Dear brothers and sisters,
I greet you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I am Sister Dorcas Luboya, a wife of a foreign missionary currently working in Senegal, West Africa. I want to share my cooking experience with you, how it has reached many lives and changed people’s tables. First though, I want to share with you how the Lord encouraged me try to reach people through the cooking ministry.
When I first became a vegetarian, the food that I would sometimes eat at our church members’ homes I did not find very palatable. From being a meat eater, to eat such food was not easy. I remember one day when I struggled to finish a plate of food that I said to myself, if this is what being a vegetarian is all about then it will be a difficult life for me. I found the food to taste very bland and it was unpalatable.
However, when I got married, my husband started giving me some ideas of what to cook and how to cook. He is actually the one who taught me how to cook food like vegetables in a healthy way because I would boil vegetables for hours until they were brown in colour. He also taught me how to cook different meals and how to bake bread. I then started trying on my own. I also learned cooking from one sister in Kenya, and another in South Africa who we were sharing the mission house with. Every time I learned something new, I would immediately go home and try it. I would aim to cook it to taste more delicious than the person who had taught me.
Then I met Sister Chileshe from Zambia. She was in South Africa with her husband, pastor Chileshe who was working there at the time. She loaned me a cook book that was compiled by Sister Wendy Eaton called, VEGETARIAN COOKING. I tried different recipes from the book and I was very much encouraged. Later on I returned the book, and the Lord helped me to improve my cooking so that church members who would taste my food on Sabbath or during camp meetings were appreciating my cooking. Later sister Leila McTavish sent me the cookbook while in Senegal. I use it to inspire myself.
My daughter used to like vegan Fryes very much when we were in South Africa, but now when my husband was transferred to Senegal we could not find them. I started doing some research on the Internet for recipes to make vegan sausages and burgers. At first, the results were not very satisfying, but I did not give up. I would try to make them as simple, healthy and delicious as possible for my family.
Another thing that encouraged me to persevere with cooking was trying to help the people who came to the church health clinic asking for help with their health. My husband always puts them on a vegan or vegetarian, diet depending on their illness. Most of them would ask, “but what are we going to eat now? Not even fish? What about dry meat?” They try to negotiate with him and he would simply respond by saying it was not good for their health, and to try it for a few months. Some were stubborn and would refuse. I felt sorry for these people. I know what it is like being a vegetarian for the first time so I decided to help those who wanted to try. I wanted them to see that there are many other foods to eat besides meat. Vegetarian cooking is not difficult.
So now, whenever there is a patient who is to told to become vegetarian, I volunteer to take them grocery shopping to show them what healthy food to buy. I show them how to read the labels on the foods, to know what to buy and what not to buy. I tell them about the danger of meat or fish and many other harmful foods. After shopping we will go to their house and I would cook about three to four different dishes while they are watching. This was a very big sacrifice for me, leaving my home and going to cook for another woman, and then coming back home and cooking again for my own family. It was hard but I really wanted to help.
Those that do not have time due to their busy schedules asked me to make videos for them, and that was when I decided to open my YouTube channel. We also added cooking lessons to our free health training sessions that we conduct twice a week. Those who are unable to come to lessons, and do not have means to watch on YouTube, I was helped by Sister Claire from Italy and Sister Marie-Christine from Greece to compile some French recipes for them.
It brings us much joy to see how happy the people are through the work the Lord has enabled us to do. On my Facebook page, “Dorcas’ Vegan Kitchen” and on my
WhatsApp, I share pictures of the different dishes I make.
The demand for recipes increased. Every time I answered my phone there was one or two people asking for a recipe. The burden was becoming too much for me, and I told my husband that I did not think I could do it anymore. Writing recipes is not easy when you are trying to replace harmful things. He encouraged me to continue as it is a good work that was being done. He then gave me the idea of opening a WhatsApp group to put all the women on it so that when I share a recipe everyone gets it. It was a great idea and it is working very well up until today. The sisters were so happy to be learning how to make simple vegan food in an easy, delicious, and nutritious way. We have over 160 women in the group. Besides Reform women, we also have Adventist women who join us. The group is going well so far by the grace of God. There was high demand from the brothers that I open a group for men. I have done this. My next plan is to open a French group, because there is a demand from the French people also. I know this is going to be a lot of work again, but I trust that God will give me strength.
I have now opened a website where I share all my recipes. The website has recipes in both English and French. The web site is: www.dorcasvegankitchen.com
I thank God for this ministry of cooking. I had no idea it would grow this large. I started it to help people who were not members, but it ended up helping our own members also. There are people who have been in the church for a long time but are still struggling to cook food in a delicious and healthy way. I believe there are still many people like this in our church, especially in the villages. We need to have cooking seminars in the churches where men and women, young and old, come to learn how to cook; both members and interested souls.
Eating heathy does not mean eating food that is not attractive nor palatable, especially for children. When people change their diet and lifestyle, it not only unclogs their arteries but it also unclogs their mind. Our spiritual health is dependent on our physical well-being.
I do this work on a volunteer basis to help others. It is my wish to meet people everywhere, to conduct cooking seminars. Many women have requested that I come to their country and teach them how to cook. Unfortunately, I do not have money to travel, but I am using the tools I have—the Internet. However there are many more people to reach, especially in the villages, who do not have Internet access.
I know many reformers who are not eating well because sometimes teachers of the truth spend more time teaching the theory of health reform and the practical part—the cooking science—is often neglected, and people are left to eat unbalanced or less nutritious meals at the expense of their health and vigor. Such people need help.
Read carefully the following statements from the Spirit of Prophecy:
“Every church . . . there should be schools of health, cooking schools, and classes in various lines of Christian help work. There should not only be teaching, but actual work under experienced instructors.” —The Ministry of Healing, p. 148–149
“The science of cooking is not a small matter. . . . This art should be regarded as the most valuable of all the arts, because it is so closely connected with life. It should receive more attention; for in order to make good blood, the system requires good food. The foundation of that which keeps people in health is the medical missionary work of good cooking.
“Often health reform is made health deform by the unpalatable preparation of food. The lack of knowledge regarding healthful cookery must be remedied before health reform is a success.” –Child Guidance, p. 372
“The diet reform should be progressive. As disease in animals increases, the use of milk and eggs will become more and more unsafe. An effort should be made to supply their place with other things that are healthful and inexpensive. The people everywhere should be taught how to cook without milk and eggs so far as possible, and yet have their food wholesome and palatable.” —The Ministry of Healing, 320–321
A vegan diet is very close to the standard of the Health Reform according to the light given by God through the Spirit of Prophecy. For this reason, I have chosen vegan recipes as a basis of my cooking. My family enjoys eating a vegan diet. Though not all vegan principles are Health Reform principles, I try by the grace of God to make recipes that are according to message of Health reform.
For those who would like to assist in any way they can. Your help and support are needed and would be appreciated. For those still who struggle with cooking healthy foods, you can join us in my WhatsApp group (+221 76 375 5706).
In closing, I wish to encourage many brothers and sisters to do their part wherever they are with whatever talent God has given to them. Let your little light shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
May God bless you! Your sister in Christ,
Dorcas Ndomba Luboya, Senegal
CHICKPEA VEGAN LOAF
This chickpea vegan loaf is very delicious and tasty. My children love it a lot. It is very easy to make and its ingredients are available in every country and local market. Give it a try and you will see how your family will also love it. Vegan food does not have to be bland and certainly does not have to be boring! If you have family members who eat meat, make this when they visit you and they will enjoy it.
This chickpea loaf is high in protein, fibre, iron, magnesium, Calcium, B vitamins and vitamin A.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups boiled chickpeas
1 cup boiled red kidney beans
1 cup roasted oats
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 large onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 cup water
½ cup chopped almonds
2 Tbsp olive oil Salt to taste.
SAUCE
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of garlic powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
METHOD
Blend the chickpeas and red kidney beans in a blender. You can use a food processor also. If you do not have either you can mash your peas and beans using a fork or potato masher.
Transfer the chickpeas and beans to large mixing bowl.
Add the roasted oats and the remaining ingredients.
Stir with a large spoon until well mixed.
Press the loaf mixture into a prepared loaf pan, pushing down evenly with your hands.
Bake for 30 minutes.
While the loaf is baking, mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
After the loaf is baked, spread the sauce mixture evenly on top.
Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!