SONGSOPTOK: DEBORAH LANGFORD

EVERYDAY COOKING

Since I am prone to high cholesterol and fibromyalgia, cooking healthy means a lot to me. Although I feel I have a real problem, and was not making headway, I remembered the doctors telling me that if I ate healthier food it would heal me faster than pills. I refused the medication that was shoved in my face and decided to change the way I cook. I have worked to modify my diet to help relieve some of the cholesterol that I intake. I know I am border line diabetic, which means that I have to watch starches, sugars and carbs. I also have to be careful of calories because I am overweight. So for me, cooking is an experiment in keeping myself healthy and off as many medications as possible. Right now, everything I eat is diet controlled. So every day is a challenge to see how different foods and ingredients affect my sugar levels. I also have to consider the amount of cholesterol in my ingredients. I’ve had great cholesterol until recently, but within the last few years, my cholesterol has steadily gotten worse. Now it’s time to work even harder to cook healthier; better food that will work on my overall health and help me lose weight at the same time.

I’m well over 50 lbs. overweight, but my goal is to get back down to 130 for now, which will mean losing another 40lbs. It’s coming off slowly, but it is coming off. Four years ago my husband was in a wheelchair, and could not walk without assistance. I had worked out everyday and when I had to start caring for him daily I quit the workouts. As a result, my weight added on fast. After talking to my doctors, I ate all fresh foods, no fast foods and nothing in the middle of the grocery store; the rawer the foods the better. I have gotten where I hate to eat my vegetables real soft. I love my crunchy vegetables and have come up with some great recipes. I have published FIVE COOKBOOKS: from me and my poets and authors friends from all over the world. But I am sorry to say its not real fresh foods. Since I have started eating fresh I now want to publish nothing but fresh and lean cookbooks. Plus, belly fat, I have researched on ways to reduce belly fat. Of course it’s the foods we eat.

“If you want to get a flat belly fast, you MUST eat plenty of fat. At the same time, not just any fat will do...some fats are no good at all, while others are health-boosting and fat-burning rock stars! Here are a few of my favorites that I personally eat just about every day:

1. Avocados - Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats as well as loads of vitamins to boot (E, K and C to mention just a few). Not only that, but they pack a serious fiber punch, 5 grams in just a small half cup! Between the fiber and healthy fat content, you'll have no problem staying full for hours after enjoying a delicious avocado. Makes for a great snack, side dish with dinner, addition to salads, and of course there's always guacamole!

2. Eggs - Eggs are a great source of fat as well as high quality protein, just make sure you don't skip out on the yolk! Why? The yolk is by far the most nutritious part of the egg, providing over 11 vitamins and minerals including nearly 100% of the daily RDI of energy-boosting B12 from just 3 eggs daily. They are a great breakfast item, but of course they can be enjoyed at any time of day!

3. Coconut oil - Coconut oil is one of the richest sources of perhaps the most beneficial fat known to man, medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs have been shown to improve brain function, lower cholesterol, improve skin and hair health, and best of all: burn more fat!

Combine all three in an omelet for breakfast and you'll be well on your way to feeling full and burning fat for the rest of the day! At the same time, if you really want to get the cutting-edge on reducing belly fat, you'll be happy to know that there's a brand new way to burn belly fat that has been shown in more than a DOZEN research studies to help you burn fat and slim your waist at an accelerated rate...”

I grew up cooking hamburger helper and whatnot because I was the oldest girl. As the oldest child, along with my father being in the army and always off to war, and my mom working all the time, it was my job to cook for us eight kids. Since then, I have learned to use wine and acid in my cooking to improve flavor and have gotten to where I use little to no oil in almost everything I cook. I have learned some techniques that serve me well in the kitchen and I get a great amount of praise for the things I do cook from friends and neighbors that have sat in my house and eaten what I’ve prepared.

I really thought about going to some culinary school to learn much more than what I know now, and eventually possibly write my own healthy recipe books. I hope to make more items from scratch and use less shortcuts. I also want to be able to cook tasty, healthy food that will be good for anyone with any type of medical condition or people who have dietary restrictions.

All my recipes can be modified rather easily, as I don’t cook with much salt, preferring herbs for flavor. Plus, I have my own herbs I grow in my kitchen window. I love spicy food, but I realize not everyone does and I know that sometimes people will need to cut back on some of the heat I add to many of my dishes. I love hot peppers, just not too hot, though I’m not afraid to try anything. I see foods at the market that I have never cooked and I am always tempted to buy them because I want to experiment. I’ll take a recipe someone else has done and turn it around to suit me once I’ve experienced what they have created because I love to find new flavors, new combinations, new techniques. Cooking isn’t just a passion for me, it’s a way to survive. It’s a way to make sure that I’m going to live another 30 or more years without having serious problems with my health.

STRAWBERRY SALAD IN ROMAINE LETTUCE BY DEBBIE BROOKS

6- 8 fresh strawberries sliced

I head of Romaine lettuce shredded

Blue cheese crumbled up

Red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Mix together in bowl

Pasta Sauce with Olive Oil

Pasta Roni Garlic & Olive Oil Vermicelli Mix, 4.6-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 2) make delicious meals for two. It has 240 calories per serving plus the butter suggested on the package. I choose to use olive oil instead to half the amount of calories. There are some problems with cooking pasta that the box cannot solve. For example, it is possible to overcook the noodles or to make the sauce too dry or too thin.

But use the type of pasta you want to…

I love tomatoes

Red onion

Green, yellow and red peppers

Basil

Italian seasoning

Garlic

All kinds of vegetables

Broccoli

Asparagus

Squash

Zucchini