53. GIVE HEALTH THIS HOLIDAY

How do we prepare food to feed guests at this time of year when so much rich and tasty food is being served? Take heart! The prevalence of this kind of food prepares the way for many to enjoy simple healthy food. 

The meal I am planning for my first guests, who will be with me for an evening meal three days before Christmas, is vegetable curry soup, cornmeal muffins, fruit salad and sweet potato cookies. Hopefully they will like what I prepare. Notice as you read my recipes, there is no free fat, no sugar and no refined food.  

This will be a basic healthy meal, and I believe all of us need to think about making healthier choices for our holiday meals. There is hardly a family who does not have a member suffering sickness, and many times family members are on the verge of an illness. The rich food placed on our tables is detrimental to the weak, and it slowly prepares the way for the healthy to become unhealthy.

It happens like this: Our bodies fight disease with 75 billion white blood cells that attack germs with a vengeance. One white blood cell can eat fourteen germs every thirty minutes; however, when one-half cup sugar is eaten, the white blood cell can eat only one germ. When 3/4 cup of sugar is eaten, the white blood cells are powerless. Refined food and fat are also damaging to the little soldiers. White blood cells thrive on plant food.

Women often take pride in making tasty pies, cakes and cookies, which tempts the diabetic to eat foods not allowed on his diet plan. Children eat too much sugar and get sick immediately after Christmas. Cooks need to challenge themselves to make tasty desserts with fresh fruit and whole grains, while they omit sugar and fat.

Plant food choices also need to be considered for the main course. There is possibly a heart patient in the family who is tempted by the meat, which contains saturated fat deadly to the weak heart. Remember former president Bill Clinton who became a vegan after having by-pass surgery and now seems to enjoy good health? A search on the Internet will bring hundreds of plant-food main courses that are tasty, healthy and satisfying.

Then there are the veggies and fruits served in abundance at most meals, but often ruined by the cheese, cream and butter used for seasoning. The cooks need to bear in mind that broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini and asparagus are delicious served exactly as they came from the hand of the Creator.  

Following is the plain menu that I plan to serve my guests. I doubt anyone would want to imitate it for Christmas dinner, but the idea of eating healthier food could be copied. GIVE ALL WHO EAT AT YOUR TABLE THE GIFT OF HEALTHY FOOD!

 YELLOW SPLIT-PEA CURRY SOUP
3 c yellow split peas
10 c water
1 ch onion
3 c frozen corn
2 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
1/2 head chopped cauliflower
5 minced garlic cloves
1 T parsley
2 T salt
1/2 T curry
Prepare the veggies and cook slowly until tender.

CORNBREAD
2 c very warm water
2 T honey
1 T yeast
2 c whole-grain cornmeal
1 3/4 c whole-wheat flour
1 t salt
1/4 c coconut
Stir honey and water together, then sprinkle in
the yeast. When the yeast pops to the surface,
stir in all the other ingredients. Let rise in a
warm place for 20 minutes. Whip the batter again,
then pour into muffin cups or a baking dish. Let
rise in a warm place for 5-8 minutes. Bake at 375
for 40-45 minutes.

TAPIOCA FRUIT SALAD
1 16-oz can crushed pineapple (drain the juice)
1 16-oz can apricots (drain the juice)
1 c orange juice
3 sliced bananas
1/2 c ch pecans
3 T tapioca
Add tapioca to the orange, pineapple and apricot
juices, which should be about 2 1/2 cups. Stir until
thickened. Cool and add the fruit and nuts.

SWEET POTATO COOKIES
3 c cooked sweet potato mashed
1 c crushed pineapple
1 T honey
1/2 c quick oats
1 t vanilla
1/3 t salt
1/2 c ch pecans
1/2 c coconut Mix all ingredients together. Form
into balls, then flatten with a fork. Bake at 350
until lightly browned about 35-40 minutes.