Candice Kumai
When I was asked to cook on the premiere season of what became the hit show Recipe Rehab on ABC stations, my initial reaction was; “Why hadn’t anyone produced a show like this before!?” Finally, there was a TV program that shared not only a fresh perspective on delicious, satisfying meals created by real chefs, but also provided a huge wake-up call about the kinds of (unhealthy) foods we are feeding our families on a daily basis.
We’ve all heard the statistics about the health crisis facing Americans: About two-thirds of the adult population is classified as overweight or obese, and among our children, approximately one in three kids and teens is overweight or obese. Even more disturbing is the fact that, according to a recent study, the number of obese adults is on track to increase dramatically over the next twenty years. It’s clear that this is a complex problem that will require a number of approaches to solve, from changes in public policy to changes in our attitudes and lifestyles. But one change we can all implement right now is to spend a little more of our time cooking and eating healthy meals at home.
It has been shown that shared family meals have a number of healthy benefits: families who cook at home and eat together are known to eat more fruits and vegetables, eat fewer fried foods and junk foods, and drink less soda than other families. And kids who eat at home with their families have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who don’t—they also perform better in school!
What I love about Recipe Rehab is that it gives everyone in America the power to create incredible-tasting, restaurant-quality foods that are also good for them, right in his or her own kitchen. Each week, two celebrity chefs face off in a competition to transform a family’s favorite unhealthy, high-calorie dish into something that tastes just as delicious, but is much healthier. And when I say the chefs face off, I’m not kidding—we are in it to win it! Here’s the lineup of my fierce competitors, whose recipes you will soon be preparing and eating (for more information on these amazing chefs, turn to page viii): Spike Mendelsohn, Aida Mollenkamp, Scott Leibfried, Govind Armstrong, Jet Tila, Jill Davie, Daniel Green, Laura Vitale, Calvin Harris, Jaden Hair, and Mareya Ibrahim.
We are lucky to have an amazingly talented group of notable chefs, food writers, and cooks on this show (as well as on RecipeRehab.com and in this book)! We’ve all signed on to be a part of the Recipe Rehab project because we care deeply about the health and wellness issues facing Americans. As culinary professionals, we feel that it is our duty to share the knowledge and skills we’ve learned in the kitchen through years of hard work and practice to help home cooks find “small step” solutions they can implement little by little, leading to big payoffs down the road for themselves and their families. With Recipe Rehab, we’re able to give people the tools and information they need to create dishes they can feel good about cooking any night of the week.
We’ve also got you covered online—and on the go—with RecipeRehab.com. Inspired by the book, the site caters to anyone looking for easy, accessible ways to eat healthier. With tons of chef tips, simple swaps, how-to videos, and more, RecipeRehab.com makes it easier than ever for home cooks to get healthy without skipping all their favorite foods. We also believe that health should never be an inconvenience—breakfast on the go or last-minute weeknight dinners can be fast, delicious, and still good for the whole family.
All of the recipes in this book were created by real chefs and trained professionals who know a thing or two about how to make food taste delicious and look beautiful, and how to translate “chef-y” recipes into easy-to-master meals for anyone cooking at home.
For example, Chef Laura Vitale’s French Toast Casserole is the perfect Sunday-morning breakfast for a crowd. It can be prepared the night before, so you just pop it in the oven in the morning and, voilà—a warm, wholesome breakfast for only 160 calories per serving. And then there’s Chef Jill Davis’s “Better than Takeout” Orange Chicken, an amazing weeknight dinner option that you can whip together in a mere thirty minutes (less time than it takes for your local Chinese joint to deliver!), and offers plenty of flavor and nutrition for under 500 calories. And of course, there’s always room for dessert. Chef Spike Mendelsohn will show you how to make his flaky, delicious Phyllo Apple Cups, which take fifteen minutes to bake and will satisfy your apple pie cravings for less than 150 calories!
In addition to sharing our favorite recipes, we also wanted to empower you to make healthier versions of your own family traditions. Throughout the book you’ll find tips and tricks that will help you get creative and rehab your favorite over-the-top recipes with improved cooking techniques and smart ingredient substitutions.
Being part of the Recipe Rehab TV show, Web site, and book has been a humbling and moving experience for me. I feel lucky to have met so many incredible people, and to have the opportunity to watch firsthand as families’ lives are changed by the simple act of cooking the right foods, the right way. I urge you to take inspiration from those families and try, cook, test, taste, and explore all of the recipes in this book. And even more important, I urge you to get excited about eating real, delicious, clean foods again. Making better choices is in! Being healthy and happy will never go out of style.
Life should be full of good taste.
xx,