Thoughts on LDS Doctrine & Vegetarianism

 Last week I wrote a post with a vegetarian recipe and some good reasons to consider becoming a vegetarian, or at least eating less meat. Anna commented that she and her husband have been considering the change because of what is said in the Word of Wisdom. This is something that I have been thinking about, but not saying. For those of my readers who are not LDS, the Word of Wisdom is a name given to some guidelines given to us in the scriptures that we believe will increase and preserve our health. In addition to the advice to avoid "wine, tobacco and strong drinks", it gives recommendations on what we should be eating. Some of the relevant points I will summarize and discuss below.

• wholesome herbs are for the use of man
• fruits and herbs are to be used in season
• flesh of beasts and fowls of the air are to be used sparingly and only in times of winter, famine and excess hunger
• grain is good for the food of man and to be the staff of life

 When I was in college I was required to take a class called "Nursing Ethics and Values". One discussion centered around diet. I remember one of my classmates mentioned that she was a vegetarian and she received a lot of flack for it. Almost everyone asked "How in the world can you not eat meat?" (BTW, this was at BYU, where the vast majority of the student body is LDS.) Her response has stuck with me. "The Word of Wisdom says that meat is to be eaten in times of famine and excess hunger. I don't feel that during my lifetime I have ever really experienced a famine. If I do experience a famine I will start eating meat." That makes a lot of sense to me.
  As I read it, the scriptures are saying that our diets should be built around grains and include fruits, herbs and vegetables in season. We can have meat, but very rarely. Sounds almost like a vegetarian diet to me.
  I also believe that the Lord loves the animals that he has created, and while he said that their "flesh is ordained for the use of man", I don't think He approves of animal cruelty. The more I read and hear about how livestock is raised in America, the more unsettling it is to me. I don't believe that He intended the lives of those creatures to be such a completely miserable experience. There is something very wrong about raising an animal to spend its entire existence in a cage, fed on a diet mixed with steroids so that it's legs can not support it's own body weight.
 And lastly as members of the LDS Church there are some basics that we have been advised to have in our food storage: beans, rice, wheat, oats, pasta and potatoes. We have been advised to store these staples and rotate them on a regular basis. We have been told to store these items because they have a long shelf life and these items can sustain life. It seems logical that meals that are centered around these food items would include many vegetarian entrees.
  Now I am well aware that giving up meat is a huge life-style change for most Americans. We love our meat. In most restaurants, most options are centered around meat. I can't say that it is easy or convenient, but I do believe that it is good for us to cut back the meat content in our diet. And I can't say that I personally have been able ever go 100% without meat, but I'm working on it. The way to do it is start with one vegetarian meal a week and build from there. And I just have to say that I think that sometimes pregnancy and breast-feeding count as times of excess hunger. There were times when I was breast-feeding my kids that I would have a baby on the breast in one arm and a tall glass of undiluted eggnog in my other hand and I felt that there weren't enough hours in the day for me to get in all of the calories that I needed. The Word of Wisdom says that if "they do these sayings they shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge...and shall run and not be weary and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them." Those are some pretty great promises, and it seems that they are worth putting forth an effort to earn them. I'm not trying to tell anyone what they should believe or what they should eat, that's up to you, but I believe that eating less meat is definitely worth some consideration.

Food Storage Friday and Vegetarian Link-Up

 My husband has recently decided to be a vegetarian. And I sort of follow suit because I don't want to bother making two or three meals every night. Right now I find that if I go two or three days without eating meat I start feeling weak and nauseated (more so than usual). I also found that when I don't eat meat I don't gain weight, which I need to be doing right now. I don't need a lot of meat to fix the problem, a turkey sandwich will usually do the trick, but I have to have meat. Perhaps I will give it a more concerted effort when I am not trying to grow a person in my belly. For now I cook vegetarian meals at home and when we go out to eat, or sometimes when I'm at work I eat meat. (The kids don't really like to eat meat anyway, except for the occasional chicken nugget.) So I'm eating some meat, but not very much.
 So why go vegetarian? Here are a few bonuses about the lifestyle:

• It dramatically lowers your cholesterol and calorie intake.
• Cutting out the meat significantly reduces your grocery bill.
• Vegetarian protein sources are cheaper to store and last significantly longer in your food storage than canned or dried meat.
• Meat is unfortunately "fortified" with steroids, antibiotics and growth hormones. None of which I recommend taking without a prescription.
• It forces you to pay attention to think about what you are eating. While you are looking at the ingredients, it's more likely that you may be thinking 'Is this good for me?'
• Vegetarians live longer and don't get sick as often.
• Going vegetarian leaves a smaller carbon footprint.

 Here's the my vegetarian experiment of the week:

Crock Pot Pepper Pasta
Food Storage Ingredients:
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1/8 cup olive oil
2 cans (6 oz) tomato paste
2 Tablespoons jarred, pre-chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon dried basil
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 lb pasta, prepared according to directions

Fresh Ingredients:
3 bell peppers, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
6 Tablespoons shredded Parmesean

1. Mix everything except pasta and cheese together in crock pot. Cook on low for 7 hours or high for 3 hours. 2. When sauce is almost done prepare pasta. 3. Season sauce to taste. Serve with Parmesean.

This stuff made my house smell wonderful. I served it over whole wheat pasta with green apples and french bread (in the interest of providing something I could guarantee my kids would eat.) I thought the sauce was a little thinner than I liked, so next time I may drain one of the cans of tomatoes. My husband loved it the way it was and used his french bread to soak it up.

Now I am well aware that giving up meat is a huge life-style change. I obviously can not say that I have managed to do it. But if you can reduce the amount of meat that you're eating, think of the benefits. You will save money and improve your health, (which also saves you money). It has taken a little work and experimentation, but I have found myself trying and loving many foods that I never would have thought of trying before. Vegetarian cooking has also given me a boost of confidence in my culinary skills. Where my husband works they go out to eat/order in pretty frequently, and usually he's more interested in my leftovers than what is available at local restaurants. Haha!  So this week I am inviting anyone out there to share their favorite vegetarian recipes. And if it includes rice, pasta, oats, potatoes, wheat or beans, all the better!

Preparedness Wednesday: July in Review

For those of you just tuning in, every week I try to do something to get my house in order (fix things, get out of debt, etc) and purchase something to add to my emergency supply. If you want to follow my deals as I find them. I post them on my public facebook profile as I find them if you are interested.

Doing:

• Had the yard done. It looks soooo much better. It makes me happy.
• Bought a sun oven. Actually my husband bought this for my birthday. For all of the sun that we get here in St George, why not use it to cook my meals instead of heating up my kitchen? (I'm putting this with doing because it makes my home more energy efficient.) Expect a post about this in the future.
• Replaced the air conditioning filter to help it run more efficiently
• Got an estimate on air conditioning and heating installation for our basement so we can start finishing it.
• Made curtains for the area under Thing 1's loft bed. Ok, actually I just bought the material and my mom made them when she came to visit for my birthday while I took a nap. Thanks Mom! This was very important to Thing 1.

Emergency Preparedness/Food Storage:

• Made peach salsa & peach raspberry pancake sauce
• Bought a few jars of Classico Pasta Sauce- $1.04 each after coupons at Smith's
• Maggie Moo's Powdered Milk & Chocolate Milk- $11 each for a #10 can at Walmart (this is was their everyday price) I've had friends claim that their families can't taste the difference between this and fresh milk.
• Wheat Gluten- I thought we would try this stuff out, but I didn't buy much because I've yet to find it at a good price. But we have been experimenting with it.

Book Review: Full of Life

It is my belief that just because this is my third baby and I have a BS in Nursing doesn't mean that I know everything there is to know about pregnancy and having babies. So I picked up Full of Life: Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Pregnant by Nancy O'Dell, hoping for some new insights. This book is not an encycolpedia reference for pregnancy and motherhood, however it was more enjoyable to read than any of the other pregnancy books that I have read. It didn't tell me anything that I didn't know, but it does have some really good tips and is written in a style like you are talking to a friend. I would recommend it to first-time moms. Here are some the tips that I thought were most helpful.

• A typical fertile couple has a 20% chance of conceiving with each cycle and an 85% chance of becoming pregnant within one year.
• Your pregnancy is really 40 weeks, not just 9 months.
• Your cravings may be very specific and may change at a moments notice.
• When telling your boss the news, know your rights before hand. If you have worked for a company full-time for at least 12 months before your date of delivery the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles you to 12 weeks of maternity leave, during which time they have to hold your position for you. Whether or not you get paid during that time is another story.
• If you were exercising regularly before you were pregnant, it is safe to continue to do so while you are pregnant.
• It is not uncommon to have irrational, panic-inducing dreams while you are pregnant.
• If you are having constipation issues, try baking pureed prunes (yes, baby food will do just nicely) into a spice cake. It should take care of the problem without the taste and texture of actually eating prunes.
• When creating a baby registry, don't register for blankets, stuffed toys and smaller baby clothes. You will probably get enough of those anyway. Register for sizes 9 months and above, and items like a 2nd car seat base, strollers and baby socks.
• Sleeping on your left side is best for baby. It improves circulation. Sleeping on your back can cut off circulation (and oxygen) to your baby.
• Things that can prevent leg cramps: drink plenty of water, eat Potassium rich foods, take a warm shower and stretch your calves before bed.
• Things to relieve leg cramps: get you husband to massage your calves (yes, I realize these will probably occur at some ungodly hour, have him do it anyway), stretch and flex your calves repeatedly, get up and walk it off.
• Fetal hiccups show that baby's diaphragm is working.
• Your breasts can leak breast milk even before you have a baby.
• Bladder leakage can happen: wear a pad, do your kegels, limit bladder irritating beverages (those that are carbonated, acidic or contain caffeine), and cross your legs when you cough.
• Breast-feeding is not automatic. Take a class or read a book before you have your baby.
• Register at the hospital before the big day.
• In addition to comfy clothes, make sure that you pack your laptop, camera, extra batteries and camera card for your trip to the hospital.
• The most effective way to push a baby out is like you're pushing to have a bowel movement. Yes, it is true.
• Despite all of the discomforts and trials of pregnancy, it is all worth it in the end. :)

Planetarium Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Clark Planetarium Ticket vouchers is Deanna who made comment #16. Congratulations! And thanks to everyone who entered.

Food Storage Friday: Bean Pancakes

Over a year ago I came across a recipe blog hop on Trying Our Best, (I love getting recipe ideas from other people.) which included a recipe from Sunrise on the Water for bean pancakes. I thought that I would give it a try, but of course I made several changes, shared it with my buddy Liesa who had some good suggestions and voila!- another happy food storage concoction. I love that this recipe is a good mix of fresh and food storage ingredients and in a pickle I could make it from all food storage ingredients. Plus it's healthy, easy to prepare and super cheap to make. Also if the name "bean pancakes" sounds too weird for you, try calling them bean tortillas, because really they're like a healthy tortilla, you just cook them like a pancake. You could easily fill them with eggs and green chiles or taco stuffings. Enjoy!

Bean Pancakes
Food Storage Ingredients:
1 15 oz can beans, rinsed, drained & mashed (I've done black or kidney, both are great, the pancakes pictured are made with black beans)
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1&1/4- 1&1/3 cup wheat flour (depending on how moist your beans are)
2 Tablespoons canola oil
dash of lime pepper
a couple shots of Tabasco sauce (I prefer the green variety for this)
salsa for topping

Fresh Ingredients:
1-2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 egg
shredded cheese
avocado sour cream or ranch dressing

1. Mix beans, milk, wheat flour, oil, pepper, Tabasco, cilantro, garlic and egg until a pancake consistency. There will still be chunks of beans, but you want to make sure that the flour is mixed in well. 2. Make into pancakes. While you are cooking the second side of the pancakes, sprinkle a little shredded cheese on top so it melts onto the pancake. 3. Top with salsa, avocados, sour cream or whatever you please.

 I served mine with Cafe Rio style rice, peach salsa and mango smoothies, but go with what sounds good to you. If you plan on stuffing them taco stuff I would add the lesser amount of wheat so they're a little thinner and easier to fold. As I'm writing this I just had the thought that next time I should add some green chiles or other peppers to the pancake mix. I'm sure it will be delicious. I'll let you know how it goes. Also I would advise against telling small children that these are pancakes. Both of my kids were pretty upset that I made them pancakes that we were not putting syrup on.

Adventures with the Produce Co-op

We have been enjoying our Bountiful Baskets, (and I have talked about them before.) I've found that one basket gives us enough produce to last our family about 2 weeks. Having a variety of produce has encouraged all of us to try many exotic (and some not so exotic) fruits and vegetables that we definitely wouldn't try otherwise. I should also point out that usually our basket is full of ordinary produce that I would probably buy anyway, just at a better price. Here are a few of the less typical items:

1. Canary Melon- It's bright yellow and looks something like a lemon on steroids. It tastes something like a cross between a cantaloupe, a honeydew and a pear. You eat it fresh like any other melon.

2. Chayote- Known by many names, including alligator pear. It's a part of the melon/squash family and tastes like a mix between a cucumber, a green pepper, and snap peas. I chopped it up, threw it into salads and ate some raw with dip. You can also cook it like a squash.

3. Parsnips- A root vegetable that looks like a large white carrot, but is sweeter and starchier. I put some in a vegetable chowder and chicken pot pie. I also tried mashing them and making them into fries as I've read that they're very much like a potato, but healthier. Not a big winner with my family.

5. Persimmons- I don't know how to describe the taste. It's a sweet tropical fruit. I put a few into a fruit salad and ate some raw. I loved them.

6. Collard Greens- A member of the cabbage family, and I was unable to find a recipe that made them taste like anything I would want to eat. Every recipe involved boiling them. I tried it and bleh. If I ever get these again they will probably go straight to the compost.

7. Green Chard- This is somewhat like spinach, but a little fleshier. I did not have high hopes for it, but I steamed it and then baked it in a quiche with some onions and garlic and it was really good. I also chopped up some into a green salad. That was ok.

8. Daikon Radish- This root vegetable reminds me of jicama and something else I can't define. It's good raw, in salads and made into pickles.