Chef preaches healthy cooking
| Thursday, Sep 09 2010 10:33 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Sep 09 2010 10:33 PM
RECIPES FROM CHEF CHRIS SMITH
Sun-Dried Tomato-Barley Pilaf
Servings: 4
Prep: 15 minutes, cook 10 minutes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 Shallot, finely chopped
1 14-ounce can of reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup quick-cooking barley
2 tablespoons dried tomatoes (not oil packed) coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallot; cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Slowly add broth; bring to boiling. Stir in barley, dried tomatoes and oregano. Return to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until barley is tender.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese.
Maple Carrots
6 ounces baby carrots
As needed water
1/2 teaspoon salt*
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons sugar*
2 tablespoons maple syrup vinegar*
In a shallow pan, place carrots and add enough water to cover. Add the white pepper and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer.
Continue cooking carrot liquid until there are about 2 tablespoons left or the liquid is a syrup-like consistency. Toss carrots in the liquid, coating carrots.
Place in a dish and serve.
* Salt may be eliminated according to your personal nutritional needs.
* Substitute 1 tablespoon maple syrup for maple syrup vinegar.
* Do not add the sugar; it is not needed.
Images
Chef Chris Smith prepares his mise en place for a cooking demonstration of sauteed chicken at San Joaquin Community Hospital's Better Cooking for Better Living event on Thursday.
Chris Smith talks about healthy cooking during his demonstration at the San Joaquin Community Hospital's Better Cooking for Living event on Thursday. Known as "The Diabetic Chef," Smith was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes when he was 27, and now actively promots healthy cooking.
The chicken breasts sizzled, the baby carrots steamed and the crowd salivated as Chef Chris Smith shared his passion for cooking "beautiful" yet healthy foods at a special event Thursday night in Bakersfield.
As a couple of hundred people watched from the DoubleTree Hotel's banquet room, the 44-year-old author of "The Diabetic Chef's Year-Round Cookbook" turned up the heat on his portable rangetop and whipped up what he believes to be the antidote to America's epidemic of obesity: simple yet delicious foods that anyone can prepare at home.
It all came together at Better Cooking for Better Living, an event organized by the Wellness Center at San Joaquin Community Hospital and supported by Kaiser Permanente and about a half-dozen other local companies.
"We've got to stop the madness," the certified executive chef told the audience. "Look within your own home and ask yourself, 'What can I do differently?'"
Kern County may present a nice fat target for his books and his message of healthy eating. In a study released last month by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Kern ranked among the worst counties for diabetes as a cause of death, and was included among the worst in the state for obesity rates.
Kira Wiggins, director of the Wellness Center at San Joaquin, said Smith's cooking demonstrations and overall food philosophy dovetail perfectly with the Center's mission to help area residents live happier, healthier lives.
That's why they have invited him to Bakersfield six times.
"Oftentimes, people think to eat healthy they have to sacrifice flavor," Wiggins said. "But Chef Chris shows us that's not the case."
Smith's interest in healthy eating first came by necessity.
He was in his mid-20s and almost finished with culinary school when he started feeling chronically fatigued. He was thirsty a lot and his body didn't seem to be absorbing enough water. When he lost 30 pounds in six weeks, dropping to a wispy 105 pounds, he got scared.
After seven months of uncertainty, it actually came as a relief when he learned he had diabetes.
"I thought, 'OK, now it's got a name,'" he said. "It's one of the few diseases you can control."
At that point, his dreams of cooking in Paris were discarded for something directly connected to his new reality. Why not teach people -- diabetics and others interested in healthy eating -- how to cook wonderful, interesting foods they could live with for a lifetime?
"That's when The Diabetic Chef was born," he said.
By demystifying the basics, he hopes home cooks will learn simple restaurant techniques to bring savory flavors to the family table. On Thursday for example, Smith seared a chicken breast, then later de-glazed the brown flavors stuck to the bottom of the pan known as "fond" to create a light white wine sauce.
"It's not about the pomposity. It's not about the big chef's hat," he said. "It's about creating something people can benefit from and enjoy."
Bakersfield resident Lisa Williams, who attended Thursday night's event, said she saw The Diabetic Chef last year or the year before -- and she wanted to catch his hands-on presentation again.
"Knowledge is power. As a diabetic, you have to learn what to do and do it," Williams said. "Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but he motivates you. He makes it fun."
