“In the course of my work with elders, I remember meeting a retired single woman who lived alone. Each evening she would lay out the tablecloth, light the candles, put on sweet music, and serve herself a well-cooked dinner. Her income was modest but she knew how to live.”  Author unknown

How have you done with preparing more meals at home?

Heap on the wood, kindle the fire; cook the meat well, mix in the spices.  (Ezekiel 24:10a; NKJ)

As a follow-up to last week’s Daily Gram, I wanted to offer some practical ideas for eating more meals at home.  If you’re currently eating over 50% of your meals away from home, what will it take for you to begin to make a shift?  Could you begin by planning to eat at least 4 dinner meals at home with the family in the next week?  If that seems impossible, then how about 3?  Be intentional and purposeful and plan what days would work best to have a home-prepared meal.

One suggestion that I offer to my clients is to buy a fresh, whole chicken–free-range or without antibiotics and hormones is best.  However, if that’s too much of a stretch for you, then buy a regular whole chicken.  It’s still better than what you would get at a restaurant, in most cases.  Plan on roasting the chicken in the oven.  You could have the roast chicken for that meal.  Bake some sweet potatoes along with the chicken.  Serve those with real butter.  Make either a tossed green salad or a Waldorf salad to add to the meal.

The next day you could make chicken salad with the left over chicken.  Next you can make chicken soup from the carcass.  Place the carcass of the chicken in a soup pot.  Cover with water and add cut up celery, onion, and parsley.  Simmer the chicken until the bones are soft and any leftover chicken has fallen off into the broth.  Strain the broth, discarding the bones and saving the chicken pieces. Use that rich broth as one of the ingredients to make chicken soup.  Cook some onions and celery in coconut oil, then add the chicken broth and any leftover chicken.  Finally, add a package of organic, frozen mixed vegetables.  Simmer until the vegetables are tender.  Add Herbamare or salt and pepper to taste.  Cayenne pepper will also add some flavor.

So, as a result, you’ve just gotten at least three meals from that one chicken.  The chicken soup may give you several more meals depending on how many are in your family.

Give it a try…let me know how it works out for you.

Prayer Power
Lord, bless our readers as they continue on their path of becoming healthier eaters.

Link of the Day
Poultry Industry Steeped in Evil Practices

Blessings on you as you purpose to prepare more meals at home.