Sheryl Crow - If it makes you healthy : more than 100 delicious recipes inspired by the seasons

November 1, 2010

I met Sheryl Crow in her kitchen, of all places, in 2006. It was an inviting and comfortable room with well-used pots and an overflowing pantry; just a perfect space to discuss nutrition. You would have never guessed that she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and was currently undergoing radiation therapy. She was dressed simply in faded jeans and a white T-shirt with her beautiful hair effortlessly pulled back. And though she beamed her famous and carefree smile, her eyes said that she was downright determined to learn everything she could from me. She was like a kid on the first day of school.

She jumped feetfirst and with good humor into the sustainable nutritional action plan I devised for her, which emphasized a serious dose of fiber, essential fatty acids, and other cancer-fighting foods. When it comes to nutrition, Sheryl clearly grasps that she is in the drivers seat and it is up to her to maximize her knowledge about optimal wellness and eating in the most preventative and life-affirming way. In following such a nutritional agenda, tastiness and ease are the keys to success. While clinical research has shown that we cannot ignore the role of nutrition in preventative health, nothing says we have to sacrifice pleasure at the table.

One of the first things Sheryl did in the weeks after our meeting was hire Chuck White, who cooks like an Iron Chef and yet is as sweet as a spring morning in his native state of Tennessee. He has been cooking for her and her crew ever sinceoften going on the road to make sure Sheryl eats right while she is on tour. Chuck somehow always manages to find fresh ingredients wherever Sheryls schedule takes them, preparing meals that burst with appealing, nutrient-rich dishes. (The first time I met Chuck he prepared a dish I can only describe as omega-madness: A pecan-crusted trout served with quinoa noodles, which were to die for.) Believe me: Everyone wants to eat at Sheryls table before a concert.

And everyone wants to eat at Sheryls table at home, too: Sheryls boys, Wyatt and Levi, gravitate to the kitchen when either Chuck or Mommy is cooking. Wyatt already eats just about everything his mom does and joins her at the dinner table every night, whether its on the road or at home. Although Levi is still too young for much of the food that Sheryl eats, he will clearly benefit in the long run from her devotion to eating right. Having kids of my own, I know how gratifying it is to instill the little ones with healthful eating habits at an early age.

Its clear where Sheryl learned this altruism from her own mother. When Sheryl was diagnosed, Bernice flew to Los Angeles. As soon as she arrived, she set about filling the freezer to the brim with batches of homemade nutritious soups she knew would appeal to her daughter. Describing these soups is easy: Think creative-meets-nutritioushello delicious! Arent moms the best? Clearly, Bernices take-charge attitude and selfless passion run deep in the Crow family.

What I love most about If It Makes You Healthy is its realistic approach to cooking. Chuck incorporates the concept that its okay to be a little indulgent every once in a while. He and Sheryl both believe that what matters is how you eat most of the time and that some of the time its okay to take a few liberties. His meals all start with antioxidant-bursting vegetables and from there he keeps things easy and simple. When special occasions arise, he adds a little opulence to the meal but never goes over the top.

Thank you Sheryl and Chuck for assembling a delicious collection of recipes supported by accessible information. If It Makes You Healthy is sure to reward anyone who reads it. Leave it to the rock star and her ingenious chef to show the rest of us how to do it right!

RACHEL S. BELLER, MS, RD
Founder, Beller Nutritional Institute, LLC