: a meta-analysis – PubMed (nih.gov)

Wang A, Han J, Jiang Y, Zhang D. Association of vitamin A and β-carotene with risk for age-related cataract: a meta-analysis. Nutrition. 2014 Oct;30(10):1113-21. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2014.02.025. Epub 2014 Mar 12. PMID: 25194611.

Review of nut phytochemicals, fat-soluble bioactives, antioxidant components and health effects | British Journal of Nutrition | Cambridge Core

Alasalvar, C., & Bolling, B. (2015). Review of nut phytochemicals, fat-soluble bioactives, antioxidant components and health effects. British Journal of Nutrition, 113(S2), S68-S78. doi:10.1017/S0007114514003729