Heaven’s Menu for Today’s Home

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Heaven’s Menu for Today’s Home

Many of you know that I’m a pescatarian, someone who follows a vegetarian diet but includes fish and other seafood. It’s a lifestyle that works well for me, and one I’ve grown to really enjoy.

Now, let me be clear: this isn’t a post about the dangers of red meat or a pitch for environmental or religious reasons. At this point, those aren’t my motivations.

I chose this path because, truth be told, I was once a notorious red meat eater. Think burgers, steaks, ribs, you name it. Shifting to a pescatarian diet was a personal decision, a way to reset and find balance in how I nourish myself.

And while I jokingly say this diet is “tres apostle” (a phrase I use with love and a wink), it’s really just about finding what feels right for me.

This way of eating shifted my focus from meals that were once centered around meat to ones that now feel more balanced, with a mix of protein and a variety of other nutritious foods.

These opening thoughts bring me to one of the biggest benefits of this shift: it’s not only a healthier way to eat, but also a more affordable one. With meals no longer centered around costly cuts of meat, I’ve found it easier to create nutritious, satisfying dishes without breaking the bank. And especially now, with disruptions in government food support, it's more important than ever to find ways to stretch a dollar while still eating like royalty.

While the fatted-calf or lamb meat options are prominently mentioned in the Bible; so are plant-based meals.

Genesis 1:29 Plant-based  Sustenance Value

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.

Song of Solomon 2:5 Nature's Creatine

Strengthen me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples

Daniel 1:12-16 (Veggie Diet)

12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.  15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.

Genesis 25:29-34 (Lentil Stew)

29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)

31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”

32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”

33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal.

As mentioned above, legumes, like beans, lentils, and peas, along with vegetables, have proven more than capable of sustaining full-grown adults in a nourishing and affirming way.

For you carnivores, the type of protein your body needs does change as you age. Understanding these shifts can help support better health, strength, and energy throughout life.  After age 35, we experience muscle loss, slower metabolism, and reduced efficiency in processing protein. Thus, you need more to get the same benefit.

Here is my plug for protein, per WebMed: it helps preserve muscle, supports metabolism, and aids in recovery from illness or injury.  However, red meat is not the only source of protein.  Better options include fish, eggs (especially if it is just the whites), Greek yogurt, tofu, quinoa, chia, nuts, soybean, and seeds. Protein is best absorbed if it is spread out throughout the day instead of the big steak meal at dinner.

Per WebMed, the protein recommendation per day is:

• .0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (about 0.45–0.54 grams per pound) for healthy adults over 40
• Up to 1.5–2.0 g/kg if you're very active or recovering from illness

For example, if you weigh 150 lbs (68 kg), aim for 68–82 grams of protein per day.

Eating Wisely

The Bible is practical. Sometimes, the economy or life’s circumstances give us the nudge we need to evaluate not just what we’re eating, but also what we shouldn’t be eating.

 

Isaiah 55:2 Spend Your Food Dollars Wisely

Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?  Why pay for food that is no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.  You will enjoy the finest food.

This verse reminds us to be intentional with our food choices, both nutritionally and financially. Eating well doesn’t have to mean spending more; it means spending wisely.

 

Proverbs 25:27 Always Eat in Moderation

It’s not good to eat too much honey, and it’s not good to seek honors for yourself.

Moderation is key. In a world of super-sized portions and endless snacking, this ancient wisdom still holds true.

Stretching the food dollar takes planning and cooking, skills that are becoming rare in an age of fast food and ultra-processed meals. But the rewards of a well-planned, home-cooked meal are incredible. Not only can it nourish your body, but it can also feed your family for days. That’s something fast food rarely offers.

Think about Thanksgiving, we love it not just for the food, but for the time spent preparing it with care and love. And of course, the leftovers are a bonus!

Proverbs 31:14-15  Meal Planning

She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar.  15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

Plan the meals for the week. Be sure to use leftovers creatively, and store food properly.  And just to be clear, men can contribute to the cooking effort too. Some men are marvelous cooks.  If you both get in the kitchen, it can be fun and the cooking gets done quicker.  Forget that old saying about two cooks in the kitchen.  Additionally, bring the kiddos in the kitchen to learn as well

Planning meals for the week, using leftovers creatively, and storing food properly are all part of wise stewardship. And let’s be clear, men can cook too! Some of the best meals come from shared time in the kitchen. Forget the old saying about “too many cooks in the kitchen.” Cooking together can be fun, efficient, and a great way to bond.

Bring the kids in too, teach them early. These are life skills that will serve them well.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Get the Family in the Kitchen

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.

Meal planning, budgeting, and prepping ahead are all biblical ways to cook wisely and avoid unnecessary spending.  It honors the resources God has given us.

Proverbs 21:5 Good Meal Planning
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Collard greens & Onions cooked in vegetable broth, and wild rice & mushrooms with Creole Shrimp

Song of the Week - 

Hallelujah! Sing a New Song to GOD. Sing HIS praise in the assembly of godly people. Psalm 149:1.

"Don't Faint", 2025, Jekalyn Carr

The top Gospel song for October 2025.  A good statement song you will hum for a few days.

Lyrics

Don't faint, here comes change

Don't faint, it's about to break

You've got to pray through the fire, pray through the flood

Apply and plead the blood

Don't faint, it is worth the wait

Don't faint, He has the final say

You've got to pray through the fire, pray through the flood

Apply and plead the blood

Oh, don't, don't, don't, don't faint, here comes change

You've been waiting on your turn, you've been waiting on your change

Waiting on your time, but everything is still the same

Problems over here, trouble over there

Look around, disasters everywhere

I know what you see, but you still have a prophecy

He gave you His word, you're about to see your victory

Don't faint (oh, no, no, no, no)

Here comes change (oh, don't you faint)

Don't faint (It's about to break for you)

It's about to break (you've got to pray)

You've got to pray through the fire, pray through the flood (pray, apply)

Apply and plead the blood (oh, yeah)

Don't faint, it is worth the wait (oh, you can't faint)

Don't faint (God has the final say)

He has the final say (you've got to pray)

You've got to pray through the fire, pray through the flood (pray, oh, pray)

Apply and plead the blood (oh, don't you, don't you, don't you)

Don't faint, here comes change (don't you faint, here comes change)

These things come by fasting and praying

These things come by fasting and praying, hey

These things come by fasting and praying (whatever, whatever, whatever you need)

These things come by fasting and praying (hey, you've got to pray)

You've got to pray through the fire, pray through the flood (oh, pray, ah!)

Apply and plead the blood

Don't faint (don't you, don't you, don't you, don't you faint)

It is worth the wait (don't faint)

Don't faint (I feel in my spirit right now)

Don't faint (Heaven's having a conversation about you)

Don't faint (the King is about to favor you)

Don't faint (oh, you won't, you won't, you won't faint)

Don't faint (God made you a promise)

Don't faint (and He won't take it back)

Don't faint (here comes), here comes change

We will not faint (we, will, not, faint)

We will stand and wait (we, will, stand, wait)

We will not faint (we, will, not, faint)

We will stand and wait (we, will, stand, wait)

We will not faint (we, will, not, faint)

We will stand and wait (we, will, stand, wait)

We will not faint (we, will, not, faint)