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“We all belong to the knife, fork and spoon club”, says Karen Houghton, Fallbrook author of “Naturally Gourmet..,” her newly published cookbook.
“What we put on that knife, fork and spoon, she continues, can make a BIG difference in our health….for the better or for the worse.”
Karen made a decision about 15 years ago to focus on very healthy food for herself and her family. She said, “ I knew it had to taste good or my family would not eat it,” she said.
This, then, was the genesis of what became her first cookbook and the subject of her cable TV series, “Naturally Gourmet” which can be seen live on the internet at www Hoprtv.org.
Karen’s co-host is Dr. Wes Youngberg, Rancho Family Medical Group who shares the latest nutritional research and particular benefits of certain foods.
In the process of creating the cookbook, Karen had tasks that were difficult and those that were fun. Of the first category, Karen said she had to make about 15 dishes for each photo shoot requiring half days of non-stop cooking. The “fun” part was the artful choices for each photo and “making it all come together.”
“My passion is to help people keep their health strong,” Karen says. As a nurse she said that she had cared for people who no longer enjoyed good health. Those experiences inspired her to focus on healthy food that is also delicious and “gourmet”.
Some health tips from Karen:
• Make breakfast the largest meal of the day; this gives you more energy for the day, helps with concentration and makes you a more productive person overall. Studies also show that those who eat breakfast daily live longer.
• Concentrate on eating more plant food. Fiber is only found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, legumes and seeds. Goal: 40 grams of fiber daily. There are two pages of information about fiber in “Naturally Gourmet”. Karen’s mantra” If you want to lose weight and keep disease away, get 40 grams of fiber every single day.”
• Eat more greens. The dark leaf green vegetables are very nutrient dense and have been said to have “anti-cancer” properties. When you are making soup, for example, cut up some swiss chard and add it to the soup. Wherever you can add more green vegetables. Eat more salads and include uncooked spinach in the salad greens mixture.
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