It’s not all about food…

Just wanted to prove that it’s not just my stomach that prompts me to write but my heart too!

I find food one of the most easiest things to write about but when it comes to my Christian faith, I get a bit tonguetied because I’m scared of writing something theologically incorrect or repulsed by what I write because it sounds so corny. It amuses me that we Christians come up with our own Christian vocabulary that it probably seems like code to anyone outside of church – and I’m just as guilty of using it as anyone else!

I thought I’d start by telling you a bit about how I came to be a Christian. My parents are Christians and my Grandpa is an Anglican vicar so I definitely grew up in a church environment but I wouldn’t say I truly understood it for myself until I went away to University. My first year was spent partying (with a guilty conscience that something wasn’t quite right) and it wasn’t until my second year that God started to move in my life. I hurt my back and was diagnosed with sciatica that kept me in bed for a month. I’d been seeing this guy who was a cheat and I was pretty miserable. One night, I woke up with a creeping, fearful sensation that I had to split up with him and it is now with hindsight that I can see God was speaking to me directly to get me to change my life. I remember battling in my head with the decision, being scared of ending up alone, and not feeling peaceful until I’d made it. A few months later at a Christian conference, the female vicar from my church drew me to one side and asked me how I was – and I wasn’t ok. She talked me through what becoming a Christian meant and asked me to think about it. It took me several days but after praying with a good friend to ask Jesus into my life, I went back to see her. Like doubting Thomas, I didn’t feel any different and that frustrated me, so she prayed with me and as she spoke, I felt my arm tingle as if someone were touching my arm, holding it as if I needed supporting. That was the Holy Spirit. As I went to bed that night, the same sensation covered me like a blanket, protecting me. Nothing would be the same. That was over 5 years ago.

I’d like to say that from then on, things were amazing and I never looked back but that would be a massive lie. Some days I still battle with myself to believe. However today, just writing this and reminding myself how gracious God is, I know that my life was nothing until I allowed Jesus into my life and will amount to nothing unless I let God continue to finish the work he has begun in me.

Tell me about your journey with God (see – Christian vocab!)…….

Raspberry Blush

So I tested the salmon out on my friends/guinea pigs and I think they’re still living. If I do say so myself, it was pretty good! The sweet/sourness of the caramelised ginger is a great match with the roast salmon. Jo (guinea pig 1) said she couldn’t stand salmon served with hollandaise because the creamy sauce doesn’t do anything for it – I think fresh flavours such as citrus or ginger complement the fish much better.

For pudding, my guinea pigs received another experiment which I have titled Raspberry Blush:
dead simple, you can make it well in advance and when you serve it, people are really impressed.

Raspberry Blush (Serves 4)

Fresh raspberries
Small pot of extra thick double cream
Small pot of natural greek yogurt
chocolate biscuits (I used Mcvities Moments – Belgian Chocolate chunks (!))

4 ramekins/small bowls

Using 3-4 biscuits, place in a bowl or plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until the biscuits are reduced to fine crumbs.
Line the bottoms of the bowls with the biscuit crumbs and place 4 raspberries on top.
Leaving 4 raspberries to one side, mash the rest to a pulp with a fork and mix together with the greek yoghurt and cream.
Spoon the raspberry cream mixture into the ramkins.
Decorate each top with a raspberry and then refrigerate until needed.

Sportsmans Salmon

Yesterday was the Careers Centre Staff day out – a pub walk from Pateley Bridge to The Sportsmans Arms for lunch and then back. Away from the buzz of the computer and the stuffy office (these temperatures!) into the fresh air and quiet of Yorkshire was liberating. Back at work today I feel re-energised by the break in the routine. God is good, providing us with just what we need when we need it!

The Sportsmans Arms is a hotel/restaurant pub nr. Wath which has lovely food. I ordered a delicious Roast Salmon with ginger and spring onions and I’m going to make a stab at recreating the recipe – not got accurate measurements but am imagining I am cooking for 2.

2 pieces of fresh salmon fillet (125g x2)
handful of spring onions chopped into 2-3cm lengths
a knob of fresh ginger finely chopped
butter
honey
lemon wedges (use 1 for marinade)
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsps of olive oil

Marinade the salmon with a small tablespoon of olive oil mixed with ginger, honey and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Put oven on at 180-200 C/gas mark 4-5.
Take the salmon out of the marinade and brush off any excess ginger.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or so until cooked (flesh should be a matte pink colour and not glossy!)
Meanwhile take the rest of the ginger, honey, sugar and butter, place in a heavy bottomed pan (le creuset pans are pretty good though v. expensive – a normal saucepan will do but watch that the ginger doesn’t burn!) and caramelise over a low heat.
Just 5 minutes before serving the salmon, pan fry the spring onions in the rest of the olive oil until translucent.
Put salmon on plate, scatter with spring onions and pour over the caramelised ginger sauce. Garnish with lemon wedge.

Serve with boiled new potatoes and any green veg – peas or mange tout are pretty good with salmon.

Will try this out and get back to you with how this salmon experiment works!

Inspired to write…

Why have a blog? First, I’ve been reading a couple of blogs about food – ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ and ‘Chocolate & Zucchini’ and one or two others about faith and Christianity and really loved the idea of making a regular commitment to write about two of the things I’m most passionate about. Plus, I sporadically write a diary and am challenged to do this in a different way, maybe I’ll be more dedicated if I can do this online. (My dad will be laughing so much at my attempt to try to be on the cutting edge – he’s only jealous….)

Why call it Soul Food? The Bible verse that resonated most with me as I became a Christian over 5 years ago was Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” The image of Jesus coming to meet with me over a meal – thats right up my street. And thats what I would want for everyone – to know Jesus, be part of His family and to be nourished spiritually and physically. So if, in this blog, I get to share some great recipes for good food and some stories/thoughts about the power of God to change lives, I’ll be a content woman indeed.

In the beginning

My first blog – just to check out whether this works or not!