"And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey." Deuteronomy 26:9Since one of my jobs as a homemaker is feeding my family, scriptural references to food always fascinate me. Maybe they refer to real foods--maybe not. But this one got me thinking over the last few days.
We've been told that a diet low in fats is the best thing from the American Cancer and Heart Associations. In the 1980s and 90s this was taken to the extreme to no fat diets. I swallowed the two great diet guru's ideas hook, line, and sinker even to the extent of becoming a fat eshewing vegetarian. What followed were many serious health problems in my family that I won't go into. Since then I've done lots of research on fats, proteins, and carbohydrates of different types and made some huge changes.
While it is true that we are supposed to eat meat sparingly, we are to eat it as a gift of our Father in Heaven.
"Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly." Doctrine & Covenants 89:12
"And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God; For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance." Doctrine & Covenants 49:18-19
With 47 references to milk and 49 to honey in the scriptures, I believe they are healthful foods also a gifts from our Father. They are not, as we are lead to believe from the established diet dictocrates, bad for us. God made milk whole to nourish our brains, thyroid, adrenals, and other body parts. Honey is delightful to the taste, full of trace minerals, and supports healthy adrenal function when eaten sparingly. We read scriptural references to 'the fat of the land,' 'butter and honey,' 'milk and honey,''the staff of life,' and 'the fruit of the vine.' This tells me that a diet where healthy fats (not artificial, man-made fats), moderate amounts of animal flesh, fruits, veggies, and whole grains should be my foods. In essence foods made by God especially for my body. This does not prevent us from enjoying food. If this were so, God would not have given us the sense of taste.
So we come around to why I started writing these thoughts. I've gravitated back to the way our great-great grandmothers cooked on the farm, leaving the pseudo-foods of designing men on the shelves of the grocery store to ruin the health of another generation of trusting victims. Daily, as I eat delicious traditional foods, I feel my health returning. I even feel the need to partake of His sweets again. This is my newest recipe, which I have to say is quite delicious and health giving. It is a perfect food for those recovering from illness.
Old Fashioned Baked Custard
3 cups whole milk
5 eggs
1/3 c. honey
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. nutmeg
Stir all ingredients until honey is completely Incorporated. Pour into six custard cups or 1 glass 8X8 pan, which have been placed in a 9X13 pan. Pour boiling water in the 9X13 pan about half way up the side of the smaller. Bake in a 350F oven for 30-40 min. You can tell if they are done by gently shaking the pan. It should jiggle slightly but seem liquid. These are fine to eat hot, but are much better cold.
I just made a custard for breakfast this morning, because I was wanting comfort foods. I will need to try your recipe, because it is a lot healthier than what I made this morning, and I'm sure just as good or better (mine included sugar).
ReplyDeleteWhenever I see people restricting their diets for health reasons, I see a slippery slope of bad health for them. We are meant to be nourished by all good foods- the foods that God has given us. I was a vegetarian as a teen (I think mostly because it was something in my life that I could control), and delved into nutrition early in my marriage. I've come full circle, and now would advise against vegetarianism. One of the most helpful things I have realized is that in our imperfect world, there is no such thing as a perfect diet, meaning a diet that will cure us from all disease. As long as we are eating a healthful, God made diet, we will be as healthy as we can be, we can change much of our weaknesses into strengths, but we still might be or get sick sometimes. I only mention this because it was helpful to me to realize that just because I was ill (or my family ill), did not mean I was eating the wrong foods! A diet like you talk about is the best and surest way to good health.