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Bible Food - The Book of Galatians

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For some strange reason, occasionally I get a whim to find out what people in the "Biblelands" would have eaten at the time of the writing of a particular piece.  Apart from the references to meat and dairy, much of what the people ate in those days, in that place, sounds like a good fit for a touring vegan.  Today we did a little dip into the Book of Galatians,  a letter (epistle) written by the apostle Paul to the Christian communities in Galatia.   Scholars date Galatians to around AD 48–55. If it was written earlier, it would be one of Paul's first letters, possibly before the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15, AD 49), which addressed the issue of Gentile converts following Jewish customs.   The main theme of the letter is justification by faith rather than adherence to the Mosaic Law. Paul strongly argues against the teaching that Gentile Christians must follow Jewish laws (like circumcision) to be saved. He defends his apostleship, emphasizes the role of grace, ...
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No Frills Healthy: Black Bean Soup


Enjoy this simple no-frills and healthy black bean soup.  You can start the soup by soaking the dry beans overnight to use in the soup, or you can just open a couple of cans of beans.  Buying dry organic beans is definitely a less expensive way to go.  Growing your own beans and drying them is better yet!  Whatever works for you!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of black beans (soaked overnight or from a can)
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
5-6 cups of water
2 teaspoons basil (see below**)

METHOD:
  1. If using soaked beans, drain and rinse the beans and put them in a pot with a tight-fitting lid and all the other ingredients and simmer for 4 hours, covered.  Add more water if needed.  If using canned beans, use slightly less water and simmer for about 30 minutes until all vegetables are tender.  
  2. Press the soup through a sieve or whirl up in a blender with a little extra water.
  3. Determine if you need to salt a little more.  
  4. Serve with a lemon wedge and/or almond sour cream as garnish.  
  5. This soup serves up to 8 people and can be used as a gravy over patties or rice or quinoa.  Delicious!  Even better the second day!

**This very simple black bean soup is tasty and comforting.  The recipe is based on one in the cookery book Eat For Strength: Oil-Free, Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free Edition by Dr. Agatha Thrash. It is designed to be very healthy by the standards of a cultural perspective that sees certain spices and condiments (eg., pepper, mustard, garlic, ginger) as being a little immoderate and not optimal for digestion and organ health.  Many of us are not in alignment with all of these particular beliefs related to spices and herbs, and would actually see some of the 'banished' spices, etc., as in fact, being healthy.  This is to say that you can go ahead and 'doctor up' your recipe with your favourite organic spices or fresh herbs.  If you have doubts, do some research and ask a nutritionist.   


OTHER NO-FRILLS-HEALTHY RECIPES
Lentil Patties
Blueberry-Strawberry Fruit Salad

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