Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Not my mama’s biscuits

School is starting,  fall is around the corner, and as we begin to have less daylight, some of us spend less time working out, which can sabotage your fitness plan.  Even worse is the desire to feed on fattening foods during the fall and winter months.

Comfort foods come to mind. Those are the foods that make us feel good when we eat them, usually because the food is attached to a memory or feeling.

My comfort foods are definitely Southern inspired classics like biscuits, baked mac and cheese, fried chicken, cobblers and pies.  Just because they are my favorites doesn’t mean I have them often.

I suggest picking a day of the month (just one day) that you indulge in your favorite food. By choosing a day, you have something to look forward to and you’re not giving up your favorite foods.  You’re just enjoying in moderation.

However, there’s one more thing you should consider.  How about slightly modifying some of your recipes so you can eliminate some calories and fat?  I generally don’t condone altering perfectly good recipes, but I guess there’s an exception to every rule.

I say take baby steps.  Don’t change and possibly ruin your family’s recipes.  For example, I love biscuits.  Ironically, my mother didn’t learn to make them until I was an adult.  But the best part is she makes them without lard or butter.

I know, it sounds impossible and remember I’m a born and bred Southerner so I know a good buttermilk biscuit, but our friend Judy McPherson (an organic farmer and owner of the Uwharrie Farm) developed an unbelievable biscuit recipe using olive oil.

The ingredients are all-purpose flour (Or flour of your choice. My mom uses spelt and I like a mix of white and wheat flours), salt, baking soda, baking powder, buttermilk and olive oil.  If you’d like details regarding exact measurements, you can e-mail me. These biscuits are no-roll. Once you mix, pat them into shape and put them in a pan.  It’s very easy and they taste great. Please email me for exact measurements.

Check out some of Judy’s other seasonal recipes.
Here’s a guide to healthy ingredient substitutes that can aid you when cooking: Ingredient substitutions from the Mayo Clinic.

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