Tofu “Feta” Cheese

Ingredients

• 15oz/16 oz. firm/extra firm tofu
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (distilled vinegar works, too)
• 1 TBSP Greek seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions:

• Drain tofu.
• Chop tofu into ½ inch cubes.
• Put tofu in a tall jar (24 oz. or larger) or glass bowl with lid.
• Put spices in the jar/bowl with the tofu.
• Add the liquids.
• Put lid on jar or bowl and gently turn it upside down and right side up a few times to mix the ingredients.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight. Give it a stir or a shake every few hours (or so) to ensure all the cubes become marinated.
• Enjoy! You can keep the leftover tofu in the marinade for at least a week in the fridge; it becomes more flavorful as it sits.

Mint Ginger (Kashayam) Tea

(2 servings)

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed with whole spices to boost immunity among other health benefits.

Ingredients

• 16 oz water
• 2 sprigs mint (12-18 medium/large leaves)
• 1 tsp ginger (fresh, finely chopped or grated)
• ¼ tsp coriander (whole seeds)
• ½ cinnamon stick
• Optional: 
  • 1 tsp raisins (chopped)
  • 6 whole walnuts

Instructions:

• Chop ginger into tiny pieces and chop raisins (if using).
• Heat water to a boil. 
• Using a tea pot or cooking pot, pour water over mint leaves, ginger, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, and raisins.
• Cover and steep for 3-5 minutes.
• Garnish with 3 walnuts.*
• Enjoy!

*Note:

• The original recipe recommends serving this with 3 walnuts because the natural fats in walnuts (and other nuts) appear to increase the bioavailability of fat-soluble phytonutrients found in plants.

Adapted from: NutritionScience.in

Lentil and Barley Salad

(12 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry green lentils 
• 1 cup barley* 
• 2 cups greens (Swiss chard, collards, kale, lettuce) of choice (chopped; raw or cooked) 
•  1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley (chopped) 
• 1 small onion (chopped) or 2-3 green onion (chopped)
• 1 apple (diced) 
• 1 cup pomegranate arils/seeds (when in season) or ½ – 3/4 cup dried fruit (pomegranate arils, golden raisins, apricots)
•  1/4 cup almonds* (chopped, sliced, or slivered) 
• Optional: 
  • Salad topper: tofu feta (link to recipe)
  • Add roasted (and cooled) vegetables of your choice (sweet potatoes, carrots, whatever is in season)

Dressing

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 2 TBSP Dijon mustard
• 2 TBSP Date paste*
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Combine the lentils and barley with 5 cups of water.
• Bring to a boil and then cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the lentil and barley are done, about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
• In a mason jar – add the apple cider vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, date paste, salt and pepper (to taste).
• Shake vigorously until emulsified and combined.
• Combine the cooled barley and lentils, pomegranate arils, greens of choice, cilantro/parsley, apple, almonds, and roasted vegetables (if using).
• Dress with the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly to combine.
• Serve cold or at room temperature.
• Optional: Top salad with tofu feta

*Notes:

• To make this gluten-free – substitute the barley with brown rice or my favorite combination (1/3 cup of each buckwheat, millet, and amaranth).
• To make this nut-free – use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead of almonds.
• Date paste substitute – add 3-4 med-size dates (chopped) to the dressing recipe and 1-2 tsp. of water.  Then instead of shaking the dressing in a mason jar to mix the ingredients, blend the dressing using an immersion blender.

Adapted from: ParsnipsandPastries.com

Fig, Date, and Walnut Bread

(Makes 1 loaf)

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup water or tea (black, green, herbal, whatever you like)
• ½ cup dried figs (chopped and any tough stems discarded)
• ½ cup dried dates (pitted and chopped)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free, all-purpose flour)
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup almond butter (or ¼ cup almond flour mixed with 2-3 TBSP plant-based milk) or sunflower seed butter (nut-free option)
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup date paste (or 1/2 cup chopped dates blended with a couple of TBSP of water)
• ⅔ cup fresh orange juice (from 2 to 3 oranges)
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ¼ tsp salt

Optional:

• Top with sunflower seed “cream” cheese and a few dashes of cinnamon.*

Directions:

• • Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • In a small saucepan, heat water or tea over medium-high heat.  When it just starts to bubble, turn off heat, and leaving pot on the burner, add chopped dried figs and dried dates.  Leave them to soften while you continue with the recipe.
  • Put chopped nuts into a shallow baking pan and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until walnuts are brown and rich smelling.  Remove from oven and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, sift together whole wheat flour and oat flour, baking soda, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • In another bowl, mix together orange juice, date paste, almond butter, and apple sauce. 
  • Add wet ingredients to dry ones.
  • Drain figs and dates and add to batter. 
  • Gently add walnuts and stir just till combined. 
  • Pour into prepared loaf pan.
  • Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is golden and puffed and an inserted tester comes out clean.
  • Enjoy!*

   

  *Notes:

  • For a sunflower seed “cream” cheese recipe click here – Omit the garlic! And, you can use raw sunflower seeds instead of “sprouted.”
  • Wrapped well, bread freezes well or keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, but judging by the audience last week, tends to be consumed immediately.

   

• Adapted from: VegKitchen

How Are We Being Called To Fill Our Plates This Holiday Season (And Beyond)?

This past summer, my brother lent me a book that he thought I would enjoy titled Slow Church.*  It came out in 2014, so it has been around awhile, and some of you may have already read it.  Upon reading the first few pages, I not only immediately resonated with the authors, but found myself wanting to speed through reading a book that was focused on slowing down!*

The premise of Slow Church is to challenge communities of faith to “ask ourselves tough questions about the ground our faith communities has ceded to the cult of speed,” to invite us to consider the consequences of these actions (such as a decrease in meaningful connections), and to ask us to “rethink the ways in which we share life together in our church communities.”

Slow Church, as well as several other “Slow Movements” (ex. slow schools, towns, lives, etc.), were inspired by the language and philosophy of the Slow Food Movement, which “is a global, grassroots organization, founded in 1989 to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract the rise of fast life and combat people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from and how our food choices affect the world around us.”

In a nutshell, what these “slow movements” have in common is their emphasis on the importance of meaningful relationships within the contexts of our churches, communities, the food we eat, Creation, and with God.

We are about to enter the holiday season, a time when many things seem, figuratively and literally, to stack up on our plates – preparing for the arrival of guests, endlessly long to-do lists, countless rich foods, etc.  This is when many people find themselves just trying to hold on the best they can and/or “ingesting” what is put in front of them until they make it into the new year… where they then hope to regroup!  We want to encourage you, as these “slow movements” suggest, to slow down.  Hopefully, this practice will help you to have a healthier/more sustainable pace through the holiday season, which will allow you to be more intentional about what you are putting on your plate (again, figuratively and literally) as well as afford you the opportunity to spend more time on the important relationships in your life.

Here are several reflections for your consideration:

• Before putting something on your plate (figuratively and/or literally), think about how it may make you feel later.  Is it going to be nourishing?  Energizing?  Joy-filled?  Or, is it going to make you feel sluggish and/or weighed down?
• How sustainable (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, environmentally, etc.) are the items you are putting on your plate?  Are there healthier alternatives you could choose instead?  For some examples, check out:
  • Tips for Maintaining Healthy Habits During the Holidays
  • 12 Ways to Have an Eco Friendly Holiday
• Consider participating in an Advent Fast (some resources for this are provided in this edition of our newsletter).
  • This spiritual practice is not only a part of the Christian tradition (although it is often overlooked), but it is also a wonderful opportunity to slow down and consider what one is putting on their plate in preparation for the coming of Christ and in anticipation of the new year.

May all be well with you this holiday season and into the new year!

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

“You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,” (James 1:19)… and slow with what we put on our plates.

*While I liked the overall premise of the book, there are some aspects of it that aren’t feasible for many communities of faith (example – they strongly emphasize the importance of “local” – attending a congregation close to our homes and shopping and working as locally as possible.  These are all great ideals, but not realistic for a lot of people).  As one reviewer wrote, and I agree, the greatest strength of this book is to use it in a small-group setting, where the ideas mentioned in the book can help to generate new possibilities that are fitting for the congregational context.

100+ Years of Wisdom

When Travis’ maternal grandmother turned 90, his family decided to establish a call schedule so that different family members could check in with her each morning and evening.  Since she was still living at home, this gave everyone the opportunity to make sure she was okay and see if she needed anything.  At the time, I volunteered to take one of the time slots because I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to get to know her better.

Fast forward 12 years… I’m still calling Granny (what she told me to call her) every Monday morning!  Yes, it is truly amazing: at the end of August, she turned 102 and still lives at home!

During our conversations over the past dozen years, we have covered a lot of ground together (both literally and figuratively, as I have called her not only from the three different states in which I have lived during that time, but also while traveling both domestically and internationally).  We talk about everything: the weather, what we did over the past weekend, and our plans for the upcoming week, as well as what we’ve recently read or learned.

Several weeks ago, she asked how our backyard garden was coming along.  I gave her a brief update about what we were harvesting (tons of tomatoes and raspberries!) and I also shared how busy it was in the garden, with all of the birds (one of her favorite subjects!), butterflies, and bees bustling about.

Upon hearing this, she paused for a moment and then said, “You know, Karen, there is a tremendous amount of life happening outside, all around us, that I think a lot of people are missing,” followed by the question she often asks me after making a statement: “What do you think?” 

“Granny, I couldn’t agree with you more!”

Our conversation continued as she shared a brief account of some of what she had already  observed outside her sunroom in the few hours she had been awake that morning – the variety of birds that had visited her birdfeeders, the number of squirrels fussing with one another, the people who had walked, run, or biked by her house (many of whom wave to her each day as they pass), the color of the morning sky… outside is, indeed, full of life!

As many of you know, during the month of September, HSHC is holding our 4th annual Miles For Ministry challenge and annual fundraiser.  This year, we picked the theme “Move Out” precisely for the reason that Granny mentioned: there is a tremendous amount of life happening outside, which is easy to overlook if we aren’t paying attention.  

The consequences?  Not only do we miss out on the many personal health benefits of being outside, but we also fail to see the daily reminders of how totally interconnected the wellbeing of all Creation is.  Out of sight, out of mind!

If you have not yet registered for our “Move Out” challenge this month, it is not too late!  You can still make a commitment to yourself (and to God) to spend more time outside during the rest of this month (and, hopefully, in the months to come!) by participating in activities that not only bring you joy, but also promote greater awareness and appreciation for the abundance of life that surrounds us all.  

As you know, your support, in the form of prayers, encouragement, financial contributions, and letting others know about HSHC, helps us continue “Moving Out” into our vocation of improving the health of seminarians, congregations, communities, and the Creation.  Please click here if you would like to make a gift towards these efforts.  

We look forward to seeing you outside!

May all be well,

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.” – Proverbs 23:12 (ESV)

• Creative way to use seasonal tomatoes!

(click image to enlarge)

Recipes from www.liveeatlearn.com.

Catching Up With Time

A common theme that others have shared with me recently is their lack of time.  “If only I had more time to…” “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to…” “How do I make the most of the time I have left?” 

This is certainly not a new issue; people have been wrestling with this since the beginning of time.  I know that for me, even as a young child, I would find myself unnecessarily rushing through things and sometimes making errors (especially when doing my math assignments!) because I felt a certain amount of urgency… time was slipping away, so I’d better hurry. 

The intensity of this challenge became even more apparent for me personally several weeks ago as I turned another year older.  Thankfully, I had a scheduled trip to the west coast to visit my family, as well as some days intentionally set aside to be unplugged from technology, which afforded me the opportunity to pause time so that I could catch up with it. 

Pause time? 

You can’t do that. 

Oh, but I did… although, not in the way I anticipated! 

My natural inclination is that, when a challenge arises, I research what others have to say about it.  No need to recreate the wheel, times a’ wastin’!  Thus, I found myself quickly drawn to New York Times bestselling author Juliet Funt’s book, “A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, And Do Your Best Work.”  As I quickly scanned through the opening pages, the premise of the book seemed solid, and I could see that, in the later chapters, it offered what appeared to be some practical suggestions.  Yet, as I read it, something felt lacking. 

So, I turned to another book that a friend recently told me about: “No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)“ by Kate Bower, who is also a New York Times bestselling author.  It, too, was intriguing, but something still felt unsettled inside of me as I tried to figure out how to organize my time.  What should my priorities be?  What could I let go?  What should I do? 

Since my research did not seem to be working, I resolved to press on… actively seeking any opportunity where I could carve out space so that I might gain new clarity and/or insight as to how I should approach time. 

As timing would have it, that very same afternoon, as I walked into my brother’s kitchen in Washington state, my young nieces (12 and 10) and nephew (6) asked me if I wanted to join them in playing with their playdough.  I didn’t waste a skinny minute.  I quickly sat down at the kitchen table with them, hoping that, through mushing the dough between my fingers, I could perhaps get a better grasp of time, or at least have some fun trying! 

As my nephew busily made a banana and a rolled-up burnt pancake (left image), I wasn’t sure what to do with the blank space sitting in front of me.  So, I decided to start by making a daisy flower because they bring me joy… then two daisies… then three… then grass… and then, finally, adding a berry bush that one of my nieces made for me. 

As I worked on the final pieces of my now “art” project, I was only marginally aware of how much time had gone by, other than I knew that dinner would be coming soon, so I’d have to finish up.  Yet, I wasn’t quite ready.  In order for my playdough time to be “officially finished” in my mind, I needed to add some sort of word or phrase to my picture, but what was fitting? 

Peace?  Joy?  Love?  As I visualized how each of them would look, none felt right. 

Then, suddenly, “Abide in Me…” popped into my mind, and I found myself filled with a great sense of peace… “Abide in me as I abide in you.  Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” – John 15:4 

Prior to my playdough time, I knew that I could not slow time or regain time.  However, it was in that moment when I was humbly reminded that I had been trying too hard to control time on my own terms rather than abiding (also translated as continuing, staying, remaining) in God.

Once I invited God back to be my “time management partner,” I was able to return to the two books I had started, both offering me new insights as well as practical suggestions (I commend them both to you!).

Praise be to God for providing me the space to catch up and re-establish my relationship with time.

May all be well,

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Cofounder/Executive Director

A Good Argument

Travis and I will never forget the June night back in 2012 when we went for a walk in Winnona Park (the neighborhood around Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA).  We were there because I was participating in two of my first Doctor of Ministry classes and Travis decided to take some study leave and join me on campus, since he was completely immersed in full-time ministry and felt that this would be an excellent opportunity to rest and reflect. 

What started out as a normal conversation while walking quickly became heated, just like the night air (good ol’ summertime in the South!).  

“So, Karen, I think I finally do want to apply for the Th.D. in Pastoral Counseling program here.”  

This was something that Travis had been talking about since the day we graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary (Princeton, NJ) with our M.Div. degrees in 2004 (Karen’s recollection), so this wasn’t a shock.  The difference was that, this time I, Karen, realized he really meant it.

“Ok, so if we move here to Decatur, what am I supposed to do?  I want somehow to use the gifts that God has given me – a degree in exercise physiology, ordination as a Presbyterian pastor, certification as a Master Gardener in South Carolina, a love for both cooking and working with people of all ages, and a passion about wanting to improve the health and wellbeing of clergy because, from everything I have read and observed, they are struggling with their health, which not only impacts them personally, but also those whom they serve.  Tell me, what kind of job would allow me to do all of that?”  I was completely exasperated; if I were a cartoon character, I would have had steam rising off my head!

The conversation abruptly ended there that night, and we went to bed without any resolution.

When we woke up the next morning, Travis said, “Karen, I think I’ve figured out what we can do.  It will be a lot of work, but I know we can do it…”  

Travis shared his vision and, without even the slightest bit of hesitation, I knew that this was exactly what we were supposed to do.  Never mind that we had zero experience starting a non-profit, zero experience in managing a “business,” zero organizations to look to as templates for the kind of ministry we were seeking to establish (to this day, as far as we know, we are the only organization that is seeking to improve the wellbeing of seminarians so that they can be healthier clergy, which will help to bring about greater health in our communities of faith and beyond!).  On top of all this, when we shared our ideas with several people we trusted, they said that we were going to face HUGE challenges, so we definitely were going to have our work cut out for us.  And, if that weren’t enough of a challenge, we felt called to do this at the same time Travis was beginning to apply for the doctoral program!  

Fast forward 10 years… the work that we have undertaken has been anything but easy.  There are days when we feel like we are taking two steps forward and then two steps backward, sometimes almost instantaneously.  However, seeing the difference that we have made in the lives of seminarians, clergy, and church members makes it all worth it!  Plus, it is because of the support and encouragement we have received from people like you that we have been able to learn, grow, and expand our ministry day by day, relationship by relationship.

Speaking of encouragement, when I (Karen) was sorting through some of my old emails as I was preparing the timeline for this newsletter, I came across some of the initial email correspondence we had with Steve Hayner, who was president of Columbia Theological Seminary the year HSHC was born.  Here is an excerpt from what he wrote: 

“It was both encouraging and exciting to read your report [which we submitted to him on 10/24/12] and to engage again with your vision.  Helping to set seminarians on a physically healthy trajectory is as important as working with them intellectually, spiritually, and relationally… Again, Karen, let me commend you on your amazing vision and initiative.  You’ve spotted a very real need and moved to meet it.  We talk a lot around here about vision, values, and vocation—and about imagination and resilience. You are illustrating all of these traits.” 

From the very first day we shared our vision with President Hayner, he was extremely supportive of our work and was also a real source of inspiration.  When he was very sadly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, news that devastated those both inside and beyond the seminary community, one of the things he made sure he accomplished before stepping down due to illness was to provide our organization with an on-campus mailbox and office space.  We will never forget his generosity in providing us not only a physical space to meet with those in the Columbia Theological Seminary community, but also giving us what we needed to establish ourselves as a 501(c)(3) organization.

Again, looking back at that June night, who knew ten years later both that this is where God would lead us and also that God would put so many supportive people on our path to guide and encourage us along the way?  We eagerly wait to see what God has in store for us in the days, months, and years to come.  Now, as much as ever, healthy seminarians + healthy churches = a healthier world!

May All Be Well,

Karen and Travis Webster

HSHC Co-founders

Click below to view our interactive timeline. Each underlined section links to a publication or story from our last decade!