Post Your Favorite *Healthy* Southern Recipes

[bamademo]

About a month ago there was a thread about Alabama schools trying to revamp their menus to be more healthy. Someone sarcastically replied that they didn't know their was any healthy food in Bama. So to rebut that I thought I would share my chicken salad recipe. This is a favorite with all my friends during football season.

Carol's Favorite Chicken Salad

4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup seedless red or green grapes halved
1 cup roasted pecans (they are pronounced pea-cons in the South :-))
1 cup homemade mayo (recipe follows)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Paprika to taste
2 stalks chopped celery
1 bunch of chopped scallions

Place chicken breasts under plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until flat. Coat with olive oil and lightly salt. Grill covered about 5 minutes on each side. I like to use mesquite chips when I grill it gives the breasts a more smoky taste. Be careful not to overcook because you don't want the chicken to brown and get tough on the out side. When chicken is done set aside until cool and then shred not chop the chicken. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and serve with Pita chips or your favorite bread. I also serve it rolled up in Romaine leaves.

Homemade Mayo
1 cup extra light olive oil (NOT extra virgin it's too heavy)
1/2 cup of Egg Beaters (equivalent of 1 egg)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 to 2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Place all ingredients except olive oil in food processor and process until blended well. With processor running slowly drizzle oil in until it looks like mayo usually in about a minute. Chill and Voila! Homemade mayo with no fat and no cholesterol.

[onager]

1. Where's the healthy fried okra?

:hi:

[bamademo]

13. Okay here's how to make healthy fried okra and green tomatoes

Take Egg Beaters Egg Substitute and Low Fat Buttermilk and mix together. Mix cornmeal, black pepper and garlic salt together.
Dip okra or tomatoes in buttermilk mixture and then cornmeal, place in a baking pan and bake at 350 until done usually about 20 minutes.

[datasuspect]

2. is this a southern recipe because you live in the south

or is it actual southern cuisine?

i bought something very similar, although with curry, from corner bakery on michigan avenue in chicago.

now if you breaded the whole thing and deep fried it, we could talk.

and don't forget the gravy.

[BikeWriter]

7. Lots of gravy, and maybe some fried green tomatoes! :-)

[datasuspect]

8. or sumfin wit scrimps

yee hah!

[supernova]

3. Fresh tomato sandwhiches

You can use your own home-made whole-wheat bread and Miracle Whip. Salt and pepper to taste.

Your can make that italian dish made with leftover bread, olive oil, tomatoes and basil. I forget the name of it. It's kinda the same thing. edit: I think they even call it "bread salad"

[hyphenate]

10. Bruschetta eom

[Lavender Brown]

11. Panzanella?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cooking/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_27424,00.html

[supernova]

12. Yes, that's it!

Thanks! :thumbsup:

[Wapsie B]

4. Any healthy southern fried chicken or catfish recipes?

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[leftofthedial]

5. no lard?

no corn meal?

no pork fat?

not southern.

[WMliberal]

6. my Fav

Start with a little simple syrup- 3:2 water to sugar- and bruise several mint leaves in syrup.
Bruise another mint leaf and rub on inside of glass. Fill bottom ofglass with a few more leaves and add ice. Pour in some bourbon (Maker's Mark, thankyouverymuch) and a little simple syrup and voila- a mint julep!

[Darth_Kitten]

9. I love chicken salad!

And always get it at the local deli...now I can make it myself!!

thanks! :)

[Arugula Latte]

14. Black-eyed Pea Salsa

This is delicious.

Just throw together a can or two of drained black-eyed peas with chopped green peppers, scallions, red onions, celery, red cabbage (or any combo of raw veggies) and season with chopped cilantro, basil, parsley (or different combo of herbs) and some good dollops of vinegar (perhaps balsamic -- tastes great w/ this) and olive oil and salt and pepper.

Yum.

This is one of those open-to-interpretation recipes that is good for using up bits of veggies, etc.