Think of fried chicken and shrimp gumbo, black-eyed peas and turnip greens, fried catfish and hush puppies. This 'soul food' is made distinctive by deep south seasoning. The trick is to turn these and other traditional dishes into healthy meals with modern cooking methods.
Fried chicken and hush puppies were traditionally deep fried. We now know that this is not a healthy way of preparing food, since high heat changes vegetable fats into those dangerous 'trans fats' so bad for the heart. However, baking can yield a poor substitute for the real thing, and few want to use the traditional saturated fats - bear grease, goose grease, and pork lard - that hold up better to high heat.
This is where the spices used by southern cooks come in. If the pan-browned and then baked chicken tastes divine, your family won't miss the crunchy crust. Garlic, onion, paprika, sage, salt, and pepper give flavor to the meat and the flour you use to coat it.
Salt is used widely in southern dishes. In fact, salted fish are often eaten for breakfast. Today too much salt in the diet is known to be unhealthy, and care must be taken to use other, healthier spices to make foods appealing. Sea salt is better than the common, refined kind, but even it should be used sparingly. Other spices used widely in 'soul food' - red and black pepper, onion and garlic, and paprika - cut down the need for salt to make food palatable.
Cayenne pepper, one of the most widely used spices in this kind oi cuisine, is actually vary healthy. In fact, this spice can be purchased in capsules as a dietary supplement. It is said to increase circulation, help other nutrients in the body work better, and promote normal blood clotting. It contains more vitamin C than oranges.
Of course, not all of us like hot dishes, although others rave about Creole gumbos and Cajun dry rubs. Blander specialties of southern cooking include collard greens, done with a streak of fat, streak of lean (salt pork). There are special seasonings to give this same flavor without adding so much fat. Think, too, of the popular white gravy made with sausage and served over biscuits. Its flavor comes from the sausage and as much black pepper as you choose to apply.
Vegetables were traditionally cooked for a long time, so they were never crisp like the steamed vegetables we enjoy today. This makes it hard for some to enjoy greens southern style. However, sweet potatoes, corn salads, Cole slaw, and pickles are also part of this cuisine. And don't forget biscuits, grits, and buttermilk pie! You'll have to depend on small portions to make these part of a healthy diet.
The South is huge, so you have a wide choice of cuisine, from Maryland blue crab cakes to Louisiana po' boy sandwiches. Coastal regions celebrate fresh seafood, while riverside towns consider catfish king. Small portions of richer foods and lots of character in the more nutritious ones can give a southern touch to your balanced diet.
Fried chicken and hush puppies were traditionally deep fried. We now know that this is not a healthy way of preparing food, since high heat changes vegetable fats into those dangerous 'trans fats' so bad for the heart. However, baking can yield a poor substitute for the real thing, and few want to use the traditional saturated fats - bear grease, goose grease, and pork lard - that hold up better to high heat.
This is where the spices used by southern cooks come in. If the pan-browned and then baked chicken tastes divine, your family won't miss the crunchy crust. Garlic, onion, paprika, sage, salt, and pepper give flavor to the meat and the flour you use to coat it.
Salt is used widely in southern dishes. In fact, salted fish are often eaten for breakfast. Today too much salt in the diet is known to be unhealthy, and care must be taken to use other, healthier spices to make foods appealing. Sea salt is better than the common, refined kind, but even it should be used sparingly. Other spices used widely in 'soul food' - red and black pepper, onion and garlic, and paprika - cut down the need for salt to make food palatable.
Cayenne pepper, one of the most widely used spices in this kind oi cuisine, is actually vary healthy. In fact, this spice can be purchased in capsules as a dietary supplement. It is said to increase circulation, help other nutrients in the body work better, and promote normal blood clotting. It contains more vitamin C than oranges.
Of course, not all of us like hot dishes, although others rave about Creole gumbos and Cajun dry rubs. Blander specialties of southern cooking include collard greens, done with a streak of fat, streak of lean (salt pork). There are special seasonings to give this same flavor without adding so much fat. Think, too, of the popular white gravy made with sausage and served over biscuits. Its flavor comes from the sausage and as much black pepper as you choose to apply.
Vegetables were traditionally cooked for a long time, so they were never crisp like the steamed vegetables we enjoy today. This makes it hard for some to enjoy greens southern style. However, sweet potatoes, corn salads, Cole slaw, and pickles are also part of this cuisine. And don't forget biscuits, grits, and buttermilk pie! You'll have to depend on small portions to make these part of a healthy diet.
The South is huge, so you have a wide choice of cuisine, from Maryland blue crab cakes to Louisiana po' boy sandwiches. Coastal regions celebrate fresh seafood, while riverside towns consider catfish king. Small portions of richer foods and lots of character in the more nutritious ones can give a southern touch to your balanced diet.
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