Just over a year ago my brother Greg told me, “Your taste buds are not your buds, they’ll kill ya!”
It was a powerful little sentence that got me to thinking. Am I making food choices based on health benefit, or based on what my taste buds demand?
I don’t know about you but my taste buds are like rock stars, they enjoy high energy, go big or go home kinds of foods! Problem is I often made choices that were unhealthy and packed with sugar, sugar, sugar and processed, processed, processed! Those bad choices wore me out and left me dragging and exhausted.
I decided to start thinking about what I was going to eat. It became a challenge to come up with healthy choices when my taste buds were cheering me on to eat junk food! For example, my afternoon snack went from grabbing a fun size candy bar to cutting up an apple and dipping it in a little natural peanut butter. Breakfast became things like oatmeal with honey and cinnamon and dinner became things like salmon with steamed veggies, and so on.
I made it my mission to cook, bake, create food that was fun, yummy and healthy, it became kind of a game…a game that I’ve continued to play for over a year now and I feel GREAT!
The Bible says to honor your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. “Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you. You don’t belong to yourselves.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 GW Translation).
Making healthy food choices is one of the ways we can honor God.
Throughout this journey I have driven a very dear friend of mine crazy with phone calls, text messages, pictures of all kinds of foods that I have made and she’s been such a great support for me. Her name is Wendi Michelle.
Wendi is a Health Coach/Author/Speaker. I highly recommend her cookbook, Effortless Real Food – Taking the Kitchen Approach to Health. Wendi says, “The Kitchen Approach is a food based approach to health and wellness, it’s as simple as that. Every day foods for every day health.” I LOVE that!
I will be sharing foodstuff on my site and I thought this rice cake recipe would be an easy one to start with. They are packed with flavor and darned satisfying. I eat them for breakfast or snack, they’re delicious and nutritious.
Wendi says, “It may not look like much but let me tell you, this is one of my all time favs. Quick, cheap and a smidge over 100 calories for 2! Satisfies my nutrient quota for the morning and is SO YUMMY!! 2 organic rice cakes, sunflower butter, raw honey and cinnamon. BONUS… Cinnamon in the am = balanced blood sugar right outta the gate!”
Btw…adding a few banana slices boosts your intake of vitamin A, C, E and B6, what a fabulous way to start your day!
You can visit Wendi at: http://www.thekitche
napproach.com/
I’ve had the pleasure of you introducing me to this cookbook and cheering me on as I’ve changed my diet too! These are definitely yummy and there are so many eye opening and quick easy recipes ! Wendi’s cookbook is truly fabulous and I especially love the beautiful pictures with simple, healthy ingredients- well done Wendi Michelle!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Julie, I really appreciate it and I know Wendi will LOVE hearing your rave review :O)
Hugs, Johnna
Your taste buds are not your friend!
You have done an amazing job proud of you sis!!!!!! Love ya..Brotha G
Thank you Brotha G!
Praising the Lord for you and your inspiration!
I am so thankful that we had that weekend together and I was able to “hear and see” your story about eating healthy. You’ve impacted mine and RandyMan’s life along with many other family members and friends of ours that we’ve shared with.
Greg quote, “If it doesn’t come from the ground or a tree, don’t eat it!” Although I’d like to add, “or swim in the sea!” The Salmon I made last night was the BOMB!! :O)
Love you bunches,
Sista J
Wow, Johnna! Thank you 🙂 And thank you, Julie! I so appreciate the support but all the applauding goes to you ladies! The recipes I create are simple but choosing healthy is not always that easy. All of you who choose to eat better and take the time to change a few things here and there are the heroes in my book! When one person starts the shift, it is instantly contagious to family and friends. The personal rewards are great, but don’t forget how effective your stepping up to the challenge can be to those around you! 🙂 Hooray for feeling awesome!!!
YES Wendy, HOORAY FOR FEELING AWESOME!!!
You are soo right about the impact our eating habits have on those around us 🙂
You are an amazing example and a treasured friend!
Love you bunches XO
Ladies, I have known Johnna for about 25 years—most of those years have seen us living apart from one another. However, reading her blogs is like hearing her talk! It is amazing! Johnna is the real deal! There is no one like her, and I think my living in four states & eight different towns may give me a leg up on personalities,
May God bless your wonderful website and blogs,sweet Johnna!
Always, Terrie
Awwww Terrie,
Thank you for the kind words and support! Miles cannot diminish the impact you’ve made in my life. You are a part of many cherished memories of mine 🙂 I pray God blesses you richly for all the times you have blessed me XO
I love you dearly,
Johnna
Ok! So you sparked my curiosity!
Having rice cakes with banana, sunflower butter and honey for breakfast tomorrow!!!
Colleen
HAHAHAHA!!! Colleen GO FOR IT!!! I top them with bananas but sometimes I will top them with sliced strawberries or raspberries or blueberries…it all depends on what I’ve got 🙂 They are amazing! The brown rice cakes are the BEST!!
Lemme know how they turn out!
P.S. Don’t forget to sprinkle them with cinnamon 😉
I love Johnna! She has helped me on numerous occasions talking me through serious doubts about myself! She helped me realize through common sense and scripture how to rise above it all and to put my husband and I first! ( Our relationship). She is a true friend and a great listener! I rely on her wisdom quite often!
I love you too Patty!
Thank you for sharing, I am your cheerleader 🙂
Keep Jesus numero uno and Dean numero dos and everything else comes after that.
Jesus created us for JOY, His joy and our joy..be joyful my friend XO
(((Hugs)))