🍽️ Dive into a week of clean, wholesome dinners with our delicious menu inspired by “What the Bible Says About Healthy Living” by Rex Russell, M.D. and the companion cookbook by Hope Egan. Enjoy Tamale Pie Casserole, Greek Grilled Chicken, Lentil Sloppy Joes, Tandoori Chicken, Potluck Style Veggies, and more! ✨ #CleanEating #HealthyLiving #FamilyDinners

Inspired by the great book, “What the Bible Says About Healthy Living” by Rex Russell, M.D., the forerunner of the Biblical Eating Movement, I ordered the companion cookbook “What the Bible Says about Healthy Living Cookbook” by Hope Egan and embarked on a mission to prepare a week’s worth of wholesome dinners for my family. What I love about these books is that neither is written from a legalistic, or salvific perspective. Egan’s cookbook focuses on a biblically clean diet and healthy foods overall. Russell outlines the list of unclean animals from Levitical Dietary Laws in the Old Testament and shows the scientific evidence of how they are actually unclean things.

I understand that this is the Old Testament and there is much debate based around Bible verses such as Mark 7:19 (Jesus Christ declared all foods clean) and Acts 10:13 (Peter’s Vision) but there’s also future prophetic warning to those who eat impure meats, pig’s flesh, and rats in Isaiah 65:4 and 66:17 and that has affected my personal conviction about this topic. The book is about more than clean eating though and revolves around three main principles:

• Principle I: Eat the Foods God Created for You
• Principle II: Don’t Alter God’s Design
• Principle III: Don’t Let any Food or Drink Become Your God

When it comes to health, my aim is for my family to make wise food choices, maintain physical health, and live a healthy lifestyle overall. So, just like I pay attention to the annual dirty dozen and clean fifteen lists put out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), I also take heed to what the Word of God says about unclean food. Undertaking this endeavor has included some groundwork. I scoured the pantry twice to eliminate artificial flavors, colors, and more. You can read about that process in detail in The Pantry Edit: A Biblical Approach to Healthy Living. What I wasn’t able to stock up on between Thrive Market and Azure Standard, I was able to pick up from the grocery store. None of the ingredients are too complicated. Below, I have included the recipes and videos for our week of clean meals, culminating with a Passover Dinner.

The menu features a variety of delicious dishes:

• Tamale Pie Casserole
• Greek Grilled Chicken with Rice, Dill, Garbanzo & Feta Salad
• Lentil Sloppy Joes on Homemade Buns with Hand-Cut Fries
• Tandoori Chicken, Potato, and Veggie Bake tossed with Arugula
• Potluck Style Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies and Blueberry Cobbler
• Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Veggies
• Harissa Chicken, Roasted Carrots, Noodles with blanched slivered almonds & Poppy Seeds

These dishes are relatively healthy, bursting with flavor, and definitely worth experiencing. Enjoy!

Tamale Pie Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 large onion (Azure has big ones!)
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 1/2 cups sweet corn
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp salt
• 28 ounces diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 15 ounces black beans
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup corn mill
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt

Instructions:

1. Dice 1/2 large onion and saute over medium heat with 1 lb of lean ground beef for about 5 minutes or until beef is browned and onions translucent.
2. Meanwhile, dice 1/2 red bell pepper and add 1 1/2 cups sweet corn (I prefer organic, frozen corn). Add vegetables to the sauteed ground beef mixture and continue cooking.
3. Add seasonings: chili powder, cumin, and 1 tsp salt. Give the mixture a stir, then add 28 ounces of undrained diced tomatoes and 15 ounces of black beans. Mix all ingredients together and simmer.
4. Meanwhile, to create the tamale dough topping, mix together dry ingredients: 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 cup of corn mill, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients: 1/4 olive oil, 2 eggs, and 1 cup Greek yogurt.
6. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients until incorporated.
7. Pour meat, vegetable, and bean mixture into a 9×11 casserole dish.
8. Top the meat mixture with the tamale dough topping, spreading evenly.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Be sure to check out the video below for a 1-minute walk-through!

Try Thrive Market and Azure Standard for organic ingredients, free of artificial colors, preservatives, flavors, and BPA. Highly recommended, I order from both every month!

Greek Grilled Chicken, Rice Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Dill & Feta, and Jen’s Southern Garden Greens

Greek Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Chicken Breast
• 1 tbsp Greek Seasoning
• 2 tbsp high-quality Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Liberally apply 1 tbsp of Greek seasoning to the chicken breast.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan.
3. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the grill pan or brush it onto the chicken.
4. Grill the chicken for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until fully cooked, flipping halfway through.

Rice Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Dill, and Feta

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 5-6 sprigs of fresh dill or 2 tsp dried dill
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Generous grinds of pepper

Instructions:

1. Prepare the rice with the broth according to the package instructions and let it cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped onions, dill, and garlic. Add the drained and rinsed garbanzo beans and the crumbled feta.
3. Once the rice is cooled, mix it into the bowl with the other ingredients.
4. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the salad, and season with salt and pepper, tossing gently to combine all the ingredients.

Jen’s Southern Garden Greens

Lentil Sloppy Joes on Homemade Buns with Hand-Cut Fries

Lentil Sloppy Joe Filling

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup brown/green lentils
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 cup broth
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 package Simply Organic Sloppy Joe Mix (Thrive Market)

Instructions:

1. Bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup of lentils to a boil, cooking according to package instructions, for approximately 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, dice and prepare onion, bell pepper, and carrots.
3. Sauté the veggie mixture over medium heat with 1 tbs olive oil, then add in the cooked lentils.
4. To the lentil veggie mixture, add tomato paste, 1 cup broth, 1 tsp mustard powder, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 package of Simply Organic Sloppy Joe Mix. You do not have to use the Simply Organic Sloppy Joe Mix, but it does boost the flavor. However, I have made this recipe without it.

Hand-cut Fries

Ingredients:

• 4 Russet Potatoes
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Instructions:

1. Slice potatoes into french fry sticks, lengthwise.
2. Add potatoes onto a baking sheet pan in a single layer, drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes and then bump up to 450 for 10 more minutes for maximum crispiness! Serve warm. These can be prepared in larger batches and frozen for future use. That’s exactly what we did with these.

Homemade Buns

I absolutely love my Cuisinart Bread Maker for all things bread. For this recipe, I simply added all of the ingredients and set the machine to the dough cycle. This machine gives me a great head start on bread for any occasion.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 tsp Fleischmann’s Bread Machine Yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 egg

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to the Cuisinart Bread machine and set to the dough cycle. This takes approximately 1.5 hours to run.
2. Then, remove the dough and hook, form into a ball, place into an oiled bowl, cover and allow to rise for an additional hour.
3. Once risen, lightly coat the dough ball with flour and cut it into 8 even pieces.
4. Shape each piece by hand into a rounded ball, lightly dusting with flour to reduce stickiness.
5. Arrange dough balls onto a baking sheet and top with sesame seeds. I actually used an “avocado toast” sesame seed blend for mine.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes until lightly browned.

Tandoori Chicken, Potato, and Veggie Bake tossed with Arugula

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken, diced
• 4 potatoes, diced
• 4 carrots, diced
• 2 inches fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 package of arugula

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Wash and dice the potatoes and carrots, then place them on one side of a large baking sheet. Dice the chicken and place it on the other side of the baking sheet.
3. Lightly season the vegetables and chicken with salt and pepper.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated ginger, minced garlic, diced onion, Greek yogurt, all the seasonings, and the lemon juice. Mix well and distribute the sauce evenly over the potatoes and chicken. Cover with foil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
6. Serve the dish warm with arugula on the side. It’s delicious when tossed with the arugula!

Saturday Sabbath Potluck

On this day, I was invited to a Saturday Sabbath Fellowship. Tasked with bringing sides, I decided to bring sheet pan roasted veggies and a healthier blueberry cobbler, modified from my Grandma Jewell’s classic southern recipe. I used Einkorn Flour, a healthier alternative to modern wheat because it’s higher in protein and easier to digest. These items nicely complemented the Sabbath Supper menu of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and other fun potluck items from friends. Enjoy the recipes below and be sure to check out the accompanying video!

Healthier Blueberry Cobbler, a spin on a classic

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of Blueberries
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup of Einkorn Flour + 2 Tbs Einkorn
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of raw, Turbinado Sugar
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1 stick of butter

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add 4 cups of blueberries, the zest of 1 lemon, and 2 tbs of Einkorn flour. Toss to coat.
2. Coat a 9X11 dish with oil, then add the blueberry mixture to the dish.
3. Meanwhile, for the cobbler topping, mix the dry ingredients: 1 cup of Einkorn Flour, 1 1/12 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar.
4. Mix together the wet ingredients: 3/4 cups of milk, and 1 stick of butter.
5. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and spread evenly over the top of the blueberry mixture.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes

Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies

Ingredients:

• 1 Zucchini, diced
• 1 Carrot and 1 Parsnip, diced
• 1 package Asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
• 1 large onion
• 1 Bell Pepper
• 2 springs of fresh Rosemary
• Generous grinds of pepper and sea salt
• 2 TBS Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Dice approximately 1 pound of assorted vegetables
2. Apply 2 TBS olive oil, generous grinds of pepper and sea salt, and 2 springs of fresh Rosemary
3. Toss to coat
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Sunday Supper: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Veggies

Meatloaf Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used Israeli breadcrumbs from Artza)
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 medium onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• Generous grinds of salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, oregano, onion, garlic, milk, egg, dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined.
3. Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan and shape into a loaf.
4. Bake for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).

Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 russet potatoes
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 packet, Simply Organic Brown Gravy (optional)

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the diced potatoes with skin on and boil for about 15 minutes, or until tender.
2. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the milk, salt, and pepper to form a sauce.
4. Add the potatoes back to the pot and mash into the sauce with a potato masher.
5. Fold in the Greek yogurt until well incorporated.
6. Optional: Prepare the brown gravy according to the package instructions and serve warm over the mashed potatoes.

Roasted Veggies

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (220°C).
2. Toss the leftover roasted veggies from the previous night’s meal with a new batch of vegetables and the same Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies Recipe.
3. Roast for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.

Passover Meal

This meal was special in that it was our Passover Meal and the last big meal as a family before I traveled out for the birth of my first grandbaby. We included the traditional Sedar Plate, in addition to the meal. This is only our second year celebrating the Passover and the first one in our home as a family. We used these two linked books as guides for the Seder: Christ in the Passover: Celebrate a Christian Seder and Celebrating Biblical Feasts: In Your Home or Church

Below I’ve included the menu and recipes. Although this was a Passover Meal, the meal (minus the Seder plate) is simple enough to make as a biblically clean meal for your family any night!

Harissa Spiced Rotisserie Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 5lb. Whole Chicken
• Thrive Market Harissa Spice Blend
• 2 TBS Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Clean the chicken and pat dry.
2. Coat the chicken in olive oil and liberally apply the Harissa Spice blend.
3. Set the Air Fryer/machine to the rotisserie setting (375 degrees) for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. Alternatively, roast in the oven at 375 degrees for the same duration.
4. Carve and serve!

Noodles Tossed with Olive Oil, Slivered Blanched Almonds, and Poppy Seed

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. whole grain pasta, any variety (e.g., spaghetti)
• 2 Tbs. Olive Oil
• 2 TBS. Poppy Seed
• 1/4 cup Blanched, Slivered Almonds

Instructions:

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and add 1 16-ounce package of pasta. Cook for approximately 10 minutes until done.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of poppy seed and 1/4 cup of blanched, slivered almonds.
3. Sauté until toasty and aromatic, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Toss the mixture into the pasta and serve warm.

Roasted Veggies

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of vegetables (e.g. sweet baby rainbow carrots)
• 2 tbsp high-quality olive oil
• A few grinds of salt and pepper
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Clean the vegetables and arrange them on a 9×11 baking dish.
3. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the vegetables.
4. Sprinkle an even distribution of salt, pepper, and herbs over the vegetables.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized.

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