Daniel Fast

Back in the Lab

by ladypbwiggins

For those who are not aware, I do not like to cook. Here is a quick recount of my entry into the lab. First thing was to change my attitude. I changed how I viewed my kitchen. It was no longer a place to cook food but a place to experiment with food. So it began.

The first thing that changed was my husband and I deciding to stop eating beef, pork, chicken, and dairy; but not all at the same time. We still ate turkey and seafood. I decided one day to stop buying ground turkey and sliced turkey for sandwiches. I thought why not break down the turkey and grind some, and cook the rest for different uses. I did and it was a fun, time consuming endeavor. Next experiment was bread. I did like to bake so I expected this to be a more enjoyable experience. I remembered when my children were young how much fun we had baking bread together. This is how they learned fractions. At the same time I began to grow peppers. I wanted to make my own hot sauce, mustard and ketchup. I was on a natural food kick. LOL.

When my husband was treated by Dr. Baxter Montgomery for heart issues, a raw vegan dietary plan was the main prescription. This was a new challenge. We had moved to Texas and anticipated eating Cajun and creole dishes. I know it was not New Orleans but the influences are alive and well in Houston. That dream died. We became not only vegan but raw vegan. The lab was revived. Enough of that. You get the point.

In these past three years I have fluctuated between vegan and pescatarian. I have gained all the weight I had lost during the years we were raw vegan/vegan. We ate no processed food. (Side Note. When the doctor told me I didn’t have to prepare everything from scratch, I tried the closest to clean processed vegan food. Big mistake.) I began gaining weight and got lazy because of the convenience. Not only have I gained weight but joint pains, brain fog and fatigue have returned.

Like many churches in this country, my church began this new year with a corporate Daniel Fast. The dietary portion of this fast is much like I eat anyway, so there was no sacrifice for me in that area. My fast had to take a different form. My fast was eliminating convenience. If I purchased prepared food, it had to be strictly clean and vegan. This could only be done once a week at most. This requires me to prepare all the other meals. I am vegan . I have to cook or make raw preparations. This requires discipline and planning. This is my fast.

So now, I am back in the lab. To get started I decided to make a salad dressing that I enjoy at a salad restaurant I go to. It is jalapeno avocado dressing. They told me no dairy was used to make it but I am not sure.(I just checked. It does include dairy products.) My experiment uses no dairy. Mine is avocado, non-dairy milk, seasonings, vinegar and habenaro. It tasted okay  but I have to adjust the flavor profile. Too mild.

Avocado & Habenaro Dressing and Hot Sauce

On my way to the lab to try a new burger recipe with lentils and quinoa.

See you soon.

Just for Me

by ladypbwiggins

This last week I have begun preparations for my church family’s annual Daniel Fast. I already lead a plant-based dietary lifestyle. So, what to do? I decided to go back to raw vegan meals, especially a week of smoothies.

Along with thoughts about food, I looked at my life this year. What would I change? What would I add? My assessment continually asked “But what have you done just for you?” I heard all my children’s voices asking, Mom what did you do for you?

I realize I have a difficult time to do for me. So I’ve decided to do more just for me in 2020. I now have to figure out what that looks like.

Any thoughts?

Looking in Daniel’s Mirror

by ladypbwiggins

Every new year many churches participate in some version of Daniel’s fast. This year my church was no different but my fast was. I lead a plant-based dietary lifestyle so I had to sacrifice or do something different. I chose to fast from social media and devote that time to studying the man, Daniel. I thought there would be a long lists of lessons about his character but he was so consistent in his behavior that it is a short but powerful list.

Daniel reminded me what my God favors.

  1. Prayer
  2. Unwavering Commitment to God even into death
  3. Unquestioned loyalty to God and friends
  4. Humility
  5. Continual Prayer
  6. Confidence in God
  7. Care and concern for others
  8. PRAYER

God responded with favor, wisdom and power.

I, now, stand facing this mirror.

Who I Am and Why I Blog

by ladypbwiggins
This an assignment in Blogging University.
Looking back on my life, sharing what I had learned was what I did. I guess that was the teacher in me. Early in my life, first grade, I was projected into speaking before large groups. I have come to a place in my life where I feel like I am bursting with thoughts about a lot of things. And I am still learning. I decided to try blogging as my teaching and speaking platform. I like to provoke thought and conversation. I am an interactive teacher and I respond to verbal and nonverbal feedback when I speak. This allows me to read other people’s thoughts. Their thoughts and opinions inspire me to research and study more.

I have several strong interest presently. They are nutrition, mental wellness and the Bible.

Several years ago my husband and I did a Daniel Fast. That fast is based on the dietary practice of the prophet Daniel and his friends in the book of Daniel. In one instance, they ate only plant-based foods for 21 days. The results for them were clarity of thinking and glowing countenance. The result of our fast was an elimination of beef and pork. The following year it was an elimination of chicken. The other result was an interest in vegetarian cooking. My new interest is vegan cooking because of the dairy free recipes. I am lactose intolerant. I still eat turkey and fish, so I am not truly vegan. The reasons for vegan recipes have increased to include gluten-free, soy-free, certified organic foods. You can thank GMOs for that. I am decidedly moving in the non-GMO direction as much as possible.

My community activities are in the area of decreasing the stigma associated with mental illness and therapy in the black community. I have a heart for helping black boys become strong black men. One of the obstacles they face is learning style. I have encountered so many who have felt that they cannot learn, when the problem was not theirs. It was our school system. Studies have shown black and brown young men flourish in an activity filled learning environment. They have to touch it, feel it, build it, explore it. In other words, the “sit still” lecture environment is not that helpful to the majority of them. In this endeavor, I have discovered that nutrition is a factor in our academic success. As I learn about brain and emotional health’s relationship to food, I would like to share that.
My biblical belief is the foundation and framework for all that I do and I would like to share my new finds as a I study.
I can’t wait to converse with you all.