Healthy Cooking by design

I thought I’d give you a peek onto my cookbook shelf.  But honestly, there are two resources I use more than anything in print - the internet and the library.   A quick google search for the ingredients you want to cook with  - like “healthy recipe chicken, red pepper, brown rice” returns thousands of recipes instantly.  Then you can open ones that sound appealing until you find one that has ingredients you would use and seasonings that you know you enjoy.  The library has a huge and varied collection of cookbooks.  You can check out several and keep them for 3 weeks.  During those weeks, write a stack of recipe cards for dishes you’d like to try and then return the cookbooks.  Once you try the recipes, keep only the cards for the ones you enjoyed.

Now let me give you a tour of what books are on my cookbook shelf and why.  Some books are there because they helped establish my foundation and outlook of a healthy diet.  Those include Jordan Rubin’s ‘The Maker’s Diet’ and his ‘The Great Physician’s Rx for Children’s Health’, and ‘Country Life Natural Foods Cookbook’.   Initially, I used them daily, now I look up something occasionally or loan them out.

Then there are books I use for information and for brainstorming good ingredient blends - like ‘The Herbarist’ and ‘Foods that Harm Foods that Heal’.

I also have a section of books I keep because they have several recipes I love or they are sentimental.  Like the wedding gift ‘Betty Crocker Cookbook’ (that I desperately needed) which is now held together with a large rubberband because the spine is completely gone.  Also in this section are ‘Southern Living’s Party Cookbook’, ‘Giada’s Family Dinners’, ‘The Popular Potato’ , and a few church or society cookbooks.  When I use these books, I substitute whole grains and reduce or substitute fats and sugars to “healthify” the recipes.  I write those changes in the book with a pencil, so next time I can follow my version of the recipe.  Other times, I just glean ideas of ingredients that work well together to create my own recipe.

The last section of cookbooks I keep are marketed as healthy cookbooks.  However, I still tweak these recipes to fit my idea of healthy.  Included in these books are ‘The Sneaky Chef’, ‘Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking’, ‘The Olive and the Caper’, and my newest addition, ‘Fix-It and Enjoy-It’.  Here is what I tweak in recipes from these types of books:

• If the recipe calls for rice, pasta, or flour, I use a whole grain version.
• If it calls for egg substitute, I use real eggs.
• If it calls for margarine or shortening, I use butter or canola oil (in small amounts) and add unsweetened applesauce if more liquid is needed.  (Butter for cookies, oil for muffins or cakes.)
• If it calls for sauteeing, I use a small amount of olive oil, Olivio spreadable butter, water, or broth.
• If it calls for splenda or other sugar substitute, I use turbinado sugar, dark brown sugar, or even white sugar all in small amounts (ex. 3-4 T per recipe).
• If it calls for chicken stock, I use Herb Ox chicken bullion without msg.
• If it calls for half and half or cream, I use skim milk mixed with a little canola mayonnaise or a little Daisy light sour cream.
• If it calls for cheese, I use a sharp cheese (stronger flavor when using less) made from 2% milk and in small quantities (1-2 T per serving) sprinkled on top of the casserole or each serving.
• If it calls for vegetables, I leave the peel on carrots and potatoes, and use more than suggested of vegetables that give flavor like onion, garlic, peppers, and celery.
• If it calls for meat, I use a very lean version and a usually smaller quantity than suggested (and increase the quantity of vegetables).

Anyway, a cookbook is meant to be USED.  So go ahead and write in, mark up, and dog-ear pages in your favorite cookbooks and donate those you haven’t opened in years and probably won’t again.  Don’t be afraid to substitute ingredients and change a recipe to make it something you love to eat and is also good for you.   If you’re interested in talking cookbooks, I’ll be glad to tell you more…all you have to do is ask.

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