| Soul food recipes making a strong comeback? Yes, | | | | goals with the new healthier menus. |
| and not only with African Americans but also with | | | | The biggest concerns for adopting the healthy soul |
| Whites, Latino and other races discovering the deep | | | | food change by leaving out the traditional high fat |
| south inspired menus. | | | | cooking ingredients? Was the taste left out also? But |
| The recipes handed down from slavery, and one of | | | | with natural herb seasoning such as garlic powder, |
| the true American creations continues to make a | | | | tyme, basil, onion power, and other natural seasonings, |
| roaring come back in popularity. "It stays with you | | | | the taste remains. The growing popularity of this |
| longer than most foods," commented a diner at a | | | | southern cuisine proves the healthier changes have |
| popular restaurant. | | | | succeeded. |
| "If you eat a lunch of fried chicken, macaroni and | | | | Because of the health based changes, soul food |
| cheese, black-eyed peas, candied yams, you're full. | | | | restaurants report an increase in business as healthier |
| Top that same meal off with peach cobbler for | | | | cooking improves. People, especially African |
| dessert, you're still full at dinner", chimed in another | | | | Americans continue to have large amount of heart |
| diner. | | | | issues, high blood pressure and diabetes and obesity. |
| What has slowly brought back the popularity of this | | | | That's why more attention to the diet. |
| southern inspired fare? The updated cooking and | | | | This is not your grandmothers soul food cooking. It's |
| preparation techniques. Long favored for it's taste, but | | | | much leaner, less oily and with less or even no salt. As |
| criticized for its health hazards, soul food cooking has | | | | the health concerns of people continue to grow, the |
| taken on a healthier change. The change it's going | | | | health ingredients of recipes will grow as well. |
| through continues to attract a larger crowd than | | | | Healthier menus will not only be a marketing slogan, but |
| before. | | | | will reflect in the recipe ingredients, preparation and |
| Gone are the lard, fatback and animal fat of the past | | | | cooking techniques used. The cookbooks that will sell in |
| in cooking and preparing soul dishes. Now cooks use | | | | the future will include healthy alternatives that don't |
| peanut, olive oil and other healthier oils. Deep fat frying | | | | compromise taste and satisfaction. |
| replaced with pan frying, steaming and baking. Salt | | | | The next frontier to conquer? Desserts, such as |
| replaced by natural herbs and spices. This all adds up | | | | peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, sock-it-to me cake, |
| to healthier recipe and menu choices. | | | | 7-up cake, banana pudding and other favorites. The |
| For people watching their weight, this change continues | | | | push is on to find ways to make them healthier too. |
| to have a positive affect. They have more menu | | | | Health conscious bakers will overcome this challenge |
| choices now than ever. They can enjoy some of their | | | | like many soul food cooks have, but it will take time, |
| favorite southern dishes without cheating their diet | | | | determination and commitment. |