Food Is Good For Soul As Well As The Body

I enjoy reading books on spirituality, and one of my favorite writers happens to come from Spokane. Mitch Finley, the author of a number of books, recently published “101 Ways To Nourish Your Soul.” It is a book I am leisurely reading, allowing myself to “digest” the information.

Finley lists a number of food-related ways to nourish the soul. Here are some of his ideas:

Prepare a wonderful dinner at home. Make it special. Use fresh ingredients and make the vegetables delicious with a special touch. To have a dinner with people you genuinely love is a sacred activity.

Fast for a day, or even part of a day. Drink water and/or fruit juices. Think of a fast day as a day of rest for your body and nourishment for your soul.

Bake bread. Baking bread keeps you home. Maybe you read while the dough rises, maybe you play with your children, maybe you take a walk.

Become a vegetarian, at least temporarily. You won’t die if you don’t eat meat. Trying a meatless diet requires you to become more aware of yourself and your world.

Make your own ice cream. There is something about ice cream that evokes the spirit not just of childhood but of a carefree spirit at any age.

While you’re contemplating ways to nourish your soul, fix a light meal of chicken with a mild curry flavor. It’s a nourishment for which we give thanks.

Curried Chicken

From”Quick & Healthy, Winter 1996” (Rodale Press).

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 cup fat-free mayonnaise

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1-1/2 teaspoons ginger powder

1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

1-1/2-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips

Combine yogurt, mayonnaise, onions, ginger and curry powder.

Combine paprika and pepper and sprinkle over chicken. Toss until coated.

Spray a nonstick skillet with nonstick spray, and cook chicken over medium heat until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in yogurt mixture. Cook 3-4 minutes. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 281 calories, 2.5 grams fat (8 percent fat calories), 66 milligrams cholesterol, 481 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

, DataTimes MEMO: The goal of Five and Fifteen is to find recipes where you can do the shopping in five minutes and the cooking in 15. Merri Lou Dobler, a registered dietitian and Spokane resident, welcomes ideas from readers. Write to Five and Fifteen, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

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