Haute Healthy
By: Barbie Flores

With every change in season, come the latest trends from haute fashion to exciting travel destinations.  Food is no exception. Fascinating food trends, hot restaurants, extraordinary chefs fusing new ideas, fun cooking shows, and even new culinary stars emerge.  Something exciting is always going on with food and there is always something new to learn. One has only to pick up the latest Food and Wine magazine to read about interactive cruise ships where guests can cook pre-planned meals with the chefs onboard. We can click onto the internet to read about the latest restaurant, where one can order from an Ipad, email wine selections, or even scan the wine label right from the table.

I recently read that the latest trend in food was to completely wipe out sugar, butter, meats, pasta, shellfish, cream, and savory sauces from the planet.  Scrrreeeech! Startling and not true. I think I’ve got your attention now! Imagine someone telling you that any one of those foods is passé. For me this would be a deplorable trend. Personally, I’m not sure if I am ready to give up savory sauces but I do like trends with staying power and healthy food trends are long overdue!

What if the latest food trend had something to do with innovative ideas to help America get healthier?  I would say, “Sign me up!” I am always enthusiastic to learn how to enjoy food in the healthiest, freshest way. But that’s me. What about you? Is staying healthy important to you?  In addition, how important is it to ensure that our children eat healthy?  How do we rally their enthusiasm about eating healthy? Are there many fun, food-healthy establishments, which cater to children? Is there a restaurant out there engaging our “screen-ager” generation in selecting healthy food from an Ipad or some other cool trend? 

Many kids are persnickety eaters, so one of our greatest challenges is teaching them to eat right. Lack of food education and programs are part of America’s growing problem with childhood obesity as well. I think it’s time for America to bust out with a healthy eating trend that grabs our youths’ attention!

There are chefs out there who have figured out how to make cooking healthy lots of fun for young people.  It is not as difficult as it seems but the key is to reach them where their interests lie. Allow me to introduce the classically trained Chef Eric Paul from Chicago. Chef Paul, known to many as one of “America’s Healthiest Chefs,” received his culinary training at the Illinois Institute of Art.  After successfully operating one of Illinois’ top healthy food delivery services, he began pursuing his passion of teaching healthy cooking. He has been featured on ABC, WGN, FOX, and ESPN, giving audiences advice on nutrition and demonstrating how to prepare healthy meals on a budget. 

Chef Paul is currently developing his own television show entitled, “The Healthologist,” which will feature himself and a cast of young people, ages nine to seventeen, bringing “healthy” back to America.  This high-energy program will be full of valuable information.  It will feature cooking, creative, interactive challenges, and DJ as well as celebrities.  The show is designed to teach us about nutrition, the importance of a healthy diet, and physical activity.  Chef Paul’s mission is to empower young people to make healthier choices, using media that speaks their language!

Chef Paul says, “Imagine if the best minds in entertainment, social media, gaming, advertising, and curricula development collaborated to create televised programming and online communities that changed the way kids think about nutrition, fitness, and the environment?” Pass the sign-up sheet this way Chef!  If we can all look for innovative, fun ways to teach our children and ourselves how to eat healthier, we are a step closer to creating a hot trend with real staying power!  Now that’s what I call bringing “haute healthy” back!

For more information on Chef’s Paul’s latest projects, go to www.chefericpaul.com

Barbie Flores
Los Angeles, CA.

 

Barbie’s “Bringing Green Back” Greens

1-pound Red Swiss Chard, washed and cut into small pieces, stems included.
5 T olive oil
2 T chili oil
¼ cup diced onions
2-3 large cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1 uncooked turkey leg
salt and pepper t/t

1. Wash the red chard and pat dry.
2. Cut out red veins from green leaves of chard and dice into small pieces.
3. Cut remaining green leafy portion into small pieces.
4. Peel and dice onions.
5. Peel and mince garlic cloves.
6. Wash turkey leg and pat dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
7. Heat about 4 to 5 T of olive oil in skillet on high heat.
8. Add 1 to 2 T chili oil to skillet.
9. Add turkey leg to the skillet to sear, removing when it is evenly browned.
10. Add onions to the skillet and cook until translucent about 1-2 minutes.
11. Add garlic to the skillet and cook for 30-60 seconds.
12. Add red stems of the chard to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
13. Add green leafy portions of chard, in batches, turning to incorporate them.
14. Cook for an additional total of 5 minutes.
15. Serve warm.

Barbie-Style Southern Greens

1-pound curly mustard greens, washed and cut into small pieces
1-pound collard greens, washed and cut into small pieces
1 turkey wing, poached, in 1-1/2 quarts of water
Olive oil a/n (as needed)
½ cup onion, peeled and diced
3-4 large cloves garlic, peeled and diced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, t/t (to taste)
1 smoked turkey leg, pre-purchased

1. Wash uncooked turkey wing and place in a pot with 1-1/2 quarts of water. The turkey wing should simmer but not boil for about 15 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Wash and chop all greens into small pieces.
3. Heat skillet on high heat.
4. Add enough olive oil to the skillet to coat the bottom of it.
5. Add diced onions and cook until translucent.
6. Add minced garlic.
7. Add salt and pepper t/t
8. Add greens in bunches at a time, until all have been incorporated.
9. Stir greens, cooking for about 5 to 6 minutes.
10. Remove poached turkey wing from the poaching liquid.
11. Add greens to the poaching liquid.
12. Add vinegar to the poaching liquid.
13. Add smoked turkey leg to the poaching liquid.
14. Add additional salt and pepper if desired.
15. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

Serve warm.