Southern cooking makes us think of 'soul food' like fried chicken, black-eyed peas, cornbread made in iron skillets, and pecan pie. Dishes like shrimp gumbo and barbecue are made distinctive by deep south seasoning. Modern, healthier methods of cooking can be used to make it possible to have these and other traditional favorites on a regular basis.
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, which is a big part of many Creole and Cajun dishes, is actually so healthy that it's sold in capsules as a dietary supplement. It is an anti-inflammatory, has more vitamin C than citrus, and helps other nutrients work better in the body. It also boosts circulation and promotes normal clotting of the blood.
Some people who find cayenne irritating might have to stay away from Cajun and Creole foods, but there are blander choices in southern cuisine. Onion and garlic enhance the flavors of meats and vegetables. Salt pork was commonly used to flavor collard greens and beans; today there are seasoning blends that impart the same taste without the added fat.
Those who can't appreciate long-boiled collard greens can still find many vegetable dishes to enjoy. Cole slaw, potato salad, cucumber pickles and relishes, and sweet potatoes have become popular all over the country. Other favorites include biscuits, grits, and all sorts of pie. By eating small portions, these foods can be included in a sensible diet plan.
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, which is a big part of many Creole and Cajun dishes, is actually so healthy that it's sold in capsules as a dietary supplement. It is an anti-inflammatory, has more vitamin C than citrus, and helps other nutrients work better in the body. It also boosts circulation and promotes normal clotting of the blood.
Some people who find cayenne irritating might have to stay away from Cajun and Creole foods, but there are blander choices in southern cuisine. Onion and garlic enhance the flavors of meats and vegetables. Salt pork was commonly used to flavor collard greens and beans; today there are seasoning blends that impart the same taste without the added fat.
Those who can't appreciate long-boiled collard greens can still find many vegetable dishes to enjoy. Cole slaw, potato salad, cucumber pickles and relishes, and sweet potatoes have become popular all over the country. Other favorites include biscuits, grits, and all sorts of pie. By eating small portions, these foods can be included in a sensible diet plan.
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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