I’m a registered dietitian and a die-hard foodie, but I wouldn’t blame you for thinking these two disciplines don’t have much in common.
Long before I got into nutrition, I was raised to appreciate the power of home cooking: that preparing a meal is love, is family, is joy. Later in life, I was lucky enough to pursue an education in nutrition—a journey that taught me that healthy food is real food. I learned that it takes little more than fresh ingredients and simple steps to make a tasty meal. But as a mom of three, my definition of healthy also needs to include being fast!
A stigma exists in my personal and professional worlds: People suspect I don’t eat pizza or burgers or sugar. The truth is, I do … but in small amounts, and if I can use what I’ve learned to make certain foods delicious and better for me, then I’m all for it.
Creating this book was a culinary boot camp of sorts, particularly getting to know the ins and outs of the air fryer and discovering new ways I could use it. I admit, I was skeptical at first and questioned whether this machine has a real purpose beyond low-fat French fries. I’m very selective with my kitchen gadgets and wasn’t sure it was worth the countertop real estate—until I started to use it.
But more than 100 recipes later, this powerful appliance continues to impress me, and I’m proud to share the final results with you. I want everyone who reads and tries these recipes to explore what the air fryer can do and where it can do it: anywhere with an electrical outlet. Cooking on family camping trips and in studio apartments and college dorm rooms just got a lot more interesting.
What makes the recipes in this book truly healthy is portion control. You can still enjoy donuts, pizza, and French fries, but those real ingredients in moderation and in smaller portions will benefit you and your health. This also means less fat, less sodium, and, yes, fewer calories.
Use the air fryer to create easy weekday meals for the family or fun finger food for company. You’ll find ideas for every occasion—from play dates to game day. A healthy day in the life of the air fryer kitchen might start with huevos rancheros for breakfast and lead to a Caesar salad with kale and homemade croutons for lunch. Whatever you decide to make, please don’t forget the occasional sweet treat. Make summertime strawberry shortcake at the peak of berry season or some zeppole with cannoli dip—the surprise favorite of my three daughters!
Whatever you create in the air fryer, make it fun, make it fast—and make it delicious!
— Dana Angelo White
… if I can use what I’ve learned to make certain foods delicious and better for me, then I’m all for it.