Soul Food = Food Made With Love

“I struggled with weight-loss for many years.  On my journey to wholeness, wellness, and fitness, I have learned that eating healthy doesn’t mean that I have to give up all the delicious foods I enjoyed.  Most of the recipes in this cookbook are classic recipes that can be found on the internet or in any cookbook.  However, on my journey to create healthy, yet delicious meals, I have tweaked these recipes to create versions that are low-carb, low-cholesterol, low-sugar, gluten-free, lower-in-sodium, and heart healthy. 

I am sharing these recipes with you because I understand the struggle of balancing work, family, and healthy eating. 

This recipe guide will help you plan meals ahead of time.  You can download this recipe guide to your phone or tablet to make meal preparation and grocery shopping a breeze.  

For many years food was a self-soothing compulsion that held me in the bondage of obesity.   However, what the enemy meant for evil, God redeemed for His good. 

SOZO is a Greek word that means: “to heal, restore, make whole, and preserve from danger.” SOZO encompasses the body, soul, and spirit.

Soul care is very much a part of our spiritual as well as our physical development.  God designed the body to heal itself using nutrition, oxygenation, and detoxification which enhances and support the healing process.  We are what we eat. It is important to eat healthy so that we experience God’s life giving power without the hindrance of complications that are caused by a poor diet.   Now that I walk in freedom, I enjoy the beauty of creating healthy dishes that nourish the body and refreshes the soul. 

The term ‘soul food’ doesn’t just mean good southern cooking.  The term ‘soul food’ can be described as the warm feeling you experience when your family gathers for Sunday dinner, making gluten-free brownies with your grand-children, and cooking your family’s favorite meals. 

Hospitality is one of my spiritual gifts. I enjoy serving others.  For several years, I served as a culinary coordinator at my local congregation; where I organized large events. I take pleasure in cultivating tranquil, God-centered special events at home, as well as for others.   I love to see people happy – enjoying themselves – eating the delicious meals that I create!

Although I am a thoroughly modern woman, I enjoy the lost-art of home-making.  I love to cook, crochet, sew, decorate, garden, and house clean.  I have learned to steward well what God has given me.  I enjoy cultivating a beautiful home-life.   

However, I was not always this home-centered.  I use to work 12-14 hour days.  I rarely had time to do anything – but work.     The busy-ness of our success-driven culture has caused many to forfeit the loveliness of cultivating life-styles that emanate God’s presence, peace, serenity, and joy in their homes. Over the years, with God’s help, I found balance.  I have learned to master the ability to cultivate beauty from life’s simple pleasures.

Today, life-style channels have taken the place of home economics teachers that taught us how to mend, sew, and cook back in the day. Life-style blogging is a billion dollar industry.   We all want to be like Martha Stewart.  We all desire to cultivate a retreat-like atmosphere right in our own homes.  Why not?  After all, our home is our sanctuary, a place of rest, revitalization, safety, comfort, and celebration.   My back yard is my favorite vacation spot.  I love hosting guests.  As well, I enjoy a quiet evening by the fire pit, reading a good book.    

Good food plays a major role in my home.  My home is always filled with aromatic flavors, lots of love, delicious foods, wonderful friends, and very happy hearts.  Each time I prepare a meal, I consider it a special occasion.  I put a lot of love into the food I prepare, even if it is chopping veggies for a salad.  My favorite occasions to prepare a meal is Friday night Shabbat Dinner and Passover Seders.  I enjoy teaching others how to host Passover Seders as well as Shabbat Dinners.  Shabbat dinner is more than just enjoying a good meal. 

Shabbat dinner is an opportunity to un-wind from the busy week and enter into God’s rest with friends and family.  The beauty of God’s presence, coupled with good friends, and great food, is what makes Shabbat dinners special.  Inviting guests to share Shabbat dinner and other meals always enhances the occasion.  I love it when my home is filled with happy guests.  When we fill our hearts and our home with others we fulfill God’s word in (1 Peter 4:9) by showing hospitality to one another.

Whether I host a full house or just one or two special friends, sharing my Shabbat meal with guests is what makes a Shabbat dinner extra special. 

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”  (Mathew 18:20).

I consider all the dishes I prepare ‘soul food.’ I truly ENJOY cooking and creating heart-healthy versions of delicious meals that we all know and love.  I have become creative in my culinary skills.  I now prefer QUALITY over QUANTITY.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean dull or bland.  I am always on the look-out for new recipes to expand my culinary repertoire.  I am constantly experimenting with fusions of aromatic spices that brings about flavors that tantalize the taste buds. I enjoy preparing farm-to-table cuisine.  I often use fresh produced from my own garden, as well as, purchasing produce that is locally grown.

What I have freely received from the Lord, I freely share with all of you (Matthew 10:8b).  I pray that this heart-healthy, soul-food, recipe guide will empower you to live healthy, and cultivate beauty in every area of your life!  Your peace, joy, and tranquility matters to God.  Seek God! He will show you how to cultivate beauty around you, so that you can enjoy your best life in God!